Wildflowers | Santa Barbara Hikes

Common name	Botanical Name
Chocolate Lily	Fritillaria biflora Aliso Trail These flowers are very unusual and a prized find for most flower enthusiasts. brown, six petals, sun
Clematis	Clematis lasiantha Matilija Canyon Clematis can be found just about anywhere in the chaparral. Early spring it is a beautiful cream-colored flower. When it goes to seed it looks like a large cotton ball. sun, white
Clematis	Clematis lasiantha Cold Springs Trail near Montecito Peak These are so soft when they have gone to seed. Like cotton balls. summer, sun, white
Cliff Aster	Malacothrix saxatilis Malibu These grow at low elevation in the sun in places with a lot of weeds. Looks like Chicory, but has pink underneath the petals and is sort of spindly. summer, sun, white
Climbing Penstemon or Heart-leaved Penstemon	Keckiella cordifolia These grow commonly in our front and backcountry, usually in partially sunny places. Hummingbirds like them. red, shade, sun
Coast or California Figwort, or California Bee-plant	Scrophularia californica Toro Canyon This is quite common at lower elevations near, but not right in, creeks. red, summer
Coastal Prickly Pear	Opuntia littoralis San Ysidro Trail Usually when you see these it is because someone lived there at one time and planted it. sun
Coffee Fern	Pellaea andromedifolia Arroyo Burro Trail Coffee fern is on the left. You can find these all over. Usually in the shade. green, shade
Common Goldfields	Lasthenia californica (L. chrysotoma) Spring, Carrizo Plains sun, yellow
Common Goldfields	Lasthenia californica (L. chrysotoma) Spring, Cottam Camp in Blue Canyon sun, yellow
Common Locoweed	Astragalus didymocarpus May, Hurricane Deck These are pretty common is dry places and will rattle like a rattlesnake when brushed against after they've gone to seed. summer, sun, weed, white, yellow
Common Madia	Madia elegans Davy Brown Trail Fir Canyon in June. In part sun/part shade. shade, summer, sun, yellow
Common or Bush Sunflower	Helianthus annuus or Encelia californica Isla Vista Beach Bluffs These are common in natural areas in town and on the trails, too. brown, summer, sun, yellow
Common or White Yarrow	Achillea May, near Manzana Schoolhouse Likes shade shade, white
Coreopsis and Filaree	Asteraceae and Erodium cicutarum Carrizo Plain The pink is Erodium cicutarium, the Filaree. The yellow is Coreopsis, a member of the Asteraceae family. These both grow closer to Santa Barbara as well. five petals, pink, sun, yellow
Crane's bill geranuium	Geranium molle Manzana Trail Shade loving and very tiny. five petals, pink, shade
Cream Cups	Platystemon californicus Spring, Carrizo Plains sun, white, yellow
Crinkle Onion	Allium crispum Figueroa Mountain Apparently this variety grows exactly here. They are about 6 inches high and so pink you can see them from the road, if you are observant. magenta, pink, red, six petals
Crystalline iceplant	Mesembryanthemum crystallinum Crystalline iceplant These were growing behind a low beach wall on Jalama Beach. They are sort of juicy and fleshy like berries almost. When they bloom the flower is white and fringy like regular iceplant. pink, red, white
Cut-leafed geranium	Geranium dissectum March or April, Rattlesnake Connector At first I thought these were Red Maids. I found just the one patch almost at the junction with Tunnel Trail. They might be Carolina geraniums, but they have no hairs at the end of the petals as I saw described somewhere. pink, shade
Deerweed	Lotus scoparius When deerweed dries up it becomes a bare, scratchy bush that brushes against your legs on trails like Lost Valley Trail. It always seems ok at first, but by the end of the hike you are cursing the things. That is why I always hike in pants now. summer, sun, weed, yellow
Delphinium	Delphinium parryi Spring, near Forbush Flat blue, purple, shade, sun, white
Delphinium	Delphinium parryi Spring, Manzana Trail to the Schoolhouse blue, purple, shade, sun, white
Delphinium	Delphinium parryi Spring, Hurricane Deck shade, sun, white
Desert Candle	Caulanthus inflatus Carrizo Plains I think wildflower enthusiasts like these so much because they are so weird. They are about knee-high, waxy, with a thick, fleshy green stalk and small bulbous purple flowers barely hanging from thin threads from the sides. purple, red, sun
Desert monkeyflower	Mimulus bigelovii Spring, Hurricane Deck and Lost Valley Trail junction pink, shade, sun
Dodder or Strangleweed	Cuscuta May, Hurricane Deck Dodder is a parasitic plant and can be found in dry places like Hurricane Deck or by the ocean. orange, sun, weed
Douglas Wallflower	Erysimum capitatum May at Manzana Schoolhouse Camp Another reliable place I've seen these is on Lost Valley Trail near the Oak Tree campsite. Just before it. They like shade. four petals, orange, shade, yellow
Doveweed or Turkey mullein	Eremocarpus setigerus Malibu near beach On a bluff near Pepperdine University. A type of Spurge. green, silver, summer
Dudleya or Live Forever or Hen and Chicks	Dudleya April, Agua Caliente Trail green, shade, summer, sun
Dudleya or Live Forever or Hen and Chicks	Dudleya Cold Springs Trail These were such a glorious red I couldn't resist another picture. green, orange, red, shade, summer, sun
Elderberry	Sambucus canadensis Toro Canyon Park This is very common and usually grows in the more moist areas, such as near creeks. Makes blue berries which don't taste all that good. I noticed some web sites say it can be poisonous. blue, summer, white
Elegant Clarkia	Clarkia similis Spring, Lost Valley Trail near Hurricane Deck I believe this is a special clarkia found only in this area. pink, shade, summer, sun
Elegant Clarkia	Clarkia unguiculata Manzana Trail They grow in abundant patches in late May/early June, and like sun or shade. pink, shade, summer, sun
Evening Primrose	Camissonia boothii Willow Springs Trail Near Figueroa Mountain, off Catway Road. I have seen them near Carrizo Plains, too. five petals, pink, sun
Fairy Lantern or Globe Lily	Calochortus albus May, near Manzana Schoolhouse In various stages of going to seed. You can see the fruit in the upper right corner. shade, white
Farewell to Spring	Clarkia cylindrica Spring, Manzana Trail to the Schoolhouse These can be found along Highway 154 as well in late spring. five petals, pink, summer, sun
Fennel	Foeniculum vulgare Isla Vista Invasive weed. Tastes like licorice. You can eat this. It's the same as what's in the store, and was imported from Europe. invasive, sun, weed, yellow
Fiddlenecks	Amsinckia menziesiispring, sun, yellow
Fiesta Flower	Pholistoma auritum Spring, Rattlesnake Trail The year I took this photo (2003) these were covering an entire hillside on the trail and were stunning. They prefer moist shady places under oak trees. purple, shade, sticky
Fire poppy	Papaver californicum McMenemy Trail Blooms in April or May. Very small. Flower was only 1 inch or so wide. Grew in a somewhat shady spot on south-facing slope in a lush, moist area. Flower books say they are abundant after a fire. four petals, orange
Fleabane Asters	Erigeron foliosus Early Summer on Lost Valley Trail This was growing near that first little camp near the creek. Not many flowers were left at this time, but there were quite a few of these in shady spots. purple, shade, summer
Foothill Penstemon	Penstemon heterophyllus Manzana Trail The buds are yellow and the blooms are electric blue. The plant is about 2ft. high. blue, purple, summer, sun, yellow
Fragrant Pitcher Sage	Lepechinia fragrans Tequepis Trail Grow in sun, bloom in summer. When flower fades, leaves behind a crispy, papery shell that can be green to brown to reddish. brown, green, red, reddish, summer, sun, white
Fragrant Pitcher Sage	Lepechinia fragrans Tequepis Trail Grow in sun, bloom in summer. When flower fades, leaves behind a crispy, papery shell that can be green to brown to reddish. brown, green, red, reddish, summer, sun, white
Fuchsia-flowering Gooseberry	Ribes speciosum May, Hurricane Deck These are pretty common in shady places or on north-facing slopes. red, shade
Giant Coreopsis	Coreopsis gigantea March, Oso Flaco Dunes To see the Giant Coreopsis is one good reason to go to the dunes. sun, yellow
Giant-Flowered Phacelia	Phacelia grandiflora Spring, Tom's Hippie House Trail near Cold Springs Trail blue, purple, shade, sticky, summer
Giant-Flowered Phacelia	Phacelia grandiflora Spring, Tom's Hippie House Trail near Cold Springs Trail blue, purple, shade, sticky, summer
Gilia	Gilia capitata Spring, Gidney Ridge These range from white to pale lavender and sometimes form near carpets of blossoms. purple, sun, white