March 23, 2025 flower bloom update – Tulips are blooming everywhere, including at the S.F. Botanical Garden and the Queen Wilhelmina Garden in Golden Gate Park, at Filoli, and at Descanso Gardens near L.A. Did anyone go to the Flower Bulb Day at Union Square in S.F. on March 22nd? Cherry blossoms are blooming at the Japanese Tea Garden in San Francisco, at Descanso Gardens and at the Japanese Friendship Garden in San Diego!
If you look around my blog, you may think that my life revolves around flowers and gardens… and you would not be wrong! 😊🌸🌼 I’ve spent the past several years traveling throughout California in search of beautiful flowers and gardens and now, I’ve compiled a flower bloom calendar for California! This calendar includes details on when flowers are in season and the section below includes details on the best places to see them. I’ve included popular flowers such as: cherry blossoms, almond blossoms, peach blossoms, poppy fields, wildflowers, ranunculus, roses, dahlias, magnolias, lavender, lupines and much more! Whether you’re looking for beautiful flowers in the Bay Area, Northern California or Southern California, I’ve got you covered! I’ve also included a sample of the photos that you’ll find in my many other blog posts on beautiful flowers.
All photos were taken by me and my husband Ken. I currently use a Sony a6700, which I love for both photos and videos! (I still love my Nikon D750 though!) Check out my recently updated camera gear blog post!
p.s. I have a YouTube channel featuring beautiful garden tours! Please give me a follow there if you love gardens, nature & flowers too! 🌸
* This blog post may include affiliate links for which I may receive a small compensation. Learn more about my affiliate & cookies policy here. Thank you for supporting this flowery blog! 💛🌸🌿
When Do Flowers Bloom in California?
When do flowers and wildflowers bloom in California and when is the best season or months to see them? Here’s a summary that covers both Northern California and Southern California. Please note that since Southern California tends to be warmer than Northern California, there will be some variations in bloom time.
🌸 California Flower Bloom Calendar 🌸
| Flower | Bloom Period |
| Magnolias | late January to April |
| Mustard Fields | January to March |
| Calla Lilies | late January to late-March or early April typically |
| Almond Blossoms | Mid-February to mid-March |
| Cherry Blossoms | February to April/May |
| Plum Blossoms | Mid-February to March |
| Peach Blossoms | Mid-February to March |
| Tulips & Daffodils | March to April |
| Poppy Fields | March to May |
| Wildflowers | March to June |
| Lupines | March to April |
| Ranunculus | March to mid-May |
| Irises | March to May |
| California Lilacs (Ceanothus) fields | Late March to early April |
| Wisteria | April |
| Roses | April to October |
| Purple Ice Plants | April to May/June |
| Jacarandas | Late April to early June |
| Lavender | May to August (usually peaks in June) |
| Stock flower fields | May |
| Sunflowers | June to July |
| Zinnia fields | Late June to October |
| Hydrangeas | July to October |
| Dahlias | July to September |
| Marigold Fields | October |
| Fall Colors | August to November |
| Camellias | November to May/June |
Where to Find Beautiful Flowers in California
Magnolias
Magnolias bloom time: late-January to April.
The Best Places to See Magnolias in Northern California:
- SF Botanical Garden – 200 magnolia trees in this garden! More info and pics in my post on Where to See Magnolias in the Bay Area
- Golden Gate Park (next to DeYoung Museum, Middle Lake and other areas)
- Filoli Gardens in Woodside – my favorite garden in Northern California! More info and pics in my blog post on Filoli Gardens
- SF Presidio
I have a blog post on where to find Magnolias in the Bay Area!
The Best Places to See Magnolias in Southern California:
- Descanso Gardens in La Cañada Flintridge
Yellow Mustard Fields
Mustard fields bloom time: late-January to March
The Best Places to See Yellow Mustard Fields in Northern California:
- Napa & Sonoma Valley (Wine Country) – fields of tiny yellow flowers can be seen throughout the vineyards and fields. (see pic below!) Drive along Hwy 29 or Silverado Trail. Visit Napa Valley has more information and a map of suggested viewing area!
- Point Reyes National Seashore
- Half Moon Bay
- Moss Beach (Pillar Point Bluff)
- Mt Diablo State Park
- Livermore (next to Costco)
- throughout the East Bay Hills
The Best Places to See Yellow Mustard Fields in Southern California:
- Chino Hills State Park
- Malibu Creek State Park
- Chula Vista
Calla Lilies
Calla Lilies bloom time: typically, from late-January to late-March or early-April.
The Best Places to See Calla Lilies in Northern California:
- Calla Lily Valley in Big Sur – a magical field of wild calla lilies in a hidden valley next to a beach! More info and pics on my post on the Calla Lily Valley in Big Sur
- Pacific Grove coastline near Lover’s Point
- Land’s End/Ocean Beach in San Francisco
- SF Botanical Garden
- Mendocino Coast trails near Fort Bragg
🌸 My Favorite Flower Books 🌸
Take a look at these beautiful books from my favorite photographer Georgianna Lane!
Cherry Blossoms
Cherry blossom bloom time: February to May depending on type and weather – see blog post for details.
The Best Places to See Cherry Blossoms in Northern California:
I have an entire post on the Best Places to See Cherry Blossoms in the Bay Area!
- Filoli Historic House and Gardens in Woodside – beautiful cherry blossom trees (including weeping cherry blossom trees) blooming among other Spring flowers. More info and pics in my blog post on Filoli Gardens
- Japanese Tea Garden in San Francisco – more info and pics here: Cherry Blossoms at the Japanese Tea Garden
- Golden Gate Park meadows
- The Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco
- Hakone Gardens in Saratoga
- Japanese Friendship Garden in San Jose
- Hayward Japanese Gardens
- Mountain View Cemetery in Oakland
The Best Places to See Cherry Blossoms in Southern California:
- Descanso Gardens in La Cañada Flintridge – A wonderful place to see Spring flowers near L.A.! More info and pics on my blog post on Descanso Gardens. More info also on the Descanso Gardens website and Descanso Gardens Instagram.
- The Huntington Library Gardens (in the Japanese Gardens) – a must-visit garden for art and flower lovers! More info on the Huntington website and Huntington Instagram account.
- Japanese Friendship Garden and Museum in San Diego’s Balboa Park – they’re having a 20th Anniversary Cherry Blossom Festival March 13-16!
- South Coast Botanic Garden in Palos Verdes Estate – more info at the SCBG website.
Almond Blossoms
These short-lived blossoms are often planted in large orchards and the effect is so stunning!
Almond blossoms bloom time in California: mid-February to mid-March typically
The Best Places to See Almond Blossoms in California:
- Blossom Trail in Modesto – Check out their guided “Almond Blossom Cruise“! In the Modesto area, two farms that allow visitors in their orchards are Rodin Farms and Modesto and Robert’s Ferry Gourmet Stores in Waterford.
- Blossom Trail in Fresno
- They can also be seen along the roads in Central Valley like Bakersfield along I5, Ripon, Tracy, HWY 120, and Yolo County cities like Woodland.
Peach Blossoms
Peach blossoms bloom time in California: mid-February to March typically
The Best Places to See Pink Peach Blossoms in California:
I have an entire blog post on Where to Find Peach Blossoms in California!
- Blossom Trail in Modesto – In the Modesto area, two farms that allow visitors in their orchards are Rodin Farms and Modesto and Robert’s Ferry Gourmet Stores in Waterford.
- Ripon and Del Rio – along East River Road
- Blossom Trail in Fresno
- Brentwood
- Sutter Creek in Amador County
- Chico
- Petaluma (Sonoma County)
- Woodland (Yolo County)
Plum Blossoms
Plum blossom bloom time: mid-February to early March depending on type and weather.
The Best Place to See Pink Plum Blossoms in Northern California:
- City of San Ramon – in front of Dougherty Station Library on Bollinger Canyon Rd, elsewhere along Bollinger Canyon Rd, and at the San Ramon Community Park nearby on Dougherty Rd.
Tulips, Daffodils & Other Spring Flowers
Daffodils bloom time – February to March
Tulips bloom time – late February/March to April
The Best Places to See Tulips, Daffodils and other Spring flowers in Northern California:
- Filoli Historic Estate and Garden in Woodside – the BEST place to see Spring flowers! See why I consider Filoli to be the most beautiful Spring garden in California!
- Queen Wilhelmina Tulip Garden in Golden Gate Park (by the Dutch Windmill)
- SF Botanical Garden in Golden Gate Park
- SF Union Square Tulip Day / Flower Bulb Day in March with over 80,000 tulips (pick 15 free stems)!
- Ferrari-Carano Winery in Healdsburg
- Earthbound Farms in Carmel (You-Pick tulips!) – more info on the Earthbound Farms Instagram account
- Oakland California Temple in Oakland
- Gamble Garden in Palo Alto
The Best Places to See Tulips, Daffodils and other Spring flowers in Southern California:
- Descanso Gardens in La Cañada Flintridge – very pretty garden with cherry blossoms and thousands of tulips in the Spring! see my blog post on Descano Gardens for pics and more info!
Ranunculus
Ranunculus bloom time – March to mid-May
The Best Place to See Ranunculus in California:
- The Flower Fields of Carlsbad Ranch in Carlsbad – spectacular 50-acre flower field filled with colorful flowers! More info in my blog post on Flower Fields and at the Flower Fields website.
Poppy Fields in California
Poppies bloom time – typically March to April/May
Important note – wildflowers usually don’t bloom on a set schedule at a set location because, well, they are wildflowers! Wildflowers have popped up in the following locations before, but their appearance is not guaranteed every year.
The Best Places to See Poppy Fields in Northern California:
- Mt Diablo State Park in Walnut Creek – large poppy fields on mountain hillsides with sweeping views! More details and pics in my blog post on Mt Diablo poppy fields.
- East Bay Hills
- Coyote Hills Regional Park in Fremont
- Almaden Quicksilver County Park in San Jose
- North Table Mountain Ecological Reserve in Oroville
The Best Places to See Poppy Fields in Southern California:
- Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve – stunning endless fields of orange poppies pop up during Superbloom years! See my blog post on the Antelope Valley poppy fields!
- Diamond Valley Lake
- Joshua Tree National Park
- Carrizo Plain National Monument – huge vast valley and hills covered with wildflowers during Superbloom years! See my blog post on the Carrizo Plain wildflowers!
- Red Rock Canyon State Park
- Santa Monica Mountains
- Chino Hills State Park
- Anza Borrego State Park
- Lake Elsinore/Walker Canyon (closed to public access in 2023-2024)
Lupines in California
Lupine bloom time – end of February to March for Folsom Lake and Anderson Lake; June to July for Lake Tahoe
The Best Places to See Purple Lupines in California:
- Folsom Lake – large lupines fields bloom at Folsom Lake usually only during drought years, but when they do bloom, it’s spectacular! See more pics in my post on Where to Find Lupines in Northern California
- Anderson Lake – lupines have been spotted here before.
- Lake Tahoe – During lupine Superbloom years, you’ll fine lupine fields in June and July. Lake Forest Beach in Tahoe City.
Important note – wildflowers usually don’t bloom on a set schedule at a set location because, well, they are wildflowers! Lupines have popped up in the following locations before, but their appearance is not guaranteed every year!
Wildflowers in California
(wildflowers other than poppies and lupines)
Wildflowers bloom time – typically March to April/May
The Best Places to See Wildflowers in Northern California:
- North Table Mountain Ecological Reserve – wildflowers including poppies and lupines
- Point Reyes National Seashore
- Chimney Rock Trail near Point Reyes
The Best Places to See Wildflowers in Southern California:
- Carrizo Plain – fields of yellow, purple and orange: goldfields, baby blue eyes, hillside daisies, tidy tips, larkspur, phacelia (purple), coreopsis, owl’s clover. See my blog post on the Carrizo Plain wildflowers!
- Anza Borrego Desert State Park (northeast of San Diego)
- Death Valley National Park
Rose Gardens in California
Roses bloom time in California – April to October
The Best Rose Gardens in Northern California:
- McKinley Rose Garden in Sacramento – my favorite rose garden in Northern California! See my blog post on The Most Beautiful Rose Garden in Northern California!
- Filoli in Woodside – my favorite overall garden in Northern California! See why I consider Filoli to be the Most Beautiful Garden in California!
- The Gardens at Heather Farm in Walnut Creek (Cowden Rose Garden) – my favorite rose garden in the Bay Area! It’s filled with rose bushes, rose terraces, rose pillars and even has a rose-covered gazebo!
- Municipal Rose Garden in San Jose – a huge 5 1/2-acre garden filled with roses and arches! More info on their website.
- Golden Gate Park Rose Garden
- Morcom Rose Garden in Oakland
- UC Botanical Garden Rose Garden
- Berkeley Rose Garden
- Cline Cellars Winery in Sonoma
The Best Rose Gardens in Southern California:
- Huntington Botanical Gardens in Pasadena
- Exposition Park Rose Garden in L.A.
- Wrigley Gardens in Pasadena
- Inez Grant Parker Memorial Rose Garden (in Balboa Park) in San Diego
🌸 My Amazon Spring Finds! 🌸
Purple Ice Plants
Purple ice plants bloom time in California – April to May/June
The Best Places to See Purple Ice Plants in California:
- Pacific Grove near Lover’s Lane – bright carpet of purple ice plant flowers bloom next to the coast every Spring! See my blog post on the Pacific Grove ice plants for pictures and more info!
- Montara State Beach (park at the parking lot)
- Along California coast Highway 1
Lavender Fields
Lavender bloom time in California – May to July (peaks in June)
The Best Places to See Lavender Fields in Northern California:
- North Bay Wineries (such as Monte Bellaria di California in Sebastopol (Sonoma County) and Matanzas Creek Winery in Santa Rosa)
- Araceli Farms in Dixon (can book a photo shoot for a fee)
- Lavender Bee Farm in Petaluma
- Pageo Lavender Farm in Turlock
- Cache Creek Lavender in Rumsey (Lavender Festival in July)
- HVH Specialty Growers in Fairfield
The Best Places to See Lavender Fields in Southern California:
- Highland Ranch & Inn / 123 Farm in Cherry Valley (Lavender Festival May-July)
- The Lavender Garden in Lost Hills
- Santa Rita Hills Lavender Farm in Lompoc
Dahlias
Dahlia bloom time in California – July to September
The Best Places to see Dahlias in Northern California:
- Golden Gate Park’s Dahlia Dell/Garden next to the Conservatory of Flowers
- Filoli Historic Estate and Gardens – see why I consider Filoli to be the most beautiful Spring garden in California!
- The Gardens at Lake Merritt in Oakland
- EarthSpoke Farms in Mendocino
Fall Colors in California
Best time to see Fall colors in California – August to November
The best places to see Fall colors in California:
- Yosemite – sooo spectacular in the Fall! See my blog post on The Best Places to See Fall Colors at Yosemite
- Napa & Sonoma Valley
- Apple Hill
- Bishop area
- June Lake
- Hope Valley
- Lake Tahoe
- Grass Valley
Photos of Beautiful Flowers in California
These are some sample photos from my travels that are found throughout my blog. I’m always looking for more beautiful places to visit, so stay tuned for more!
Did I Miss Anything?
I’ve put together this calendar based on my personal experience and from what I’ve seen and heard from friends and on social media. If you know of any hidden gems or anything else that I may have missed, please do let me know and I’ll update this calendar so that we can all benefit and enjoy more beautiful flowers!! 😊🌸❤️
My YouTube Channel!
I’ve started a YouTube channel! If you love nature, flowers and gardens as much as I do, make sure to give me a follow there! 😊🌸🌿
Step Inside the Most Beautiful Spring Garden!
Featuring the best of Spring Flowers at Filoli over the past 2 years! Tulips, cherry blossoms, daffodils and much more!🌸
Thank You!
Thank you for stopping by my blog! I hope you found this post useful, and I hope you have a wonderful day!
Pansy ❤️
Hi, I’m Pansy!
Hello, thanks for stopping by! I’m Pansy, a California-based photographer, flower & nature lover, and travel blogger. 🌸🌼🌿
I also have a YouTube channel where I feature beautiful gardens, parks & flower fields. Make sure to follow me there if you love flowers & gardens! 😊
If you’d like to contact me, please send me an email or DM me on Instagram!
Pansy ❤️
Thank you for creating this! This is truly amazing and just what I was looking for
You’re so welcome!! I’m glad it was helpful and it’s so nice to hear from a fellow flower lover! 😊🌸🌼
Hi there,
Love your website. Thanks for sharing!
My group of friends and I love flowers. We live close to San Francisco. We would appreciate if you would recommend a place to go, take a flower pix and walk around to enjoy the flowers.
Thanks & Regards,
Vivian
Hi Vivian, for mid-April, I highly recommend Filoli Historic Estate & Garden in Woodside, which has so many beautiful Spring flowers in bloom! Check out my blog post https://mustloveroses.com/beautiful-garden-california where I include photos from last April. It’s a private garden, so you do have to pay an admissions fee, but it’s well worth it! In SF, have you visited the Japanese Tea Garden? The cherry blossoms are at peak bloom right now! Wisteria is also in bloom all over the Bay Area, including at Gamble Garden in Palo Alto and Mission Gardens in Santa Clara University. Poppies and wildflowers are also in bloom… Roses are just now starting to bloom – in a couple of weeks, the local rose gardens should be beautiful! (see my list of rose gardens above!)
I hope this helps! Let me know where you end up going!
Pansy 🙂
Wow thank you for your flower Guide 🌸💕. I creating a vision of things I like and the places I should visit. Lol between visiting national parks throughout California and the various location of the botanical garden. I a lot to seee
oh how wonderful, national parks and gardens are always at the top of my travel wish list too!! 😊🌸❤️