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| Heritage Creek (seasonal creek) - California State University Dominguez Hills |
Heritage Creek has been running due to the last two storms. We've received almost 4 inches of rain this December!
Saturday, December 13, 2014
Heritage Creek was running - 12-12-14
Heritage Creek has been running due to the last two storms. We've received almost 4 inches of rain this December!
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
Lemonadeberry (Lemonade sumac) – Rhus integrifolia
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| Lemonadeberry (Rhus integrifolia). Entrance to Garden of Dreams. CSU Dominguez Hills |
We have several Lemonadeberry shrubs growing on the CSUDH campus. This is a true Southern
California shrub, growing from south of Santa Barbara to Baja California,
Mexico. While primarily a coastal
species, it ranges east to Riverside County, appearing in the Coastal Strand,
Coastal Sage Scrub and Chaparral plant communities. Typically it grows in drier canyons, either on
north-facing slopes or slopes/bluffs facing the ocean. A lowland species, Lemonadeberry is rarely
found above about 2500 ft. (900 m.) elevation, its distribution likely limited
by freezing temperatures.
Lemonadeberry
is a large evergreen shrub, reaching a maximal height of 6-10 ft. in protected
areas and 2-3 ft. along the immediate coast.
It is usually somewhat wider than tall, spreading to as much as 10-12
ft. in diameter in favored spots.
Interestingly, it can be kept to a much smaller size with regular
pruning
Learn more about Lemonadeberry at: http://mother-natures-backyard.blogspot.com/2014/12/plant-of-month-december-lemonadeberry.html
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| CSUDH student measures Lemonadeberry. Palos Verdes peninsula. |
Sunday, November 16, 2014
Life-Friendly Fall Pruning: Remember the Birds
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| Garden of Dreams near Child Development Center - 11/12/14. Some plants are still un-pruned to provide food for the birds. |
Late
fall and early winter are important pruning times in Southern California
gardens. Many California native plants,
particularly those from drier low elevations, are dormant from late summer
until the winter rains. That’s why fall
has traditionally been a major pruning season.
To get a better sense of the seasons in S. California gardens see: http://mother-natures-backyard.blogspot.com/2014/09/seasons-in-southern-california-garden.html.
If
you garden in S. California, you’ve no doubt noticed that different birds visit
your garden in fall and winter. California
is an important stop for birds migrating along the Pacific Flyway – a giant
bird ‘freeway’ in the sky. Some birds
just stop to refuel; others spend the winter in our delightful wild-lands and
gardens. Either way, these birds – along
with resident birds and insects – require food in fall and winter.
The
past two years have been particularly hard on California wildlife. Even with decreased water use, our gardens
are still wetter and more productive than the drought stressed wild-lands. That’s why we’ve seen more wildlife than ever
in our gardens this year. A recent visit to the 'Garden of Dreams' on campus demonstrated this dramatically. There were at least 75 birds, of all sizes and at least 5 species, busily eating in that one little garden!
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| Goldfinch eating Annual sunflower (Helianthus anuus) seeds |
From
native pollinators and butterflies to large animals like deer, creatures are
desperate for food and water - and so they come to our gardens. As wild-lands suffer from climatic extremes,
our gardens play an increasingly important role in providing food, shelter and
water. In all years – but particularly in
years when food is scarce – we need to manage our fall pruning
responsibly. That's why the 'Garden of Dreams', 'Heritage Creek Preserve' and the 'Earth Sciences Garden' will look a little more raggedy this month. We're doing it to save the birds!
For more see:
Monday, November 10, 2014
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| California wood mint (Stachys bullata) can be seen at Mother Nature's Backyard garden (above) and at the Garden of Dreams (CSU Dominguez Hills) |
One
of the plants that’s blooming right now in the Garden of Dreams is the California woodmint, Stachys bullata. This isn’t its peak season, but the flowers
keep our hummingbirds and the few remaining butterflies happy.
California
wood mint is a member of the mint family (Lamiaceae),
a large family that includes culinary mints and the Salvias. Plants in this family often have aromatic
foliage and are used for cooking and potpourri.
Within the Mint Family, the wood mints (hedge nettles), genus Stachys, make up one of the larger
genera. Stachys species can be found on
most continents and many are used in traditional herbal medicine.
For more on this interesting plant see: http://mother-natures-backyard.blogspot.com/2014/11/plant-of-month-december-california-wood.html
Thursday, October 30, 2014
Fall Native Plant Sale - November 7 & 8
Fall Native Plant Sale
When: Friday 11/7 - noon-4:30 p.m.
Saturday
11/8 - 11:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Where: Biology Dept. Greenhouse (behind NSM building)
Prices: $2.00 - $7.00 donations (good deal)
Proceeds support native plant
propagation/restoration on campus
__________________________________________________________________________________
For directions to the greenhouse: http://nativeplantscsudh.blogspot.com/p/map.html
To download a pdf of the list of
plants for sale: http://www.slideshare.net/cvadheim/plant-list-for-sales-csudh
Last minute update: we've got Amole/Soap plant for sale
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Perennial bulb. Carefully
remove plant from pot. Plant in large pot
(at least 12” x 12”) or in the ground in full sun/light shade. Water if needed in winter-spring. Pink ‘lily’ blooms after two years;
spring/summer, fragrant. 1-2+ ft tall
& wide. Basal leaves. Let the plant dry out after the last
flower fades. Spreads slowly with new
plants; may reseed on bare ground. Bulb can be used to make a mild soap. Young shoots edible raw or cooked.
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Plant List – CSUDH Fall
2014 Plant Sale
CSUDH-Project SOUND Propagation Lab
#
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Common Name
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Scientific Name
|
Notes
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||
1
gallon shrubs/trees and woody vines - $7.00
|
|||||
6
|
Marsh Baccharis
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Baccharis douglasii
|
Insect pollinator/butterfly habitat
|
||
15+
|
Coyote Bush
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Baccharis pilularis
|
Insect pollinator/butterfly habitat
|
||
20+
|
Mule Fat
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Baccharis salicifolia
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Insect pollinator/butterfly habitat
|
||
8
|
*Rabbitbush
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Ericameria nauseosa
|
Excellent insect plant; yellow dye
|
||
6
|
Saw-tooth Goldenbush
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Hazardia squarrosa
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Insect pollinator/butterfly habitat
|
||
6
|
Island Mallow
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Lavatera assurgentiflora
|
Hibiscus flower; edible leaves
|
||
4
|
Laurel Sumac
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Malosma laurina
|
Bird habitat plant
|
||
4
|
Prunus ilicifolia
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Catalina cherry
|
Nice tree/hedge plant; fruits
|
||
10+
|
Coast Live Oak
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Quercus agrifolia
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Insect pollinator/butterfly habitat
|
||
1 gallon
perennials/sub-shrubs/herbaceous groundcover - $ 7.00
|
|||||
4
|
Yarrow
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Achillea millefolia
|
Attract beneficial insects; medicinal
|
||
6
|
Narrowleaf Milkweed
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Asclepias fascicularis
|
Monarch
butterfly habitat
|
||
3
|
Coastal Dune Buckwheat
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Eriogonum parvifolium
|
Insect pollinator/butterfly habitat
El Segundo Blue butterfly
|
||
6
|
Coastal Gumplant
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Grindelia hirsutula
|
Insect pollinator/butterfly habitat
|
||
10+
|
Sweetscent
|
Pluchea odorata
|
Insect pollinator/butterfly habitat
|
||
4
|
Canaigre Dock
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Rumex hymenosepalus
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Roots make orange dye; rare
|
||
2
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Blue-eyed Grass
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Sisyrinchium bellum
|
Seeds for birds
|
||
8
|
*Banana Yucca
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Yucca baccata
|
Edible flowers, fruits; rare
|
||
1 gallon grasses/sedges/rushes - $ 7.00
|
|||||
Common Spikerush
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Eleocharis palustris
|
||||
Common Scouring Rush
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Equisetum hyemale
|
||||
* Lamp Rush
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Juncus effusis
|
||||
Juncus patens
|
|||||
Basket Rush
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Juncus textilis
|
||||
Iris-leaf Rush
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Juncus xiphioides
|
||||
Small Cattail
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Typha angustifolia
|
||||
Small
pots: shrubs/ perennials /biennials- $ 4.00
|
|||||
8
|
Yarrow
|
Achillea millefolia
|
Attract beneficial insects; medicinal
(for more see above)
|
||
4
|
Narrowleaf Milkweed
|
Asclepias fascicularis
|
Monarch
butterfly habitat
(for more see above)
|
||
10+
|
Coyote Bush
|
Baccharis pilularis
|
Insect pollinator/butterfly habitat
(for more see above)
|
||
15+
|
Mule Fat
|
Baccharis salicifolia
|
Insect pollinator/butterfly habitat
(for more see above)
|
||
15+
|
Wavyleaf soap plant
|
Chlorogalum
pomeridianum
|
Bulb with little orchid-like flowers; roots for
soap
|
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2
|
Ashyleaf buckwheat
|
Eriogonum cinereum
|
Good insect plant
|
||
10+
|
* Rosy Buckwheat
|
Eriogonum latifolium/grande var. rubescens
|
Insect pollinator/butterfly habitat
Lovely bright pink flowers
|
||
10+
|
Dune Buckwheat
|
Eriogonum parvifolium
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Insect pollinator/butterfly habitat
(for more see above)
|
||
5
|
Coastal Gumplant
|
Grindelia hirsutula
|
Insect pollinator/butterfly habitat
(for more see above)
|
||
15
|
Wild mint
|
Mentha arvensis
|
Good for cooking spice, tea
|
||
10+
|
Hooker’s Primrose
|
Oenothera elata ssp. hookeri
|
Pretty yellow flowers pollinated by large moths
|
||
Blue-eyed Grass
|
Sisyrinchium bellum
|
Good for birds
(for more see above)
|
|||
6
|
*Banana Yucca
|
Yucca baccata
|
Edible flowers, fruits
(for more see above)
|
||
Small
pots: grasses/sedges/rushes - $4.00
|
|||||
6
|
Dune sedge
|
Carex pansa
|
Evergreen;
lawn substitute
|
||
Carex tumulticola
|
Evergreen;
good for shade; lawn substitute
|
||||
15+
|
Creeping wildrye
|
Leymus triticoides
|
Good for mowed lawn or left un-mowed
|
||
Iris-leaf Rush
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Juncus xiphioides
|
(for more see above)
|
|||
Small Cattail
|
Typha angustifolia
|
||||
* CA native, but not native to South
Bay