Why do mustard flowers grow in Napa Valley? Biodiversity! Mustard is planted between vineyard rows as a cover crop to protect the soil and replenish it with nutrients, while also attracting beneficial insects, preventing erosion, and warding off grapevine pests.
Here’s to the Season Between the Seasons
Every February and March, Napa Valley springs to life with an explosion of wild mustard blooms, carpeting rows of vineyards with bright yellow flowers and ushering in a new growing season.
Mustard season is one of the best-kept secrets in wine country!
Grab your selfie sticks and follow the map below for the very best mustard season photo op spots.
Mustard Season Map
February–March
Please use this map as a guide to the typical locations of mustard blooms each year. As nature changes year to year, we cannot guarantee these spots will have flowers, and we cannot guarantee the bloom will continue throughout the entire month.
#WildMustardDays
Mustard Season FAQ
What are the yellow flowers that bloom in Napa Valley?
Mustard blooms! These tiny yellow flowers are the first sign of spring in wine country.
Blanketing rows of vineyards with a carpet of vibrant yellow, the mustard bloom is an unexpected, and truly spectacular, sight to see.
How long does mustard season last?
Generally, the mustard bloom in Napa Valley lasts from late January through March - depending on the weather - and peak viewing usually occurs in mid-February.
The mustard bloom is quickly followed by bud break in the vineyards, signifying the start of a new growing season.
Where can we take photos of mustard flowers in Napa Valley?
You can stop for photo opps along public roads, but be sure to pull safely off the road, avoid private property, and please be mindful of the grapevines (they’re still sleeping!).
Download the mustard season map for a self-guided adventure.
What else is there to do during mustard season?
It’s pretty amazing that spring in Napa Valley begins in February — it’s the best time to get outside and enjoy mild weather, beautiful hiking and biking trails, kayaking on the Napa river, birding in the wetlands, Napa’s Lighted Art Festival, the Yountville Short Film Festival, and more.