Back to a cloudy day in early May, when I visited a population of #NolinaInterrata, AKA #DehesaBeargrass or #DehesaNolina. The entire US population of this species exists within a 6 square mile area in San Diego county and there are 3 small populations in Baja California. That’s it! Fortunately, almost all of them are very well protected. Unfortunately… that could change. If the wildfire regime they’re adapted to changes too much (and it is changing all throughout California & Western North America) they could be wiped out. I’ve lived near this plant almost my whole life and only found out about it within the last few years. I don’t think most people around here know about it. They only grow on this reddish #GabbroSoil that looks like the surface of Mars or something. #sandiegoendemicplant (almost!), #californianativeplants #californiaendemicplants #edaphicendemism #sandiegocounty #DehesaCalifornia (but actually not), #nolina #beargrasses #botany #rareplants #succulents (at San Diego County, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/CRDKUECjb3R/?utm_medium=tumblr

Some of the hillsides in Ramona & Poway last week were covered in blue #ceanothus blooms. Try as I might, none of the photos I took could capture it properly! Oh well. Here are my best attempts. Tweaked the lighting on a couple of them slightly but not this first one. It’s still not quite the same as it looked in real life but it’s close! Anyway, I’ve also included a really clear difference between the regular hills around here covered in large granitic boulders and the much less rocky #gabbrosoil that we have on a few of our hills & mountains (such as this hill by Iron Mountain. The soil is rich in iron & magnesium, which most plants struggle to grow in except for a few endemic species. I didn’t really see any on this trip because the sun was starting to set & I didn’t get very far up that hill. Maybe next time! #CaliforniaMountainLilac #CaliforniaLilac #MountainLilac #CaliforniaNativePlants #chaparral (at Ellie Lane Trail, Iron Mountain) https://www.instagram.com/p/CNTkqeJjt4h/?igshid=10dvc5k97ry99