WILDFLOWER WALK IN UKIAH SATURDAY
Spring wildflowers are already blooming in Low Gap Park, and the local chapter of the California Native Plant Society is hosting a walk this weekend to help you find and identify them.
Some of the earliest flowers to bloom each year are Shooting Stars, and this year was no exception. The striking purple flowers began appearing weeks ago in the park, most of them popping up along trails that get more sun than the popular City View Trail.
Another very early bloomer is Hound's Tongue, which is now blooming in some of its usual spots, some right along the upper section of the original City View Trail.
To join the walk hosted by the CNPS, meet the group at 10 a.m. Feb. 25 “at the tables near the tennis courts. Wear good hiking shoes and dress for the weather, although the hike will be cancelled if it's raining.”
There is no charge to join the hosted walk, but participants are encouraged to bring $2 (in exact change) if they would like to purchase the very popular brochure created several years ago called “Wildflowers of Low Gap Park,” which gives the names of most of the wildflowers you can see in the park alongside their pictures.
(A word of warning, though: If you do buy the brochure, it could spark an obsessive need to find all of the flowers included in the pamphlet, as that is what happened to me when I first picked it up several years ago!)
As the spring and the flowers progress, more walks are planned in March and April :
• Saturday, March 25 from 10 a.m. until noon.
• Saturday, April 15 from 10 a.m. until noon.
For more information, email cathymonroe@gmail.com or visit the Facebook page of the Sanhedrin Chapter of the California Native Plant Society, representing Mendocino and Lake counties.
Another wildflower event scheduled by the CNPS is a hike on the Glen Eden Trail in Lake County, scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. on Saturday, March 11.
From the CNPS: “We will meet at 10 a.m. at the parking lot on Scotts Valley Road, across from the Glen Eden Trailhead (2.8 miles south of Hwy. 20 on Scotts Valley Rd.). This 3- to 4-mile, moderate hike has a
gradual incline over much of the trail, with switchbacks in the beginning. Hike will be cancelled if it's raining. Please RSVP so we know how many people to expect and to keep you updated if it's postponed due to weather. RSVP by calling Sanhedrin co-president Jim Xerogeanes, at 707-972-3139 or by emailing sanhedrincnps@gmail.com.”