Botanical Tour of Carrillo Ranch...

When Lynne shared the following, I knew I was in! 

"Botanical walking tours are returning to Leo Carrillo Ranch Historic Park! Tours will take place every second Friday of the month at 9:30 a.m. Guests meet in the parking lot, and the tour will last approximately 90 minutes. Tours are free and do not require reservations. Botanical expert, and docent, Pat Linton will lead the tours around the Ranch and talk about rich diversity of plant life."
This special place has called to us a few times (link here).
This sprawling, 27-acre ranch, in the middle of suburbia, was once owned by former co-star of TV’s The Cisco Kid, Leo Carrillo (who played Cisco's sidekick, Pancho).



Rooted in beauty, Pat guided us along the Botanical Trail to uncover plant mysteries Leo Carrillo loved. He drew and wrote about the plants that inspired his dream to create Ranch of the Spanish Daggers. It was through this tour that we discovered a paradise of plants that connected us with the natural beauty of the rancho.
With identifying plaques along the path one could do a self-guided tour but much would have been missed without Pat's extensive knowledge. Wow.
"Merry Toyon! During winter holidays, this native shrub produces red berries, and is also known as Christmas berry and California holly. Its properly prepared berries were food for Native Americans and a feast for birds, bears, and coyotes."

One of my favorites is this amazing creature. "After a dozen years or longer—a century is a tease—this agave produces a towering flower stalk adorned with yellow-green flowers. Bats are the plant’s main pollinators. Agave syrup is made from the pina, or heart of the plant."




"Black Sage: Notice the square stems and opposite leaves that are characteristic of plants in the Mint family. Leaves and flowers were used to treat sore throats and colds."


“Where arroyos creep to the ocean shore.
‘Neath spreading oak and sycamore,
Your graceful slopes I used to roam.”
—Leo Carrillo, from his poem, Purple Hills


Bird-of-paradise is one of my favorite flowers (and a perfect choice if one has allergies).
We learned the interesting way it shares its pollen. "A bird hops onto the smaller, lower petal, and the bird's weight exposes the anthers, which brush pollen on the bird's feet and chest. When the bird flies to another flower, it lands on the prominent and sticky stigma and deposits pollen, before hopping in for another nectar treat."
We learned an overwhelming amount of botany facts. Did you know that there are over 700 species of Eucalyptus?
"California Pepper Tree: Notice a spicy scent? Spanish explorers, Leo’s great, great grandfather among them, brought the seeds of this quick growing Peruvian tree to grow wood for saddles and campfires. Clusters of yellow-white flowers appear in summer, followed by red berries."

We also met the cochineal, a scale insect from which the natural dye carmine (red) is derived. This critter, found on the pads of prickly pear cacti, has for centuries been collected and dried. Carminic acid can be extracted from the body and eggs, then mixed with aluminum or calcium salts to make carmine dye, also known as cochineal. Today, carmine is primarily used as a colorant in food and in lipstick (traditionally it was used for coloring fabrics). So dang cool.

“Well, you keep your streets and your buildings grand,
and I’ll take my cactus and sagebrush land.”
—Leo Carrillo, from his poem, Longing


Leo Carrillo wisely said, "Beauty spots, historic sites, and notable buildings should be preserved for future generations... never used for any purpose except the benefit of the citizens and the education of children." His rancho, preserved here and shared with us, free of charge, benefitted and educated us greatly. What fun!

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