The Matilija Poppy

These are the last of the photos that my sister took for me. 

 I saved the lovely white Matilija Poppies for last as they are one of my favorite wildflowers.  When I was in high school one of my teachers said they were Mariposa Poppies but I have learned (from both my sister Camille and my sister Norma) that these poppies are unique to the Matilija area  and are named after the area of their origin; Matilija (pronounced ma-til’li-ha).   The plants can reach up to 8 feet tall and boast large snow white blooms with vivid yellow centers.
They have become a lucrative plant for local nurserymen to propagate and ship to other municipalities that wish to include these lovely, papery white blooms into their landscape.

 

Notice the large seed pods of the Matilija poppy plant?

 

 

The large blossoms range from 6 to 9 inches across and are not only impressive in size but command attention with their ruffled white petals and sunshine yellow center.

 

Still Up In the Air

Photo above - Though Scotch Brooms stand out in the background a soft, purple flowered shrub dominates the left, lower corner of the above photo.

 

We're still winding our way along the curving Maricopa highway, making our way up the Topa Topa mountains above Ojai, California.  My last post featured the bright yellow to yellow orange, Scotch Brooms, this post will feature purple and blue/purple wildflowers.  Unfortunately I'm not knowledgeable about their names and even though my sister told me what many were called, I confess that I quickly forgot their names.  So if you know any of their names please feel free to let me know in a comment.

 

 

 

Photos below are of the one purple plant that I'm familiar with: the Lupine.

 

 

 

The photos that follow are of some sweet little purple wildflowers and some flowers that are more of a blue color.  Both are very pretty and I've no idea what they are called, I should have written their names down when Camille told me but just like spare batteries for my camera, I did not have pen, pencil or paper on hand.

 

Twists and Turns

photo above - the two lane Maricopa highway leading up through the mountains from Ojai California to Taft. It was a crystal clear day and the yellow blossoms of the Scotch Brooms looked sharp and brilliant against the green mountains and bright blue sky - a perfect day for a drive.

 

As I mentioned in the last post, the batteries in my camera died, we were a good 30 miles away from town and I hadn't brought spare batteries with me.  However my sister, Camille, volunteered to take some photos with her smartphone and then email me the pictures. So following are some of the pictures she so graciously took for me.  Thank you Cami.  :)

 

The Maricopa highway twists and turns through beautiful, rugged mountains.  Scotch Brooms bloomed along side of the paved road, making me feel like we were a bridal procession cruising down a flower bedecked isle.  The Scotch Broom is considered a weed and seems to prefer the disturbed soil near the edge of the roadsides.

 

 

 

Photo above - Managed to find a blooming yucca that was close enough to the road to get a good shot of.

Photo below - Saw this unusually flat boulder and had to get a photo of it.

Photo below - Had to get a shot of the looming mountains and the valley below. 

To fully appreciate this vista I encourage you to click on the photo to view it more closely.

Hidden Falls

photo above - Mountain ravine with waterfall.

 



Remember that trip my hubby and I took back in July ?  I must confess that I still have pictures from that trip.  You see when John and I were driving down from Albany California to Ojai, we took the Maricopa Highway and California was fresh and alive from summer rains.  The mountains were covered in green foliage and flowers bloomed everywhere, it was a veritable Eden.   Oh how I longed to tell my hubby to stop the car so I could whip out my camera and take pictures.  John on the other hand was in no mood to stop the car on that curving, 2 lane mountain road, so I sat in silence.

Later, while visiting my sister Camille, she asked if there was anything we wanted to do or any place we wanted to go.  I mentioned the flowers that I saw along the Maricopa highway and how I would have loved to have taken some photos.  Now I should mention that  Camille loves to drive so she happily volunteered to drive us up through the local mountains in order for me to take some photos. 
It must have been some 20 miles or so before we got into the proper elevation where the flora was thick and colorful.  Camille stopped the car at a lovely little waterfall and I took out my little, old point and click camera . . . the one held together with a stripe of blue painter's tape.  As I pressed the on button the camera lens extended with a soft whine and then whined again as it retracted. . . and then nothing.  The batteries were dead , and I didn't bring spare batteries and it was at least 30 miles back to the town of Ojai.  Fortunately Camille had her phone with her so she kindly snapped all of the photos of the Maricopa highway flowers.

photos above and below - little waterfall