Year-round Color - Notes

Out of the Wilds and Into Your Garden Year-round Color with CA
Native Plants

C.M. Vadheim and T. Drake
CSUDH & Madrona Marsh Preserve

Madrona Marsh Preserve
Gardening with Western L.A. County Native Plants May 1 & 4, 2010
Project SOUND - 2010
© Project SOUND © Project SOUND


1

Gardening is like enjoying wine…

http://www.michaelassociates.co.uk/blog/tag/wine-tasting

You start out with an unsophisticated palette…..

http://trishatruly.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/cheap-fun-wine.jpg
© Project SOUND http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2202/2718224697_869cec8834.jpg?v=0
© Project SOUND
http://image64.webshots.com/164/3/81/7/480438107hZNkhp_ph.jpg

2

The subtle colors of the native plant cycle
 Restraint (sophistication;
appropriate; restful; ‘earth-
friendly’)
 Appreciation for the cycle
of seasons and our
connection to them
 Expressing our S. CA natural
heritage – our unique ‘look’
that others so covet
 Relieving the pressure of
the ‘Disneyland Gardens’
syndrome (a mass of
perfect, bright blooms 12
http://wildsuburbia.blogspot.com/2009_04_01_archive.html
months out of the year)

Trick # 1: Choose a workable color
scheme – one you like

 Helps limit your plant
choices
 Makes the garden look
like it has a plan
 Allows you to choose
sophisticated
combinations

 If you desire year-
round color, you’ll need
http://www.justbynature.com/images/HDColor33a.gif
to choose a scheme that
is feasible


3

Let’s choose our state colors, and work from there Trick # 2: Plant an evergreen background
 The combination of blue and gold
as official colors in California  Will look good/green all year long
were first used by the University – and may also provide colorful
of California, Berkeley in 1875. flowers or fruits
 Blue represented the sky and gold  Provides a backdrop for the real
the color of the precious metal
found by forty-niners in the show – whatever you decide to
state's hills. plant in front of it

 The Secretary of State began  Can be one or several species –
using blue and gold ribbons on but all should be medium to dark
official documents as early as green for best effect
1913.
 Possible choices:
 In 1951, the State Legislature  Toyon
passed legislation makign blue &  Coffeeberry or Redberry –
gold the official state colors.
Rhamnus
 Cercocarpus
This color scheme also has the advantage that there are lots  Even non-native plants
of native plants with yellow & blue flowers

Remember: fruits/berries and leaves can If you don’t like the idea of a living backdrop,
be an excellent source of fall color then use a dark or colorful wall/fence

http://www.phillipoliver.net/0406scene2.jpg

Remember, the goal is to ‘accent’
Coffeeberry – Frangula (Rhamnus) californica Holly-leaf Cherry – Prunus illicifolia the colors of your plants

4

Trick # 3 : use hardscape for year-round One you have a backdrop, you’re ready to
color (even without plants) add some colorful shrubs

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1035/1150078518_14c1fdc25f.jpg


Some of our longest-flowering shrubs and CA Bush Sunflower – Encelia californica
perennials are in the sunflower family…

http://image57.webshots.com/157/1/52/8/2588152080044943617JdrPNe_fs.jpg

so we decide to use yellow as our primary color

5

Trick # 4 : extend the bloom season of * San Diego Sunflower – Viguiera laciniata
some shrubs with judicious summer water
 Choose only plants that can
take summer water (Zone 2
to 3)
 Water only as much as
needed – over watering leads
to disease, shortened life

Plants from riparian and  Most S. CA native plants
Sonoran Desert need a dormancy period in
communities naturally late summer/fall – but some
grow in late summer/ fall still bloom then
– can be used for fall
color http://image57.webshots.com/157/1/52/8/2588152080044943617JdrPNe_fs.jpg


San Diego Sunflower – like Encelia but
* San Diego Sunflower – Viguiera laciniata more delicate looking
 Local endemic: San Diego Co. south to  Size:
Baja/Sonora  1-3 ft tall
 Arid Diegan Sage Scrub is typically the  1-3 ft wide
preferred habitat of this species
 Growth form:
 Shrubby slopes at lower elevations
 Sub-shrub with woody base
 Many herbaceous stems –
mounded form
 Evergreen to semi-deciduous

 Foliage:
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?609,1962,1963
 Medium green
 Leaves hairy & resinous;
Some believe this species should coarsely toothed & fairly
be Bahiopsis laciniata narrow

http://image38.webshots.com/38/0/77/98/2467077980044943617gnUeOB_fs.jpg
© 2005 Aaron Schusteff
http://www.sci.sdsu.edu/plants/sdpls/plants/Bahiopsis_laciniata.html

6

Flowers are pure gold Sunflowers are easy to
 Blooms: propagate from seed
 May bloom year-round with
a little water
 Main bloom usually Jan-  Use fresh seed
June

 Flowers:  Most need no special
 Typical sunflower head, but treatment for good
delicate looking – to 1” germination
across
 Color: bright golden yellow  Plant in late winter –
ray & disk flowers like the rainwater
 Showy and cheery

 Seeds:
 Seedlings are often
 Typical for sunflowers –
quite hardy
eaten by birds & animals

© Project SOUND http://hazmac.biz/050725/050725ViguieraLaciniata.html © Project SOUND

San Diego Sunflower San Diego Sunflower
 Soils:
is easy to grow  Texture: just about any – – lots of spring color
sandy to clay
 pH: any local
 As an accent shrub – adds
 Light: early color and keeps on
 Full sun to part shade – blooming
probably best in full sun near
the coast  Great on slopes and hillsides
– soil stabilization

 Water:
 Winter: adequate – but no  Fine with native grasses,
standing water shrubs, annual wildflowers –
 Summer: occasional to choose nice color contrasts
regular water will keep it
looking nice (Zone 2 to 3) –
 Great addition to the
good for transition areas. habitat garden – attracts
butterflies, other insects &
birds
 Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils http://camissonia.blogspot.com/2010/03/well-ill-be-bramble-green-hairstreak.html

Bramble Green Hairstreak (Callophyrs
© Project SOUND dumetorum) © Project SOUND

7

Viguiera parishii – a desert species Trick # 5: use ‘season extenders’ –
shrubs with a long blooming season

 Give a sense of continuity
through the seasons
 Get a lot of bang for your buck
- and many are long-lived
http://www.azhikinggallery.com/galleryintro.asp?galleryid=spurcrossranch_042107
 Can be used as the ‘backbone’
of your color plan – use other
 Full sun plants as accents
 Very well-drained soils  Are often readily available in
 Low water (Zone 1-2) native plant nurseries/sales –
they know what people want!

http://www.delange.org/Viguiera/Viguiera.htm
http://www.delange.org/Viguiera/Viguiera.htm

Trick # 6: use light/bright colors to add ‘light’ * Canyon Sunflower – Venegasia carpesioides
to dark areas – use light/dark contrast
 Adds a cheerful note in winter
& a cool note in summer

 A little color goes a long way in
dark areas of the garden

© 2002 Lynn Watson


8

* Canyon Sunflower – Venegasia carpesioides Canyon Sunflower is like a daintier, perennial version
 The single species of its genus
of the Annual Sunflower
 Size:
 Found in Southwestern CA from central Ca to  3-5 ft tall
Baja
 3-6 ft wide
 Locally in the Santa Monica, San Gabriel Mtns.
 Shaded canyons, moist wooded slopes &  Growth form:
stream banks in southern oak woodland,  Sub-shrub with a woody base
chaparral and coastal sage scrub below 3000'  Shape mounded to irregular –
think ‘chrysanthemum-like’
 Drought deciduous

 Foliage:
 Bright to medium green – very
woodsy looking
 Leaves shaped like annual
sunflower
 Some think it has a
disagreeable odor
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3320/3611899047_a65fb22e49.jpg?v=0
© Project SOUND http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/venegasia-carpesioides © Project SOUND
http://kristamaxwell.com/garden/images/photos/native_plant_album/Venegasia%20carpesioides.JPG

Flowers will light up Canyon Sunflower  Soils:
 Texture: very adaptable – clay is
the garden likes shade & water fine
 pH: any local
 Blooms:
 Light:
 Long bloom period – at least
 Likes some shade altho’ OK in full
most of spring
sun
 Usually from Mar/Apr to June,
 Excellent choice for high shade
then again in cooler fall
under tree, N side of structures
http://www.theodorepayne.org/mediawiki/index.php?title=Image:Venegasia_carpesioides_02.JPG
 Flowers:
 Water:
 Lovely yellow sunflower heads
 Winter: adequate
 Large – ‘dahlia-like’ – 2” across
 Summer: looks best with some
 Color looks spectacular against water (Zone 2 to 2-3) but quite
bright green foliage or dark drought tolerant
background
 Attract many pollinators  Fertilizer: fine with an organic
mulch
 Seeds: attract seed-eaters
 Other: prune back hard (like Encelia)
© 2004 Dr. Daniel L. Geiger
© Project SOUND
© 2010 Anna Bennett after fall bloom period) © Project SOUND

9

Canyon Sunflower solves Trick # 7 : use white foliage to give the
some garden problems illusion of color in any season
 One of our best choices for
showy flowers in shady places
– consider it for any dark area

 Good choice for bank/slope
stabilization - excellent for
shady ‘creek banks’ – natural
http://santabarbarahikes.com/flowers/index.php?action=show_item&id=37&search=

or man-made

 Great for rain gardens

 ? Near the vegetable garden

 Great with Melic Grass &
shade-loving annuals like
Chinese Houses, Baby Blue-
eyes
http://www.theodorepayne.org/mediawiki/index.php?title=Image:Venegasia_carpesioides_02.JPG

Trick # 8 : Use fall-blooming shrubs/perennials
for a boost of color in Sept-Oct

 For yellow/white flowers
consider:
 Goldenbushes
 Mock Heather
 Rabbitbush
 Coyote Bush
 Goldenrods
 Mulefat
 For orange/red
 CA Fuschia – several
http://image42.webshots.com/42/1/15/68/2307115680044943617JstPeE_fs.jpg different colors
 Buckwheat (seed heads)
Viguiera laciniata, Diplacus puniceus, Diplacus
aurantiacus, Encelia farinosa

10

Coast Goldenbush – Isocoma menziesii Two Coastal Goldenbushes

Coastal Goldenbush – Isocoma menziesii Sawtooth Goldenbush – Hazardia squarrosa

 Similar growth habit and flowers; fall blooming (Aug-Oct)
 Coast Goldenbush: foliage lighter; leaves rounder, softer,
 Sawtooth Goldenbush: foliage stiffer, prickly

Goldenbushes are easy to grow in our
area…  Soils:
 Texture: any, even clay
 pH: any, even alkali

 Light: full sun best

 Water:
 Young plants: need some water to
get going – plant in fall
 Summer: little to moderate (Zone
2); looks better with occasional
water

 Fertilizer: none (although probably
wouldn’t hurt it)

 Other: even tolerates seaside
Cut back yearly in the fall after conditions Yellow-flowered bush sunflowers can add color during
bloom nearly every season

11

Trick # 9: use masses of color – in CA Prickly Phlox – Leptodactylon californicum
selected areas, as accents
Mother Nature’s garden:
 Massed flowers used as accents –
against a background of green or
gold

 Massed color is not required all year
long – it’s often a seasonal treat
http://www.flickr.com/photos/13828934@N00/3413979138/

J.S. Peterson @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

CA Prickly Phlox – Leptodactylon californicum Prickly Phlox – the name says it all…
 Size:
 Outer Coastal ranges from central CA to
 < 2 ft tall
Orange Co
 1-2 ft wide
 Locally in Santa Monica & San Gabriel Mtns
 In scrub vegetation - Ceanothus cuneatus,  Growth form:
Adenostema fasciculatum – usually on E. or W-  Drought-deciduous perennial
facing slopes sub-shrub
 Mounded form
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-
bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?5654,5802,5803
 AKA *Linanthus californicus
 Foliage:
 Bright green in spring/early
summer
 Very narrow, sharp leaves –
esp. when dry – typical of the
native phlox

 Roots: deep & vigorous; use a
large pot/planter
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/157072/ http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/leptodactylon-californicum
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/157072/

12

Flowers are magical… Phlox like it dry  Soils:
 Texture: wide variety, but must
be well-drained or roots will rot
 Blooms: in spring - usually Mar-  pH: any local
May in western L.A. Co.; about 1+
month  Light:
 Full sun
 Flowers:
http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/leptodactylon-californicum  Look like phlox or Vinca – very  Water:
old-fashioned look  Winter: adequate
 Color: usually pale magenta, but  Summer: needs summer dry
may be very pale pink – even period after flowering – Zone 1
white or 1-2
 Plant is covered with flowers –
literally a mound of blooms  Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils
 Sweet-musty scent in late
afternoon-evening  Other: cut back the stems after
flowering to keep is compact
 Attracts many butterflies,
hummingbirds & other insects
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Leptodactylon_californicum

Place Prickly Phlox wisely Trick # 10: consider using groundcovers
or perennials for accent colors
 As an attractive and
interesting pot plant – move
 Often have green foliage for a
it during the ‘ugly phase’
long period – especially with a
 In a rock garden – as in little summer water
nature
 Can be used in conjunction with
 Mixed with other obligate native bulbs or annual wildflowers
summer-dry species
 Some have masses of blooms
(Penstemons; native
(Erigeron glaucus)
grasses; annuals)
http://www.wildscaping.com/plants/plantprofiles/Leptodactylon_californicum.htm  Others have fewer – but lovely –
 Away from edges of paths, flowers, fruit, leaves
other traffic areas
 Sometimes less can be more – the
 Great for dry slopes – other contrast of a lovely flower against
‘dry problem areas’ green foliage
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Leptodactylon_californicum

13

Sticky Cinquefoil – Potentilla glandulosa Sticky Cinquefoil – Potentilla glandulosa

 A plant of the West
 Much of CA except S. deserts &
Great Central Valley
 Dryish to moist, open places
from seashore to timberline –
http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/plants/florawe/species/6/poteglan.htm
many plant communities
 Many ssp. proposed and/or
accepted – quite variable and
will no doubt change
 Resembles California Horkelia
enough to confuse and
frustrate, especially when the
plants are not flowering.

http://www.wildflower.org/gallery/result.php?id_image=23900 http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?6677,6824,6838

Genus Potentilla Sticky Cinquefoil – like a large strawberry plant
 Annual, biennial or perennial herb
 Somewhat resemble strawberries but  Size:
usually having dry, inedible fruit (hence
the name 'Barren Strawberry' for  1-2 ft tall
some species).  1-2 ft wide
 Leaves divided into leaflets arranged
palmately like the fingers of a hand (3  Growth form:
– 15 leaflets).  Herbaceous perennial
 Five-petalled flowers are borne over a  Erect to tufted
long period of time from spring to
summer.  Dies back to woody root in
fall/winter
 The flowers are usually yellow, butcan
be white, pinkish or red.  Foliage:
 Potentilla species are used as food  Medium green – very hairy &
plants by larvae of some Lepidoptera sticky
(butterflies and moths) species.
 Pinnately compound leaves
 Some species of Potentilla are grown with 5-9 leaflets
as ornamental plants, while some are
 Tea or tonic made from leaves
© 2007 Michelle Cloud-Hughes

used in herbalism
http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/plants/florawe/species/6/poteglan.htm

14

Flowers are usually yellow Cinquefoils are easy..  Soils:
 Texture: just about any
 Blooms: except very heavy clays
 Long bloom season – late  pH: any local
spring through summer
 Judicious summer water  Light:
keeps it blooming May-Aug  Full sun with regular water
 Part-shade probably works
 Flowers:
best
 Strawberry-like (or © 2007 California Native Plant Society
Horkelia-like)  Water:
 Usually a bright yellow  Winter: good winter rains
 Bloom pattern like  Summer: very adaptable –
strawberries Zone 1-2 to 2-3; Zone 2 or
 Good butterfly nectar plant more for long bloom season.

© 2006 David McClurg
 Vegetative reproduction:  Fertilizer: not picky – would be
divisions in spring - easy fine with ½ strength fertilizer

© 2007 Michelle Cloud-Hughes © 2007 Matt Below

Garden uses for Sticky
Trick # 11 : you don’t need a lot of color at any
Cinquefoil
one time – just some, strategically placed
 As an attractive pot plant –
grow like a strawberry

 Nice addition to a rock garden
http://www.thefloweringgarden.com/potentilla.htm – lush-looking with Sedums

 Good in mixed groundcovers
(with Yarrow, Strawberries)

 Along paths and walkways

 In a woodland garden

 For streamside or bordering a
lawn

 In the herb garden
http://science.halleyhosting.com/nature/plants/5petal/rose/potentilla/glandulosagland.html

15

Use annual wildflowers for spots of Trick # 12 : use containers for seasonal
seasonal color color – the ‘color bowl’ trick
 Spring-Summer are the peak  Allows you to showcase plants at their
annual wildflower seasons – most peak of flowering – and remove them
species bloom 2-4 weeks during their resting season

 Wide range of color, size, other  Allows you to have your color up close –
characteristics – we are extremely on patio or balcony
lucky  Allows you to use bulbs/corms while you
are reproducing them – good for rare or
 Serial sowing can provide a long expensive bulbs
bloom season with some species
http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/TriteleiaSp
eciesThree

 Works especially well for plants with
 Clarkias & Gilias do well with serial requisite summer dry period – bulbs &
sowing annual wildflowers
 Plant in 2-3 week intervals for
color from spring to summer  Use a single species or mix – bulbs and
 Be sure that seedlings get enough contrasting color wildflowers are
summer water magical!


Ithuriel’s Spear – Triteleia laxa Ithuriel’s Spear – Triteleia laxa

 Foothills of CA
 Locally on Catalina Isl. &
possibly in Hollywood Hills
 Open forests, mixed conifer
or foothill woodlands,
grasslands on clay soils from
sea level to ~ 6000 ft.
 Common where it occurs

 Highly variable – may be more
than one species/ssp

 Favorite garden ‘bulb’ for long
time
http://www.prod.bulbsonline.org/ibc/en/publiek/collection.jsf/Information/spring-blooming-bulbs/triteleia-laxa;jsessionid=AC136357DA08D01EBB6BF2ED0434206D http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?8349,8655,8669
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=242102032

16

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