This wiki page shows pictures of geophytes growing in the wild in northern California along the Sonoma Mendocino coast arranged alphabetically from Camassia through Disporum. Rainfall in this location starts in the fall with the most rain coming in December and January with less rain continuing sometimes as late as May. Summers are dry although there are periods of fog in summer which brings some moisture. Temperatures are moderate year round. Habitats are mixed evergreen and Redwood forests, bluff scrub, riparian and some limited grasslands, but much of this latter habitat (grasslands) is now gone. Most flowers bloom late spring into summer.
Mendocino Sonoma Coast Index - Allium to Calypso - Epipactis to Maianthemum - Marah to Sisyrinchium - Toxicoscordion to Zigadenus
Camassia quamash growing in a wet spot close to the ocean. In the large patch all but one of the flowers were purple. In the midst was one white one. Photos by Bob Rutemoeller. The last photo shows them blooming in mass on the Mendocino ridge in a wet grassy spot.
Cardamine californica var. integrifolia has white flowers and is found in open fields, in mostly heavy wet soils. In a wet year you can sometimes see a mass of white flowers and wonder what it is. This photo by Bob Rutemoeller shows a close-up of flowers. These flowers are some of the first to bloom each year.
Chlorogalum pomeridianum known as soap plant grows on grassy road banks, open meadows, and slopes. It has basal rosettes of attractive wavy margined leaves that appear late winter and widely branched small star like fragrant flowers that bloom in summer. The flowers open late afternoon, are pollinated by night insects, and fade by morning. Photo by Mary Sue Ittner.
Clintonia andrewsiana is a beautiful plant with bell shaped red flowers and broadly ovate shiny leaves. The flowers are followed by blue berries if the deer don't eat them first. It is found in the coastal fog belt of northern California and southern Oregon. It is often found growing in or at the edge of the forest with Trilliums and other forest plants. The leaves stay green throughout the dry summer and sometimes almost until new ones are produced in winter. Photos by Bob Rutemoeller of wild plants blooming in Sonoma County May 2003 and a later one another year of plants in fruit.
Corallorhiza maculata (spotted coralroot) is found in shaded coniferous forests. It has red brown to pink spotted petals and a white spotted lip. It is a saprophyte, a plant without green parts that receives its nutrients from decaying plant material. Photo by Bob Rutemoeller taken in Kruse Rhododendron State Park and two more taken by Mary Sue Ittner in Mendocino County.
Corallorhiza mertensiana is found in shaded to open mixed-evergreen or coniferous forests in decomposing litter. It has pink to red sepals. The first photo taken by Bob Rutemoeller in Kruse Rhododendron State Park and the second at Salt Point State Park.
Delphinium hesperium subsp. hesperium has dark blue purple flowers. This photo was taken on the Mendocino Sonoma Coast where it was overlooking the ocean. Photos by Bob Rutemoeller.
Delphinium nudicaule (red larkspur) with its red flowers is often found on shady banks and road verges, sometimes in large numbers. The frist one photographed by Bob Rutemoeller was growing along Skaggs Springs Road and blooming 2003. Second photo from Mary Sue Ittnertaken April 2006.
Dichelostemma capitatum commonly known as Blue Dicks is an early spring bloomer often found growing in the grass. The first two pictures taken by Bob Rutemoeller show it found in two places in Sonoma County. One is the typical grass-weed habitat (sorry for the hand, but it was windy and blowing out of the frame) blooming May 2003 and the other an amazing clump growing in the rocks above Highway one, safe from all predators (and people) I'd expect blooming April 2004. The last pictures was taken in 2007 with a zoom lens in the same place by Mary Sue Ittner.
Disporum smithii see Prosartes smithii
Mendocino Sonoma Coast Index - Allium to Calypso - Epipactis to Maianthemum - Marah to Sisyrinchium - Toxicoscordion to Zigadenus