Join Chapter Rare Plant Chair Don Thomas to see the rare Western leatherwood (Dirca occidentalis) in the Crystal Springs Watershed along the Sawyer Camp Trail. This will be an easy slow-paced walk of about four miles round-trip, starting at the trailhead on Hillcrest and Highway 280, with a stop for lunch.
Dirca is one of the first plants to bloom each year, revealing its bright yellow hanging flowers from its bare winter branches. We will also have a chance to see other early blooming plants, such as hound’s tongue (Adelinia grandis) and trillium (Trillium chloropetalum).
Dirca is a rare paleoendemic plant native only to the San Francisco Bay Area, ranked by CNPS as 1B.2. (Read more about CNPS rare plant ranks at www.cnps.org/rare- plants/california-rare-plant-ranks.)
An optional additional short walk along the Sawyer Camp Trail will be to the Jepson Laurel. This was at one time the largest bay tree in California, but it has been declining for many years. Many large branches have died and broken off the tree over time, so it has been dethroned as the largest in the state.
Wear warm clothes and bring water and lunch.
Space is limited. No drop-ins please. To complete the required RSVP, please visit our Chapter’s Meetup page. Driving directions and parking tips are provided on the Meetup page.
Thu Jul 18 @ 7:00PM - 09:00PM CNPS SCV Board Meeting |
Fri Jul 19 @ 9:00AM - 12:00PM Friday Edgewood Restoration |
Sat Jul 20 @ 8:00AM - 10:00AM Lake Cunningham Native Garden |
Sat Jul 20 @ 9:00AM - 11:00AM Community Work Day at the Native Plant Garden in Kirk Park |
Tue Jul 23 @ 7:00PM - 09:00PM Native Plant ID |
Thu Jul 25 @ 7:00PM - 08:30PM Gardening for Monarch Butterflies, a talk by Shelkie Tao |
Fri Jul 26 @ 9:00AM - 12:00PM Friday Edgewood Restoration |
Fri Jul 26 @ 7:00PM - 08:50PM Photography Group - Photo Sharing Meeting |
Sat Jul 27 @ 8:00AM - 10:00AM Lake Cunningham Native Garden |
Sat Jul 27 @ 9:00AM - 11:00AM Community Work Day at the Native Plant Garden in Kirk Park |