Wildflowers and Wildlife Seen by Members

We would like to share in this space what you see on your walks and hikes in the way of flowers with all members of Sierra Sage, and suggest you mail your pictures to the webmaster to be displayed here.  Don't forget to indicate where you took the picture(s) and what the name of the flower is, if you know it.  We use this book to identify the plants:  Robert L. Allen and Fred M. Roberts, Jr., Wildflowers of Orange County and the Santa Ana Mountains, 2013, Laguna Beach, Laguna Wilderness Press.

If you catch a shot of a wild animal and care to share it, proceed in the same fashion.

Wednesday Photographers

Despite prodigious rains earlier this year, the March 2026 heatwave prevented us from enjoying a “super bloom.” Vicki Hazley, chair of Sierra Sage of South Orange County, took some pictures of what she saw during a recent and well attended Wednesday hike.

Hummingbird Sage

Flower: Hummingbird Sage - Salvia Spacthacea

Date: 3/21/2026

Place: Aliso and Wood Canyon Wilderness Park

Photographer: Vicki Hazley

 

 

Road Runner

Animal: Road Runner - Geococcyx

Date: 3/21/2026

Place: Aliso and Wood Canyon Wilderness Park

Photographer: Vicki Hazley

Diamond Back Rattlesnake

 

Animal: Diamond Back Rattlesnake - Crotalus atrox

Date: 3/21/2026

Place: Aliso and Wood Canyon Wilderness Park

Photographer: Vicki Hazley

 

Western Fence Lizard

Animal: Western Fence Lizard - Sceloporus occidentalis

Date: 3/21/2026

Place: Aliso and Wood Canyon Wilderness Park

                                   Photographer: Vicki Hazley


Among our Wednesday hikers are enthusiastic photographers who have been busy taking pictures of the springtime flora in our parks. Enjoy our 2025 Wildflower Season pictures.

Photographers: Vicki Hazley, Helen Maurer, and Ed Maurer.

California Bluebells


Flower: Perry's Phacelia - Phacelia parryi

Date: 4/16/2025

Place: Ronald W. Caspers Wilderness Park

Photographer: Vicki Hazley

 

Indian Paintbrush

Flower: Coastal Paintbrush - Castilleja affinis

Date: 4/16/2025

Place: Ronald W. Caspers Wilderness Park

Photographer: Vicki Hazley

Violets

Flower: Johnny Jump-Ups - Viola pedunculata

Date: 4/16/2025

Place: Ronald W. Caspers Wilderness Park

Photographer: Vicki Hazley

 

Lindley';s False Silverpuff

Flower: Lindley's Silverpuffs - Microseris lindleyi 

Date: 4/23/2025

Place: Crystal Cove State Park

Photographer: Vicki Hazley

 

Storkbills

Flower: White-stemmed Filaree - Erodium moschatum

Date: 4/23/2025

Place: Crystal Cove State Park

Photographer:Vicki Hazley

 

 

Rattlesnake Weed

Flower: Small-seed Sandmat - Euphorbia polycarpa

Date: 4/23/2025

Place: Crystal Cove State Park

Photographer: Vicki Hazley

Lupine

 

Flower: Arroyo Lupine - Lupinus succulentus

Date: 4/23/2025

Place: Crystal Cove State Park

Photographer: Vicki Hazley

 

 

Mariposa Lily

Flower: Splendid Mariposa Lily - Calochortus splendens

Date: 4/16/2025

Place: Ronald W. Caspers Wilderness Park

Photographer: Vicki Hazley

Blue Eyed Grass

 

Flower: Western Blue-eyed Grass - Sysyrinchium bellum

Date: 4/14/2025

Place: "Glass Canyon"

Photographer: Helen Maurer

 

California Bush Sunflower -

Flower: California Sunflower - Encelia californica

Date: 4/20/2025

Place: Serrano Creek

Photographer: Helen Maurer

Coastal Bush Monkeyflower

Flower: Coastal Bush Monkeyflower - Displacus puniceus

Date: 4/20/2025

Place: Serrano Creek

Photographer: Helen Maurer

Golden Yarrow

Flower: Golden Yarrow - Eriophyllum cenfertiflorum

Date: 4/4/2025

Place: "Glass Canyon"

Photographer: Helen Maurer

Menzies Blue-eyes

Flower: Menzies's Baby Blue-eyes - Nemophila menziesii

Date: 4/14/2025

Place: "Glass Canyon"

Photographer: Helen Maurer

 

 

Palmer's Indian Mallow

Flower: Palmer's Indian Mallow - Abutilon palmeri

Date: 4/20/2025

Place: Serrano Creek

Photographer: Helen Maurer

Thickleaved Ceonothus

Flower: Thick-leaved Lilac - Ceanothus crassifolius

Date: 3/22/2025

Place: San Mateo Wilderness

Photographer: Helen Maurer

 

 

White-flowered Currant

Flower: White-flowered Currant -Ribes indecorum

Date: 3/22/2025

Place: San Mateo Wilderness

Photographer: Helen Maurer

 

 

Lupine

Flower: Arroyo Lupine - Lupinus succulentus

Date: 4/16/2025

Place: Ronald W. Caspers Wilderness Park

Photographer: Marigold Velasco

 

 

 

 

 

Lupine

Lupine in Ukrainian Colors (Lupine and Mustard)

Flower: Arroyo Lupine - Lupinus succulentus

Date: 4/23/2025

Place: Crystal Cove State Park

Photographer: Ed Maurer

 

 

2022 Photos

Copyright Zal TepperAnimal: Mule Deer - Odocoileus hemionus

Date and Location: Wood Canyon Trail on 1/5/2022

Photographer: Zal Tepper

 

Copyright Helen MaurerFlower: Parry's Phacelia - Phacelia parryi

Date and Location:  Arroyo Trabuco Trail on 2/6/2022 

Photographer:  Helen Maurer

 

MilkmaidFlower:  Milkmaids - Cardamine californica (Ref: p 172 Allen & Roberts)

Date and Location: Holy Jim trail on 1/15/2022

Photographer:  John Kaiser

 

 

 

Fiddleneck Photo Helen Maurer

Flower:  Common Fiddleneck - Amsinckia intermedia

Date & Location:  March 2021 - Arroyo Trabuco - O'Neill Wilderness Park

Photographer:  Helen Maurer / Panasonic Lumix

 

School Bell Photo Helen Maurer

Flower:  School Bells - Dichelostemma capitatum

Date & Location:  March 2021 - Arroyo Trabuco - O'Neill Wilderness Park

Photographer:  Helen Maurer / Panasonic Lumix

 

Oxalis Photo Helen Maurer

Flower:  California Wood-sorrel - Oxalis californica

Date & Location:  March 2021 - Arroyo Trabuco - O'Neill Wilderness Park

Photographer:  Helen Maurer / Panasonic Lumix

 

Bee and Golden Bush. Picture by Helen Maurer

Flower:  Pine Goldenbush - Ericameria pinifolia

Date & Location:  October 2020 - Aliso Wood Canyon Wilderness Park

Photographer:  Helen Maurer / Panasonic Lumix

 

Fuchsia-flowered Gooseberry

Flower:  Fuchsia-flowered Gooseberry - Ribes speciosum

Date & Location:  02/27/2021 - O'Neill Regional Park

Photographer:  Ed Maurer / iPhone