Category: Botany
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Insights on California Native Plants from OCCNPS Treasurer
Lindsey Giron, treasurer of the OCCNPS, shares her journey and insights on California native plants. With a background in hospitality and accounting, she emphasizes the importance of connecting with nature. Currently, she is establishing workshops at Tree of Life Nursery and aims to engage more people in appreciating native plants and their ecosystems.
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Indian Mallow: A Drought-Tolerant Desert Beauty
Abutilon palmeri, also known as Indian Mallow, is a semi-evergreen to evergreen subshrub with abundant golden blossoms. It thrives in full sun with occasional watering, and its silvery, velvety leaves and poppy-like flowers make it attractive to native solitary bees. This low-maintenance plant is native to the low Sonoran Desert and can be a stunning…
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Tracey Daschbach: A Journey with California Native Plants
Tracey Daschbach, member-at-large of the California Native Plant Society Orange County Chapter (OCCNPS), is featured in today’s article compiled by Thea Gavin. A person of many talents (software engineer, full-time parent, Braille Institute librarian, UCI Herbarium volunteer, nature-inspired textile artist), Tracey shares her skills with our chapter in many areas: E-newsletter lead, plant sales, A…
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California Coffeeberry: A Summer Garden Essential
Guest author Dan Songster discusses the benefits of the evergreen shrub Frangula californica, also known as California Coffeeberry, as a foundation plant during the hot summer months. Its adaptability, green foliage, and colorful berries make it a favorite for garden design and a valuable resource for butterflies.
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Discover the Beauty of Coast Live Oak Trees
The Coast Live Oak (Quercus agrifolia) is an evergreen tree native to California, thriving in various soil types and climates. Recognized for its beauty, it provides shade and sustains local wildlife. Despite threats like the Polyphagus Shot Hole Borer, it is increasingly planted in parks and community gardens across Orange County.
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Mel Letterman’s Journey in Native Plant Education
Mel Letterman, a dedicated member of the California Native Plant Society, is passionate about native plants. From childhood experiences to formal education, Mel’s journey has shaped his devotion to native plant conservation. Through volunteer work, herbarium management, and educational outreach, Mel strives to uplift underrepresented voices and promote the value of native plants.
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Dudleya viscida: A Rare Southern California Treasure
This article, originally from the February 2022 OCCNPS newsletter, highlights the Dudleya viscida, a succulent found in rocky coastal areas. The author recounts a field trip to the Santa Ana Mountains where they encountered thriving Dudleya viscida plants. They discuss its cultivation and recommend it for rock gardens in mild climates. The article also references…
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Daphne Christle: Rewilding Urban Landscapes with Native Plants
Daphne Christle, Vice President of the OCCNPS, aims to enhance urban environments with California native plants through education and community outreach. Inspired by her father and activists like Julia Butterfly Hill, she focuses on community science. Her future goals emphasize biodiversity, education, and rewilding urban landscapes for healthier ecosystems.
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Native Plant of the Month: Bladderpod
Guest author Dan Songster submitted this article featuring an outstanding California native plant for May: This fast growing, densely-branching shrub routinely grows in a mounding habit, becoming about 3-6 feet tall and as wide. It produces abundant bright-yellow flower clusters at the ends of its stem branches. These showy flowers are about a half-inch to…
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Systems Analyst Weaves Together Nature and Friends
Brad Jenkins, volunteer, webmaster, and part of the treasurer team of the California Native Plant Society Orange County Chapter (OCCNPS), is featured this month, and answers the question: What draws us to our relationships with nature and native plants? “Innate influences, happenstance encounters, analytical purposefulness, and social associations.“ Brad writes: “My first wedding was in…
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April’s Plant of the Month: Saffron Buckwheat
What: Eriogonum crocatum – Saffron Buckwheat Dan Songster shares his native plant expertise with this article featuring a California Native Plant of the Month. April’s featured plant is Saffron Buckwheat (Eriogonum crocatum). Saffron buckwheat is lovely whether in flower or not. A colorful, compact mounding shrub to 1 1/2 feet tall by 2-3 feet wide…
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Exploring Native Plant Conservation with Sunny Saroa
Sunny Saroa, a dedicated member of the California Native Plant Society Orange County Chapter, shares his journey in conservation, his current involvement in various projects like vegetation surveys and grant selection, and his aspirations for broader community engagement and multilingual resources. His advice emphasizes the importance of sourcing locally for native plants, encouraging curiosity, and…