Posted on 02/07/2005 12:27:48 PM PST by BenLurkin
LANCASTER - Poppies are popping already and hope blooms for a beautiful spring of wildflowers. The Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve already has poppies blooming, said Milt Stark, president of the Poppy Reserve Mojave Desert Interpretive Association.
"We had a lot of rain out there, the poppies are doing well; you just don't know what the weather is going to be," he said.
The reserve has received more than 16 inches of rain, but wet weather doesn't always translate into a bumper crop of the bright flowers, which are affected by strong winds, humidity and temperature.
A few years back, in 2002, the reserve received lots of rain, but warm, windy weather moved in and blunted the bloom, leaving a paucity of poppies.
Stark and other poppy fans hope for acres of bright golden blooms this year.
"As long as that ground stays moist, we're in good shape," he said.
Wildflower blooms typically appear in mid-March through May.
The reserve, at 15101 West Lancaster Road, covers more than 1,700 acres of undisturbed hills dedicated by the state in 1976 on the state's most consistent poppy-bearing land.
Other wildflowers that bloom at the reserve include owl's clover, lupine, goldfield, cream cups and coreopsis. The intensity and duration of the wildflower bloom varies yearly.
"We're expecting a good year," said Craig Mattson, park superintendent with Mojave Desert State Parks.
Mattson speculated this could be one of the earliest years for blooms on record, but cautioned he is "waiting to see what happens over the next several weeks."
He added a lot of poppy plants have germinated and blooms could begin to appear in early March.
Seven miles of trails, including a paved section for wheelchair access, wind gently through the wildflower fields. The park has dirt paths and a parking lot designed to draw in tourists and allow them into the poppies' natural habitat without trampling the plants.
The blossoms attract visitors from all over the world.
The 14th annual California Poppy Festival, themed "Always Something New," is scheduled for April 16 and 17 at Lancaster City Park.
Juice Newton, the Classic Rock All Stars, Everette Harp and Norman Brown are the major performers appearing on the Poppy Stage. Other performers and attractions will be announced later.
The reserve is open daily, sunrise to sunset, throughout the year. The visitors center, open daily from mid-March to mid-May most years, is run by volunteer docents.
"We're asking for volunteers," Stark said.
Volunteer training sessions are scheduled from 9 a.m. to noon Feb. 19 and Feb. 26, at the Jane S. Pinheiro Interpretative Center at the California State Poppy Reserve. For details, call (661) 942-0662.
Volunteers work from one to two days a week.
No pictures? Photos of past annual blooms have been breathtaking.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.