california native flora

What’s Blooming: Phacelia Campanularia (Desert Bluebells)

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Just for kicks I’m going to have a regular feature going where I give a special mention to what’s blooming in the patio garden as the year progresses.

Mid way through February the winter storms appear to have passed and most of the California native plants here are showing a bit more life as the sun comes out and the temperature rises. Our thermometer peaked at 100°F this afternoon, the patio is a bit of a sun trap. The Galvezia Juncea is blooming as always, I’ve not seen it without at least one or two little red trumpets. Amoung the wildflowers around the bird bath there are some as yet unidentified flowers about to show but most impressive so far this month have been the Desert Bluebells (Phacelia Campanularia). The Apricot Mallow (aka Desert Globemallow – Sphaeralcea Ambigua) has loads of little buds appearing with orange just starting to poke through. It looks like this will be in full bloom really soon. Watch this space!

Speaking of blooms, my wife and I took a trip to the Theodore Payne Foundation in Sun Valley (Eastern part of the San Fernando Valley) yesterday to grab some wildflower seeds and pick up the latest addition to our garden, a juvenile Red Fairyduster (Calliandra Californica). There are a few stunning sights around there right now, most impressive are the California Poppies dotted around the grounds. There is also what looks like a large Howard McMinn Manzanita which is covered in tiny white flowers and as a result it is also covered with Honey Bees. My wife looked a tad startled by the buzzing noise, it was quite remarkable. I told her we have two of these in our garden. I don’t think she’ll want to sit out in the sun as much this year.