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Superbloom or Superbust?

California Blooms With Life After A Massive Rainy Season : 6 Places to See Wildflowers

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California poppies at eye level in field
California poppies bloom at the 嘿嘿视频 Arboretum in March 2023. (Gregory Urquiaga, 嘿嘿视频)

The term 鈥渟uperbloom鈥 has been thrown around excitedly this year, especially after the rainy season that just hit California鈥撯搈ore than 600% of the normal rainfall. This month, California is coming alive with the radiant colors of wildflowers. 

I got a preview last weekend at . Blanketed with the most vibrant greens, oranges, purples, and whites, it felt like I was walking through a watercolor painting. North Table Mountain lived up to its name: The entire landscape was flat, except for the majestic, twisting blue oaks that stood against the crisp, cloudless sky. It seemed as if the blanket of color would never end until I reached the cliffside鈥撯揳n immediate drop into an impressive canyon complete with a 160-foot waterfall. 

As a 嘿嘿视频 environmental science student, I had been looking forward to this moment for months. Almost every plant ecology professor has raved to me about this Northern California gem. What better time to visit than during what many are anticipating as California鈥檚 superbloom? 

But will this season鈥檚 explosion of wildflowers truly be 鈥渟uper?鈥 嘿嘿视频 plant ecology professors weighed in. 

Wildflowers bloom on rocky landscape under blue skies and white clouds at North Table Mountain Ecological Reserve
Wildflowers including foothill poppies and sky lupine bloom at North Table Mountain Ecological Reserve in March 2023. (Malia Reiss, 嘿嘿视频)

Recipe for a superbloom 

According to Plant Sciences Professor , a superbloom occurs after a wet year that follows several dry years. Annual wildflowers, which live only one year, won鈥檛 germinate in dry years and will remain dormant in the soil until conditions are right. When all of these dry years happen in a row, wildflower seeds accumulate in the seed bank. 

鈥淎 very wet year 鈥 like the year we are having now 鈥 could trigger germination of all of these seeds at once, leading to a superbloom,鈥 Funk said. 

But even with a stocked seedbank and the right conditions, keeping the seeds that do germinate alive is just as important, according to Evolution and Ecology Associate Professor . 鈥淢aintenance rains,鈥 sunlight, cold temperatures, and avoiding disturbance are all important for seedling survival. 

When all of the factors align, wildflowers are given the go. 

鈥淚t鈥檚 absolutely breathtaking,鈥 marveled Gremer. 

Will it happen? 

After this intense rainy season, it seems like everything adds up, but will the bloom really be as huge as expected? Among 嘿嘿视频 professors, there is no consensus. 

Funk isn鈥檛 too optimistic about a record superbloom, while Plant Sciences Professor is: 鈥淢y sense is that, given the extended period of drought that preceded this year鈥檚 record-setting precipitation, superblooms are very likely in many areas of California.鈥 

Hikers at NorthTable Mountain Ecological Reserve in March 2023
Hikers visit through North Table Mountain Ecological Reserve in late March 2023, just slightly ahead of what's expected to be an impressive wildflower season. (Malia Reiss, 嘿嘿视频)

To Plant Sciences Professor , a superbloom may be likely, but only in certain parts of California. In the wetter Northern California, the best blooms often result less from water and more from fire or well-timed grazing that reduces non-native grasses and allows wildflowers to thrive. In areas where non-native grasses explode with the rain, a superbloom is not likely. With the intense rainy season, the desert could be plausible, but timing of rain could make or break it.

Responsible wildflowering 

Whether or not there is an official 鈥渟uperbloom,鈥 it鈥檚 undeniable that California will come alive with wildflowers鈥撯揳nd their brilliance will attract crowds. 

鈥淓ach flower we crush from a selfie is a lost opportunity to rebuild the seed bank for the next superbloom." - Valerie Eviner

My hike at North Table Mountain was tinted by the three-too-many candy wrappers that I picked up along the trail, by the occasional bag of dog waste, and by watching people trample on the delicate flowers, even with the trail less than a foot away. 

With the heavy traffic coming to these areas, it鈥檚 important to visit responsibly and with in mind. 

鈥淲ildflowers are one of the most important resources we have to ensure the resilience of California鈥檚 grasslands,鈥 said Eviner. 鈥淭hey are our emergency first responders when grasses fail鈥搘hether due to fire, drought, or soil disturbance.鈥

California wildflowers give ecosystems different strategies to cope with changing and unexpected conditions. They provide food for herbivores, ground cover to minimize erosion, and of course, beauty.

鈥淭his is why it鈥檚 really important to visit them respectfully,鈥 said Eviner. 鈥淓ach flower we crush from a selfie is a lost opportunity to rebuild the seed bank for the next superbloom. So stay on the trails.鈥  

Lake Elsinor superbloom takes over the canyon in oranges and purples
Lake Elsinor鈥檚 popular Walker Canyon received so many visitors during its 2019 superbloom that it became a safety risk for both people and wildflowers. The experience caused the city to close the trail and nearby parking lots during its poppy season in 2023. (Getty)

Potter advises people minimize their impact by heading to less-crowded sites, going on less-crowded times, such as weekdays, and checking relevant websites ahead of time for conditions, required permits, and restrictions. 

Guided tours are also a fantastic way to 鈥渕inimize impact, while also learning a lot,鈥 said Potter. 

Climate change and superblooms

Climate change patterns make it even more important to stay on the trails. With climate variation, superblooms could be an increasingly rare event with cycles of unpredictable and record-breaking drought, heatwaves, and rainfall. 

Gremer worries that increased soil temperatures and shifting rainfall patterns will reduce seedbank and seedling survival and confuse germination cues. She has already observed these effects in her studies on California jewelflowers. 

, a 嘿嘿视频 environmental science and policy professor, has also shown that mid-winter droughts have become more common, negatively impacting California grassland flora. 

But even as superblooms get more rare, climate change could enhance the ones that do happen from the accumulation of annual wildflowers during the dry years. 

鈥淲ith an increased variation in rainfall across years, the pattern of dry and wet years might trigger the blooms,鈥 Funk said.

6 places to see wildflowers 

In Northern California, the professor-favorite wildflower spot (and now my favorite) is . Flowing with waterfalls and blanketed in orange poppies and purple lupines, the reserve near Oroville reliably blooms most years. Make sure to acquire a CDFW Lands Pass beforehand. 

鈥淚t鈥檚 a bit hard to get to, but so worth it,鈥 said Funk. 

Purple lupine blooms in the grass at Stebbins Cold Canyon Natural Reserve
A lupine blooms at the 嘿嘿视频 Stebbins Cold Canyon Reserve (Chris Niccolini, 嘿嘿视频)

Heading toward Lake Berryessa should also bring some luck. For those itching to see rare ecosystems, , a 嘿嘿视频 natural reserve, is a wonderful place to see the vernal pools blooming; are also offered. is another 嘿嘿视频 natural reserve that wildflower-lovers will enjoy.  

Because the timing is tough to predict, Eviner recommends watching social media and checking several websites such as the , the reports and hotspots, and for Southern California.  

Other spots to check out near Davis:  

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Malia Reiss is a science news intern with 嘿嘿视频 Strategic Communications. She studies environmental science and management at 嘿嘿视频.

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Kat Kerlin, 嘿嘿视频 News and Media Relations, 530-750-9195, kekerlin@ucdavis.edu 

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