California Everlasting

February Flowers: Week #3
California Everlasting is a beautiful green bush that blooms bunches of little white flowers.  There are about nine species of this genus growing in the area and it belongs to the sunflower family.  

California Everylasting enjoys sunshine and a variety of different soil types. Butterflies, especially the American Lady, love this plant.  It blooms from January through June and then goes dormant for the summer and winter until it reappears the next spring.  

One of the most distict characteristics of California Everlasting is the scent.  This plant is covered in little hairs that make it very aromatic.  I find that when I first touch the leaves, it smells like citrus.  Then, after the oils warm up in the sun or on my skin, the scent turns to smelling more of maple surup.  That is one of the reasons my kiddos have nicknamed this plant the "Pancake Plant".  On sunny days the smell can fill the air along the trails and you know the California Everlasting is nearby.  Because this smell is caused by oils from the plant, if it brushes on your clothing or skin, the smell can last for a while until it is washed off. 

Cudweed, Ladies Tobacco, Rabbit Tabacco, and Pearly Everlasting are all common names this plant is known for.   Although there are many theories as to why it has so many common names, the 'everlasting" part has something to do with the long lasting nature of its flowers.  Even after the rest of the plant has dried up, the flowers still look intact and have a sweet smell.  Because of this, they are sometimes used in flower arrangements.

Do to the lack of rain this winter, the amount of spring flowers will be less than years previous.  One trail that I do count on to have beautiful flowers is the Oakbrook Vista Trail. Because this trail is on a hill and is usually shaded in the afternoon, the flowers get the cooler morning sun allowing a variety of flowers to grow on this hillside.  
This trail is very long and hilly, but on days I am looking for just a short trek, I will hike to a bench around the side of the hill and enjoy the view of Thousand Oaks.  I will either turn around and head back or if I am feel a little more adventurous, I will continue trekking. 

For the complete printable map of the Lang Ranch Trail Sysytem: https://cosf.org/files/maps/lang_ranch_trail_map.pdf

To enter the contest and read the full details on the rules, visit:  
https://cosf.org/news/where-in-the-conejo-contest-for-february-12/
All submissions must be entered by February 18th for a chance to win the $25.
Good Luck! 

As you notice flowers blooming along the trails, a great identification resource is the Native Plant Wild Flower Reference Sheet.  This free printable guide is arranged by color so it is very easy to find the flower you are looking for.  This is a resource that should be kept in an adventure backpack for sure. 

Each spring, our family uses this guide as a BINGO sheet.  With a dry-erase marker or stickers, you can mark off which flowers you see this spring.  How many do you think you will spot this year?  

Click on the picture above to download this flower guide or visit: 
http://www.conejo-openspace.org/assets/wildflower_id_guide_20170321.pdf