Wild Flowers of the Sierra (1958) by Douglass H. Hubbard

Next: Introduction

• Cover images: hard cover and soft cover
• Introduction
• The Foothills
• Meadows and Valleys
• The High Country
• Index and Acknowledgements

About the Author

Doug Hubbard (YRL)

For biographies about Douglass Hubbard, see

• John Bingaman, Guardians of the Yosemite (1961), p. 114.
• Allan Shields, (PDF) “Whatever Happend to Doug Hubbard,” Yosemite Association (Spring 2003), pp. 8-11.

Bibliographical Information

Douglass H. Hubbard (Douglass Hopwood Hubbard) (1918-), Wild Flowers of the Sierra (Yosemite: Yosemite Natural History Association: 1958). Special issue of Yosemite Nature Notes, 37:6. 23 pages. 88 color illustrations. 24 cm. Bound in green cloth cover.

Digitized by Dan Anderson, December 2004, from a copy at San Diego State University. These files may be used for any non-commercial purpose, provided this notice is left intact.
    —Dan Anderson, www.yosemite.ca.us

Next: Introduction

Introduction

why wild flowers?

CALIFORNIA POPPY Eschscholtzia californica

California—“the Golden State” was named for the fields of golden poppies which blanket its valleys and foothills in springtime.

Flowers appeal to everyone: the delight of a child in a field of wildflowers will be reflected when the child becomes adult and gazes again upon familiar flowers—the finest examples of Nature’s skill.

But our expanding civilization has drastically changed the face of the earth. Where a colorful blanket of wildflowers once lay, factories and freeways have sterilized the soil forever.

America’s National Parks were set apart by our government to preserve for all time small portions of our country unchanged and unspoiled. In the National Parks all is protected, from the great cliffs to the most minute flower.

In this booklet are but a few of the hundreds of flowering plants of California’s Sierra Nevada range. All color reproduction material in this book has been supplied as a public service by Richfield Oil Corporation and is taken from its annual publication, Wild Flowers of the West.

yosemite nature notes, v37, n6
compiled by douglass hubbard, chief park naturalist,
yosemite national park

wild flowers
of the sierra

in cooperation with the national park service

published by the
  yosemite natural history association
    yosemite national park
california

The flowers in this booklet are divided into three groups according to where they are most commonly found—foothills, meadows and valleys, and the high country.

the foothills

The foothills of the Sierra are the first to be carpeted with wildflowers of countless varieties. As the foothills turn golden brown, flowers are in bloom in the meadows and valleys higher in the range. By summer’s end the flowers of the high country will be at their prime.

One of the largest groups of flowering plants is the sunflower family. Many California wildflowers belong to it, including the Gold Fields (Baeria sp.), a common foothill flower.

RED MAIDS Calandrinia ciliata In late afternoon these small (3/4") , bright flowers open. Common western wildflower 6" to 2 ft. high. March-April.

YELLOW-AND-WHITE MONKEY FLOWER Mimulus bicolor Monkey flowers come in many colors and sizes in the Sierra. This species is 6 to 10" high, has 1/2" flowers.

PRICKLY POPPY or CHICALOTE Argemone platyceras The Prickly Poppy, well-named for its thorny exterior, prefers dry areas. Plants to 3 ft. high with 4" flowers. April-July.

RABBIT BRUSH Chrysothamnus nauseosus A shrub common on the east side of the Sierra, 1 to 5 ft. tall. Rabbit Brush has flower heads up to 3" in diameter.

CALIFORNIA BUCKEYE Aesculus californica A foothill species 10 to 20 ft. tall with bright green leaves. The showy flowers grow in clusters up to 6" long. June.

FIVE SPOT or CALICO FLOWER Nemophila maculata The attractive Five Spot is an abundant flower in foothill meadows. Stems 5 to 10", flowers up to 1" across. April- August.

FREMONTIA or FLANNEL BUSH Fremontia californica The furry underside of the leaves of the Flannel Bush gave it its name. Flowers 2" on shrubs usually 6 to 10 ft. tall.

CHAPARRAL YUCCA Yucca whipplei “The Candle of Our Lord” is the Spanish name for the Yucca.This member of the Lily family grows 8 to 14 ft. high. May-June.

BLUE-EYED GRASS Sisyrinchium bellum Small (1/2") flowers on stems 10 to 20" high, Blue-eyed Grass is found in many parts of the West. March-May.

More than one hundred kinds of Lupine brighten California’s fields.

CHAPARRAL PEA Pickeringia montana This spiny, evergreen shrub lends bright color to the foothills. Flowers 3/4" on plants 3 to 8 ft. high. May-June.

GOLDEN YARROW Eriophyllum confertiflorum The flowers of the Golden Yarrow grow in clusters which average 11/2" in diameter. Dry area shrub 9 to 24" high. June-July.

WESTERN REDBUD Cercis occidentalis The Redbud is an attractive foothill shrub 8 - 15 ft., with clusters of 1/2" flowers. It is also called Judas Tree. (See cover) March-April.

OWL’S CLOVER Orthocarpus purpurascens A bright wildflower common in open fields and hillsides, Owl’s Clover grows 4 to 15" high. April-May.

INDIAN PAINT BRUSH Castilleia sp. The Indian Paintbrush is a common wildflower in many parts of the West. Sometimes called Castilleia, its Latin name, it grows 1 to 2 1/2 ft. high.

AMADOR DUDLEYA Dudleya cymosa An attractive perennial herb with flowering stems, this succulent grows to 12". Usually found in rocky places. June-July.

MOUNTAIN LILY Leucocrinum montanum The beautiful and fragrant flowers of the Mountain Lily grow in a central cluster close to the ground.

SYRINGA or MOCK ORANGE Philadelphus lewisii The fragrant Syringa, 4 to 11 ft. tall, will be found in many parts of California. Shoots were used by Indians for making arrow shafts.

Many species of flowers including Purple Owl’s Clover and Popcorn Flowers combine to make a colorful blanket.

CREAM CUPS Platystemon californicus These flowers grow on stems 3 to 12" high with leaves on lower portion only. In clay or sandy soils.

BUSH LUPINE Lupinus sp. One of the largest lupines, the Bush Lupine, may grow to 6 ft. high. Common along foothills of central and southern Sierra.

WYETHIA Wyethia helenioides A common perennial along the lower slopes of the Sierra, the Wyethia has flowers up to 4" in diameter on stems 1 to 2 ft. high.

meadows and valleys

Half Dome overlooks Yosemite Valley and a field of Sneezeweed.

WESTERN AZALEA Rhododendron occidentalis The fragrant Western Azalea grows along stream sides and in moist meadows in many Sierran regions. Shrubs 3 to 10 ft. tall, flowers to 2". May-July.

BUTTERCUP Ranunculus sp. Many kinds of buttercups are found in the West. Their Latin name means “little frog”, since some species grown in marshy places.

EVENING PRIMROSE Oenothera hookeri A showy Sierran flower which bursts rapidly into full bloom early in the evening. Stems 3 to 6 ft., flowers 2 to 4" across. June-September.

BEAR GRASS Xerophyllum tenax This 2 to 6 ft. high plant was important to the Indians. The roots, roasted, were eaten and leaf fibres used in making clothing. May-July.

PACIFIC DOGWOOD Cornus nuttallii Modified leaves of white, usually 6, surround a small crowded head of flowers on this spectacular Sierran plant, which grows 10 to 30 ft. high.

RED RIBBONS Clarkia sp. A colorful annual, Clarkia is found in many parts of California. It was named for Captain Clark of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.

TIGER LILY or LEOPARD LILY Lilium pardalinum Wet meadows are the usual home of the beautiful Tiger Lily, which may grow to heights of 7 ft. June-August.

PITCHER PLANT or COBRA PLANT Darlingtonia californica This unique plant can trap and digest small insects. Grows to 18" with 2" flowers. In moist areas. May-July.

TIDY-TIPS Layia platyglossa A bright member of the sunflower family, abundant in many parts of California. Stems 4 to 16" high, flowers to 2". April- May.

BITTER ROOT Lewisia rediviva These beautiful flowers may be red or white. This 3/4" to 2" high plant was named for Captain Lewis of Lewis and Clark. April.

MONKEY FLOWER Mimulus sp. Monkey Flowers are among the most attractive of California wildflowers. Their Latin name, Mimulus, means a comic actor, because the flowers appear to be grinning.

MAHALA MAT or SQUAW MAT Ceanothus prostratus The branches of this plant often root and form a dense mat 2 to 10 ft. wide. In pine woods of the Sierra.

Tahoe, one of the world’s largest high lakes, is shared by California and Nevada. The red Indian Paint Brush (Castilleia) is a common western wildflower.

Ponderosa or yellow pines form a backdrop for the fragrant Western Azaleas (Rhododendron occidentalis). These shrubs, common also along streamsides in the Sierra, bloom during early summer.

PINK MONKEY FLOWER Mimulus lewisii The beautiful Pink Monkey Flowers grow on stems 1 to 2 ft. high in moist places of the Sierra and Cascades.

INDIAN RHUBARB, UMBRELLA PLANT Peltiphyllum peltatum Sturdy plant 1 to 4 ft. tall, frequently growing along streamsides. The fleshy leaf stalks, peeled, were considered a delicacy by Indians. June-July.

WESTERN WALLFLOWER Erysimum asperum Common on rocky hillsides and in mountains in much of California, the Western Wallflower grows 1 to 2 1/2 ft. high. March-April.

LADY’S SLIPPER Cypripedium californicum Beautiful showy orchids on stems 1 to 2 ft. tall, flowers 1 to 6. Grows in many places, Central California to Oregon.

MOUNTAIN VIOLET Viola purpurea Grows from 2 to 6" high on short stems from a sturdy root. Common from Southern California to Modoc County. March-July.

WESTERN BLUE FLAG Iris missouriensis Many moist meadows in the Sierra and the northwest are brightened by these flowers. Height 10 to 24", flowers to 3" long. July.

A forest of giant trees looks down on a meadow of blue Camass and yellow Wyethia.

THIMBLEBERRY Rubus parviflorus Common along streams and open forests, the Thimbleberry grows 3 to 6 ft. high. Flowers to 2" across. Leaves often velvety beneath.

INDIAN PINK Silene californica In open woods of canons. Plants up to 12" high, flowers to 11/4" broad. An abundant genus in the west. May-June.

Vernal Fall in Yosemite National Park was named for the lush vegetation at its base. Western Azaleas blossom in the foreground.

MOUNTAIN PRIDE Penstemon newberryi On rocky ledges, 4,000 to 10,000 ft., both in Sierra and Coast Ranges. Stems 8 to 20" high, flowers to 1 1/8" long. June-July.

BABY BLUE EYES Nemophilia menziesii Found frequently in moist places on valley floors and hillsides. Stems 3 to 18" long, flowers to 1 1/2" wide. April-July.

SNOW PLANT Sarcodes sanguinea One of the most spectacular Sierran plants, the snowplant grows 6 to 15" high. Numerous fleshy flowers on a single stem. June-July.

VIRGIN’S BOWER or PIPE STEM Clematis Iasiantha The profuse flowers of this plant often brighten an entire hillside. Flowers to 2 1/4" in diameter. In both Sierra and Coast Ranges. April-May.

YELLOW BELLS Fritillaria pudica The stems of Yellow Bells are 3 to 9" high, may bear 1 to 3 flowers 3/4" in diameter. April-May.

CALIFORNIA DUTCHMAN’S PIPE Aristolochia californica A deciduous climber, Dutchman’s Pipe may twine 5 to 12 ft. high on other plants. Flowers to 1 1/2" long. March-April.

MOUNTAIN MISERY Chamaebatia foliolosa A common ground cover in the Yellow Pine belt, rarely taller than 2 ft. with 1" flowers. Extremely pungent, also called Bear Clover. May-July.

BLEEDING HEART Dicentra Formosa In shady forests of Sierra and Coast Range; 8 to 18" high, leaves at base of stems. Flowers to 3/4". April-June.

SPICE BUSH Calycanthus occidentalis Often growing in moist places in the Coast Range and Sierra, also called Sweet Shrub from fragrant wood. Height 5 to 9 ft., flowers 3"

Rugged Sierran scenery is framed by Mountain Mahogany.

BLAZING STAR Mentzelia laevicaulis Well-named, Blazing Stars grow on shiny white stems, 2 - 3 1/2 ft. high in dry stream beds. Flowers 3 to 4" broad, in clusters.

WESTERN ASTER Aster sp. Asters are profuse and colorful in many parts of the west. Their star-like flowers make them easy to recognize.

FALSE SOLOMON’S SEAL Smilacina amplexicaulis These shade-loving plants are members of the lily family. Stems leafy, 1 to 3 ft. high. Undersides of leaves usually rough with short hairs.

LANGUID LADY or MERTENSIA Mertensia ciliata Tube-like flowers are about 1/4" long on stems 2 to 5 ft. high. In mountains 5,000 to 8,500 ft. June-August.

WESTERN CHOKECHERRY Prunus demissa Usually grows as a deciduous shrub 2 to 10 ft. high. Flowers 1/2" across in clusters 2 to 4" long. In Coast Range and Sierra.

Quaking Aspens (Populus tremuloides) prefer moist areas as do many wildflowers such as Shooting Stars.

the high country

Some of the most beautiful scenery in the Sierra is at the crest of the range. Here near timberline are species which know only a few short weeks of sunshine. In late summer when the flowers of the foothills and meadows have bloomed and faded, the hanging gardens of the high country bring a touch of color and a saying that there is springtime all summer in the Sierra.

On the east side of the Sierra, Sulphur Flowers and Indian Paint Brush brighten a promontory. Minarets in distance.

WHITE HEATHER Cassiope mertensiana The bell-shaped white flowers of this beautiful alpine plant grow on stems up to 12" high. Rocky ridges and under ledges near timberline.

ELEPHANT’S HEAD Pedicuiaris groenlandica The “trunks” of the Elephant’s Head grow to 1/2" on stems 6 to 14" high. In wet meadows of the high Sierra, northward to B. C.

MOUNTAIN LAUREL Kalmia polifolia This diminutive shrub is 1 to 2 ft. high with flowers to 3/4" wide. Found on edges of wet meadows or swamps, 7,000 to 12,000 ft.

Close to timberline Western Wall Flowers and Whitebark Pines overlook Gaylor Lakes near Tioga Pass in Yosemite National Park.

MOUNTAIN BUTTERCUP Ranunculus eschscholtzii A bright perennial with erect stems 4 to 6" high. Flowers to 3/4" across. Grows in gravelly streamlets on cool slopes. July- August.

DOUGLAS PHLOX Phlox diffusa Grows in low mat 3 to 10" across. Flowers may be white, lavender or lilac, terminal on short (3 to 4") branchlets. On gravelly slopes and summits.

PURPLE ASTER, MOUNTAIN DAISY Erigeron salsuginosus Usually a single flower up to 1 3/4" across on a stem to 1% ft. high. Over much of the West, 6,200 to 10,000 ft. July-August.

ALPINE COLUMBINE Aquilegia pubescens The showy Columbine is one of the most beautiful of western flowers. Stems 9 to 18" high, flowers nodding, with slender spurs to 1" long.

ALPINE DANDELION Hulsea algida The high country from 11,000 to 14,000 ft. is the home of the Alpine Dandelion. Stems 2" to 7" high. Leaves and stems sticky, with soft hairs.

SHRUBBY CINQUEFOIL Potentilla fruticosa Many branches 1 to 4 ft. high bear flowers up to 1" across. Grows at or near timberline 8,000 to 12,000 ft., Sierra north to sub-arctic.

FIREWEED Epilobium angustifolium Named because it often comes up in moist burned-over places, Fireweed has erect stems 2 to 6 ft. high with flowers to 1" across.

BLUE GENTIAN Gentiana sp. Several species occur in moist or boggy places throughout the west.

STEER’S HEAD Dicentra uniflora Leafless stems 1 to 3" high with 1 or 2 flowers up to 5/8" long with tips of outer petals recurved 1/4". Rocky slopes 6,000 to 12,000 ft.

STICK-SEED, SIERRA FORGET-ME-NOT Hackelia velutina Erect, velvety stems 1 to 2 ft. high with flowers blue or pink about 1/2" across. Name “Stick-Seed” from prickly fruits. June-July.

index

Aesculus californica 5
Amador Dudleya 8
Aquilegia pubescens 21
Argemone platyceras 5
Aristolochia californica 17
Aspen, Quaking 19
Aster, Purple 21
Aster, Western 18
Azalea, Western 10, 16
Baby Blue Eyes 16
Baeria 4
Bear Clover 17
Bear Grass 11
Bitter Root 12
Blazing Star 18
Bleeding Heart 17
Blue-eyed Grass 6
Buckeye 5
Buttercup 10
Buttercup, Mountain 21
Calandrinia ciliata 4
Calico Flower 5
Calycanthus occidentalis 17
Camass 15
Cassiope mertensiana 20
Castilleia 8, 12, 20
Ceanothus prostratus 12
Cercis occidentalis 7
Chamaebatia foliosa 17
Chaparral Pea 7
Chaparral Yucca 6
Chicalote 5
Chokecherry, Western 19
Chrysothamnus nauseosus 5
Cinquefoil, Shrubby 22
Clarkia 11
Clematis lasiantha 17
Cobra Plant 11
Columbine, Alpine 21
Cornus nuttallii 11
Cream Cups 9
Cypripedium californicum 14
Daisy, Mountain 21
Dandelion, Alpine 22
Darlingtonia californica 11
Dicentra formosa 17
Dicentra uniflora 22
Dogwood, Pacific 11
Douglas Phlox 21
Dudleya cymosa 8
Dutchman’s Pipe 17
Elephant’s Head 20
Epilobium angustifolium 22
Erigeron salsuginosus 21
Eriophyllum confertiflorum 7
Erysimum asperum 14
Eschscholtzia californica 2
Evening Primrose 10
False Solomon’s Seal 19
Five Spot 5
Fireweed 22
Flag, Western Blue 14
Flannel Bush 5
Forget-me-not, Sierra 22
Fremontia californica 5
Fritillaria pudica 17
Gaylor Lakes 21
Golden Yarrow 7
Gold Fields 4
Grass, Bear 11
Grass, Blue-eyed 6
Hackelia velutina 22
Heather, White 20
Hulsea algida 22
Indian Paintbrush 8, 12, 20
Indian Pink 15
Indian Rhubarb 13
Iris missouriensis 14
Kalmia polifolia 20
Lady’s Slipper 14
Languid Lady 19
Layia platyglossa 11
Leopard Lily 11
Leucocrinum montanum 8
Lewisia rediviva 12
Lilium pardalinum 11
Lupine 6, 9
Mahala Mat 12
Mahogany, Mountain 18
Mentzelia laevicaulis 18
Mertensia ciliata 19
Mimulus 12
Mimulus bicolor 4
Mimulus lewisii 13
Minarets 20
Mock Orange 8
Monkey Flower 12
Monkey Flower, Pink 13
Monkey Flower, Yellow and White 4
Mountain Buttercup 21
Mountain Daisy 21
Mountain Laurel 20
Mountain Lily 8
Mountain Misery 17
Mountain Pride 16
Nemophila maculata 5
Nemophila menziesii 16
Oenothera hookeri 10
Orthocarpus purpurascens 7
Owl’s Clover 7, 9
Paintbrush, Indian 8, 12, 20
Pedicularis groenlandica 20
Peltiphyllum peltatum 13
Penstemon newberryi 16
Philadelphus lewisii 8
Phlox diffusa 21
Pickeringia montana 7
Pink, Indian 15
Pipe Stem 17
Pitcher Plant 11
Platystemon californicus 9
Popcorn Flowers 9
Poppy, California 2
Potentilla fruticosa 22
Primrose, Evening 10
Prunus demissa 19
Purple Aster 21
Rabbit Brush 5
Ranunculus 10
Ranunculus eschscholtzii 21
Redbud 7
Red Maids 4
Red Ribbons 11
Rhododendron occidentalis 10, 16
Rhubarb, Indian 13
Rubus parviflorus 15
Sarcodes sanguinia 16
Shrubby Cinquefoil 22
Sierra Forget-me-not 22
Silene californica 15
Sisyrinchium bellam 6
Smilacina amplexicaulis 19
Sneezeweed 10
Snow Plant 16
Solomon’s Seal, False 19
Spice Bush 17
Steer’s Head 22
Stick-Seed 22
Sulphur Flower 20
Syringa 8
Tahoe, Lake 12
Thimbleberry 15
Tidy-Tips 11
Tiger Lily 11
Vernal Fall 16
Viola purpurea 14
Violet, Mountain 14
Virgin’s Bower 17
Wallflower, Western 14, 21
White Heather 20
Wyethia 15
Wyethia helenioides 9
Xerophyllum tenax 11
Yarrow, Golden 7
Yellow Bells 17
Yellow Pine 13
Yosemite Valley 10
Yucca whipplei 6

Without the help of many individuals and organizations this publication would not have been possible. The following photographers gave permission for us to use their excellent illustrations from the Richfield Oil Corporation’s annual Wild Flowers of the West:

Trilochan S. Bakshi, Pullman, Wash. • Violet Beitzel, Howard & Frances Daniels, McMinnville, Ore. • R. J. Fisher, Lancaster, Calif. • Robert C. Frampton, Claremont, Calif. • Everett S. Frost, El Monte, Calif. • Jack Hausotter, Roseburg, Ore. • Mary Hood, Los Angeles, Calif. • Mr. & Mrs. Ellis Kimble, Boise, Ida. • E. N. Kozloff, Portland, Ore. • Martin Litton, Menlo Park, Calif. • W. L. Martin, Bend, Ore. • D. C. Morgenson, Yosemite Natl. Park, Calif. • Peter Neely, Los Angeles, Calif. • Ricky Quedans, Los Angeles, Calif. • G. Thomas Robbins, Oakland, Calif. • Allen L. Ryan, San Fernando, Calif. • Brooking Tatum, Palo Alto, Calif. • Darwin Tiemann, China Lake, Calif. • Harry Vroman, Prescott, Ariz. • V. E. Ward, Angels Camp, Calif. • Charles S. Webber, San Leandro, Calif. Louis C. Wheeler, Altadena, Calif. • Violet Wooden, Fortuna, Calif.

Flower names and illustrations were checked for accuracy by Dr. Carl Sharsmith, Dr. Helen Sharsmith, Dr. Herbert Mason and Mrs. Enid M. Benson. Jepson’s A Manual of the Flowering Plants of California (University of California Press, 1925) was consulted for additional scientific data.

Gratitude is expressed to Hixson And Jorgensen, Inc. and to Stecher-Traung Lithograph Corporation for their interest and willing assistance.

To Mary Curry Tresidder, whose interest and love of Sierran wild flowers has extended over a lifetime, this booklet is dedicated.

http://www.yosemite.ca.us/library/wild_flowers_of_the_sierra/