Wildflowers and time

What is it with wildflowers? Some only survive a few weeks; other species seem to be around for a long time.We hiked in Huckleberry Regional Botanical Preserve in the Oakland Hills on Saturday.Many wildflowers were blooming on schedule – wild roses and columbines shared their brief presence with us. Some of our favorites – trillium and hound’s tongue were long gone. These are early flowers, and they usually vanish by mid April.

Others survive for a longer period. Douglas Iris were still flowering in their glory. These first appeared a month or so ago, and since some buds haven't opened they look like they will last for a long time. These surprised us a lot less than a manzanita bush with its lantern shaped pink blossoms. This is one of the earliest flowers to appear; they generally thrive earlier in the season than trillium and hound’s tongue. There they were! I can only guess this particular shrub found enough water and shade to continue flowering this late in the season. The answer may elude me, but the forest remains a jigsaw puzzle both in time and in place.