01/07/2024
First Blooms of the Year!
Manzanita trees grow among the Chapparal, the plants that give cowboy “chaps” their name- to protect their legs from the scraggly brush.
Half the manzanita species that grow native to the US are endangered, and 4 species can be found only among the hills of Mount Diablo in the East Bay.
The flowers come in different colors, and the light pink here grow from the “mount diablo” manzanita, an endangered species that only grows on our little mountaintop.
Manzanita (little apple) trees bloom in the early spring, along with the first signs of green grass that last just the first couple months of the year.
The tree itself has beautiful red bark, and many different verions from around the world can be found in the Tilden Botanical Garden in Berkeley.
Hike started from Curry point, guided by the MDIA (Mount Diablo Association) currently on its way to building their own education center!
