julies

We may make a trip to the area then and I understand the weather may be unpredictable. But, coming from gray Minnesota, in the winter I always like to go to a place where there is some green. What flowers and plants would typically be out this time of year? And, how bad can the weather be anyway? We'd be looking at doing some nature oriented things within a couple hundred mile radius of the city.

FainaAgain

There is always something blooming in the city. In March? May be magnolias, japanese cherry, mimosa.

Go to the arboretum in the Golden Gate park to see the plants of the world. And the Conservatory of Flowers for rare South American plants and flowers.

Bad weather? In San Francisco? Rare occurence! Cool, yes, make sure you have a sweater and a windbreaker.

sequoia370

Well you can definitely still get heavy rain in early March, but it could also be sunny and cool with fluffy white clouds like it is today.

There'll be lots of green on the hillsides all around the Bay area. There's always flowers of one sort or another being cultivated in the city.

Still a bit early for wildflowers, but the earlier ones will be coming out. Try heading up highway one north of the city (over the Golden Gate, then up the freeway (US 101) to the Stinson Beach/Muir Woods exit). Take Hwy One west to the ocean, then north along the cliffs on the west flank of Mt. Tam to a silver gate at the start of the road down to the Rocky Point/Steep Ravine Cabins and campground. Park there (don't block the gate) or across the highway under the cliffs. Across the hwy from the gate is the start of the Steep Ravine Trail. There are usually some milkmaids, little white bellflowers, and lots of some little pale blue flowers along the next quarter mile, to the junction with the Dipsea Trail, then you can take the Dipsea south a very short distance (just up out of the canyon to the junction with a dirt road) later in the year there are tons of poppies once you get out of the woods, and lots of orange monkeyflowers as well--early march probably still too early for this, but you might see some.

I once met a guy from Minnesota parked there under the cliffs, who seemed a bit taken aback by the terrain, he wanted to spend the night there along the highway and not do any more driving. He said that someone told him it was a great place to go but didn't say that he'd be "driving all over mountains".

J_Correa

Since our "bad" weather here is rain and we only get a few nights of frost each year, lots of things are green in the winter. By March, spring is in full force - it is only January and some of our trees are starting to sprout.

julies

Well, you wouldn't want to look out the window and see where I live then. Gray, dull and piles of snow.

sequoia370

South of SF, take highway one along the coast to Half Moon Bay, then From the junction of CA 1 and CA 92 in San Mateo County, drive south 1.2 miles, then turn east onto Higgins-Purisima Road. Drive on this narrow road about 4.2 miles, to the trailhead on the left side of the road (just past the tiny white bridge).

This is not nearly so up and down as the earlier route, you could also bring a bicycle to take on the main Purisima Creek Trail. Some of the narrower trails are closed to bikes in winter. You don't have to do the whole 7 mile 1500 foot climb described in the link, you go out and back a mile or so on the main trail and still see plenty of green and probably lots of flowers. This area is second growth redwoods, not as big as old growth, but also a lot sunnier and grassy on the forest floor.

For old growth redwoods try Butano or Big Basin Redwoods farther south.

<http://www.bahiker.com/southbayhikes...ahiggins.html>

WeaverBarbie

If you want to see a profusion of flowers, check out Filoli, a local mansion with fabulous gardens. You'll need a car to get there, since it's in Woodside, about 30 (easy freeway) miles south of SF. http://www.filoli.org/visitor_gen.html
In March, the bulbs are in full bloom and any non-evergreen trees are starting to leaf out.
The weather is variable in March. It can be stormy, or it can be brilliant sunshine. Storms usually only last a couple of days.

dovima

Dear julies,
"bad weather" is a relative thing, always. However, I can assure you that our bad weather cannot hold a candle to yours. It could still be raining in March - but don't let that stop you. Because of our rainy season and the lack of snow here, November or December is actually when things START to grow again after the long dry spell of summer/autumn. There are many streets in San Francisco where the blossoms on quince and plum trees start to peek out in mid-November, in response to the rain.

By March, the hills should be totally green. If you drive through any agricultural country, there will be orchards in bloom. The Napa wine country should have mustard blossoming bright yellow in the vineyards. If you hike on Mt. Tam or Mt. Diablo, there will be wildflowers - shy and not proliferating yet, but definitely there. My favorite is the "shooting star" - a hot pink flower with a black and yellow stinger on the end.

Do bring a good rain jacket and sweaters to layer underneath. A prolonged rainy spell can leave the air clammy and chilly.

sequoia370

Well, here's it's the end of February, and there's a pretty strong storm with high winds predicted for the next few days, till the first of March. Then it should clear up a bit, but after that, who knows?

We went to Sam McDonald County Park today (Feb 25) , west of Palo Alto, over the crest of the Santa Cruz Mountains near the little village of La Honda. Those little blue flowers were starting to bloom, in certain places along the trail, as well as white four petaled little cardamine, and three petaled trillium, deep in the redwood forest. Over the next month or two I expect these areas will be a riot of little flowers of blue and white and perhaps yellow (redwood violets are yellow). A large meadow at the top of the hill (about 3 miles hiking) was green with views of the forested hills to the south. Purisima or Mt. Tam/Muir Woods, Big Basin, should have similar flowers starting, but it was a five mile hike with a bit of an upward slope, to see the beginning of these floral displays. So, it's not like you just arrive and expect to see flowers everywhere, but if you hike a bit you should run into something blooming.

jet519

I have been going to CA for a week during the middle of March for the past four years. I have been blessed with beautiful weather every time. A couple of years ago we went to Montery Bay penisula area and spent time in Pacific Grove walking along the ocean up to Lover's Point, etc. It was 80 degrees and sunny, with a cloudless sky. The bushes and flowers in bloom were some of the most stunning I have ever seen. We stayed in Carmel and drove down to Big Sur. We had lunch at Ventana Resort for a couple of hours outside on the patio. It was an unforgettable day because of the blue sky, blue ocean, and gorgeous green hills and blooms everywhere.
Last year we went to Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo and stayed in Cambria at Moonstone Landing. Our first day was very foggy and misty but the green hills were still there and we were doing wine tasting all day so it was still lots of fun and the vineyards were beautiful. The rest of the trip was sunny, blue skies again and warm. My best friend that I visit there lives in Placerville, CA and she thinks March can be the best time to visit since the hills turn brown usually by June.

1JAR

My suggetion would be to head to Napa for the annual Mustard festival. Wild (virant yellow) mustard blooms all over the vineyards (and along the freeways in SF too)and is just amazing to view against the buding green wine vines.
Restaurants have special dishes based on mustards and wineries sell mustard condiments..
www.mustardfestival.org
or
google napa mustard festival

dovima

Dear seqouia370,
Enjoyed the wildflower report! I love to botanize as I walk, even in the city.

I recall a drive I took in the back country of Napa County in spring, probably a bit later than early March. The California poppies were out and so were the wild irises. Could there possibly be a better combo of colors?

Michael

Our white lilac is already blooming, so it looks like an early spring.