© Project SOUND
Out of the Wilds and Into Your Garden
Gardening with California Native Plants in Western L.A. CountyProject SOUND – 2016 (our 12th year)
© Project SOUND
Fall Color: CA native plants for Autumn
color
C.M. Vadheim and T. Drake
CSUDH (emeritus) & Madrona Marsh Preserve
Madrona Marsh PreserveNovember 5 & 10, 2016
How do you picture ‘Fall Color’?
© Project SOUNDhttp://www.inspiredhomeideas.com/amazing-colorful-autumn-fall-pictures/
© Project SOUND
Bigleaf maple – Acer macrophyllum
©2016 Zoya Akulova
West coast & mountains – S. CA to Canada
Higher altitude stream banks & moist canyons; below 7000 ft.
Locally: Santa Monica and San Gabriel Mountains
© Project SOUND
Bigleaf maple – Acer macrophyllum
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=11746
Charles Thoreau Townsend © California Academy of Sciences
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acer_macrophyllum
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Acer_macrophyllum_in_Hoh_Valley.jpg
© Project SOUND
Bigleaf maple: big tree when mature Size:
30-75+ ft tall 20-40 ft wide
Growth form: Woody tree; may be multi-
trunked Winter deciduous Lives 50-200 years Attractive wood; used for
furniture and veneers
Foliage: Large, maple leaves May have nice
fall color (yellow)
Roots: deepSusan McDougall, hosted by the USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
©2016 Zoya Akulova
http://www.nwplants.com/business/catalog/ace_mac.html
© Project SOUND
Flowers: barely noticeable
Blooms: Spring - usually late March in in S. Calif.
Flowers: Small, pale green-yellow Separate male & female flowers on
same tree; can vary timing Pollinators: bees, flies, and beetles;
Swallowtails
Seeds: Bristly, biwinged samara bearing one
seed/wing Prolific seeder
Vegetative reproduction: can sprout from stump
http://www.answers.com/topic/dudleya
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acer_macrophyllum
http://www.public.iastate.edu/~bot356/species/species/a_eSpecie/AcerMacr.html
© Project SOUND
Plant Requirements Soils:
Texture: most local pH: any local to 8.0
Light: wide range – tolerates full sun to quite shady.
Water: Winter: supplement as needed Summer: regular water
Fertilizer: naturally grows in areas with slightly richer soils; supplement probably best
Other: Use an organic mulch (or a
water-loving grass) Roots may invade sewer lines Re-seeds
http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/1095--acer-macrophyllum
© Project SOUND
Bigleaf maple: landscape tree
Any place a large, watered tree is needed; fine in lawns
Excellent habitat plant Fall color (with some cold
weather)http://www.nwplants.com/business/catalog/ace_mac.html
http://www.ucd.ie/plantmat/treeidentification/acer/http://friendsofpierpark.org/forest/big-leaf-maple-acer-macrophyllum/
© Project SOUND
* Vine Maple – Acer circinatum
© Clayton J. Antieau.
© Project SOUND
Vine Maple grows in moist forests
Soils: Texture: any well-drained pH: slightly acidic (5.5 to 7.5)
Light: Afternoon shade or even more
shady Great plant for under tall trees –
pines, firs
Water: Winter: need good water Summer: best watered weekly in
warm weather – Zone 2-3
Fertilizer: likes a rich soil with plenty of organics; fine to fertilize (2/3 strength/dose)
Other: organic mulch a must
http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ldplants/acci1.htm
http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ldplants/acci1.htm
© Project SOUND
Vine Maples brighten dark places
As an attractive accent plant – green foliage, red samaras & fall foliage color (maybe)
Along stream banks – for a woodsy look
In large pots – can even bonsai
As a tall informal or semi-formal screen
As a narrow tree in shady areas (like side-yards)
Espaliered along a wall, fence or large trellis
Susan McDougall @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database © 2003, G. D. Carr
© Project SOUND
Acer circinatum‘Monroe’
Very deeply dissected leaves
Looks like Japanese Maples – good for Asian-themed garden
http://www.ubcbotanicalgarden.org/forums/showthread.php?t=7254
© Project SOUND
Acer circinatum‘Pacific Fire’
Very red bark
Yellow-orange foliage in fall – may be some red leaves in cold climates.
Widely available from commercial nurseries
http://www.portlandnursery.com/plants/nativePicks/natives_acer_circinatum.shtml
© Project SOUND
http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ldplants/acci1.htmhttp://www.yerbabuenanursery.com/viewplant.php?pid=357
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American/Western dogwood – Cornus sericea
©2006 Shawn DeCew
Canada/northern U.S. into CA
Locally in San Gabriel Mtns, ? Santa Monica Mtns
Riparian areas and other moist sites
AKA ‘Redosier dogwood’
© Project SOUND
American/Western dogwood – Cornus sericea
©2013 Jean Pawek
Br. Alfred Brousseau, Saint Mary's College
Var. occidentales Var. sericea
© Project SOUND
Plant Requirements Soils:
Texture: not particular; clays are fine
pH: any local
Light: part-shade (under taller trees or with some afternoon shade)
Water: Winter: fine with seasonal
flooding Summer: needs some summer
water – Zone 2 to 3
Fertilizer: use an organic mulch
Other: plant where gets good circulation
– susceptible to fungal diseases Prune out oldest 25% of
branches in winter
©2013 Jean Pawek
© Project SOUND
Dogwood in gardens Commonly used in places that get
a little extra water – rain gardens, swales, etc.
Makes a nice shrub under trees Can be used for hedges – coppice Also does fine in large containers
http://plantsciences.montana.edu/horticulture/PS231/VCTT/area10/area10b/Cornus_sericea.jpg
©2013 Julie Kierstead Nelson
http://www.talltreesgroup.com/Cornus%20Sericea.jpghttp://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/217--cornus-californica
Cornus sericea occidentalis'Tomales Bay'
California native cultivar from Tomales Bay, Marin County
All the good characteristics of the species
© Project SOUND
http://www.calfloranursery.com/plants/cornus-sericea-occidentalis-tomales-bay
©2013 Jean Pawek
http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/217--cornus-californica
© Project SOUND
S. California has some lovely, reliable fall foliage
Cottonwoods (Populus)
Willows (Salix)
Western Sycamore (Platanus racemose)Box elder (Acer negundo)
Issues with CA Riparian trees (in urban landscapes)
Large size: most are more appropriate for parks, botanic gardens, other large gardens
Some are prone to branch- drop (willows & cottonwoods)
Roots invade pipes – water-seeking
Susceptible to Polyphagous Shot Hole Borer (PSHB)
© Project SOUND
The Narrowleaf willow can be grown in large containers
Some non-native trees may be better choices for reliable fall color
© Project SOUND
Crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia species)
© Project SOUNDhttps://perennialgardener.wordpress.com/2010/12/17/a-tree-for-all-seasons-2/crepe-myrtle-fall-color/
Sweetgum - Liquidambar styraciflua
© Project SOUNDhttp://www.urbanforestnursery.com/treeprofiles/profilesweetgum.html
Maidenhair tree (Ginkgo biloba)
© Project SOUNDhttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/uss/index.cfm?tagname=fall%20color
Asian pear - Pyrus serotina
© Project SOUND
‘Anna’ Apple - Malus domestica 'Anna'
© Project SOUND
http://www.starkbros.com/growing-guide/article/fruit-tree-care-fall-planting
Pears and apples can be espaliered to accommodate a small space
© Project SOUNDhttp://arizonatraveler.blogspot.com/2011_05_01_archive.html
© Project SOUND
California Wild Grape – Vitis ‘Roger’s Red’
© Project SOUND
Native CA Grapes are a great addition to the garden
Trained over a pergola or arbor – the classical use
To hide a chain-link or other fence
On trellises to screen a poor view or plain wall; or provide summer shade
As a groundcover, particularly on slopes
Even in a large Mediterranean pot
Because we don’t have truly cold temperatures, brilliant fall colors are less
reliable in S. California
© Project SOUND
Why do some leaves turn color in fall? Lengthening nights signal fall changes
in plant tissues
Leaves prepare for winter leaf-drop by:
Increased production of special chemicals; transporting nutrients out of leaf cells
Decreased production of the green pigment, chlorophyll
Yellow and orange pigments, previously masked by chlorophyll, now can be seen
With cold exposure, additional red (anthocyanin) pigments may also be produced
© Project SOUND
The secret ingredient: cold temperatures
© Project SOUNDhttp://regex.info/blog/2013-02-19/2213 http://www.gardensuiteresort.com/golden-temple-kyoto-pictures/
Reality: lowland S. California is too warm for brilliant fall leaf displays
In many parts of the country, chrysanthemums = fall
© Project SOUND
http://www.growplantsinpots.com/grow-chrysanthemum-plants-in-containers/
They are reliable, bright fall bloomers
Texas gardens (and the water-wise industry) have inspired another look for fall gardens
© Project SOUND
http://www.penick.net/digging/?p=18474
Why are the Tex-Mex fall bloomers so popular?
Something new & pretty
Bright colors; many cultivars, hybrids
Readily available
Good sizes for smaller gardens – even containers
Touted by commercial growers and ‘water-wise establishment’
Many are essentially tropical – tolerate more summer/fall water
© Project SOUND
Mexican sage – Salvia leucantha
© Project SOUNDhttp://www.sb.watersavingplants.com/eplant.php?plantnum=1480&return=b_aS
Native to Mexico & Central America
© Project SOUND
*Texas/Scarlet/Tropical sage – Salvia coccinea
https://www.pinterest.com/waterlooatx/hamel-2014/
Native to Texas and Southeastern U.S.
© Project SOUND
Scarlet Sage cultivars Attractive pot plant, even in part-shade Easy from seed; readily available on-line Needs regular water
http://fnps.org/plants/plant/salvia-coccinea
http://www.mullerseeds.com/salvia-cocconea-summer-jewel-pink.html
© Project SOUND
*Baby/Graham's/Blackcurrant sage –Salvia microphylla
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salvia_microphylla
Native to mountains of SE Arizona, Mexico
© Project SOUND
Why it’s loved Attractive flowers, foliage Fills a pot or planter Takes part-shade Needs regular water Readily available Many cultivars, mostly reds, pinks
https://englishgardeneclectic.wordpress.com/2012/08/14/2012-the-winners/
http://www.prideofplaceplants.com/2011/plants/salvia-greggii-heatwave-blaze/
‘Blaze’
http://www.sfbotanicalgarden.org/garden/bloom_14_12.shtml
‘Hot Lips’
© Project SOUND
*Autumn (Texas) sage – Salvia greggii
http://www.geoscapenursery.com/Perennials.html
Native to Texas, Mexico
© Project SOUND
Salvia greggii in the garden Attractive choice for pots and planters Can be spectacular when massed Many cultivars: mostly brilliant reds, pinks and
magentas, but also purples, peach, even white Aromatic foliage Attracts hummingbirds, butterflies Tolerates heat, but needs regular water
http://www.eldoradowindyfarm.com/SFBG-salviavarious.htmlhttp://dancingredranch.com/where-have-all-the-hummingbirds-gone/
My (potential) reservations about the Tex-Mex fall color plants
They don’t really look like S. California – don’t contribute to our ‘sense of place’
May be invasive, particularly in our climate
May not be as good habitat plants as local natives
May not be as water-wise as we’re told (come from areas with summer precipitation)
© Project SOUNDhttp://www.wildflower.org/gallery/result.php?id_image=8454
If you really need those colors in your fall design scheme:
Use them as accents, rather than main players (unless you’re going for a Texas-style garden)
Grow them in containers
Easier to give them the water they need (even if the rest of the garden is drier)
Allow you to create fall color even in shadier places (where these plants actually do well)
Don’t let them re-seed
© Project SOUND
Do you have to have fall garden that looks like this?
© Project SOUND
https://zoomeboshi.com/2012/10/21/fall-colors/
http://signaturegardens.blogspot.com/2010/12/playing-favorites.html
Or can you learn to relish one that looks like this?
© Project SOUND
What is your favorite color?
© Project SOUNDhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_psychology#/media/File:RGB_color_wheel_72.svg
Men and women like different colors…
© Project SOUND
http://neilpatel.com/2015/05/14/the-psychology-of-color-how-to-use-colors-to-increase-conversion-rate/
…but the most favorite colors overall are blue and green
It’s easy to create a pleasing garden with blue skies and plenty of green
© Project SOUND
Fall garden colors present a bit more challenge
© Project SOUNDhttps://instapage.com/blog/ultimate-guide-to-color-psychology
Golds, tans, oranges and browns
Positive associations
Ageless and timeless Straightforward,
uncomplicated Solid, reliable, serious Practical Warm and cozy Nature and natural things Restful, safe
Negative associations
Dead plants; vacant lots Untidy Cheap, frugal (too sensible) Somber Dull, boring Conservative Fall garden chores
© Project SOUND
That just means we have to work a little smarter when designing fall gardens
© Project SOUND
© Project SOUND
Natural landscapes: lovely in fall
What makes these landscapes attractive?
© Project SOUND
Some green
Contrasting accentsMasses of color
Dark background ‘frames’ the picture
Contrasts are an important design element
© Project SOUND
But contrast is essential for the fall garden
© Project SOUND
The two most important fall
contrasts
© Project SOUND
Green vs. non-green
Light vs. dark
A few tricks for creating a colorful Southern California fall garden
1. Provide backgrounds that highlight fall accent plants
2. Plan enough green foliage to ensure:
The garden still looks viable Enough contrast for the colorful
parts of the garden
3. Select plants that provide fall color accents:
Leaf color Bright fall flowers Colorful seeds, fruits or other
© Project SOUND
The background color depends on the accent plant
© Project SOUND
The importance of a contrasting backdrop becomes even more obvious in fall
© Project SOUND
Mother Nature often relies on darker evergreen trees to provide the backdrop
© Project SOUND
This trick also works well in gardens
© Project SOUND
A few tricks for creating a colorful Southern California fall garden
1. Provide backgrounds that highlight fall accent plants
2. Plan enough green foliage to ensure:
The garden still looks viable Enough contrast for the colorful
parts of the garden
3. Select plants that provide fall color accents:
Leaf color Bright fall flowers Colorful seeds, fruits or other
© Project SOUND
We’ve talked before about the benefits of green hedges, screens & hedgerows
© Project SOUND
Larger evergreen shrubs/hedges provide a good backdrop for many fall colors
© Project SOUND
Plants to consider for a green fall background Evergreen conifers
Pines (consider size) Junipers
Evergreen shrubs Toyon Sugarbush Lemonadeberry Coffeeberry Smaller manzanitas Scrub oaks
Agaves Agave shawii Agave ‘Blue Flame’ (A.
shawii x attenuata) Yucca bacata & other
Yuccas Warm season grasses
© Project SOUND
Shaw’s agave
California coffeeberry
If you only have a small space? Use wall color to provide a backdrop…
© Project SOUND
…or cover the wall with an evergreen
© Project SOUND
Cover with evergreen vines
Espalier an evergreen native (like Toyon)
I can’t emphasize too strongly: green foliage is an essential part of the well-designed
S. California fall garden
© Project SOUND
What do you think of when you hear the word ‘green’?
fresh shady
cool spring
© Project SOUND
Can green effect our brains?
Green is often used in decorating for its calming effect. For example, guests waiting to appear on television programs often wait in a “green room” to relax.
Green is thought to relieve stress and help heal. Those who have a green work environment experience fewer stomachaches.
Green can improve reading ability (speed and comprehension) - ? Improves concentration
© Project SOUND
http://www.furnisketch.com/antique-retro-the-green-room/
http://www.whitehousemuseum.org/floor1/green-room.htm
Medium to dark greens make light and bright colors appear more intense
© Project SOUND
Mother Nature’s fall design: the basics
© Project SOUND
Evergreen background
Green accents
Large swaths of different browns, golds & tans
Garden design: same basics adapted for use in a smaller landscape
© Project SOUND
Evergreen background
Green accents
Large swaths of different browns, golds & tans
Note how this garden uses ‘appropriated’ trees for part of the green backdrop
How much green do you need?
choice25%
© Project SOUND
choice40%
choice50%
choice75%
choice10%
Depending in the garden size and accent colors, 25-40% green coverage
© Project SOUND
Ironically, large landscapes may get by with less green than smaller ones
Of course the choice and placement of background plants depends on the accent plants
© Project SOUND
A few tricks for creating a colorful Southern California fall garden
© Project SOUND
1. Provide backgrounds that highlight fall accent plants
2. Plan enough green foliage to ensure:
The garden still looks viable Enough contrast for the colorful
parts of the garden
3. Select plants that provide fall color accents:
Leaf color Bright fall flowers Colorful seeds, fruits or other
Sometimes you can incorporate fall color into your hedge or hedgerow
© Project SOUND
Native plants with colorful fall foliage/bark
Trees/large shrubs Western dogwood (Cornus
glabrata) Cornus sericea
Red/purple Vines/climbers & groundcovers Acer circinatum Anemopsis californica Lonicera hispidula Vitis ‘Roger’s Red’
Smaller shrubs Berberis/Mahonia aquifolium Ribes (Currant/Gooseberries)
© Project SOUND
Mahonia aquifolium Ribes speciosum
California’s fall red foliage – sometimes subtle and sophisticated
© Project SOUND
http://www.wineandbeerwalk.com/info_wilmington.html
Pink Honeysuckle – Lonicera hispidula var. vacillans
© Project SOUND
© Project SOUND
Berries are edible – enjoyed by birds Berries in summer/fall Bright red – in showy clusters –
can be dramatic Fruits edible – with a little
sweetner Fruit-eating birds will take care
of them for you
http://www.backyardnature.net/n/09/091004.htm
http://blog.duncraft.com/2010/08/10/feed-fruit-and-berries-to-your-birds/
Cedar waxwing
Garden uses for native honeysuckles On fences or trellises – they need
something to grow on
Over an arbor or pergola; great addition to scented garden & great habitat plants
As a groundcover on slopes
© Project SOUND
http://www.thegardenhelper.com/psd/lonicera_hh.jpg
© Project SOUND
Yerba Mansa – Anemopsis californica
S. California’s native fall colors: sometimes warm and bright
© Project SOUND
Native plants with colorful fall foliage/bark
Yellow/orange/mahogany
Trees Willows (Salix species) Cottonwoods (Populus species) Western sycamore (Platanus
racemosa) Boxelder (Acer negundo) Bigleaf maple (Acer macrophyllum) S. Californa walnut (Juglans
californica) Island ironwoods (Lyonothamnus
floribundus)
Large shrubs Western redbud (Cercis
occidentalis ) Sourberry (Rhus trilobata) Currants & gooseberries
(Ribes)
Smaller shrubs Amelanchier alnifolia
'Regent‘ Wild roses (Rosa species)
© Project SOUND
Other local sources of yellow foliage
© Project SOUND
Blue/Mexican elderberry
Sourberry – Rhus trilobata
Wild roses
S. CA Wild Grape - Vitis girdiana
Sometimes the color is fleeting, but other local natives provide lasting leaf color
© Project SOUND
Island ironwoods (Lyonothamnus floribundus) create a colorful mulch for many months
© Project SOUND
Western redbud – Cercis orbiculata/occidentales
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/437412182535475317/
N. California east to S. Utah and south to S. Arizona; at 500-6000 ft. elevation
Dry, shrubby slopes, canyons, ravines, streambanks
Chaparral, Douglas Fir Forest, Central Oak Woodland, Joshua Tree Woodland and Yellow (Ponderosa) Pine Forest
© Project SOUND
Western redbud – Cercis orbiculata/occidentales
http://clminternship.org/blog/?author=572&paged=2 ©2005 Gary A. Monroe
http://dendro.cnre.vt.edu/dendrology/syllabus/factsheet.cfm?ID=203
© Project SOUND
Western redbud: large shrub/small tree
Size: 6-20 ft tall 6-20 ft wide
Growth form: Multi-trunk large shrub or
small tree, Rounded crown w/ many
spreading branches; can be trained to a central leader.
Gray bark
Foliage: Rounded heart-shaped leaves Winter deciduous; fall color
(yellow-gold to red-brown)
https://selectree.calpoly.edu/tree-detail/cercis-occidentalis
©2009 Gary A. Monroe
© Project SOUND
Western redbud makes a nice small tree
Small tree for water-wise gardens Excellent wildlife habitat Year-long interest: flowers, green
foliage, fall color (leaves, pods), architectural branches (winter)
Fine on slopeshttps://www.pinterest.com/pin/11962755236984876/
The real local stars of fall have showy flowers and/or seeds & fruits
© Project SOUND
Plants with fall flowers – Yellow, orange, buff
Shrubs (large) Coyote bush (Baccharis pilularis) Goldenbushes
Hazardia species Isocoma menziesii
Shrubs (smaller) Abutilon Rabbitbush (Ericameria
nauseosa) Other Ericameria species Gutierrezia californica
Other Annual sunflower
(Helianthus annuus) Clinopodium mimuloides Epilobium canum Heterotheca grandiflora Mimulus cardinalis
© Project SOUND
California Fuschia – Epilobium canum
California fuschia look spectacular massed – or against a green backdrop
© Project SOUND
If you’re limited to container gardening, a few orange-flowered plants may bloom again in Fall
© Project SOUND
http://www.livingandkitchen.com/15454-cheap-adirondack-chairs-exterior-modern-with-adirondak-deck-dobkins-house-floor-to-ceiling-window-frank-lloyd-wright-mid-century-patio-potted/cheap-adirondack-chairs-porch-beach-with-adirondack-chairs-area-rug-container-plants-hurricane-lamps-neutral-colors-outdoor-cushions/
© Project SOUND
Scarlet Monkeyflower - Mimulus cardinalis
© Project SOUND
*Monkeyflower savory – Clinopodium mimuloides
Beatrice F. Howitt © California Academy of Sciences
© Project SOUND
Monkeyflower savory: a little more upright
Size: 1-3 ft tall 2-4 ft wide
Growth form: Sub-shrub/perennial; drought-
deciduous to evergreen Slender, fuzzy branches; more
upright in brighter locations Fast growth
Foliage: Simple, medium-green Aromatic – minty (tea)
Roots: shallow roots; spread via rhizomes
http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/satureja-mimuloides
© Project SOUND
Plant Requirements Soils: Texture: any pH: any local
Light: Best bloom in morning sun; part-
shade, dappled shade or quite shady in most gardens
Water: Winter: adequate; tolerates
seasonal flooding Summer: keep it green (Water
Zone 2-3) or more natural (Zone 2) – taper off water in late Aug/Sept
Fertilizer: probably OK; organic mulch would work as well
Cut back to 2-4 inches in late fall after blooming ceases (like CA Fuschia – Epilobium species)
© Project SOUND
Monkeyflower savory: hummingbird habitat Under trees and other shady parts of the
garden - groundcover In a hummingbird garden paired with
Heuchera maxima & Aquilegia Formosa –mid-ground
As an attractive pot plant
http://www.anniesannuals.com/plt_lst/lists/general/lst.gen.asp?prodid=950https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5579/14797700067_98a9c7fccf.jpg
If you have a sunny location, you’re in luck
© Project SOUND
Notice how the yellow flowers contrast with green background
The Goldenbushessignal Fall
Isocoma menziesii Hazardia squarrosa
Telegraph plant (Heterotheca grandiflora)
© Project SOUND
© Project SOUND
Two Coastal Goldenbushes
Similar growth habit (2-4 ft shrub) and flowers; fall blooming (Aug-Oct)
Coast Goldenbush: foliage lighter; leaves rounder, softer, Sawtooth Goldenbush: foliage stiffer, prickly
Coastal Goldenbush – Isocoma menziesii Sawtooth Goldenbush – Hazardia squarrosa
© Project SOUND
Goldenbushes are easy to grow in our area…
Soils: Texture: any, even clay pH: any, even alkali
Light: full sun best
Water: Young plants: need some water to get
going – plant in fall Summer: little to moderate (Zone 2);
looks better with occasional water
Fertilizer: none (although probably wouldn’t hurt it)
Other: even tolerates seaside conditionsCut back yearly in the fall after bloom
Goldenbushes are excellent choices for local water-wise gardens
Do well in almost any local soil
Water-wise & sun loving – need little to no supplemental water
Good size for mid-bed; foliage provides nice contrast to foreground plants (spring/summer)
Great for erosion control on slopes; mix with grasses, other native shrubs
Super habitat plants: butterflies, bees, birds in fall (when such habitat is needed)
© Project SOUND
Ericamerias – smaller shrubs for fall gold
Shorter and more shrub-like than Goldenbushes
Like occasional summer water Glorious color – fantastic habitat
© Project SOUND
Ericameria linearifolia
Ericameria ericoides
Ericameria nauseosa
The Senecios
© Project SOUND
Senecio flaccidus var. douglasii
Senecio californicus
©2015 Zoya Akulova
Look more like native perennial asters or sub-shrubs
Fewer flowers, but nice foliage Green up with late summer water Fabulous habitat plantsWe will have some of these
for sale at the Fall Plant SaleNov. 18, 19 - CSUDH
© Project SOUND
California Matchweed – Gutierrezia californica
http://cals.arizona.edu/yavapaiplants/imageviewer.php?&genus=Gutierrezia&species=sarothrae&imagenum=0
Genus Gutierrezia Named for Pedro Gutierrez
(Rodriguez), a 19th century Spanish nobleman, botanist and apothecary at the Madrid Botanical Garden
Commonly called ‘Snakeweeds’ or ‘Matchweeds’
© Project SOUND
Native to CA and Baja Los Angeles Co.: foothills of San Gabriels
& Liebre Mtns, Griffith Park, Westwood, - 1 from Palos Verdes
Sunny sandy or rocky areas in grasslands, scrub, or open woodlands
AKA: San Joaquin snakeweed
© Project SOUND
CA Matchweed – Gutierrezia californica
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=3140
G.A. Cooper, hosted by the USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database ©2010 Neal Kramer
© Project SOUND
Matchweeds: small, bunching sub-shrubs
Size: 8-20 inches tall 2-3 ft. wide
Growth form: Mounded, bunching sub-
shrub from woody root Many stems – but fairly
open
Foliage: Medium- to gray-green,
narrow leaves (almost linear)
May be drought-deciduous
Roots: stout, woody taproot
J. E.(Jed) and Bonnie McClellan © California Academy of Sciences
© Project SOUND
Sunny & bright
Blooms: Usually May-Nov. in S. CA Blooms in response to rain or
watering – quite dramatic
Flowers: Small (1/4 to 1 inch) sunflower
heads with yellow ray and disk flowers
Fantastic insect plant; attracts wide range of insect pollinators (beetles, flies, bees, butterflies and others)
Seeds: fluffy sunflower seeds are favorite of birds
©2010 Neal Kramer
© Project SOUND
Matchweeds are hardy, drought-resistant plants Soils:
Texture: prefers well-drained soils; if clay, plant on slope or berm
pH: any local
Light: full sun to part-shade
Water: Winter: supplement if needed Summer: very drought tolerant, but
best with monthly water
Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils
Other: Mulch should be inorganic (gravel) or
light organic Prune back (nibble) for nice shape
©2010 Neal Kramer
© Project SOUND
Matchweed in gardens As an attractive pot plant As a filler in mixed dry beds; great
with buckwheats, silver-foliage plants For Fall flower color As an important insect habitat plant,
particularly in Fall As a medicinal: warm poultice of
foliage for joint/muscle pain
©2009 Barry Breckling http://www.flickriver.com/photos/eastbaywilds/sets/72157630212655446/
…but that’s not all
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Berries of Summer holly and other fruit-bearing natives often provide Fall color
Plants with colorful Fall fruits, seeds Trees/large shrubs
Creambush (Holodiscusdiscolor)
Summer Holly (Comarostaphylisdiversifolia)
Toyon (Heteromelesarbutifolia)
Berry bushes, roses, grapes
Smaller shrubs Native buckwheats (Eriogonum
californicum; E. fasciculatum; E. giganteum; E. parvifolium)
Catalina silverbush
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Toyon – Heteromeles arbutifolia
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Toyon color occurs earlier with drier conditions
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But the real seed-color stars are the native buckwheats
Native Buckwheats: lovely throughout the year
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Giant Buckwheat/ St. Catherine’s LaceEriogonum giganteum var. formosum
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St. Catherine’s Lace makes a grand statement in the garden
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E. gianteum is a representative native buckwheat
Foliage White-green Thick Drought deciduous Used as larval food by Blue and
Hairstreak butterflies
Flowers typical Cream-pink fading to rust Clustered in dense heads Used as nectar source by many
butterflies, bees, other pollinators
Seeds – eaten by birds in late summer/fall
http://www.timetotrack.com/jay/stcath.htm
Like all Eriogonums, prone to hybridization
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Garden potential
Tall informal hedge
On dry sunny slopes
For erosion control
As a specimen plant (both for gray foliage, summer flowers and fall seed heads)
Dried flowers in arrangements
Bird/butterfly habitat gardens
As a backdrop for smaller shrubs and perennials in a border, planter or parkway
In large pots; can be pruned up to show its thick, rough trunk and branching structure
Because of their dark fall seed heads, buckwheats also
make good background shrubs
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https://plus.google.com/s/Eriogonum%20giganteum/top
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California Buckwheat - Eriogonum fasciculatum
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California Buckwheat - Eriogonum fasciculatum
Southwestern U.S. to Utah, Arizona, nw Mexico s Sierra Nevada, Central
Western California, Southwestern California, East of Sierra Nevada, Desert
Common. Dry slopes, washes, canyons in scrub < 2300 m.
fasciculatum : derived from a Latin word meaning "bundles" and describing the way the leaves are attached to the leaf stem in little bunches or 'fascicles'
http://www.cnr.vt.edu/DENDRO/dendrology/Syllabus2/factsheet.cfm?ID=639
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?5936,5994,6045
var. fasciculatum
var. foliolosum
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var. fasciculatum: Dry slopes and canyons near the coast, coastal sage scrub
var. foliolosum: Sandy to gravelly flats, slopes & canyons , mixed grassland and chaparral communities, oak and conifer woodlands
http://www.cnps.org/cnps/nativeplants/gallery/ingram/index.php
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Characteristics of California Buckwheat
Size: similar to Dune Buckwheat 2-5 ft tall 3-5 ft wide
Growth form: low mounded semi-evergreen
shrub Many-branched, but truly
shrub-like
http://www.newportbay.org/plants/index.html
Foliage: Leave alternate, but densely clustered
at nodes, evergreen, narrow lanceolate (nearly needle-like)
http://www.birdmom.net/wildflowerspink.html
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CA Buckwheat: showy for months
Great for summer color: May-Nov. possible
As an alternative to the non-native Rosemary
In perennial beds
On parking strips & bordering paths and driveways
For erosion control
larval foodsource for MormanMetalmark, Bramble Hairstreak, Common Hairstreak, Avalon Hairstreak
Shrubby Buckwheats can even be sheared to shape for a more formal look
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CA Buckwheat cultivars make good (but large) groundcovers
‘Dana Point’ - brighter green leaf, more mounding than species; 2-3 ft tall, 5-8 ft spread
'Bruce Dickinson' – good for groundcover; stays close to the ground, spreads nicely, and holds good form throughout the year.
‘Theodore Payne' – low groundcover (1 ft high; 1-3 ft spread)
'Warriner Lytle' - A sprawling low growing California buckwheat; can grow to 2 feet tall but is often more prostrate, hugging the ground like a mat
‘Dana Point’
Warriner Lytle’
You could design an entire fall garden around our local native buckwheats
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A colorful S. California fall garden takes planning – and time
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Fall Pruning Workshops –Mother Nature’s Backyard
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Mother Nature provides some valuable lessons on fall gardening
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Coming in December: Designing with Silver Foliage
Several words come to mind when I see a Fall garden
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peaceful
grounded
productive
appropriate
warm & inviting
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I want to sit, relax and enjoy Fall’s bounty
A garden should connect California’s past with her future
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In summary, we have choices about how our Fall garden will look
© Project SOUNDhttp://www.inspiredhomeideas.com/amazing-colorful-autumn-fall-pictures/
Or we can learn to relish one that looks like this
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