California has an amazing number of beautiful wildflower species, many of which are found nowhere else. It’s an impossible task to identify the very best; suffice it to say that the following 25 wildflowers are among my favorites. It is always a treat to find any of these flowers in bloom while enjoying a hike in California!
Clay Mariposa Lily (Calochortus argillosus)
Yellow Mariposa Lily (Calochortus luteus)
Tiburon Mariposa Lily (Calochortus tiburonesis)
Hairy Star Tulip (Calochortus tolmiei)
Oakland Mariposa Lily (Calochortus umbellatus)
Butterfly Mariposa Lily (Calochortus venustus)
California Toothwort (Cardamine californica)
Indian Paint Brush (Castilleja sp.)
Larkspur (Delphinium sp.)
Bush Poppy (Dendromecon rigida)
Shooting Star (Dodecatheon sp.)
Seaside Daisy (Erigeron glaucus)
Bird’s Eye Gilia (Gilia tricolor)
Coastal Tidytips (Layia platyglossa)
Cliff Maids (Lewisia cotyledon)
Oneleaf Onion (Allium unifolium)
Bitter Root (Lewisia rediviva)
Columbia Lily (Lilium columbianum)
Meadow Foam (Limnanthes douglasii)
Sky Lupine (Lupinus nanus)
Chaparral Mallow (Malacothamnus fasciculatus)
Matilija Poppy (Romneya sp.)
Checkerbloom (Sidalcea malviflora)
Blue-Eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium bellum)
Although these 25 species of California wildflowers are among my favorites, there are so many other species that I could also have included. In future articles I’ll post photos of additional favorites — including wildflowers from other states and countries.
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Writer, educator, and avid student of nature. My new book is “The Stickler’s Guide to Science in the Age of Misinformation”. See more at www.philipbouchard.com.
