Social Distancing
Visitors to Diamond Valley Lake near Hemet had no difficulty maintaining ten feet of social distance this past weekend, during the Coronavirus pandemic.
California Poppy, Diamond Valley Lake (3/22/20) Jeff Brown 
Lightning Trout, Diamond Valley Lake (3/22/20) Jeff Brown 
Royal Goldfields, Diamond Valley Lake (3/22/20) Jeff Brown
The few that visited Diamond Valley had lightly-tread trails to hike, Lightning trout lunkers to land and a scattering of wildflowers to photograph.
Jeff Brown reports that this spring’s wildflower bloom is nowhere near as spectacular as the super bloom that carpeted Diamond Valley’s hills with poppies, goldfields and lupine last year.
Though, red-tailed hawks didn’t seem to mind as their prey is easier to see without as many floral distractions.
Since this was first posted, Diamond Valley Lake – as have many park and recreation areas – has been closed in response to the Covid-19 Pandemic.
Yosemite Wildflowers
Abundant displays of white and pink to rose-colored blossoms now appearing on flowering pear, plum and almond trees and shrubs in the Central Valley and Sierra Foothills have Californians anticipating the state’s ten-month wildflower season.
Newly released by Falcon Guides, Yosemite Wildflowers (written by Judy and Barry Breckling) describes more than 1,000 species to be seen in the national park during that long bloom.
My previous go-to guide for wildflower identification in Yosemite National Park and the Central Sierra was Lynn and Jim Wilson and Jeff Nicholas’ Wildflowers of Yosemite, published in 1987. Though beautifully illustrated with recommended wildflower sites and hikes, in comparison, it had just 224 color plates within it.
Yosemite Wildflowers is a more than able replacement. Its authors are well-qualified to author the guide. The Brecklings are lifelong plant enthusiasts who have lived in the Sierra not far from Yosemite for a dozen years. They lead Sierra Foothills chapter California Native Plant Society wildflower field trips and created a Yosemite wildflowers app in 2014.
The book categorizes wildflowers into six color groupings, based on the most vibrant color: white to cream; yellow, red and orange; pink, rose and magenta; blue, purple and lavendar; and green and brown flowers.
Within those sections, 895 color photographs, common names, scientific names, families, informative descriptions, flowering periods, habitats/ranges and similar plants are described.
At 26.4 ounces, Yosemite Wildflowers – though a paperback – is sufficiently heavy to give pause to a backpacker as to whether it’s too much to carry. Though, for anyone who has been frustrated with thinner guidebooks which failed to include flowers they hoped to identify in the field, it’s sure to solve that problem.
Yosemite Wildflowers is comprehensive. As an example, 24 varieties of lupine are described within it. In most field guides, only one or two examples are included.
I’ve often been asked why CaliforniaFallColor.com doesn’t do for California wildflowers what we do for autumn color. There are many reasons why we don’t.
Time is a big part of it. Elsewhere in North America, autumn is a two-week peak display. However, here peak color first appears near 10,000′, then gradually drops to sea level. That takes four months.
California’s wildflower bloom happens in reverse and over a longer period. Flip the pages of Judy and Barry Breckling’s new field guide, Yosemite Wildflowers, and it’s amazing that they finished the book only 12 years after relocating to the Sierra.
Yosemite Wildflowers (978-1-4930-4066-7, March 2020) is available on Amazon.com and in bookstores. Falcon is an imprint of Globe Pequot.
500 Years of Beauty
Gingko biloba, Koukokuji Temple, Shinjuku, Tokyo (12/12/19) Makoto Fujimoto 
Gingko biloba, Koukokuji Temple, Shinjuku, Tokyo (12/12/19) Makoto Fujimoto
Makoto Fujimoto shares these pictures of a massive Gingko biloba tree standing near Koukokuji Temple in the Shinjuku district of Tokyo.
Mike reports that the tree is 500 years old, yet its early December color still shines brightly.
- Tokyo (131′) – Past Peak, YOU MISSED IT.
Christmas Ornaments
Ornamented with blue berries, this Virginia Creeper provides Christmas cheer to the Southern California community of La Cañada-Flintridge.
- La Cañada-Flintridge (1,188′) – Past Peak, You Missed it!
See You Next Autumn, Dude
Moonlight Forest, LA County Arboretum (12/2/19) Frank McDonough 
Sunlit Forest, LA County Arboretum (12/2/19) Frank McDonough 
Flowering Pear, Davis (12/8/19) Philip Reedy 
Big Tujunga Canyon, Sunland-Tujunga (12/7/19) Ken Lock 
Vasquez Rocks (12/5/19) Allison Hastings 
Capitol Park, Sacramento (12/3/19) Steve Arita 
Black-necked Stilt, Colusa NWR (11/29/19) Steve Arita 
Red maple, El Dorado Hills (11/26/19) John Poimiroo 
Snow geese, Colusa NWR (11/22/19) John Poimiroo 
Liquidambar, Oak Glen (11/18/19) Alena Nicholas 
Gingko biloba, Mountain View (12/5/19) Vishal Mishra 
Palo Alto (11/16/19) Vishal Mishra 
41st Ave., Sacramento (11/17/19) John Poimiroo 
California St., Lodi (11/14/19) Bea Ahbeck/Lodi News-Sentinel 
Jepson willow, Cliff Lake, Lassen VNP (11/11/19) Shanda Ochs 
Ventana Wilderness (11/11/19) Leor Pantilat 
Empire Mine SHP, Grass Valley (11/10/19) Steve Arita 
Napa Valley (11/9/19) Mike Caffey 
Chinese pistache, Midway Rd., Chico (11/10/19) Robert Kermen 
Zinfandel, Boeger Winery, Placerville (11/8/19) John Poimiroo 
Boa Vista, Camino (11/8/19) John Poimiroo 
Gingko biloba, Far Niente, Napa Valley (11/7/29) Charles Hooker 
Valyermo Ranch (11/5/19) Lance Pifer 
Rich Bar, Feather River (11/2/19) Michael Beatley 
Feather River, Plumas County (10/29/19) Jeff Luke Titcomb 
Round Valley, US 395 (10/27/19) Benjamin Vu 
Mt Shasta, Siskiyou County (10/25/19) Philip Reedy 
Bigleaf maple, Siskiyou County (10/25/19) Philip Reedy 
California Gray Squirrel (10/24/19) Shanda Ochs 
Middle Fall, McCloud River (10/24/19) Shanda Ochs 
Horse meadow, Fallen Leaf Lake, South Lake Tahoe (10/23/19) Diane Keller 
Owens Valley, Bishop (10/19/19) Mariusz Jeglinski 
Apple Pantry Farm, Camino (10/20/19) Ravi Ranganathan 
Coffee Creek (10/23/19) Laura Jean 
Hayfork (10/23/19) Laura Jean 
Shoofly Bridge, Indian Creek, Plumas County (10/22/19) Michael Beatley 
Black oak, Burney Falls (10/19/19) Gabriel Leete 
Stand by Me Bridge, Burney (10/19/19) Gabriel Leete 
Nights of the Jack, Calabasas (10/19/19) Kathy Jonokuchi 
Kincade Fire sunset, Ukiah (12/24/19) Walt Gabler 
Tuolumne Grove of Giant Sequoia, Yosemite NP (10/18/19) Steve Arita 
Twin Lakes, Mono County (10/23/19) Jeff Simpson 
St. Canice Catholic Church, Nevada City (10/21/19) Robert Kermen 
Genessee Store, Plumas County (10/19/19) Jeff Luke Titcomb 
Independence Trail, Tahoe NF (10/19/19) Ravi Ranganathan 
Cascade Trail, Spanish Creek (10/19/19) John Poimiroo 
Cattails and bigleaf maple, Madrone Lake, Bucks Lake Rd (10/19/19) John Poimiroo 
Quincy (10/19/19) John Poimiroo 
Oregon Cutleaf Birch, Quincy (10/19/19) John Poimiroo 
Black oak, Plumas County (10/19/19) John Poimiroo 
Cattails, Madrone Lake, Bucks Lake Rd (10/19/19) John Poimiroo 
Quincy (10/20/19) Michael Beatley 
Lundy Canyon (10/19/19) Dan Varvais 
Mountain ash, I-80 (10/19/19) Robert Kermen 
Nevada City (10/19/19) Ravi Ranganathan 
St. Canice Catholic Church, Quincy (10/19/19) Ravi Ranganathan 
Seeing Red (10/20/19) California Fall Color Map 
Emerald Bay, Lake Tahoe (10/18/19) Clayton Peoples 
Hope Valley John Poimiroo 
Bishop (10/16/19) Gigi de Jong 
Mt Tallac Trial, South Lake Tahoe (10/17/19) Michelle Pontoni 
Black oak, Yosemite NP (10/18/19) Mark Harding 
Sugar Maple, Meadow Valley (10/17/19) Michael Beatley 
Cascade Trail, Spanish Creek (10/15/19) Michael Beatley 
Indian Rhubarb, Spanish Creek (10/15/19) Michael Beatley 
Lundy Lake (10/13/19) Greg Berndt 
June Lake Loop (10/15/19) Jeff Simpson 
Gull Lake, June Lake Loop (10/8/19) Jeff Simpson 
Oak Glen (10/15/19) Alena Nicholas 
Cardinal Pond, M Fork Bishop Creek (10/16/19) Jared Smith 
Quincy (10/14/19) Michael Beatley 
Lundy Falls (10/14/19) Elliot McGucken 
Lundy Canyon (10/14/19) Elliot McGucken 
Bigleaf maple (10/12/19) Jeff Luke Titcomb 
Red maple, Redding (10/13/19) Laura Jean 
June Lake Loop (10/14/19) Dakota Snider 
June Lake (10/14/19) Dakota Snider 
Three Sticks Winery, Sonoma (10/12/19) Risa Wyatt 
Carnelian Bay (10/12/19) John Poimiroo 
Church of Jesus Christ of LDS, Etna (10/9/19) Laura Jean 
50/50 Tree, Quincy Airport (10/14/19) Robert Kermen 
North Lake, N Fork Bishop Creek (10/10/19) Philip Reedy 
North Lake, N Fork Bishop Creek (10/8/19) Elliot McGucken 
Surveyor’s Meadow, S Fork Bishop Creek (10/9/19) Steve Shinn 
Mountain ash, Thompson Lake (10/10/19) Michael Beatley 
Thompson Lake (10/10/19) Michael Beatley 
Twin Lakes, Bridgeport (10/8/19) Jeff Simpson 
Rock Creek Lake (10/6/19) Alicia Vennos 
Upper Summers Meadow Rd., Mono County (10/8/19) Jeff Simpson 
Lobdell Lake Rd, Mono County (10/8/19) Jeff Simpson 
Lake Sabrina, M Fork Bishop Creek (10/7/19) Anirudh Natekar 
N Fork Bishop Creek (10/7/19) Anirudh Natekar 
Table Mountain Camp, S Fork Bishop Creek Canyon (10/6/19) Dylan Ren 
Intake II, M Fork Bishop Creek Canyon (10/6/19) Dylan Ren 
Red Lake Creek Cabin, Hope Valley (10/4/19) Dan Rastler 
Blue Lakes Rd Junction, Hope Valley )10/7/19) John Poimiroo 
Ebbetts Pass (10/7/19) Ryan Boyd 
Millpond Equestrian Center, Round Valley (10/5/19) Gigi de Jong 
Rock Creek Canyon (10/6/19) Gigi de Jong 
Round Valley (10/6/19) Gigi de Jong 
Rabbitbrush and bees, Round Valley (10/5/19) Gigi de Jong 
Sabrina Bridge, M Fork Bishop Creek (10/6/19) Jared Smith 
Red Maple, Humbold State University, Arcata (10/5/19) Michelle Pontoni 
Mango-colored trees, N Lake Rd (10/6/19) Jared Smith 
Mountain Ash, Plumas County (10/6/19) Michael Beatley 
Judge Thieler Sugar Maple, Quincy (10/6/19) Michael Beatley 
Roosevelt Elk, Orick (10/4/19) Justin Legge 
Groves Above Cardinal Village, M Fork Bishop Creek (10/1/19) Mike Schaper 
Sagehen Summit, Mono County (9/30/19) Dakota Snider
Aspen, Lobdell Lake Rd (10/1/19) Jeff Simpson 
Sagehen Summit, Mono County (10/1/19) Donna Mercer 
Sabrina Camp, M Fork Bishop Creek (9/29/19) Julie Kirby 
North Lake Rd., N Fork Bishop Creek (9/29/19) Julie Kirby 
Pacific Poison Oak, Palomar Mountain SP (9/29/19) Dylan Ren 
Sabrina Camp Bridge, M Fork Bishop Creek (9/29/19) Jared Smith 
Groves Above Cardinal Village (9/29/19) Jared Smith 
Table Mountain, S Fork Bishop Creek (9/29/19) Jared Smith 
Creek Dogwood, Big Creek, Meadow Valley (9/29/19) Michael Beatley 
Hope Valley (9/27/19) Philip Reedy 
Rock Creek Lake (9/23/19) Dakota Snider 
Virginia Lakes (9/25/19) Jeff Simpson 
Faery Falls reflection and fallen leaf (9/22/19) Laura Beeson 
Sabrina Camp, Bishop Creek Canyon (9/22/19) Jared Smith 
Long Lake, Lassen County (9/19/19) Clayton Peoples 
Bracken Fern, Cold Creek Trail, Reds Meadow (9/15/19) Leor Pantilat 
Aspen, Virginia Lakes (9/18/19) Jeff Simpson 
Hope Valley (9/13/19) Philip Reedy
- California – Past Peak, YOU MISSED IT.
Night and Day
During this festive season, the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Gardens is beautiful both night and day.
Nightly until Jan. 12, during its Moonlight Forest event, the LA County Arboretum is illuminated with colorful lanterns while sunlit days still hang heavy with the last of LA County’s autumn color.
Here’s some of the beauty to be enjoyed. Click to enlarge images.
Mushrooms, LA County Arboretum, Arcadia (12/11/19) Frank McDonough 
Mushrooms, LA County Arboretum, Arcadia (12/11/19) Frank McDonough
Canada geese, Meadowbrook Section, LA County Arboretum (12/12/19) Frank McDonough 
Wedding pictures, LA County Arboretum (12/12/19) Frank McDonough 
LA County Arboretum (12/12/19) Frank McDonough 
Cotoneaster, gingko biloba, LA County Arboretum (12/12/19) Frank McDonough 
LA County Arboretum (12/12/19) Frank McDonough 
Liquidambar cultivars, Kallam Garden, LA County Arboretum (12/12/19) Frank McDonough 
Crepe myrtle, Bauer Lawn, LA County Arboretum (12/12/19) Frank McDonough 
LA County Arboretum (12/12/19) Frank McDonough 
LA County Arboretum (12/12/19) Frank McDonough 
Moonlight Forest, LA County Arboretum (12/12/19) Frank McDonough 
Moonlight Forest, LA County Arboretum (12/12/19) Frank McDonough 
Whale, Moonlight Forest, LA County Arboretum (12/12/19) Frank McDonough 
Moonlight Forest, LA County Arboretum (12/12/19) Frank McDonough
California grape on bamboo, LA County Arboretum (12/12/19) Frank McDonough 
Moonlight Forest, LA County Arboretum (12/12/19) Frank McDonough
- LA County Arboretum and Botanic Garden, Arcadia – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW!
Behold San Gabriel
Liquidambar, La Canada (12/10/19) John Jackson 
Sycamore, La Canada (12/10/19) John Jackson 
Liquidambar (l), Sycamore (r), La Canada (12/10/19) John Jackson
Early December is when the San Gabriel Valley is said to peak each year. Appropriate, considering that – scripture records – St. Gabriel foretold the reason for the Christmas season.
As predicted, it’s peaking now with ornamental trees heralding heavy loads of yellow, chartreuse and orange-pink foliage in La Canada.
Chinese pistache, La Canada (12/10/19) John Jackson 
Sycamore and Liquidambar, La Canada (12/10/19) John Jackson
John Jackson sends these images taken along Viro Rd., which is lined with towering liquidambar, sycamore and Chinese pistache.
- La Canada (970′) – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW!
Liquidambar Brighten, Finally
Liquidambar, Walnut-Rowland Heights (12/8/19) Mohammed Hossain 
Liquidambar, Walnut-Rowland Heights (12/8/19) Mohammed Hossain
So far this autumn, Liquidambar (Sweetgum) have been disappointingly flat. Photographs received, and those I’ve seen, have lacked the vibrant, firey colors normal for this colorful ornamental tree.
Liquidambar, Walnut-Rowland Heights (12/8/19) Mohammed Hossain 
Liquidambar, Walnut-Rowland Heights (12/8/19) Mohammed Hossain
Color spotter Mohammed Hossain scores a First Report from Walnut-Rowland Heights and comes to the rescue, providing these mobile phone snaps he took on a walk in his neighborhood, West of Pomona.
Walnut-Rowland Heights (12/8/19) Mohammed Hossain 
Walnut-Rowland Heights (12/8/19) Mohammed Hossain
Mohammed says recent storms with lots of rain and crisp, cool, clear following days have refreshed the trees, causing the colors to brighten. Perhaps that’s what’s been missing in an autumn that’s been unusually dry.
He continues that the San Gabriel Mountains are now dusted with snow, providing that Chamber of Commerce image that Rose Parade viewers have come to associate with Southern California in winter. Though, this is still autumn; winter does not begin until December 21.
Liquidambar, Walnut-Rowland Heights (12/8/19) Mohammed Hossain 
Liquidambar, Walnut-Rowland Heights (12/8/19) Mohammed Hossain
It’s easy to imagine how Mohammed’s walk/jog, as he described, filled his “heart and soul” with the beauty of a late autumn day that was dressed with rainbows arcing above the dazzling colors.
- Walnut-Rowland (571′) – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW!
Davis Pears and Peppers Up
Just like Healdsburg, Davis’ pears are up. So are its peppers.
Philip Reedy was surprised by the bright color to be found in his neighborhood on a weekend walk, exclaiming, “There’s still color!”
He found Flowering pear and American pepper carrying magenta and gold color.
Flowering pear, Davis (12/8/19) Philip Reedy 
American pepper, Davis (12/8/19) Philip Reedy 
American pepper, Davis (12/8/19) Philip Reedy 
Flowering pear, Davis (12/8/19) Philip Reedy 
Flowering pear, Davis (12/8/19) Philip Reedy 
Flowering pear, Davis (12/8/19) Philip Reedy
- Davis – Peak to Past Peak, GO NOW, YOU ALMOST MISSED IT.
Pear Perfect in Healdsburg
Soon after non-Indians settled the Healdsburg area in the late 1850s, they found that anything grows in Sonoma County’s fertile soil.
Grapes, lumber and hops were Healdsburg’s biggest cash crops until The Volstead Act (Prohibition) eliminated commercial wine and beer making in 1919. Vineyards were then uprooted and replaced with orchards.
To replace the grapes and hops, French plums were planted in such abundance surrounding Healdsburg that the town became known as “the buckle of the prune belt.”
Plums became a huge profit crop, as prunes (dried plums) were a fruit that could be transported and had shelf life in an age when refrigeration wasn’t common.
Kelseyville, in neighboring Lake County, had a similar history, though its vineyards were replaced with pear orchards whose fruit was canned and also exported, earning Kelseyville the sobriquet, “pear capital of the world.”
Both towns began replacing orchards with vineyards, starting in the 1980s, as wine consumption increased and consumption of dried and canned fruit declined.
Flowering pear, Healdsburg (12/7/19) Anson Davalos 
Flowering pear, Healdsburg (12/7/19) Anson Davalos
Colorful remnants of the region’s orchard days remain in downtown Healdsburg where pear trees (the flowering variety) line its streets. Color spotter Anson Davalos found them at peak this past weekend.
We know of no plums growing in Kelseyville, though pears remain an important product, especially when combined with wine, as noted in this Sunset magazine article.
- Healdsburg, Sonoma County (105′) – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW! – Pears