The Superbloom of Wildflowers

of Southern California

Walker Canyon, Lake Elsinore, Riverside County

March 19, 2019

The year 2019 turned out to be the year of the "Superbloom" in Southern California.

It was unusually wet and chilly during the month of January, February, and even into March.

Apparently, the weather conditions must have been perfect for the hidden seeds of wildflowers to germinate and bloom en-masse in Southern California. The first place to show the festival of wildflowers was the semi-desert areas of Riverside County between San Diego and Los Angeles. Then the same pattern will happen at the north to Los Angeles in Lancaster area and Carrizo National Monument further north.

Other famous places for the spring wildflowers are Anza Borrego State Park,  Joshua Tree National Park, and Death Valley National Park. Anyway, as a matter of fact, the roadsides of any rural Southern California highways are full of spring wildflowers only if you raise your eyes and look.

Also, the blooming of spring flowers in California means that it's about the time for us, the snowbirds from the north, to return back to where we came from in the early winter of the last year. Not to be sad or sentimental about it, in the northern homes of ours, the spring flowers will be waiting for us in the months of May and June. As their blooms come and go again eternally, our life will go on with them as long as it can last.

They say that the "Superbloom" happens only about once in a decade with the last major one about 7 years ago. A minor one happened about 3 years ago. A decade (10 years) is a long time for me and my friends. We did not want to miss it. So, here we went for it !!

The Walker Canyon, just east of the city of Lake Elsinore had become the focal point of the superbloom in early March. It was one hour drive from Laguna Woods. Having heard that there would be a traffic jam in this area, we left Laguna Woods Village at about 6:30 AM in the pre-dawn darkness in three groups. We were full of hope to see the glories of California wildflowers.

We arrived here early in the dawn. The sun was just rising at the tops of hills but not in the valley. These are the flowers known as California Poppy but in this southern area, it's known as Mexican Poppy. They are light in color and less tall than the northern sisters.

The flower petals were closed during the night and remained closed before the sunlight.

Varieties of wildflowers in the lower valley floor in the early morning.

Up on the hill, people were there already.

A pinkish "Wishbone Bush" with yellow Poppies in the background.

The sun started to shine on the hills now. The hills are semi-desert mountains with no trees.

The morning sun was gradually rising as we were clibming up the hill.

"Menzies' Fiddleneck" (yellow), a kind of "Forget-me-not" (usually light blue) in yellow color.

"Mustard Flowers" (yellow) backlighted against the sun, contrasted with shadows.

Such lighting situations make good pictures for photographers.

Almost any hillsides in Califonia is covered with pale-yellow mustard flowers in spring.

The white flowers are probably "Popcorn flowers"

Some of our groups taking pictures.

People's traffic and trails shown on hillsides.

Mexican poppies (orange) mixed with Chias (blue-purple).

Yet as the sun's beam had not hit them, the poppies remained closed in the morning shade

while some of them started to open up.

In the valley, we see a few willow-like trees along the stream.

The south-facing hills are covered with poppies. These are partially artificial as they say

that poppy seeds were spread by helicopters some years ago.

Light green colors are from Mustard flowers.

A group of young family at the roadside. Mom and Dad and three children.

A young girl is concentrating carefully focusing her cellphone to capture a close up of poppies.

Her image just reminded me of our two granddaughters and I thought that they could have done the same if they were with me now. But they have grown up now and are far away. I dreamed about a moment that can never be brought back. I don't know how the grandpa and grandma didn't get to have the chance with them. We wished we could have done the flower tour together.

We were over the hill and the tour came to an end here.

Looking north-west, very far under the dark-colored mountain is the city of Lake Elsinore.

A group of "Grape Soda Lupines" partially lit by the rising morning sun.

A strange unknown flower

A kind of pinkish "Phacelias"

A group of pink "Wishbone Bush (Mirabilis laevis)", a perennial while all others here are annuals.

A group of deep-cupped "Canterbury Bell" (lavender)

"Red-stem Filaree (Desert Heron's Bill)" on a thin and long reddish stem.

A group of "Popcorn Flowers" (white)

Shallow-cupped "Wild Canterbury Bells" (California Bluebells, Phacelia Minor)

"Chia (Salvia columbariae)" (blue-purple) mixed with yellow poppies.

South-facing hillsides fully filled with poppies, mustard flowers, and bluebells.

Our group heading down the hill.

Canterbury Bluebells (lavender) seem to like shady spots in the hills.

Close-ups of "Mexican Poppies", a variety of "California Poppies".

On the way down toward highway

High on the hill, light green color are the areas of pale yellow "Mustard flowers"

Flowers on every inch of land, no spaces to spare except on the rocks.

In the mid-morning, flowers are fully open under the sun. Wishbone Bush and poppies.

Looking back. The entire area of today's wildflower hiking.

Parked cars along Walker Canyon Road. Further away is I-15 to Temecula and San Diego.