Jim Popenoe
Dune-mat Vegetation, Orick Beach, California
Native dune mat is colorful and diverse. In the photo above are sea rocket (upper left by water with pink flowers) beach morning glory (lower left), yarrow (upper center right, white flowers), dune grass (top of dune on right), yellow sand verbena (center, yellow flowers) and beach pea (lower right, with bicolor magenta and white flowers and gray foliage). Dune-mat plants flower mostly in May or June. Growth depends upon rain to wash out salts, so the flower show is best in wet springs.