Hi,

Drought if ya hadn't heard. Antelope Valley states only about 15 poppies in the entire park! That's what the web site says...

I'm closer to San Diego and have been keeping my eye peeled for any small splashes of color as I drive around. I live along the I-15 corridor and have been all around Palomar Mt. to Ortega Hwy to Borrego to Ocotillo etc....starting to find some wild flowers but the poppies have presented a weird scenario:

I only see them within about 10 feet of roads, usually major Hwys like Rte.76. I've seen some nice pockets and pulled over for a look but only right on the road where it's dangerous at least to photograph. I thought maybe water as the roadside gets run off but much of the areas I see have flowing water within 100 yards of the roads and still no poppies....Odd....



Why would that be?

Bro.Luke

Caltrans sows a lot of poppies along highways as part of its erosion control practices. The really orange ones are generally called "Caltrans Orange".

Here in Humboldt County the poppies are in full bloom at lower elevations, along with lupine, mustard, wild radish, ....

Up higher where I am (~3,600') it's still a bit early. We had snow a few days ago.

I thought that someone was doing that!

But it's too sparse and it's an endemic wildflower...wouldn't they eventually expand from the road sides?

Glad to hear your getting some color up there. I lived in McKinleyville back in 1987. Right near that old bridge on the Mad River! I wasn't much of a photographer at the time but have fond memories and mean to get back soon.

I like that "Caltran Orange" remark!

Bro.Luke

I believe that in Arizona, ADOT sows poppies in new construction and reconstruction. The plants are not too successful at reproduction, so there are much fewer flowers the next year.

Alan