Wild pigs are again active in Morro Bay, causing damage while rooting for the tuberous reeds in the brackish freshwater seep zones close to the high tide line. This time they are at Shark Inlet. We last saw them in 2015 on both sides of the South Bay Boulevard bridge, and neither of the locations appear to have recovered. (more…)
From time to time, our chapter has talked about creating a Wildflower Alert. Well, there is a healthy display of wildflowers this year along the new ridge trail in the Reservoir Canyon Open Space near San Luis Obispo. From the parking lot (see map), walk along the road for 100 ft., through the fence opening on the right, and then over the new bridge at the falls. Once across the bridge, bear right and start up the hill. Pictured here below are some of the flowers seen the weekend of April 21st, 2018. Link: http://gis.slocity.org/Documents/TrailMaps/rescanyon_bowdenweb.pdf
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As someone once said “ Let’s start from the beginning.” Horticulture deﬁned: the science and art of growing fruits, vegetables, ﬂowers and ornamental plants. Native California plants, more or less, fall under the ﬂower and ornamental plant category, though some are eaten as fruits and vegetables. (more…)
Santa Cruz Island Ironwood (Lyonothamnus ﬂoribundus ssp. aspleniifolius)
Lyonothamnus ﬂoribundus ssp. aspleniifolius is a mouthful to say but there is nothing edible about this tree. Lyonothamnus is endemic to the Channel Islands of California, where it grows in the chaparral and oak woodlands of the rocky coastal canyons. (more…)
Ailanthus altissima is in the Quassia family. It is native to China. It grows in disturbed areas including riparian areas and may tolerate extremely harsh conditions. It forms dense thickets that outcompete native vegetation and reduce wildlife habitat. The female trees produce fruit at several years of age. One tree can produce 325,000 seeds or MORE annually! However, it does not produce a consistent seed bank. Tree-of-heaven also reproduces vegetatively from creeping roots. New shoots can sprout up to 50 ft. away from the parent tree. It is present in many places in San Luis Obispo County, especially riparian areas. It is difficult to control. Tarping seedlings may work. Small trees can be weed wrenched. The whole plant has to go: stump and roots. Ideally a chemical application on a cut stump should consist of 20% Garlon 4 Ultra with 80% crop oil.
Our chapter wrote to the California Coastal Commission to support an appeal against the illegal approval by SLO County of a subdivision of a large lot situated is an area mapped as ESHA (Environmentally Sensitive Habitat Area) immediately adjacent to the Dept. of Fish and Wildlife’s Morro Dunes Preserve in Los Osos. The Coastal Plan specifically prohibits subdivision in ESHA. The site supports Morro manzanita, and is occupied by Coastal Dune Scrub, a rare plant association.
The Hoover Committee selected Marti Rutherford as the 2017 Honoree for the significant contributions she has made to our chapter. She has volunteered in many ways to promote the education and conservation of native flora in our county. Marti is an observant person with a true curiosity about plants and plant communities. Her interest in better knowing native plants inspires her passion for collecting seed and experimenting with propagation. The plants she grows bring her enjoyment, which she happily shares with our chapter and the larger community. (more…)
President Bill Waycott with students funded by SLO Chapter to attend the 2018 CNPS Conservation in Los Angeles. Left to Right: Paul Excoffier, Bill, Molly Vanderlip, Nora Bales. (more…)
With the lack of rain, everybody is wondering what to do in regards to irrigation. As we remember from Richard W. Halsey, our 2018 banquet speaker, California native plants generally receive rain during the months of November through April. However at this juncture, mid-February 2018, we currently have a deficit of 4 to 6 inches in rainfall. Due to this unusual lack of precipitation I’m recommending, if you can afford it, to water your oaks and other California native plantings.
A Rain Bird sprinkler puts out 120 gallons in 30 minutes, this would be equivalent to about a quarter inch of rain. At this point, you would need to water for 8 hours with a Rain Bird to catch up to normal rainfall for mid-February. Of course that would be very expensive and I’m not recommending you do that. However, any extra water that you can apply to your landscape including gray water would be very beneficial.
Until next month, Happy Gardening. John Nowak, Plant Sale co-Chairperson.
Wild (California, yellow, or grass) violet, pansy or Johnny –jump-up
This botanical illustration was created by Mardi Niles using a Micron 005 #1 Archival Ink pen and Prismacolor Verithin colored pencils on Bristol Regular paper. It will be the first of several beautiful pieces of native plant art by Mardi you will be seeing on our covers into the near future.
Viola pedunculata is widespread throughout the coastal portion of our chapter area. It extends inland as far as there is enough moisture. Dr. Hoover reports that it is apparently absent from the desert portions of our county such as the Carrizo Plains. It is always a visible treat (more…)
What native plant has more name recognition than Heteromeles arbutifolia, or some times, commonly known as Christmas Berry and California Holly. It is the sole species in the genus Heteromeles. Back in the 1920’s, people in southern California were drawn to the plant because is looked like holly. Some even believe that Hollywood was named after the large concentrations of the species growing on the slopes of the subdivision. (more…)
Garden Products That Might Be Harmful to Bees
BeeAction.org warns that any gardening product than contains one or more of the following compounds should be avoided if you want to protect our bees. These are Acetamiprid, Clothianidin, Dinotefuran, Imidacloprid and Thiamethoxam. (more…)
Brassica tournefortii is in the Mustard family. It is native to the desert areas of the Mediterranean region of Europe. It has expanded its distribution in the sandy soils of Los Osos, most probably spread during the sewer project, and can rapidly overtake other plants and form a monoculture. (more…)
With record global temperatures, giant storms, extended tree-killing droughts, and all the other assorted disasters we are experiencing, our fears that we humans are messing up the planet are becoming true. For CNPS, we see a lot of potential threats to the flora, as if the dead oaks and Sierra Nevada pines weren’t evidence enough. (more…)
California Native Plant Society – San Luis Obispo Chapter
Annual Potluck Banquet
Saturday, January 20, 2018
With winter on the way, now is the time for us to think about planting California native plants. When we plant in the winter, or rainy season as I like to call it, we take advantage of the moist soil conditions to help establish our plants. Plants planted in the rainy season do most of their growing underground with root development. When spring comes, they respond to this establishing period by sending out new shoot growth. By summer, they are ready for the long dry months ahead and will survive on monthly waterings. (more…)