Spring Flowers in Monterey County, California

Monterey County, California, is home to a stunning variety of flowers, both wild and cultivated, thanks to its diverse geography and Mediterranean climate. Spring is in full swing, and the region is likely showcasing some of its most vibrant blooms. Here’s a look at what you might encounter:

Wildflowers

Monterey County is renowned for its wildflower displays, particularly in spring. Along the Pacific Grove coastline, the "Magic Purple Carpet" is a standout—a sprawling blanket of Drosanthemum floribundum (a type of ice plant) that paints the dunes and bluffs in vivid pinkish-purple hues. This non-native succulent, less invasive than other ice plants, typically peaks from April to May, but with the current date, you might catch its early blooms if temperatures have been warm. The Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail, especially near Lovers Point Park, is a prime spot to see this spectacle.

Further afield, Garrapata State Park along the Big Sur coast bursts with native wildflowers like California poppies (Eschscholzia californica), with their bright orange cups, and Indian paintbrush (Castilleja spp.), adding splashes of red. The Soberanes Canyon Trail here mixes these with redwood groves, while Doud Creek offers a rare treat: wild calla lilies (Zantedeschia aethiopica), their white blooms thriving in the moist canyon. March to April is peak season for these, so they’re likely visible now.

Inland, Toro County Park near Salinas features grassy hills dotted with goldfields (Lasthenia spp.), poppies, and yarrow (Achillea millefolium), while Pinnacles National Park in the east boasts nearly 100 species, including shooting stars (Primula spp.) and Johnny-jump-ups (Viola pedunculata). These bloom from March to May, aligning perfectly with today’s date.

Cultivated Flowers

Monterey County also shines with cultivated blooms. In historic Monterey, the Memory Garden at Pacific House Museum, designed by Frederick Law Olmstead Jr. in 1927, features multi-colored roses under stucco archways—a quiet oasis that’s likely blooming now given the mild climate. The Custom House Cactus Garden nearby offers drought-resistant cacti, some flowering with subtle desert hues. Local florists like Swenson & Silacci and The Flower Market in Monterey showcase seasonal arrangements, often featuring roses, lilies, and tulips sourced from California’s flower industry, which once thrived regionally.

Unique Flora

The county’s 2,300+ wildflower species include endemics like the Little Sur manzanita (Arctostaphylos edmundsii), a low shrub with waxy white-to-pink urn-shaped flowers, found only on coastal bluffs. Sticky phacelia (Phacelia viscida), with its vibrant blue clusters, might also catch your eye along Carmel Valley Road right now.