Coronado Beaches Abound in Blooming Native Flowers

With spring lingering on and summer around the corner, native flowers on Coronado’s beaches and sand dunes are in full bloom. Sand dunes present an unusual ecosystem for flora. That survive in disturbed sandy areas of coastal dunes and in between scrubs, usually at sea level. The combination of sandy soils with good water drainage and maritime climate produces an environment for this unusual group of flowers. An opportunity to see these plants in bloom awaits on San Diego’s beaches with good examples on Coronado Island and the Silver Strand. just a short drive away from downtown San Diego to Coronado Island. Driving on Route 75 between Coronado and Imperial Beach you can see the Beach Evening Primrose (Camissonia cheiranthifolia) which is a yellow flower, native to Coronado beaches, in full bloom right now. Non-natives are also in bloom and the one that is probably the most prevalent is the iceplant (Carpobrotus edulis). Those vivid pink flowers that light up the landscape are also crowding out the natives, according to Christopher M. Peregrin, Stewardship Coordinator and Environmental Scientist at the Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve at Silver Strand State Beach. To view these flowers on the Silver Strand, plan to park at one of the locations: parking outside of Fiddler’s Cove and the Silver Strand State Beach day parking lot. Remember that plant collecting is not allowed. In addition to presence of these wildflowers, Threatened and Endangered birds nest in the dune and back-beach habitats of the Silver Strand. Please stay out of the signed or fenced areas that protect these rare species. “Take pictures, leave footprints.” For more information on visiting Coronado and on seeing native plants in bloom on coastal sand dunes, call the Coronado Visitor Center at 619-437-8788, or go to www.coronadovisitorcenter.com. The Coronado Visitor Center is located at 1100 Orange Avenue, in the 1910 Harter Building along with the Coronado Museum of History and Art. The hours are Monday-Friday, 9-5, Saturday and Sunday, 10-5. Closed on Christmas Day, New Year’s Day, and Easter. Susan Enowitz Executive Director Coronado Historical Association Museum of History & Art 619.435.7242 ext.2 http://www.coronadohistory.org “Ozily Yours: L. Frank Baum in Coronado” on exhibit