containers pails & pots 2008
DESCRIPTION
2008 lecture on container gardening with California native plants.TRANSCRIPT
© Project SOUND
Out of the Wilds and Into Your Garden
Gardening with South Bay Native Plants Project SOUND - 2008
© Project SOUND
Containers, Cans & Pots
C.M. Vadheim and T. Drake
CSUDH & Madrona Marsh Preserve
Madrona Marsh Preserve
June 7th & 10th, 2008
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Why include container plantings in your garden?
To provide interest and variety to the garden
To provide unique conditions required by a plant (moisture; soil type; light; etc)
To contain an overly ‘exuberant’ plant
Allows you to focus money & efforts on a few special (specimen) plants
Limit effects of animals
http://coldcalculation.blogspot.com/2007/02/presidents-day-2007.html
© Project SOUND http://www.laspilitas.com/sites/centralcoastsand.html
The ‘New California Garden’
The ‘New California Garden’ design
Is based on a thoughtful analysis of the assets of a particular site
Selects plants on the basis of their suitability for that site & it’s inhabitants
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Container gardens allow us to create the
conditions needed by selected plants
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Growing plants in containers allows you to control
the medium, fertility & soil moisture
Water retention: Improve drainage
Improve retention
Medium fertility: Decrease fertility
Increase fertility with regular fertilization
Supply specific nutrients
Alter pH
Watering schedule:
http://groups.ucanr.org/slosson/documents/2005-200610656.pdf
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What type of plant do you want to grow?
Desert plants?
Plants that require ‘summer dry’ (Zone 1)?
Damp forest floor plants?
Riparian plants (pond’s edge)?
Pond/lake plants?
The type of pot you choose, the
medium you need and the watering
regimen will all depend on the type
of plants you wish to grow
© Project SOUND
Your challenge is to make the conditions as close to the natural growing conditions as possible
http://www.penick.net/digging/index.php?s=wildflower+center
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Is container gardening with Ca natives
really for you?
Requires more time, care than natives planted in the ground
Choice & location of containers Medium preparation Watering; much more close
monitoring & more often during dry season
Fertilizing; re-mulching Repotting
Requires good knowledge of needs of plants
Requires some planning
http://d30033286.purehost.com/z365photos/garden11-1.jpg
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Many nice container choices: a few
suggestions
Containers should be at least 1 ft deep and at least 1 ft in diameter for most CA native plants & larger for woody shrubs – smaller sizes hard to water properly
Most native plants in containers need good drainage, so choose a pot with a hole.
"The thicker the container, the better. Thick walls help insulate the roots from temperature extremes." - Bart O'Brien.
Light colored pots also help to control temperature extremes
http://www.shedstyle.com/2007/11/
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Many nice container choices: a few
suggestions, cont.
For many native plants choose pots made of clay or concrete--these porous materials allow free passage of air and moisture. While this promotes healthy roots, it also allows soil to dry out quickly, so containers require frequent irrigation.
As an alternative to thick, heavy containers, you can double up lighter pots. Place one inside a slightly larger one; fill the area between the pots with damp peat moss or bark mulch.
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Choose pots based on drainage requirements
of plants
Unglazed terracotta or cement
Composites (fiberglass/plastic)
Wood (half-barrel)
Glazed terracotta
Plastic/metal
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Containers should provide ample room for roots; the larger the container, the greater the root development.
Coast Live Oak – Quercus agrifolia
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Remember: growing natives in pots is not
the same as growing them in the ground
even plants that would ordinarily thrive in full sun may benefit from afternoon shade, especially when placed on a patio or paved surfaces because they can heat up very quickly
http://www.h2ouse.net/gardensoft/garden_detail.aspx?garden=962
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Proper planting of native plants in containers
Prepare for drainage Check drainage holes To prevent soil leakage use paper
towel, coffee filter, mesh screen, or pot shard.
?? Gravel/stone layer
Fill pot with prepared media – root crown 1-2 inches below top of pot
Gently fill in with potting medium - leave a 1-2 inch space between the top of the soil and the top of the container – chopsticks can be useful
Gently firm soil around roots
Water in well
Add ½-2 inch or so of appropriate mulch
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Use an appropriate mulch…
A one- to two-inch layer of mulch will cool the soil and help it retain moisture.
Mulch reduces weed growth and organic mulch improves the fertility of the soil as it decomposes.
Mulch also prevents crusting of the soil surface, allowing water to penetrate to the root zone.
Finally, the uneven surface of mulch limits reflectivity. Sand and clay soils can be highly reflective and bounce heat and light up onto plants. The fragmented surface of mulch reduces reflectivity and cools the adjacent area.
Choose organic (shredded or chipped bark, compost, and cocoa hulls) or inorganic (rocks, gravel) mulch depending on the type of plants you are using
http://www.penick.net/digging/index.php?s=wildflower+center
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General maintenance of CA native
container plants
Fertilize plants infrequently. You can top-dress containers with controlled-release fertilizer every three to twelve months.
To maintain a neat, compact appearance, many flowering perennials and shrubs should be cut back and shaped when their flowers fade.
Most benefit from a light pruning of about a third of the length of flowering stems; this prompts the best bloom later.
Some plants, including California fuchsia, require a hard heading back to look their best.
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Container gardens are great for plants
that require well-drained soils
http://www.wildgingerfarm.com/images/Carolsrockgarden001_3.JPG
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Chocolate Lily – Fritillaria biflora var. biflora
http://groups.ucanr.org/slosson/documents/2005-200610654.pdf
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Chocolate Lily – Fritillaria biflora var. biflora
North Coast Ranges (Mendocino, Napa cos.), Central Western California, Southwestern California
Uncommon.
Grassy slopes, mesas, serpentine barrens;
Openings in coastal sage scrub, chaparral
Almost always within several miles of coast.
http://groups.ucanr.org/slosson/documents/2005-200610654.pdf
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=242102247
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Its dark and lovely appearance has earned it the nickname of 'Cleopatra of the Fritillaries.'
http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/NorthAmericanFritillarias
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Characteristics of Chocolate Lily
Size:
< 2 ft tall
1 ft wide
Growth form: Herbaceous perennial from a
true bulb
Dies back entirely in dry summer/fall
Foliage: Simple, strap-like lily leaves
Flowers: Brown-colored
Early spring: usually Feb-Apr http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/NorthAmericanFritillarias
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Chocolate Lily is typical of CA native
bulbs in its requirements…
Soils: Texture: any including clays if well-
drained
pH: 6.0-8.0
Light: Full sun to part shade
Fine for tree edges, among grasses
Water: Needs good moisture through
flowering
Absolute need for summer/fall dry period
Fertilizer: ½ strength monthly during growth period © 2007 Lynn Watson
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Garden uses for
Chocolate Lily
Difficult in many garden situations: Zone 1 in summer/fall
Excellent choice for dry rock garden
Does well with succulents, under oaks
Wonderful choice for containers; store in cool, dry place for summer/fall
Repot most native bulbs/corms every 2-3 years; Chocolate Lily every year in fall
http://www.gardeningstore.co.uk/shop/fritillaria_martha_roderick__323201529Z.aspx
‘Martha Roderick’ cultivar
http://www.sloweather.com/blog/060318choclilies.jpg
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Growing plants in pots allows you to
switch pots during the season
http://www.cnps-yerbabuena.org/gardens/annual_garden_tour.html
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Planting medium for ‘dry, well-drained’
pots A good ‘cactus-mix’ is a
good start:
Commercial cactus mix
Make your own 1 (cacti) 1 part potting mix (not
soil) 1 part washed sand 1 part course gravel
Make your own 2 (other dry natives) 1 part potting mix 1 part coarse sand
(builder’s; ‘leveling’ or granite chicken grit) (washed)
http://www.lasmmcnps.org/plantingtips.html
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If you plan to use several plants in the
same container
Be sure they have the same cultural requirements
Try to have at least 1 plant evergreen
Try for 4-season interest
When mixing several types, consider plant height. Place low or cascading plants like Monardella at the container's edge, slightly taller ones just inside, and tallest plants in the center.
http://groups.ucanr.org/slosson/documents/2005-200610656.pdf
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Red Monardella – Monardella macrantha
© 2001 CDFA
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Red Monardella – Monardella macrantha
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?Monardella+macrantha
South Coast Ranges, Transverse Ranges, Peninsular Ranges; ssp hallii - San Gabriel Mountains,
San Bernardino Mountains, Peninsular Ranges.
Other names: Red Mountainbalm; Hummingbird Monardella
native to chaparral, woodland and forest habitats
Has a reputation for being difficult to grow
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The genus Monardella
20 species native to western North America.
Commonly known as wildmints, coyote mints or monardellas.
Highly aromatic foliage; some species used for herbal teas.
Two-lipped, tubular flowers in terminal clusters; usually red, pink, or purple.
Caterpillar (moth and Butterfly) foodplants
Special needs: excellent drainage; cannot take excess winter dampness
http://www.laspilitas.com/butterfl_files/pale_swallowtail_butterfly_
on_a_monardella.jpg
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Two S.CA subspecies
ssp. hallii
© 2004 Bob Allen
ssp. macrantha
© 2002 Charles E. Jones
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Characteristics of Red Monardella
Size:
to 1 ft tall
1-2+ ft wide
Growth form: Herbaceous perennial
Low-growing/sprawling
Foliage: Shiny, dark green leaves
Aromatic; nice for teas
Roots: Forms colonies via rhizomes
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Flowers a magnet for
hummingbirds
Blooms: summer (June-Aug)
Flowers: Large (2”) tubular flowers in
clusters
Color: red to red-orange
Very attractive to hummingbirds and larger butterflies; ‘pulls them from the sky’
Seeds: Many small seeds in dry
capsules
© 1998 California Academy of Sciences
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Plant Requirements Soils: Texture: must be well-
drained
pH: 5.0-7.0
Light: Best in part-shade; sunnier
only with good mulch
Water: Winter:
Needs good soil moisture but not too soggy
Summer: Likes regular water, but let
dry out a bit; about once/wk in a large pot
Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils
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Red Monardella makes a
great container plant
Excellent as a pot plant; will drape over the edges of pot attractively
Be sure to place high enough for protection from cats
Also nice addition to a rock garden; place for fragrance
‘Marion Sampson’ Natural cultivar
forms tight mats of small, dark leaves, with brilliant red flowers. Well suited for rock garden and container use
http://twogardens.blogspot.com/2007/05/some-of-my-favorite-things.html
http://www.elnativogrowers.com/Photographs_page/monmacms.htm
Cultivar : ‘Marion Sampson’
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Red Monardella – not so easy to find…
May be difficult to establish – don’t over-water and provide excellent drainage (cactus mix)
Would do well with other plants of like needs: Penstemon heterophyllus ; Dudleya lanceolata
Well worth the effort; stunning hummingbird plant http://coldcalculation.blogspot.com/2007/10/yerba-buena-nursery.html
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Watering native plants in containers
Containers can dry out very quickly, especially on a concrete patio and/or in full sunlight.
Hand check the soil.
Check containers at least once a day (at least until you get to know the characteristics) and twice on hot, dry, or windy days
If the soil is dry to a depth of one or two inches, then you should water.
Try to water late in the day, if possible, to reduce the stress on the plants.
Consider watering the plants twice.
Soak the mix well, wait a few minutes while you move on to other plants, then water them again.
During the first watering, the water is absorbed very quickly, but it often leaves dry spots or gaps within the potting mix. The second watering fills in those gaps.
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Container-gardening also allows us to
grow water-loving plants – in a limited
fashion
http://arieff.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/03/19/cows-grazing-in-the-rumpus-room/
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You can create a mini-pond in your
garden…complete with pond plants
http://www.penick.net/digging/index.php?s=wildflower+center
Any water-tight container will do: a watertight half wine barrel; large ceramic pots or bowls ; galvanized tubs or horse troughs, etc.
Use ceramic or terra cotta pots set upon bricks or cinderblocks, adjusting them to the level of the top edge of the pond container.
Depending upon the size of your container, you can select about three to five plants for your little "pond".
Be sure you deal with mosquito larva – mosquito fish or chemical means "mosquito dunk"
Relocating a water garden is a challenge. It's best to begin in the right location: in the sun and away from trees and plants dropping debris.
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But perhaps you’d like something a little
less pond-like
http://icps.proboards105.com/index.cgi?board=outdoor&action=display&thread=1174
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The ‘Bog Garden’ has a long gardening tradition
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Troughs and other containers are
excellent choices for mini-bog gardens
Your container should complement your garden design
http://groups.ucanr.org/slosson/documents/2005-200610656.pdf
© Project SOUND
Medium for a bog garden is different than
that for other CA native plants
Some typical media mixes: 1/2 potting soil or peat to 1/2
sand 2/3 peat to 1/3 sand. Customize your mix based on
requirements of your species
Premix your medium: add only a little water at a time; mix frequently so sand doesn’t migrate to the bottom
? Use layer of gravel as bottom layer
? Gravel mulch
© Project SOUND
Smaller bog gardens can be easily
created with containers.
Use a container at least eight inches deep and twelve inches wide.
Use the same soil mix as described above.
Place a saucer underneath the pot and keep filled with water to allow the soil medium to stay moist.
Remember, smaller containers are difficult to maintain as they dry easily.
http://www.mygardenguide.com/tutorials/pic.html?id=1-173-7.jpg
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http://icps.proboards105.com/index.cgi?board=outdoor&action=display&thread=1174
Careful of watering is important! Your bog is a different ecosystem than other large pots. Soils should be damp but no standing water
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Giant Scouring Rush – Equisetum hyemale ssp. affine
http://www.sbs.utexas.edu/bio406d/images/pics/equ/equisetum_hyemale.htm
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Giant Scouring Rush – Equisetum hyemale ssp. affine
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=233500619
Temperate regions of Europe & Asia.
In the Americas, Alaska and Canada south to Mexico, the Gulf Coast, and Guatemala.
In Ca: California Floristic Province, Warner Mountains, White and Inyo Mountains
Once thought to be many species; now thought to be one, widely distributed species
Horsetails belong to ancient lineage; dominant millions of years before dinosaurs!!
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_cpn.pl?EQHYA
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Characteristics of Giant Scouring Rush
Size:
2-4 ft tall
spreading ; can form dense colonies
Growth form: Evergreen herbaceous perennial
Upright, hollow stems
Rough, longitudinal ridges
Foliage: Tiny, tooth-like blackish leaves
Roots: Rhizomes - reproduction
Tubers – food storage
http://www.sbs.utexas.edu/bio406d/images/pics/equ/equisetum_hyemale.htm
© Project SOUND
No flowers, but
interesting strobilus
Blooms: usually in S. Bay
Strobilis: the sporangia are visible
underneath each segment of the strobilus (these segments are called
sporophylls)
Spores: cones release spores
from late spring to mid-
summer Spores are microscopic
http://www.sbs.utexas.edu/bio406d/images/pics/equ/equisetum_hyemale.htm
© Project SOUND
Equisetums are well suited to moist
container gardening
Soils: Texture: any from sandy
or gravelly muds to clays
pH: any – prefers 6.5 to 7.5
Light: full sun to shady
Water: can tolerate prolonged wet
conditions, but should not be totally submerged nor allowed to dry out
Best in cool moist soils or pots submerged up to 4”
Fertilizer http://www.vanbloem.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/PLANTS.plantDetail/plant_id/363/index.htm
© Project SOUND
Serious invasive
potential..so consider
containing it
http://extension.missouri.edu/explore/agguides/pests/ipm1007horsetail.htm http://www.smgrowers.com/products/plants/plantdisplay.asp?plant_id=554
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Garden uses for
Equisetum species
As an attractive pot plant; bog or mini-pool types
For pond margins, pool-side
In small contained areas – along a sidewalk
In fountain bases
For restoration; particularly contaminated sites
http://www.hear.org/starr/hiplants/images/thumbnails/html/equisetum_hyemale.htm
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Great addition to formal gardens
Often included in Japanese gardens
Sets off very modern architecture
Good for commercial settings
http://www.landscapeonline.com/research/article.php?id=4078
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Your own source of scouring/polishing tools
http://www.laprele.net/catalogue/vivaces/photos/equisetum_japonicum.JPG
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Consider pots as
elements of your
garden design
Color Shape Texture Design Even placement
Potted plants can serve as important garden focal points
http://www.gardens-bydesign.com/GBD/container%20garden.JPG
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Basket Rush – Juncus textilis
USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
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Basket Rush – Juncus textilis
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?Juncus%20textilis
Fairly local endemic: coastal central to S. CA to N. Mexico
Mountain ranges including San Gabriels, San Bernardinos, coastal ranges
On moist or dry soils – seasonally wet
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=222000183
© Project SOUND
Characteristics of Basket Rush
Size:
4-6 ft tall
spreading to 10+ ft wide
Growth form: Stout, upright stems
Round and somewhat ‘woodier’ than other Juncus species
Foliage: Light green; may be nearly
evergreen
No leaves
Roots: Stout, creeping rhizomes
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Flowers are fairly typical for rushes
Blooms: usually May-June in our area
Flowers: Flower heads on sides of stems
(typical for Juncus)
Many flowers
Small; more interesting than showy although this is one of the more showy rushes
Seeds: Many small seeds
Important food source for water birds, song birds, small mammals
Vegetative reproduction: via rhizomes
http://www.wnmu.edu/academic/nspages2/gilaflora/scientific.html
© Project SOUND
Basket Rush (all rushes) is well suited to
container gardening…
Soils: Texture: any – sandy to clay
pH: acid (5.0) to slightly basic (8.0)
Light: full sun to part shade; fine under Sycamores & even under Oaks
Water: Young plants: keep soils moist but not
flooded until roots are established
Winter: needs good moisture; tolerates flooding
Summer: can tolerate gradual drought; better with some water
Fertilizer: fine; organic fertilizers like leaf mold best
http://www.ecoterralandscape.com/html/coolplant.htm
© Project SOUND
Why plant Basket Rush?
An attractive planter plant, particularly with modern architecture;
Great in pots, bog gardens
Often used to stabilize stream banks
Helps to cleanse water; natural filter for heavy metals
As habitat plant: birds, amphibians, fish, other animals
As source for basketry materials
http://www.csusm.edu/indianrock/fieldtrips/fieldtripping/fieldtrip.pdf
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Managing Basket
Rush
Contain it; or with-hold summer water to control growth
Harvest stems regularly: Cut to above the
rhizomes Don’t harvest when
ground is muddy
Cut or burn old patches to stimulate new growth
http://www.csusm.edu/indianrock/fieldtrips/fieldtripping/fieldtrip.pdf
© Project SOUND
Juncus textilis in
basketmaking
Favored for straight stems, red-brown color (lower part of stems; best color from plants under trees)
Sometimes dyed black or yellow
Stems split in 3 parts lengthwise
Splines used as sewing material – Common Rush (J. balticus) used for coils
Juncus baskets are tightly woven – often used for food containers, baskets
http://www.csusm.edu/indianrock/fieldtrips/fieldtripping/fieldtrip.pdf
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Yerba Mansa – Anemopsis californica
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Yerba Mansa – Anemopsis californica
http://www.timetotrack.com/jay/dudleyl2.htm
Southwestern U.S. into Mexico
In S. CA: South Coast Ranges,
South Coast, Channel Islands, Peninsular Ranges, White and Inyo Mountains, Mojave Desert
Wet or moist areas, alkali sinks and coastal salt marsh to yellow pine forest, seeps, springs to 5000'
Saururaceae (lizard-tail Family)
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=220000730
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Yerba Mansa in the wild
Gary A. Monroe @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
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Characteristics of
Yerba Mansa Size:
1-2 ft tall: often < 1 ft
2-4 ft wide, spreading
Growth form: Herbaceous perennial; quick-
growing & long-lived
Winter-deciduous
Leaves basal
Foliage: Leaves green, fading to red/purple
in fall
Leaves aromatic when crushed (Eucalyptus/ginger scent
Roots: Strong, rhizomatous roots
Need min. 6” soil depth
Gary A. Monroe @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
© Project SOUND
Yerba Mansa flowers are quite unusual
Blooms: Spring-summer bloomer
usually Mar-May in lower elevations of S. CA
Flowers: White ‘petals’ are actually large
bracts
Flowers small (stamens & pistils only), surrounded by white bracts, clustered on upright stalks
100’s of flowers per stalk
Dry red-brown seedpods remain for several months
Seeds: in dry capsules
© 2007 Dr. Raphael Mazor
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Yerba Mansa can be grown from seed
Use fresh seed
Requires warm temperatures
Soak seeds up to 1 wk before planting
Keep soil/seeds moist to promote germination http://www.hazmac.biz/041129/041129AnemopsisCalifornica.html
© Project SOUND
The famed Yerba Mansa root
Vegetative reproduction: via rhizomes and stollons runners) spreads fairly readily to form
mat-like colonies Easy to propagate from rooted
cuttings, divisions
Roots are long and cordlike, white and brittle when young, becoming corky and covered in brown bark as they age
Roots very aromatic
Roots have long history of medicinal use: Open sores & skin infections Gout Colds & coughs Many other uses
M. Kat Anderson @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database http://www.botgard.ucla.edu/html/botanytextbooks/generalbotany/typesofshoots/stolon/b1085tx.html
http://www.kalyx.com/store/proddetail.cfm/ItemID/666872.0/CategoryID/1000.0/SubCatID/2535.0/file.htm
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Yerba Mansa is a versatile medicine
Roots have antiseptic, antibiotic, and antiviral properties
Can be used in many forms: Taken orally as a tea, tincture, infusion or
dried in capsule form. It can be used externally for soaking
inflamed or infected areas. It can be ground and used as a dusting
powder
Native peoples & settlers took plant with them as a ‘all-round’ medicinal plant
Yerba Mansa also provided food: Root - raw or cooked. An aromatic flavor. The pulverized seeds can be made into
bread or cooked as a mush
http://www.mineralarts.com/cactus/yerbamansa.html
© Project SOUND
Plant Requirements Soils: Texture: fine to medium
pH: wide range: 5.0-9.0; Fine in quite alkali & salty
soils
Light: full sun to light shade
Water: Requires wet soil and can
grow in water
suitable for bogs and
water gardens Tolerates occasional drought;
water established patches when leaves droop
Fertilizer: likes humus-rich soils; add leaf mulch
Cut back or mow yearly during
winter dormant period;
© Project SOUND
Garden uses for
Yerba Mansa
As an attractive pot plant, particularly for mini ‘bog gardens’
In containers placed in the ground
Around ponds
In water gardens
As a turf substitute or ground cover
Under birdbath or other moist areas of garden http://www.mswn.com/Plant%20Info%20Sheets/Anemopsis%20californica.pdf
© Project SOUND
Good garden design applies to mini-bag
gardens as well…
Some evergreen elements
Some vertical elements; some drapers/creepers
Some color; flowers or foliage
Textural interest http://home.utah.edu/~jsg16/page2.htm
© Project SOUND
Cardinal Flower – Lobelia cardinalis
http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=LOCA2
© Project SOUND
Cardinal Flower – Lobelia cardinalis
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?2770,2819,0,2820
Western N. America from Ontario Canada to N. Mexico
In S. CA San Gabriel & San Bernardino
Mountains; Peninsular Ranges; Desert Mountains (Panamint
Mtns)
Wet or seasonally wet areas: Steam bottoms & shores Ditches, Ravines, Depressions,
swamps Woodland edges; meadows
Its common name alludes to the bright red robes worn by Roman Catholic cardinals
Like all Lobelias, foliage is toxic when eaten
© Project SOUND
Cardinal Flower: a garden perennial
Size:
2-6 (usually 2-4) ft tall
2-3 ft wide
Growth form:
Herbaceous perennial; winter dormant
Upright growth
Short-lived but re-seeds well
Foliage: Leaves: most basal, alternate
Light to deep green; often with bronze tinge
http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=LOCA2
© Project SOUND
Flowers are out of this
world
Blooms: summer (May to Oct; usually May-July in S. CA
Flowers: Striking, ‘lobelia-type’ flowers
Bright to carmine red; like nothing else
In dense spikes that look like spires of flame
Really showy; nothing like it
An amazing hummingbird flower
Seeds: many small seeds in dry capsules
http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=LOCA2
© Project SOUND
Nathaniel Hawthorne
penned a fitting tribute
to the cardinal flower...
"The world is made brighter and sunnier by flowers of such a hue ... it arrays itself in this scarlet glory. It is a flower of thought and feeling, too; it seems to have its roots deep down in the hearts of those who gaze at it."
The cardinal flower was widely used in Europe by 1629; many European cultivars
http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/Plant.asp?code=D940
© Project SOUND
Cardinal Flower likes special treatment
… at least in our area
Soils: Texture: any, even clays
pH: any (4.0-8.0)
Light: best in light shade or filtered sunlight
Water: Needs moist soil; regular water
Can even grow in water
Fertilizer Likes a rich, humus soil
Enrich soil/medium with leaf mulch
Other: intolerant of wind http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/Plant.asp?code=D940
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Given moist conditions, Cardinal Flowers are easy to
manage
Be sure that winter mulches don’t cover the plant; danger of winter rot
Divide clumps every three years
Let plants reseed on bare ground; plants may be short-lived but tend to produce adequate seedlings
For more abundant blooms, cut back first flowering stalk, then lightly fertilize
http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=LOCA2
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Cardinal Flower is a
great Zone 3 plant…
Great candidate as a container plant; bog garden plant
Moist meadow, rain garden, anywhere that gets a little extra water
Flowers make nice cut flowers
Fine at back of conventional (regularly watered) beds
http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=LOCA2
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Musk Monkeyflower – Mimulus moschatus
J.S. Peterson @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
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Musk Monkeyflower – Mimulus moschatus
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?7177,7386,7426
Plant of western N. America, from British Columbia to N. Mexico
In CA: California Floristic Province Wet places to 7500' Streambanks, moist meadows
and seeps Closed-cone Pine Forest,
Freshwater Marsh, Mountain Meadow, Redwood Forest, Riparian (rivers & creeks) and Yellow Pine Forest.
Now also naturalized in Eastern U.S, Europe
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Musk Monkeyflower: a small plant of damp
places Size:
usually < 1 ft tall
1-2+ ft wide
Growth form:
Herbaceous perennial
Low-growing; creeping
Foliage: Very hairy, sticky, even slimy
Musky-sweet smell
Leaves simple; coarsely-toothed
Roots: well-developed rhizomes; stems may also root where they touch ground
© Jamie Fenneman
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Flowers are small but
sweet……..
Blooms: summer usually May-Aug. in S. CA
Flowers: solitary on long stem
Small (usually ½” or so)
Bright yellow; occasionally with red stripes or dots
5 lobes almost equal sized
Seeds: Numerous & tiny (like dust)
In dry, papery capsule
© Virginia Skilton
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Plant Requirements Soils:
Texture: any; even heavy clays, sandy soils
pH: any local
Light: Light to partial shade best
Full sun only if soils are kept moist
Water: Prefers moist soils, damp or
boggy spots
Can even grow in shallow water
Fertilizer: likes humus-rich soils
© 2004, Ben Legler
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Musk Monkeyflower: another Zone 3
flowering plant
Wonderful as a pot plant; keep pot in a saucer of water to keep soils moist
Good for pond & pool edges; near fountains
Any moist, shady spot in the garden
Even consider for vegetable garden; young foliage is edible
© 2004, Ben Legler
© Project SOUND
Container gardens allow us to create the
conditions needed by selected plants
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Growing plants in containers allows you to control
the medium, fertility & soil moisture
Water retention: Improve drainage
Improve retention
Medium fertility: Decrease fertility
Increase fertility with regular fertilization
Supply specific nutrients
Alter pH
Watering schedule:
http://groups.ucanr.org/slosson/documents/2005-200610656.pdf
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Let’s look for inspiration in the gardens