‘Super whoa’: See the best photos of California’s wildflower super bloom
California is still going crazy for the super bloom that’s painted hillsides, valleys — even airport runways — in vibrant shades of gold, orange and purple for the past few weeks.
The rainy winter that cleared drought conditions throughout the state has created supreme conditions for wildflowers, which are bursting in swathes of color on the Central Coast and throughout Southern California.
Travelers flying in and out of Los Angeles International Airport in mid-March were treated to fields of orange wildflowers blooming near runways bustling with airplane traffic.
And tens of thousands of California poppy-seekers overran Walker Canyon near Lake Elsinore — a town southeast of Los Angeles in Riverside County — last month, leading to a “poppy apocalypse” for residents.
Hillsides covered with photogenic bright orange flowers drew “Disneyland-size crowds” to the area, clogging roads and forcing city officials to temporarily shut down the area before setting up a paid shuttle service.
Steve Manos, mayor of Lake Elsinore, even filmed an Instagram PSA to explain the city doesn’t have enough resources to keep the area closed during “poppy-palooza.”
“We are full,” Manos said in the March 18 video. “If you have the opportunity to come back here maybe later or another day, we would really appreciate that.”
More recent social media photos show the Walker Canyon bloom starting to fade, although it’s still attracting visitors.
For the latest super bloom updates from throughout the state, check out the Wild Flower Hotline, which is run by the Theodore Payne Foundation for Wild Flowers and Native Plants.
Here are some social media highlights from wildflower blooms throughout California:
Carrizo Plain National Monument, San Luis Obispo County
Figueroa Mountain, Santa Barbara County
Joshua Tree National Park, San Bernardino County
Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve, Los Angeles County
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, San Diego County
This story was originally published March 19, 2019 at 4:18 PM with the headline "‘Super whoa’: See the best photos of California’s wildflower super bloom."
