Notres pages for talk on habitat gardening for reptiles and amphibians.

1. 11/7/2017
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© Project SOUND
Out of the Wilds and Into Your Garden
Gardening with California Native Plants in Western L.A. County
Project SOUND – 2017 (our 13th year)
© Project SOUND
Crawly Critters: common
reptiles & amphibians of local
gardens and their habitats
C.M. Vadheim, K. Dawdy (and T. Drake)
CSUDH (emeritus), CSUDH & City of Torrance
Madrona Marsh Preserve
November 4 & 9, 2017
2017 Season – Small is Beautiful: Native
Habitats in Smaller Gardens
© Project SOUND
We created great bird habitat by using our
vertical space
© Project SOUND
Lots of opportunity
for vines and
espalier

2. 11/7/2017
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© Project SOUND
Our front yard will be a magnet for
pollinators much of the year
We’ve even created
dragonfly habitat
© Project SOUND
But what about the needs
of reptiles and
amphibians?
Like dragonflies, some Herps need a little
water – the Amphibians
 Reptiles
 Cold-blooded vertebrates
 Live entirely on land
 Carnivores: eat insects, small animals
and bird eggs
 Need perches and cover
 Amphibians
 Cold-blooded vertebrates
 Have a more complex reproductive
cycle, which includes aquatic young
 Carnivores: eat terrestrial and aquatic
animals/insects
 Always need somewhat more moist
conditions – even as adults. Moist skin is
a breathing organ.
© Project SOUND
Amphibians: mirrors to the distant past
 The earliest amphibians
evolved in the Devonian
period from sarcopterygian
fish with lungs and bony-
limbed fins, features that
were helpful in adapting to
dry land.
 They diversified and became
dominant during the
Carboniferous and Permian
periods, but were later
displaced by reptiles and
other vertebrates.
© Project SOUND
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-biology/chapter/amphibians/
https://allyouneedisbiology.wordpress.com/2015/05/07/evolution-amphibians/

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Examples of current amphibians
© Project SOUND
frogs
toads
Representatives of all of
these types of amphibians
can still be found in S.
California – including local
gardens & Preserves
salamanders
The amphibian life cycle: can be complex
like a dragonfly’s
 Amphibians have some of
the typical characteristics
of fish and reptiles. They
spend part of their lives on
land and part in water.
 Frogs & toads start their
lives as eggs in water then
develop into tadpoles who
breathe through gills, like
fish.
 They end their lives on land
as adults who breathe air
using their lungs and skin.
© Project SOUND
The Mystery of Amphibian Decline
 Historically, frogs
and other amphibians
are survivors. They
lived through the last
two extinction
episodes, including
the end of dinosaurs.
© Project SOUND
 At the 1989 First World Congress of Herpetology, scientists
made a startling discovery and determined that amphibians were
declining and disappearing all over the planet.
http://apps1.semarnat.gob.mx/dgeia/informe_2008_ing/04_biodiversidad/recuadro4_3.html
The Mystery of Amphibian Decline
 In addition to widespread decline,
there has been a high rate of
amphibian deformities. Since
1995, reports have become
increasingly common, and a number
of scientists are looking for the
cause(s).
© Project SOUND
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decline_in_amphibian_populations

4. 11/7/2017
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Why worry about amphibian decline?
‘Nuff said!
© Project SOUND
https://www.livescience.com/13871-catastrophic-amphibian-declines.html
http://footlights.click/2016/03/30/anthony-byrnes-is-la-canary-coal-mine/
Why the decine? No easy answers
 Well-documented causes: (much evidence)
 habitat destruction, alteration and fragmentation
 introduced species: competitors, predators & disease
 over-exploitation
 Other possible, inter-related causes:
 climate change
 increased UV-B radiation
 chemical contaminants
 emerging infectious diseases
 deformities (or malformations).
 Increased noise levels
 The underlying mechanisms behind these factors are complex
and they may be working synergistically with more straight
forward factors (habitat destruction; introduced species)
© Project SOUND
Why are amphibians so vulnerable?
 They require specific habitat
characteristics
 They live in water – and water
contamination is a world-wide issue
 Their skins are delicate organs:
 Susceptible to damage
 Readily absorb both water- and air-
pollutants
 They are cute – kids want to pick
them up & take them home
 They are useful: as bait and to eat
© Project SOUND
What You Can Do to Help Amphibians
 Protect existing habitat - Help
preserve habitat for frogs and other
amphibians in your community. To find
your local watershed, visit the
Environmental Protection Agency's
Surf Your Watershed website.
 Landscape naturally - Keep local
streams and wetlands healthy. Create
a Certified Wildlife Habitat®
landscape and encourage your
neighbors to do the same. Together,
your actions and the actions of others
can make a difference in the health of
your watershed.
© Project SOUND

5. 11/7/2017
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We need to learn
about herps and
their needs
© Project SOUND
 What do they eat?
 Where do they sleep?
 Any special needs
related to reproduction?
 Do they hibernate?
 What preys on them?
What do they need to
protect themselves?
CaliforniaHerps.com
© Project SOUND
Most common amphibians in Western
L.A. County (including gardens)
 Baja California Treefrog
(formerly Pacific Tree
Frog)
 California Toad (more
common in wildlands)
 Garden Slender
Salamander
© Project SOUND
Baja California tree frog - Pseudacris
hypochondriaca hypochondriaca
 Formerly thought to be one species
 Species mostly on the west coast of
U.S. – AK to Baja; ssp. is native to S.
CA & Baja
 Locally, found from sea level to more
than 10,000 feet in many types of
habitats, reproducing in aquatic
settings.
 Madrona Marsh, El Dorado and
Gardena Willows
 Gardens with suitable habitat
 Occur in shades of greens or browns
and can change colors over periods
of hours and weeks.
© Project SOUND

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Baja California tree frog
 Small – 1+ inches
 Black or dark brown eye stripe that
stretches from the nose, across the
eye, and back to the shoulder.
 They can change color seasonally to
better match their environments.
 They have long legs compared to
their bodies and they tend to be
slender. Their toes are long and only
very slightly webbed. On the end of
each toe is a round, sticky toe pad
or disk used for climbing and
sticking to surfaces.
© Project SOUND
Baja California
tree frog
 Males usually smaller and have a dark
patch - the vocal sac, which stretches
out when the male is calling.
 They produce several call types.
 The males' advertisement call,
commonly described as “ribbit” or
“crek-ek”, as well as an encounter trill
call. The cre-ek call can be quite loud
and can be heard from very far away.
 Males also produce a “dry land call”, a
long cre-ee-ee-eeek, that can be
heard anytime in the year except
during the coldest and driest periods.
 Pacific tree frogs are the most
commonly heard frogs along much of
the West Coast of the United
States.
© Project SOUND
Reproduction:
 Mature quickly; are usually mate the
season after metamorphosis
 Mating season: early winter-early
spring
 Males migrate to the water; begin
calling "ooh-yeeh" loudly.
 This lures the females to the water
and they mate.
 Females lay eggs in clumps of 10-90,
usually on and under vegetation and
leaf litter in shallow, calm water
 Surviving embryos hatch into tadpoles
in 1-3 weeks
© Project SOUND
 Metamorphosis usually
follows about 2 to 2 ½
months later
Want to build a frog pond? Read up first
 Many excellent resources on-line
for building amphibian
ponds/habitat.
 Things you’ll need to consider:
 Size
 Depth
 Water quality
 Shade
 Type of bottom
 Other organisms
 Etc.
© Project SOUND
http://www.qm.qld.gov.au/Find+out+about/Animals+of+Quee
nsland/Frogs/Frog+friendly+gardens#.Wfu5WmcU-Uk

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Tree frogs are fun to watch
 Mostly nocturnal, but can be
spotted during the day.
 Spend a lot of time hiding under
rotten logs, rocks, long grasses,
and leaf litter, where they are
very difficult to see unless they
move.
 When they hunt, their toe pads
allow them to climb on vegetation
and other surfaces where they
can ambush their prey.
© Project SOUND
 When they sense
potential food nearby,
they commonly twitch a
toe to attract it within
easy reach of their
tongues.
Frogs eat plenty of insects
 Adults are carnivores: Much
of diet consists of spiders,
beetles, flies, ants, and other
insects and arthropods;
 They can and do eat insects
that are almost as large as
they are, and will expand
their bodies slightly to
accommodate these meals.
 The tadpoles are entirely
herbivorous, eating pond
plants, algae.
© Project SOUND
Why they need a safe
place to hide
 Predators include snakes,
raccoons, herons, egrets, and
other small mammals and
reptiles.
 Other, increasingly important
predators are the non-native
frog species that eat Tree frog
tadpoles
 Embryos and tadpoles are
vulnerable to predation & toxins
© Project SOUND
American Bullfrog
Lithobates catesbeianus
African Clawed Frog
Xenopus laevis
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_clawed_frog
Should I adopt or purchase amphibians?
Not the best idea for several
reasons:
1. Bad practice (in some cases
illegal)
2. May be an invasive, predatory
species (most of our alien herp
problems started with pets)
3. May not be the local variety
4. May not live long in your (foreign
to it) habitat
5. May spread disease or
contaminants (including
Salmonella)
© Project SOUND
https://pethelpful.com/reptiles-amphibians/Wild-vs-Bought-Turtles

8. 11/7/2017
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© Project SOUND
A word about cats..
 Lizards commonly sun themselves on paths, rocks, and fence
posts, and other high places. Frogs perch to hunt.
 Unfortunately, these behaviors make them easy targets to
predation by snakes, birds, and even some mammals, like
cats.
http://www.pbase.com/griff42/image/48377834
http://hannahgreenfield.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/bobcat.jpg
Creating good herp habitat means
considering the animal’s safety
© Project SOUND
 Adults: body - 1 1/4 - 2 1/3 inches
(3.2 - 5.9 cm); twice that length
with a full tail.
 Narrow head, long slender body,
very long tail, and conspicuous
grooves: worm-like appearance
 Four toes on the front and hind feet
(typical of Slender Salamanders)
 Color varies, but is often gray above
with a reddish, pinkish, or copper
color on the tail, snout and
shoulders, sometimes forming
blotches
© Project SOUND
Garden Slender Salamander -
Batrachoseps major major
 Breeding mostly takes place in
rainy season – Nov.-Jan.
 Lay eggs in moist places on land.
 The young develop in the egg and
hatch directly into a tiny
terrestrial salamander.
 Young develop completely in the
egg and hatch fully formed.
 Hatchlings have been observed in
January, and as late as April.
© Project SOUND

9. 11/7/2017
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Garden Slender Salamander - behavior
 Breath only through their skin
and their mouth tissues; must
live in damp environments on
land and move about only during
times of high humidity.
 Feeds primarily on small
arthropods and other small
invertebrates.
 Mostly hides or remains still
when threatened. Tail can be
lost.
© Project SOUND
http://www.fieldherpforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=9482
Garden Slender Salamander -
Batrachoseps major major
 Habitat: cool, moist places from
coast to desert
 Often found in suburban yards
and gardens, where they benefit
from the moisture from
irrigation.
 Commonly found under rocks,
logs, bark, leaf litter, and
other surface debris; also
retreat into animal burrows,
earthworm tunnels, and crevices
in the soil.
 Active on rainy or wet nights
when temperatures are moderate
© Project SOUND
Amphibians will spend some time near the water
© Project SOUND
 Pond provides a place to
lay eggs (frogs)
 Pond and near-pond
plants provide:
 Food (insects)
 Perches
 Cover
 Moist environment
But we’ll also want to
provide other nearby
plants for shade, cover &
food (for all the herps)
Amphibians spend the majority of their life
on land
 Make use of a variety of habitats
in which they forage, shelter and
overwinter (hibernate).
 They will use log and stone piles,
long grass, compost heaps and
even nooks and crannies under
your shed, decking or greenhouse.
 Habitats that provide shelter,
stay damp and provide a good
source of insects and slugs to
feed on are particularly
beneficial.
© Project SOUNDhttps://www.pinterest.com/toplandscapedes/a-self-made-rock-river-for-your-
garden/?lp=true

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If you want to encourage salamanders
 Safety
 Just observe – don’t touch
 Consider predators (including cats)
 Limit/no pesticides, herbicides and
fertilizers – they’re very sensitive
to all of these
 Don't use peat moss, which is
acidic, or gravel, bark chips or
other substances with sharp edges
in your salamander's home. Cedar
and pine wood products are
poisonous to salamanders.
© Project SOUND
Every garden needs a place or two that
get a little extra water
 Hiding places and a shallow dish of
water are important in a
salamander habitat. Large flat
stones, pieces of driftwood or bark,
and commercial salamander caves
give salamanders a place to hide.
 The rocks don't have to be special,
just big enough to give them some
good cover. You'll want to place
these objects preferably in a dark,
moist, shady area.
© Project SOUND
Where might you create moist
habitat?
Be friendly to amphibians in the wilds
(including our local Preserves)
 When visiting streams, do not remove
rocks, or move them around (e.g moving
them to build dams, or to throw them).
River and stream rocks act as important
areas for salamanders. In areas where
rocks have been removed or displaced,
salamanders often turn up dead nearby.
 Do not remove (or move around or
displace) fallen logs, stumps, drift
wood, rocks, bark shards, leaf litter or
other similar items from forest floors.
These materials act as important shelters
and hiding spots for salamanders
© Project SOUND
http://www.summitpost.org/east-fork-san-gabriel-river/295271
Things to consider for
amphibian habitat
 Cool shade (ideal ~ 75° F): along
wall; under the Lemonadeberries
 Flat rocks or other moist places
(under logs; under pots or other
shelters) – we’ll need to address
this in our design
 Salamander ‘puddles’ – perhaps
pot saucers
 Plenty of moist leaf litter; need
to leave leaf litter in place
 More insect-attracting plants
© Project SOUND

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It’s finally time to finish designing the backyard
 Do we want mixed beds?
 Formal? Informal?
Semi-formal?
© Project SOUND
Formal layout (and/or hardscape)
 Characteristic of some landscape
traditions
 Often involves symmetric
patterns – but not always
 Often involves straight lines,
formal curves, manicured plants
© Project SOUND
http://www.blueworldgardener.co.uk/blog/2007_06_01_archive.html
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/531424824764947779/
https://www.pinterest.com/aayers324/garden-vista/
? Formal beds
 Adds symmetry
 Consistent with
Mediterranean theme
 Provides good habitat
(birds & insects)
© Project SOUND
Informal layout (and/or hardscape)
 Hardscape and plants have more
‘natural’ look
 Beds have curving or amorphous
edges rather than straight lines
 Plants seem to be either:
 Placed almost at random
 Seeded by nature
© Project SOUND
http://www.goingnativegardentour.org/clarkiaUnguiculataBirdbath.jpg
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/431149364298493696/

12. 11/7/2017
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? Informal beds
© Project SOUND
? Formal beds
© Project SOUND
Semi-formal design (layout/hardscape)
 Combines best of formal & informal design
 Often uses hardscape that is somewhat
formal (for neatness); plants used to
‘soften’ look
 Example: many Mediterranean gardens
© Project SOUND
? Semi-formal
beds
© Project SOUND
 Better fit for space
 Adds symmetry
 Contemporary feel
 Consistent with
Mediterranean theme

13. 11/7/2017
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Maybe we need to wait until we know what plants we’re
using (including some we’ll learn about in December)
© Project SOUND
© Project SOUND
Which plants give us the most herp
habitat for the space?
© Project SOUND
First, you need to know a little bit about
the lizards you can hope to attract
 Southern Alligator
Lizard
 Western Fence Lizard
 California Legless Lizard
The trick is to supply a safe environment that provides
what they need to thrive – in short, good habitat
© Project SOUND
Southern Alligator Lizard
Elgaria multicarinata webbii

14. 11/7/2017
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© Project SOUND
Alligator Lizard is well-named
 Large, smooth scales
 Long alligator-like snout
 Longitudinal fold on each side of the
body
© Project SOUND
Take on color of
their surroundings
 Size:
 Up to seven inch body
 May have a tail nearly twice
the length of its body, making
the largest individuals 21
inches from end to end.
 A regenerated tail is shorter
and usually a different color
from the rest of its body.
 Coloration:
 Varies from brown to yellow
ochre.
 Adults are marked with dark
crossbands, while juveniles are
not.
 Newly molted individuals can
be very brightly colored
http://www.wildherps.com/species/E.multicarinata.html
© Project SOUND
 Alligator Lizards, especially the males, have large, triangular-
shaped heads, giving them a formidable appearance. The large
head and long, snake-like body make a chance encounter in the
woodpile, or under a shrub, startling, to say the least.
 They can bite – but they don’t really want to
© 2004 Pierre Fidenci
© Project SOUND
 The Southern Alligator Lizard's
range extends from WA to
central Baja California. In
southern California
 Alligator lizards are found in
almost any natural habitat in
California (except most of the
deserts and very high
elevations.) but most frequently
throughout the coastal plains
 Active during daylight, they are
frequently seen moving on the
ground, and occasionally up in
bushes. They are also often
found underneath debris, beach
driftwood, and near human
settlements.
 Alligator lizards do not typically
bask in the sun out in the open
or on top of a rock like many
other lizard species. They seem
to prefer sunny spots with some
cover nearby.

15. 11/7/2017
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© Project SOUND
 The Southern Alligator Lizard is often
seen in yards and gardens, sometimes
out in the open or in the garage, but
usually under piles of wood, rock, or
other debris or under shrubs. Don't
be surprised to find them on your
porch or patio – or garage.
 Their diet includes various insects,
small animals such as young mice and
birds, tree frogs, and even other
lizards. Eats a variety of small
invertebrates. Will also eat small
lizards and small mammals. Feed mainly
on arthropods, snails, and occasionally
eggs
 After the May mating season, up to 20
eggs can be laid in June or July. The
incubation period is about 55 days,
after which the hatching yields tiny
individuals, rarely more than three
inches long from nose to tail.
© Project SOUND
Guidelines for creating habitat for ground-dwellers
 Provide dense shrub/grass cover – perching, cover
& nest sites
 Provide a brush pile/logs for cover
Getting past the ‘creepy/crawly factor’
 Observe their
behavior - fascinating
 Look closely at their
coloration – they are
lovely & have
interesting camouflage
 Look for the
hatchlings – they’re
cute
© Project SOUND
 Remember, above all, they eat insects
© Project SOUND
KEEPING LIZARDS OUTDOORS
 To prevent lizards from entering the home, seal
all openings 1/4 inch and larger.
 Check areas such as corners of doors and windows,
around water pipes, electrical service entrances,
ventilation screens, water pipes, etc.
 Tight-fitting door seals, with no gaps at the edges, are
important prevention measures.
 Unlike rats and mice, lizards cannot gnaw through
wood and other common building materials.
 A number of materials can be used to seal access
points, including insulating foam, caulking, flashing,
and steel wool.

16. 11/7/2017
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© Project SOUND
Great Basin (Western) Fence Lizard - Sceloporus
occidentalis longipes
© Project SOUND
Fence Lizards are sometimes called ‘Bluebellies’
 2-4 inch body (snout-vent length);
total length of about 8-9 inches
 Brown to black in color (the brown
may be sandy or greenish)
 Most distinguishing character is
their bright blue belly; ventral side
of the limbs are yellow.
 Also have a blue patch on their
throat. This bright coloration is
faint or absent in both females and
juveniles.
Gold-speckled
one from PV
© Project SOUND
Probably our most
commonly seen lizard
 Found in a wide variety of open,
sunny habitats, including
woodlands, grasslands, scrub,
chaparral, forests, along
waterways, next to ponds, and
around suburban dwellings.
 Diurnal. Often seen basking in
the sun on rocks, downed logs,
trees, fences, and walls.
 Active when temperatures are
warm, becomes inactive during
periods of extreme heat or
cold. Probably active all year
when temperatures are
favorable and there is sun for
basking.
http://www.wildherps.com/species/S.occidentalis.html
© Project SOUND
Some people are a little afraid of lizards…
 The Western fence lizard eats beetles, flies,
caterpillars, ants, other insects, and spiders.
 If you're bigger than the lizard, he is a friend. -
If the lizard is bigger than you....run!

17. 11/7/2017
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© Project SOUND
Interesting fact…lizards are indeed our friends
 Western Fence Lizards may reduce the incidence
of Lyme Disease in their range! It has recently
been discovered that when infected ticks feed on
the blood of these lizards, the Lyme disease
spirochetes they carry are destroyed. In areas
with Western Fence Lizards, about 5 percent of
ticks carry the disease, while in other areas 50
percent of ticks harbor the disease.
—Reported by the NY Times News Service, April 19, 1998.
© Project SOUND
Guidelines for creating Fence Lizard habitat
 Provide sunning spots – with cover close by
 Leave some areas relatively ‘human-free’ for most of the day
© Project SOUND
California Legless Lizard - Anniella pulchra
© Project SOUND
CA Legless Lizard is
unique
 A small (pencil-sized) slender
lizard with no legs, a shovel-
shaped snout, smooth shiny
scales, and a blunt tail.
 Sometimes confused for a
snake, (which has no eyelids)
but on close observation the
presence of eyelids is
apparent when this lizard
blinks.
 Dorsal coloration varies from
metallic silver, beige, dark
brown, to black. Ventral
coloration varies from
whitish to bright yellow.
 Typically there is a dark line
along the back and several
thin stripes between scale
rows along the sides where
the dorsal and ventral colors
meet, but variants occur.

18. 11/7/2017
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© Project SOUND
Legless Lizard Habitat – loose sandy soils
 This is a wide-ranging species common in drier, loose sandy soils,
from inland foothills to coastal dunes. This species prefers cooler
temperatures (60-65° F) and is rarely encountered above ground
or near the surface in higher temperatures.
Though common in
some areas, this
species is considered
a species of special
concern, and legal
collecting is limited to
one specimen per
collector.
© Project SOUND
If you have sandy
soil, you may see
the Legless Lizard
in your garden
 Forages in loose soil, sand, and leaf litter during the day.
 Sometimes found on the surface at dusk and at night. Apparently
active mostly during the morning and evening when they rest
beneath the surface of loose soil or leaf litter which has been
warmed by the sun.
 Eats primarily larval insects, beetles, termites, and spiders.
Conceals itself beneath leaf litter or substrate, then ambushes
its prey.
 Good Habitat: Leaf litter under trees and bushes in sunny
areas. Often can be found under surface objects such as rocks,
boards, driftwood, and logs. Can also be found by gently raking
leaf litter under bushes and trees. Sometimes found in suburban
gardens in Southern California.
http://www.wildherps.com/species/A.pulchra.html
The subject of
snakes
© Project SOUND
Southern Pacific Rattlesnake
Crotalus oreganus helleri
San Diego Gopher Snake
Pituophis catenifer annectens
Southern Pacific Rattlesnake
Crotalus oreganus helleri
(formerly Crotalus viridis helleri)
 Venomous and Potentially Very
Dangerous
 Heavy-bodied snake with:
 large triangular head and thin neck
 large keeled scales
 tail tipped with a rattle that is
shaken to produce a loud sound when
the snake is feeling threatened.
Young snakes have no rattle and
cannot make a sound.
 Color: brown, olive, or black, with
dark brown blotches outlined by light
pigment on the back, and dark bars
on the tail. © Project SOUND

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San Diego Gopher Snake
Pituophis catenifer annectens
 Adults: typically 4-5 ft. long.
Hatchlings: ~ 15 inches long.
 Large, thick bodied, slow-moving
snake with a head slightly wider
than the neck and large rough
scales.
 Brown or tan with dark markings on
the back and often reddish coloring.
© Project SOUND
 Eats mostly small mammals (gophers, moles, rabbits, and mice), birds
and their eggs and nestlings. Occasionally eats lizards and insects.
 A powerful constrictor; kills prey by suffocating them in body coils
or by pressing prey against the walls of their underground burrows.
San Diego Gopher Snake
Pituophis catenifer annectens
© Project SOUND
 Diurnal (often dawn & dusk).
Nocturnal on hot nights.
 Probably the most commonly seen
snake in our area.
 A good burrower, climber, and
swimmer
 Females lay eggs June to August.
Young hatch August to October.
 Found in many habitats - grassland,
chaparral, agricultural, riparian,
woodlands, desert, from sea level
to the mountains.
© Project SOUND
http://www.californiaherps.com/identification/socalherps.html#Snakes
Rattlesnake
Gopher snake
Safety tip: plastic netting can be fatal to
herps
 Don’t use the flexible black
plastic type bird netting
 Keep flexible netting at least
1 ft. off the ground
 Store netting responsibly
© Project SOUND
Read more about snakes & netting
on-line

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Now that we know what reptiles need, it’s time to
view the garden from a herp’s point of view
© Project SOUND
© Project SOUND
Guidelines for creating habitat in your own
garden
 Provide dense shrub/grass cover –
perching, cover & nest sites
 Provide a brush pile/logs for
cover
 Provide sunning spots – with cover
close by
 Leave some areas relatively
‘human-free’ for most of the day
 Let native plants go to seed/fruit
 Provide water at ground level (or
close) and ‘ramps’ to get out
 Provide cover near the water
source – lower branchesTry to minimize effect of
cats
© Project SOUND
Remember, we decided to cover the wall with
evergreen, espaliered citrus
Beneath the
espaliers
© Project SOUND
 Size: 4 ft. x 40 ft.
 Shape: long & narrow
 Light: part-shade
(afternoon shade)
 Deep water every 4-6
weeks
 Consistent with
Mediterranean theme
 ? Mix of 1-3 ft. tall
plants
 Provide cover and/or
food for herps

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21
Ahah! moment: most California native
plants provide herp habitat
© Project SOUND
Provide cover
Attract insects and other foods
© Project SOUND
We could just use an appropriate native
groundcover and be done with it
Possible woody groundcover choices
 Low manzanitas (Arctostaphylos)
 Low Ceanothus
 Low Sages (Salvia spp.)
 Other ‘creeping’ varieties
© Project SOUND
‘Nicholas’ Adenostema
‘Canyon Gray’ Artemisia Size and access issues argue against
woody options
Possible perennial groundcover options
© Project SOUND

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22
© Project SOUND
*San Diego Marsh Elder – Iva hayesiana
© Project SOUND
*San Diego Marsh Elder – Iva hayesiana
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?609,1459,1462
 Found only in San Diego
Co. & Baja
 A plant of creeks,
intermittent streambeds
and alkali flats
 A ground cover with some
great characteristics:
 Tolerates many levels of soil
moisture
 Salt/alkali tolerant
 Tough
© Project SOUND
Iva hayesiana – good evergreen groundcover
 Size:
 2-3 ft tall
 4-12 ft wide (can be pruned)
 Growth form:
 Mounding, spreading perennial
 Slender stems are ground
covering
 Stems root where grounded
 Fast-growing; evergreen
 Foliage:
 Simple, medium-green leaves
 Slight, pleasant aroma when
crushed
 May cause mild skin allergies
© Project SOUND
Flowers are understated (like Artemisia)
 Blooms: in warm months – April-
Sept.
 Flowers:
 Small and fairly
inconspicuous
 Small, green-gold bells
 Pollen may cause ‘hay fever’
allergies in some people
 Seeds:
 Eaten by birds and other
small creatures
 Vegetative reproduction:
naturally layers
http://www.answers.com/topic/dudleya
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2015-08-22-
14.42.06_ZS_PMax_Iva_hayesiana-1_(20181186033).jpg

23. 11/7/2017
23
© Project SOUND
San Diego Marsh Elder: easy to grow
 Evergreen groundcover in warm
winter areas (like ours)
 2-3 ft. tall but can be kept
lower by pruning
 Quick growing; spreading –
good coverage
 Attractive foliage color,
texture
 Tolerates:
 Any soil texture, including
heavy clays
 Water Zone 1 to Zone 3
(Zone 2 or 2-3 probably
optimal)
http://www.treeoflifenursery.com/main/PDFs/Plant-Profiles/Iva_haye.pdf
© Project SOUND
An adaptable ground cover
 Sun or part shade – fine under trees
 Great on banks & slopes – prevents soil
erosion
 Ever-green; fire retardant
 Can be sheared to size and to renew it
 Tolerates deer
 Provides great cover for small critters
http://academic.reed.edu/getty/landscape4.html
Iva haysiana beneath
Coast Live Oak, Getty
Center
© Project SOUND
Could we do more with this space?
Possibly a mixture of perennials
© Project SOUND

24. 11/7/2017
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© Project SOUND
California Verbena – Verbena lasiostachys
© Project SOUND
California Verbena – Verbena lasiostachys
 ? Local varieties?
 Var. lasiostachys
 Channel Islands
 On the mainland
 Var. scabrida
 Channel Islands
 ? Probably on mainland as
well
 Look quite similar
 Grows in open areas in Coastal
Sage Scrub, Chaparral,
Coastal prairies, Oak
woodlands
 Often grows in areas with
seasonal flooding – similar to
Seaside Heliotropevar. scabrida
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?7773,7786,7792
© Project SOUND
California Verbena
 Size: 1-4 ft high & wide
 Habit: sprawling to erect
 Stems square (like mints),
woody at base
 Leaves: coarsely toothed,
larger at base, hairy
© Project SOUND
Flowers on stalks!
 Blooms: in the warm months;
usually May-Sep. in western L.A.
Co.
 Flowers:
 On spire-like spikes above the
foliage
 Open sequentially from bottom
to top – long bloom season
 Small, mint-like and lavender
color – love it!
 Attract butterflies, native
pollinators, hummingbirds
 Seeds:
 Small seeds; will re-seed, but
not aggressively

25. 11/7/2017
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© Project SOUND
Does well in the
right place
 Soils:
 Texture: any texture – even poorly-
draining
 pH: any local
 Light:
 full sun – immediate coast
 part shade (afternoon shade) for the
rest of the world
 Water:
 Winter: tol. seasonal flooding
 Summer: some summer water (Water
Zone 2); no water after flowering
 Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils
 Other:
 Prune to base after seed matures; allow
to remain dormant until winter rains –
can become weedy with too much water
http://www.smmflowers.org/bloom/species/Verbena_lasios
tachys_scabrida.htm
Not good for slopes – locate in flat
area or low spots in garden
Garden charmer
 Best mixed with other low-medium
sized plants in beds.
 Particularly striking in contrast
with white-foliaged perennials –
does well with Seaside Heliotrope
 Excellent habitat plant: good
nectar plant for butterflies, other
insects and hummingbirds
© Project SOUND
http://nathistoc.bio.uci.edu/plants/Verbenaceae/Verbena%20lasiostachys.htm
© Project SOUND
Western ragweed – Ambrosia psilostachya
http://www.smmflowers.org/bloom/species/Ambrosia_psilostachya.htm
 Much of N. America; Calif. Floristic
Province below 3500 ft.
 Grows in most seasonally moist places:
season marshes, grasslands/prairies,
roadsides and vacant lots, etc.
 Considered a native weed in many places
© Project SOUND
Western ragweed – Ambrosia psilostachya
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=12969
©2011 Michael O'Brien

26. 11/7/2017
26
© Project SOUND
Rangy, but can be attractive in season
 Size:
 2-4 ft. tall
 spreading
 Growth form:
 Upright or sometimes sprawling
perennial
 Upright, somewhat stiff stems
 Winter dormant; spreads via
rhizomes
 Foliage:
 Leaves coarsely-toothed; green
becoming green-gray
 Great insect habitat: 7 orders, 36
families, and 113+ species are
reported as comprising the insect
fauna of Ambrosia psilostachya in
southern California.
©2016 John Doyen
https://www.opsu.edu/Academics/SciMathNurs/NaturalScience/PlantsInsectsOfG
oodwell/plants/pasturefiles/pasture35.html
© Project SOUND
Flowers: ‘simple bell’ heads – small and gold
 Blooms: in the dry season –
sometime between June & Nov. in
our climate
 Flowers:
 Nothing to write home about
in terms of showiness
 Small, yellow-green bells (like
CA sagebrush)
 Separate male and female
flowers (same plant)
 Male flowers on spike –
interesting. Wind pollinated.
Major pollen allergy plant.
 Seeds: good food for birds, small
creatures
©2015 John Doyen
http://www.sbs.utexas.edu/bio406d/images/pics/ast/ambrosia_psilostachya.htm
female
Male flowers
© Project SOUND
Tough, hardy plant  Soils:
 Texture: almost any
 pH: any local
 Light: almost always in full sun
 Water:
 Winter: needs good winter
water; tolerates flooding
 Summer: infrequent to
moderate; Water Zones 1-2
to 2
 Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils
 Other:
 Spreads fairly rapidly; may
want to contain
 Curt down stalks to ground in
winter
© Project SOUND
Ragweed in gardens
 Mostly used in restoration
or wildland interfaces
 Excellent habitat plant
 Can be grown in a container
(perhaps best)
http://www.greekflora.gr/el/flowers/3837/Ambrosia-psilostachya

27. 11/7/2017
27
Go out and see for yourself at Madrona
Marsh (near Madrona Ave.)
© Project SOUND
Let’s wait until next month to learn about
some additional possibilities
© Project SOUND
Now it’s time to consider the larger bed
© Project SOUND
What do we want to consider?
 Size: 6 x ~30 ft
 Shape: ? irregular
 Light: mostly full sun
 Water: whatever we want to
choose; water-wise might be
nice
 Consistent with Mediterranean
theme
 ? Mix of shrubs, perennials, ??
 Provide cover and/or food for
herps, birds, insects – e.g.,
excellent habitat plants
What habitat plants do we already have?
 Plants already included in
the backyard:
 Lemonadeberry
 Smooth Mtn. mahogany
 San Diego sagebrush
 Native Baja sages
 Angelita daisy
 Some small container
plants for seasonal color
 Some moist-area
perennials: Pluchea; Blue
vervain; sticky cinquefoil
© Project SOUND
What great habitat plants
are we lacking?

28. 11/7/2017
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We recently heard an interesting talk about rare
and endangered San Diego County plants
© Project SOUND
http://calscape.org/Adolphia-californica-()
© Project SOUND
*California adolphia – Adolphia californica
 Endemic to San Diego Co. and Baja
 Rocky slopes, dry canyons and washes,
fields, roadsides, arroyos and hillsides
near seeps, streambeds, in chaparral,
coastal sage scrub < 1000 ft.
 Rhamnaceae (Buckthorn Family)
© Project SOUND
*California adolphia – Adolphia californica
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=11984
© Project SOUND
Tough little shrub or sub-shrub
 Size:
 3-5 ft tall
 4-5 ft wide
 Growth form:
 Mounded to sprawling;
provides good cover for
ground-using birds, lizards
 Stout, wand-like branches;
branch tips have thorns
 Drought-deciduous
 Foliage:
 Very sparse
 Simple oblong leaves
 Roots: net-like – good for slope
stabilization

29. 11/7/2017
29
© Project SOUND
Flowers small
 Blooms: in the cool season -usually
Dec.-Apr.
 Flowers:
 Flowers small, but plant can be
covered with blooms – attractive
 Sweetly scented; good pollinator
plant
 Seeds provide food
©2006 Steve Matson
© Project SOUND
Plant Requirements  Soils:
 Texture: well-drained; sandy
or rocky soils best
 pH: any local
 Light: full sun
 Water:
 Winter: needs adequate
winter water; supplement if
needed
 Summer: best with occasional
summer water (gets
monsoonal rain in wilds)
 Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils
 Other: use only inorganic or thin
organic mulch
© Project SOUND
California adolphia
 Most often used in restoration and
wildland interface properties
 Can be used as a low deterrent
hedge; don’t plant where thorns
are an issue
 Fine choice for habitat gardens;
provides both food and shelter©2010 Jean Pawek
What do you think? Include or not?
© Project SOUND
What alternative shrubs might you choose?

30. 11/7/2017
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Choosing plants for the larger bed
 Take full sun – even hot at times
 Can’t be too large – 5 ft x 5 ft
maximum; many should be smaller
 Attractive:
 Flowers
 Foliage color
 Aroma/scent
 Good habitat for birds
 Provide cover for ground-dwellers
 Attract lots of insects
© Project SOUND
California (Coastal) Sagebrush –
Artemisia californica
© Project SOUND
http://caornamentalnativeplants.org/artemesia.jpg
Suitable mixture of herp-friendly shrubs &
sub-shrubs for sunny spot
 CA sagebrush (Artemisia
californica)
 Native buckwheats
(Eriogonum spp.)
 Native sages (Salvia spp.)
© Project SOUND
With other perennials to add
interest, color and habitat
© Project SOUND
In summary: herps are losing habitat, so
gardens are more important every day

31. 11/7/2017
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What You Can Do to Help Reptiles & Amphibians
 Protect (and restore) existing
habitat
 Landscape naturally, including
features that are herp-friendly
 Be on the lookout for invasive
species - Invasive frog species will
eat native frogs and compete with
them for food. Try to keep them out
of your habitat. And never introduce
them into the wilds.
 Respect herps and their habitat in
the wild (including in local Preserves)
© Project SOUND
This is heaven to a herp!!
© Project SOUND
Managing your shrubs for herps (and
ground-foraging birds
 Leave some dead material on
shrubs (if possible)
 Plant islands of shrubs to
provide cover and open areas
 Leave natural leaf litter and
twigs to provide duff (the
material herps love);
tidiness is not next to
godliness for herps!
 If possible, make a small
brush pile or compost heap
© Project SOUND
What You Can Do to Help Herps
 Help Scientists - Become part of
the solution to frog decline.
Participate in a scientific monitoring
project like Frogwatch USA. Data
collected by volunteers becomes
part of the global pool of
information being used to
understand why amphibians are
disappearing and how we can save
them.
 Create a pond - Ponds add
wonderful diversity to your yard and
provide endless hours of
entertainment and educational
opportunities for you and your
family. Backyard ponds attract
beneficial wildlife soon after they
are created.
© Project SOUND
 Create a toad abode - A toad
abode is a small ceramic house
for toads or salamanders.
Place your toad abode in a
shady spot near a water
source, such as a small pond or
even a large saucer of water.
Keep the ground moist.
https://houstonarboretum.org/2015/06/diy-toad-abode/

32. 11/7/2017
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Send your herp photos to iNaturalist
© Project SOUND
You never know when you’ll see something interesting
Next month we’ll meet Leroy Abrams and complete
the garden with some plants special to him
© Project SOUND
http://www.natureathand.com/POTM/Arabis_sparsiflora.htm
Get out and create some herp habitat!
© Project SOUND