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The term “superbloom” has been thrown around excitedly this year, especially after the rainy season that just hit California––more than 600% of the normal rainfall. This month, California is coming alive with the radiant colors of wildflowers. 

I got a preview last weekend at . Blanketed with the most vibrant greens, oranges, purples, and whites, it felt like I was walking through a watercolor painting. North Table Mountain lived up to its name: The entire landscape was flat, except for the majestic, twisting blue oaks that stood against the crisp, cloudless sky. It seemed as if the blanket of color would never end until I reached the cliffside––an immediate drop into an impressive canyon complete with a 160-foot waterfall. 

As a UC ����ԭ�� environmental science student, I had been looking forward to this moment for months. Almost every plant ecology professor has raved to me about this Northern California gem. What better time to visit than during what many are anticipating as California’s superbloom? 

But will this season’s explosion of wildflowers truly be “super?” UC ����ԭ�� plant ecology professors weighed in. 

Recipe for a superbloom 

According to Plant Sciences Professor , a superbloom occurs after a wet year that follows several dry years. Annual wildflowers, which live only one year, won’t germinate in dry years and will remain dormant in the soil until conditions are right. When all of these dry years happen in a row, wildflower seeds accumulate in the seed bank. 

“A very wet year – like the year we are having now – could trigger germination of all of these seeds at once, leading to a superbloom,” Funk said. 

But even with a stocked seedbank and the right conditions, keeping the seeds that do germinate alive is just as important, according to Evolution and Ecology Associate Professor . “Maintenance rains,” sunlight, cold temperatures, and avoiding disturbance are all important for seedling survival. 

When all of the factors align, wildflowers are given the go. 

“It’s absolutely breathtaking,” marveled Gremer. 

Will it happen? 

After this intense rainy season, it seems like everything adds up, but will the bloom really be as huge as expected? Among UC ����ԭ�� professors, there is no consensus. 

Funk isn’t too optimistic about a record superbloom, while Plant Sciences Professor is: “My sense is that, given the extended period of drought that preceded this year’s record-setting precipitation, superblooms are very likely in many areas of California.” 

To Plant Sciences Professor , a superbloom may be likely, but only in certain parts of California. In the wetter Northern California, the best blooms often result less from water and more from fire or well-timed grazing that reduces non-native grasses and allows wildflowers to thrive. In areas where non-native grasses explode with the rain, a superbloom is not likely. With the intense rainy season, the desert could be plausible, but timing of rain could make or break it.

Responsible wildflowering 

Whether or not there is an official “superbloom,” it’s undeniable that California will come alive with wildflowers––and their brilliance will attract crowds. 

“Each flower we crush from a selfie is a lost opportunity to rebuild the seed bank for the next superbloom." - Valerie Eviner

My hike at North Table Mountain was tinted by the three-t