perfect perennials - notes
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1/6/2013
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© Project SOUND
Out of the Wilds and Into Your Garden
Gardening with Western L.A. County Native Plants Project SOUND – 2012 (our 8th year)
© Project SOUND
Perfect Perennials California Native Perennials for a
Colorful Garden
C.M. Vadheim and T. Drake
CSUDH & Madrona Marsh Preserve
Madrona Marsh Preserve
April 7 & 11, 2012
So darned many perennials – where to begin?
© Project SOUND
We’ll be considering CA native herbaceous
perennials in the next few classes © Project SOUND
Our challenge today: the maturing garden
Time to assess what’s missing
1/6/2013
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What is a perennial? A perennial plant or simply
perennial (Latin per, "through", annus, "year") is a plant that lives for more than two years. The term is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter lived annuals and biennials.
Technically, perennials include:
Woody plants
Sub-shrubs
Herbaceous perennials
Bulbs
Ferns
Perennial grasses
© Project SOUND http://howdone.info/hd-shade-perennial-flowers-for-colorado
Herbaceous
perennials
Live more than 1 year
Have soft/succulent above-ground foliage
Usually are medium to small size - < 3-4 ft
Have a dormant period – often die back to the ground during that period
© Project SOUND
http://www.flickr.com/photos/eastbaywilds/6083877815/
Wild Ginger - Asarum caudatum
What is the difference between
herbaceous perennials & sub-shrubs?
Perennial sub-shrubs:
Part-woody; woody part extends at least partway up the stem
Usually don’t die back all the way – re-sprout from wood
Often the ‘juicy parts’ are eaten back in the wilds – but not in our gardens; that’s why we have to cut them back ourselves in the fall
Some S. CA native plants are difficult to categorize – continuum between herbaceous & woody
© Project SOUND
Herbaceous perennials usually have a
dormant period
Drought-induced Local S. CA herbaceous
perennials like Diplacus
Plant goes dormant and dies back in summer
Cold-induced Usually plants from
colder climates than ours – N. CA; S. CA mountains
Plant goes dormant in late fall/winter
© Project SOUND
What happens when we grow
these plants in our local gardens
– and don’t have drought- or
cold-induced dormancy?
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Native herbaceous perennials in S. CA
gardens may be a bit different, but…
© Project SOUND
Herbaceous perennials: might enhance
our maturing garden
© Project SOUND
So, you go to your favorite source of inspiration …
http://www.thisoldyard.net/tag/books-about-trees/
…and feel like you fell
down the rabbit hole
© Project SOUND
These clearly are not
‘New California
Gardens’…
© Project SOUND
http://www.redcedargardens.com/class/gardening-with-suzi-30/
http://www.hilltowntreeandgarden.com/portfolio-cottage-garden-goshen-stone-
pathways.html
…but they are sort of
pretty and interesting
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How do we apply the inspiration from
‘non-California’ perennial gardens to our
own gardens?
© Project SOUND
Where do herbaceous perennials fit into
the ‘New California Garden’ design?
The ‘perennial bed’ has been out of fashion for a while – but that’s changing (as the new books suggest)
The classical perennial bed is much more suited to colder climates than ours
It’s difficult to build an entire bed/garden around just CA native perennials – they just aren’t ‘backbone plants’
© Project SOUND
http://www.mjmgardendesign.com/consult2.html
http://www.gardenvisit.com/garden/salutation_garden
http://www.landscaperesource.com/articles/5-tips-designing-california-
native-gardens.htm
Native herbaceous perennials can be
used in several ways in our gardens
Use them as filler plants In a new garden – until the
larger woody plants grow
In mature gardens – to fill gaps or ‘difficult’ places
Use them as ‘fitted plants’ that provide specific additions to the mature garden – the plants are carefully chosen for their attributes
© Project SOUND
And that’s where the new books on perennial
gardens can be a source of inspiration
© Project SOUND
1/6/2013
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What can herbaceous perennials bring to
the garden?
Flower color
Specific foliage attributes – colors, shapes, textures
Sun and (especially) shade tolerance
Habitat value: particularly food (nectar, pollen, seeds, even foliage)
Attractants for beneficial insects
Food & medicinal plants
Other: dyes, fiber, scents
© Project SOUND
Lessons from the new perennial garden
books (for the New CA Garden)
1. Learn to ‘read the pictures’ – what is it I like about the feel of this garden?
2. Try to ‘capture the spirit’ -not duplicate the plants
3. Take the time to choose the right native plant for the job
4. Choose ‘value added’ native plants that still capture the spirit of the image you love
© Project SOUND
Our mission: find the perfect perennials
for this shady garden
© Project SOUND © Project SOUND http://allanbecker-gardenguru.squarespace.com/journal/2012/1/12/plant-a-perennial-garden-
that-flowers-for-eight-months-a-boo.html
http://www.gardenlady.com/favorites_2004.html
http://www.anniesannuals.com/plt_lst/lists/search/lst.srch.asp?prodid=1055&sr
ch_term=tellima
Delicate bloom spikes – succulent leaves
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Heucheras are only one possibility
© Project SOUND
Saxifragaceae - The Saxifrage Family
~ 1250 species in 80 genera
Found worldwide, many from northern temperate regions.
Mainly perennial herbs and shrubs, some evergreen, with only a few annuals or small trees.
Includes many common garden plants; Hydrangea
Astilbe
Bergenia Heuchera
Escallonia
© Project SOUND
© Project SOUND
* Fringe Cups – Tellima grandiflora
© 2007 Matt Below
Central to N. CA north to AK, MT, including coastal areas
Cool, moist woods & rocky places below 5000 ft.
Redwood Forest, Mixed Evergreen Forest, Yellow Pine Forest
© Project SOUND
* Fringe Cups – Tellima grandiflora
© 2003 Craig Smith
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_cpn.pl?TEGR2
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© Project SOUND
Fringe-cups: a woodland plant
Size: 1-2 ft tall – flowers to 3 ft
spreading 2-4 ft wide
Growth form: Herbaceous perennial
Mounded – like Heuchera
Foliage: basal clump of toothed,
shallowly-lobed, rounded, hairy, long-stalked, dark green leaves
Leaves, twigs, and seeds inside fleshy berries are all poisonous if eaten, and potentially fatal to small child, animal
© 2004, Ben Legler:
© Project SOUND
Flowers are enchanting
Blooms: spring - usually April-May in S. Ca
Flowers: Like Heuchera – but fancier;
fringed petals
Start pale, age dark pink
Long bloom season – flowers open in succession
Sweet fragrance
Hummingbirds adore them
Seeds: tiny – like fine pepper
Vegetative reproduction: spreads by thick underground rhizomes
© 2007 Matt Below
© 2007 Neal Kramer
© Project SOUND
Plant Requirements Soils:
Texture: most
pH: any local, though likes slightly acidic, well-drained
Light: Light shade to quite shady
Typical woodland plant
Water: Winter: supplement in dry
spells
Summer: regular water (Zone 2-3 to 3); older plants may tolerate Zone 2
Fertilizer: likes organic soils; amendments/compost fine
Other: use organic mulch
© 2008 Steve Matson
Groundcover for shady moist spots – under pine or redwood trees
North-facing exposures
Mixed beds
Rain garden or pond edges
© Project SOUND
Fringe-cups: perennial delight
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Tellima_grandiflora
http://www.alpinegardensociety.net/competitions/online-
show/2009/view+of+a+grouping+of+Alpine+plants+in+a+garden/606/
http://www.anniesannuals.com/plt_lst/lists/general/lst.gen.asp?prodid=1055
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‘Forest Frost’
Has variegated leaves – otherwise no different from straight species
© Project SOUND
http://www.rainyside.com/plant_gallery/perennials/
Tellima_grandifloraForestFrost.html
http://www.perennials.com/plants/tellima-grandiflora-forest-frost.html
Our mission: find the perfect perennials
for this shady garden
© Project SOUND © 2007 Matt Below
Something a little taller, bolder – with
white flowers to brighten the area
© Project SOUND
http://naturalmidwestgarden.com/archives/1090
Are their any choices that would also attract
butterflies?
http://www.hilltowntreeandgarden.com/portfolio-ashfield.html
© Project SOUND
Common Cowparsnip – Heracleum maximum
George G. Hawxhurst © California Academy of Sciences
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Throughout continental U.S. except the Gulf Coast; locally in the San Bernardino Mtns
In a variety of habitats including woodlands, forest openings, grasslands, and riparian areas (wet meadows, stream terraces, alluvial benches, floodplains, and stream and lake margins.
© Project SOUND
Common Cowparsnip – Heracleum maximum
Charles Webber © California Academy of Sciences
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_cpn.pl?HEMA80
The Apiaceae – Carrot Family
Formerly called Umbelliferae
Commonly known as carrot or parsley family
Mostly aromatic plants with hollow stems.
Large (16th largest flowering plant family) - more than 3,700 species/ 434 genera
Includes many well known plants: Angelica
Anise, caraway, coriander/cilantro, cumin, dill, fennel
Carrot, celery, parsley, parsnip
Hemlock, lovage, Queen Anne's Lace
© Project SOUND
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Apiaceae_Pimpinella_anisum.jpg
Many make excellent habitat
plants for home gardens
© Project SOUND
Common Parsnip is ‘back of the bed’ big
Size: 3-8+ ft tall
2-4 ft wide
Growth form: Herbaceous perennial; winter
deciduous
All parts large, robust
Stems succulent, hollow
Foliage: Medium green
Leaves very large, coarsely toothed & lobed – sort of like Acanthus leaves
Roots: stout taproot and/or fibrous
© 2005 Robert Sivinski
http://www.alaska-in-pictures.com/twins-exploring-108-pictures.htm
© Project SOUND
Flowers light up
shady areas
Blooms: spring/summer usually May-July
Flowers: Small and white
Sweetly scented – many butterflies are attracted
In dense to more open umbels – like a starburst – typical of the family
Seeds: Flat, ribbed seeds typical
for the family
Vegetative reproduction: ??
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Heracleum_lanatum_07269.JPG
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© Project SOUND
Common Parsnip
Likes water
Soils: Texture: well-drained best – but
adaptable
pH: any local except very alkali
Light: Part-shade best
Takes over with full sun & lots of water
Water: Winter: supplement in dry years
Summer: likes moist soil
Fertilizer: adaptable; does well in amended soils
Other: Always wear gloves when cutting, breaking stems – the juices of all parts contain a phototoxin that can act on contact with skin and exposure to ultraviolet light
Gary A. Monroe @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
Deadheading
Perennials
© Project SOUND
What is deadheading? Removing spent flowers/seed heads after
the plant stops flowering
Clipthe stalk back to the first set of healthy leaves below the flower stalk; leave the clippings as mulch/food
Why deadhead? To make the plant look more attractive
To prolong the bloom season/encourage a second bloom season
For many native perennials, and a few shrubs, a decent deadheading may be all the pruning they need! Plants that have a woody base but produce lots of lush growth each season, such as Monkeyflowers and Penstemon seem to respond especially well to this technique.
Must I deadhead? no
http://www.gapphotos.com/imagedetails.asp?imageno=47016
© Project SOUND
Big habitat plant
Large filler plant in shady areas
Woodland gardens
Shady slopes
Butterfly gardens
Pond/poolside, other moist areas
Medicinal uses
© 2004, Ben Legler
http://camissonia.blogspot.com/2011/04/spring-has-spring-despite-schizo.html
Our mission: find the perfect perennials
for this shady garden
© Project SOUND © 2007 Matt Below
1/6/2013
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© Project SOUND
* CA Lomatium – Lomatium californicum
J. E.(Jed) and Bonnie McClellan © California Academy of Sciences
Central & Northern CA from ]; Ventura and Kern Cos to S. OR
Wooded or brushy slopes to 5500', chaparral and foothill woodlands
© Project SOUND
* CA Lomatium – Lomatium californicum
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?329,426,428
© Project SOUND
CA Lomatium: shrubby perennial
Size: 2-5 ft tall
4-5 ft wide
Growth form: Herbaceous perennial
Shrubby-looking; clumped
Dies back to short stem/root in drought
Foliage: Usually blue-green
Looks like celery – and smells like it too!
Larval food – Anise Swallowtail
Roots: taproot stout, thickened
© 1998 Dean Wm. Taylor © Project SOUND
Flowers are pretty
Blooms: spring-summer; usually May-July
Flowers: Typical for the carrot family
Many, small yellow flowers
In a rather open umbel
Flowers attract a wide range of insect pollinators, including butterflies
Seeds: Flat, winged seed – typical of
Carrot family
If growing from seed, rinse several times in water – takes several days
© 2007 Matt Below
© 2009 Vernon Smith
1/6/2013
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© Project SOUND
Plant Requirements Soils: Texture: any well-drained
pH: any local
Light: Part-shade; morning sun or
dappled shade best
Water: Winter: adequate
Summer: let plants dry out after flowering
Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils
Other: cut back almost to ground in fall (or whenever you can’t take the dead branches any more!)
© 2010 Jean Pawek © Project SOUND
Garden uses for
Lomatiums
Accent plant – dry shade
In a mixed planting with grasses, annuals
In dry parts of the vegetable/medicinal garden
© Br. Alfred Brousseau, Saint Mary's College
http://www.baynatives.com/plants/Lomatium-californicum/ http://jay.timetotrack.com/ccal/lomatca2.htm
Lomatiums:
useful plants
Spring leaves, stems and roots eaten raw or cooked as greens
Leaves used as seasoning : Pick it before it blooms for a more
even, mellow flavor, or during or after the bloom for a stronger flavor.
Shade dry it in a warm spot with good ventilation, turning the leaves over every day or two. The flavor resembles celery.
Medicinal Root chewed for sore throat; dried
root smoked or decoction of roots taken for colds – makes at least 4 compounds with antibacterial action
Used as poultice for rheumatism
Ceremonial uses
© Project SOUND
http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/faculty/carr/ofp/lom_cal.htm
Native CA hunters chewed plant
to conceal their scent when
hunting
We’ll introduce some other great habitat
perennials in the next few months
© Project SOUND
Angelica hendersonii Lomatium utriculatum
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In another part of our shady backyard…
© Project SOUND http://knechts.net/weblog/post/270/
© Project SOUND
* California Hemp – Hoita macrostachya
© 2009 Lynn Watson
Western CA (except Great Central Valley)
Locally Long Beach, LA River, Santa Monicas, San Gabriels
Wetland-riparian between 0 and 5000 feet; in many plant communities (Yellow Pine Forest, Foothill Woodland, Chaparral, Valley Grassland, Coastal Prairie)
ho-IT-tay – Maidu name for this genus
AKA: Psoralea
© Project SOUND
* California Hemp – Hoita macrostachya
© 1994 Lee Dittmann
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_cpn.pl?HOMA4
© Project SOUND
Characteristics of CA Hemp
Size: 4-6 ft tall
4-6 ft wide
Growth form: Herbaceous perennial
Erect to sprawling
Looks like a large shrub, but dies back in fall
Foliage: Medium to blue-green
Leaves compound (3-part), sparse on stems
Roots: nitrogen-fixing (nodules)
© 2012 Aaron Arthur
http://sbwildflowers.wordpress.com/wildflowers/fabaceae/hoita/hoita-macrostachya/
1/6/2013
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© Project SOUND
Flowers are fantastic
Blooms: spring/summer usually May-July in S. CA
Flowers: On a club-like stalk that
elongates
Flowers pea-like
Color is lovely: shades of purple/pink/magenta
Beautiful contrasts – flowers & foliage
Seeds: Bean-like
In hairy, pea-like pods
© 2003 Michael Charters
© Project SOUND
Plant Requirements Soils:
Texture: just about any
pH: any local
Light: Best in light- to part-shade
Water: Winter: fine with flooding;
supplement if needed
Summer: regular water (Water Zone 2-3); taper off after blooming
Fertilizer: not picky; likes poor soils but OK with some fertilizer, amendments
Other: cut off old, dead branches in late fall
http://www.researchlearningcenter.org/bloom/mobile/species/Hoita_macrostachya.htm
© Project SOUND
Garden uses for
As a soil stabilizer along a sunny stream, in a marsh or at the ponds edge.
As an accent plant for shady parts of garden
Plant near or around trees such as alder, sycamore, box elder, and dogwood for a woodland garden retreat
Practical uses: roots Fibers
Yellow dye
Eaten (raw or cooked)
Pulverized for salve/poultice for sores, skin ulcers
© 2009 Lynn Watson © 2003 Michael Charters
Fall/Winter tasks: native herbaceous
perennials In general, these plants are
low maintenance: properly placed they come back year after year
Many need cutting back/removing dead material in fall/winter
Be sure you know which perennials need to be handled with care:
Toxicities
Rashes/allergies
© Project SOUND
1/6/2013
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Why do the perennials
produce such interesting
chemicals?
Plants in the genus Hoita produce furanocoumarins;
These substances can cause a serious photosensitive rash in some people
Precautions Wear gloves, long sleeves
Be careful not to get plant juices on skin – wash off immediately if you do with soap & water
Always wash skin and clothes after pruning
© Project SOUND
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hoita_macrostachya_(PSor
alea_macrostachya)_Edwards's_Bot._Reg._21.1769.1836.jpg
Now a little something low to fill in…
© Project SOUND
Native Honeysuckles make good
groundcovers (as well as vines) for shade
© Project SOUND
* Orange Honeysuckle - Lonicera ciliosa
© Project SOUND
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We could use Woodmints (Stachys spp.)
© Project SOUND
Now a little something low to fill in…
© Project SOUND http://www.northcoastgardening.com/2012/01/perennial-plant-2012-jack-frost-brunnera/
© Project SOUND
* Creeping Leather-root – Hoita orbicularis
© 1995 Lee Dittmann
California Floristic Province (except Great Central Valley) S. to Baja
Locally: very occasionally in San Gabriels – more common in San Bernardino Mtns
Many plant communities including Yellow Pine Forest, Foothill Woodland, Chaparral, Valley Grassland up to 4-5000‘ ft elevation
In moist places: meadows, stream sides, moist hillsides, pond edges, seeps
© Project SOUND
* Creeping Leather-root – Hoita orbicularis
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_IJM.pl?tid=28327
http://jay.timetotrack.com/socal/lethrc.htm
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The flowers &
leaves give it away
Proud member of the Pea Family - Fabaceae
© Project SOUND
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hoita_orbicularis_(Psoralea_orb
icularis)_Edwards%27s_Bot._Reg._23._1971._1837..jpg © Project SOUND
Creeping Leather-root: it creeps (of course)
Size: < 1 ft tall
1-3 ft wide
Growth form: Herbaceous perennial
Winter-dormant
Prostrate habit
Foliage: Leaves a trefoil – like a giant
clover (2-4” across)
Edible (young); used to fevers
Roots: N-fixing (nodules); produce yellow dye
© 2012 Jean Pawek http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/psoralea-orbicularis
© Project SOUND
Flowers:clover on steroids
Blooms: spring - usually May-June in western L.A. county
Flowers: On long spikes – up to 2-3
ft long; flowers open up sequentially
Each of the many flowers is up to 1” long, pea-like, and generally a shade of light to medium purple in color.
Very showy for a ground-cover – like the Woodmints
Seeds: in a small, hairy pea-like pod
© 2011 Barry Breckling © Project SOUND
Easy plant in the
right place
Soils: Texture: most
pH: any local except > 8.0
Light: Part-sun to shade
Good under trees or N-facing exposures
Water: Winter: fine with extra winter
water
Summer: regular water keeps it looking best: Zone 2 to 3
Fertilizer: not picky; OK with a little fertilizer, compost, organic mulch
Other: cut back old (dead/dying) foliage in fall
© 2011 Barry Breckling
1/6/2013
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© Project SOUND
Creeping Leather-root works
well in shade gardens
As a groundcover – alone or mixed
In rain gardens, infiltration swales
In pots and planters (incl. ‘mini-bogs’)
On slopes
Shady areas in a butterfly garden
Edges of vegetable or medicinal garden
© 2011 Barry Breckling
© 2012 Jean Pawek http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Hoitaorbicularis.jpg
http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/psoralea-orbicularis
And that’s not all…
© Project SOUND
© Project SOUND
Round leaved boykinia – Boykinia rotundifolia
© 2011 Neal Kramer
endemic to southern California, where it grows in shady forested areas near streams in the mountains
Locally: Santa Monica Mtns (Malibu Cyn); more common in San Gabriels
Boykinia: Dr. Samuel Boykin (1786-1848), an
eminent field botanist - did the majority of his collecting in Georgia.
He was one of the many collectors who sent significant numbers of plant samples to John Torrey and Asa Gray
© Project SOUND
Round leaved boykinia – Boykinia rotundifolia
© 2008 Thomas Stoughton
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?7088,7093,7096
1/6/2013
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© Project SOUND
Boykinia: woodsy & drapey Size: 1-2 ft tall
1-2 ft wide
Growth form: Herbaceous perennial
Upright or vine-like – depends on the conditions
Evergreen with water
Spreads via underground stems (rhizomes)
Foliage: Medium green ; may be hairy
Leaves rounded, irregularly toothed – spread out along stems
Roots: fibrous
© 2003 Michael Charters
© 2008 Thomas Stoughton
© Project SOUND
Flowers are curious
Blooms: late spring/summer; usually May-July in our gardens
Flowers: Very tiny – plant where you
be able to see them
White
In dense ‘sprays’ along the long (to 5 ft), thin flowering stalks
Would make an interesting addition to floral arrangement
Seeds: Many, small seeds in rounded
capsule
© 2011 Robert A. Hamilton
© 2011 Neal Kramer http://www.crug-farm.co.uk/Content/Plants/Boykinia(Saxifragaceae).htm
© Project SOUND
S. CA Woodlands Soils: Texture: just about any; well-
drained best
pH: any local
Light: Part-shade to fairly shady
Flowers best in dappled sun or bright shade, under trees
Water: Winter: supplement is needed
Summer: likes regular water – Zone 2-3 or 3
Fertilizer: not too particular; fine with humus and light fertilizer
Other: use an organic mulch
© 2003 Michael Charters
© Project SOUND
Boykinia in the garden
As an accent plant in shady areas, around ponds/pools
Massed as an evergreen groundcover; woodsy look that fine under trees, near lawns
As an interesting pot plant on shady porches
© 2005 Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
http://plants.ritchiefeed.com/NetPS-
Engine.asp?CCID=31090003&page=pdp&PID=836
6
http://www.researchlearningcenter.org/bloom/species/B
oykinia_rotundifolia.htm
1/6/2013
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One more bit of inspiration: compound leaves
© Project SOUND http://brahma-canopy.blog.hr/2011/10/1629568372/perennial-shade-gardens-perennial-shade.html
© Project SOUND
* Redwood Sorrel – Oxalis oregana
Robert Potts © California Academy of Sciences
The Oxalidaceae: the Wood Sorrel family
Small family of eight genera
Herbaceous plants, shrubs and small trees
The great majority of the 900 species in the genus Oxalis (wood sorrels).
Members of this family typically have: Divided leaves
Leaflets showing "sleep movements", spreading open in light and closing in darkness.
© Project SOUND
The genus Oxalis contains
some real bad boys
Two members of the Oxalis genus in particular have given it a bad name. O. pes-caprae, known by the common
name Bermuda buttercup (even though it comes from South Africa) is known to take over a garden. When pioneering California botanist Lester Roundtree was asked how to deal with O. pre-caprae, she replied, "You move.“
O. corniculata - creeping woodsorrel, also called Procumbent Yellow-sorrel or Sleeping Beauty, is a somewhat delicate-appearing, low-growing Oxalis that has become a weed world-wide
© Project SOUND
Oxalis pes-caprae
Oxalis corniculata
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Oxalis_corniculata
1/6/2013
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Central/North coast up to WA state (coastal and Cascades)
Moist conifer forests (Redwood Forest, Douglas-Fir Forest) between 0 and 3300 feet
AKA Oregon Oxalis
© Project SOUND
* Redwood Sorrel – Oxalis oregana
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?5527,5528,5537
http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=OXOR © Project SOUND
Redwood Sorrel: a sweet little creeper
Size: ~ 1 ft tall
2-4 ft wide, spreading
Growth form: Herbaceous perennial
Mounded, spreading
Foliage: Bright green (may have some white
or burgundy)
3 heart-shaped leaflets – trefoil (looks like large 3-leaf clover) – on long petiole (leaf stem)
Songbirds may eat young leaves
Roots: spreads moderately via stout underground stems (rhizomes)
© 2009 Neal Kramer
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Oxalis_oregana
Oxalis have a long history of human use
An edible wild plant in cuisines around the world
Leaves/stems: Raw or cooked, as greens
Lightly fermented – for a side dish
Dried to make a lemony-tasting tea
Fresh or dried as an herb – to put a little ‘zing’ in dishes
Tuber: Cultivated & eaten like a
potato in the Northern Andes
© Project SOUND
© Bud Kovalchik:
Redwood Sorrel is used as a medicinal
Fresh juice from plant applied to sore eyes.
Decoction of whole plant used as a wash for rheumatism.
Poultice of plant applied to swollen areas & sores on the skin and to draw out infections.
© Project SOUND http://www.boilstreatments.com/poultice-for-boils.html
http://www.cieldazur.fr/gb/argile/utilisation.php
© 2006, Clayton J. Antieau
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Oxalic acid & other compounds
Giving the leaves and flowers a sour taste which can make them refreshing to chew.
In very large amounts, oxalic acid may be considered slightly toxic, interfering with proper digestion and kidney function.
Oxalic acid is also present in commonly consumed foods such as spinach, broccoli, brussel sprouts, grapefruit, chives, and rhubarb, among many others.
General scientific consensus seems to be that the risk of sheer toxicity, actual poisoning from oxalic acid, in persons with normal kidney function is "wildly unlikely“.
© Project SOUND
© 2006, Clayton J. Antieau
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxalis
© Project SOUND
Flowers are wonderful
Blooms: primarily in spring - usually April-June in our area
Flowers: Usually translucent pink but
may be white; beautiful contrast w/ foliage
Often have rays that are of contrasting shade
Medium size - ~1 inch
5 petals – relatively simple design
Seeds: In dry capsule that pops
open, throwing the seeds
© 2008 Neal Kramer
© 2003, Tim Hagan
Fairly easy from seed or divisions
Soak the soil around the roots 24 hours before digging (if soil is dry).
Divide Oxalis oregana in fall (as the winter rainy season begins) or in late winter or early spring (when new shoots/leaves appear).
Lift the Oxalis roots from the soil. Gently pull the roots apart into clumps containing three to five new growth shoots
Replant the divisions in the garden. Soak the area to settle the soil.
© Project SOUND
© 2011 Zoya Akulova
Use fresh seed
http://www.baynatives.com/plants/Oxalis-oregana/ © Project SOUND
Redwood Sorrel is a
woodland plant Soils:
Texture: most are fine
pH: any local except > 8.0
Light: Part-shade to shade
Naturally grows under trees
Water: Winter: supplement in dry,
windy periods
Summer: like a moist soil – Water Zone 2-3 or 3
Fertilizer: likes a richer soil than many natives; fine with added humus, compost, light fertilizer
© Br. Alfred Brousseau, Saint Mary's College
Use an organic mulch – leaf
litter or leaf mulch is ideal
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© Project SOUND
Woodsy groundcover
Great in shady spots under trees – pines, junipers, etc. - with Lilies, Fringecups & Iris
Does great in pots & planters
Around shady fountains, birdbaths, other moist areas
http://www.calfloranursery.com/plants/oxalis-oregana http://agardenerinprogress.blogspot.com/2009/05/path-in-spring.html
Oxalis oregana 'Select Pink’, ‘Tilden Pink’,
‘Smith River white’
Natural varieties chosen for their flower color
© Project SOUND http://www.dunngardens.org/plants/spring/Oxalis_oregana.html
http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=OXOR
© Project SOUND
Our challenge today: the maturing garden
Time to assess what’s missing
…and feel like you fell
down the rabbit hole
© Project SOUND
1/6/2013
24
© Project SOUND
Our mission: find the perfect perennials
for this shady garden – made a good start
© Project SOUND © 2007 Matt Below
Lessons from the new perennial garden
books (for the New CA Garden)
1. Learn to ‘read the pictures’ – what is it I like about the feel of this garden?
2. Try to ‘capture the spirit’ not duplicate the plants
3. Take the time to choose the right native plant for the job
4. Choose ‘value added’ native plants that still capture the spirit of the image you love
© Project SOUND
So, visit the spring plant sales
© Project SOUND
Wild Mint – Mentha arvensis
Some great plants for your water garden –
now’s the time to plant
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And get out & get inspired: it’s spring!
© Project SOUND
http://www.californianativeflora.com/garden-blog/7th-annual-theodore-payne-native-plant-garden-tour-april-10th-and-11th/
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