Signs of Spring in California

native California holly-leafed cherry

Spring is in full bloom. California's native plants have taken advantage of the late winter rain and are bursting with flowers. The bees are active and the California desert tortoises are grudgingly awake.

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mourning cloak chrysalis

An Earth Minute can give you the chance to make discoveries in your own backyard, like the mourning cloak butterflies that have already gone from caterpillar to chrysalis and the Bewick's wrens that are nesting in the lariat bird house.

The ceanothus's blue blooms and the white flowers of the Catalina cherry and holly-leaf cherry are filled with bees. The mallow and sage are bursts of color wooing the desert tortoises to wake up and explore. 

The dudleya is still working on its flower spike, while the various lavenders fill the air with an exotic spice. We've even seen the lesser goldfinches eat the lavender seeds.

This marks our second anniversary of Earth Minutes. Take a moment to discover your own Earth Minute, then come back and explore our 104 one-minute adventures.

Watch the Bewick's wrens build a nest 
Discover California's Dudleya Diversity
More Desert Tortoises - Sleepy Tortoise & Tortoise with a Friend
California Native Plants: under oaks, fighting drought, Pierce College Botanical Garden

See California
Explore Places Across the U.S. and Around the World
Watch Wildlife
Hear the Sounds of Places and Events
Discover Unique Human Culture

Find a new moment weekly on TheEarthMinute.com 

Look Closer at Malibu Creek State Park

Look Closer at Malibu Creek State Park.

 

Although at first glance the California chaparral may seem devoid of color - look closer and the bright colors shine through in the details!


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Take a walk in Malibu Creek State Park along the walking trails. 

Look closer at the contrast of the dandelion!

Look closer at the bee on the native sage blossom!

For more on the park, visit us at TheEarthMinute.com
 See our post.

Malibu Creek State Park  is located four miles south of Highway 101 on 

Las Virgenes/Malibu Canyon Road. 

Or 6.5 miles north up Malibu Canyon Road from Malibu and Pacific Coast Highway {California Highway 1}.

Bees Buzzing in the Lemon Tree

Southern California is having early warm days this year, and the trees and the bees are making the best of it.

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Our Meyer lemon tree burst into bloom in early February.

 

Take a look at her feet - sticky from the bright

yellow citrus pollen. 

With the help of these little ladies, we should have a very good crop of sweet lemons later this year!

Keep pesticides away from your garden and help provide food sources for these important pollinators.

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Saucer Magnolia Marks Spring's Arrival

Though it is only mid-February, spring has arrived in southern California and this Asian saucer magnolia burst into bloom.

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Like orchids, magnolias are ancient plants. Dinosaurs sauntered under their flowered branches. They are so old, they preexist bees and are primarily pollinated by beetles. 

Asian species of magnolia, like this cultivar, are deciduous. In spring flowers open before any leaves, creating a tree of blossoms.

Magnolia x soulangeana is commonly planted in California gardens. While I'm partial to native plants, this saucer magnolia stopped me in my tracks. 

According to the San Francisco Botanical Garden, M. soulangeana is a cross between the lily magnolia (M. liliiflora) and the Yulan magnolia (M. denudata). They attribute this beautiful hybrid to a French botanist, Etienne Soulange-Bodin, a cavalry officer in Napoleon's army.

Other Earth Minutes with flowers:
Discover Mountain Wildflowers in Wyoming
Discover Fern Canyon, Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, CA
An Earth Minute of Orchids
Visit Santa Cruz Island, Channel Islands National Park, CA
Hidden Gardens of Los Angeles 

Take a New Earth Minute moment each Week