In late spring, California’s grasslands begin their annual transformation from lush spring-green into the golden hues of summer. If you look carefully, you might see hundreds of showy pink, rose, red, and purple blooms scattered like jewels amidst the tall grasses in the drying-out landscape.

These flowers are Clarkia, named after Captain William Clark of the Lewis and Clark expedition that crossed the American continent from 1804-1806. Some organizations are now calling for Clarkia to be renamed Yorkia after York, a Black man who was an important member of the expedition. York, who was enslaved by Clark, was a naturalist and helped describe the plants and animals the expedition encountered.

For many centuries before the Lewis and Clark expedition collected this plant, Clarkia was an important food source for many California Indigenous people who ground its tiny seeds, along with other seeds and nuts, into pinole, a porridge-like nutritious food.

Many wildflower lovers have a special place in their hearts for Clarkia, as they are among the last spring blossoms that persist well into summer. Their common names of “Farewell to Spring” or “Summer’s Darling” seem especially appropriate as they are such beautiful harbingers of seasonal change.

In California, there are more than 70 Clarkia species and subspecies; 20 of them are found in a variety of habitats in the Bay Area. In San Mateo County, two parks with abundant Clarkias are Edgewood County Park along the aptly-named Clarkia Trail, and the Devil’s Slide Trail on the coast between Pacifica and Half Moon Bay. Where are your favorite Clarkia locales?

Clarkia’s resilience and adaptability make it an ideal native plant for gardeners to grow in a sunny spot, as it thrives in containers as well as in the ground with minimal care. Clarkias provide seeds for birds, pollen and nectar for butterflies, bees, moths, and insects, and their long-stemmed flowers add pops of joyful wild beauty when used in flower bouquets.

You can buy Clarkia plants at some native plant nurseries, but check first to be sure they are in stock. Or you can simply sow the tiny seeds by pressing them gently onto the topsoil, as they need light to germinate. Water regularly until the plants emerge; once the plants are established, they are very drought-tolerant. Stand back and watch them grow and bloom!