container gardens 2015
TRANSCRIPT
© 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
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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
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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?
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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
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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
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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/
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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
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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)
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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
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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
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https://www.pinterest.com/pin/418694096580931757/
The ‘cache pot’ solution : many looks, many advantages
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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
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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
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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
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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
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*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)
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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
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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
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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…
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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
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
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© 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