Banks in bloom

Superbloom 2023 at Campbell Ranch.

Hogwallow starfish (Hesperevax caulescens) may look like an alien, but they are actually in the Aster / Sunflower (Compositae – Asteraceae) Family. They prefer to grow in shrink-swell clay soils around vernal pools and swales, and can be found at Campbell Ranch.

Hogwallow starfish are one of the rare plant species RES ecologists are mapping for special status species surveys in 2022 and 2023. In California, we have State, Federal and California Rare Plant Rank listed plant species. Any plant with a rare plant rank has to be properly documented on each of our banks, including the ones here at Campbell Ranch. Hogwallow starfish may not be State or Federally Listed; however they have a California Rare Plant Rank of 4.2, which means they have a limited distribution across California.

Some flora around vernal pools have a vibrant color. In the upland-vernal pool transition area, you may find various micro flora such as pygmy-weed (Crassula connata) and toad rush (Juncus bufonius). These plants can be found at Campbell Ranch. They complete their entire life cycle in a few weeks. However, if water is available, they may survive longer. Various Crassula species are being considered for green roof projects around the United States.

Butter n’ Eggs is a classic spring plant that many of our ecologists see during the season. Before our vernal pools flower, we tend to see many butter n’ eggs in the upland portions of Campbell Ranch. You may see acres of these plants blooming all at once! They belong to the Orobanchaceae Family, which is the same family as paintbrush (Castilleja species). As with most plants in the Orobanchaceae Family, butter n’ eggs parasitize nutrients from other plant species. No worries, they do not appear to be impacting other plant populations. They are a part of a natural ecosystem, bringing functionality and balance to our bank.

When vernally wet meadows dry up for the season, they produce a flash of vibrant yellow flowers across the landscapes like the ones at Campbell Ranch. The light-yellow flowers are yellow carpet, the gold-yellow flowers are goldfields, and the purple flowers are the naturalized broad leaf filaree. During this period of time specialized pollinators sweep across the landscape to collect pollen from these plants. Beetles, bees, flies, and various small butterflies are very busy gathering pollen.

The beginning of spring comes with a striking yellow. Yellow carpet (Blennosperma nanum) is one of our first blooming plants in California that cover the landscape. These small plants are common to see on most of RES’ Central Valley Banks. Make sure not to wear wet shoes when walking through these flower patches, unless you want yellow shoes.

RES ecologist Tyler Rose enjoys a stroll through the goldfields at Campbell Ranch.

A stream of goldfields running through Campbell Ranch.

Superbloom glory at Campbell Ranch: Spotted throated downingia (Downingia concolor) – blue, Fremont’s goldfield (Lasthenia fremonti) – gold, smooth tidy tips (Layia chrysanthemoides) – cream

Bee on harlequin downingia (Downingia insignis) at Campbell Ranch.

Superbloom 2023 at Campbell Ranch.

Superbloom 2023 at Campbell Ranch.

Canada Geese enjoying the ponds at Campbell Ranch during the 2023 superbloom season.

Sometimes the Canada Geese need a little help recognizing a great habitat. Sarah Wood and her decoy friend were happy to oblige during a visit to Campbell Ranch.

RES ecologist Sarah Wood surveying Campbell Ranch for birds and other wildlife.

A single yellow smooth tidy tip (Layia chrysanthmoides) makes it stand in a field of Fremont’s goldfields (Lasthenia fremontii) at Campbell Ranch.

Broad leaf filaree (Erodium botrys) can also be found growing amongst the sea of butter n’ eggs at Elsie Gridley.

As the vernal pools dry, you may see concentric rings of various flower species around the vernal pools.

As spring progresses, another common flower to see blooming at Elsie Gridley is the Rosy Douglas’ Meadowfoam. This white flower with a red center dominates vernally wet meadows and vernal pool edges.

Rosy Douglas’ Meadowfoam (Limnanthes douglasii subsp. rosea) (large white flowers), yellow carpet (Blennosperma nanum) (light yellow), broad leaf filaree (Erodium botrys), butter n’ eggs (Triphysaria eriantha) (red-yellow flowers), stalked popcornflower (Plagiobothrys stipitatus var. micranthus) (very small white flower), all in bloom at Elsie Gridley.

Butter n’ eggs (Triphysaria eriantha) at North Suisun Mitigation Bank.

Vernal pool at Best Slough Vernal Pool Preserve, a turnkey mitigation site.

Bird’s eye gilia (Gilia tricolor) at the Blackburn Conservation Bank.

Fringe pod (Thysanocarpus radians) at Daley Ranch Conservation Bank.

Fremont’s tidy tips (Layia fremontii) at Daley Ranch Conservation Bank.

All of the valleys and hills at Kreyenhagen Hills Conservation Bank and the surrounding area were covered in spring 2023 by a variety of blooming plants. The most common plants were common monolopia (Monolopia lanceolata) – yellow and tansy leafed phacelia (Phacelia tanacetifolia) – purple. We did see many fiddleneck (Amsinckia), California poppies (Eschscholzia species), Arroyo Lupine (Lupinus succulentus) – purple, and Desert Candle (Caulanthus inflatus). High precipitation rainfall, perfect temperatures, and adequate sunlight created the ideal conditions for a full bloom. Our ecologists saw over 50 species of plants here in March 2023.

The hillsides of Kreyenhagen Hills were covered with common monolopia (Monolopia lanceolata). We did find other monolopia species such as Crum’s monolopia (Monolopia stricta) mixed in.

This is a close up of the common monolopia that was blooming everywhere at Kreyenhagen Hills.

Depending on the aspect of a particular hill at Kreyenhagen Hills, you would find different blooming plant species. South and east aspects tended to have common monolopia, while west slopes had fiddleneck, lupine, and desert candle.

Desert Candle is part of the Mustard (Brassicaceae) Family. They are often found on open, sandy plains to rocky slopes. In these pictures from Kreyenhagen Hills, they were found on dry hillsides. They were extra succulent, but you have to be careful not to squish too hard, they were still delicate.

Desert Candle is part of the Mustard (Brassicaceae) Family. They are often found on open, sandy plains to rocky slopes. In these pictures from Kreyenhagen Hills, they were found on dry hillsides. They were extra succulent, but you have to be careful not to squish too hard, they were still delicate.

Tansy leafed phacelia (Phacelia tanacetifolia) was another very common blooming plant found with common monolopia at Kreyenhagen Hills. If you see a significant patch of purple, it is most likely tansy leafed phacelia or another phacelia species.

This plant that we encountered at Kreyenhagen Hills is known as Snake’s-Head (Malacothrix coulteri). They are part of the Sunflower (Compositae- Asteraceae) Family. The phyllaries of this plant looked very beautiful.