Laguna Canyon Series

We have visited the Laguna Canyon area three times, first in 1995 and in 1996, more than 25 years ago. We revisited this area in 2024. We have been looking for Diplacus pockets growing alongside the roads for all these years. In 1995/96, we were aware of 5 populations (9.1-9.5), with some plants mainly flowering yellow. The shades reached up to dark orange but not red at that time. Last year, we saw much richer populations everywhere than we had seen them before. This time, the floral colors were much darker, and red became common there —especially rich slopes, seen in 9.5, consisting of hundreds of plants. 

Five flowers from plot 9.1 along Laguna Canyon Rd in 1995: The darkest orange flower from the site is pictured in 9.1 B (lobes). Interestingly, the floral tube in 9.1 E shows a dark, dirty orange color but not the floral lobes. This may indicate an early developmental step to further full dark orange flowers later on. (digitalized color slides from the Epoque)

It obviously took decades for this Laguna Canyon area to transform, with 

more and more red-flowered individuals in 2024, not seen in 1995.

2010 along Woods End Trail (Yellow to Red)