Wildflowers

Native plants and flowers

Don't Touch!
Reading about Elizabeth's Sumac, and her discussing poison ivy and poison sumac, made remember a shot I took of Poison Oak, at Oso Flaco Lake near Santa Maria, CA. Most of the year the leaves are green, but in fall they turn orange to red. I had never seen them as bright red as these were, and needless to say I didn't get too close. As kids we were always told that when the leaves are red they are extra "poisonous". These were just a few leaves from a plant that was climbing in the trees, as high as 6 or 8 feet high. I looked up the scientific name for this plant, Toxicodendron diversilobum, which grows in western north America, with poison ivy in the east. Contact with the leaves of this plant cause an itchy rash on the skin. I haven't experienced it for a long time, but remember "getting" poison oak after childhood hikes. We were taught early to look for the shape of the leaves, growing with three leaves on the stem. 12/4/19 Judith Sparhawk
Jimson Weed Flower
One of the plants still blooming in San Timoteo Canyon last week was the Jimson Weed. Some of the flowers were small, but this one was large and lovely, with a tinge of purple on the edges. The Jimson Weed, or Datura, or Thorn Apple, is an invasive weed introduced probably from Central America. Some parts of the plant and the seeds have some medicinal uses, although it is generally considered poisonous. It has some hallucinogenic properties, but is NOT recommended! 10/15/19 Judith Sparhawk
Fiddlenecks
One of the wildflowers at San Jacinto Wildlife Area was the Fiddlenecks. Although they grow in the vacant lot in my neighborhood, I'd never tried to photograph them. I like their curled stem tips with the flowers. They are in the Borage Family, and are sometimes called Rancher's Fireweed. 3/28/19 Judith Sparhawk
Datura Bloom
At the Lavender Festival, out in the lavender fields there was an occasional Datura plant. This was a flower on one of the plants. I liked the nice purple tinge on the edges of the petals. Also known as Thorn Apple and Jimson Weed. Either way, it is poisonous.
Jimson Weed in Bloom
It's that time of year for the Jimson Weed to be in flower, and I found these purple-tinged blooms at Whitewater Canyon Preserve yesterday. So often they are pure white--very pretty--but the purple ones are my favorite.

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