Hiked Mission Point today in the northern San Fernando Valley. I'm located in the foothills of this mountain, and it towers above my house. I encountered many cool plants and some awesome views.
Habitat types included rangeland
to montane chaparral, which occurred at higher elevations.
The views were quite nice, and was well worth it despite how tough the hike was in some spots.
I can see my house from here!
The Slope Effect in action.
A really nice view near the top. Too bad it was hazy.
The infamous three trees. If you want to know their secret, do the hike yourself!
Plants I encountered:
Lupine (
Lupinus sp.)
Monardella sp.
California buckwheat (
Eriogonum fasciculatum). This one is really common around here.
Sugar bush (
Rhus ovata). Edible berries that taste like lemons. You can make a drink with them similar to lemonade.
Sacred datura (
Datura wrightii). A native hallucinogenic plant! I hear the trips aren't very pleasant though, and neither are the side effects. I'd rather not try it.
Bush mallow (
Malacothamnus sp.).
A sunflower of some sort. They grow like weeds here. Not sure if they are native.
California black walnut (
Juglans californica). Listed as vulnerable by the IUCN. Yet they grow profusely here.
Native false bindweed (I think it's
Calystegia occidentalis).
Wasn't able to identify this one, but the berries look delicious!
Chaparral yucca (
Hesperoyucca whipplei). These are really common in SoCal. This one is due to flower in a couple of years. They're quite spectacular when they're in bloom. Behind it is California sagebrush (
Artemisia californica). It smells delicious, like rosemary.
Toyon (
Heteromeles arbutifolia). Another common chaparral plant. This time of year it's in flower. In the winter it will be loaded with berries.
If only I had come a few months earlier! Then I would have been able to witness all of the wildflowers in bloom. Still an awesome hike though, and definitely a do-over.