Tag Archives: Nature

Buckwheat Giveaway in Dana Point

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The city of Dana Point is partnering with the Orange County chapter of the California Native Plant Society (OCCNPS) on an ambitious 200-plant Buckwheat in Every Garden giveaway this Friday, November 15 at the Dana Point Community Center.

Four-inch ‘Dana Point’ buckwheat plant is ready to be planted in a new Orange County home landscape.

OCCNPS and the city of Dana Point will give away 200 four-inch ‘Dana Point’ buckwheat plants from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the parking lot of the Dana Point Community Center at 34052 Del Obispo Street on Friday, November 15.

Buckwheat giveaway earlier this month. Photo by Thea Gavin.

Tree of Life Nursery selected the ‘Dana Point’ California buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum) from a buckwheat plant growing at the Dana Point Headlands. The ‘Dana Point’ buckwheat is a long-flowering shrub that grows one-foot tall and three-feet wide, making it well-suited to smaller home landscapes and gardens.

‘Dana Point’ buckwheat. Photo by Kris Ethington.

One ‘Dana Point’ buckwheat plant per homeowner will be given in exchange for the homeowner’s street and city. OCCNPS is mapping the buckwheats as they are planted across Orange County home landscapes on the BIEG iNaturalist map. A recent version of the iNaturalist map is shown here with nearly 700 buckwheats planted across Orange County.

A Buckwheat in Every Garden iNaturalist map.

Please join us this Friday and help make Dana Point’s namesake buckwheat giveaway a success. The plants are ready to go into the ground. Get yours this Friday, November 15, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Dana Point Community Center at 34052 Del Obispo Street, Dana Point, California.

Newly installed ‘Dana Point’ buckwheat. Photo by Rob Skinner.

Buckwheats Buzz

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Most people recognize the common honey bee as a social creature that lives in hives and makes honey. However many people don’t know that honey bees are non-native insects, introduced from Europe.

European honey bee visiting buckwheat. Photo by Kris Ethington.

There are 1,600 species of native bees in California, ranging in size from one-inch long to less than one-quarter inch long. California native bees are often solitary, living in wood or underground tunnels, and most do not make honey. They are important to the existence of our wild lands, and serve as food that supports other species.

Fairy Bees visit buckwheat blossoms. Photo by Kris Ethington.

California native bees love buckwheat’s profusion of blossoms. If you look closely at your California buckwheat when it’s in full bloom in the summer, you will see hundreds of tiny bees and butterflies scattered throughout its blossoms.

Fiery Skipper butterfly visits buckwheat. Photo by Kris Ethington.

If you would like to learn more about California native bees, visit the website for UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden.

And if you would like to support our native pollinators, join us as we give away California buckwheat plants (while supplies last) at three upcoming events in November:

  1. The Fullerton Arboretum is hosting A Buckwheat in Every Garden give-away on Friday, November 1, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
  2. Roger’s Gardens is giving away four-inch California ‘Dana Point’ buckwheat plants from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Corona del Mar on Friday, November 1.
  3. The San Clemente Garden Club is hosting a buckwheat give-away on Wednesday, November 6 from 1 to 3 p.m. Brad Jenkins, President of the Orange County chapter of the California Native Plant Society, will be presenting that afternoon as well.

    An Urbane Digger Bee in flight. Photo by Kris Ethington.

    OCCNPS gave away more than 400 ‘Dana Point’ buckwheat plants in October. Visit our iNaturalist map to see the hundreds of buckwheat plants that have gone to their new Orange County home landscapes.

Buckwheat Builds Soil

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California buckwheat is an evergreen plant with small leaves that occasionally drop to the ground, forming a natural mulch. The fallen leaves enrich the soil around the plant and allow the plant to grow and spread in its own loamy mulch.

California buckwheat leaves and stem. Photo by Ron Vanderhoff.

If you are an Orange County homeowner who hasn’t picked up your free ‘Dana Point’ buckwheat yet, stop by Roger’s Gardens at 2301 San Joaquin Hills Rd., Corona del Mar on Tuesday, October 22 through Thursday, October 24, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. This is the only three-day giveaway we have planned, so take advantage of it if you can.

Rogers Gardens is participating in the A Buckwheat in Every Garden campaign.

 

Birds, Bees and Buckwheat

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The California Native Plant Society Orange County (OCCNPS) chapter created A Buckwheat in Every Garden to encourage homeowners to plant California native plants in their home landscape– which in turn supports and increases bird populations.

Hummingbird and native California fuchsia. Photo by Kris Ethington.

My neighbor recently sent this photo of a swallowtail butterfly laying eggs on the leaves of her kumquat tree. She had previously considered removing the kumquat trees from her garden, but decided against it and was thrilled to see the swallowtail butterfly laying eggs on the leaves.

Swallowtail butterfly laying eggs on the leaves of a kumquat tree. Photo by Amanda Morrell.

California buckwheat has a long, prolific flowering season that attracts tiny native California bees and butterflies. When I looked closely at my California buckwheat plants this summer, I was astonished to see thousands of tiny pollinators on my buckwheat flowers. These pollinators support my vegetable garden and fruit trees, and they support bird life as well.

Butterfly visits a California buckwheat. Photo by Ron Vanderhoff.

On Thursday, October 17 at 7:30 p.m., Mike Evans, owner of Tree of Life Nursery, gave a presentation at the OCCNPS chapter meeting called Horticultural Valor in the Native Garden–Be Bold! OCCNPS gave away 61 four-inch ‘Dana Point’ buckwheat plants during the chapter meeting.

Paper wasps visits a buckwheat flower. Photo by Ron Vanderhoff.

On Saturday, October 19, OCCNPS board member Thea Gavin gave a presentation at Orange Home Grown Farmers Market about how beneficial pollinators increase in numbers when native plants are installed near fruit and vegetable gardens. OCCNPS gave away 42 ‘Dana Point’ California buckwheat plants at the event.

California buckwheat

Butterfly visits buckwheat. Photo by Kris Ethington.

Would you like to help the buckwheat campaign? Join us as a Buckwheat Ambassador and help distribute baby buckwheat plants to your garden club or environmental group. Click here to learn how you can be a part of A Buckwheat in Every Garden.

Buckwheat Brings a Party

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One hundred and fifty ‘Dana Point’ California buckwheats found new homes in Orange County. The first outreach event at Acorn Day at O’Neill Regional Park and the second outreach at Smartscape were very popular, attracting many gardeners eager to install a native California buckwheat in their home landscapes.

California buckwheats are in high demand at Acorn Day in O’Neill Park. Photo by Laura Camp.

The Orange County chapter of the California Native Plant Society (OCCNPS) has created an interactive iNaturalist map that shows the distribution of the 1,500 buckwheat plants as they are given away and planted throughout the OC. You can follow along as the new buckwheat plants are being installed in Orange County by clicking on the link here.

Four-inch California buckwheats ready for distribution. Photo by Ian Morrell.

If you didn’t have a chance to pick up your free California buckwheat plant last weekend, OCCNPS will be hosting more events throughout October and November.

One of many clusters of blossoms on California Buckwheat. Photo by Ron Vanderhoff

Go to www.OCCNPS.org for more information about upcoming buckwheat distribution events, buckwheat care, planting information, and more. We look forward to seeing you soon.

California buckwheat

California buckwheat in full bloom.

 

 

Buckwheat Brings Buckeyes

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Autumn has arrived and the creamy white buckwheat flowers are beginning to take on their rich, russet brown color.

Thea Gavin’s buckwheat hosts a common Buckeye butterfly in Orange, California.

Can you see the common Buckeye butterfly visiting the buckwheat in the image above? Several native plant gardeners have shared photos of the common Buckeye butterfly visiting buckwheat plants in their home landscapes recently.

Common buckeye visits buckwheat flowers in Kris Ethington’s San Clemente garden.

Doug Tallamy, scientist and author of Bringing Nature Home, argues that the single, best method to help bird and butterfly populations recover is for homeowners to plant a portion of their garden with native plants.

Metalmark butterfly visits a native milkweed.

California Native Plant Society Orange County chapter (OCCNPS) has begun free distribution of California buckwheat plants to Orange County homeowners while supplies last.

Buckeye butterfly resting on a Dana Point Buckwheat.

October is the perfect time for planting buckwheat–the upcoming rainfall will help your new buckwheat thrive in your garden. Join us! We would love to meet you and help you get an iconic California native plant started in your garden.

Buckwheat Builds Habitat

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The Orange County chapter of the California Native Plant Society (OCCNPS) has begun to distribute free, four-inch California buckwheat plants to homeowners living in Orange County.

The ‘Dana Point’ buckwheats are growing well at Tree of Life. Photo by Laura Camp.

OCCNPS hopes to improve habitat for wildlife and butterflies throughout Orange County with this first-ever campaign to distribute 1,500 buckwheats to homeowners who pledge to plant them in their home landscapes.

Doug Tallamy, scientist and author of Bringing Nature Home, argues that the single, best method to help bird and butterfly populations recover is for homeowners to plant a portion of their garden with native plants.

Two butterflies enjoy California buckwheat blossoms. Photo by Kris Ethington.

To that end, OCCNPS has developed A Buckwheat in Every Garden campaign as a direct way to “put California native plants in the ground.”

The group has selected the ‘Dana Point’ buckwheat for the campaign because it is a beautiful addition to home landscapes, easy to grow, blooms profusely for 10 months of the year, and supports pollinators and wildlife.

Soldier fly visits California buckwheat. Photo by Kris Ethington.

OCCNPS is connecting gardeners who are planting the 1,500 buckwheat plants in Orange County with an iNaturalist map. As the buckwheat plants go to their new homes, OCCNPS will mark the locations on the map. Homeowners can follow along as buckwheats are planted in Orange County by logging into the group’s website at OCCNPS.orgCNPS Orange County

Join us at the following events to get your free buckwheat (*while supplies last):

  1. October 5:  Acorn Day, O’Neill Regional Park, 30892 Trabuco Canyon Rd., Trabuco Canyon, CA 92679 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
  2. October 12:  Laguna Beach Smart Scape Expo, 306 Third St., Laguna Beach, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Only 64 buckwheat plants available).
  3. October 17:  OCCNPS Chapter Meeting, The Duck Club, Irvine, CA,  from 7 to 9 p.m.
  4. October 19:  Orange Home Grown Education Farm, 356 N. Lemon St., Orange, CA 92866, from 10 a.m. to noon.
  5. October 22-24:  Roger’s Gardens, 2301 San Joaquin Hills Rd., Corona del Mar, CA 92625 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m
  6. October 26:  Tree of Life Nursery, 33201 Ortega Highway, San Clemente, CA, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  7. November 1:  Roger’s Gardens, 2301 San Joaquin Hills Rd., Corona del Mar, CA 92625 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  8. November 1:  Fullerton Arboretum, 1900 Associated Rd., Fullerton, CA, 92831, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
  9. November 6:  San Clemente Garden Club, St. Andrews Church recreation room, 2001 Calle Frontera, San Clemente, CA 92673, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

    St. Catherine’s lace decorates a patio area.

     

More Butterflies in Your Garden

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Southern California is home to people and plants from around the world.  Plants from far away lands have been introduced in California and have become so common that many people believe that most ornamental plants are native.

Examples of introduced species include Eucalyptus trees from Australia, ice plant from Africa, and bougainvillea from Brazil. These plants (and many others) are seen commonly in home and commercial landscapes in Southern California.

Ice Plant

Invasive ice plant surrounds a native Coast Live Oak, robbing it of rainfall.

What is a California native plant and why should we care?

Scientists tell us that plants that are native to our community provide a richer abundance of life than plants introduced from other countries. Local pollinators like bumblebees and monarch butterflies rely on specific local plants to survive.

Narrow Leaf Milkweed

Western Monarch caterpillars feeding on native narrow-leaf milkweed. Photo by Cynthia Grilli.

Pictured above is a narrow-leaf milkweed (Asclepias fascicularis) loaded with Western Monarch caterpillars. The narrow-leaf milkweed grows in the wild lands of Southern California.

The California Native Plant Society Orange County (OCCNPS) wants to help Californians plant more native plants in their yards and gardens. Even a small corner of your lawn devoted to native plants will help bird and butterfly populations recover and become more abundant.

Bees Bliss Sage and Vanessa butterfly

Vanessa butterfly nectars on a Bees Bliss sage.

Beginning October 5 of this year, OCCNPS will give away one free California Buckwheat plant (while supplies last) to residents living in Orange County. The California buckwheat that OCCNPS is giving away grows wild in Dana Point, California.  The Dana Point buckwheat blooms 10 months of the year with creamy white blossoms that turn a russet red in the late fall.

Buckwheat blossoms. Photo by Ron Vanderhoff
Close-up of a Dana Point Buckwheat. Photo by Ron Vanderhoff
One of many clusters of blossoms on California Buckwheat. Photo by Ron Vanderhoff

“If you’ve only space for one native habitat plant, let it be a buckwheat,” said Dr. Constance M. Vadheim of Mother Nature’s Backyard where she included tips on how to grow buckwheat in a home garden, as well as a list of traditional native uses of the plant.

California buckwheat

Field of buckwheat in the wild. Photo by Ron Vanderhoff.

Natural open space and parks are not enough to support bird and wildlife populations. Each of us can make a difference by installing California native plants in our yards. OCCNPS will begin distribution of free California buckwheat plants at Acorn Day in O’Neill Park on October 5 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. We will map the plants as they head to their new homes. More information to come!

Buckwheat lines roadside

Buckwheat lines the road like summer snowdrifts. Photo by Ron Vanderhoff