Flowers -wild and tame 04-29-09

The wildflower season is definitely over for this year.

But there are garden flowers blooming. This is Pride of Madeira which is grown extensively as a landscape plant in the area around Monterey/Pacific Grove/Carmel. The flower spikes can grow very tall - 6 feet or so - and the bees are constant visitors along with hummingbirds. The flowers last for a long time, but the season is beginning to end now.

Lots of California poppies on the north facing slopes going over the Ridge Route, but not many anywhere else. This little clump is just west of San Juan Bautista where it grows all alone at the very edge of CA Hwy 156.

Here is a view looking eastward along 156. There is a little marshy area to the right of the picture, but it has already dried up for the summer.

These are the flowers of wild radish that grows everywhere that wild mustard grows - in disturbed soil areas. The seed pods taste very much like radishes, maybe a little spicier, and are good in salads.