This subspecies of Alpine Gold (Hulsea vestita subsp. gabrielensis) is restricted to the gravelly bases of talus slopes in the high mountains. It blooms in June and July.

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COLORS OF THE SAN GABRIELS When to See Wildflowers in Southern California The southern California wildflower season is similar to the New England fall foliage season in that it is seasonal and localized, but it differs in three outstanding ways: the geographic extent of the bloom is much larger the time spread is much longer the variety of what you can see is much greater The Geographic Extent from Needles on the California - Arizona border in the eastern Mojave Desert to the Channel Islands west of Santa Barbara from the beaches of San Diego next to the Mexican border in the south to the Sierran foothills of Kern County in the north from Big Bear Valley at seven thousand feet in the high San Bernardino Mountains to the coastal lowlands of Malibu Lagoon to below sea level in Death Valley The Time Spread The wildflower season usually begins in FEBRUARY at the lowest elevations at the lowest latitudes, that is the COLORADO DESERT Next, the low elevation COASTAL areas begin reporting flowers in early MARCH, followed by the FOOTHILLS in MID MARCH, then the MOJAVE DESERT [high desert] in early APRIL, and finally, in MAY, the HIGH MOUNTAINS report their blooms. The Variety ephemerals [annuals] in the desert, carpets of color, like sand verbena and California poppy shrubs with masses of bloom, like California lilac and manzanita perennials like purple nightshade and virgin's bower fire followers like the big flowered phacelia cacti like beavertail with bright magenta blooms Effects of the weather 2001 (as of March 15) late-season March rains and cool temperatures have delayed or prolonged bloom in shrubs hoaryleaf ceanothus which usually begins in late January is only just budding out currants and gooseberries, both winter-bloomers, on the other hand, are still blooming, specifically, golden currant desert annuals are blooming more profusely this year than last winter-blooming flowers in the mustard family are still being reported in large numbers; it is a fantastic year for milkmaids and tansy mustard, the native Californian mustard most foothill areas (around 2000 feet) are delayed 2002 sparse bloom everywhere in southern California; low rainfall this season 2003 (as of the beginning of March) winter blooming annuals, especially the Brassicaceae, flowered on very short stems, even though November and December rains brought green to the hillsides, it did not rain in January the low deserts are not reporting great carpets of flowers the southern Sierras, both sides, seems to have benefited from the storm tracks so far this season sporadic February rains have made the mustards and grasses very lush covering up the early native wildflowers lupines and lotuses seem to have benefited from the timing of the rains Outlook for 2007 about normal in the mountains the shrubs like ceanothus and manzanita are already in bloom in March the exotics like grasses and mustards are sparser and shorter the native wildflowers like lupine and clarkia have sprouted in March Wildflower and Fall Foliage Report Where to Find Wildflowers in the San Gabriel Mountains Back to Index Page The mission of the San Gabriel Mountains Heritage Association is to provide support for environmental education, interpretive and heritage programs on the Angeles National Forest. For how you can help, please call the USFS Mt Baldy Visitor Center at 909 982 2829 or email us at In partnership with USDA Forest Service