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What About the Poppies & Cherry Blossoms?
The Poppy Reserve in Antelope Valley | Photo by tomsaint11 via Flickr
After our wildflower post earlier today, a couple commenters had questions and comments specifically about poppies and the cherry blossom season.
Poppies: They are just one of the many types of wildflowers, but since they're our state flower and icon, it is the most popular and well known. You can find them during the upcoming season mixed in with wildflowers throughout Southern California, but the most internationally famous areas are the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve and in Gorman off the 5 freeway, according to Lili Singer of the Theodore Payne Foundation. It's a tad bit little early for poppies anyway--only 15 total have been spotted in the reserve by park officials.
Cherry Blossoms: If you're waiting to have a hanami, a couple weeks wait might be in store. The folks over at the Japanese American Cultural Center say that you can already see some cherry blossoms beginning to bloom downtown, but it's nothing full yet. Same goes in the Valley at Lake Balboa Park: "I would say they are at about 10% today," wrote Douglas Welch yesterday on his blog, "but I would expect the bloom to come on fast over the next 1-2 weeks." And don't forget the Cherry Blossom Festival in April.
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You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
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