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 |
By Jeanette Alosi, UC Master Gardener of Butte County, August 10, 2018
Unfortunately, there are is no easy way to control this noxious weed. For most homeowners, the mechanical control methods of hand removal or cutting the plant off at the taproot are most effective. Any seeds left on the ground must be removed by raking or sweeping. Use heavy gloves to protect hands from the spiky seedpods. Of course, as with any weed, it's best to remove it before it flowers and sets seeds. This is especially important for puncturevine, as seeds are viable for years, and can be spread by shoes or the wheels of lawn mowers or carts.
Biological control using several species of weevils have been tried but are not always effective. Chemical control of puncturevine in the home garden is often unnecessary. However, in heavily infested areas, or when hand removal is difficult, herbicide may be an option.
For more information on puncturevine see the IPM Pestnote No. 74128 and the IPM Weed Gallery.
For more information on gardening in our area, visit the Butte County Master Gardener web page at: http://ucanr.edu/sites/bcmg/. If you have a gardening question or problem, call our Hotline at (530) 538-720l.
By Cindy Weiner, UC Master Gardener of Butte County, July 27, 2018
Hydrozoning groups plants with similar water needs together on the same irrigation line. Each line can then be adjusted to deliver the amount of water the plants need without overwatering any of them. In order to hydrozone effectively, you'll need to know the water needs of the plants you intend to use so you can group them accordingly. The Water Use Classification of Landscape Species (WUCOLS IV) is an online document maintained by the UC Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Based on the field experience of landscape horticulturalists, WUCOLS IV provides information on the water needs of more than 3500 plants used in horticulture in California. The original intent of WUCOLS IV was to provide guidance to professional landscapers in selecting plants for water-efficient landscapes, but it is user-friendly enough for home gardeners.
WUCOLS IV divides the state into six different regions: North-Coast Central, Central Valley, South Coastal, South Inland, High and Intermediate Desert, and Low Desert. Chico and nearby cities are in the Central Valley. Within each region, plants are categorized into four different water-use categories: high, moderate, low, and very low. The categories represent the amount of irrigation water relative to the reference standard needed to maintain acceptable health, appearance and growth of the plant. Plants in the high use category need about 70-90% of the irrigation water the reference standard would require. Moderate use plants need about 40- 60%; low use plants, 10-30%; very low use, less than 10%. In Chico, low water use plants perform well with small amounts of irrigation water during the summer. Very low water use plants don't need summer irrigation except during periods of drought.
Examples of plants in the WUCOLS IV high category are birches, coast redwoods and foxglove; in the moderate category, examples include most dogwoods, azaleas and coneflower; in the low category are chaste tree, rosemary and strawberry tree; and in the very low category are olive, western redbud and toyon. Most plants in the very low category are California natives.
The WUCOLS IV plant search database (http://ucanr.edu/sites/WUCOLS/) is easy to use. From the menu on the home page choose “Plant Search Database.” That option leads to the page where you select your city by region. Under “Central Valley” choose your town from the pull down menu. Chico, Gridley, Oroville and Paradise are all listed. If your town isn't listed, choose the one nearest yours. Click on “submit” to go to the Plant Search Page. There are several different options for how you can use this page. If you want to research a particular plant, enter its botanical name or its common name and then press the appropriate search button. A plant description page then pops up with botanical name, common name and water use. A search for “strawberry tree” in Chico brings up its listing with the botanical name Arbutus unedo and water use low. Some plant descriptions include an attached photo. You can also research by plant type (growth type, California native, Arboretum All Star, etc.) and/or water use by checking off the fields of interest. Pressing the search button will reveal a list of plants with the chosen characteristics. For example, if you select tree and then search, you'll see 833 trees listed along with their water needs in Chico. If you filter by both tree and low water use, the list will have 153 results.
If you are planning a new garden, you can find the water needs of plants you intend to use in order to hydrozone effectively. In existing gardens, you can check the plants on an existing line to compare their water needs. If you need to add a new plant to a line, you can research those which will match the water needs of the existing plants. You may also find that you can reduce irrigation on lines that have plants with lower water needs. WUCOLS IV is a very effective tool to help you develop a water-efficient irrigation plan.
For more information on gardening in our area, visit the Butte County Master Gardener web page. If you have a gardening question or problem, call our Hotline at (530) 538-7201 or visit our Hotline web page.