This lecture was given in December, 2009 as part of the California native plant gardening series ‘Out of the Wilds and Into Your Garden’

1. Out of the Wilds and Into Your Garden
Gardening with Western L.A. County Native Plants
Project SOUND - 2009
© Project SOUND

2. Sunshine & Sunflowers
C.M. Vadheim and T. Drake
CSUDH & Madrona Marsh Preserve
Madrona Marsh Preserve
December 5 & 8, 2009
© Project SOUND

3. Painter Shirley Novak © Project SOUND

4. Can I do this with CA native plants?
http://www.shirleynovak.com/garden.htm
© Project SOUND

5. Rediscovering the riches
in our own backyard….
 Many of our native plants were
brought to England in the
1800’s
 Our native California
wildflowers are some of the
staples of the famed English
“cottage gardens”
 It’s time we learn to
appreciate our unique and
wonderful annual wildflowers
 Hardy
 Drought tolerant
http://www.lowryjames.com/cgi-bin/lowry/306.html
 Beautiful
 Inexpensive – re-seed
1840 print – Jane Webb Loudon
London
© Project SOUND

6. California natives include both annual &
perennial ‘wildflowers’
http://www.grahamowengallery.com/photography/Flowers/3-21-09-California-Wildflowers.jpg © Project SOUND

7. Which is useful for the home gardener…who needs
to consider all 12 months of the year
http://www.manhattanbeachbotanicalgarden.org/fivethemedsectionsof%20gardenmanhattanbeachtobotanicalgarden.htm
© Project SOUND

8. Annual Wildflowers in the garden
 ADVANTAGES:
 Easy, fast
 Brilliant colors; spring-
summer
 Relatively low maintenance
 Seeds are cheap
 DISADVANTAGES:
 May require re-planting
every year
 ‘the golden-brown season’ –
may not be appropriate for
situations that require a
‘neat’ look
© Project SOUND

9. Perennial Wildflower in the garden
 ADVANTAGES:
 Includes some early bloomers
 Do not have to be planted every
year.
 The familiarity that comes from
seeing the same plants in the same
garden year after year allows
gardeners to coordintate and fine
tune color and texture sequences
as different perennials come and go
each season.
 Mature perennial flowers are often
quite drought-tolerant
 DISADVANTAGES:
 Takes time to mature.
 Propagating plants may be difficult
– or more costly if you buy the
plants
 You have to do the yearly
management – pruning, etc.
© Project SOUND

10. The ‘mixed garden’ includes both annual
& perennial species (wildflowers, grasses)
© Project SOUND

11. Combining annual wildflowers & perennial
species
 Are they compatible?
 Water requirements
 Light requirements
 Mulch
 Nutrients
 How will the area look
throughout the year?
 Should I include:
 Annuals?
 Herbaceous perennials?
 Bulbs & corms?
 Native grasses?
 Even sub-shrubs? – can plant
annuals between them to give
some extra color
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TQT9JERLUqI/SdUZpwc_b9I/AAAAAAAAABw/AlJGRCRJid4/s1600-h/nassellannuals.jpg © Project SOUND

12. Combining annual wildflowers & perennial
species – an example
© Project SOUND

13. Challenges & opportunities
 Needs to look good
year-round (front
yard)
 Back (near wall) gets
extra water from
neighbor’s sprinklers
 Nice and sunny – good
place for native
annuals & perennials
 Want some native
grasses to carry grass
them from other areas
in front yard
© Project SOUND

14. How I chose to meet the challenges – a
mix and match strategy
 Plant Zone 2-3 herbaceous
perennials along wall
 Include native grasses &
bulbs amongst the perennials
 Have a separate area for
annual wildflowers – but make
it look neat with a crushed
rock mulch
 In summer, perennials will
cover a part of the annual
area, making it look less bare
© Project SOUND

15. Painter Shirley Novak © Project SOUND

16. * Yellow Mariposa Lily – Calochortus luteus
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_gzcSLF2cdRs/Rlzm51UugaI/AAAAAAAACY4/N7Y59SxvPdY/DSC_3049.JPG http://www.ohara-art.com/Patrick/index.php?id=23 © Project SOUND

17. * Yellow Mariposa Lily – Calochortus luteus
 Foothills of Central & N. CA Coast, & western
Sierras – CA endemic – s. to Ventura, Kern Co.
 Heavy soils in grasslands, coastal prairie, open
areas in oak savanna, mixed oak woodland and
mixed-evergreen forest.
 In the Lily family (Lilliaceae)
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon
_id=242101477
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?8349,8461,8487 © Project SOUND

18. Yellow Mariposa is a typical Calochortus
 Size:
 ~ 1 ft tall
 ~ 1 ft wide
 Growth form:
 Herbaceous perennial from a
bulb
 Dies back to the bulb in
summer dry period – emerges
with the rains
 Foliage:
 Grass-like; blends right in
with native grasses
 Roots: relatively short (15
inches or so max.); bulb can be
eaten raw or cooked/baked
© Project SOUND
http://www.srgc.org.uk/bulblog/log2005/250505/log.html

19. Flowers are showy –
get your camera!
 Blooms: in spring, usually Apr-
May but may be as late as June in
our area – rain/ temperature
dictated
 Flowers:
 Typical Mariposa shape –
typically 3 petals
 Lovely golden yellow with red
& orange blotches & markings
 Usually 3-4 flowers/plant
 Attract hummingbirds,
butterflies, a host of insects
 Seeds: flat, tan seeds
 Vegetative reproduction:
produces bulblets
© Project SOUND

20. One of the more garden-  Soils:
friendly Mariposas  Texture: any local from heavy
clays to sandy loam
 pH: any local
 Light:
 Full sun
 Loves spring/summer heat – fine
in hot areas of garden
 Water:
 Winter/spring: needs adequate
water – if needed, supplement
 Summer: must have summer dry
period
 Fertilizer: likes poor soils, but can
use ½ strength during growth period
 Other: fine with light mulch –
gravel/coarse sand is best
Gerald and Buff Corsi © California Academy of Sciences © Project SOUND

21. Calochortus can be started from bulbils or seeds
 Takes time – 3-5 years
from seed
 You can propagate a lot
of plants for little $$ -
http://www.srgc.org.uk/bulblog/log2006/050706/log.html
if you’re patient
 Suggest planting in pots
of tubs that can be left
intact in a cool, dry
place in dormant season
 Check size of bulbs in
2-3 years; if large
enough, then plant out
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2210/2210924817_34d8e3015d.jpg
© Project SOUND

22. Mariposas in the garden
 Charming pot plants – hide the
pot in a cool place in summer
 In summer-dry gardens; will
reseed if happy
 In rock gardens
 In those hard-to-water places;
good with penstemons
http://www.srgc.org.uk/wisley/2008/170108/Calochortus%20luteus%20leaves.jpg © Project SOUND
http://users.actrix.co.nz/hokpines/callut.jpg

23.  A naturally occurring
‘Golden Orb’ cultivar
cultivar
 Has been grown by
Dutch bulb producers
for a long time
 Selected for:
 Golden yellow color
 Larger flowers
 Taller flowering stalks
 Long bloom time
 Survival in gardens
 Widely available – native
plant and bulb suppliers
http://www.bloomingbulb.com/p-48512-calochortus-golden-orb.aspx
© Project SOUND

24. A few more yellow bulbs to consider
Yellow-eyed Grass - Sisyrinchium californicum
Golden Stars - Bloomeria crocea
© Project SOUND

25. Dealing with those pesky critters….
 Bulbs are FOOD
http://www.sci.sdsu.edu/SERG/restorationproj/woodlandgrassland/penc
an/penasquitos_final.htm
http://www.appistry.com/blog/2008/06
/you-cant-draw-a-box-around-a-cloud/
http://kenfuller.exactpages.com/garden_snail1.JPG
© Project SOUND

26. If not yellow, then white….
Calochortus superbus
Calochortus clavatus
Calochortus
catalinae
Calochortus albus © Project SOUND

27. Have you noticed that many early spring
bloomers have yellow flowers?
CA Encelia – Encelia californica
© Project SOUND

28. Why use yellow & white flowers?
Tidy-tips – Layia platyglassa
Contrasts with darker foliage, dark walls, etc.
© Project SOUND

29. Tidy-tip flowers stand out because they have
both color (hue & light-dark contrast
© Project SOUND

30. The colors of yellow…
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/images/uploads/9.1
8color.jpg
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Articles2/1201/3
63/images/RCWjava4x4.jpg
 Yellow is between green
(cooler) and orange (warmer) on
the color wheel)
© Project SOUND
http://i.ehow.com/images/GlobalPhoto/Articles/4775075/yellow-main_Full.jpg

31. Families with
yellow flowers
 Lilliaceae (Lily
family)
 Brassicacaea
(Mustard Family)
 Papaveraceae
(Poppy family)
 Asteraceae
(Sunflower family)
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Articles2/1201/3
63/images/RCWjava4x4.jpg © Project SOUND

32. Strand Wallflower - Erysimum insulare
ssp. suffrutescens
© Project SOUND

33. Western Wallflower – Erysimum capitatum var. capitatum
http://www.wnmu.edu/academic/nspages2/gilaflora/erysimum_capitatum.html
© Project SOUND

34. Western Wallflower looks somewhat like our local
Dune Wallflower
 Size:
 1-2 ft tall
 1-2 ft wide
 Growth form:
 Short-lived (2-3 year) perennial
in our area
 Upright growth habit
 Dies back to ground in dry
season
 Foliage:
 Leaves sparse, almost linear
 Blue-green
 Roots: soil-binding
http://www.wildflower.org/gallery/result.php?id_image=22411
© Project SOUND

35. Flowers are fantastic
 Blooms: spring – Mar-May
in western L.A. County
 Flowers:
 Bright golden yellow;
quite showy
 Typical shape for
Brassicaceae
(Mustard); parts of 4
 Open ‘up the stem’
 Attracts bees,
hummingbirds & other
pollinators
http://www.calflora.net/bloomingplants/westernwallflower.html
© Project SOUND
http://www.timetotrack.com/jay/wallfl3.htm

36. Plant Requirements  Soils:
 Texture: any, including clays
 pH: any local; dislikes acidic
soils
 Light:
 Part-shade (afternoon shade)
best in most gardens
 Water:
 Winter: needs good
winter/spring rains
 Summer: dry (Zone 1 or 1-2);
needs summer dormancy
 Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils
 Other: let plant re-seed before
cutting back in fall
http://www.calflora.net/bloomingplants/westernwallflower.html
© Project SOUND

37. Strand Wallflower is an attractive
addition to the garden
 Flowers are fragrant
 nectar attracts butterflies
and native bees
 Excellent for:
 Natural gardens
 “Cottage gardens”
 Rock gardens
 Soil stabilization (sand)
 Perfect for old-fashioned
gardens
© Project SOUND

38. http://vtgcrec.ifas.ufl.edu/pages/Selby%20Gardens/Selby-03-BC7-wallflower.JPG
Wallflowers make a cheerful addition to mixed beds
© Project SOUND

39. Mixed beds require planning
© Project SOUND

40. What every seed needs to germinate
 Water
 Warm enough temperatures
 +/- light
 May be special factors for
some plants
http://www.srgc.org.uk/bulblog/log2004/270104/Frit%20moment
%20of%20germination.jpg
Many California native wildflowers are very easy to grow
– require no pre-treatment
© Project SOUND

41. CA Goldfields – Lasthenia californica ssp. californica
© 2009 Barry Breckling © Project SOUND

42. CA Goldfields – Lasthenia californica ssp. californica
 Grows in the U.S.
Southwest from S. OR
to Mexico – including
our area
 Common in many Plant
Communities below
4500 feet elevation
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?Lasthenia+californica
http://plants.montara.com/ListPages/FamPages/Astera6.html#lascal
© Project SOUND

43. Looks similar to an old friend…Lasthena glabrata
© Project SOUND

44. In Antelope Valley
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Antelope_vally_spring.jpg
© Project SOUND

45. California Goldfields is a nice little spring annual
 Size:
 < 1 ft tall (may be slightly
taller in garden)
 12-18 inches wide
 Growth form:
 Herbaceous annual wildflower
 Upright; slender, dainty
 Foliage:
 Narrow, medium-green leaves
 May be slightly hairy &
succulent in garden
 Roots: < 1 ft – fine in pots
© 2009 Barry Breckling
http://yosemiteexplorer.com/albums/d/2186-9/060324-08-hite-lasthenia-californica.jpg
© Project SOUND

46. Flowers are true ‘gold’
 Blooms:
 In spring – anytime from Jan.
to Apr. in western L.A. Co.
 Tied to both timing of the
rains as well as temperature
 Flowers:
 Smallish: ~ ½ inch heads
 Typical sunflower heads
 Insect pollinated
 Both ray & disk flowers bright
to golden yellow
 Just dazzling when massed –
all tend to bloom at once
 Seeds: small sunflower seeds –
great treat for the birds
© 2009 Barry Breckling
© Project SOUND
http://www.gardeningwithnatives.com/articles/wildflower_top_10.html

47. Typical of most wildflowers – will grow in many soils
 Soils:
 Texture: any local – sand to clay
 pH: any local
 Light:
 Full sun to part-shade –
versatile like Tidy-tips
G.A. Cooper @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
 Water:
 Winter/spring: needs good soil
moisture – may need to
supplement rains, particularly
when seedlings small
 Summer: taper off after
blooming ceases – absolutely
needed for seed production
 Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils,
but ½ strength won’t kill them
http://www.fossilflowers.org/imgs/jlr326/na/Asteraceae_Lasthenia_californica_31520.html © Project SOUND

48. The lifecycle of Annual plants in the
South Bay
 Seed germination – Fall/Winter
(after the first seasonal rains);
some require spring warmth;
generally quick (1-4 weeks)
 Plant growth – Winter (some)
Spring, Summer (some) – rapid in
warm days of Spring
 Flowering – Spring/Summer (a very
few in early fall)
 Seed production – Late Spring-
Summer
 Death – Spring (some), Summer
(most), Fall (a few)
© Project SOUND

49. Seeds of ‘sunflowers’
are easy to grow
 Plant at the right time – in
winter, just before a major
rain cycle
 Just lightly rake in the
seeds – need light to
http://www.ransomseedlab.com/aboutus/asteraceae/examples_lasthenia_californica.htm
germinate
 Be sure the young seedlings
get adequate water
 Taper off water after
flowering
 Let plants reseed – and/or
collect dry seeds, dry a
week or two, store in cool,
dry place (paper bags,
envelopes or glass jars)
http://www.nps.gov/plants/sos/bendcollections/images/Lasthenia%20californica_JPG.jpg
© Project SOUND

50. Goldfields – lovely at
any scale
 Wonderful as a pot plant on
porches, balconies, etc. – spot of
bright color
 Massed as they grow in nature –
will take a while to get good
coverage
http://back40feet.blogspot.com/2008_04_01_archive.html
 Mix with other annuals and
native bunchgrasses – this was a
component of native prairies
here
 Consider it in the vegetable
garden – attracts native
pollinators
 Great little annuals for edging
walks
© Project SOUND
http://www.santabarbarahikes.com/flowers/index.php?action=show_item&id=65&search=

51. Other spring-blooming yellow sunflowers
 Annuals
 Chaenactis (Pincushion) species
 All of the Lasthenia species
 Layia platyglossa (Tidy-tips)
 * Malacothrix glabrata (Desert
Dandylion)
 Perennials/Shrubs
 Coreopsis gigantea & * Coreopsis
maritima
 Encelia californica (CA Encelia)
© Project SOUND

52. Yellow all season long – with sunflowers
 Great ‘season stretchers’ –
bloom spring & fall
 Annuals
 Annual sunflower –
Helianthus annuus
 * Garaea canescens – Hairy
Desert Sunflower
 Perennials/shrubs
 Constancea (Eriophyllum)
nevinii - Catalina Silverlace
 Grindelia species
(Gumplants)
Hairy Gumplant – Grindelia hirsutula
© Project SOUND

53. Annual Sunflower – Helianthus annuus © Project SOUND

54. * Hairy Desert Sunflower – Geraea canescens
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geraea_canescens
© Project SOUND

55. * Hairy Desert Sunflower – Geraea canescens
 Southwestern U.S.
deserts from CA to UT
and south to Mexico
 In CA, in both the
Mojave & Sonoran
deserts
 Elevations from sea level
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?Geraea+canescens to 4,265 feet (1,300 m)
 In sandy desert soil,
usually in the company of
creosote brush
© Project SOUND

56. © 2008 Christopher L. Christie
© 2006 Dr. Amadej Trnkoczy © Project SOUND

57. Charming annual whose growth reflects it’s desert origin
 Size:
 1-3 ft tall; depends on water
 1-2 ft wide
 Growth form:
 Annual wildflower
 Slender, branching habit
 Foliage:
 Light green/red stems
(usually)
 Foliage fuzzy/hairy
 Relatively few leaves – but
more with spring water
 Roots: taproot
© 2004 James M. Andre
© Project SOUND

58. Flowers are everything you’d
want from a sunflower
 Blooms:
 Two seasons (with some summer
water) - Feb–May, Oct–Nov
 Relatively long bloom period (like
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geraea_canescens
annual sunflower) – flowers open
over a month or more
 Flowers:
 Medium-sized heads – to 2”
diameter
 Both ray & disk flowers golden-
yellow – disk flowers slightly darker
 Attract many types of insect
pollinators
 Seeds: excellent bird food
© Project SOUND
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geraea_canescens

59. Desert Sunflowers - easy to  Soils:
grow in well-drained soils  Texture: sandy best
 pH: any local
 Light: full sun
 Water:
 Winter/spring: needs good
winter moisture; let dry out
some in late spring
 Summer: can water
occasionally (Zone 2) to
promote fall bloom, then let
it dry out again
 Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geraea_canescens
 Other: best when grown using a
gravel/crushed rock or coarse
sand mulch
© Project SOUND

60. What’s the deal about gravel/crushed rock mulches?
 You may have notices that many
annual wildflowers like to grow
in decomposed granite
 Why?
 Similar to natural conditions for
some wildflowers
 Well-drained
 Warms up well
 Easy for small seedlings to grow
through; and protects them
 Seeds can avoid predation
 Other advantages
 Looks neater than bare ground
 Looks quite natural
An inorganic mulch ~ 1 inch deep or less
works well – you will have to weed © Project SOUND

61. Use Desert Sunflower like a
smaller annual sunflower
 An appropriate size for large
pots and planters
 Great addition to desert &
rock gardens
 Fine in out-of-the-way places,
http://www.desertusa.com/mag99/feb/papr/desunflower.html
where it will reseed itself
 Great habitat plant
Gerald and Buff Corsi © California Academy o
f Sciences © Project SOUND

62. Color with confidence –
complementary colors
 Across from one
another on color wheel
 Most contrast in hue
(color)
http://research.calacademy.org/redirect?url=http://researcharchive.calacademy.org/research/botany/wildflow/color.asp
© Project SOUND
http://jilldenton.files.wordpress.com/2007/10/color-wheel.jpg

63. Color with confidence –
Analogous Colors
 Next to one another on
the color wheel
 Look like the naturally
go together
http://research.calacademy.org/redirect?url=http://researcharchive.calacademy.org/research/botany/wildflow/color.asp
© Project SOUND
http://jilldenton.files.wordpress.com/2007/10/color-wheel.jpg

64. © Project SOUND
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TQT9JERLUqI/SdUikf9K5II/AAAAAAAAACw/gWUPCQa1oJo/s1600-h/templeview.jpg

65. * Common Madia – Madia elegans
© Br. Alfred Brousseau, Saint Mary's College
© Project SOUND

66. * Common Madia – Madia elegans
© 2007 Neal Kramer
© Project SOUND

67. * Common Madia – Madia elegans
 West Coast species –
WA to Baja
 Locally in Santa
Monica & San Gabriel
ssp. vernalis mtns.
 Dry, open, usually
grassy places, in
shrublands,
woodlands, forests
ssp. wheeleri often along roadsides
 Either coarse or clay
soils
ssp. densifolia
ssp. elegans © Project SOUND

68. Common Madia is a typical annual sunflower
 Size:
 1-3 ft tall
 1-2 ft wide
 Growth form:
 Herbaceous annual
 Erect
 Foliage:
 Leaves mostly below the
flowers, linear
 Hairy to bristly
 Aromatic – unusual – like
tropical fruits
 Rabbits & ground squirrels will
© 2009 Aaron Schusteff
eat foliage
© Project SOUND

69. One of our showiest
sunflowers
 Blooms: in summer usually Jul-Sept.
 Flowers:
 Typical sunflower heads; about an inch
in diameter
 Ray flowers often clefted – sometimes
markedly so
 Ray flowers often blotched with
maroon – super showy
© 2009 Barry Breckling
 Flowers close at mid-day
 Make nice cut flowers
 Seeds:
 Small, tufted sunflower seeds
 Aromatic seeds were parched and
ground for pinole, flavoring
 Many birds also like these seeds
© Project SOUND
http://www.backyardnature.net/n/09/090712mb.jpg

70. Plant Requirements  Soils:
 Texture: any well-drained
 pH: any local
 Light:
 Full sun to light shade
 Water:
 Winter: moist soils during
growth period
 Summer: taper off water at
end of flowering
 Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils
– but can’t hurt them
 Other: save some seeds for
next year – or birds may eat
them all!
© Project SOUND

71. Madias provide nice
summer color, fragrance
 As a showy, larger
addition to the
summer flower
© 2004 George W. Hartwell
garden
 As a food plant – for
yourself or birds
 In the fragrance
garden – be sure to
plant where you’ll
enjoy it
http://www.anniesannuals.com/signs/M/Madia_elegans.htm © Project SOUND

72. Don’t just limit
sunflowers to the
flower garden….
http://greenbrae3.exblog.jp/m2009-08-01/
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1222/813282834_54780bbcc1.jpg
© Project SOUND
http://biology.burke.washington.edu/herbarium/imagecollection.php?Genus=Madia&Species=elegans

73. Innate seed dormancy – ways seeds are
prevented from sprouting ‘too soon’
 Immature embryo – needs ‘after-ripening period’ to develop
fully [example: seeds that sprout better the second year]
 Biochemical trigger – needed to trigger production/release
of enzymes [Ex: cold; heat; chemicals in smoke]
 Germination inhibitors in seed coat – must be leached from
seed coat before germination will occur [Ex: require removal
of fleshy fruit surrounding seeds; period in damp soils]
 Seed coat provides physical barrier (usually to water) – seed
coat must breached for germination to occur [Ex:
‘scarification’; seeds that pass through digestive tract;
seeds that need a ‘hot water treatment like lupines]
© Project SOUND

74. http://www.johngamblepaintings.com/John%20Gamble%20Biography%20Page.htm
© Project SOUND

75. Fire & wildflowers – what’s the story?
 Heat?
 Smoke – or specific
constituents of smoke
(smoke is a complex
mixture of 1000/s of
chemicals)?
 Increased availability of
sun, water, nutrients?
We still have lots to learn
about this subject
© Project SOUND

76. Whispering Bells – Emmenanthe penduliflora
var. penduliflora
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Emmenanthe_penduliflora © Project SOUND

77. Whispering Bells – Emmenanthe penduliflora
var. penduliflora
 Southwestern U.S. south to
Baja; locally on Channel
Islands, Santa Monica Mtns.
 Most common in dry, rocky
or sandy, recently burned
areas.
 A common plant of the
chaparral ecosystem, which
is prone to wildfire.
 Emmenanthe is a monotypic
genus - contains only one
species, Emmenanthe
penduliflora
© Project SOUND

78. Tons the first year, few the next, none the
3rd year
http://www.coestatepark.com/emmenanthe_penduliflora.htm
© Project SOUND
http://www.delange.org/WhisperingBells/WhisperingBells.htm

79. Whispering bells is quite different
 Size:
 1-2 ft tall
 1-2 ft wide
 Growth form:
 Annual wildflower
 Usually many-branched
 Foliage:
 Begins as a basal rosette
 Clasping leaves are
sticky/glandular
 Has a mildly medicinal
scent – not bad
http://www.coestatepark
.com/emmenanthe_pen
duliflora.htm
http://www.delange.org/W
hisperingBells/Whispering
Bells.htm
© 2008 Robert Patrie © Project SOUND

80. Flowers are unique
 Blooms:
 In spring - usually Apr-Jun
in S. CA
 Flowers:
 Lemon-yellow (usual) to
bright yellow
 Very small
 Shaped like little bells –
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Emmenanthe_penduliflora
very quaint & old-fashioned
looking
 Seeds:
 Flat, brown with honeycomb
pattern surface
© Project SOUND
Gerald and Buff Corsi © California Academy of Sciences

81. Why ‘Whispering’?
 Flowers droop along
the stalk as they age
 As the flowers dry,
they become papery
 When the dried
flowers rub together
in the wind they
make a soft
whispering sound –
hence the common
name
© 2003 Lynn Watson © 2008 Robert Patrie © Project SOUND

82. Plant Requirements  Soils:
 Texture: rocky or sandy soils
best
 pH: any local
 Light:
 Full sun to light shade
 Water:
 Winter: need good
winter/spring water
 Summer: taper to Zone 1
 Fertilizer: ?? Does increased
nitrogen post-fire increase
germination rates?
 Other: use of charate or other
‘smoke’ treatment
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Emmenanthe_penduliflora
© Project SOUND

83. Whispers in the garden
 Would make a
unique container
plant – pair with
lupines?
 In a rock garden
 For erosion control
http://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/taxa/index.php?taxon=Emmenanthe%20penduliflora
on slopes
 ??? Use your
creativity
© Project SOUND

84. Red, orange, and yellow flowers owe their brilliant hues to a group of pigments
called carotenoids. Similar pigments are responsible for some fall leaf colors.
© Project SOUND
http://www.fotolog.com/treebeard/49651134

85. * Western Poppy – Papaver californicum
© 2005 Christopher L. Christie
© Project SOUND

86. * Western Poppy – Papaver californicum
 Coastal foothills of California –
locally in foothills of Santa Monica
& San Gabriel mtns.
 Burns and disturbed places below
2500', chaparral and oak woodland
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?5547,5590,5592
http://www.researchlearningcenter.org/bloom/species/Papaver_californicum.htm
© Project SOUND

87. Similar to the non-native ‘Iceland’ poppy
 Size:
 1-2 ft tall
 ~ 1 ft wide
 Growth form:
 Herbaceous annual wildflower
 Foliage:
 Leaves mostly basal, strongly
lobed
 Medium green, glandular
 May cause slight contact skin
rash (typical for poppies)
 Roots: taproot
© 2005 Christopher L. Christie
© Project SOUND

88. Flowers are fantastic!
 Blooms:
 In Spring - usually Apr-May
 Flowers open up over several
weeks
 Flowers:
© 2005 Christopher L. Christie  Bright red-orange color
(usually) tho’ may be more pale
orange
 Relatively large size – 1+ inch
diameter
 Very showy – folks don’t
believe this is a native
 Seeds:
 Small, round and dark
 In typical poppy capsule
© Project SOUND
http://www.researchlearningcenter.org/bloom/species/Papaver_californicum.htm

89.  Soils:
Plant Requirements  Texture: must be well-drained; in
nature, often sandy
 pH: any local
 Light:
 Full sun to part-shade
 Water:
 Winter: moist soils
 Summer: to Zone 1
 Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils
 Other:
 Use charate (or water extract of
charate) to stimulate
germination
 Plant seed in place or transfer
© 2006 Aaron Schusteff
plants when very young (like CA
Poppies – have tap root)
© Project SOUND

90. Poppies are among
everyone’s favorite flowers
 For borders – lovely massed
 Along pathways
 In cottage garden plantings
 In pots & planters
 Anywhere you’ve planted non-
Beatrice F. Howitt © California Academy of Sciences
native poppies in the past
http://www.lasmmcnps.org/geoffburleigharchive/selection/144.jpg http://doubtfulmuse.blogspot.com/2008/06/garden-girl-and-pig-wallows.html
© Project SOUND

91. Wind Poppy - Stylomecon heterophylla
(Papaver heterophyllum)
 Grassy areas and openings in
chaparral
 Grassy & brushy slopes below
4000 ft.
 Rarely germinates in the wild
except after a wildfire
© 2005 Christopher L. Christie
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?5547,5600,5601
© Project SOUND

92. Wind Poppy – so
showy!!!
 Scent of ‘Lily of the
Valleys’
 Another fire-follower
that needs smoke
treatment
J. E.(Jed) and Bonnie McClellan © California Academy of Sciences
© Project SOUND

93. Maybe worth the extra effort
 Ways to ‘apply smoke’
to seeds
 Burn native twigs on
the area to be planted
 Make charate
(charcoal/ash) from
native twigs – apply to
planted area or medium
 Apply ‘liquid smoke’,
either as a seed pre-
treatment or used to
water planted seeds –
easier method
http://back40feet.blogspot.com/2008_04_01_archive.html
© Project SOUND

94. You can make your own ‘liquid smoke’
with a grill or home smoker
 Using a small grill, burn charcoal on half of the
base of the grill (as normal) and on the upper grill
surface place a pan of water on the other side and
native vegetation (woody and leafy) on the side
above the charcoal. Cover the grill. As the coals
burn the native vegetation the smoke that is
created will be infused in the water in the pan. Be
careful not to allow the water to boil away. The
water created in these ways can be cooled and
used immediately or frozen until needed.
© Project SOUND

95. Use commercially available smoke
infused products
 Liquid smoke –
 Natural products available from some
Australian & S. African sources;
 You might also want to experiment with ‘liquid
smoke’ product used in cooking
 Smoke infused paper discs
 Dry smoke infused material to add to
planting medium: such as Regen 2000
© Project SOUND

96. CAPE "Super Smoke Plus" SEED
PRIMER
 Cape Super Smoke Plus is an
absorbent paper that is impregnated
with fynbos-smoke-saturated water.
The paper is then dried and sealed in
a polythene packet.
 A predetermined volume of water is
added to the paper in a suitable
container and the seeds are "smoke-
primed" by soaking in the smoke-water
solution for 24 hours.
 A range of natural germination
stimulators has been added to the
smoke solution to overcome other
forms of seed dormancy found in many
species.
http://www.seedman.com/cape.htm
© Project SOUND

97. Be sure to get a product that is just ‘liquid
smoke’
 ‘Lazy Kettle’ brand ; ‘Colgin’s brand;
‘Wright’s’ brand
 A little bit goes a long way – 1 part liquid
smoke to 10 parts water as a starting point
 Try it – you’ll have to do some
experimentation – let us know your results
© Project SOUND

98. It’s no coincidence that artists have CA native
wildflowers in their own gardens
© Project SOUND
http://jofleming.net/jf_media/poppies_from_my_garden_2.jpg

99. Sources of inspiration
are all around
Manhattan Beach Botanic Garden
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/11/25/pv.jpg
Palos Verdes
© Project SOUND
http://extras.mnginteractive.com/live/media/site577/2009/0902/20090902_081440_rpvfirepole1_500.jpg

100. © Project SOUND