Still haven’t visited SLO County’s biggest superbloom? ‘Go now!’ wildflower group warns

Have you seen San Luis Obispo County’s biggest wildflower superbloom yet?

If not, you’ll want to go soon, a wildflower group warns.

“There’s still time to appreciate the wildflowers at Carrizo Plain National Monument, but go now!” the Theodore Payne Foundation for Wild Flowers & Native Plants wrote in its latest Wild Flower Hotline report.

Each week through May, the Foundation publishes the report, which helps notify visitors of the best places throughout Southern California to check out spring flowers.

In its latest report on Friday, the Foundation warned that many spots are starting to see a downturn in flowers blooming as the season comes to an end.

“Short heat waves are alternating with short cooling periods (and) developing into a late spring weather pattern,” the Foundation wrote, which means that some colorful blossoms are starting to fade. “Wildflowers at lower elevations are losing their bloom, so you should get out to see them in the next week or so.”

Located in southeastern San Luis Obispo County, Carrizo Plain National Monument has probably already passed its wildflower peak, but according to the Foundation there is still time to take in the majesty of the massive, visible-from-space bloom.

The north areas of the Carrizo Plain National Monument along 7 Mile Road “are flush with hillside daisies,” according to the group, while over on the alkali flats visitors will see beautiful stretches of Valley larkspur, dense carpets of goldfields and owl’s clover.

On Soda Lake Road to the south of the lake, there’s thistle sage, desert dandelion, yellow pincushion and locoweed.

For visitors with trucks or four-wheel drive, the ridge areas of the Temblor and Caliente ranges are also “wonderfully rich and floriferous now,” the group said.

Other blooms you might see include desert candles, San Joaquin mentzelia, phacelias, gilias, onions and stinkbells.

Wild Flower Hotline

Check out the Theodore Payne Foundation for Wild Flowers & Native Plants’ Wild Flower Hotline by calling 818-768-1802, extension 7, or visiting theodorepayne.org/learn/wildflower-hotline.

Kaytlyn Leslie

The Tribune

805-781-7928 (voicemails only)

Kaytlyn Leslie writes about business and development for The San Luis Obispo Tribune. Hailing from Nipomo, she also covers city governments and happenings in San Luis Obispo. She joined The Tribune in 2013 after graduating from Cal Poly with her journalism degree.