The old adage says April showers bring May flowers, but California poppies are already blooming in the East Bay.
Though this winter wasn't as wet as our last, the Golden State received enough rain to encourage healthy wildflower blooms this season. The California Department of Parks and Recreation announced that it anticipates "impressive spring wildflower blooms" this year. In its Flower Bloom Update, the department said that many poppies were starting to bloom in parks across the state, particularly in Southern California.
KTVU photojournalist Jaden Schaul captured a large swath of orange poppies showing off their colors at the Shell Ridge Open Space in Walnut Creek.
Close-ups of the blooms show the brilliant pops of orange petals. In one photo, a bee can be seen flying from one flower to the next.
A bee buzzes over a poppy bloom at Shell Ridge Open Space in Walnut Creek, CA (Jaden Schaul, KTVU)
The California poppy, or Eschscholzia californica, has been California's state flower for more than 100 years. Though the flowers are stunning up close, anyone who visits a poppy bloom is asked to respect the flowers by not venturing off established trails.
"In recent years, California has been lucky to see spectacular wildflower blooms in many public lands, including in state parks," said State Parks Director Armando Quintero. "We welcome all Californians and visitors from around the world to experience this natural phenomenon and ask all to keep the ‘Beauty in the Bloom’ by staying on designated trails and taking only photos, not flowers."