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.

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