The hills are alive with the sound of a superbloom, as the year’s unprecedented rainfall gives way to acres of poppies and other flora around Santa Clarita. 

When the seeds of these California wildflowers germinate and bloom all at once throughout the state, experts refer to this as a “superbloom.” The last super bloom took place in 2019 after heavy rains and hasn’t been repeated since due to dry conditions. 

Poppies off of Skyline Ranch Road. Photo by Linsey Towles

Now as the spring season begins, Santa Clarita residents can already see the beginnings of a superbloom in their own backyards. Following a winter of unprecedented rainfall which brought over 15 inches of rain to the city, seeds that have been buried in the parched earth are finally blooming. 

In Santa Clarita, most of the poppies, which is the state flower, are in the Canyon Country area, dotting the hillsides on the 14 Freeway and along Sierra Highway. Large plots of them can also be seen on Skyline Ranch Road and on the hills along Railroad Avenue.

Other wildflowers besides poppies are also being noticed throughout Santa Clarita, dotting the orange fields with spots of yellow and purple. At Skyline Ranch Road, tall purple flowers called Arroyo Lupines are abundant among the poppies and in Canyon Country hills are covered with yellow goldfields.

Poppies aren’t the only stars of the show. Arroyo lupine flowers also dot the hillsides.

Many of the fields of poppies that are protected by the state remain closed to the public since the poppy craze in 2019, when thousands of tourists flocked to the fields. The unexpected number of people impacted traffic for residents and resulted in the damaging of the fields as people trekked on the flowers. 

In 2019 a private helicopter landed on a poppy field in the Antelope Valley, an illegal move that damaged thousands of flowers. 

While these tourist attractions remain closed, Santa Clarita residents don’t need to go far to see the poppies up close. 

Canyon Country residents can look out their windows and see the poppy views. Photo by Linsey Towles

March 20 marks the first day of spring and the poppy season is marked between mid-February and mid-May. The wildflowers are not likely to disappear soon as wet weather remains in the forecast for the next week. 

Poppy Flower Fun Facts:

• The flowers’ color can range from ivory, to yellow, and almost red
• Poppies exhibit nyctinasty, which means that their petals close up at night and open in the day
• Poppies can thrive in nutritionally-poor soil
• Native Americans used the poppy for food, toothaches, cessation of lactation, and wound care.

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