Overview
California's wildflower season begins in the deserts as early as February and moves up in elevation into the mountains through summer. In years with well-timed winter rain, the deserts and grasslands erupt into "superblooms" that draw visitors from around the world.
Antelope Valley, Carrizo Plain, Anza-Borrego, and the Sierra foothills are among the most celebrated destinations. The state flower, the California poppy, blankets hillsides in brilliant orange each spring and is protected from picking on public land.
Key Species to Know
California Poppy
Eschscholzia californica
California's state flower — silky, cup-shaped blooms in vivid orange (sometimes yellow) that close at night and on cloudy days. Carpets hillsides and roadsides across the state each spring.
Lupine
Lupinus spp.
Spikes of pea-like blue-purple flowers above palm-shaped leaves; several species often bloom alongside poppies for a blue-and-orange display. A classic superbloom companion.
Baby Blue Eyes
Nemophila menziesii
A low, delicate annual with sky-blue, bowl-shaped flowers with pale centers. Forms soft blue drifts in grassland and along shaded slopes in spring.
Tidy Tips
Layia platyglossa
A cheerful daisy-like annual with yellow rays neatly tipped in white, giving a "tidy" edge. Often mixes with goldfields and poppies in valley grasslands.
California Goldfields
Lasthenia californica
A tiny annual that blooms en masse to turn whole fields solid gold. Individually small, but a defining component of the state's great grassland superblooms.
Common Fiddleneck
Amsinckia menziesii
Coiled, fiddle-head sprays of small yellow-orange tubular flowers on bristly stems. Abundant in disturbed ground and grassland, uncoiling as it blooms.
Seasonal Guide
- February–April: Desert blooms at Anza-Borrego and along the low southern deserts.
- March–May: Antelope Valley poppies and Carrizo Plain grassland superblooms peak.
- May–July: Sierra foothills and higher meadows take over as lower elevations fade.
- Superblooms depend on well-timed winter rain and vary greatly year to year.
Safety Reminder
Stay on trails during wildflower season — trampling destroys blooms and next year's seed. Picking is prohibited in state and national parks, and the California poppy is protected on public land. This guide is for identification and enjoyment, not foraging.
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