First colchicum of the year

Is that a California Buckeye trunk? Do they range that far north- they can take plenty of cold,but the farther south,the sooner they drop their foliage-like the Colchium the signs of end of summer.

They are just about bare already with as much as 4 months of growing season,65-95f left. I never understood that. Why? lol.

Trunk is Ceanothus, Stan. California lilac "Victoria"

Your buckeye has to compromise : When the days are longest, there’s no water in California; when it’s raining, there’s little sunshine , days are short.
Plants have to survive by doing their growing on little sunlight or by figuring out how to grow with little or no available water.
We have Big leaf maple shading their leaves because of hot summer and no water.
I water colchicums so maybe they are thinking winter (rainy season is here :-)

Our Big maple is shedding not shading its leaves, LOL.

I should have said Klahanie "the start of mid summer". Even the ones by creeks- where it stays moist below the sands when "Dry Creek" does just that..drop those leaves in July like it's Alaska.

Native Western Maples are one of my favorite trees.

Are California Buckeye trees leafing early in the spring, Stan? I remember seeing them all naked with silvery bark at one point but do not remember where and when.

Yes far to early Klahanie :o(

And they are popping up everywhere like mushrooms after rain now. I looked at last year pictures and we are one month ahead.

My OH has just told me we have some in flower I must go out to see them :o)

And geese are flying south Amy. I wonder if the winter will come sooner.

I hope not Klahanie , I went out to look at my Colchicums they were flattened to the ground by the rain ,Grrr ..

They are very fragile Amy and they do not like rain. There is some rain in the forecast for Saturday . We have not got rain for several months and I am willing to sacrifice my colchicums for couple of rainy days. This was the driest summer on the Island as far as I remember and even big trees with deep roots are suffering. Watering everything was my main activity this summer. How boring, right?