© Project SOUND

Captivating Containers: more container gardening with

California native plants

C.M. Vadheim and T. Drake

CSUDH & Madrona Marsh Preserve

Madrona Marsh PreserveNovember 7 & 12, 2015

Every garden needs an accent or two…

May be living (plants) or hardscape elements

What accents do: Draw the eye to them – they

are a focal point in the design

Help balance a design Add interest Contrast with other elements

of the design

Accent plants: are usually striking because of their shape, texture, color (foliage or flower/fruit) or size

© Project SOUND

http://i.ytimg.com/vi/CE7vZ9cZWDE/maxresdefault.jpg

http://www.viette.com/v.php?pg=489

2015: Sustainable Gardening is Life-friendly gardening

© Project SOUND

Native plants make sense as garden accents

http://www.anniesannuals.com/plants/view/?id=695

Provide a sense of place Good fit for conditions Provide habitat Human uses: food, fiber, scents,

etc.

But, how can we actually use them as garden accents?

Containers are used increasingly

as accents The containers themselves can

be decorative accents

More attractive containers are available all the time

Allow you to feature plants at their best times

Containers are versatile: Small gardens Patios/porches As dividers

© Project SOUND

http://www.artisticbonsaicircle.co.uk/acc022cd.htm

http://imageion.com/2015/breathtaking-garden-decoration-ideas/

Native plants in pots: good and bad

Good news Many lovely natives will grow in pots Can grow native even if you have

very little soil (porches) Habitat value (including for humans)

Challenges Some natives are ‘seasonal’ Some have unusual requirements Some – particularly those with deep

taproots – may be difficult to grow in pots

Some shrubs, which need a long dry period, are also difficult to maintain

© Project SOUND

Let’s consider some practical ways you can use native plant containers to their full potential

© Project SOUNDhttp://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MeiSjkSlG-s/TcdTDIwrg7I/AAAAAAAADGU/ioAGkO_J1_o/s1600/222.JPG

Seasonal color pot as an accent – is it possible with native plants?

© Project SOUND

http://www.bulbsareeasy.com/cms/bulbs_for_containers/ http://www.container-gardening-for-you.com/container-garden-design-yellow-tulips.html

Lets assume you’re starting with a blank slate… and an inspiring photo

© Project SOUND

http://www.houzz.com/discussions/513711/california-ranch-home-gets-improved-curb-appeal-and-new-entry

http://www.deep-roots.net/Landscape.htm

Choosing the right container – first decide

who’s the star

© Project SOUND

http://www.shopterrain.com/article/best-beach-plantingshttp://flowerspotdesign.blogspot.com/2015/01/how-to-plant-flowers-in-pot.html

For accent containers, either the plants, the pot, or both can be the focal point

http://gardensbeds.tk/garden-containers/

© Project SOUND

http://www.smugcreekgardens.com/containergardening.html

http://www.backyardnature.com/cgi-bin/gt/tpl.h,content=231

rose

http://www.gardenguides.com/container-gardening-tips/

http://ucyclyd.com/2015/stunning-small-garden-design-ideas/

Containers Plants

Both

Both

You choose a set of simple, terra cotta pots, appropriate for your home

© Project SOUND

http://www.houzz.com/discussions/513711/california-ranch-home-gets-improved-curb-appeal-and-new-entry

How can I provide seasonal color all year long?

One easy solution: the ‘Cache pot’ solution (double potting)

© Project SOUND

http://www.fabdwell.com/home/mid-century-modern-planters-addressing-beauty-function/

http://www.calendariodojardim.com.br/anteriores/Dica0412.html

http://www.canberraorchids.org/tips.html

Pot stand made from a cheap plastic pot

Allows you to switch out plants for seasonal color

http://www.crateandbarrel.com/bronze-26.5-tall-tapered-planter/s595512?si=2205077&aff=cj

8” wide/11” deep insert

Seasonal color pot using double-potted native plants

Advantages Allows you to use attractive pots

that might not be other-wise suitable (metal)

Can feature plants at their most attractive season

Can be easy to switch plants; don’t have to move heavy pots around

Can grow seasonal accents even on patios, decks, porches

Can use plants with different requirements

Disadvantages Take more time, planning Need place to store inner pots in

the off season© Project SOUND

http://coolshire.com/using-planters-for-container-gardening-and-urban-gardening/

Double potting also helps keep plant roots cooler

Good choices for bulb native pots native Alliums (onions) native Brodiaea species (Harvest lilies) native Camassia (Camas) native Dichelostemas (Wild hyacynths)

© Project SOUND

Camassia

Tritelia

Brodiaea

Allium

Planting native bulbs for accent pots A few tricks we’ve learned

Use either regular clay pots or plastic (if letting dry over summer)

Don’t worry too much about the potting soil

Plant bulbs at 2X their longest length – they will position themselves

Use as many bulbs as you can to create a spectacular pot

If bulbs are rare/expensive:

Combine with annual wildflowers first few years

Let propagate both vegetatively and by seed

© Project SOUND

http://frustratedgardener.com/2012/10/13/planting-autumn-bulbs-in-containers/

Store container – as is – in cool dry place after blooming

Repot every few years in fall; other years just add layer of potting soil

Note bloom times in your Garden Notebook – will help you plan for seasonal color

Tricks for annual color plants

Plant at the right time of year (usually with first rains)

Sow thickly – they won’t mind Keep them watered – dry out in winter

Santana winds Collect seeds or let re-seed Serial-sow later blooming species

© Project SOUND

Planning for year-round accent pots Winter/spring

Spring bulbs (all except Brodiaeae & some Alliums)

Spring annual wildflowers

Later spring/summer Brodiaeae & some Alliums Later annual wildflowers: Clarkias;

Collinsia; Gilia capitata (may serial sow) Perennials:

Red Buckwheat Conejo Buckwheat

Summer/Fall California fuschia (Epilobium species) Non-native flowering plants Water-loving ferns, perennials Warm-season grasses © Project SOUND

Perennials expand your container palette

Yarrow Smaller buckwheats (Red

and Conejo) CA sea thrift (Armeria) CA fuschia (Epilobium) Monkeyflowers (Diplacus

& Mimulus species) Many more

© Project SOUND

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/418694096580931757/

The ‘cache pot’ solution : many looks, many advantages

© Project SOUND

http://www.maison-deco.com/jardin/deco-jardin/30-cache-pot-pour-mettre-en-valeur-vos-plantes http://stinside.canalblog.com/archives/2011/12/14/22940091.html

http://www.ikea.com/fr/fr/catalog/products/90233613/

Can be used with any style of architecture

Let’s consider another option for optimizing seasonal color with natives

© Project SOUND

What would the pros do with seasonally attractive plants?

Solution 2: The ‘Staging Solution’

Move most attractive plants to the forefront at their peak

Move less attractive plants to places where they are less noticeable (or switch with seasonal replacements)

Have some (larger, background plants) that always look good, and never need to be moved

© Project SOUND

© Project SOUND

Lot’s of people like the look of succulents in containers – they look good in many situations

Can tailor the container to the plant: Size and material Aesthetics

Can grow plants with very different needs right next to one another [non-native succulents & Dudleyas]

Can ‘stage’ plants according to their seasonal attractiveness

© Project SOUND

Advantages of planting individual plants (succulents) in pots

https://www.anniesannuals.com/plants/view/?id=3944

Dudleya palmeri Dudleya edulis

Many native succulents grow well in containers

Dudleyas (Live-forevers) Dudleya britonii D. caespitosa D. farinosa D. hasseii D. palmeri D. pulverulenta D. traskiae

Lewisia

Sedums Sedum laxum ssp eastwoodiae Sedum niveum Sedum spathulifolium Sedum stenopetalum

© Project SOUND

© Project SOUND

*Bitterroot – Lewisia cotyledon

©2004 Mike Ireland

Growing native succulents: in containers

Choose an unglazed terra cotta planter (best) Use a good Dudleya/succulent/cactus mix

Mix 1 1 part peat 1 part commercial potting soil (something basic) 3 parts porous rock, such as pumice, lava, or a mixture of the two

Mix 2 2 parts potting soil 1 part perlite or pumice 1 part lava rock, gravel or very coarse builder’s (sharp) sand (or

combination) ¼ recommended amount of time-release fertilizer (Osmacote)

Use a gravel mulch Place in proper light condition (often part-shade)

© Project SOUND

Pleasing designs with multiple pots

Have plenty of green foliage Limit the colors and shapes of

pots: choose a theme Have enough variability in either

the flowers or foliage to provide accents

© Project SOUNDhttp://otonanogucci.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/small-balcony-garden-ideas-10.jpghttp://img.kwikdeko.com/2013/03/balcony-garden-19.jpg

© Project SOUND

*Mojave woodyaster – Xylorhiza tortifolia

©2010 Malia Volke

Southwestern Utah south to western Arizona and southeastern California

Mojave and Sonoran Deserts AKA: Machaeranthera tortifolia

© Project SOUND

*Mojave woodyaster – Xylorhiza tortifolia

Gerald and Buff Corsi © California Academy of SciencesGary A. Monroe, hosted by the USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_cpn.pl?XYTO2

© Project SOUND

Mojave aster: a woody desert sub-shrub Size:

1-3 ft tall 2-3 ft wide

Growth form: Mounded sub-shrub; woody base Many slender branches Drought deciduous

Foliage: Leaves linear, gray-green, hairy and

glandular Leave margins toothed, spiny Attractive shape and color Nice scent – used as a ‘perfume’ and

‘clothing scent’

Roots: tap root??

©2009 Christopher L. Christie

http://www.raisingbutterflies.org/xylorhiza-tortifolia/single-gallery/3824320

© Project SOUND

Sweet aster flowers

Blooms: with rains/irrigation; main season in spring (Mar-May) but may bloom in Oct. also.

Flowers: Very showy in bloom Pretty little aster heads to 2”

across Ray flowers lavender to white Disk flowers yellow Attracts wide range of insect

pollinators

Seeds: small, wind-distributed sunflower seeds

©2014 Richard Spellenberg

©1992 Gary A. Monroe

You may need to grow this one from seed

Seed more readily available that plants

Pretty easy to grow plants in Sunflower family

Start in fall/early winter Start in 3-4” recycled

nursery pots in part shade Barely cover seeds Keep medium moist Let seedlings grow to about

2-3 inches Carefully transplant to

larger nursery containers to grow up

© Project SOUND

http://www.hazmac.biz/040329/040329XylorhizaTortifolia.html

Use fresh seeds – small seeds lose their viability faster than do large seeds

© Project SOUND

Plant Requirements Soils: Texture: well-drained pH: any local – 7.0-8.0

Light: Full sun to part-shade

(afternoon shade fine)

Water: Winter: good winter rains Summer: occasional to none –

Water Zones 1-2 to 2 with well-drained soils. Fine with hot. Dry conditions once est.

Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils

Other: inorganic mulch; will self-sow if happy

©2014 Richard Spellenberg

© Project SOUND

Mojave aster: pleasant seasonal accent

Pretty accent in desert-themed or rock gardens

Good for hot, dry places Nice addition to pollinator and scent

gardens An attractive pot plant©2011 Kendra Olcott

Mark W. Skinner, hosted by the USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database ©1992 Gary A. Monroe

© Project SOUND

Flowering perennials & sub-shrubs add interest and seasonal color; succulents add green

You might want to use both seasonally dormant and evergreen shrubs to allow

for ‘staging’

© Project SOUNDGary A. Monroe, hosted by the USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

© Project SOUND

*Desert Sage – Salvia dorii

©2004 James M. Andre

Western U.S. from WA to CA & AZ. Eastern Sierras, Tehachapi Mtns, Mojave Desert;

Sandy, rocky or limestone soil on dry open slopes, on flats or foothills

Pinyon-juniper, sagebrush, chaparral, and cool desert shrub plant communities.

© Project SOUND

*Desert Sage – Salvia dorii

©2008 Vernon Smith ©2013 Jean Pawek

http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_cpn.pl?SADO4

© Project SOUND

Salvia dorii: a mounded sage

Size: 2-3 ft tall 3-4 ft wide

Growth form: Mounded sub-shrub; usually

wider than tall Many-branched; neat

appearance

Foliage: Gray-green Leaves small, hairy Aromatic of sage

http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=SADO4

© Project SOUND

Sage flowers deluxe

Blooms: late spring/early summer; usually May-June in W. L.A. county’

Flowers: On a distinctive flowering stalk Typical sage/mint shape Purple to blue colored Surrounded by magenta bracts Truly lovely, showy Attract many pollinators: native

bees, hummingbirds, butterflies, moths – excellent pollinator habitat plants!©2004 James M. Andre

© Project SOUND

Plant Requirements Soils: Texture: well-drained - plant on

mound or use cactus mix in pots pH: any local; alkali fine

Light: Full sun

Water: Winter: rains will suffice in

most years Summer: occasional summer

water (Water Zone 1-2); taper to none in fall

Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils

Other: prune like other sages after blooming or in fall.

©2008 Vernon Smith

©2013 Jean Pawek

© Project SOUND

Showy shrub for water-wise gardens

As an accent in desert-themed gardens or rock gardens

As low hedge In pollinator & butterfly gardens As an aromatic pot plant

Image by Mary Winter

http://www.birdandhike.com/Veg/Species/Shrubs/Salvia_dor/_Sal_dor.htm https://www.nargs.org/forum/salvia-dorrii-great-western-shrub

© Project SOUND

* Apache Plume – Fallugia paradoxa

© Project SOUND

Flowers and seeds are very showy

Blooms: in spring – April-June in our area

Flowers: Give a good clue that this plant

is in the Rose family 2 inch pure white flowers like a

wild rose – ooh la la Like a rose, attracts many

insects (butterflies, bees, etc.)

Seeds: Have fluffy tails – very showy

on the plant Fade from pink to gold as they

mature

© 2010 James M. Andre

© Project SOUND

Gardeners are discovering Apache Plume

© 2002 Gary A. Monroe

© 2003 Charles E. Joneshttp://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/fallugia-paradoxa

http://www.nazflora.org/Fallugia_paradoxa.htm

As an accent plant in desert-themed gardens for beauty & habitat value

As a foundation shrub

In informal hedges/hedgerows

In very hot, dry situations (parking lots; roadways)

Limitations to the ‘Staging solution’

Some containers are too large to allow them to be moved easily

Less variety possible than if ‘cache potting’

Plants must be managed more –takes time, ‘fiddling’

Plants must be chosen carefully for suitability: Growing conditions Size Aesthetics Role in overall design

More appropriate for some architectural styles than others© Project SOUNDhttp://otonanogucci.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/small-balcony-

garden-ideas-10.jpg

Some situations call for containers that look dramatic all year long…

© Project SOUND

http://www.aridaccents.com/uploads/1/3/1/7/13173938/2771947_orig.jpg

…and some plants are lovely all year long

© Project SOUND

http://www.succulentsandmore.com/2011/10/succulent-gardens-extravaganza-part-1.html

Dudleya brittonii

Agave species like Agave shawii

Designer Solution 3 - the ‘architectural pot’

approach.

Container & plants are permanent architectural elements

© Project SOUNDhttp://downtownaustinblog.org/2013/09/05/patio-perfect-how-to-make-the-most-of-your-downtown-austin-condos-outdoor-space/

http://www.oakhavenrealty.com/10914-planter-pots-entry-rustic-with-container-plants-copper-roof-deck-grass-lawn-metal-roof-porch-potted-plants/

Some native plants are naturally dramatic…

© Project SOUND

http://www.aridaccents.com/uploads/1/3/1/7/13173938/2771947_orig.jpg

http://www.pacifichorticulture.org/articles/dudleyas-for-the-garden/

© Project SOUND

*Coastal Agave – Agave shawii

© 2005 Vince Scheidt

© Project SOUND

* Banana Yucca – Yucca baccata

© Project SOUND

Banana Yucca: dramatic accent Size:

2-6 ft tall (flower stalk taller) 2-10 ft wide (spreads slowly)

Growth form: Evergreen perennial ‘sub-shrub’ –

typical Yucca form Many strap-like leaves in basal

rosette

Foliage: Leaves 1-3 ft long – depends on

water Sharp spines on tips

Roots: forms offsets (‘pups’) along rhizomes; long-lived

http://www.desert-tropicals.com/Plants/Agavaceae/Yucca_baccata.html

© Project SOUND

* Bigelow’s Beargrass/Nolina – Nolina bigelovii

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Nolina_bigelovii

© Project SOUND

Nolina: nice accent Nice accent plant in any dry

garden Right at home in desert gardens,

rock gardens, hot places Leaves used green or bleached in

basketry; young flowers stalks can be baked and eaten

http://www.delange.org/BeargrassBig/BeargrassBig.htm

http://gallery.cvetq.info/displayimage.php?album=267&pos=4

Architectural native plants: more variety than you might think

© Project SOUND

Pete Veilleux - East Bay Wilds Native Plant Nursery

© Project SOUNDArctostaphylos bakeri

pete@eastbaywilds.com

Manzanitas for containers

Arctostaphylos bakeri

Arctostaphylos densiflora'Howard McMinn'

Arctostaphylos edmundsii ‘Bert Johnson’

Arctostaphylos nummularia (including ‘Pennies from Heaven’)

Arctostaphylos pajaroensis 'Myrtle Wolf‘& ‘Warren Roberts’

A. uva-ursi© Project SOUND

Arctostaphylos edmundsii ‘Bert Johnson’

http://www.calfloranursery.com/plants/arctostaphylos-edmundsii-bert-johnson

How big a pot? Good rule of thumb: big enough for 2-3 year’s growth (learn enough about the plant’s growth to judge)

Go big - the smallest (for small plants) should be 2.5 gallon

Bigger can be better: Allows room for plants to

grow Easier to maintain correct

soil moisture Easier to maintain

temperature

© Project SOUND

http://housetohome.media.ipcdigital.co.uk/96/000011849/e80f_orh550w550/Red-Mud-Hut-planter.jpg

What’s the deal with CA natives in tall pots?

© Project SOUND

Advantages of tall, square pots

Good for small areas like patios, balconies

Easier to keep roots cool (in shady location)

More soil – square pot holds 50% more soil than round

Easier to water properly

Allows native plants with deep roots to develop more normal root systems

Advice on size: tailor size and shape to plant’s root system

© Project SOUND

© Project SOUND

There are many native architectural plants

http://rareexotics.com/store/index.php/cat_191

http://www.thedangergarden.com/2011/03/poncirus-trifoliata-or-flying-dragon.html?m=1

Remember: you’re trying to create a dramatic accent for a specific space

Visit the container garden at Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden

© Project SOUND

Some S. CA families with architectural shrubs

The Spurge family (Euphorbiaceae)

The Rose family (Rosaceae) Roses Prunus species Heteromeles

The Buckthorn family (Rhamnaceae)

© Project SOUND

http://encinitasnatives.blogspot.com/2014/09/baja-plants.html

© Project SOUND

Spurge family (Euphorbiaceae)

Large - > 6000 species worldwide Occur mainly in the tropics Most are herbaceous plants - some

tropical shrubs and trees A number of plants of the Spurge

family are of considerable economic importance. Prominent plants include Manioc, the Castor bean, and the Para rubber tree. Many are grown as ornamental plants, such as Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima).

Local species: Chamaesyce; Croton; Euphorbia, Acalypha

There is a greater variety in the genus Euphorbia than any other group of succulents in the world.

© Project SOUND

Cliff (California) Spurge – Euphorbia misera

© 2005 TRNERR P. Roullard t

© Project SOUND

Cliff (California) Spurge – Euphorbia misera

http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?Euphorbia+misera

Primarily a Mexican species

Limited distribution: in Orange, Riverside, and San Diego

counties; on San Clemente and Santa Catalina

islands in Los Angeles County; on the mainland and Isla Guadalupe in

Baja California, Mexico.

Grows on sandy coastal bluffs, south facing slopes of coastal scrub, coastal bluff scrub and Mojavean desert scrub (rocky)

Gary A. Monroe @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

© Project SOUND

Cliff spurge is an interesting little shrub

Size: 2-4 ft tall & wide

Growth form: Shrub or sub-shrub Unusual stem-succulent plant;

looks like a miniature tree Many-branched with grayish

bark

Foliage: Leaves bright green fading to

dull green, rounded Drought-deciduous Looks like a succulent

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

© Project SOUND

Plant Requirements Soils: Texture: sand or sandy best

(but doing ok in Madrona Garden clays – so far)

pH: best 6.0 to 7.0

Light: Full sun to part shade (in

hot gardens)

Water: Winter: no flooding? Summer: wide range of

tolerance (Zone 1 to 2-3); best as 2 w/ occasional spray

Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils

Other: likes seaside conditions

© Project SOUND

Flowers are fantastic

Blooms: usually Jan-June in our area

Flowers: What appears to be a single

flower is in reality a cyathium, a cup-shaped involucre in which there is a single female flower with one pistil surrounded by male flowers consisting of one stamen each.

Small but really showy close up –place where you can appreciate

Nectar attracts bees, butterflies, hummingbirds

Seeds: wrinkled seeds in round capsule

© 2006 Steve Matson

Gary A. Monroe @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

© Project SOUND

Garden uses for Cliff Spurge As a specimen shrub – very unusual As an attractive pot plant; popular for

bonsai In a Baja plant garden or rock garden Suitable for xeriscaping Small scale makes it good choice for

small areas

http://www.sfloridacactus.org/pictures.html

http://www.desertmuseum.org/programs/succulents_gallery5.html

Keys to successful ‘Architectural pots’

Choose pots appropriate for architectural style

Limit the container palette: all the same or similar size, shape or color

Choose plants that look good year round

Choose plants that are large and/or dramatic in some way – ‘plant divas’

Manage the plants: always look good

© Project SOUND

http://www.crateandbarrel.com/zinc-tall-square-planter/s391046?si=2205077&aff=cj

http://gardenergardens.com/big-plant-pots/https://www.pinterest.com/pin/85638830388182705/

Repetition: an easy design element

© Project SOUND

http://www.realsimple.com/home-organizing/gardening/outdoor/easy-container-gardens-0

http://housingstorm.com/potted-plants-growing-activity.html/outdoor-potted-plants

http://www.thisnext.com/item/0F836FB4/FF4C16B1/Bubble-Plant-Pot

http://www.plantcontainers.com/

© Project SOUND

* California Copperleaf – Acalypha californica

http://www.inaturalist.org/photos/310547

© Project SOUND

* California Copperleaf – Acalypha californica

Peninsular Range of San Diego County and the western Colorado (Sonoran) Desert.

Rocky slopes and along washes to about 4000 ft.

Chaparral, Southern Oak Woodland

http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?3618,3619,3620

© Br. Alfred Brousseau, Saint Mary's College ©2012 Gary A. Monroe

The Copperleaves: genus Acalypha

Family: Euphorbiaceae One of the largest euphorb

genera: approximately 450 to 462 species

60% of species native to the Americas and about 30% in Africa

Species primarily tropical or sub-tropical

Some species grown as house or garden plants; some, indeed, have copper leaves

Many used in traditional medicine (for wide range of ailments)

© Project SOUND

http://posture.doonks.com/Acalypha.html

http://www.gardenality.com/Plants/1461/Perennial-Plants/Copper-Leaf-Acalypha.html

© Project SOUND

California copperleaf: an attractive shrub

Size: 3-4 ft tall 3-4 ft wide

Growth form: Mounded sub-shrub with many

slender branches New bark red; older is gray Evergreen

Foliage: Leaves small, simple with wavy

edges Very neat appearance

© Br. Alfred Brousseau, Saint Mary's College

©2012 Gary A. Monroe

© Project SOUND

Flowers are dramatic

Blooms: off & on with rains/irrigation; main bloom seasons in spring and fall

Flowers: Separate male, female

flowers along spikes Female flowers have long,

slender, red/pink styles, leafy bracts

Male flowers darker, with white pollen visible

Very pretty in bloom!

Seeds: small, dark, pitted

http://nathistoc.bio.uci.edu/plants/Euphorbiaceae/Acalypha%20californica.htm

Medicinal qualities of CA copperleaf

Foliage extracts used as anti-cancer drug by Pima Indians (AZ) and Mexican native peoples

One recent study: ‘Because of the antiproliferative activity observed, our results provide a rational basis for the use of extracts of A. californica in treating various types of cancer in traditional medicine from Mexico. The extracts induce apoptosis via activation of caspases.’

© Project SOUND

© 2003 Michael Charters

© Project SOUND

Easy garden plant Soils:

Texture: adaptable; clays OK pH: any local (6.0-8.0)

Light: Full sun to part-shade

(afternoon shade best in hot gardens, pots)

Water: Winter: needs good rains Summer: very adaptable; Water

Zones 1-2 to 2-3; looks best 2 to 2-3

Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils

Other: nice natural shape; wear gloves when handling – sap may cause rash

©2012 Gary A. Monroe

http://www.plantsystematics.org/imgs/dws/r/Euphorbiaceae_Acalypha_californica_26523.html

© Project SOUND

Nice green shrub Useful as small, evergreen shrub

or accent plant Sometimes used as low hedge Looks great with local native

plants or in desert-themed garden Attractive in planters or large

containershttp://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/10--acalypha-californica

http://snowbirdpix.com/sonoran_desert_plant_page.php?id=1603

Native shrubs with dense foliage can be trimmed formally

© Project SOUND

© 2003 Michael Charters

http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/category/pots++planters/home-garden-pots.jsp?cm_sp=TOPNAV-_-HOME-_-GARDEN-POTS#/

Accents don’t need to be floral

© Project SOUND

They just need to provide interest and contrast with surrounding plants & hardscape

http://lostinthelandscape.com/2012/06/

© Project SOUNDhttp://www.thelovelyplants.com/category/grass/

Grasses & grass-like plants add a sculptural element…

http://www.fanrto.com/ideas_for_balcony_design_ornamental_grasses_as_a_decorative_element/

© Project SOUND

Leafy (Mendocino/ Dwarf) Reedgrass -Calamagrostis foliosa

J.S. Peterson @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

© Project SOUND

Leafy Reedgrass - Calamagrostis foliosaPacific Reedgrass - Calamagrostis nutkaensis

Both are CA natives: Leafy: North Coast, Outer

North Coast Ranges

Pacific: Central Coast, San Francisco Bay Area, North Coast to AK

Leafy: Uncommon on bluffs, cliffs, coastal scrub, forest

Pacific: Wet areas, beaches, dunes, coastal woodland< 1000 ft

Leafy Reedgrass

http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?8738,8886,8890

Pacific Reedgrass

© Project SOUND

Pacific Reedgrass – in N. California

http://www.ubcbotanicalgarden.org/potd/2005/12/calamagrostis_nutkaensis.php

Can be treated as either a ground cover or a specimen grass

© Project SOUND

Choose the Reedgrass that best fits your garden needs

Leafy (C. foliosa): 1-2 ft tall; flower stalks are taller Dense gray-green foliage; purple

tinge in winter Finer texture, scale than Pacific

Reedgrass Rare in nature: CA state rare list Excellent in dry streambed, swale

Pacific (C. nutkaensis): 3-4 ft tall; 3 ft wide – flower stalks

are taller Striking as accent plant or as

background in "grass gardens". More common Good as a large accent or

foundation plant

http://www.yerbabuenanursery.com/online_album/0595.htm

http://www.mostlynatives.com/notes/calamagrostisnutkaensis.htm

© Project SOUND

Reedgrasses: versatile like Rye grasses

Light: full sun to heavy shade

Water: green (and probably look best) with some summer water but quite drought tolerant

Foliage: somewhat coarse, but always has some color

Flowers showy: like Pampas Grass

Good for meadows, erosion control, banks/slopes

Good in coastal settings, as it tolerates wind and salt spray.

http://www.edgehill.net/2002-09-22-salt-point/pages/39-2P1010242_.htm

http://community.webshots.com/album/390986754KTdYzf

© Project SOUND

http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h319/achnatherum/Grassses/P7210001b.jpg

http://www.greatgardenplantsblog.com/category/ornamental-grasses/

http://www.gardendesign.com/ornamental-grasses/

http://www.fanrto.com/ideas_for_balcony_design_ornamental_grasses_as_a_decorative_element/

Grasses & grass-like plants can provide stunning, evergreen accents

© Project SOUND

http://www.imamuseum.org/blog/2010/09/03/contained-joy/

Note how the choice of pot helps determine the style of these accents

© Project SOUND

Fiber Optic Grass – Isolepis cernuus

USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database http://rlsnyder.us/blog/category/shopping-for-new-plants/

© Project SOUND

Fiber Optic Grass – Isolepis cernuus

http://www.fws.gov/humboldtbay/plantguide/sedges/sci_cer_2.html © 2002 Margo Bors

Coastal West from British Columbia to Texas, Baja and S. America

Wet, freshwater to brackish places on beaches, dunes, marine bluffs, sandy areas, mostly coastal

?? LA River native

© Project SOUND

Fiber optic grass: grass-like sedge

Size: to 1 ft tall; ‘Dwarf’ is < 6 inches 1-3 ft wide

Growth form: Mounded, grass-like plant Evergreen; looks good year-round Spreads slowly via short rhizomes

Foliage: Leaves/stems slender, grass-like Bright green color – fresh, almost

tropical

Note: All parts of plant toxic if eaten

© Project SOUND

Flowers add to the charm

Blooms: late spring through fall in S. CA. Good for summer interest

Flowers: Typical, understated flowers of

the sedges – wind pollinated At tips of stems – like Spikerush Pale in flower, becoming darker Young flowers look like glowing tip

of fiber optic cable – hence common name.

Seeds: eaten by birds

Vegetative reproduction: slow

http://www.answers.com/topic/dudleya

http://www.fws.gov/humboldtbay/plantguide/sedges/sci_cer_2.html

http://www.smgrowers.com/products/plants/plantdisplay.asp?strLetter=S&plant_id=1490&page=4

© Project SOUND

Likes its water! Soils: Texture: very adaptable pH: any local

Light: Full sun if in/near water Part-sun to fairly shady otherwise

Water: Winter: very moist soil; shallow

flooding Summer: moist soils; regular water

or plant around a pond/pool

Fertilizer: occasional ½ strength fertilizer if grown in container

Other: wear gloves when handling; may cause rash

© Jamie Fenneman (Photo ID #4101)

Cut back yearly for best appearance

© Project SOUND

Plant for moist areas Pond or pool side; even in

containers slightly submerges Bog/wetland gardens Very attractive pot plant – super

shape, color Any other place with moist soilshttp://www.mwgs.org/index.php?rte=pltviewd&pid=56&cid=6#

http://www.deborahsilver.com/blog/tag/fiber-optic-grass/

http://artisticgardener.net/grasses/scirpuscer.htm

Grasses & grass-like plants: architectural alternatives for succulents

© Project SOUND

http://www.thegardenglove.com/using-architectural-plants-in-the-garden/

Several shapes appropriate for ‘Architectural Pots’

Another use of containers: barrier/screen

© Project SOUND

http://www.succulentsandmore.com/2013/06/vista-garden.html

https://www.pinterest.com/ks1phx/gardens-oranamental-grass/

Architectural containers can provide green barriers in challenging situations

© Project SOUND

https://www.pinterest.com/fdsminnesota/interior-planters/

http://rockspringdesign.com/blog/?p=1015

http://www.myurbangardendecoguide.com/pots-and-planters/

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/176884/

Containers for barriers/screen: more good choices all the time

May not be cheap, but they’re an investment (like a piece of garden sculpture)

Grasses aren’t the only plants being used for barriers/screens

© Project SOUND

http://www.thedangergarden.com/2012/05/back-from-quick-trip-to-southern.html

Huntington Gardens

http://agrowingobsession.com/?p=67011

http://community.homedepot.com/howto/DiscussionDetail/Bamboo-zled-9065000000006im

Consider Narrowleaf willow as a bamboo alternative

http://garden.freluxe.com/decorative-garden-containers/

Upright forms

© Project SOUND

https://www.pinterest.com/marcelushka/plantas/

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/452400725043313417/

Look great with modern, sculptural pots and planters

https://www.pinterest.com/lovemyart2/outdoor-gardens/

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/537265430518475793/

Large potted ‘grasses’ make striking accent plants – or be used as barriers/screens

Carex spissa Equisetum spp. – Horsetails Juncus patens Leymus condensatus Muhlenbergia rigens - Deergrass Schoenoplectus spp. -Tules Typha species – Cattails

© Project SOUND

https://www.gardenia.net/garden/a-contemporary-provencal-courtyard-suzman-design-associates

© Project SOUND

*San Diego sedge – Carex spissa

Central & S. Coast of CA & Baja; AZ

Streambanks below 2000‘

In coastal sage scrub, chaparral, foothill woodland communities

© Project SOUND

*San Diego sedge – Carex spissa

http://www.landscaperesource.com/plants/grasses-grasslike/carex-spissa.htm

http://herbaria4.herb.berkeley.edu/eflora_display.php?tid=17845

© Project SOUND

Characteristics of San Diego sedge Size:

2-5+ ft tall 3-6 ft wide, slowly spreading via

rhizomes

Growth form: Perennial with upright to mounding

habit; mature clumps are dense Warm season bunching/ spreading

sedge Evergreen (or nearly so); slow to

establish

Foliage: Leaves pale green to blue-green Long, narrow and grass-like larval food source for Umber

Skipper (Poanes melane)

© Project SOUND

Showy flowers for a sedge

Blooms: late spring to early fall

Flowers: Wind-pollinated, so no showy

petals Small flowers along a stout

blooming stalk The flowers are actually large

for a sedge – note the dangling stamens

Seeds: birds love them!

Vegetative reproduction: slowly spreading via rhixomes

© Project SOUND

Plant Requirements Soils:

Texture: any pH: any local

Light: Full sun to full shade; useful

ornamental ‘grass’ for shady areas.

Water: Winter: good rains or irrigation Summer: wide range; moist soils

will keep green, but can take fairly dry conditions

Fertilizer: none or ½ strength in containers

Other: cut back after flowering; or mow every few years to rejuvenate

© Project SOUND

Garden uses for San Diego sedge

Bog gardens, rain gardens and infiltration swales

As a large ornamental ‘grass’ in moist, shady areas

Around ponds, pools As an attractive large pot plant

http://www.smgrowers.com/products/plants/plantimage.asp?plant_id=350

Growing native grasses in containers

Advantages Allow you to grow grasses with

special requirement Contains them; keeps from

spreading Useful and distinctive accent

features Allows you to grow several

different grasses & feature each

May allow you to grow grasses with unusual light conditions: shade; bright sun

© Project SOUNDhttp://maree-clarkson.blogspot.com/2013/12/ornamental-grasses-in-garden.html

Grasses & grass-like plants add a sculptural element…

Mounded Some Carex (praegracilis; tumulticola) Idaho fescue (Festuca idahoensis) Deergrass (Muhlenbergia rigens)

© Project SOUND

http://gardengallery.ca/ornamental-grasses-2

Upright-arching Purple three-awn (Aristida) Native Needlegrasses

(Achnatherum)(Stipa/ Nassella)

Arching Fiber-optic grass Reedgrasses (Calamagrostis) Fescues (Festuca) Alkali sacaton (Sporobolus)

Upright Cyperus Spike-rush (Eleocharis) Equisetum Many rushes (Juncus) Tules (Schoenoplectus) Cattails (Typha)

Upright forms

© Project SOUND

http://www.gapphotos.com/imagedetails.asp?imageno=479104

Achnatherum

http://www.goerie.com/exciting-plant-choices-for-containers

http://hiddenhillsgarden.com/blog/?p=1626

https://www.provenwinners.com/plants/images/43777

Purple threeawnAristida purpurea

Open grasses provide a billowy seasonal accent

© Project SOUND

http://hoffmannursery.com/home/the-plants/muhlenbergia-pag/

Alkali sacaton - Sporobolus airoides

Arching forms can stand alone

© Project SOUND

https://www.seedman.com/ornamentalgrass.htm

http://www.dutchbulbs.co.uk/plant-0001416-ke-1/festuca-glauca-elijah-blue/

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/85638830388182705/

In summary: many native plants can be used as striking architectural accents

© Project SOUND

Cheekwood Botanical Garden & Museum of ArtNashville, Tennessee,

Which brings us to the last designer solution: mixed containers

© Project SOUNDhttp://www.gardendesign.com/pictures/grasses-as-container-plants_176/#3694

The ‘evergreen pot’ solution: striking (but not necessarily easy)

Combining several plants in the same container to provide year-round interest

Practical considerations:

Pot size & shape – managing several plants in the same container

Careful plant choice is essential:

Must all have the same soil, light, nutrient and water requirements

Must ‘play nice together’ Must all have appropriate size and growth

rates Must all look nice (at least OK) year-round

© Project SOUND

http://www.greengardeningstl.com/articles/page/8/

And there also are aesthetic considerations

Whether to feature pot, plants or both

Pot must enhance the appearance of a group of plants – can be challenging

Plants must look good together and provide enough contrast to be interesting year-round:

Size, shape Foliage color, texture Flowers, fruits, seeds

© Project SOUND

https://www.provenwinners.com/plants/images/43777

Grasses and grass-like plants are often included ‘evergreen pots’

© Project SOUND

http://www.greengardeningstl.com/articles/page/8/

http://www.drsnellnursery.com/post.php?id=64&year-round-container-gardens

Grass-like plants add structure and serve as background to showy, often seasonal, plants

http://containercrazyct.com/tag/container-garden-workshop/

Designing an ‘evergreen container’

For a pleasing blend of plants, remember “accent, filler, and spiller.”

Choose an upright accent plant in the center, plant filler around it, and include spiller cascading over the edge.

Can be done with any plants that share the same garden requirements.

Be creative: use succulents, perennials, annuals, even vegetables and herbs.

© Project SOUND

Upright-arching ‘grasses’ make good accent plants in ‘evergreen pots’

© Project SOUND

http://www.romencegardens.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/plants.printDetail/plant_id/446/index.htm

https://www.provenwinners.com/plants/juncus/quartz-creek-soft-rush-juncus-effusus

They are dramatic in their own right – and also provide a good background for other plants

Mounded forms make good filler plants

© Project SOUND

http://anativegarden.com/blog/container-gardening/

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/188729040608802953/

http://gardenclub.homedepot.com/planting-ornamental-grasses-in-containers/

Hint for creating ‘evergreen pots’ with CA natives: choose plants that take moist soils

© Project SOUND

Photo by Laura Camp at Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden

• It’s difficult to keep ‘dry summer’ plants appropriately watered in summer. Best to plant them individually.

• Plants that like moist soils are much easier to manage – they are better-suited for mixed ‘evergreen pots’

Mimulus 'Ruby Silver' (Hybrid Monkeyflower),

Summer shade

Pots get hotter and drier than surrounding soil

Consider:

Using light-colored pots

Using the ‘cache pot’ solution

Moving potted plants to a shadier location in summer

© Project SOUND

Green oasis in a container: doesn’t need to be a pond garden

Some rushes, sedges and other native wetland plants need moist soil – but not standing water

Advantages over pond garden:

Wider range of plants Requires less water Less problems with mosquitos,

raccoons and other ‘pond pests’ Provides excellent habitat for

wide range of birds, insects Provides useful plants: basketry,

medicinals, edibles

© Project SOUND

Building a mixed moist container

Choose the container Size Shape, color Material

Choose the plants Something evergreen Something for spring color Something for summer

interest/color

© Project SOUND

http://yacineaziz.com/inspired-plant-pots-convention-london-shabby-chic-entry-decorating-ideas-black-door-black-front-door-door-knocker-front-door-wreath-house-number-lantern-wall/

Native plants can often be used to create the desired look

Natives work well for this container

© Project SOUND

Yerba mansa

Equisetum

Flowering accents for spring/summer color

© Project SOUND

Seep Monkeyflower

Scarlet Monkeyflower

Yerba mansa

© Project SOUND

CA Sea Thrift – Armeria maritima ssp. californica

© 2007 Neal Kramer

© Project SOUND

CA Sea Thrift – Armeria maritima ssp. californica

© 2011 Chris Winchell Charles Webber © California Academy of Sciences

http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?5645,5646,0,5647

Possibly S. Coast; definitely Santa Rosa Isl., San Luis Obispo Co (Cambria; Santa Lucia Mtns near San Simeon).

Ocean bluffs, ridges, coastal strand, sand, exposed grasslands, < 1000 ft elevation.

The Plumbagos – Family Plumbaginaceae

Cosmopolitan – Tropics to Arctic Of in coastal areas including salt

marshes. Flowers have a 5-lobed calyx (whose

tube is often ribbed) and a 5-lobed corolla, although the corolla lobes may be separate almost to their base.

The flowers of some members of Plumbaginaceae have a paper-like texture to the calyx and/or corolla

The popular cultivated flowers Statice, Cape plumbago and Armeria (Sea thrifts) belong to this family.

© Project SOUND

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plumbaginaceae

© Project SOUND

CA sea thrift: small, flowering perennial

Size: < 1 ft tall 1-2 ft wide

Growth form: Herbaceous perennial from

a woody root Dense, mounded tuft;

spread slowly

Foliage: Leaves medium green, linear

and grass-like, in basal rosette

Roots: Woody tap root

© 2011 Chris Winchell

© 2007 Neal Kramer

© Project SOUND

Flowers are adorable

Blooms: mid-spring to mid-summer

Flowers: Tiny pink flowers in dense

clusters (like pom poms) Flowers above the foliage Very attractive Attracts native bees,

butterflies

Vegetative reproduction: produces new plantlets

© 2007 Neal Kramer

© 2004, Ben Legler

© Project SOUND

Plant Requirements Soils: Texture: best in clays pH: any local

Light: Full sun only on immediate

coast; part-sun or filtered sun elsewhere

Water: Winter: needs good rains Summer: regular water

(Water Zone 2-3 or 3)

Fertilizer: none; ½ strength in containers

Other: deadhead to prolong bloom season. May be short-lived (2-3 years) in our climate.

© 2008 John Dittes

© Project SOUND

Garden uses for As a groundcover in most areas As a border for mixed beds As an attractive pot plant In N. coastal prairie plantings

© 2004, Ben Legler

http://www.calfloranursery.com/plants/armeria-maritima-ssp-californica http://www.cnps.org/cnps/grownative/tips

/lawn_alternatives.php

http://www.imagejuicy.com/images/plants/a/armeria/10/

http://www.sacvalleycnps.org/gardening/plantinfo.html

Local ‘wetland groundcovers’ make good trailers

© Project SOUNDhttps://www.provenwinners.com/plants/images/43777

Salty susan

Lippia/Fog fruit

© Project SOUND

*Harlequin lotus – Hosackia gracilis

© 2008, G. D. Carr

AKA: Lotus formosissimus

Central & N. Coastal ranges to British Columbia; habitat becoming rare in wild

Moist soil, from near sea level to lower elevations in the mountains

Mixed Evergreen Forest, Northern Coastal Scrub, Closed-cone Pine Forest, wetland-riparian

© Project SOUND

*Harlequin lotus – Hosackia gracilis

http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_cpn.pl?Hosackia+gracilis

©2004 Aaron Schusteffhttp://seedsofsuccess.smugmug.com/Bureau-of-Land-Management/OR931/i-vPcSF6S

© Project SOUND

Harlequin lotus: herbaceous ground cover

Size: < 1 ft tall 1-2+ ft wide, spreading

Growth form: Herbaceous perennial

groundcover Winter dormant in native range

Foliage: Medium green, compound ‘pea’

leaves Oval leaflets typical of Lotus

Roots: tap root

Gerald and Buff Corsi © California Academy of Sciences

http://www.baynatives.com/plants/Lotus-formosissimus/

© Project SOUND

Flowers are fantastic

Blooms: in spring - usually Mar-May in western L.A. County

Flowers: Probably the prettiest of the

native CA lotuses Flowers typical pea shape; bee

pollenated Banner bright yellow; ‘keel’ pink

or purple – very colorful

Seeds: speckled, bean-like in pea pod

Vegetative reproduction: via both rhizomes and stolons; forms mat-like cluster

© 2008, G. D. Carr

© Project SOUND

Plant Requirements Soils: Texture: adaptable pH: any local

Light: sun (immediate coast), part-sun or fairly shady;

Water: Winter: good winter rains Summer: adaptable, but looks

best (stays green) with regular summer water

Fertilizer: none; ½ strength fertilizer if grown in container.

Other: cut back brown stems, if desired, when dormant.

© Br. Alfred Brousseau, Saint Mary's College

© Project SOUND

Great groundcover for moist places

Bog gardens, rain gardens or around ponds and pools

Groundcover for other moist areas – under trees

As an attractive pot plant; drapes beautifullyhttp://www.baynatives.com/plants/Lotus-formosissimus/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/eastbaywilds/7187337125

http://seedsofsuccess.smugmug.com/Bureau-of-Land-Management/OR931/i-vPcSF6S

Four ways the pros manage native plants in pots

Use stationary pots, but switch out the plants seasonally (the ‘cache pot’ solution)

Move pots around to accent the seasonal characteristics: the ‘pot staging’ solution

Choose plants that have year-round beauty (foliage color; shape; etc.): the ‘architectural pot’ approach

Combine several plants to provide year-round interest: the ‘evergreen pot’solution

© Project SOUND

http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h319/achnatherum/Grassses/P7210001b.jpg

© Project SOUND

http://coldcalculation.blogspot.com/2007/10/seed-germination-progress-report.html

https://www.provenwinners.com/plants/images/43777

Use native plants or combine with compatible non-natives for year-round beauty

Useful on-line resources http://anativegarden.com/blog/container-gardening/

Theodore Payne ‘Containers’ list: http://theodorepayne.org/mediawiki/index.php?title=Containers

Pete Veilleux Containers list : http://harveymilk.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Good-California-Plants-for-Containers.pdf

Project SOUND/MNBY List:

© Project SOUND

CSUDH/Project SOUND Plant Sale Friday 11/13 – noon to 4:30 Saturday 11/14 – noon to 3:00

For details: Native Plants at CSUDH blog

© Project SOUND

Pruning workshops

© Project SOUND

Next month: Heucheras

© Project SOUND