Backbone Trail Trek
Wildflowers in the Santa Monica Mountains
In the spring, the Santa Monica Mountains turns into a virtual garden of wildflowers. Visitors are often delightfully surprised at the diversity of the flora in the mountains. On the Backbone Trek 2009, we were fortunate to count over 150 species of wildflowers on the trail. The rainfall this year is at or near normal, so we should have another spectacular wildflower season. For those hikers with more than a casual in interest in the wildflowers, we recommend the following guide: Wildflowers of the Santa Monica Mountains, by Milt McAuley, 2nd Edition, 1996, Canyon Publishing Company. This book will be available for sale at the Backbone Trek at a discounted price of $10.00.
A list of the wildflowers sighted in bloom during the Backbone Trek 2009 follows. By default it is sorted by the order the flower was first encountered on the trek. You may also sort by common name, scientific name, or the section of trail where it was first seen by selecting the option and choosing "Re-Sort List".
| Sequence* | Common Name | Scientific Name | Section of Trail | 1-Sun | Sticky monkey flower | Mimulus aurantiacus | Pt. Mugu State Park; Ray Miller Trail | 2-Sun | Bush sunflower | Encelia californica | Pt. Mugu State Park; Ray Miller Trail | 3-Sun | Yucca | Yucca whipplei | Pt. Mugu State Park; Ray Miller Trail | 4-Sun | Elderberry | Sambucus mexicana | Pt. Mugu State Park; Ray Miller Trail | 5-Sun | Black mustard | Brassica nigra | Pt. Mugu State Park; Ray Miller Trail | 6-Sun | Horehound | Marrubium vulgare | Pt. Mugu State Park; Ray Miller Trail | 7-Sun | Wild morning glory | Calystegia macrostegia ssp cyclostegia | Pt. Mugu State Park; Ray Miller Trail | 8-Sun | Black sage | Salvia mellifera | Pt. Mugu State Park; Ray Miller Trail | 9-Sun | Blue dicks | Dichelostemma capitatum | Pt. Mugu State Park; Ray Miller Trail | 10-Sun | Golden yarrow | Eriophyllum lanatum var.arachn. | Pt. Mugu State Park; Ray Miller Trail | 11-Sun | Slender tarweed | Hemizonia fasciculata | Pt. Mugu State Park; Ray Miller Trail | 12-Sun | Coulter's lupine | Lupinus sparsiflorus | Pt. Mugu State Park; Ray Miller Trail | 13-Sun | Catalina mariposa lily | Calochortus catalinae | Pt. Mugu State Park; Ray Miller Trail | 14-Sun | Deerweed | Lotus scoparius | Pt. Mugu State Park; Ray Miller Trail | 15-Sun | Chamise | Adenostoma fasciculatum | Pt. Mugu State Park; Ray Miller Trail | 16-Sun | Indian paintbrush | Castilleja affins | Pt. Mugu State Park; Ray Miller Trail | 17-Sun | Narrow-leaved bedstraw | Galium angustifolium | Pt. Mugu State Park; Ray Miller Trail | 18-Sun | Stinging lupine | Lupinus hirsutissimus | Pt. Mugu State Park; Ray Miller Trail | 19-Sun | Red-stem filaree | Erodium cicutarium | Pt. Mugu State Park; Ray Miller Trail | 20-Sun | Caterpillar phacelia | Phacelia cicutaria | Pt. Mugu State Park; Ray Miller Trail | 21-Sun | Bladderpod | Isomeris arborea | Pt. Mugu State Park; Ray Miller Trail | 22-Sun | White pincushion | Chaenactis artemisiifolia | Pt. Mugu State Park; Ray Miller Trail | 23-Sun | Popcorn flower, large | Cryptantha intermedia | Pt. Mugu State Park; Ray Miller Trail | 24-Sun | Mustard evening primrose | Camissonia californica | Pt. Mugu State Park; Ray Miller Trail | 25-Sun | Collarless California poppy | Eschscholzia caespitosa | Pt. Mugu State Park; Ray Miller Trail | 26-Sun | Parry's phacelia | Phacelia parryi | Pt. Mugu State Park; Ray Miller Trail | 27-Sun | California buckwheat | Eriogonum fasciculatum | Pt. Mugu State Park; Ray Miller Trail | 28-Sun | Purple sage | Salvia leucophylla | Pt. Mugu State Park; Ray Miller Trail | 29-Sun | White yarrow | Achillea millefolium | Pt. Mugu State Park; Ray Miller Trail | 30-Sun | Blue eyed grass | Sisyrinchium bellum | Pt. Mugu State Park; Ray Miller Trail | 31-Sun | Rigid hedge nettle | Stachys bullata | Pt. Mugu State Park; Ray Miller Trail | 32-Sun | Indian pink | Silene laciniata | Pt. Mugu State Park; Ray Miller Trail | 33-Sun | Yellow star thistle | Centaurea melitensis | Pt. Mugu State Park; Overlook Trail | 34-Sun | Yellow monkey flower | Mimulus brevipes | Pt. Mugu State Park; Overlook Trail | 35-Sun | Wishbone bush | Mirabilis californica | Pt. Mugu State Park; Overlook Trail | 36-Sun | Squaw spurge | Chamaesyce melanadenia | Pt. Mugu State Park; Overlook Trail | 37-Sun | Hollyleaf cherry | Prunus ilicifolia | Pt. Mugu State Park; Overlook Trail | 38-Sun | Purple nightshade | Solanum xanti | Pt. Mugu State Park; Overlook Trail | 39-Sun | Common groundsel | Senecio vulgaris | Pt. Mugu State Park; Overlook Trail | 40-Sun | Woolly blue curls | Trichostema lanatum | Pt. Mugu State Park; Overlook Trail | 41-Sun | Cliff-aster | Malacothrix saxatilis | Pt. Mugu State Park; Overlook Trail | 42-Sun | Bush lupine | Lupinus albifrons | Pt. Mugu State Park; Overlook Trail | 43-Sun | California everlasting | Gnaphalium californicum | Pt. Mugu State Park; Overlook Trail | 44-Sun | Silver puffs | Uropappus lindleyi | Pt. Mugu State Park; Overlook Trail | 45-Sun | Bush mallow | Malacothamnus fasciculatus | Pt. Mugu State Park; Overlook Trail | 46-Sun | Prickly phlox | Leptodactylon californicum | Pt. Mugu State Park; Overlook Trail | 47-Sun | Yellow mariposa Lily | Calochortus clavatus | Pt. Mugu State Park; Overlook Trail | 48-Sun | Turkish rugging | Chorizanthe staticoides | Pt. Mugu State Park; Overlook Trail | 49-Sun | Slim Aster | Aster subulatus | Pt. Mugu State Park; Wood Canyon Vista Trail | 50-Sun | Canyon sunflower | Venegasia carpesioides | Pt. Mugu State Park; Wood Canyon Vista Trail | 51-Sun | Two-tone everlasting | Gnaphalium bicolor | Pt. Mugu State Park; Wood Canyon Vista Trail | 52-Sun | Eucrypta | Eucrypta chrysanthemifolia | Pt. Mugu State Park; Wood Canyon Vista Trail | 53-Sun | Golden stars | Bloomeria crocea | Pt. Mugu State Park; Wood Canyon Vista Trail | 54-Sun | Birdfoot trefoil | Lotus corniculatus | Pt. Mugu State Park; Wood Canyon Vista Trail | 55-Sun | California Wild Rose | Rosa californica | Pt. Mugu State Park; Wood Canyon Vista Trail | 56-Sun | Yellow Sweet Clover | Melilotus indica | Pt. Mugu State Park; Wood Canyon Vista Trail | 57-Sun | California black walnut | Juglans californica | Pt. Mugu State Park; Big Sycamore Canyon | 58-Sun | Blue larkspur | Delphinium parryi | Pt. Mugu State Park; Big Sycamore Canyon | 59-Sun | Virgin's bower | Clematis lasiantha | Pt. Mugu State Park; Big Sycamore Canyon | 60-Sun | Pineapple weed | Chamomilla suaveolens | Pt. Mugu State Park; Big Sycamore Canyon | 61-Sun | Italian thistle | Carduus pycnocephalus | Pt. Mugu State Park; Big Sycamore Canyon | 62-Sun | Common fiddleneck | Amsinckia intermedia | Pt. Mugu State Park; Big Sycamore Canyon | 63-Sun | Curly dock | Rumex crispus | Pt. Mugu State Park; Big Sycamore Canyon | 64-Sun | Chinese houses | Collinsia heterophylla | Pt. Mugu State Park; Big Sycamore Canyon | 65-Sun | Fiesta flower | Pholistoma auritum | Pt. Mugu State Park; Big Sycamore Canyon | 66-Sun | Purple clarkia | Clarkia purpurea | Pt. Mugu State Park; Big Sycamore Canyon | 67-Sun | Wild radish | Raphanus sativus | Pt. Mugu State Park; Big Sycamore Canyon | 68-Sun | Mule fat | Baccharis salicifolia | Pt. Mugu State Park; Big Sycamore Canyon | 69-Sun | Cheeseweed | Malva parviflora | Pt. Mugu State Park; Big Sycamore Canyon | 70-Sun | Goldfields | Lasthenia californica | Pt. Mugu State Park; Big Sycamore Canyon | 71-Sun | Tree tobacco | Nicotiana glauca | Pt. Mugu State Park; Big Sycamore Canyon | 72-Sun | Elegant clarkia | Clarkia unguiculata | Pt. Mugu State Park; Big Sycamore Canyon | 73-Mon | Feltleaf everlasting | Gnaphalium canescens | Pt. Mugu State Park; Blue Canyon | 74-Mon | Western virgin's bower | Clematis ligusticifolia | Pt. Mugu State Park; Blue Canyon | 75-Mon | Crimson pitcher sage | Salvia spathacea | Pt. Mugu State Park; Boney Trail | 76-Mon | Poison oak | Toxicodendron diversilobum | Pt. Mugu State Park; Boney Trail | 77-Mon | Sticky madia | Madia gracilis | Pt. Mugu State Park; Boney Trail | 78-Mon | Large-flowered phacelia | Phacelia grandiflora | Pt. Mugu State Park; Boney Trail | 79-Mon | Speckled clarkia | Clarkia cylindrica | Pt. Mugu State Park; Boney Trail | 80-Mon | Heart-leaved penstemon | Keckiella cordifolia | Pt. Mugu State Park; Boney Trail | 81-Mon | Peninsular onion | Allium peninsulare | Pt. Mugu State Park; Chamberlain Trail | 82-Mon | Minute popcorn flower | Cryptantha micromeres | Pt. Mugu State Park; Chamberlain Trail | 83-Mon | Shiny lomatium | Lomatium lucidum | Pt. Mugu State Park; Chamberlain Trail | 84-Mon | Hedge mustard | Sisymbrium officinale | Pt. Mugu State Park; Chamberlain Trail | 85-Mon | Miner's lettuce | Claytonia perfoliata | Pt. Mugu State Park; Chamberlain Trail | 86-Mon | Chaparral pea | Pickeringia montana | Pt. Mugu State Park; Chamberlain Trail | 87-Mon | Cobweb thistle | Cirsium occidentale | Pt. Mugu State Park; Chamberlain Trail | 88-Mon | Purple owl's clover | Castilleja exserta | Pt. Mugu State Park; Chamberlain Trail | 89-Mon | Windmill pink | Silene gallica | Pt. Mugu State Park; Chamberlain Trail | 90-Mon | Southern tauschia | Tauschia arguta | Pt. Mugu State Park; Chamberlain Trail | 91-Mon | Skullcap | Scutellaria tuberosa | Pt. Mugu State Park; Chamberlain Trail | 92-Mon | Pitcher sage | Lepechinia fragrans | Pt. Mugu State Park; Chamberlain Trail | 93-Mon | Lance-leaf live-forever | Dudleya lanceolata | Circle X Ranch NPS; Sandstone Peak Trail | 94-Mon | Yellow pincushion | Chaenactis glabriuscula | Circle X Ranch NPS; Sandstone Peak Trail | 95-Tue | Red-skinned onion | Allium haematochiton | Circle X Ranch NPS; Sandstone Peak Trail | 96-Tue | Scarlet pimpernel | Anagallis arvensis | Circle X Ranch NPS; Sandstone Peak Trail | 97-Tue | Toyon | Heteromeles arbutifolia | Trancas Canyon Backbone Trail | 98-Tue | Foothill penstemon | Penstemon heterophyllus | Trancas Canyon Backbone Trail | 99-Tue | Common vervain | Verbena lasiostachys | Trancas Canyon Backbone Trail | 100-Tue | Greenbark ceanothus | Ceanothus spinosus | Trancas Canyon Backbone Trail | 101-Tue | Sugar bush | Rhus ovata | Trancas Canyon Backbone Trail | 102-Tue | Mountain dandilion | Agoseris grandiflora | Trancas Canyon Backbone Trail | 103-Tue | Canyon sweet pea | Lathyrus vestitus | Trancas Canyon Backbone Trail | 104-Tue | Sticky cinquefoil | Potentilla glandulosa | Trancas Canyon Backbone Trail | 105-Tue | Bur-Chervil | Anthriscus caucalis | Trancas Canyon Backbone Trail | 106-Tue | California blackberry | Rubus ursinus | Trancas Canyon Backbone Trail | 107-Tue | Whispering bells | Emmenanthe penduliflora | Trancas Canyon Backbone Trail | 108-Tue | Slender sunflower | Helianthus gracilentus | Trancas Canyon Backbone Trail | 109-Tue | California poppy | Eschscholzia californica | Zuma Ridge Motorway | 110-Tue | Meadow rue | Thalictrum fendleri | Upper Zuma Canyon Trail | 111-Tue | Creek monkey flower | Mimulus guttatus | Upper Zuma Canyon Trail | 112-Tue | Fairy Lantern, Globe lily | Calochortus albus | Upper Zuma Canyon Trail | 113-Tue | Globe gilia | Gilia capitata | Upper Zuma Canyon Trail | 114-Tue | Dove lupine | Lupinus bicolor | Upper Zuma Canyon Trail | 115-Tue | Woolly lomatium | Lomatium dasycarpum | Upper Zuma Canyon Trail | 116-Tue | Chocolate lily | Fritillaria biflora | Upper Zuma Canyon Trail | 117-Tue | Fuchsia-flowered gooseberry | Ribes speciosum | Upper Zuma Canyon Trail | 118-Tue | Mountain mahogany | Cercocarpus betuloides | Upper Zuma Canyon Trail | 119-Tue | Woodland star | Lithophragma affine | Upper Zuma Canyon Trail | 120-Tue | Checker bloom | Sidalcea malviflora | Upper Zuma Canyon Trail | 121-Tue | Spanish broom | Spartium junceum | Upper Zuma Canyon Trail | 122-Tue | Chaparral honeysuckle | Lonicera subspicata | Upper Zuma Canyon Trail | 123-Tue | Coast figwort | Scrophularia californica | Upper Zuma Canyon Trail | 124-Tue | California thistle | Cirsium occidentale var californium | Newton Canyon Trail | 125-Tue | Sticky phacelia | Phacelia viscida | Newton Canyon Trail | 126-Wed | Tree poppy | Dendromecon rigida | Latigo Canyon Trail | 127-Wed | Scarlet bugler | Penstemon centranthifolius | Upper Solstice Caynon Trail | 128-Wed | Rose snapdragon | Antirrhinum multiflorum | Upper Solstice Caynon Trail | 129-Wed | Small evening primrose | Camissonia micrantha | Upper Solstice Caynon Trail | 130-Wed | Silver lotus | Lotus argophyllus | Mesa Peak Motorway | 131-Wed | Yerba santa | Eriodictyon crassifolium | Mesa Peak Motorway | 132-Wed | Telegraph weed | Heterotheca grandiflora | Mesa Peak Motorway | 133-Wed | Woolly aster | Lessingia filaginifolia | Mesa Peak Motorway | 134-Wed | English plantain | Plantago lanceolata | Mesa Peak Motorway | 135-Wed | Spanish clover | Lotus purshianus | Mesa Peak Motorway | 136-Wed | Large-flowered lotus | Lotus grandiflorus | Mesa Peak Motorway | 137-Wed | Coffeeberry | Rhamnus californica | Mesa Peak Motorway | 138-Thu | Milk thistle | Silybum marianum | Malibu Creek S.P., Piuma Ridge Trail | 139-Thu | Spring vetch | Vicia sativa | Malibu Creek S.P., Piuma Ridge Trail | 140-Thu | Periwinkle | Vinca major | Malibu Creek S.P., Piuma Ridge Trail | 141-Thu | Bull thistle | Cirsium vulgare | Malibu Creek S.P., Piuma Ridge Trail | 142-Thu | Annual bedstraw | Galium aparine | Malibu Creek S.P., Piuma Ridge Trail | 143-Thu | Showy penstemon | Penstemon spectabilis | Malibu Creek S.P., Piuma Ridge Trail | 144-Fri | Rock-rose | Helianthemum scoparium | Topanga State Sector; Hondo Canyon Trail | 145-Fri | Long-beaked filaree | Erodium botrys | Topanga State Sector; Hondo Canyon Trail | 146-Fri | Tomcat clover | Trifolium willdenovii | Topanga State Sector; Hondo Canyon Trail | 147-Fri | Bristly ox-tongue | Picris echioides | Topanga State Sector; Hondo Canyon Trail | 148-Fri | California buttercup | Ranunculus californicus | Topanga State Sector; Hondo Canyon Trail | 149-Fri | Oyster plant | Tragopogon porrifolius | Topanga State Sector; Hondo Canyon Trail | 150-Fri | Blow-wives | Achillea mollis | Topanga State Sector; Hondo Canyon Trail | 151-Fri | Kern brodiaea | Brodiaea terrestris | Topanga State Sector; Hondo Canyon Trail | 152-Fri | Hedypnois | Hedypnois cretica | Topanga, Musch Camp | 153-Fri | Gum plant | Grindelia camporum var. bracteosum | Topanga State Park; Dead Horse Trail | 154-Sat | White snapdragon | Antirrhinum coulterianum | Topanga, Musch Trail | 155-Sat | Chaparral broomrape | Orobanche bulbosa | Topanga, Rogers Road | 156-Sat | Violet snapdragon | Antirrhinum nuttallianum | Topanga, Rogers Road | 157-Sat | Castor bean | Ricinus communis | Will Rogers Park; Rogers Road Trail | 158-Sat | Russian thistle | Salsola tragus | Will Rogers Park; Rogers Road Trail |
Milt McAuley's 1996 edition of Wildflowers of the Santa Monica Mountains was the primary reference, with the help of the following website to see more views of the flowers and a few updates: http://www.smmflowers.org/bloom/bloom.htm
We listed only those plants that were blooming and left out the plants that we could not identify. Comparing the list with previous years, we can see several more flowers that we must have overlooked on 2009's trek.