By Jeff Oster, UC Master Gardener of Butte County, October 19, 2018
Echinacea is a tough perennial with brownish orange dome-shaped centers. E. purpurea (purple coneflower) can reach four or more feet in height and form a dense clump two feet wide. The four-inch flowers have purple ray flowers (petals) that droop downward. Situated in sun or part shade, these plants have a long blooming period, from June through August. They require well-drained soil and moderate to regular watering. Coneflowers require little in the way of maintenance other than dividing when they become overcrowded (about every four years). When dividing and re-planting, make sure each division has a shoot and roots. Coneflowers are self-seeders, and will multiply if happy. They attract bees, birds and butterflies; if the flowers are left on the plants, their bristly seed heads provide birds with food during the winter. Deer will eat the young plants but generally avoid mature ones. Coneflowers make good cut flowers and can be dried and preserved.
The edible flowers of Mexican marigold can be added to salads; the narrow, dark-green leaves have a strong scent and can be used as a substitute for tarragon; and the dried leaves and flower heads can be used to brew a pleasant anise-flavored tea. This plant attracts butterflies, bees, and birds to the garden, and is generally not bothered by pests.
Apply one inch of water every week during spring and summer to the base of the plant. Pinch one inch from stem tips to promote bushy growth and flower production throughout the season. Stake tall plants to keep the clump upright. Cut back after flowering. Propagate from rhizomes or seeds. The flowers of Helianthus maximiliani can be cut to bring inside; they also dry well. Young growth on these plants is attractive to slugs, but rabbits and deer steer clear. Native Americans traditionally utilized these plants for food, dye, oil, thread, and to repel mosquitoes. Butterflies and bees gather the pollen and songbirds love the abundant seeds.
The UC Master Gardeners of Butte County are holding a Plant Sale on October 27 at their Demonstration Garden at Patrick Ranch (10381 Midway, Durham). All plants have been propagated by UC Master Gardeners of Butte County and selected to thrive in our climate. Check or cash only—no credit cards. For more information on the Plant Sale, including Workshops beginning that day at 9 am and a list of plants for sale, go to https://ucanr.edu/sites/bcmg/sale/
HOTLINE – Questions? Plant problems? Pest Issues? Contact the UC Master Gardeners of Butte County by phoning our Hotline (530-538-7201), or visit our web page at: http://ucanr.edu/sites/bcmg/
By Jeff Oster, UC Master Gardener of Butte County, October 5, 2018
Composites are mostly herbaceous, but the family also includes shrubs, vines and trees. They have worldwide distribution, but are most common in arid and semiarid regions of subtropical and lower temperate latitudes. Most like full sun and good drainage, but will tolerate a variety of soils.
Economically important composites include safflower (for oil); many edible crops such as artichoke, lettuce, cardoon, and chicory; herbs like stevia, tarragon, coneflower and chamomile; and the humble dandelion, reviled in many quarters, but considered a useful edible in others. This article series will concentrate on ornamental long-flowering perennials adapted to our climate.
Coreopsis
Coreopsis is an old reliable garden favorite, with blooms in shades of yellow, orange, maroon, and red. Some varieties bloom all the way from mid-spring through fall, and make good cut flowers. Coreopsis love sun and are not finicky about soil – they will do fine in average to poor soils, but well-drained garden soils are best. They are drought-tolerant and low-maintenance. Deadhead flowers for longest bloom and divide every few years when overcrowded to re-invigorate them. They are easily propagated by division, stem cuttings, and seed. Coreopsis are deer resistant and attract birds.
C. verticillata tolerates drought and neglect, and blooms from summer through fall. C. verticillata ‘Moonbeam' has pale yellow flowers, while the flowers of ‘Zagreb' are more golden yellow. The bright yellow C. auriculata ‘Nana' is a low-growing form that spreads by underground runners to create a two-foot-wide clump in a year. Useful in front of taller plants, it too has a long blooming season if deadheaded faithfully. Another bright yellow form is C. grandiflora, a tough variety that reaches two feet in height and spreads to three feet wide and blooms throughout the summer.
Gaillardia (blanket flower)
Butterflies and native bees love to visit these flowers, and their seeds provide food for birds. Pest problems are few; deer and rabbits avoid Gaillardia. The taller cultivars of Gaillardia make nice cut flowers.
Other useful more compact cultivars in our area include G. x grandiflora “Arizona Sun” which has stunning mahogany-red rays rimmed in golden yellow. It reaches a height of twelve inches, and blooms sooner than many other cultivars. G. x grandiflora “Mesa Peach” and “Mesa Red” grow a bit taller, to eighteen inches, with peachy-yellow and deep red petals, respectively
Aster
Finally, plants in the genus Aster are perfect plants to think about at the beginning of the fall season because they add spectacular color in the autumn. Aster plants are very durable and long lived. Plant asters in early to mid-spring (or buy them now, in pots, to add fall color to a sunny porch or deck). They should be trimmed back in early spring and again in June to maintain bushiness; deadhead occasionally for more blooms. Divide every two to four years in the spring to maintain vigor and flower quality. The plants can be used in many places: asters work well in borders, rock gardens, or wildflower gardens. As a bonus, asters attract butterflies.
By Brent McGhie, UC Master Gardener of Butte County, September 21, 2018
As members of the mint family, all Salvia flowers are two lipped (bilabiate) and commonly arranged in dense spikes. Salvia leaves are usually found in pairs opposite one another on square stems, but the leaves may also be arranged singly on the stems of shrub species of Salvia. Salvia foliage is aromatic, giving off a mint-like odor when crushed. Sages of the genus Salvia should not be confused with sagebrush (Artemesia), which has none of these characteristics and is a member of the sunflower family (Asteraceae).
The characteristic of the genus Salvia that sets it apart from the rest of the mint family is the structure of its flowers. The stamens of these flowers form a lever and when a pollinator enters the flower, the lever causes the stamens to move and deposit pollen on the pollinator. When that pollinator enters another flower of the same species, the stigma of the flower is situated so that it brushes against the pollen on the pollinator's body, virtually guaranteeing pollination!
Several Salvia species are on display at the Master Gardeners Demonstration Garden at the Patrick Ranch Museum (located at 10381 Midway between Chico and Durham). Popular Salvias found at the Demonstration Garden include: Black and Blue Sage (Salvia guarnitica), Creeping Sage (S. sonomensis), Hummingbird Sage (S. spathacea), Autumn Sage (S. greggii) and Cleveland Sage (S. clevelandii).
Creeping Sage and ‘Bee's Bliss' Salvia are similar groundcovers. Both are found in the California Native section of the Demonstration Garden. These evergreen perennials reach a height of four to six inches, and a single plant can spread 12 feet or more. Their foliage is a pleasing silver-green. They produce a profusion of blue-violet flower spikes from spring to early summer. These plants are moderately drought tolerant and will grow in full or partial sun.
Autumn Sage may be one of the few plants that is best known by its scientific name, Salvia greggii. This plant blooms from early summer through fall and flowers of S. greggii are usually some form of red, but can also be bicolor, white, pink, rose, purple and or orange. It is an evergreen perennial, but can be winter dormant in colder areas. It grows two to three feet tall and as wide. Like many Salvias, Autumn Sage thrives in full sun and requires very little water. There are several examples of S. greggii in the Demonstration Garden.
If you decide to include Salvias in your garden, they do best if they are planted in early fall. This gives the plants time to establish a healthy root system before they have to contend with the hot days of summer. They can also be planted in spring, but will need more attention & watering during the summer months. If you want more information about Salvias or any other garden topic, contact the UC Master Gardeners of Butte County by phoning our Hotline (530-538-720l), or visit our web page at: http://ucanr.edu/sites/bcmg/
By Laura Lukes, UC Master Gardener of Butte County, September 7, 2018
The beauty of evolution is its reliance on trial and error, or adaptation. What works, works very well, and allows life in many forms to exist in some of Earth's harshest environments. The climatic conditions of the planet's seven Mediterranean Zones include between five and seven months of zero precipitation, and many days in a row with high temperatures of over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. These are challenging circumstances for any living thing. Yet a wide variety of plants have evolved clever strategies to survive these long, dry, hot periods.
Generally speaking, there are three major strategies employed by plants to survive annual drought conditions: desiccation tolerance; drought avoidance; and drought tolerance. These strategies evolved through millions of years of adaptation, and are endlessly fascinating in their ingenuity. (Please note that the survival tactics described below, the result of complex chemical and molecular biological processes, are simplified for this article.)
Desiccation Tolerance: To desiccate something is to thoroughly dry it. Tolerance of desiccation gives a plant the remarkable ability to survive almost total dehydration. This strategy is employed by mosses and ferns. Briefly, plants in this category have developed the ability to enter into, and recover from, anhydrobiosis, the cessation of metabolic activity as a result of low intracellular water content. Next time you are hiking in Upper Park or the foothills during the dry months, you can see this phenomenon for yourself. Find a patch of rust colored, crunchy dry moss on a rock, and gently pour a small amount of water on it. In seconds, what appeared to be completely dead vegetation will turn green and supple.
Another form of drought avoidance is early leaf drop. A good example of this is the buckeye (Aesculus), which occupies a unique ecological niche by being one of the first shrubs to leaf out and flower in early spring, and also one of the first to lose its leaves, well before the onslaught of summer heat and drought. Leaves demand precious nutrients and energy, and without them the buckeye can conserve these resources. During years of drought, and during sustained periods of high temperatures, our valley oaks and blue oaks lighten their metabolic load by dropping some leaves earlier than usual.
Drought Tolerance: Lastly, there is this catch-all phrase. Plants in this category are just better at functioning during annual drought conditions, due to a number of creative adaptations. Such plants are also called xerophytes; literally “dry plants.” They remain green all year round, but manage to save or store water, often through structural (usually leaf) morphology. Common structural adaptations for water conservation are:
- Thick, leathery leaves with waxy cuticles, which perform dual functions of cutting down on water loss and reflecting heat away from the plant. Our native Ceanothus (California Lilac) is a prime example of this.
- Small, thin leaves, which effectively reduce the surface area from which water loss can occur. The tiny yet highly fragrant leaves of Santolina typify this adaptation.
- Sunken stomata pits, which trap moist air and reduce water loss rates. Pine needles employ this strategy (as well as being small and thin).
- Hairy leaves, like those found on Cyprus ironwort (Sideritis cypria) or Lamb's Ears (Stachys byzantina), which shade the stomata and reduce contact from hot air, protecting plants from extremes of light and temperature.
Redundancy is a hallmark strategy for species survival (think two kidneys in human beings); and most plants employ more than one method of beating the hot dry summers of the Mediterranean climate. Now that you know what to look for, see how many of these ingenious biological adaptations you can spot.
By Laura Lukes, UC Master Gardener of Butte County, August 24, 2018
Sideritis. It sounds like a medical condition, but it is actually the name of a plant genus known for its medicinal properties. And it is one of the latest additions to the UC Master Gardeners Demonstration Garden at the Patrick Ranch (10381 Midway, just south of Chico).
Ideally, Walther and his crew would have planted the varieties showcased in the Dry Garden in mid- to late-October 2017. Fall and winter rains alone would establish the plants and no further supplemental irrigation would be required. But due to the delayed planting schedule, the Dry Garden is receiving some supplemental water this season. Once the rains come (usually just after Halloween), the array of plants in the Dry Garden will be left to their own devices to survive our valley summers.
Walther chose about twenty species of plants for their beauty and their hardiness (see sidebar for a complete list). Among the usual Mediterranean suspects such as Santolina, several species of Phlomis, and Teucrium chamaedrys, there's a new kid in town: Sideritis cypria.
Sideritis is a little toughie that exhibits a number of desirable qualities. It is strikingly beautiful; wind and deer resistant; evergreen (with interesting foliage year-round and contrasting flower spikes in summer); can take full sun and heat; and prefers to be dry all through the summer.
The suffix “wort” comes from a Middle English word (wyrt) for root, and nowadays indicates a plant that has been historically used for food or medicinal purposes. According to Oliveology, an online resource devoted to “sharing and enjoying the culinary treasures and gastronomic traditions of Greece,” Sideritis was well known to ancient Greeks, particularly to the pharmacologist/ botanist Dioscurides, the philosopher Theophrastus, and to Hippocrates. A number of sources note that in ancient Greece it was commonly used to treat wounds, especially those inflicted with iron swords or arrows.
In 2011, the Journal of Ethnopharmacology published findings that Sideritis species were shown to have anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antispasmodic properties. A 2012 publication of the Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology noted that extracts made from Sideritis helped lower blood pressure levels while helping blood vessels to relax. You may have heard of Sideritis in one of its common medicinal forms: Greek Mountain Tea, Shephard's Tea, or just plain old Mountain Tea.
You can find Cyprus ironwort and many of the plants featured in the Dry Garden at local nurseries which specialize in California and Mediterranean natives. These plants epitomize the premise upon which the Master Gardener Demonstration Garden is based: The New California Garden: Beautiful; Sustainable; Functional. And no additional water required!
Note: For more information about the Master Gardener Program and the Demonstration Garden, please visit http://ucanr.edu/sites/bcmg/ . Garden questions can be directed to the Hotline at 530-538-7201.
Plants in the Dry Garden at the Master Gardeners Demonstration Garden at Patrick Ranch
Genus |
Species |
Common Name |
Artemesia |
schmidtiana |
Silvermound, wormwort |
Helianthus |
maximilianii |
Maximilian sunflower |
Helichrysum |
Strawberries and cream |
|
Iris |
douglasiana |
Douglas iris |
Melianthus |
major |
Honey bush |
Muhlenbergia |
rigens |
Deer grass |
Phlomis |
fruticosa |
Jerusalem sage |
Phlomis |
russeliana |
Jerusalem sage |
Phlomis |
purpurea |
Purple phlomis |
Phlomis |
samia |
Greek Jerusalem sage |
Romneya |
coulteri |
Coulter's Matalija Poppy, California tree poppy |
Salvia |
canariensis |
Canary Island sage |
Salvia |
spathacea |
Hummingbird sage, pitcher sage |
Santolina |
chamaecyparissus |
Lavender cotton |
Santolina |
pinnata |
Rosemary leaved lavender cotton |
Scutellaria |
suffretescens |
Mexican skullcap, pink Texas skullcap |
Stipa |
gigantea |
Giant feather grass |
Teucrium |
chamaedrys |
Wall germander |
Teucrium |
fruticans |
Bush germander |
Trichostema |
lanatum |
Wooly blue curls |