In Greek mythology Iris, goddess of rainbows, carried messages along multi-colored arcs from deities on high to the underworld. Every Spring her namesake blooms usher in a cavalcade of wildflowers that splash shimmering colors upon the earth. Their gifts extend far beyond beauty. In addition to attracting pollinators that ensure survival of their species, Spring’s living rainbows enrich the environment in distinctive ways.
A symbol of resilience and rebirth, wild iris, sheathed in purple, lavender and indigo, has inspired murals in ancient Crete, paintings by Vincent Van Gogh, poetry by Louise Glück, royal crests and countless photographs and Instagrams. These regal sentinels also protect and nurture their realms. Their ornate petals and elegant design lead specialized pollinators to sugary nectar. Their dense foliage shelters insects and other small creatures; their rhizomes (underground stems) prevent erosion on rocky coastal outcrops.
No less vibrant and vital are the multi-hued lupines. Sky lupine, which can grow twenty inches high, flaunts lush purple-blue flowers. Yellow bush lupine, sparkling with sunny blossoms, sprawls over coastal dunes. Once pollinated, lupine flowers form small, fuzzy pods that eventually burst, scattering seeds across the landscape. Both blue and yellow lupine serve as nurseries for butterfly larvae, including the endangered Mission blue species.
Deep taproots enable lupines to access moisture in dry conditions, making them particularly drought tolerant. They also anchor loose soil and reduce runoff after heavy rains. Like other members of the legume family, lupines host bacteria in root nodules that fix nitrogen in the soil to nurture the plant and its neighbors. Horticultural pioneers, they are among the first to colonize land ravaged by fire, landslides or other upheavals..
The iconic California poppy embodies the state’s irrepressible spirit. Evolving over thousands of years along the Pacific Coast, this true native can withstand drenching winters, arid summers and salt-laced winds. Its silky, cup-shaped flowers range from golden yellow to deep orange, each with four petals that daintily close at night or in cool, foggy weather. Although a single flower lasts only a few days, the poppy continuously sprouts new blossoms from late winter through early summer. Its seeds provide nourishment for quail, California’s official bird, while its hardy roots stabilize the soil.
Wildflowers in all the colors of the sky—baby blue eyes, Pacific hounds tooth, Western blue-eyed grass (not a true grass but a member of the iris family), blue dicks, bird’s eye gilia— lure hummingbirds and bees hungry for their rich nectar. With long floppy yellow petals, the aptly named mule ears nourish seed-eating birds. The soldiers of mythic Achilles treated their wounds with yarrow. Its small white flowers feed other defenders: predatory insects like hoverflies that help control garden pests.
Dainty tidy tips, with yellow centers fringed in white, nourish the threatened Bay checkerspot butterfly. Small and sweetly scented, wild roses produce “hips” that look like little apples and sustain deer and other foragers through the lean winter months. Cobwebby thistle sheds its round, hairy flower heads and leaves during the dry season to create a protective mulch for the ground.
As they paint the landscape with their brilliant hues, wildflowers—as dazzling and ephemeral as Iris’s rainbows—carry life-enhancing messages for us: Shake off winter’s gray grip. Savor beauty whenever and wherever you find it. Cherish even the most fleeting of moments. Bloom fully and proudly—and help others do the same. Inhale Spring’s invigorating breath. Drink the wild air.
For more on Spring blossoms, here’s a post from the archive on “The Wantoness of Wildflowers.”
