Category: Nature
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Creative Bouquets with Native Flowers
Dan Songster encourages local gardeners to incorporate native flowers into indoor bouquets, promoting their use while enhancing plant growth. Contributors share favorites like Blue-eyed Grass, California Poppy, and Woolly Blue Curls, highlighting their longevity and aesthetic appeal. The newsletter invites future tips on drought-resistant native plants.
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Island Bush Poppy: A Gardener’s Guide
The Island Bush Poppy, or Dendromecon harfordii, is an evergreen shrub thriving in full sun to partial shade, native to Southern California’s Channel Islands. With beautiful yellow flowers and bluish-green leaves, it’s drought tolerant and adaptable. Ideal for gardens, it requires careful planting and minimal pruning for optimal health.
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UCI Herbarium Receives $98,000 Grant for Local Plant Documentation
The Joan R. Hampton Trust and OCCNPS granted $98,566 to the UCI Herbarium to address its backlog of plant vouchers. This funding will enable the digitization and accessibility of plant collections, supporting local biodiversity research. Joan Hampton, a former member of OCCNPS, advocated for plant identification throughout her life.
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Lilac Verbena: A Butterfly-Friendly Garden Choice
Lilac Verbena, or Glandularia lilacina, is an evergreen subshrub that blooms year-round, attracting butterflies with its lilac to violet flowers. Native to Cedros Island, it thrives in various soils and conditions, making it a low-maintenance choice for Southern California gardens. Regular pruning enhances flowering, while two cultivars, ‘De la Mina’ and ‘Paseo Rancho,’ showcase different…
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Woolly Bluecurls: The Must-Have Native Shrub
Woolly Bluecurls, or Trichostema lanatum, is featured as the native plant of the month. This hardy evergreen shrub thrives in full sun with minimal summer water. Its stunning purple-blue flowers attract various pollinators and possess a unique fragrance. While admired, it is also considered challenging to grow, requiring specific soil conditions.
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Native Plants for Privacy Hedges: Expert Tips and Choices
The newsletter feature by Dan Songster provides gardening tips focused on native plants for privacy screens and hedges. Members shared their favorite selections, particularly Lemonade Berry and Toyon. Recommendations include a variety of native plants that offer aesthetic appeal while being drought-tolerant. The upcoming topic invites members to discuss native flowers for indoor bouquets.
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Sarah Jayne: A Legacy of Native Plant Advocacy
Sarah Jayne, a dedicated member of OCCNPS and former president, significantly revitalized the organization through extensive volunteer work since the mid-1980s. Her leadership, acknowledged with a CNPS Fellow award, inspired many by emphasizing the conservation and promotion of native plants. Sarah’s legacy continues as she supports ongoing initiatives within the chapter.
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Caring for California Native Plants
In Southern California, the rainy season has seen delays, contributing to drought and wildfires. Proper care is essential for native plants as they require thoughtful maintenance, especially in dry periods. Expert Colin Dunleavy highlights strategies for watering and plant selection to ensure healthy native landscapes, emphasizing the need for deep, infrequent watering.
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February’s Featured Plant: Hummingbird Sage
Hummingbird sage (Salvia spathacea) is a semi-evergreen perennial thriving in dappled light or full sun, adaptable to various soils. This native California plant attracts hummingbirds with its striking magenta flower spikes from late winter to July. It’s drought-tolerant, culinary-friendly, and easy to maintain, enhancing gardens with beauty and habitat value.
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Meet Elizabeth Taylor: Advocate for Native Plant Conservation
Elizabeth Taylor, an environmental attorney and CNPS member, is the OCCNPS Conservation Chair. Her experiences in diverse ecosystems, including Costa Rica, fostered her passion for conservation. Taylor aims to promote native plant restoration, engage the community, and support biodiversity through legislation and partnerships, emphasizing the importance of native plants in local habitats.
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Finding Peace in Native Gardening: Tips and Reflections
Members of a local gardening chapter share insights on how their native gardens foster peace of mind amidst global challenges. Contributions highlight themes of connection to nature, the joy of nurturing native plants, and the solace found in wildlife interactions and personal reflection. Gardening is depicted as a meaningful, calming practice that brings community together.
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California Polypody Fern: A Native Plant Guide
The California Polypody Fern, or Polypodium californicum, is a creeping perennial that thrives in light shade and requires winter and spring moisture. It grows in California’s coastal areas and mountains, emerging in fall and providing vibrant green foliage. The ‘Sarah Lyman’ variety, noted for its unique appearance, was named after an enthusiastic gardener.