Dial (818) 768-1802 ext. 7 every Friday March-May for the Theodore Payne Wildflower Hotline. Schedule, 2026 archive, history, and the broader CA wildflower information ecosystem.
NPS classified 2026 as Death Valley’s fourth documented super bloom (1998, 2005, 2016, 2026). Here’s what happened, why it ended early, and what to watch for next time.
A super bloom is a rare, intense wildflower display triggered by above-average winter rain. Here’s the science, the three conditions, and the 2026 NASA-confirmed Carrizo Plain bloom.
Walker Canyon at Lake Elsinore is closed for 2026, three years after CHP Sgt. Steve Licon was killed on bloom patrol. Here’s the closure, the chaos, and where to go instead.
Fire poppy (Papaver californicum) is California’s only true smoke-cued poppy. CNPS calls it common; you’ll likely never see one. Here’s why.