lion's tail / wild dagga
Leonotis leonurus
Lamiaciae

I saw several of these around the neighborhood, but I don't even know where to begin looking up what it is. It looks like something from S. Africa.

ps 09/09/09 - We walked this evening and I couldn't believe that these were STILL blooming all around town, in September!!! Even if it's a non-native, I can see why anybody would like to have it in their garden.

pss 04/18/10 - Now that I know better, the comment from September may be the START of the bloom, not necessarily still blooming.

pss 07/29/10 - Hmm... I see this blooming around town right now. Can it really bloom all year long?

pss 11/07/10 - Thanks to Sue in the comments below, I now have an ID for this unknown. I've added the common name, scientific name, and embedded links above. I believe it's a non-native from South Africa, but since I've only seen them in gardens I don't count it as a wildflower.

happy wanderer ~ 01/31/09 ~ Pacific Grove

happy wanderer / purple vine lilac
Hardenbergia violacea

Fabaceae

This is in our neighbor's yard and I have no idea what it is. If she wasn't so aloof, I'd ask her.

ps 02/18/10 - Thanks to visiting a friend today who's renovating her garden, I discovered that this is called "happy wanderer" which was enough to search on google. Previously I labeled it "unknown purple flowering bush."

golden wattle ~ 01/31/09 ~ Pacific Grove

golden wattle / acacia tree
Acacia longifolia
Fabaceae

Finally found what this is! I'm thinking this might be the same bright yellow one sees on massive trees along Hwy 1 between Watsonville and Aptos this time of year. Having spent 9 years in Ohio, it strikes me that January "should be" too early to see spring yellows.

blossom ~ 01/31/09 ~ Pacific Grove

blossom

Prunus sp.
Rosaceae