21 Beautiful Native Wildflowers of Mount Diablo and Where to Find Them

Wildflowers at Mount Diablo — Patch of native wildflowers on Mount Diablo. Photo by Nate Campi.

Planning any trips outdoors? The hills are about to bloom in a spectacular fashion. In January and February, we were inundated by rainstorm after rainstorm, and you know what that means. Our open spaces will be getting lots of flowers.

Right now, there are plenty of early bloomers visible on Mount Diablo (despite the snow!) and throughout the state of California.

Fields of mustard are starting to cover the hillsides, while California poppies bloom alongside the trails. But those aren’t the only blooms you can see; all sorts of flowers are blooming right now.

Good Spots to See Wildflowers on Mount Diablo

California poppies in Pine Canyon. Photo by Stephen Joseph

To find lots of wildflowers, try going to areas on Mount Diablo like the Falls Trail, Curry Point, Mitchell Canyon, and Twin Peaks. These areas are all known for having a gorgeous blooming population of flowers every spring.

You might also try Pine Canyon. Later in the year (think June, July, and sometimes even later), flowers are usually still blooming on the Mary Bowerman Trail.

(And farther afield, wildflowers will probably be prolific in the footprint of the SCU wildfires. It’s the third spring after the fires. Check out the eastern part of Morgan Territory Regional Preserve above Round Valley or Mount Hamilton, Mines Road, and Del Puerto Canyon.)

Native Wildflowers You Might Find on Your Journey

There are a lot of native wildflowers you’ll be able to find on Mount Diablo this spring. How many of these flowers can you find on your next hike?

1. 1. Warrior’s plume (Pedicularis densiflora)—it’s a very good year for these flowers this year, and tons are out!
    Photo by Scott Hein
  2. Baby blue eyes (Nemophila menziesii)
    Photo by Al Johnson
  3. Bush monkey flower (Diplacus aurantiacus)
    Photo by Mary Nagle
  4. Blue dicks (Dichelostemma capitatum)
    Photo by Al Johnson
  5. Wind poppy (Papaver heterophylla)
    Photo by Al Johnson
  6. Butterfly mariposa lily (Calochortus venustus)
    Photo by Sean Burke
  7. Buttercup (Ranunculus californicus)
    Photo by Al Johnson
  8. Paintbrush (Castilleja affinis)
    Photo by Scott Hein
  9. Owl’s clover (Castilleja exserta)
    Photo by Al Johnson
  10. Bluewitch nightshade (Solanum umbelliferum)
    Photo by Al Johnson
  11. Cobweb thistle (Cirsium occidentale)
    Photo by Al Johnson
  12. Morning glory (Calystega purpurata)
    Photo by Al Johnson
  13. Narrowleaf milkweed (Asclepias fascicularis)
    Photo by Al Johnson
  14. Mount Diablo fairy lantern (Calochortus pulchellus)
    Photo by Haley Sutton
  15. Johnny jump up (Viola pedunculata)
    Photo by Al Johnson
  16. California wild rose (Rosa californica)
    Photo by Al Johnson
  17. California poppy (Eschscholtzia californica)
    Photo by Sean Burke
  18. Shooting star (Primula hendersonii)
    Photo by Sean Burke
  19. Fiddleneck (Amsinckia intermedia)
    Fiddleneck. Photo by David A. Hofmann / CC BY-SA-NC-ND
  20. Houndstongue (Cynoglossum grande)
    Photo by Al Johnson
  21. Red maids (Calandrinia ciliata)
    Photo by Scott Hein
    
    Check out the MDIA flower guide for more up-to-date info about what’s blooming on Mount Diablo right now, and take a look at our regional trail map to find more trails on and around Mount Diablo.
    
    And if you want to discover more trails with stunning wildflowers, see our blog post on 12 good places to see wildflowers across the northern Diablo Range.
    
    Top photo by Nate Campi