Spiny Sunflower Buds at Mount Diablo Wilderness
Saturday, May 30th, 2026 at 2:51:34 PM · 2026/Mt Diablo Camping - Juniper Canyon
This close-up macro photograph captures a yellow composite flower, likely a species of Grindelia (gumplant) or possibly Dittrichia/Inula, with strikingly spiny involucral bracts surrounding both an open bloom and a closed bud. The open flower displays slightly disheveled yellow ray florets around a brownish-gold central disk, suggesting the bloom is past its prime. The spiny green bracts are a defining characteristic, giving the buds an almost cactus-like, alien appearance against the soft bokeh background of dried grasses and green foliage. Shot in afternoon light at Juniper Canyon in Mount Diablo State Park, the image conveys the rugged, late-season character of California's coastal range flora.
Chronologically Adjacent
