California Wildflowers

[Anirban Halder]

Couple weeks back I was in California. With good rainfall this year, wildflowers were in abundance especially along Pacific Coastal Highway south of San Francisco. I didn't particularly encounter super-bloom, but thoroughly enjoyed nonetheless.

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[Jakov Minić]

Anirban, all of them are gorgeous.
I can clearly see why you enjoyed the surroundings. I would spend endless hours on my knees clicking away
Beautiful colors and scenery! 

[Bjørn Rørslett]

Nice flowers.

A  naturalist would worry about most of these colourful plants actually are not native to California, as they are invasive "aliens" from South Africa. In particular the Ice Plant Carpobrotus edulis has a huge invasive potential and has firmly entrenched itself on shorelines world wide. It is even more commonly observed in the Mediterranean than in its native country of origin these days

However, as a photographer we can let those considerations rest for a while and enjoy the colourful display instead !!

[elsa hoffmann]

good series. I am flabbergasted at how much this looks like Cape Town

[Bjørn Rørslett]

Most of these plants actually are from Cape Town ...

Besides, shores and beaches tend to show similarities everywhere.

Anirban, congratulations as a member of the Millennium (posts) Club

[Anirban Halder]

Anirban, all of them are gorgeous.
I can clearly see why you enjoyed the surroundings. I would spend endless hours on my knees clicking away
Beautiful colors and scenery!

Thanks Jakov. I could totally imagine you and 135DC spending endless hours there. Although I had the 135 with me, I ended up using 20/1.8 almost the whole time. 

Most of these plants actually are from Cape Town ...

Besides, shores and beaches tend to show similarities everywhere.

Thanks Bjørn and Elsa for kind words. I indeed was thinking about cape town wildflower photos while taking the lighthouse shots especially. Thanks to Bjørn's explanation, now I understand why the similarities.

Anirban, congratulations as a member of the Millennium (posts) Club

Thanks Bjørn. Nice to be around this inspiring forum although I didn't pick my camera for a while.

[CS]

Nice flowers.

A  naturalist would worry about most of these colourful plants actually are not native to California, as they are invasive "aliens" from South Africa. In particular the Ice Plant Carpobrotus edulis has a huge invasive potential and has firmly entrenched itself on shorelines world wide. It is even more commonly observed in the Mediterranean than in its native country of origin these days

However, as a photographer we can let those considerations rest for a while and enjoy the colourful display instead !!

Not only shorelines in California, but Ice Plant has been used as ground cover alongside patches of roadways, and other places, in central areas of the state.

[Jack Dahlgren]

Most of these plants actually are from Cape Town ...

Besides, shores and beaches tend to show similarities everywhere.

Anirban, congratulations as a member of the Millennium (posts) Club

Ice plant was a favorite at many spots for erosion/blowing sand control, but there are now eradication efforts and restoration to native plants which serve the same purpose. Most of the native plants are more muted in tone and don't have the supersaturated magenta flowers that make ice plant amazing.

These locations are just a short distance to the West of me, but I don't get out to the coast that often sadly.

[CS]

The first shot is of California Buckwheat which is native.

Ice plant was a favorite at many spots for erosion/blowing sand control, but there are now eradication efforts and restoration to native plants which serve the same purpose. Most of the native plants are more muted in tone and don't have the supersaturated magenta flowers that make ice plant amazing.

These locations are just a short distance to the West of me, but I don't get out to the coast that often sadly.

So, where are you exactly?

[Jack Dahlgren]

So, where are you exactly?

Live in San Mateo. Work in Santa Clara.

[CS]

Live in San Mateo. Work in Santa Clara.

Gotcha, I was born and raised in Stockton, but, we've been in Phoenix since '78. I love the coast, but, at this point there's no chance of us moving there.

[Bjørn Rørslett]

The first shot is of California Buckwheat which is native. ...

Not a Buckwheat, but Armeria or something closely akin to that genus in the Plumbaginaceae. Buckwheat Eriogonum is in the Polygonaceae, quite a distance off in the Plant Kingdom.

[Andrea B.]

Love that last photo of the California Coast. I'm missing it !! I haven't been there for so long.

I saw Ice Plant used on some Tyrrhenian Sea dunes while I was in Italy. It is so pretty.

[CS]

The last one for me also!

[charlie]

good series. I am flabbergasted at how much this looks like Cape Town

Sometimes when you post pictures they remind me very much of California