Monthly Archives: April 2025

ahmanson ranch, nature, nature|wildflowers, photography, trails, upper las virgenes canyon open space preserve, wildflowers, wildflowers

Ahmanson Ranch’s Green Hills And Early Spring Wildflowers Will Soon Be Gone

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Invasive mustard covering a hillside in Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve (Ahmanson Ranch)

Before you know it, the green hills of Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve (Ahmanson Ranch) will have turned brown, and many of the early Spring wildflowers blooming along the area’s trails will be just a memory.

At the moment, all of the wildflowers mentioned in my previous post can still be found, but the earliest bloomers — such as goldfields  — are  gradually going away.

Catalina mariposa lily (thumbnail)
Catalina mariposa lilies

Some additional wildflowers that may currently be seen along Ahmanson Ranch trails include: Catalina mariposa lily, blue Dicks, monkey flower, fiddleneck, miniature lupine, and arroyo lupine.

Invasive mustard has become very prevalent, not only in the Kenneth Fire burn area, but throughout Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve. It is picturesque when blooming, but fields and slopes covered in mustard increase the fire hazard when the stalks and leaves dry out under the hot summer sun.

Some related posts:
– Ahmanson Ranch Poppies, Goldfields, Red Maids, and a Rattlesnake
– Weekday Wildflowers
– The Problem with Mustard

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Ahmanson Ranch Poppies, Goldfields, Red Maids, and a Rattlesnake

published
Click on thumbnails for more info & larger image.

California Poppies at Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve

At first glance you might think there aren’t any wildflowers at Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve (Ahmanson Ranch). The grasses, mallow, mustard and other invasives tend to crowd them out, but the wildflowers are there.

As seen in the title photo, there are a few nice patches of California poppies. Unless you have a sharp eye, you probably won’t see them from the parking lot. They like warm, west-facing slopes. If it’s early morning or chilly, their blossoms will be tightly furled to protect against the cold.

Goldfields on Lasky Mesa (thumbnail)
A patch of goldfields on Lasky Mesa

Individual goldfields (Lasthenia gracilis) may go unnoticed, but it’s hard to miss the bright yellow patches of goldfields scattered around Laksy Mesa.

Red maids is another vibrantly-colored wildflower. Its rose-lavender blossoms stand out from the green of the grasses. Small patches of the flowers can be seen just about anywhere at Ahmanson in late Winter and early Spring.

Also grabbing my attention during a recent run was a small rattlesnake on the fire road in East Las Virgenes Canyon. It may be young and small, but it’s just as venomous as an adult snake. With warming temps, more encounters with snakes are likely.

Some related posts:
– If Running at Ahmanson Could Always Be Like This…
– After the Kenneth Fire: The Theme is Green
– Weekday Wildflowers
– Big Southern Pacific Rattlesnake at Ahmanson Ranch