March 30, 2006

A walk on the wild side

Second annual Wildflower Walk scheduled
for April 8 at Quicksilver Park

By Jeanne Carbone Lewis
Staff Writer

It’s the time of the year when the wildflowers are in bloom. And for a truly enjoyable visit to the county’s spectacular landscape, join the second annual Wildflower Walk sponsored by Santa Clara County Parks and New Almaden Quicksilver County Park Association.

Santa Clara County Parks interpreter Terri-Sanislo-Williams and New Almaden Quicksilver County Park Association President Kitty Monahan brave a heavy rainfall to find wildflowers for the scheduled April 8 Wildflower Walk. Photos by Jeanne Carbone Lewis

“It’s not just the wildflowers we’ll see on the Wildflower Walk,” said Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation [SCCPR] park interpreter Terri Sanislo-Williams. “Everything that has a heartbeat or grows toward the sun is game for discussion.”

The scenic exploration is scheduled at the Hicks/Wood Road entrance to the New Almaden Quicksilver Park on April 8 at 1 p.m., but don’t worry about driving there. Everyone will meet at the Quicksilver Museum at Casa Grande and follow park personnel to the entrance on the way to Mt Umunhum.

Sanislo-Williams will interpret the foliage for the children who attend. New Almaden Quicksilver County Park Association [NAQCPA] President Kitty Monahan, NAQCPA members Roberta Lamons and Bob Clement will lead the adults to view the colorful wildflowers and vistas of oaks, California bay laurels, buckeyes and madrones. The area is known as a mountain lion reserve but sightings of turkeys, cottontail rabbits, deer, birds of prey and song birds are more common.

“I like this part of the park the very best,” said Sanislo-Williams. “It’s beautiful and it’s an easy walk for everyone. Kitty worked really hard to have this park opened.”

Monahan was instrumental in helping with the acquisition and the opening of the Wood Road entrance two years ago. Tucked in Jacques Ridge, the trail provides respite to the initiated. The name—Wood Road—dates back to the old Quicksilver Mine when redwood was transported from the Santa Cruz Mountains.

Here is a sampling of some of the wildflowers that bloom in the spring:

Blue witch
A circular delicate violet flower surrounds the yellow centered blue witch [solanum unbelliferum]. The woody shrub is also known as blue nightshade and likes dry rocky slopes. It blooms all spring and summer with grayish-green leaves and makes green berries the size of a hazelnut. The shrub is related to the deadly nightshade but is also related to the tomato, potato and wild tomatillo.

California buttercup
This is one of the most common of the spring flowers in the park. Buttercups like grassy slopes that are wet in spring. The Latin name rununculus, means “little frog” because you can often find the tiny creatures close by. Indians boiled the roots and roasted the seeds. The raw seeds are poisonous. The Indians also extracted yellow dye from the flowers.

Larkspur
Tall stately purple stalks of wild larkspur [delphinium] thrive in full sun to partial shade throughout the Quicksilver Park. It can be poisonous to some animals, most notably cattle.

Miner’s lettuce
A hardy round leaf with delicate, tiny flowers at the center provides a thicket wherever miner’s lettuce [claytonia perfoliata] grows. It appears first in sunlit areas but the best stands are under the shade. As the days become warmer, the leaves turn a deep red color as they dry out.

With the beginning of spring, abundant wildflowers grow wild throughout New Almaden Quicksilver Park. Pictured is a Johnny Jump Up [viola pedunculata].

The Indians and Quicksilver mine families really did eat it—raw in salads or boiled like spinach—which it resembles in taste. It is said that the Indians used to place it by ant hills to pick up formic acid as a dressing. Because of its round shape, the leaf was often an accruement on a visit to the outhouse by the miners.

Sticky monkey flower
The yellow flowers of the sticky monkey flowers [mimulus guttatus] are seen abundantly in the Santa Clara valley and can bloom all year long. Of the snapdragon family, the flowers have two large petals reminiscent of monkey’s ears and the leaves are sticky. Although quite bitter, the young foliage and stems can be eaten. The Indians crushed the leaves and applied them to wounds.

The Wildflower Walk is scheduled on April 8 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Interested parties should meet at the New Almaden Quicksilver Museum parking lot at 21350 Almaden Rd., San Jose. Please call to confirm as the date may be changed due to weather conditions. (408) 323-1107.