Wildflowers of Whiskeytown

A diverse array of wildflowers can be seen blooming in Whiskeytown from April to June in the lower elevations around the lake. Higher elevation wildflowers in Coggins Park and on Shasta Bally reach their peak from June to August after the snow melts. Wildflowers frequently seen along the trails and roads of Whiskeytown include lupines, brodiaeas, iris, poppies, phlox, sunflowers, buttercups, and monkey flowers. Whiskeytown has many native wildflower species for you to discover. Please help us protect wildflowers by taking only pictures and leaving only memories.

Some of the park's wildflower species are shown and described below...

Heteromeles Arbutifolia - Toyon
Toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia). NPS Photo/Lisa Johnston

Toyon
Heteromeles arbutifolia
Best viewed: June-August
Flower size: 6-10 mm flowers in dense clusters
Family: Rosaceae
Habitat: Slopes and canyons in chaparral communities
Type: Shrub
Notes: This shrub is very common throughout the burned areas of the park.

Aesculus californica - California Buckeye
California Buckeye (Aesculus californica). NPS Photo/Lisa Johnston

California Buckeye
Aesculus californica
Best viewed: May-July
Flower size: Clusters of small flowers arranged in panicles 6-8 inches long
Family: Sapindaceae
Habitat: Foothill slopes and canyons
Type: Long-lived shrub or tree
Notes: Buckeye nectar and pollen are toxic to honeybees, but the nectar is often favored by butterflies.

California Fuchsia Epilobium canum
California Fuchsia (Epilobium Canum). NPS Photo/Lisa Johnston

California Fuchsia
Epilobium canum
Best viewed: July-October
Flower size: 2-3 cm
Family: Onagraceae
Habitat: Chaparral and mixed lowland forest
Type: Perennial herb
Notes: California fuchsia can be seen growing in the planters near the Visitor Center.

Eriodictyon californicum - Yerba Santa
Yerba Santa. NPS Photo/Lisa Johnston.
Yerba Santa
Eriodictyon californicum
Best viewed: May-June
Flower size: 1-1.5 cm
Family: Boraginaceae
Habitat: Mixed forest and chaparral
Type: Shrub
Notes: Yerba Santa is very common throughout Whiskeytown. It has a pungent, bitter flavor that many animals avoid, though it has many traditional uses as a medicine.
Dichelostemma ida-maia - Firecracker Flower
Firecracker Flower (Dichelostemma ida-maia). NPS Photo/Lisa Johnston
Firecracker Flower
Dicholostemma ida-maia
Best viewed: April-June
Flower size: 2-3 cm flowers arranged in an umbel
Family: Themidaceae
Habitat: Found in mixed forests
Type: Perennial herb
Notes: Firecracker flowers are common along Davis Gulch trail and South Shore Drive.
Dichelostemma capitatum - Bluedicks
Bluedicks (Dichelostemma capitatum). NPS Photo/Lisa Johnston
Bluedicks
Dichelostemma capitatum
Best viewed: February-April
Flower size: 1-2 cm flowers arranged in an umbel
Family: Themidaceae
Habitat: Disturbed areas and trailsides
Type: Perennial herb
Notes: Common along many trails in burned areas of the park.
Eriophyllum lanatum - Common Woolly Sunflower
Common Wooly Sunflower (Eriophyllum lanatum). NPS Photo/Lisa Johnston
Common Wooly Sunflower
Eriophyllum lanatum
Best viewed: May-August
Flower size: 2-3 cm
Family: Asteraceae
Habitat: Open sunny slopes and disturbed areas
Type: Perennial herb
Notes: Very common along roadsides, trails and areas opened by fire.
Cat’s Ears Chalochortus tolmiei
Cat’s Ears (Chalochortus tolmiei). NPS Photo/Lisa Johnston
Cat’s Ears
Chalochortus tolmiei
Best viewed: April-June
Flower size: 3-5 cm
Family: Liliaceae
Habitat: Mixed forest and chapparal
Type: Perennial herb
Notes: Cat’s ears are low growing lilies found in shady forest areas.
Pedicularis densiflora - Warrior's Plume
Warrior’s Plume (Pedicularis densiflora). NPS Photo/Lisa Johnston
Warrior’s Plume
Pedicularis densiflora
Best viewed: January-April
Flower size: Tight clusters of 1-2 cm flowers
Family: Orobanchaceae
Habitat: Chaparral and foothill woodland
Type: Perennial herb
Notes: Warrior’s Plume often parasitizes the roots of woody trees or shrubs to obtain additional nutrients.
Monardella sheltonii - Coyote Mint
Coyote Mint (Monardella sheltonii). NPS Photo/Lisa Johnston
Coyote Mint
Monardella sheltonii
Best viewed: June-August
Flower size: 1-2 cm
Family: Lamiaceae
Habitat: Chaparral and mixed forest in serpentine soil
Type: Perennial herb
Notes: Coyote mint is common along Crystal Creek Road and South Shore Drive in the summer months.
Scutellaria siphocampyloides - Greyleaf Skullcap
Greyleaf Skullcap (Scutellaria siphocampyloides). NPS Photo/Lisa Johnston
Greyleaf Skullcap
Scutellaria siphocampyloides
Best viewed: May-September
Flower size: 3-4 cm
Family: Lamiaceae
Habitat: Chaparral and mixed forest communities
Type: Perennial herb
Notes: Greyleaf Skullcap can be seen at stream crossings and in low areas along the Shasta Mine loop trail.
Silene laciniata - California Indian Pink
California Indian Pink (Silene laciniata ssp. Californica). NPS Photo/Lisa Johnston
California Indian Pink
Silene laciniata ssp. Californica
Best viewed: April-July
Flower size: 2-3 cm
Family: Caryophyllaceae
Habitat: Chaparral and mixed evergreen forest
Type: Perennial herb
Notes: These flowers are common throughout the park, especially along South Shore Drive and Shasta Mine loop trail.

Stryrax redivivus- California Snowdrop
California Snowdrop Bush (Styrax redivivus). NPS Photo/Lisa Johnston
California Snowdrop Bush
Styrax redivivus
Best viewed: April-May
Flower size: 1.5-2 cm
Family: Styracaceae
Habitat: Chaparral and foothill woodlands
Type: Shrub
Notes: Snowdrop bush is common along the Guardian Rock trail and along parts of the Clear Creek Canal Trail.

Vitis californica - California Grape
California Wild Grape (Vitis californica). NPS Photo/Lisa Johnston
California Wild Grape
Vitis californica
Best viewed: May-June
Flower size: Clusters of tiny green flowers, mainly composed of filamentous stamens.
Family: Vitaceae
Habitat: Canyons in mixed woodlands
Type: Vine or shrub
Notes: The grapes are edible and, although they don’t make an ideal wine grape, they are hardy. Wine grape varies are often grafted onto California grape root stock for disease resistance. They are commonly seen as a vine growing up through trees and shrubs.
Adenostoma fasciculatum - Chamise
Chamise (Adenostoma fasciculatum). NPS Photo/Lisa Johnston
Chamise
Adenostoma fasciculatum
Best viewed: June-August
Flower size: Clusters of small flowers
Family: Rosaceae
Habitat: Chaparral
Type: Shrub
Notes: Chamise is an indicator species of certain chaparral ecosystems. Chamise contains flammable oils that burn readily in wildfire. Burls at the base of the shrub often re-sprout after fire.

Gray Mule’s Ears (Wythia helenioides)
Gray Mule’s Ears (Wythia helenioides)

NPS Photo/Lisa Johnston

Gray Mule’s Ears
Wythia helenioides
Best viewed: March-May
Flower size: Large flower heads average around 10-12 cm across
Family: Asteraceae
Habitat: Sunny slopes, oak woodland, roadsides, along trails and in burned areas
Type: Perennial herb
Golden Triteleia (Triteleia Ixioides)
Golden Triteleia (Triteleia Ixioides)

NPS Photo/Lisa Johnston

Golden Triteleia
Triteleia ixioides
Best viewed: May-JuneFlower size: 1-1.5 cm
Family: Themidaceae
Habitat: Foothills and pine forests
Type: Perennial herb
Notes: A variety of species in this family can be found along the Davis Gulch trail, adding yellow, blue, red and white to the floral palette.
Azure Penstemon (Penstemon azureus)
Azure Penstemon (Penstemon azureus)

NPS Photo/Lisa Johnston

Azure Penstemon
Penstemon azureus
Best viewed: May-August
Flower size: 2 cm
Family: Plantanginaceae
Habitat: Coniferous forests and woodlands, roadsides
Type: Perennial herb
Hosackia pinnata - Pinnate Lotus
Pinnate Lotus (Hosackia pinnata)

NPS Photo/Lisa Johnston

Pinnate Lotus
Hosackia pinnata
Best viewed: June-August
Flower size: 1 cm, arranged in a whorl
Family: Fabaceae
Habitat: Near seeps, springs and wetlands, foothill forests
Type: Perennial herb
Yellow Monkey Flower (Erythranthe guttata)
Yellow Monkey Flower (Erythranthe guttata)

NPS Photo/Lisa Johnston

Yellow Monkey Flower
Erythranthe guttata
Best viewed: April-June
Flower size: 2 cm
Family: PhrymaceaeHabitat: Seeps, springs and wetlands
Type: Annual or perennial herb
Pacific Bleeding Heart (Dicentra formosa)
Pacific Bleeding Heart (Dicentra formosa)

NPS Photo/Lisa Johnston

Pacific Bleeding Heart
Dicentra formosa
Best viewed: June-July
Flower size: 1.5-2 cm
Family: Papaveraceae
Habitat: Shady canyons, riparian areas
Type: Perennial herb
Large-Flowered Collomia (Collomia grandiflora)
Large-Flowered Collomia (Collomia grandiflora)

NPS Photo/Lisa Johnston

Large-Flowered Collomia
Collomia grandiflora
Best viewed: June-July
Flower size: 1 cmFamily: Polemoniaceae
Habitat: Foothill woodlands
Notes: May be seen along the Camden Water Ditch in the Tower House Historic District
Snowy Thistle (Cirsium occidentale)
Snowy Thistle (Cirsium occidentale)

NPS Photo/Lisa Johnston

Snowy Thistle
Cirsium occidentale
Best viewed: May-July
Flower size: 4-5 cm
Family: Asteraceae
Habitat: Foothill woodland, chaparral, grassland
Lemmon’s Ceanothus (Ceanothus lemmonii)
Lemmon’s Ceanothus (Ceanothus lemmonii)

NPS Photo/Lisa Johnston

Lemmon’s Ceanothus
Ceanothus lemmonii
Best viewed: April-May
Flower size: Clusters of tiny flowers
Family: Rhamnaceae
Habitat: Foothill woodland
Purple Milkweed (Asclepias cordifolia)
Purple Milkweed (Asclepias cordifolia)

NPS Photo/Lisa Johnston

Purple Milkweed
Asclepias cordifolia
Best viewed: March-July
Flower size: 1 cm
Family: Apocyanaceae
Habitat: Foothill woodland, chaparral
Henderson’s Shooting Star (Primula hendersonii)
Henderson’s Shooting Star (Primula hendersonii)

NPS Photo/Lisa Johnston

Henderson’s Shooting Star
Primula hendersonii
Best viewed: February-April
Flower size: 1.5-2 cm
Family: Primulaceae
Habitat: Foothill woodland, chaparral, grassland

Last updated: November 5, 2020

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Mailing Address:

P.O. Box 188
Whiskeytown, CA 96095

Phone:

530 242-3400

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