Bell Canyon Blooms

Non-Native

Alfalfa, also known as Lucerne in the UK, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, is a perennial flowering plant in the legume family. It’s often used as grazing and hay or to help with soil erosion.

Native

Also known as a hollowleaf annual lupine or succulent lupine, the arroyo lupine is common throughout much of California, and prefers moist clay or heavy soils in full sun. This annual herb grows up to just under 3 feet maximum height. Each palm like leaf is made up of 7 to 9 leaflets approximately 1 inch long. The flower cluster is generally purple-blue with a white or pink patch.

Non-native, invasive

This non native, noxious weed is a low growing perennial broadleaf plant with shamrock like leaves, is originally from South Africa. Found throughout California, they contain a high level of oxalate compounds that can cause death in livestock when consumed in large quantity.

Alternative names: African wood-sorrel, Bermuda sorrel, buttercup oxalis, Cape sorrel, English weed, goat's-foot, sourgrass, soursob or soursop

Native, only grows in California

This evergreen flowering shrub is in the Rhamnaceae (Buckthorn) family loves full sun and can grow up to 15ft tall. It is sometimes called the Bigpod Californa Lilac.

Non-native

Considered a noxious weed in most of the country, this tall, many branched, often weedy-looking annual plant often reaches six feet in height. It is most common found near the coast in “disturbed areas” such as roadsides, past or presently cultivated areas and areas cleared for fire. It’s black seeds, which the plant is named for, have historically been ground and used as a spice common in Indian cuisine (rai).

Native

Salvia mellifera (black sage) is a small, highly aromatic, evergreen shrub of the genus Salvia (the sages) native to California, and Baja California, Mexico. It is common in the coastal sage scrub of Southern California and northern Baja California. Black sage has a dark appearance, especially during drought.

The Chumash people used a strong tea made from the leaves and stems of the plant as a pain reliever. It could be rubbed on the painful area or used to soak one's feet.

Also known as Wild Hyacinth, Purplehead and Brodiaea.

Regarding the giggle inducing name, no one seems to know where it came from. The best guess seems to be that it is derived from its scientific name, Dichelostemma capitatum, where the beginning of the name “Dich” becomes “Dick”. That’s as good an explanation as I’ve found.

Native

Commonly referred to as a Blue Elder or Blue Elderberry, this shrub can grow up to 30 feet high.

Native Americans used the wood to make musical instruments, like flutes, clappers, small whistles and pipes for smoking. It was also great to use as a “twirling stick” to start a fire with friction.

The flower blossoms can be used to make tea. The raw berries have been eaten raw, dried or as a jelly. However, the fruits do contain a toxin which can make some people feel nauseous.

Non-native

The Blue Hibiscus is an evergreen shrub originally from Australia that can grow up to 8 feet tall. It has large, trumpet-shaped bluish-purple flowers that will bloom on and off all year.

Historically, hibiscus extracts, teas and supplements have been used to treat liver problems and high blood pressure. It’s generally considered safe in small amounts but prolonged use of high dosages can do bad stuff to your liver.

Native

This highly fragrant, small evergreen is in the mint family and gets it’s name from it’s wooly blue flowers. Also known as Danny's skullcap, it is native to western North America from Oregon through California to Baja California, where it is normally found within 50 miles of the coast.

They are “fire flowers” and are some of the first plants to appear after a wildfire. Sadly, they have a short lifespan and might only last a few years.

Non-native

This “pokey plant” is originally from Europe and Asia. A fairly invasive species, it can often be found in large infestations along trails, roads and vacant fields. Also known as a spear thistle or common thistle, this member of the artichoke family was used by early humans as a warm medicinal tea. The roots were also good against poor digestion and helped treat stomach cramps. The leaves were used to treat pain from nerve damage.

Non-native

Native to the Mediterranean basin, this annual broadleaf plant tends to favor agricultural land, roadsides, disturbed areas, and, yep, lawns. It’s burrs can cling to the clothing or fur of any thing that passes by. It’s good food for livestock but not so good for horses and mules.

It’s also edible for humans and is used as a vegetable in parts of China and Mexico.

Native

This shrub is part of the coastal sage plant community that can be found from Tijuana up to San Luis Obispo. Also known as California Bush Sunflower, this daisy loves sun and grows up to 3 feet in height.

Native Americans used this plant to treat toothaches and chest pains.

Native

This annual herb grows to a max height of about 16 inches, but is frequently smaller. Large clusters of this flower creates those yellow carpets you see on hillsides and meadows. You’ll find it thrives in open fields from Arizona and Baja California on up to Oregon.

Native Americans collected seeds from Goldfields (and other plants) to make pinole or seed stew. The flowers had ornamental use during initiation ceremonies for females.

Native

You’ll find California’s official state flower has a native habitat includes California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Sonora and Baja California. It grows up to 12 inches tall but the height really varies depending on the growing conditions. If you’ve ever seen the coverage of the superblooms, this is the guy responsible for most of that orange you see. But it also has genetic variations that results in other colors, like the Purple Gleam and the Ivory Castle. We had some of these variations in BC immediately following the Woolsey fire, but they haven’t appeared since.

While it is possible to eat, it’s generally used as a garnish or in ornamental situations.

Native

The Catalina Mariposa Lily is endemic to Southern California and doesn’t grow anywhere else. It is native along the coastline in grasslands and open chaparral and woodlands habitats, especially on the Channel Islands and in the Santa Monica Mountains.

Be careful around this beauty! It is currently considered a vulnerable species and faces possible extinction.

Native

Salvia columbariae is an annual plant that is commonly called chia, chia sage, golden chia, or desert chia, because its seeds are used in the same manner as Salvia hispanica (also called chia). It grows in California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Sonora, and Baja California, and was an important food for Native Americans. Some native names include pashí from Tongva and it'epeš from Ventureño.

Native

Chilicothe, also known as wild cucumber, manroot or bigroot is a species of plant in the genus Marah.

All parts of the plant have a bitter taste (this is the meaning of the genus name Marah, which comes from Hebrew). Despite this, the leaves have been used as a vegetable. The large tuber of the manroot can be processed for a soap-like extract.