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Los Angeles Times
15-03-2025
- Climate
- Los Angeles Times
Wildflower season has arrived in Southern California. Here's what to expect
Good morning, and welcome to the Essential California newsletter. Here's what you need to know to start your weekend: The rain has subsided and it's finally time to visit colorful wildflower displays across the region. But uneven rain patterns across the state mean the wildflower situation will be inconsistent. Northern California, which got more rain than usual, will see big superblooms. In Southern California, not so much. But there are still flower-viewing options. The flower fields need a good soaking in the winter to germinate, my colleague Jeanette Marantos wrote in her plants newsletter. That's not what happened this rainy season. Downtown L.A. has received 6.55 inches of rain since the water year began Oct. 1. That is below the average for this point in the water season, 11.88 inches. That means we're unlikely to see large-scale blooms. 'Wildflowers need three things to give us a copious spring bloom — seeds in the ground, plenty of moisture and a few weeks of mild, cool temperatures in the 60s and low 70s,' botanist Naomi Fraga told Jeanette. Just because poppies won't blanket our hills like in previous years, doesn't mean there won't be beautiful flowers to admire across the state. Other perennial native plants such as monkey flowers, phlox, sages, buckwheats and manzanitas will be in bloom. Here's how you can find them. Call the Wild Flower Hotline, which provides free weekly updates on the best locations for viewing spring wildflowers in Southern and Central California. Visit your local botanical garden. California Botanic Garden in Claremont, the state's largest botanic garden devoted to California native plants, and the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, the second largest, are great options. California Botanic Garden is hosting a free Native Plant Festival on March 29 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. to highlight the beauty, variety and resiliency of the state's native ecosystems. Drive to see the Turkish flower fields. Farther south near San Diego, the Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch boast 55 acres of ranunculus flowers that typically bloom for six to eight weeks. Ranunculus flowers, also known as Persian buttercups, are native to Turkey but have been grown along the northern San Diego County coast for at least 90 years, Times reporter Christopher Reynolds wrote. Through Mother's Day, experience the magical ranunculus fields of bright pink, orange, yellow and white flowers at the ranch while also enjoying a 300-feet-by-170-feet American flag made from red, white and blue petunias; a 5-acre 'sea of sunflowers;' and greenhouse displays of poinsettias and Cymbidium orchids. The real superblooms, though, can be found in Northern California where rainfall has been above average all winter, setting the stage for a spring season of stunning wildflower superblooms. California businesses are reeling from Trump's on-again, off-again tariffs In Altadena and Pacific Palisades, burned lots are hitting the market Tesla drivers are pushing back on Elon Musk Federal lawmakers are calling on the Trump administration to nix a plan to shoot 450,000 owls, citing cost More big stories Get unlimited access to the Los Angeles Times. Subscribe here. What do the dead have to say to the living? The Life After Life Club in an Orange County retirement community explores trance channeling, the power of animal communication and near-death experiences. It recently hosted a psychic. More great reads How can we make this newsletter more useful? Send comments to essentialcalifornia@ Going out Staying in Lady Gaga's new album, 'Mayhem,' comes just about a month before she's set to headline which California desert music festival? Plus nine other questions from our weekly news quiz. Have a great weekend, from the Essential California team Kevinisha Walker, multiplatform editor Check our top stories, topics and the latest articles on
Los Angeles Times
01-03-2025
- Climate
- Los Angeles Times
Waiting for wildflowers? Here's the forecast for Southern California's iconic blooms
Welcome to March, when Southern Californians start gearing up for colorful wildflower displays blanketing our deserts and hills. Except not this year. Native flower experts predict few if any wildflowers for 2025 because our weather has been too dry. Our spate of rainy winters between 2022 and 2024 have made it easy to forget that Southern California's rainfall is notoriously fickle. Those back-to-back rain seasons were the second wettest in recorded history for downtown Los Angeles, more than 52 inches of rain, nearly double the average rainfall for that area. Rainfall so far this year in downtown L.A.? A paltry 5.58 inches, according to the National Weather Service, roughly half the average. Wildflowers need three things to give us a copious spring bloom — seeds in the ground, plenty of moisture and a few weeks of mild, cool temperatures in the 60s and low 70s, according to botanist Naomi Fraga, director of conservation programs at the California Botanic Garden, the state's largest botanic garden devoted to California native plants. We've likely got the bank of seeds, but what little rain we've had this winter came very late in the season, which lowers the likelihood of gentle warming to coddle those emerging wildflower seedlings. Case in point: As I write this on Feb. 25, the forecast for the rest of the week is potentially record-breaking temperatures in the high 80s to low 90s. Wildflowers need mild temperatures for an extended period so the seedlings have time to get strong enough to withstand warmer temperatures later in the spring. 'If it gets hot too quickly,' Fraga said, those delicate seedlings can dry out very, very fast.' Bottom line: Despite our recent rainstorms, our overall rainfall is still far below average. Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, for instance, has received less than an inch of rain this winter. The park's annual average rainfall is about 5.5 inches, according to the California Department of Parks and Recreation, and during the big bloom years of 2017, 2019, 2020 and 2023, it averaged more than 6 inches of rain. And even if we get lots more rain in March, we're likely pushing too far into spring to get the extended cool temperatures needed for a decent wildflower bloom. But here's some good news: There are still plenty of places to see beautiful flowers in March, said Tim Becker, horticultural director for the Theodore Payne Foundation, which produces the annual Wild Flower Hotline starting March 7 (see calendar below). If you're desperate to see carpets of wildflowers, you'll likely have to head to Northern California, which has experienced another winter of above average rainfall, he said. But in Southern California, shrubs and other perennial native plants such as monkey flowers, phlox, sages, buckwheats and manzanitas will start blooming beautifully in our wild places, Becker said. 'It's not a 10,000 acre carpet of orange [from California poppies], but it can still be inspiring and beautiful.' California Botanic Garden in Claremont, the state's largest botanic garden devoted to California native plants, and the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, the second largest, are easy ways to wander and find native blooms. California Botanic Garden is even hosting a free Native Plant Festival on March 29 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. to show off the beauty of blooming native plants, and their potential for landscaping. (If you think native flowers aren't worthy of a vase, check out these bouquets created from flowers at California Botanic Garden.) The region's other botanic gardens have plenty of flowers to experience as well, as I noted in my calendar of 12 SoCal blooms to enjoy throughout the year. For instance, Descanso Gardens in La Cañada Flintridge plants 35,000 tulip bulbs in January, which start blooming en masse in March. Roses don't begin blooming heavily until April, but check the bloom calendars at South Coast Botanic Garden, the Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden, and the Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens or any other SoCal garden to see what kind of color you can find. Also note that the Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch opens today through Mother's Day (May 11), with a sweet pea maze and more than 50 acres of giant ranunculus in 13 dazzling colors. (They also sell bulbs so you can grow these beauties at home). Which brings me to my final point: You can easily create your own wildflower bloom at home, in your yard or even in containers. 'Everyone should be trying to do wildflower blooming at their own homes,' Becker said, not only for their joyful color but the support they provide to native birds and insects. 'Seed is cheap,' said Becker. 'Toss some out into your yard before the next rain, just to see if you can get some plants going, and do it again next year.' With a little irrigation and careful weeding (don't pull up your seedlings!) you can create your own wildflower bonanza that will reseed and reappear year after year after year — an easy investment in spring happiness anyone can make. March and April Grow LA Gardens workshops, a series of four workshops taught by UC Master Gardeners of Los Angeles County at various locations around the county. Dates and times vary depending on the location and most classes are in-person, but one workshop starting April 5 will be conducted entirely online. The four workshops typically cost $70, or $30 for people who can't afford the higher fee, although a couple of locations are only charging $55 ($25 for the discounted rate). Classes fill quickly. Tomatomania! returns for its 25th year. The pop-up vendor returns with more than 100 different varieties of tomatoes and peppers at 13 sites around Southern California this spring. Locations in March include Roger's Gardens nursery in Corona del Mar through March 9, the Water Conservation Garden in El Cajon March 7-8; Mission Hills Nursery in San Diego March 8-9; Fig Earth Supply in Mount Washington March 7-9; Otto & Sons Nursery in Fillmore, March 13-15; Tapia Brothers Farm Stand in Encino, March 21-23; Wachter's Hay & Grain in Ojai on March 29 and Anawalt Lumber in Hollywood March 29-30. Visit the website for April dates and more details. March 1-2Ikebana Show: the Japanese Art of Floral Arranging at Sherman Library & Gardens, 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the gardens in Corona del Mar. Ikebana arranging demonstrations each day from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The show is free with $5 admission to the garden (members and children 3 and under enter free). Reservations required for non-members ages 4 and older. March 1-June 1Daphne's Wardrobe — Metamorphosis into Nature, an interdisciplinary exhibition of artworks exploring the transformations of the body into nature at Descanso Gardens' Sturt Haaga Gallery and Boddy House, curated by Carole Ann Klonarides, who will be giving guided walk-throughs from noon to 1 p.m. and 2 to 3 p.m. on March 1. The exhibit is free with $15 admission to the gardens ($11 for seniors 65+ and students with ID, $5 children 5-12, free to members and children 4 and under). March 2TreePeople presents a Public Family Tour of its trails, California native plants and watershed gardens from 10 to 11:30 a.m. in Beverly Hills. The tours are designed for families with elementary-aged children or youth groups. Participants are welcome to picnic at the site after the tour. All children must have adult supervision. Register online $10 per person, children 3 and younger enter free. March 6, 9, 11, 12 or 15Terrific Tomatoes / Tomatoes A-Z — a free class about the best ways to grow your own tomatoes, taught by the U.C. Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners of Orange County, at Mission Viejo on March 6, Anaheim on March 9, Laguna Woods on March 11, Huntington Beach on March 12 and Fullerton on March 15. Times vary depending on location. Register online. March 7-977th Santa Barbara International Orchid Show, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Earl Warren Showground in Santa Barbara. The show's theme, Exotic Gardens, focuses on orchids in their natural habitats and includes plant vendors, exhibits and demonstrations in potting and caring for orchids. Tickets are $20 a day or $30 for a three-day pass. Kokedama workshops on Friday, Saturday and Sunday and an orchid mounting workshop on Saturday are an additional $45 each. March 7The Theodore Payne Foundation's Wild Flower Hotline resumes with information about the best places to find wildflowers in Central and Southern California, every Friday through the end of May. Call (818) 768-1802 ext. 7 to hear weekly recorded reports, or read an illustrated report online. Lawn Removal 101 and Applying for the Turf Rebate, a workshop taught by Sophie Pennes, founder of Urban Farms LA, an edible and native garden design company, 10 a.m. to noon at the Theodore Payne Foundation in Sun Valley. Register online, $39.19 ($28.52 for members). Intro to California Native Plant Garden Design, a workshop covering the basics of landscape design taught by Tim Becker, horticulture director of the Theodore Payne Foundation, 1 to 4 p.m. at the foundation in Sun Valley. Register online, $60.54 ($55.20 for members). March 8Art in Nature Walk at Taft Gardens & Nature Preserve, led by artist Cassandra C. Jones, chair of Taft's artist residency program, who will discuss the garden's history, point out patterns in nature, identify unusual plants and show how the garden inspires regional artists. Register online, $40. March 13Propagating California Native Plants from Seeds, a hands-on workshop taught by Ella Andersson, certified horticulturist and the Theodore Payne Foundation's chief botanical technician, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the foundation in Sun Valley. All materials provided; participants will take home the seeds they plant. Register online, $92.55 ($81.88 members). March 14Propagating California Native Plants from Cuttings, a hands-on workshop taught by Theodore Payne Foundation horticulture director Tim Becker, 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the foundation in Sun Valley. Each participant will leave with a flat of 50 starts. Register online, $92.55 ($81.88 for members). March 15How to Grow Tomatoes / The Vibrant Herb Garden, two hour-long workshops at Fig Earth Supply nursery in Mount Washington; a comprehensive guide to growing tomatoes from 11 a.m. to noon and a class in growing herbs from 2 to 3 p.m. Register online, tickets for each class are $5. Trees of the Theodore Payne Foundation: St. Patrick's Day Edition, a walk and talk discussion about native trees around the Theodore Payne Foundation's nursery in Sun Valley, led by arborist Alison Lancaster, 2 to 4:30 p.m. Learn about the care and physiology of native trees such as oaks, Western sycamores, California bay laurel, Torrey pine, Santa Cruz ironwood, Catalina cherry and palo verde. Register online, $44.52 ($33.85 for members). March 16Field trip to the Laguna Coast Wilderness and Laurel Canyon with the Laguna Canyon Foundation, a free 3.25-mile hike co-sponsored by the Orange County Chapter of the California Native Plant Society, starting at 8 a.m. at the Laguna Canyon Foundation Headquarters in Laguna Beach. No registration is required. March 17Annual Plant Design at Sherman Library & Gardens, a presentation about how the gardens' horticulture staff designs and installs its plant displays every season, 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the gardens. March 20California Native Plant Container Gardening, a workshop taught by Terrence Williams, nursery technician at the Theodore Payne Foundation, 10 to 11:30 a.m. at the foundation in Sun Valley. Register online, $39.19 ($28.52 for members). March 21, 28, and April 4California Native Plant Landscaper Certification, a vocational, 20-hour course taught by the Theodore Payne Foundation in partnership with the California Native Plant Society, Fridays from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the foundation's nursery in Sun Valley. Register online, $350. March 22Spring Equinox Extravaganza at Ganna Walska Lotusland, 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. at the botanic garden in Montecito. Authors Louesa Roebuck, a floral artist, and Dina Saalisi, a floral therapist and healer, will lead participants in an 'immersive floral experience' creating arrangements and learning about the spiritual and artistic significance of flowers. Register online, $275. Spring Equinox Walkabout at Taft Gardens & Nature Preserve led by Herb Walks director Lanny Kaufer, from 9 a.m. to noon at the gardens near Ojai. Learn about Australian plants and their traditions starting in the Australian section of the garden and then climb up to a vista point in the nature preserve. Register online, $45. Succulent Wreath Workshop, 2 to 3:30 p.m. at the Los Angeles County Arboretum in Arcadia. All materials provided. Register online, $55 ($50 for members). March 25Emergent Invasive Plants in Orange County, a presentation about invasive plant detection and management during a meeting of the Orange County Chapter of the California Native Plant Society, 7 p.m. at the Duck Club in Irvine. Open to the public, admission is free. March 27East Meets West: An Ikebana Workshop with California Native Plants, a hands-on class taught by Japanese artist Hiromi Sutton, 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Theodore Payne Foundation in Sun Valley. Participants should bring their own 'kaki' — vase, shallow bowl or plate — to place their arrangement. Plant materials will be provided and participants will take home their creations. Register online, $71.21 ($60.54 for members). March 29Native Plant Festival at California Botanic Garden, a free, family-oriented event from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the garden in Claremont, offering guided tours and mini-workshops by garden designers specializing in native landscapes, as well as a vendor market of plant-oriented artisans, craft stations, live music and food for purchase. My Patio Re-wild Potting Workshop, a Tree of Life Nursery class about planning, potting and maintaining a container garden, 10 a.m. to noon at the nursery in San Juan Capistrano. The $10 fee includes soil and landscape materials; plants and pottery sold separately. Register online, pay at start of class. We've lost another nursery in the Greater Los Angeles area. In January I listed four longime plant nurseries closing by the end of 2025, Nuccio's Nurseries in Altadena, Tree of Life Nursery in San Juan Capistrano, San Marcos Growers in Santa Barabara and Idyllwild Lilac Garden in Idyllwild. Then I discovered another family-owned garden center, Hawthorne Nursery, closed at the end of February after nearly a century of operation. Is creating habitat and parkland along the L.A. River 'woke'? City officials and House representatives fear the Trump administration's efforts to freeze funds previously approved by Congress threaten the L.A. River revitalization effort. Many parts of Altadena and Pacific Palisades are still without drinking water after the fires that devastated those communities in January. My colleague Noah Haggerty explains why it's taking so long to get those water systems cleaned and working again. Finally, I've spent hours reading my colleagues' excellent and often heartrending articles about the Eaton and Palisades fires. But Hailey Branson-Potts' story about 96-year-old Louvenia Jenkins, who lost her home of 57 years in the Pacific Palisades, is a beautiful and inspiring example of grace, resilience and hope for what's to come.
