parking strip gardening 2009

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Out of the Wilds and Into Your Garden

Gardening with Western L.A. County Native Plants Project SOUND - 2009

© Project SOUND

Beyond the Lawn

Parking Strip

C.M. Vadheim and T. Drake

CSU Dominguez Hills & Madrona Marsh Preserve

Madrona Marsh Preserve

January 3 & 6, 2009

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The parking strip can be one of the

greatest gardening challenges

It’s the first thing you see when someone visits

People walk all over it; dogs poop & pee on it

It may be very shady – with lots of tree roots; or a hot, dry desert – bordered by sidewalk and street

And you may not even own it!

The time-honored solution

was to plant a grass lawn

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But the times, they are a’ changin’

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Despite the challenges, the parking strip can be an important asset

Opportunity to increase your growing space - particularly important for small S. CA lots

Serves as a design transition from the street to your home

May be the sunniest place in your garden

An opportunity to increase the livability of your neighborhood – change to interact with your neighbors

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The parking strip garden requires a careful

design plan Soil is often poor:

Construction ‘dregs’ often put here Compacted by foot traffic & road construction Tree roots from street trees Dog pee

Water is often difficult to control May be difficult to get water to strip May be drainage issues (drainage from

sidewalk, street) Water Zones for existing street trees

Light can often be a challenge Full sun – hot & dry Quite shady – if have street trees

Underground utilities, fire hydrants

Aboveground utilities; city has access rights

Often an unusual – challenging – size/shape

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Parking strips are public places….

http://www.bringingbackthenatives.net/slides/Rheuark/Rheuark-Pages/index.html

http://www.flickr.com/photos/29476346@N08/2972955426/

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Some rules for a ‘reasonable’ parking

strip gardening plan

Safety Provides good visibility for vehicles &

pedestrians Does not impede foot traffic on sidewalks Does not impede passing/parking of

vehicles Allows safe exiting from vehicles and

access to the sidewalk (if adjacent parking is permitted)

Is not dangerous: poisonous; sharp; trip hazards

Water conservation Promotes infiltration, not run-off

Aesthetics Conforms to ‘weed abatement’ regulations Looks ‘appropriate’ for neighborhood Fits with rest of your front yard

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Steps for designing your ‘New CA Parking Strip’

Get to know your local regulations

Assess your site: Pedestrian traffic patterns

Location of above/underground utilities, water & sewer lines, fire hydrants, etc.

Existing vegetation (that will remain; e.g. existing trees)

Sun & shade patterns; soil conditions (texture; pH)

Design and locate the ‘pathways’

Choose an appropriate planting design

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First things first – what are you allowed to do with your parking strip?

Check your city’s current regulations - lots of variability between cities:

Who owns the parking strip?

What are your responsibilities for upkeep?

What are you allowed to do with your parking strip; what permits are required?

Most cities have this information

available on the city’s website

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Parking strip regulations vary by city – and are changing…

Hardscape (walkways; steps; rocks; planters; etc)

Size of plants: often are height restrictions (18”; may be 3 ft for plants other than trees)

Types of plants:

Street tree: almost always a ‘street tree list’ or specific regulations; city may own the street trees

Other plants : in some cities you are still only allowed to plant grass; other cities may require permits for non-grass alternatives

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Torrance municipal code

SECTION 75.1.6. PLANTING VEGETATION AROUND TREES. No person shall plant or grow or cause to be planted or grown any

ivy, geranium or other vegetation to a height of more than eighteen (18) inches above the top of any curb, sidewalk or ground on, against or around any tree upon any parkway in the City. For the purpose of this Section, the term parkway shall include that area of any public street between the curb or other edge of the pavement and the private property line.

ARTICLE 2 - VISIBILITY AT INTERSECTIONS (Added by O-1288)

SECTION 75.2.1. OBSTRUCTING VISIBILITY PROHIBITED. No person owning or in possession of real property shall install or

maintain, or permit the installation or maintenance or existence of any tree, shrub or plant within that triangular area between the property lines parallel to intersecting streets and a diagonal line joining points on said property lines twenty-five (25) feet from the intersection of said property lines or within twenty (20) feet of said property lines, which growth prevents or interferes with a driver of a vehicle approaching the intersection on one street seeing a vehicle approaching the intersection on another street.

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The ‘visibility triangle’ is used by many cities to

determine height requirements for intersections

Anything within a specified distance of the apex of the street angle must conform to height/planting regulations

Often varies by speed limit: 25-45 ft is common for residential streets

Varies by city: know your regulations

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Street trees Don’t plant anything without city approval; city will usually direct the planting & placement of street trees

Learn your city’s regulations: species, characteristics & placement

If you want to plant a native tree: see if it can be added to the approved list

Qualities of good street trees (in addition to being attractive):

Single trunk Can be pruned up: 7 ft above sidewalk;

14 ft above street is common) Not hazardous: weak wood; sharp

seeds, etc. Non-invasive roots; roots that don’t

damage sidewalks, roadways Water-wise (now figures in most

cities) Non-littering when possible

http://www.flickr.com/photos/11525626@N00/32409044/

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Access features are the first items to locate on your design plan

They determine where & what you will plant

They require careful placement Public safety Location of utilities; street trees

They are often the first thing you install

They have an impact on the ‘looks’ of the parking strip garden

http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/getgrowing/2007/05/25/parking_strips_what_s_a_homeowner_to_do

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Pedestrian access: safety & design

Safety first - parking strips are public areas

Should allow for easy access to parked vehicles

Should be placed to provide reasonable access to the sidewalk: some suggest 1 per car-length

Should be adequately wide (2-2 ½ ft); or 1 ½ ft. in addition to curbing)

Should stay reasonably dry in rainy season

Should provide a firm footing for walking

Ideally should be pervious to water; allow water to percolate

© Project SOUND

Pedestrian access: safety & design

Design - many hardscape options to complement the rest of the garden

Concrete pavers (with or without vegetation; crushed rock)

Natural stone (flag stone; PV stone)

Brick (set in sand)

Crushed rock/ decomposed granite

Shredded bark; woodchip mulch (even just between widely-spaced plants)

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Pedestrian access: living walkways

Native sod-forming ‘grasses’

Non-native ‘walkable’ groundcover plants:

Corsican mint - Mentha requienii Baby tears - Solierolia soleirolii Corsican sandwort - Arenaria

balerica

Creeping thymes: Mother of thyme (Thymus

serpyllum) Woolly thyme (Thymus

pseudolanuginosus ) Elfin thyme (Thymus praecox)

Silver Carpet (Dymondia margaretae)

Chamaemelum nobile 'Treneague' (non-flowering)

http://www.smgrowers.com/imagedb/Carex_praegracilis.jpg

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Design can be similar to rest of yard or different – it’s separate enough to be treated either way


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Parking strips are usually narrow; often,

fewer species is better….

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/topic/la-hm-sidewalk2006may18,0,3338874.story

No matter the location, low maintenance and proper scale are crucial.

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“It's good to select evergreens for the parking strip, accented with herbaceous plants. A strip that is completely bare in summer or winter is not only uninteresting, it's an invitation for weed seeds to germinate.”

http://bammorgan.blogspot.com/2008/04/payne-foundation-garden-tour.html

© Project SOUND

New CA Garden ‘Parking Strip Combo

Palettes’

Based on sun, drainage & Water Zones

Include a limited plant palette: Heavy on evergreen species All are low-growing All are hardy on parking strips

You can mix & match within a palette, depending on your needs

Palettes can be used to create either a formal or informal design

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Each palette includes three types of plants:

Group 1: Backbone plants Spreading evergreen species

(mostly); many < 2 ft tall Take up 60-80% of parking strip

area Choose 1-3 from list

Group 2: Contrast plants Add interest and fill space

between backbone plants Take up 10-30% of area

Group 3: Color plants Mostly plants with good flower

color Take up 10-20% of area Particularly important during

first several years

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A common parking strip challenge…

Existing street trees – moderate shade

May be pine needles – slightly more acid soil

Soil compacted; roots

Need a low groundcover that looks fairly tidy

Where would you put walkways?

What material would you use?

© Project SOUND

New CA Garden ‘Parking Strip Combo

Palettes’

Based on sun, drainage & Water Zones

Include a limited plant palette: Heavy on evergreen species All are low-growing All are hardy on parking strips

You can mix & match within a palette, depending on your needs

Palettes can be used to create either a formal or informal design

© Project SOUND

Creeping Barberry – Mahonia repens

R.A. Howard @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

© Project SOUND

Creeping Barberry – Mahonia repens

Western U.S. to S. Canada In CA:

Foothills of the coastal ranges, Sierras

Locally: mountains in San Diego

Often on dry slopes or canyons in grasslands, shrublands, open forest

In many plant communities: riparian, sagebrush, chaparral, pinyon-juniper, mountain brush, oak, aspen, pine, and conifer communities

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In the wild – a groundcover plant

http://www.swcoloradowildflowers.com/Yellow%20Enlarged%20Photo%20Pages/mahonia%20repens.htm

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Characteristics of Creeping Mahonia

Size: 1-2 ft tall

spreading – 2-4 ft wide

Growth form: Sprawling woody shrub; spreads via

stems (stolons or rhizomes)

Evergreen

Rather stiff appearance

Foliage: Leaves holly-like

Dark green; old leaves may turn purple/red in winter

Roots: deep rooted; can resprout from root crowns

© 1984, H. Tim Gladwin

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Roots of Mahonia species

are special

Widely used as medicinal as an antiseptic and healing

wash or poultice on wounds, scorpion bites

As a tea or tincture: Coughs, fevers Enteric infections, especially

bacterial dysentery Kidney problems

Roots & bark produce a yellow natural dye

tincture of root

http://www.localharvest.org/oregon-grape-root-tincture-

mahonia-repens-C2926

http://flickr.com/photos/92071270@N00/497458613

http://flickr.com/photos/22731657@N03/2743052389/

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Flowers are showy against the dark leaves

Blooms: In spring - usually Apr-May in

lower elevations of our area

Depends in part on temperature

Flowers: Bright, intense yellow

Small (1/3 inch or so); but in dense, showy clusters

Sweet scented – to attract the native pollinators (bees, others)

Fruits: Waxy blue when ripe

Tart – but make wonderful jellies, sauces

Birds love them!! (robins, finches and towhees)

Charles Webber © California Academy of Sciences

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Plant Requirements Soils:

Texture: any, including heavy clays

pH: any local; does fine with acidic soils – OK under pines

Light: Part-shade to full shade

Will flower and fruit best in part-shade (like under trees)

Water: Winter: good winter water

Summer: Zone 2 once established; Zone 2-3 or 3 for first 1-2 years

Fertilizer: use an organic mulch (pine needles are ideal)

Other: tolerates heat; easy to grow

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Creeping Barberry

Most often used as a low natural groundcover Evergreen; low-growing

Easy to grow

Fills in to cover an area

Interesting, attractive foliage

Bright spring flowers; winter foliage color

Great under trees; other shady areas

In a woodsy garden; or creeping over a low stone wall

To attract fruit-eating birds

Fine in pots/planters

Anywhere you might consider (shudder) planting ivy

http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=MARE11

http://www.elnativogrowers.com/Photographs_page/mahrep.htm

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Growing native

woody groundcovers

Choose a species with a moderate growth rate (will live longer than quick-growers)

Space plants appropriately: Distance should be ~ ¾ of the

plant’s mature diameter – allows a little overlap

Can plant as close as ½ mature diameter for quicker cover

Mulch, mulch, mulch

Weed regularly

Start selective pruning early

Consider using filler plants: Short-lived grasses; Yarrow

Annual wildflowers

http://www.wsu.edu/~lohr/wcl/gcovers/mahoniar/wmaredes.html

G.A. Cooper @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

© Project SOUND

Native woody parking strips: one species or several

Single species:

More formal, tidy looking

Entire area has same cultural requirements

? Easier to maintain

Looks more like a conventional ‘single species’ parking strip

Several (2-3) species:

More interesting: foliage, flowers

Better habitat value

May be smarter choice – even if one species doesn’t make it

Allows you to include a few (expensive; rare) species

May be more like ‘Mother Nature’s Garden’

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Grasses, sedges and other

groundcovers can provide

an interesting mix…..

http://groups.ucanr.org/slosson/documents/2005-200610656.pdf

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In the mountains of CO, Creeping Mahonia often grows with Kinnickinnick

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Kinnikinnick – Arctostaphylos uva-ursi

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Kinnikinnick – Arctostaphylos uva-ursi

http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?3449,3454,3542 http://www.swsbm.com/maps/Arctostaphylos_uva-ursi.gif

Also commonly called Bear Berry

Found throughout the Northern Hemisphere: N. Asia/Russia N. Europe In North America - from the northern

half of California north to Alaska and across Canada and the northern United States to New England and Newfoundland.

In CA – mostly along the N. CA coast

Rocky outcrops, slopes, sandy soils, coastal dunes, chaparral, coniferous forest

© Project SOUND

Occurs in widely variable conditions

http://blackfootnativeplants.com/inventory.html

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Does well in sandy soils along the CA coast

© Clayton J. Antieau

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Size: < 1 ft tall

spreading: 3-15 ft wide

Growth form: Evergreen woody shrub

Very low, dense growth – mat-like

Spreads by rooting stems

Foliage: Like other Manzanitas

Leathery leaves; green but may become red-tinged in winter

Neat appearing – garden-like

Good antibacterial qualities: used for urinary, skin infections

Roots: fibrous; to 6+ feet depth

© 2005 Steve Matson

© 2007 Matt Below

http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ldplants/aruv2.htm

Kinnikinnick is another low-growing woody shrub

Deer will browse

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Flowers & fruits are pure

Manzanita

Blooms: in spring; usually Mar-May in our area

Flowers: Small; but in clusters

Pink/white

Typical urn-shaped

Sweetly fragrant; attracts butterflies & hummingbirds

Fruits: Little red ‘apples’ in late

summer/fall; very showy

Yum! : birds eat them & you can make jellies, sauces from them

G.A. Cooper @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

© 2007 Matt Below

© Project SOUND

Kinnikinnick - well suited

to garden conditions…

Soils: Texture: best in sandy soils, but

fine in most well-drained soils

pH: any, including quite acidic – fine under pines

Light: Best in part shade; tolerates full

shade (but less flowering)

Full sun only near immediate coast

Water: Young plants: Zone 2-3

Winter: needs good water – deep roots

Summer: Zone 2-3 (best); Zone 2 ok once established

Fertilizer: none

Other: delicate roots; don’t move or compact soils

© Project SOUND

Mainly used as a low

groundcover

Excellent groundcover under trees

Fine on parking strips in virtually all local cities – very low-growing & looks way better than ivy!

Looks nice cascading over a low retaining wall

Combine with rocks

Nice in a large pot or planter – even on shady patios

Great on slopes – even steep ones!

Fine near the ocean

http://www.hort.uconn.edu/plants/a/arcuva/arcuva3.html

http://courses.washington.edu/ehuf331/Plant_Pages_subfolders/ERICACEAE.shtml

http://www.hort.uconn.edu/plants/a/arcuva/arcuva3.html

© Project SOUND

Several cultivars

available

‘Point Reyes’

http://www.yerbabuenanursery.com/viewplant.php?pid=407

‘Radiant’

‘Wood’s Compact’

http://www.tinytreasuresnursery.com/Genus/Plants%20A.htm

‘Pacific Mist’

http://www.jamesdeandesign.com/Slide_Show/Pl

ant_Catalog/SHRUBS/

‘Green Supreme’

© Project SOUND

Plant when plants are young – don’t move them

Mulch & weed until established

Pinch/tip-prune when young to encourage fullness – early spring

Prune out dead/old branches after flowering in spring

Easy to grow – few pest if appropriately watered

Photo by Richard Old, www.xidservices.com

Management is easy…

© Project SOUND

Tricks to keeping parking strip plants under the height limit

Choose naturally low-growing species/cultivars Best: see the plant actually

growing under conditions similar to yours

Talk to knowledgeable nursery staff

Start training the plants from the beginning – selective pruning & pinching

Remember Mother Nature’s lessons: Don’t over-water or over-

fertilize

Be sure plant gets adequate sunlight

‘Little Sur’ Manzanita

© Project SOUND

A ‘Shady Woodland’ mix works well for many

shady parking strips that need some summer water

© Project SOUND

There also are mixes more suited to dry shady situations

Perfect under street trees that need little water (native oaks; Eucalyptus)

Combine low shrubby native groundcovers with:

Grasses/grass-like species A few low shrubs Even some native bulbs and

flowering species

Look great in yards that use other CA native plants

© Project SOUND

What to do with ‘mixed light’ parking strips

Try a ‘Dappled Shadeland’ garden

Choose 1-2 backbone species with wide light tolerances: Yarrow Fragaria

Mix with sun- or shade-requiring species as Contrast & Accent species Dichondra Argentina flowering perennials &

annual wildflowers (at least until the other species fill in)

© Project SOUND

For well-drained sandy soils, choose native soil-

binders as Backbone Plants

Yarrow (Achillea)

Strawberries (Fragaria)

Silverweed

Checkerbloom (Sidalcea species)

Native dichondra

© Project SOUND

Formal or informal:

the choice is yours

Many plants in the ‘Parking Strip Combos’ palettes look equally good either way

Formal designs using CA native plants can be strikingly beautiful; refreshing

Remember that formal designs require more upkeep

Separate species with barriers

Be ruthless in keeping species in their proper places

Edging between your parking strip and the lawn next door

© Project SOUND

Pacific Silverweed – Argentina egedii ssp. egedii (Potentilla anserina vars. grandis, pacifica)

© 2005 Dr. Amadej Trnkoczy

http://flickr.com/photos/27830975@N05/3061843001/in/photostream/

© Project SOUND

Pacific Silverweed – Argentina egedii ssp. egedii (Potentilla anserina vars. grandis, pacifica)

Immediate west coast from AK to Baja; also coasts in Asia

Name nightmares:

Formerly classified in the genus Potentilla but has recently been reclassified into the new genus Argentina.

Very closely related to Silverweed (A. anserina or Potentilla anserina), the only other species in the genus), and is treated as a subspecies of it by Jepson, plant growers. http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?6677,6824,6825,6827

© Project SOUND

Silverweed in nature

Wet to seasonally wet areas: Coastal dunes & sandy

bluffs

Freshwater and brackish marsh edges

Estuaries & mudflats

Wetland meadows

Along streams

Soils: sandy to clay; may also be rocky

© 2004, Ben Legler

© Project SOUND

Characteristics of Pacific Silverweed

Size: 1 to 1 ½ ft tall

Spreading to 4-5 ft wide; old plants die – replaced by new

Growth form: Herbaceous perennial

Spreads by stolons (runners) producing new plantlets

Foliage: Almost fern-like; showy

Green above; silvery below

Roots: soil-binding

© 2004, Ben Legler

© Project SOUND

Cinquefoils (including

Silverweed) & Strawberries

Close relatives – both in Rose family: Somewhat similar leaves

Spread via runners – sometimes invasively so

(ah ha – perfect for the parking strip!)

Individual plants live only 2-3 year

Flowers quite similar except in color

© 2004, Ben Legler

http://hanamist.sakura.ne.jp/flower/riben/bara/img/ezoturu.jpg

© Project SOUND

Bright, sunny flowers

Blooms: Spring/summer - usually in

May-Aug in our area

Fairly long bloom period – several months

Flowers: Like strawberry – only yellow

and a bit bigger.

On stalks above foliage

Close on cloudy days

Seeds: Dry – attached to a core

Fairly easy to start from seed in winter/spring – no treatment

© 2004, Ben Legler

© 2005 Dr. Amadej Trnkoczy

© Project SOUND

Silverweed is easy

to please…. Soils:

Texture: any well-drained sandy or clay soil

pH: any local

Light: Full sun to light shade

Great in dappled sun under trees

Water: Winter: needs good rains/water

Summer: very adaptable; Zone 2 to 3; will die back in drought

Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils

Other: tolerates winter flooding, seaside conditions, salty soils

http://www.calflora.net/bloomingplants/silverweed.html

© Project SOUND

Garden uses for

Silverweed

Great groundcover, parking strip plant

Contained areas like planters

As an attractive pot plant

Under Zone 3 trees

In wet spots in garden – near sprinklers, low spots, drainage areas (rain gardens)

In vegetable garden Taproots baked or steamed

and eaten – native delicacy

Roots also used as an astringent compress or tea (for diarrhea, sore throat)

© 2002 Dean Wm. Taylor

http://roseconnors.blogspot.com/2007_07_01_archive.html

© Project SOUND

Tips for designing an ‘informal’ parking strip

Choose plants from the appropriate ‘combo’ palette

Planting several Backbone Species and let them fight it out for real estate.

Aim for swirls and riffs of color, like a living Persian carpet; always plant at least 3 plants of a single species together.

Add flagstones or stepping stones in spots, so you aren't fighting human nature when it comes to taking shortcuts to the street.

Commit to some serious hand-weeding until the ground covers become established

© Project SOUND

Filler and Accent plants add interest

Filler plants May be either spreaders or

smaller shrubs/ perennials that can be massed

Usually are evergreen – at least with a little summer water

Used to provide contrasts to backbone plants: Size/shape Foliage color, type

Accent plants Used to provide seasonal color Foliage may be insignificant May die back in summer/fall

or in winter

Carex species

Silene species

© Project SOUND

Color plants play a key role in the first years

of many native parking strips

Remember the old adage... first year they sleep, then they creep, then they leap.

http://bammorgan.blogspot.com/2008/04/payne-foundation-garden-tour.html

Use mulch between plants

Use signage to let people know what’s in progress

Talk to neighbors before, during and after installation

© Project SOUND

California Primrose – Oenothera californica

© 2005 Brent Miller

© Project SOUND

California Primrose – Oenothera californica

Coastal, Sierra, Transverse and desert mountain ranges of CA to Baja – locally in San Gabriels

In foothills (mostly)

Sandy or gravelly areas, dunes, desert scrub to pinyon/juniper or ponderosa-pine woodlands

Same genus as Hooker’s Evening Primrose

http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?Oenothera+californica

© Project SOUND

Characteristics of CA Primrose

Size: Usually < 1 ft tall

Usually 2-4 ft wide; more in favorable locations (with more water)

Growth form: Sprawling sub-shrub or

herbaceous perennial

Foliage initially in basal rosette – then becomes almost vine-like

Foliage: Lance-shaped; may be incised

Drought & cold deciduous

Roots: 2-4 ft

http://www.timetotrack.com/jay/desert/primcal2.htm

http://www.theodorepayne.org/gallery/pages/O/oenothera_californica.htm

© Project SOUND

Flowers are the reason to

plant native primroses

Blooms: In spring - usually Apr-May in

our area

Flowers open over long period – individual flowers short-lived

Flowers: White, becoming more pink

Fairly large (2 inch) and definitely showy

Sweet, slightly musky fragrance

Seeds: many tiny seeds in a capsule

Vegetative reproduction: sprouting from roots

© 2003 Lynn Watson

http://botany.si.edu/onagraceae/taxalist.cfm?genus=Oenothera

© Project SOUND

Care and management: plant & ignore

Soils: Texture: sandy/rocky best pH: any local to 8.5 (alkali)

Light: Full sun – coastal Part-shade/morning sun inland

Water: Winter: good winter rains

Summer: drought tolerant but takes anything from 2 to 3; best to let dry out in late summer/fall


Other: cut back as needed in fall.


© Project SOUND

Native primroses

in the garden

Best planted with native grasses, perennials, annual wildflowers

Excellent choice for water-wise parking strip

Lovely in pots on a sunny deck

Attract a wild assortment of insects


© Project SOUND

Filler plants may also

provide flower color

http://flickr.com/photos/spidra/2430035989/

Penstemon heterophyllus

Epilobium canum

© Project SOUND

Pacific Aster – Symphyotrichum chilense var. chilense

(Aster chilensis)

http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?Aster+chilensis

Northwestern U.S., Canada, coastal CA to Santa Barbara Co.

Locally: mountains of San Diego Co; San Bernardino Mountains

Despite its Latin name, it does not occur in Chile – another mistake handed down to posterity!

http://www.graniteseed.com/seeds/seed.php/Symphyotrichum_chilense_var._chilense

© Project SOUND

A plant of many

habitats

Grasslands

Salt marshes

Coastal dunes and bluffs

Coastal grasslands and scrub,

Even open disturbed habitats in evergreen and Pacific coast coniferous forest

© 2004, Ben Legler

Not surprisingly, there are phenotypic variants

© Project SOUND

Pacific Aster – not grown for it’s foliage

Size: 1-2 ft tall

Spreading to 5+ ft wide

Growth form: Herbaceous perennial

Upright, then carpet-like

Drought deciduous – dies back to ground in late summer

Foliage: Thin/sparse; medium green

Roots: rhizomes – by which it spreads, often vigorously

© 2004, Ben Legler

© Project SOUND

Flowers are dainty

Blooms: Summer: usually Jul-Aug in

Western L.A. Co.

Flowers: Typical sunflower head – but

dainty; ~ 1 inch head

White to purple (even pink) ray flowers; yellow disc flowers

Many flowers blooming at one time; very showy

Excellent nectar source for

native moths and butterflies

Seeds: With fluffy tail to aid wind

distribution; birds love them!

Can reseed on bare ground

© 2007 Neal Kramer

© 2004, Ben Legler

© Project SOUND

Soils: Texture: any – sand to clay

pH: any local

Light: Full sun to light shade;

Probably best color in light shade

Water: Winter: adequate

Summer: wide range (Zone 1-2 to 3); probably best as Zone 2 – too aggressive with more water.


Other: can be heavily pruned, even mowed, occasionally. Cut back in fall after flowering.

© 2004, Ben Legler

Pacific Aster can thrive

on your parking strip

© Project SOUND

Pacific Aster: not for everywhere…

Best contained, as it is an aggressive competitor: Pots & planters

Areas bounded by walks, or other boundries

Parking strips – if managed

Usually used in combination with native grasses, bulbs, sub-shrubs (Epilobium canum; Goldenrods) in native meadows; can be mowed back in fall

Appropriate for Cottage Gardens

Good for stabilizing slopes

© 2005 Andrea Jesse

Excellent choice for butterfly gardens

© Project SOUND

‘Point St. George’ cultivar

is more robust

Native cultivar from N. CA

Generally more robust: Larger, more robust leaves Larger flowers Looks more like a

cultivated plant

‘Purple Haze’ cultivar: Dark purple flowers Otherwise similar to parent

species

© 2003 Charles E. Jones

‘Point St. George’

http://www.calfloranursery.com/pages_plants/pages_a/astchipoistg.html

© Project SOUND

Bringing Back the Natives – One Pot at a Time

Your commitment:

Materials Pot: 12-16 inches in diameter; 12-

16 inches deep Potting soil: Lowe’s ‘Gardeners’ or

Super Soil (cheapest) potting soil

Time Plant seeds; care for plants After seeds are ripe/dry:

Scatter in your garden Collect and share with others

Photos & feedback Provide us photos and (brief)

written feedback about your successes and failures

© Project SOUND

Bringing Back the Natives – One Pot at a Time

We will provide:

Seeds – enough for 1 pot Baby Blue-eyes Chinese Houses Globe and Bird’s Eye Gilias Goldfields Meadowfoam Purple & Elegant Clarkias Tidy Tips Dot-seed Plantain Several others

Advice and encouragement Garden Information Sheets Advice and encouragement via

e-mail, phone, blog

© Project SOUND

Penstemons do well in a dry, sunny parking strip

Penstemon heterophyllus

http://kristamaxwell.com/garden/photos2.html

http://flickr.com/photos/sierrarainshadow/2098924913/

Penstemon newberryi

http://www.pbase.com/yakteachr/image/30742457

http://botu07.bio.uu.nl/images/Rots/

© Project SOUND

Penstemons: most of the foliage is low

Penstemon eatonii Penstemon laetus

http://www.thequercusgroup.com/XZ-Essentials-Elements.html

http://www.fireflyforest.com/flowers/reds/red12.html

© Project SOUND

White Fairy-lantern – Calochortus albus

California endemic (limited to CA) North/central Sierra Nevada

Foothills

Central & S. coastal mountain ranges, Transverse ranges, Channel Islands

Locally: Catalina & Santa Monica Mtns.

Shady to open woodlands, Rocky outcrops

Chaparral, foothill woodland, yellow pine forest to 6000'

http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?8349,8461,8462

© Project SOUND

Calochortus: members of the Liliaceae (Lily Family)

Large family - includes hyacinths, tulips, onions, as well as true lilies.

The flowers have 3 petals and 3 sepals, often very similar

Most CA natives are herbaceous (no woody stem) and die back, after flowering or fruiting, to underground bulbs, corms, or rhizomes.

New plants form from bulb division or sprout from seeds

Many native members of Liliaceae can be grown in the garden, keeping in mind their native situations:

Allium, Brodiaea, Camassia, Lilium and Calochortus species prefer open, sunny areas

© Project SOUND

The genus Calochortus 70 species from British Columbia to

Guatemala and east to Nebraska (28 species endemic to CA).

The genus Calochortus includes:

Mariposas (or Mariposa lilies) with open wedge-shaped petals - dry grasslands and semideserts

Globe lilies and Fairy lanterns with globe-shaped flowers - closed forests

Cat's ears and Star tulips with erect pointed petals - wet meadows & montane woodlands

Calochortus produce one or more flowers on a stem that arises from the bulb, generally in the spring or early summer.

Unlike most other Liliaceae, Calochortus petals differ in size and color from their sepals. Flowers can be white, yellow, pink, purple, bluish, or streaked.

The insides of the petals are often highly hairy. These hairs, along with the nectaries, are often used in distinguishing species from each other.

The word Calochortus is derived from Greek and means "beautiful grass".

C. luteus

C. catalinae

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/97/Calochortus_catalinae.jpg

© Project SOUND

Calochortus albus is a dainty Fairy Lily

Size:

1-2 ft tall

<1 ft wide

Growth form: Herbaceaous perennial from a bulb

Upright form; slender

Dormant in fall dry season; dies back to bulb

Foliage: Mostly basal

Grass-like leaves

Roots: bulb

Margaret Williams @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

© Project SOUND

White Fairy-lantern: enchanting flowers

Blooms: Later spring: usually Apr-June in

coastal L.A. County

Flowers: Truly like a little ‘fairy lantern’

White tinged with pink

Flowers hangs from stem; nod in the breeze

Seeds: Dark brown seeds in hanging winged

capsule

Fairly easy to grow; plant fall-winter (with the rains) in pots or in ground

Vegetative reproduction: offsets from bulbs

http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=CAAL2

© Project SOUND

Plant Requirements Soils:

Texture: best in well-drained clays

pH: any local

Light: Best in part-shade; under

trees is good

Full sun only on immediate coast

Water: Winter/spring: needs good

spring water

Summer: no water after blooming (mid-summer)


Other: easier than most Calochartus; water appropriately

http://www.yerbabuenanursery.com/online_album/0829.htm

© Project SOUND

Garden uses for White

Fairylantern

In a pot – alone or with other bulbs & native wildflowers; allows you to treat plants as Zone 1

With native dry grasses (Melica imperfecta; Koeleria macrantha) & annual wildflowers – have same water & light requirements

Take a tip from Mother Nature – these look great when massed!

Great bulb for under native oaks; place where gets part-sun.

Protect the bulbs from rodents, including squirrels, gophers; native Californians roasted bulbs

http://www.bulbsociety.org/GALLERY_OF_THE_WORLDS_BULBS/GRAPHICS/Calochortus/Calochor

tus_albus/C.albus.html

http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/CalochortusSpeciesOne

© Project SOUND

Tips from city

planning pros

“Plant low-growing plants, no more than 6 to 12 inches high, and the city won’t make a big deal.”

“Use plants that match the aesthetics of the yard, but don’t let it get out of hand. Avoid thorny things. Keep shrubby plants below 30 inches – no tall hedges or solid green walls, especially near driveways and street corners.”

“The best designs are driven by common sense.” Oishi (L.A. City) recommends that the two feet nearest the curb be planted with grass or some hardy groundcover that can withstand some foot traffic. He also suggests allowing at least one path from the street to the sidewalk.


parking strip gardening 2009

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