marabethg

Aug 032017
 


NEW
– The striking Belladonna lily, native of South Africa, has pink trumpet flowers at the end of a long stalk.
– Chasmanthe, also native to South Africa, has orange flame flowers
– Coast piperia, an orchid, is blooming on the Homestead trail, just downhill from 12, visible above the trail in among the broom and plums.
– Coastal burnweed, native to Australia and New Zealand, is blooming with long yellow tipped buds.
– Hairy golden aster is a low blooming shrub with yellow flowers and fuzzy leaves up on Homestead Hill.
– Old Man’s Beard is a nasty invasive vine, native to the UK, that will create bowers, overcoming native trees and shrubs. We’ve pulled it off redwood trees in Three Groves. Muir Woods has a much worse infestation climbing redwoods and elsewhere in the park.

Forests
Starting
– Rosilla with its tall yellow flower and backward facing petals is blooming beside the creek that pasess the Ridgewood Rock.
– Roughleaf aster is blooming in the forest along the Eagle Trail.
– Toyon, a small tree, is blooming white in the forests.
Peaking
– California spikenard, one of the largest herbaceous plants in North America, grows to 3-9′ each season. Its white firework-shaped flowers are blooming now along creeks in the forests.
– Silverleaf cotoneaster, native to China, a large shrub with white flowers that will become bright red berries is blooming at forest edges.
Fading
– American trailplant, Adenocaulon bicolor, is blooming with small white flowers at the top of a stalk. The bicolor in the Latin name refers to the arrow-shaped leaves that are green on top and whiter underneath. Turn one over to mark your way on the trail.
– Hellebore, an orchid, is native to Eurasia. The greenish pink flowers climb a 1′ stalk.
– White hawksweed has white feathery flowers and soft leaves. It’s blooming up on the Eagle Trail.

Forest Edges
Peaking
– Tansy ragwort, native to Eurasia, is blooming with its bright yellow flowers along Laverne. The plant contains alkaloids that catepillars absorb, making them distasteful to predators. As with other alkaloid containing plants like poison hemlock and euphorbia, it can be toxic to people.

Meadows
Peaking
– Bluff lettuce, a red-tipped succulent’s yellow flowers are blooming on the Ridgewood Rock.
– California everlasting is blooming with its paper-like white blooms up on the ridge.
– Chamise, a staple of the chaparral shrubland plant community is blooming on a wooded hill in Homestead.
– Coast tarweed, a tall native tarweed with the typical resinous coating is blooming yellow along Pixie Trail and in sunny meadows.
– Coyote mint with its bright purple head is blooming in meadows up on the ridge.
– Kellogg yampah’s white umbels are blooming tall above the grasses in meadows. This was an important staple crop of Native Americans who ate the nut like root.
– Pincusion flower, a garden escapee, native of Eurasia, is blooming in Cowboy Rock meadow.
Fading
– California poppy is showing its orange bell flower in the meadows.
– Common vetch, a native of the Mediterranean, is the purple pea blooming in the meadows
– Common Yarrow is a white flowered umbel with feathery leaves. It’s a sun lover and is blooming on the ridge now but will be out it all the meadows soon.
– Euphorbia, native of Eurasia, is blooming in Pixie and Cowboy Rock meadows.
– Naked buckwheat is blooming up in ridge meadows now.
– Poison hemlock, native to Europe, has white umbel flowers. Its stalk is mottled red hinting at the toxicity of this plant.
– Purple western morning glory is blooming in meadows up on the ridge and on Kerouac Hill.
– Skunkweed, with purple flowers surrounded by spikes is blooming on the trail to 4-corners.
– Sticky monkeyflower is blooming on Cowboy Rock. This is a sun loving plant that will bloom through the summer.
– Scarlet pimpernel, native to the Mediterranean basin, is a common little orange splash in the meadow grasses.
– Wild radish, native to Asia, is blooming with purple flowers in the meadows on the ridge.
– Wild mustard, a Mediterranean native, is a tall yellow flower in meadows up on the ridge. The flowers are edible.

Key to map:
I haven’t located plants on on the map if they are very prolific. Find them by their habitat.

Flowers that are not currently blooming have been removed from the map and are greyed out in the map key.
HVLT Trail Map 022315 v28w

Gallery of wildflowers and plants found in Homestead.

*Non-native

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Jul 182017
 


NEW
– Coast tarweed, a tall native tarweed with the typical resinous coating is blooming yellow along Pixie Trail and in sunny meadows.
– Kellogg yampah’s white umbels are blooming tall above the grasses in meadows. This was an important staple crop of Native Americans who ate the nut like root.
– Roughleaf aster is blooming in the forest along the Eagle Trail.

Forests
Starting
– Rosilla with its tall yellow flower and backward facing petals is blooming beside the creek that pasess the Ridgewood Rock.
– Toyon, a small tree, is blooming white in the forests.
Peaking
– California spikenard, one of the largest herbaceous plants in North America, grows to 3-9′ each season. Its white firework-shaped flowers are blooming now along creeks in the forests.
– Silverleaf cotoneaster, native to China, a large shrub with white flowers that will become bright red berries is blooming at forest edges.
Fading
– American trailplant, Adenocaulon bicolor, is blooming with small white flowers at the top of a stalk. The bicolor in the Latin name refers to the arrow-shaped leaves that are green on top and whiter underneath. Turn one over to mark your way on the trail.
– Hellebore, an orchid, is native to Eurasia. The greenish pink flowers climb a 1′ stalk.
– White hawksweed has white feathery flowers and soft leaves. It’s blooming up on the Eagle Trail.

Forest Edges
Peaking
– Tansy ragwort, native to Eurasia, is blooming with its bright yellow flowers along Laverne. The plant contains alkaloids that catepillars absorb, making them distasteful to predators. As with other alkaloid containing plants like poison hemlock and euphorbia, it can be toxic to people.

Meadows
Peaking
– Bluff lettuce, a red-tipped succulent’s yellow flowers are blooming on the Ridgewood Rock.
– California everlasting is blooming with its paper-like white blooms up on the ridge.
– Chamise, a staple of the chaparral shrubland plant community is blooming on a wooded hill in Homestead.
– Coyote mint with its bright purple head is blooming in meadows up on the ridge.
– Pincusion flower, a garden escapee, native of Eurasia, is blooming in Cowboy Rock meadow.
Fading
– California poppy is showing its orange bell flower in the meadows.
– Common vetch, a native of the Mediterranean, is the purple pea blooming in the meadows
– Common Yarrow is a white flowered umbel with feathery leaves. It’s a sun lover and is blooming on the ridge now but will be out it all the meadows soon.
– Euphorbia, native of Eurasia, is blooming in Pixie and Cowboy Rock meadows.
– Naked buckwheat is blooming up in ridge meadows now.
– Poison hemlock, native to Europe, has white umbel flowers. Its stalk is mottled red hinting at the toxicity of this plant.
– Purple western morning glory is blooming in meadows up on the ridge and on Kerouac Hill.
– Skunkweed, with purple flowers surrounded by spikes is blooming on the trail to 4-corners.
– Sticky monkeyflower is blooming on Cowboy Rock. This is a sun loving plant that will bloom through the summer.
– Scarlet pimpernel, native to the Mediterranean basin, is a common little orange splash in the meadow grasses.
– Wild radish, native to Asia, is blooming with purple flowers in the meadows on the ridge.
– Wild mustard, a Mediterranean native, is a tall yellow flower in meadows up on the ridge. The flowers are edible.

Key to map:
I haven’t located plants on on the map if they are very prolific. Find them by their habitat.

Flowers that are not currently blooming have been removed from the map and are greyed out in the map key.
HVLT Trail Map 022315 v28w

Gallery of wildflowers and plants found in Homestead.

*Non-native

Share this:
Facebook
Jun 212017
 


NEW
– Bluff lettuce, a red-tipped succulent’s yellow flowers are blooming on the Ridgewood Rock.
– Chamise, a staple of the chaparral shrubland plant community is blooming on a wooded hill in Homestead.
– Coyote mint with its bright purple head is blooming in meadows up on the ridge.
– Pincusion flower, a garden escapee, native of Eurasia, is blooming in Cowboy Rock meadow.
– Rosilla with its tall yellow flower and backward facing petals is blooming beside the creek that pasess the Ridgewood Rock.
– Skunkweed, with purple flowers surrounded by spikes is blooming on the trail to 4-corners.
– Toyon, a small tree, is blooming white in the forests.

Forests
Starting
– California spikenard, one of the largest herbaceous plants in North America, grows to 3-9′ each season. Its white firework-shaped flowers are blooming now along creeks in the forests.
– Silverleaf cotoneaster, native to China, a large shrub with white flowers that will become bright red berries is blooming at forest edges.
Peaking
– American trailplant, Adenocaulon bicolor, is blooming with small white flowers at the top of a stalk. The bicolor in the Latin name refers to the arrow-shaped leaves that are green on top and whiter underneath. Turn one over to mark your way on the trail.
Fading
– California coffee berry is one of our forest shrubs. It has waxy leaves and clusters of small white star flowers.
– Cleavers has a very small white flower. The plant creeps and has small cleaving barbs.
– Coralroot is blooming above the trail in the big Indian warrior patch. Look for it in the woods along the Homestead Trail.
– Featherweed is blooming ochre along the forest trails.
– Forget-me-not* the familiar pretty little blue flower, is a European native. This is one of our most successful invasives covering the forest floor and crowding out native species.
– Hedge nettle with its tall stalk and purple flowers is blooming in the forests.
– Hellebore, an orchid, is native to Eurasia. The greenish pink flowers climb a 1′ stalk.
– Ocean spray is a forest shrub with soft lobed leaves. The white cone-shaped cluster of frothy flowers are blooming.
– Thimbleberry, in the rose family, with its white flower and lobed leaves, is a forest shrub. The raspberry looking fruit is edible and is fruiting now.
– White hawksweed has white feathery flowers and soft leaves. It’s blooming up on the Eagle Trail.
– Woodland madia has bright yellow flowers and is blooming on the Eagle Trail.
– Yellow coralroot, another yellow spike, is blooming at the indian warrior patch, 15.

Forest Edges
Starting
– Tansy ragwort, native to Eurasia, is blooming with its bright yellow flowers along Laverne. The plant contains alkaloids that catepillars absorb, making them distasteful to predators. As with other alkaloid containing plants like poison hemlock and euphorbia, it can be toxic to people.
Peaking
– California honeysuckle has long pink finger flowers. It is a vine that climbs trees and shrubs to reach sun.
Fading
– Alum root, with geranium-shaped leaves and a white foamy flower is blooming along the creek near the Meadow rue on the Upper Eagle Trail.
– Buckeye trees are almost finished blooming. See them along Laverne.
– Common California aster is blooming on the Homestead trail.
– Figwort, with its small maroon flower is blooming in forest edges. This plant is a favorite of butterflies.
– Hedge parsley, native to Europe, has 3-lobed leaves like a marijuana leaf. Its small white flowers are blooming now. When these fade, there will be small burrs that attach to passerbys and spread this invasive plant along the trails.
– Milkwort has purple winglike flowers on a low plant.- Cow parsnip, this tall plant with large white umbels is blooming at the forest edge.
– Wavyleaf soap plant, only blooms at dawn and evening. It grows from a bulb covered in thick fibers and the flowers are borne on a tall stalk.
– Wood sweet cicely is abundant along all the woodland paths. Its small white blooms are appearing now. Once it goes to seed, the tender pods make a delicious trail snack.
– Yerba buena is a rambling, aromatic mint, delicious and plentiful in Homestead. Its small, white, butterfly-shaped flowers are blooming now.

Meadows
Peaking
– California everlasting is blooming with its paper-like white blooms up on the ridge.
– Common vetch, a native of the Mediterranean, is the purple pea blooming in the meadows
– Common Yarrow is a white flowered umbel with feathery leaves. It’s a sun lover and is blooming on the ridge now but will be out it all the meadows soon.
– Euphorbia, native of Eurasia, is blooming in Pixie and Cowboy Rock meadows.
– Harvest brodiaea, an elegant blue star flower is blooming now above junction 13.
– Ithuriel’s spear, a bright blue funnel is blooming up on the ridge now and will show up in lower meadows soon.
– Lance leaf selfheal, a velvety tower of purple is blooming along the trail below 7 and near 11.
– Naked buckwheat is blooming up in ridge meadows now.
– Poison hemlock, native to Europe, has white umbel flowers. Its stalk is mottled red hinting at the toxicity of this plant.
– Sticky monkeyflower is blooming on Cowboy Rock. This is a sun loving plant that will bloom through the summer.
Fading
– California poppy is showing its orange bell flower in the meadows.
– Flax, native to the Mediterranean region, is a pale blue flower at the end of a long stalk.
– Pineappleweed with its pincushion yellow flowers, smells like chamomile when crushed, is edible and medicinal.
– Purple western morning glory is blooming in meadows up on the ridge and on Kerouac Hill.
– Scarlet pimpernel, native to the Mediterranean basin, is a common little orange splash in the meadow grasses.
– Sky lupine, a bright blue and white lupine, grows in single stalks close to the ground.
– Wild radish, native to Asia, is blooming with purple flowers in the meadows on the ridge.
– Wild mustard, a Mediterranean native, is a tall yellow flower in meadows up on the ridge. The flowers are edible.

Key to map:
I haven’t located plants on on the map if they are very prolific. Find them by their habitat.

Flowers that are not currently blooming have been removed from the map and are greyed out in the map key.
HVLT Trail Map 022315 v28w

Gallery of wildflowers and plants found in Homestead.

*Non-native

Share this:
Facebook
Jun 072017
 


NEW
– California spikenard, one of the largest herbaceous plants in North America, grows to 3-9′ each season. Its white firework-shaped flowers are blooming now along creeks in the forests.
– Silverleaf cotoneaster, native to China, a large shrub with white flowers that will become bright red berries is blooming at forest edges.
– Tansy ragwort, native to Eurasia, is blooming with its bright yellow flowers along Laverne. The plant contains alkaloids that catepillars absorb, making them distasteful to predators. As with other alkaloid containing plants like poison hemlock and euphorbia, it can be toxic to people.
– Wavyleaf soap plant, only blooms at dawn and evening. It grows from a bulb covered in thick fibers and the flowers are borne on a tall stalk.

Forests
Starting
– American trailplant, Adenocaulon bicolor, is blooming with small white flowers at the top of a stalk. The bicolor in the Latin name refers to the arrow-shaped leaves that are green on top and whiter underneath. Turn one over to mark your way on the trail.
– California coffee berry is one of our forest shrubs. It has waxy leaves and clusters of small white star flowers.
Peaking
– Cleavers has a very small white flower. The plant creeps and has small cleaving barbs.
– Coralroot is blooming above the trail in the big Indian warrior patch. Look for it in the woods along the Homestead Trail.
– Featherweed is blooming ochre along the forest trails.
– Hedge nettle with its tall stalk and purple flowers is blooming in the forests.
– Hellebore an orchid, is native to Eurasia. The greenish pink flowers climb a 1′ stalk.
– Ocean spray is a forest shrub with soft lobed leaves. The white cone-shaped cluster of frothy flowers are starting to bloom.
– Thimbleberry, in the rose family, with its white flower and lobed leaves, is a forest shrub. The raspberry looking fruit is edible.
– White hawksweed has white feathery flowers and soft leaves. It’s blooming up on the Eagle Trail.
– Woodland madia has bright yellow flowers and is blooming on the Eagle Trail.
– Yellow coralroot, another yellow spike, is blooming at the indian warrior patch, 15.
Fading
– Andrew’s clinton, the most exotic bloom of the redwood understory, has started blooming. Its large waxy leaves and bright pink flower can be seen from the road on the bank above Laverne opposite Stolte Grove.
– California angelica with a large white umbel is blooming beside the Eagle Trail.
– Forget-me-not* the familiar pretty little blue flower, is a European native. This is one of our most successful invasives covering the forest floor and crowding out native species.
– Fringe cups with its greenish fringed flowers is blooming in the forest beside creeks, next to the bridge on the Eagle trail near 9, along the Homestead Trail and on Laverne right after the last house.

Forest Edges
Starting
– California honeysuckle has long pink finger flowers. It is a vine that climbs trees and shrubs to reach sun.
– Common California aster is blooming on the Homestead trail.
– Milkwort has purple winglike flowers on a low plant.
Peaking
– Alum root, with geranium-shaped leaves and a white foamy flower is blooming along the creek near the Meadow rue on the Upper Eagle Trail.
– Buckeye trees are starting to bloom. See them along Laverne.
– Blue eyed grass, not a grass but a member of the iris family, is blooming deep blue/purple up on the ridge and in meadows at the forest edge.
– Cow parsnip, this tall plant with large white umbels is blooming at the forest edge.
– English daisy, a European native, is blooming below Amaranth.
– Figwort, with its small maroon flower is blooming in forest edges. This plant is a favorite of butterflies.
– Hedge parsley, native to Europe, has 3-lobed leaves like a marijuana leaf. Its small white flowers are blooming now. When these fade, there will be small burrs that attach to passerbys and spread this invasive plant along the trails.
– Manroots or wild cucumber is a native vine with white flowers that is blooming all over.
– Nipplewort, native of Europe, is a tall yellow flower along the trail above the Tamalpais Drive steps.
– Sticky cinquefoil looks like strawberry but tall and with a cream flower.
– Yerba buena is a rambling, aromatic mint, delicious and plentiful in Homestead. Its small, white, butterfly-shaped flowers are blooming now.
Fading
– California tea with its tea shaped leaves and purple tipped white pea cluster flowers is blooming beside the trail in the meadow below 11.
– Creeping snowberry with its pretty oval leaves is blooming with tiny pink bell flowers.
– Wood sweet cicely is abundant along all the woodland paths. Its small white blooms are appearing now. Once it goes to seed, the tender pods make a delicious trail snack.

Meadows
Starting
– Bird’s foot trefoil, native of Europe, is a small, yellow pea-shaped flower.
– Buttercup is blooming on the ridge and in some of the lower meadows.
– California everlasting is blooming with its paper-like white blooms up on the ridge.
– California plantain, this tiny plant has needle-like leaves and translucent flowers clustered on a stalk. It’s blooming in a large patch above the junction at 13 and in meadows.
– California poppy is showing its orange bell flower in the meadows.
– Checkerbloom is blooming up on the ridge near the patches of blue dicks.
– Chilean trefoil is blooming bright yellow up on the ridge.
– Common catchfly, native of Eurasia and North Africa, is a windmill white flower on a tall stalk with a striped pod.
– Common vetch, a native of the Mediterranean, is the purple pea blooming in the meadows
– Common Yarrow is a white flowered umbel with feathery leaves. It’s a sun lover and is blooming on the ridge now but will be out it all the meadows soon.
– Euphorbia, native of Eurasia, is blooming in Pixie and Cowboy Rock meadows.
– Flax, native to the Mediterranean region, is a pale blue flower at the end of a long stalk.
– Harvest brodiaea, an elegant blue star flower is blooming now above junction 13.
– Lance leaf selfheal, a velvety tower of purple is blooming along the trail below 7 and near 11.
– Mule’s ear, a yellow sunflower, is blooming in ridge meadows.
– Naked buckwheat is blooming up in ridge meadows now.
– Narrow leaved clover with its pink puff flower blooming beside the Homestead Trail.
– Pineappleweed with its pincushion yellow flowers, smells like chamomile when crushed, is edible and medicinal.
– Poison hemlock, native to Europe, has white umbel flowers. Its stalk is mottled red hinting at the toxicity of this plant.
– Purple clarkia and its purple cone flowers is blooming in the meadow beside the Upper Eagle Trail.
– Purple western morning glory is blooming in meadows up on the ridge and on Kerouac Hill.
– Scarlet pimpernel, native to the Mediterranean basin, is a common little orange splash in the meadow grasses.
– Shamrock clover, native of Europe, has a bright yellow flower and is blooming along trails in meadows.
– Sticky monkeyflower is blooming on Cowboy Rock. This is a sun loving plant that will bloom through the summer.
– Wild radish, native to Asia, is blooming with purple flowers in the meadows on the ridge.
– Wild mustard, a Mediterranean native, is a tall yellow flower in meadows up on the ridge. The flowers are edible.
Peaking
– Ithuriel’s spear, a bright blue funnel is blooming up on the ridge now and will show up in lower meadows soon.
Fading
– American wild carrot with small white umbels and feathery leaves is blooming in the meadow above 8 and below 11.
– Blue dicks, a soft blue cluster at the end of a long stem is bobbing blue on the ridge trail and down in the brighter places along the Homestead Trail.
– Owl clover, not a clover but an Indian paintbrush, is blooming on the knoll below Homestead Hill.
– Rose clover, native to the Mediterranean basin, is blooming up on the ridge.
– Silver lupine, a big bush lupin is starting to bloom up on the ridge.
– Sky lupine, a bright blue and white lupine, grows in single stalks close to the ground.
– White flowered onion*, native to the Mediterranean basin, is blooming in gutters and wet places. All parts of the plant from the bulb to the flower are edible.

Key to map:
I haven’t located plants on on the map if they are very prolific. Find them by their habitat.

Flowers that are not currently blooming have been removed from the map and are greyed out in the map key.
HVLT Trail Map 022315 v28w

Gallery of wildflowers and plants found in Homestead.

*Non-native

Share this:
Facebook
May 242017
 


NEW
– American wild carrot with small white umbels and feathery leaves is blooming in the meadow above 8.
– California angelica with a large white umbel is blooming beside the Eagle Trail.
– Chilean trefoil is blooming bright yellow up on the ridge.
– Purple clarkia and its purple cone flowers is blooming in the meadow beside the Upper Eagle Trail.
– Featherweed is blooming ochre along the forest trails.
– Yellow coralroot, another yellow spike, is blooming at the indian warrior patch, 15.

Forests
Starting
– American trailplant, Adenocaulon bicolor, is blooming with small white flowers at the top of a stalk. The bicolor in the Latin name refers to the arrow-shaped leaves that are green on top and whiter underneath. Turn one over to mark your way on the trail.
– California coffee berry is one of our forest shrubs. It has waxy leaves and clusters of small white star flowers.
Peaking
– Andrew’s clinton, the most exotic bloom of the redwood understory, has started blooming. Its large waxy leaves and bright pink flower can be seen from the road on the bank above Laverne opposite Stolte Grove.
– Cleavers has a very small white flower. The plant creeps and has small cleaving barbs.
– Coralroot is blooming above the trail in the big Indian warrior patch. Look for it in the woods along the Homestead Trail.
– Hedge nettle with its tall stalk and purple flowers is blooming in the forests.
– Hellebore an orchid, is native to Eurasia. The greenish pink flowers climb a 1′ stalk.
– Ocean spray is a forest shrub with soft lobed leaves. The white cone-shaped cluster of frothy flowers are starting to bloom.
– Pacific star flower, a member of the primrose family, is out with its pretty pink flower, its white center showing off its yellow tipped stamens. Another forest lover, it is blooming on the Eagle Trail between 6a and 6b.
– Thimbleberry, in the rose family, with its white flower and lobed leaves, is a forest shrub. The raspberry looking fruit is edible.
– White hawksweed has white feathery flowers and soft leaves. It’s blooming up on the Eagle Trail.
– Woodland madia has bright yellow flowers and is blooming on the Eagle Trail.
Fading
– Crimson columbine, red with yellow heart, is a beautiful discovery in the forest or at the forest edge. It is blooming now on the Red Plum trail, near 10a and 11a.
– Fairy Bells will bloom for months. Flower bells hang under the leaves and are usually impossible to see from our vantage, so turn over the leaves and peak underneath.
– Forget-me-not* the familiar pretty little blue flower, is a European native. This is one of our most successful invasives covering the forest floor and crowding out native species.
– Fringe cups with its greenish fringed flowers is blooming in the forest beside creeks, next to the bridge on the Eagle trail near 9, along the Homestead Trail and on Laverne right after the last house.

Forest Edges
Starting
– California honeysuckle has long pink finger flowers. It is a vine that climbs trees and shrubs to reach sun.
– Common California aster is blooming on the Homestead trail.
– California tea with its tea shaped leaves and purple tipped white pea cluster flowers is blooming beside the trail in the meadow below 11.
– Milkwort has purple winglike flowers on a low plant.
Peaking
– Alum root, with geranium-shaped leaves and a white foamy flower is blooming along the creek near the Meadow rue on the Upper Eagle Trail.
– Buckeye trees are starting to bloom. See them along Laverne.
– Blue eyed grass, not a grass but a member of the iris family, is blooming deep blue/purple up on the ridge and in meadows at the forest edge.
– Cow parsnip, this tall plant with large white umbels is blooming at the forest edge.
– Creeping snowberry with its pretty oval leaves is blooming with tiny pink bell flowers.
– English daisy, a European native, is blooming below Amaranth.
– Figwort, with its small maroon flower is blooming in forest edges. This plant is a favorite of butterflies.
– Hedge parsley, native to Europe, has 3-lobed leaves like a marijuana leaf. Its small white flowers are blooming now. When these fade, there will be small burrs that attach to passerbys and spread this invasive plant along the trails.
– Manroots or wild cucumber is a native vine with white flowers that is blooming all over.
– Mock orange with its wonderful scented flowers is blooming in Three Groves.
– Nipplewort, native of Europe, is a tall yellow flower along the trail above the Tamalpais Drive steps.
– Pacific sanicle with its rich foliage and unspectacular dull yellow flower is blooming along the Homestead Trail.
– Sticky cinquefoil looks like strawberry but tall and with a cream flower.
– Woodland strawberry is common at the forest edges.
– Yerba buena is a rambling, aromatic mint, delicious and plentiful in Homestead. Its small, white, butterfly-shaped flowers are blooming now.
Fading
– Milkmaids, is a member of the mustard/radish family (edible).
– Wood sweet cicely is abundant along all the woodland paths. Its small white blooms are appearing now. Once it goes to seed, the tender pods make a delicious trail snack.

Meadows
Starting
– Bird’s foot trefoil, native of Europe, is a small, yellow pea-shaped flower.
– Buttercup is blooming on the ridge and in some of the lower meadows.
– California everlasting is blooming with its paper-like white blooms up on the ridge.
– California plantain, this tiny plant has needle-like leaves and translucent flowers clustered on a stalk. It’s blooming in a large patch above the junction at 13 and in meadows.
– California poppy is showing its orange bell flower in the meadows.
– Checkerbloom is blooming up on the ridge near the patches of blue dicks.
– Common catchfly, native of Eurasia and North Africa, is a windmill white flower on a tall stalk with a striped pod.
– Common vetch, a native of the Mediterranean, is the purple pea blooming in the meadows
– Common Yarrow is a white flowered umbel with feathery leaves. It’s a sun lover and is blooming on the ridge now but will be out it all the meadows soon.
– Euphorbia, native of Eurasia, is blooming in Pixie and Cowboy Rock meadows.
– Flax, native to the Mediterranean region, is a pale blue flower at the end of a long stalk.
– Harvest brodiaea, an elegant blue star flower is blooming now above junction 13.
– Lance leaf selfheal, a velvety tower of purple is blooming along the trail below 7 and near 11.
– Mule’s ear, a yellow sunflower, is blooming in ridge meadows.
– Naked buckwheat is blooming up in ridge meadows now.
– Narrow leaved clover with its pink puff flower blooming beside the Homestead Trail.
– Pineappleweed with its pincushion yellow flowers, smells like chamomile when crushed, is edible and medicinal.
– Poison hemlock, native to Europe, has white umbel flowers. Its stalk is mottled red hinting at the toxicity of this plant.
– Purple sanicle is blooming on the Eagle trail below Amaranth and near the Indian warrior patch.
– Purple western morning glory is blooming in meadows up on the ridge and on Kerouac Hill.
– Rose clover, native to the Mediterranean basin, is blooming up on the ridge.
– Scarlet pimpernel, native to the Mediterranean basin, is a common little orange splash in the meadow grasses.
– Shamrock clover, native of Europe, has a bright yellow flower and is blooming along trails in meadows.
– Silver lupine, a big bush lupin is starting to bloom up on the ridge.
– Sticky monkeyflower is blooming on Cowboy Rock. This is a sun loving plant that will bloom through the summer.
– Wild radish, native to Asia, is blooming with purple flowers in the meadows on the ridge.
– Wild mustard, a Mediterranean native, is a tall yellow flower in meadows up on the ridge. The flowers are edible.
Peaking
– Ithuriel’s spear, a bright blue funnel is blooming up on the ridge now and will show up in lower meadows soon.
Fading
– Blue dicks, a soft blue cluster at the end of a long stem is bobbing blue on the ridge trail and down in the brighter places along the Homestead Trail.
– Owl clover, not a clover but an Indian paintbrush, is blooming on the knoll below Homestead Hill.
– Sky lupine, a bright blue and white lupine, grows in single stalks close to the ground.
– White flowered onion*, native to the Mediterranean basin, is blooming in gutters and wet places. All parts of the plant from the bulb to the flower are edible.

Key to map:
I haven’t located plants on on the map if they are very prolific. Find them by their habitat.

Flowers that are not currently blooming have been removed from the map and are greyed out in the map key.
HVLT Trail Map 022315 v28w

Gallery of wildflowers and plants found in Homestead.

*Non-native

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May 212017
 


NEW
– California coffee berry is one of our forest shrubs. It has waxy leaves and clusters of small white star flowers.
– Harvest brodiaea, an elegant blue star flower is blooming now above junction 13.
– Hedge parsley, native to Europe, has 3-lobed leaves like a marijuana leaf. Its small white flowers are blooming now. When these fade, there will be small burrs that attach to passerbys and spread this invasive plant along the trails.
– Lance leaf selfheal, a velvety tower of purple is blooming along the trail below 7 and near 11.
– Nipplewort, native of Europe, is a tall yellow flower along the trail above the Tamalpais Drive steps.
– Ocean spray is a forest shrub with soft lobed leaves. The white cone-shaped cluster of frothy flowers are starting to bloom.

Forests
Starting
– American trailplant, Adenocaulon bicolor, is blooming with small white flowers at the top of a stalk. The bicolor in the Latin name refers to the arrow-shaped leaves that are green on top and whiter underneath. Turn one over to mark your way on the trail.
– Cleavers has a very small white flower. The plant creeps and has small cleaving barbs.
Peaking
– Andrew’s clinton, the most exotic bloom of the redwood understory, has started blooming. Its large waxy leaves and bright pink flower can be seen from the road on the bank above Laverne opposite Stolte Grove.
– Coralroot is blooming above the trail in the big Indian warrior patch. Look for it in the woods along the Homestead Trail.
– Hedge nettle with its tall stalk and purple flowers is blooming in the forests.
– Hellebore an orchid, is native to Eurasia. The greenish pink flowers climb a 1′ stalk.
– Pacific star flower, a member of the primrose family, is out with its pretty pink flower, its white center showing off its yellow tipped stamens. Another forest lover, it is blooming on the Eagle Trail between 6a and 6b.
– Thimbleberry, in the rose family, with its white flower and lobed leaves, is a forest shrub. The raspberry looking fruit is edible.
– White hawksweed has white feathery flowers and soft leaves. It’s blooming up on the Eagle Trail.
– Woodland madia has bright yellow flowers and is blooming on the Eagle Trail.
Fading
– Crimson columbine, red with yellow heart, is a beautiful discovery in the forest or at the forest edge. It is blooming now on the Red Plum trail, near 10a and 11a.
– Fairy Bells will bloom for months. Flower bells hang under the leaves and are usually impossible to see from our vantage, so turn over the leaves and peak underneath.
– Forget-me-not* the familiar pretty little blue flower, is a European native. This is one of our most successful invasives covering the forest floor and crowding out native species.
– Fringe cups with its greenish fringed flowers is blooming in the forest beside creeks, next to the bridge on the Eagle trail near 9, along the Homestead Trail and on Laverne right after the last house.

Forest Edges
Starting
– California honeysuckle has long pink finger flowers. It is a vine that climbs trees and shrubs to reach sun.
– Common California aster is blooming on the Homestead trail.
– California tea with its tea shaped leaves and purple tipped white pea cluster flowers is blooming beside the trail in the meadow below 11.
– Milkwort has purple winglike flowers on a low plant.
Peaking
– Alum root, with geranium-shaped leaves and a white foamy flower is blooming along the creek near the Meadow rue on the Upper Eagle Trail.
– Buckeye trees are starting to bloom. See them along Laverne.
– Blue eyed grass, not a grass but a member of the iris family, is blooming deep blue/purple up on the ridge and in meadows at the forest edge.
– Cow parsnip, this tall plant with large white umbels is blooming at the forest edge.
– Creeping snowberry with its pretty oval leaves is blooming with tiny pink bell flowers.
– English daisy, a European native, is blooming below Amaranth.
– Figwort, with its small maroon flower is blooming in forest edges. This plant is a favorite of butterflies.
– Manroots or wild cucumber is a native vine with white flowers that is blooming all over.
– Mock orange with its wonderful scented flowers is blooming in Three Groves.
– Pacific sanicle with its rich foliage and unspectacular dull yellow flower is blooming along the Homestead Trail.
– Sticky cinquefoil looks like strawberry but tall and with a cream flower.
– Woodland strawberry is common at the forest edges.
– Yerba buena is a rambling, aromatic mint, delicious and plentiful in Homestead. Its small, white, butterfly-shaped flowers are blooming now.
Fading
– Milkmaids, is a member of the mustard/radish family (edible).
– Wood sweet cicely is abundant along all the woodland paths. Its small white blooms are appearing now. Once it goes to seed, the tender pods make a delicious trail snack.

Meadows
Starting
– Bird’s foot trefoil, native of Europe, is a small, yellow pea-shaped flower.
– Buttercup is blooming on the ridge and in some of the lower meadows.
– California everlasting is blooming with its paper-like white blooms up on the ridge.
– California plantain, this tiny plant has needle-like leaves and translucent flowers clustered on a stalk. It’s blooming in a large patch above the junction at 13 and in meadows.
– California poppy is showing its orange bell flower in the meadows.
– Checkerbloom is blooming up on the ridge near the patches of blue dicks.
– Common catchfly, native of Eurasia and North Africa, is a windmill white flower on a tall stalk with a striped pod.
– Common vetch, a native of the Mediterranean, is the purple pea blooming in the meadows
– Common Yarrow is a white flowered umbel with feathery leaves. It’s a sun lover and is blooming on the ridge now but will be out it all the meadows soon.
– Euphorbia, native of Eurasia, is blooming in Pixie and Cowboy Rock meadows.
– Flax, native to the Mediterranean region, is a pale blue flower at the end of a long stalk.
– Mule’s ear, a yellow sunflower, is blooming in ridge meadows.
– Naked buckwheat is blooming up in ridge meadows now.
– Narrow leaved clover with its pink puff flower blooming beside the Homestead Trail.
– Pineappleweed with its pincushion yellow flowers, smells like chamomile when crushed, is edible and medicinal.
– Poison hemlock, native to Europe, has white umbel flowers. Its stalk is mottled red hinting at the toxicity of this plant.
– Purple sanicle is blooming on the Eagle trail below Amaranth and near the Indian warrior patch.
– Purple western morning glory is blooming in meadows up on the ridge and on Kerouac Hill.
– Rose clover, native to the Mediterranean basin, is blooming up on the ridge.
– Scarlet pimpernel, native to the Mediterranean basin, is a common little orange splash in the meadow grasses.
– Shamrock clover, native of Europe, has a bright yellow flower and is blooming along trails in meadows.
– Silver lupine, a big bush lupin is starting to bloom up on the ridge.
– Sticky monkeyflower is blooming on Cowboy Rock. This is a sun loving plant that will bloom through the summer.
– Wild radish, native to Asia, is blooming with purple flowers in the meadows on the ridge.
– Wild mustard, a Mediterranean native, is a tall yellow flower in meadows up on the ridge. The flowers are edible.
Peaking
– Ithuriel’s spear, a bright blue funnel is blooming up on the ridge now and will show up in lower meadows soon.
Fading
– Blue dicks, a soft blue cluster at the end of a long stem is bobbing blue on the ridge trail and down in the brighter places along the Homestead Trail.
– Owl clover, not a clover but an Indian paintbrush, is blooming on the knoll below Homestead Hill.
– Sky lupine, a bright blue and white lupine, grows in single stalks close to the ground.
– White flowered onion*, native to the Mediterranean basin, is blooming in gutters and wet places. All parts of the plant from the bulb to the flower are edible.

Key to map:
I haven’t located plants on on the map if they are very prolific. Find them by their habitat.

Flowers that are not currently blooming have been removed from the map and are greyed out in the map key.
HVLT Trail Map 022315 v28w

Gallery of wildflowers and plants found in Homestead.

*Non-native

Share this:
Facebook
May 172017
 


NEW
– American trailplant, Adenocaulon bicolor, is blooming with small white flowers at the top of a stalk. The bicolor in the Latin name refers to the arrow-shaped leaves that are green on top and whiter underneath. Turn one over to mark your way on the trail.
– California tea with its tea shaped leaves and purple tipped white pea cluster flowers is blooming beside the trail in the meadow below 11.
– Narrow leaved clover with its pink puff flower blooming beside the Homestead Trail.

Forests
Starting
– Cleavers has a very small white flower. The plant creeps and has small cleaving barbs.
Peaking
– Andrew’s clinton, the most exotic bloom of the redwood understory, has started blooming. Its large waxy leaves and bright pink flower can be seen from the road on the bank above Laverne opposite Stolte Grove.
– Coralroot is blooming above the trail in the big Indian warrior patch. Look for it in the woods along the Homestead Trail.
– Fringe cups with its greenish fringed flowers is blooming in the forest beside creeks, next to the bridge on the Eagle trail near 9, along the Homestead Trail and on Laverne right after the last house.
– Hedge nettle with its tall stalk and purple flowers is blooming in the forests.
– Hellebore an orchid, is native to Eurasia. The greenish pink flowers climb a 1′ stalk.
– Pacific star flower, a member of the primrose family, is out with its pretty pink flower, its white center showing off its yellow tipped stamens. Another forest lover, it is blooming on the Eagle Trail between 6a and 6b.
– Thimbleberry, in the rose family, with its white flower and lobed leaves, is a forest shrub. The raspberry looking fruit is edible.
– White hawksweed has white feathery flowers and soft leaves. It’s blooming up on the Eagle Trail.
– Woodland madia has bright yellow flowers and is blooming on the Eagle Trail.
– Wood rose with a darker flower than our other rose is blooming on the Eagle Trail.
– Wood rose with its bright pink flowers is up at eye level along the forest paths.
Fading
– Crimson columbine, red with yellow heart, is a beautiful discovery in the forest or at the forest edge. It is blooming now on the Red Plum trail, near 10a and 11a.
– Fairy Bells will bloom for months. Flower bells hang under the leaves and are usually impossible to see from our vantage, so turn over the leaves and peak underneath.
– Forget-me-not* the familiar pretty little blue flower, is a European native. This is one of our most successful invasives covering the forest floor and crowding out native species.

Forest Edges
Starting
– Buckeye trees are starting to bloom. See them along Laverne.
– California honeysuckle has long pink finger flowers. It is a vine that climbs trees and shrubs to reach sun.
– Common California aster is blooming on the Homestead trail.
– Milkwort has purple winglike flowers on a low plant.
Peaking
– Alum root, with geranium-shaped leaves and a white foamy flower is blooming along the creek near the Meadow rue on the Upper Eagle Trail.
– Blue eyed grass, not a grass but a member of the iris family, is blooming deep blue/purple up on the ridge and in meadows at the forest edge.
– Cow parsnip, this tall plant with large white umbels is blooming at the forest edge.
– Creeping snowberry with its pretty oval leaves is blooming with tiny pink bell flowers.
– English daisy, a European native, is blooming below Amaranth.
– Figwort, with its small maroon flower is blooming in forest edges. This plant is a favorite of butterflies.
– Manroots or wild cucumber is a native vine with white flowers that is blooming all over.
– Mock orange with its wonderful scented flowers is blooming in Three Groves.
– Pacific sanicle with its rich foliage and unspectacular dull yellow flower is blooming along the Homestead Trail.
– Sticky cinquefoil looks like strawberry but tall and with a cream flower.
– Woodland strawberry is common at the forest edges.
– Yerba buena is a rambling, aromatic mint, delicious and plentiful in Homestead. Its small, white, butterfly-shaped flowers are blooming now.
Fading
– Douglas iris is blooming with purple and white blooms everywhere, in meadows and along forest trails.
– Meadow rue has a pretty pink flower atop a tall stalk with lacy leaves and is blooming in the creek on the Upper Eagle trail.
– Milkmaids, is a member of the mustard/radish family (edible).
– Wood sweet cicely is abundant along all the woodland paths. Its small white blooms are appearing now. Once it goes to seed, the tender pods make a delicious trail snack.

Meadows
Starting
– Bird’s foot trefoil, native of Europe, is a small, yellow pea-shaped flower.
– Buttercup is blooming on the ridge and in some of the lower meadows.
– California everlasting is blooming with its paper-like white blooms up on the ridge.
– California plantain, this tiny plant has needle-like leaves and translucent flowers clustered on a stalk. It’s blooming in a large patch above the junction at 13 and in meadows.
– California poppy is showing its orange bell flower in the meadows.
– Checkerbloom is blooming up on the ridge near the patches of blue dicks.
– Common catchfly, native of Eurasia and North Africa, is a windmill white flower on a tall stalk with a striped pod.
– Common vetch, a native of the Mediterranean, is the purple pea blooming in the meadows
– Common Yarrow is a white flowered umbel with feathery leaves. It’s a sun lover and is blooming on the ridge now but will be out it all the meadows soon.
– Euphorbia, native of Eurasia, is blooming in Pixie and Cowboy Rock meadows.
– Field madder, native to Europe and North Africa, is a tiny purple star flower in meadows.
– Filaree, a small purple flower native to the Mediterranean, is blooming in meadows.
– Flax, native to the Mediterranean region, is a pale blue flower at the end of a long stalk.
– Ithuriel’s spear, a bright blue funnel is blooming up on the ridge now and will show up in lower meadows soon.
– Mule’s ear, a yellow sunflower, is blooming in ridge meadows.
– Naked buckwheat is blooming up in ridge meadows now.
– Owl clover, not a clover but an Indian paintbrush, is blooming on the knoll below Homestead Hill.
– Pineappleweed with its pincushion yellow flowers, smells like chamomile when crushed, is edible and medicinal.
– Poison hemlock, native to Europe, has white umbel flowers. Its stalk is mottled red hinting at the toxicity of this plant.
– Purple sanicle is blooming on the Eagle trail below Amaranth and near the Indian warrior patch.
– Purple western morning glory is blooming in meadows up on the ridge and on Kerouac Hill.
– Red stemmed filaree, a native of the Mediterranean basin, is blooming purple in the meadows.
– Rose clover, native to the Mediterranean basin, is blooming up on the ridge.
– Scarlet pimpernel, native to the Mediterranean basin, is a common little orange splash in the meadow grasses.
– Shamrock clover, native of Europe, has a bright yellow flower and is blooming along trails in meadows.
– Silver lupine, a big bush lupin is starting to bloom up on the ridge.
– Sky lupine, a bright blue and white lupine, grows in single stalks close to the ground.
– Sticky monkeyflower is blooming on Cowboy Rock. This is a sun loving plant that will bloom through the summer.
– Sun cups is a bright yellow close to the ground in the meadows.
– Wild radish, native to Asia, is blooming with purple flowers in the meadows on the ridge.
– Wild mustard, a Mediterranean native, is a tall yellow flower in meadows up on the ridge. The flowers are edible.
Peaking
– Blue dicks, a soft blue cluster at the end of a long stem is bobbing blue on the ridge trail and down in the brighter places along the Homestead Trail.
– Ground iris is blooming purple in meadows.
– Oakland star tulip, one of the rare plants in Homestead, is blooming along the trails, and in meadows.
– White flowered onion*, native to the Mediterranean basin, is blooming in gutters and wet places. All parts of the plant from the bulb to the flower are edible.
Fading
– California goldfields carpets the side of the trail yellow on the 4-Corners spur and above the Old Eagle trail.
– Shortspur seablush grows in groups and is flowering on the Ridgewood Rock and the Upper Eagle.

Key to map:
I haven’t located plants on on the map if they are very prolific. Find them by their habitat.

Flowers that are not currently blooming have been removed from the map and are greyed out in the map key.
HVLT Trail Map 022315 v28w

Gallery of wildflowers and plants found in Homestead.

*Non-native

Share this:
Facebook