Tracking the Wildflowers

With all this winter’s rains, the wildflower show this spring may be spectacular. Those who don’t want to miss the show and want to know where the flowers are blooming and when can use the Flowerfax service offered by the Theodore Payne Foundation for Wildflowers and Native Plants.

It started on March 5, and subscribers will get 13 weekly faxed publications that say where the best flowers are and how to get there. The cost is $50 for the service, or $5 for a single issue. To request faxes and pay by credit card, call (818) 768-1802.

There is also a map available for an additional $5 that shows the best locations. The foundation checks with 40 spots each week, from the low desert to the mountains, to see what’s blooming.

Slightly less detailed information is also available free over the phone on the foundation’s 24-hour Wildflower Hotline. Call (818) 768-3533. It is updated every Thursday, at 7 p.m., through May 28.

With its Flowerhill display area, native plant nursery and gift shop (with seeds, tools and books for sale), the foundation is open to visitors. The 22-acre grounds and demonstration areas are open Wednesday through Sunday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at 10459 Tuxford St. (off La Tuna Canyon Road near Sunland Boulevard) in Sun Valley.