Here are some highlights from this year’s spring bounty of wildflowers. The most spectacular display has already been posted from the Carrizo Plain superbloom in March 2017. Go to: https://carlabrennan.com/2017/04/02/carrizo-plain-national-monument-march-2017/.

The photos in this post are from much closer to home in Santa Cruz, Santa Clara and San Mateo counties. By now, I know where and approximately when to find specific flowers, although there is some variation year to year. I may not see the same individual, but I am likely to discover an offspring.

BTW, I’ve given up trying to identify which wild iris is which. This area is home to a variety of native and endemic showy irises. Some iris species can vary widely in color, from pale yellow to to deep purple, making identification confusing. And, honestly, I haven’t buckled down to learn the distinguishing characteristics. In the past, I tended to call everything a “Douglas iris” but they could also be a native Fernald’s iris, Central Coast iris, bowltube iris, or one of the invasive non-native species. So now an iris will just be called “iris.”

Many of the flowers and other plants in California are non-natives brought here by the early Spanish explorers, ranchers, farmers and gardeners. Some native species, especially grasses, have been pushes aside, becoming rarer to find. I have indicated which of the plants I’ve photographed are non-native.

I stumbled upon a few flowers new to me this year (or at least I don’t remember them): Elegant Cat’s Ear (mariposa), California Milkwort, Prettyface, White Brodiaea and Yellow Glandweed. And I love that crazy reed with the strange reproductive organs as well as those berries with thorns.

More flower photographs are likely to come. June and the summer months bring a host of additional blooms. However, sadly, the biggest display is probably behind us for this year (except at high elevations!).

Please do not reproduce any photographs without permission. Prints are available for purchase for some photographs. If you are interested, contact Carla at: brennan.carla@gmail.com. You can also find Carla’s photographs, paintings and jewelry on her Etsy site (Stones and Bones): https://www.etsy.com/shop/stonesandbones

This gallery contains 59 photos