This document provides information about using California native plants to create fall color in gardens in Western Los Angeles County. It discusses several plant species that offer fall foliage colors, including Bigleaf Maple which turns yellow in fall. It describes the growth habits and requirements of these plants. While some non-native trees like Crape Myrtle offer reliable fall colors, the document notes that reliably bright fall foliage is less common in Southern California due to warmer weather. It also discusses using plants from Texas and Mexico for fall gardens but notes they may not be as suitable for the local environment. The document encourages adapting gardens to emphasize the area's natural "sense of place" rather than replicating gardens from other regions.

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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 – 2016 (our 12th year)
© Project SOUND
Fall Color:
CA native plants for Autumn
color
C.M. Vadheim and T. Drake
CSUDH (emeritus) & Madrona Marsh Preserve
Madrona Marsh Preserve
November 5 & 10, 2016
How do you picture ‘Fall Color’?
© Project SOUNDhttp://www.inspiredhomeideas.com/amazing-colorful-autumn-fall-pictures/ © Project SOUND
Bigleaf maple – Acer macrophyllum
©2016 Zoya Akulova

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 West coast & mountains – S. CA
to Canada
 Higher altitude stream banks &
moist canyons; below 7000 ft.
 Locally: Santa Monica and San
Gabriel Mountains
© Project SOUND
Bigleaf maple – Acer macrophyllum
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=11746
Charles Thoreau Townsend © California Academy of Sciences
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acer_macrophyllum
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Acer_macrophyllum_in_Hoh_Valley.jpg
© Project SOUND
Bigleaf maple: big tree when mature
 Size:
 30-75+ ft tall
 20-40 ft wide
 Growth form:
 Woody tree; may be multi-
trunked
 Winter deciduous
 Lives 50-200 years
 Attractive wood; used for
furniture and veneers
 Foliage:
 Large, maple leaves
 May have nice
fall color (yellow)
 Roots: deep
Susan McDougall, hosted by the USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
©2016 Zoya Akulova
http://www.nwplants.com/business/catalo
g/ace_mac.html
© Project SOUND
Flowers: barely noticeable
 Blooms: Spring - usually late March in in S.
Calif.
 Flowers:
 Small, pale green-yellow
 Separate male & female flowers on
same tree; can vary timing
 Pollinators: bees, flies, and beetles;
Swallowtails
 Seeds:
 Bristly, biwinged samara bearing one
seed/wing
 Prolific seeder
 Vegetative reproduction: can sprout
from stump
http://www.answers.com/topic/dudleya
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acer_macrophyllum
http://www.public.iastate.edu/~bot356/species/species/a_eSpecie/AcerMacr.html
© Project SOUND
Plant Requirements
 Soils:
 Texture: most local
 pH: any local to 8.0
 Light: wide range – tolerates full
sun to quite shady.
 Water:
 Winter: supplement as needed
 Summer: regular water
 Fertilizer: naturally grows in areas
with slightly richer soils;
supplement probably best
 Other:
 Use an organic mulch (or a
water-loving grass)
 Roots may invade sewer lines
 Re-seeds
http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/1095--acer-macrophyllum

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© Project SOUND
Bigleaf maple:
landscape tree
 Any place a large, watered
tree is needed; fine in lawns
 Excellent habitat plant
 Fall color (with some cold
weather)
http://www.nwplants.com/business/catalog/ace_mac.html
http://www.ucd.ie/plantmat/treeidentification/acer/
http://friendsofpierpark.org/forest/big-leaf-maple-acer-macrophyllum/
© Project SOUND
* Vine Maple – Acer circinatum
© Clayton J. Antieau.
© Project SOUND
Vine Maple grows
in moist forests
 Soils:
 Texture: any well-drained
 pH: slightly acidic (5.5 to 7.5)
 Light:
 Afternoon shade or even more
shady
 Great plant for under tall trees –
pines, firs
 Water:
 Winter: need good water
 Summer: best watered weekly in
warm weather – Zone 2-3
 Fertilizer: likes a rich soil with
plenty of organics; fine to fertilize
(2/3 strength/dose)
 Other: organic mulch a must
http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ldplants/acci1.htm
http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ldplants/acci1.htm
© Project SOUND
Vine Maples
brighten dark places
 As an attractive accent
plant – green foliage, red
samaras & fall foliage
color (maybe)
 Along stream banks – for
a woodsy look
 In large pots – can even
bonsai
 As a tall informal or
semi-formal screen
 As a narrow tree in shady
areas (like side-yards)
 Espaliered along a wall,
fence or large trellis
Susan McDougall @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
© 2003, G. D. Carr

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© Project SOUND
Acer circinatum
‘Monroe’
 Very deeply dissected
leaves
 Looks like Japanese
Maples – good for
Asian-themed garden
http://www.ubcbotanicalgarden.org/forums/showthread.php?t=7254
© Project SOUND
Acer circinatum
‘Pacific Fire’
 Very red bark
 Yellow-orange foliage
in fall – may be some
red leaves in cold
climates.
 Widely available from
commercial nurseries
http://www.portlandnursery.com/plants/nati
vePicks/natives_acer_circinatum.shtml
© Project SOUND
http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ldplants/acci1.htm
http://www.yerbabuenanursery.com/viewplant.php?pid=357
© Project SOUND
American/Western dogwood – Cornus sericea
©2006 Shawn DeCew

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 Canada/northern U.S. into CA
 Locally in San Gabriel Mtns,
? Santa Monica Mtns
 Riparian areas and other
moist sites
 AKA ‘Redosier dogwood’
© Project SOUND
American/Western dogwood – Cornus sericea
©2013 Jean Pawek
Br. Alfred Brousseau, Saint Mary's College
Var. occidentales Var. sericea
© Project SOUND
Plant Requirements
 Soils:
 Texture: not particular; clays are
fine
 pH: any local
 Light: part-shade (under taller
trees or with some afternoon shade)
 Water:
 Winter: fine with seasonal
flooding
 Summer: needs some summer
water – Zone 2 to 3
 Fertilizer: use an organic mulch
 Other:
 plant where gets good circulation
– susceptible to fungal diseases
 Prune out oldest 25% of
branches in winter
©2013 Jean Pawek
© Project SOUND
Dogwood in gardens
 Commonly used in places that get
a little extra water – rain
gardens, swales, etc.
 Makes a nice shrub under trees
 Can be used for hedges – coppice
 Also does fine in large containers
http://plantsciences.montana.edu/horticulture/PS231/VCTT/area10/area10b/Cornus_sericea.jpg
©2013 Julie Kierstead Nelson
http://www.talltreesgroup.com/Cornus%20Sericea.jpg
http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/217--cornus-californica
Cornus sericea occidentalis
'Tomales Bay'
 California native cultivar from
Tomales Bay, Marin County
 All the good characteristics of the
species
© Project SOUND
http://www.calfloranursery.com/plants/cornus-sericea-
occidentalis-tomales-bay
©2013 Jean Pawek
http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/217--cornus-californica

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© Project SOUND
S. California has some lovely, reliable fall
foliage
Cottonwoods (Populus)
Willows (Salix)
Western Sycamore (Platanus racemose)
Box elder (Acer negundo)
Issues with CA Riparian trees (in urban
landscapes)
 Large size: most are more
appropriate for parks, botanic
gardens, other large gardens
 Some are prone to branch-drop
(willows & cottonwoods)
 Roots invade pipes – water-
seeking
 Susceptible to Polyphagous Shot
Hole Borer (PSHB)
© Project SOUND
The Narrowleaf willow can be grown
in large containers
Some non-native trees may be better
choices for reliable fall color
© Project SOUND
Crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia species)
© Project SOUND
https://perennialgardener.wordpress.com/2010/12/17/a-tree-for-all-seasons-2/crepe-
myrtle-fall-color/

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Sweetgum - Liquidambar styraciflua
© Project SOUND
http://www.urbanforestnursery.com/treeprofiles/profilesweetgum.html
Maidenhair tree (Ginkgo biloba)
© Project SOUNDhttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/uss/index.cfm?tagname=fall%20color
Asian pear - Pyrus serotina
© Project SOUND
‘Anna’ Apple - Malus domestica 'Anna'
© Project SOUND
http://www.starkbros.com/growing-guide/article/fruit-tree-care-fall-planting

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Pears and apples can be espaliered to
accommodate a small space
© Project SOUND
http://arizonatraveler.blogspot.com/2011_05_01_archive.html
© Project SOUND
California Wild Grape – Vitis ‘Roger’s Red’
© Project SOUND
Native CA Grapes are a great addition to the garden
 Trained over a pergola or
arbor – the classical use
 To hide a chain-link or other
fence
 On trellises to screen a poor
view or plain wall; or provide
summer shade
 As a groundcover,
particularly on slopes
 Even in a large
Mediterranean pot
Because we don’t have truly cold
temperatures, brilliant fall colors are less
reliable in S. California
© Project SOUND

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Why do some leaves turn color in fall?
 Lengthening nights signal fall changes
in plant tissues
 Leaves prepare for winter leaf-drop by:
 Increased production of special
chemicals; transporting nutrients out of
leaf cells
 Decreased production of the green
pigment, chlorophyll
 Yellow and orange pigments, previously
masked by chlorophyll, now can be seen
 With cold exposure, additional red
(anthocyanin) pigments may also be
produced
© Project SOUND
The secret ingredient: cold temperatures
© Project SOUNDhttp://regex.info/blog/2013-02-19/2213 http://www.gardensuiteresort.com/golden-temple-kyoto-pictures/
Reality: lowland S. California is too warm
for brilliant fall leaf displays
In many parts of the country,
chrysanthemums = fall
© Project SOUND
http://www.growplantsinpots.com/grow-chrysanthemum-plants-in-containers/
They are reliable, bright fall bloomers
Texas gardens (and the water-wise industry) have
inspired another look for fall gardens
© Project SOUND
http://www.penick.net/digging/?p=18474

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Why are the Tex-Mex fall bloomers so
popular?
 Something new & pretty
 Bright colors; many cultivars,
hybrids
 Readily available
 Good sizes for smaller
gardens – even containers
 Touted by commercial
growers and ‘water-wise
establishment’
 Many are essentially tropical
– tolerate more summer/fall
water
© Project SOUND
Mexican sage – Salvia leucantha
© Project SOUNDhttp://www.sb.watersavingplants.com/eplant.php?plantnum=1480&return=b_aS
Native to Mexico & Central America
© Project SOUND
*Texas/Scarlet/Tropical sage – Salvia coccinea
https://www.pinterest.com/waterlooatx/hamel-2014/
Native to Texas and Southeastern U.S.
© Project SOUND
Scarlet Sage cultivars
 Attractive pot plant, even in part-shade
 Easy from seed; readily available on-line
 Needs regular water
http://fnps.org/plants/plant/salvia-coccinea
http://www.mullerseeds.com/salvia-cocconea-summer-jewel-pink.html

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© Project SOUND
*Baby/Graham's/Blackcurrant sage –
Salvia microphylla
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salvia_microphylla
Native to mountains of SE Arizona, Mexico
© Project SOUND
Why it’s loved
 Attractive flowers, foliage
 Fills a pot or planter
 Takes part-shade
 Needs regular water
 Readily available
 Many cultivars, mostly reds, pinks
https://englishgardeneclectic.wordpress.com/2012/08/14/2012-the-winners/
http://www.prideofplaceplants.com/2011/plants/salvia-greggii-heatwave-blaze/
‘Blaze’
http://www.sfbotanicalgarden.org/garden/bloom_14_12.shtml
‘Hot Lips’
© Project SOUND
*Autumn (Texas) sage – Salvia greggii
http://www.geoscapenursery.com/Perennials.html
Native to Texas, Mexico
© Project SOUND
Salvia greggii in the garden
 Attractive choice for pots and planters
 Can be spectacular when massed
 Many cultivars: mostly brilliant reds, pinks and
magentas, but also purples, peach, even white
 Aromatic foliage
 Attracts hummingbirds, butterflies
 Tolerates heat, but needs regular water
http://www.eldoradowindyfarm.com/SFBG-salviavarious.html
http://dancingredranch.com/where-have-all-the-hummingbirds-gone/

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My (potential) reservations about the Tex-
Mex fall color plants
 They don’t really look like S.
California – don’t contribute
to our ‘sense of place’
 May be invasive, particularly
in our climate
 May not be as good habitat
plants as local natives
 May not be as water-wise as
we’re told (come from areas
with summer precipitation)
© Project SOUND
http://www.wildflower.org/gallery/result.php?id_image=8454
If you really need those colors in your fall
design scheme:
 Use them as accents, rather than
main players (unless you’re going
for a Texas-style garden)
 Grow them in containers
 Easier to give them the water they
need (even if the rest of the
garden is drier)
 Allow you to create fall color even
in shadier places (where these
plants actually do well)
 Don’t let them re-seed
© Project SOUND
Do you have to have fall garden that looks like this?
© Project SOUND
https://zoomeboshi.com/2012/10/21/fall-colors/
http://signaturegardens.blogspot.com/2010/12/playing-favorites.html
Or can you learn to relish one that looks like this?
© Project SOUND

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What is your favorite color?
© Project SOUND
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_psychology#/media/File:RGB_color_wheel_72.svg
Men and women like different colors…
© Project SOUND
http://neilpatel.com/2015/05/14/the-psychology-of-color-how-to-use-colors-to-increase-conversion-rate/
…but the most favorite colors overall are blue and green
It’s easy to create a pleasing garden with
blue skies and plenty of green
© Project SOUND
Fall garden colors present a bit more challenge
© Project SOUND
https://instapage.com/blog/ultimate-guide-to-color-psychology

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Golds, tans, oranges and browns
Positive associations
 Ageless and timeless
 Straightforward,
uncomplicated
 Solid, reliable, serious
 Practical
 Warm and cozy
 Nature and natural things
 Restful, safe
Negative associations
 Dead plants; vacant lots
 Untidy
 Cheap, frugal (too sensible)
 Somber
 Dull, boring
 Conservative
 Fall garden chores
© Project SOUND
That just means we have to work a little
smarter when designing fall gardens
© Project SOUND
© Project SOUND
Natural landscapes: lovely in fall
What makes these
landscapes attractive?
© Project SOUND
Some green
Contrasting accents
Masses of color
Dark background ‘frames’ the
picture

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Contrasts are an important design element
© Project SOUND
But contrast is essential for the fall garden
© Project SOUND
The two most
important fall
contrasts
© Project SOUND
Green vs. non-green
Light vs. dark
A few tricks for creating a colorful Southern
California fall garden
1. Provide backgrounds that
highlight fall accent plants
2. Plan enough green foliage to
ensure:
 The garden still looks viable
 Enough contrast for the colorful
parts of the garden
3. Select plants that provide fall
color accents:
 Leaf color
 Bright fall flowers
 Colorful seeds, fruits or other
© Project SOUND

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The background color depends on the
accent plant
© Project SOUND
The importance of a contrasting backdrop
becomes even more obvious in fall
© Project SOUND
Mother Nature often relies on darker
evergreen trees to provide the backdrop
© Project SOUND
This trick also works well in gardens
© Project SOUND

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A few tricks for creating a colorful Southern
California fall garden
1. Provide backgrounds that
highlight fall accent plants
2. Plan enough green foliage to
ensure:
 The garden still looks viable
 Enough contrast for the colorful
parts of the garden
3. Select plants that provide fall
color accents:
 Leaf color
 Bright fall flowers
 Colorful seeds, fruits or other
© Project SOUND
We’ve talked before about the benefits of
green hedges, screens & hedgerows
© Project SOUND
Larger evergreen shrubs/hedges provide
a good backdrop for many fall colors
© Project SOUND
Plants to consider for a green fall background
 Evergreen conifers
 Pines (consider size)
 Junipers
 Evergreen shrubs
 Toyon
 Sugarbush
 Lemonadeberry
 Coffeeberry
 Smaller manzanitas
 Scrub oaks
 Agaves
 Agave shawii
 Agave ‘Blue Flame’ (A.
shawii x attenuata)
 Yucca bacata & other
Yuccas
 Warm season grasses
© Project SOUND
Shaw’s agave
California coffeeberry

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If you only have a small space? Use wall
color to provide a backdrop…
© Project SOUND
…or cover the wall with an evergreen
© Project SOUND
Cover with evergreen
vines
Espalier an evergreen native
(like Toyon)
I can’t emphasize too strongly: green foliage
is an essential part of the well-designed
S. California fall garden
© Project SOUND
What do you think of when you hear the
word ‘green’?
fresh shady
cool spring
© Project SOUND

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Can green effect our
brains?
 Green is often used in decorating
for its calming effect. For
example, guests waiting to appear
on television programs often wait
in a “green room” to relax.
 Green is thought to relieve
stress and help heal. Those who
have a green work environment
experience fewer stomachaches.
 Green can improve reading
ability (speed and
comprehension) - ? Improves
concentration
© Project SOUND
http://www.furnisketch.com/antique-retro-the-green-room/
http://www.whitehousemuseum.org/floor1/green-room.htm
Medium to dark greens make light and
bright colors appear more intense
© Project SOUND
Mother Nature’s fall design: the basics
© Project SOUND
Evergreen background
Green accents
Large swaths of different browns, golds & tans
Garden design: same basics adapted for
use in a smaller landscape
© Project SOUND
Evergreen background
Green accents
Large swaths of different browns, golds & tans
Note how this garden uses ‘appropriated’ trees for part of the green backdrop

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How much green do you need?
choice
25%
© Project SOUND
choice
40%
choice
50%
choice
75%
choice
10%
Depending in the garden size and accent
colors, 25-40% green coverage
© Project SOUND
Ironically, large landscapes may get by with less green than
smaller ones
Of course the choice and placement of background
plants depends on the accent plants
© Project SOUND
A few tricks for creating a colorful Southern
California fall garden
© Project SOUND
1. Provide backgrounds that
highlight fall accent plants
2. Plan enough green foliage to
ensure:
 The garden still looks viable
 Enough contrast for the colorful
parts of the garden
3. Select plants that provide fall
color accents:
 Leaf color
 Bright fall flowers
 Colorful seeds, fruits or other

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Sometimes you can incorporate fall color
into your hedge or hedgerow
© Project SOUND
Native plants with colorful fall foliage/bark
 Trees/large shrubs
 Western dogwood (Cornus
glabrata)
 Cornus sericea
Red/purple  Vines/climbers & groundcovers
 Acer circinatum
 Anemopsis californica
 Lonicera hispidula
 Vitis ‘Roger’s Red’
 Smaller shrubs
 Berberis/Mahonia aquifolium
 Ribes (Currant/Gooseberries)
© Project SOUND
Mahonia aquifolium Ribes speciosum
California’s fall red foliage – sometimes subtle
and sophisticated
© Project SOUND
http://www.wineandbeerwalk.com/info_wilmington.html
Pink Honeysuckle – Lonicera hispidula var. vacillans
© Project SOUND

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© Project SOUND
Berries are edible – enjoyed by birds
 Berries in summer/fall
 Bright red – in showy clusters –
can be dramatic
 Fruits edible – with a little
sweetner
 Fruit-eating birds will take care
of them for you
http://www.backyardnature.net/n/09/091004.htm
http://blog.duncraft.com/2010/08/10/feed-fruit-and-
berries-to-your-birds/
Cedar waxwing
Garden uses for native honeysuckles
 On fences or trellises – they need
something to grow on
 Over an arbor or pergola; great
addition to scented garden &
great habitat plants
 As a groundcover on slopes
© Project SOUND
http://www.thegardenhelper.com/psd/lonicera_hh.jpg
© Project SOUND
Yerba Mansa – Anemopsis californica S. California’s native fall colors:
sometimes warm and bright
© Project SOUND

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Native plants with colorful fall foliage/bark
Yellow/orange/mahogany
 Trees
 Willows (Salix species)
 Cottonwoods (Populus species)
 Western sycamore (Platanus
racemosa)
 Boxelder (Acer negundo)
 Bigleaf maple (Acer macrophyllum)
 S. Californa walnut (Juglans
californica)
 Island ironwoods (Lyonothamnus
floribundus)
 Large shrubs
 Western redbud (Cercis
occidentalis )
 Sourberry (Rhus trilobata)
 Currants & gooseberries
(Ribes)
 Smaller shrubs
 Amelanchier alnifolia
'Regent‘
 Wild roses (Rosa species)
© Project SOUND
Other local sources
of yellow foliage
© Project SOUND
Blue/Mexican elderberry
Sourberry – Rhus trilobata
Wild roses
S. CA Wild Grape - Vitis girdiana
Sometimes the color is fleeting, but other
local natives provide lasting leaf color
© Project SOUND
Island ironwoods (Lyonothamnus floribundus)
create a colorful mulch for many months
© Project SOUND
Western redbud – Cercis orbiculata/occidentales
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/437412182535475317/

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 N. California east to S. Utah and south to S.
Arizona; at 500-6000 ft. elevation
 Dry, shrubby slopes, canyons, ravines,
streambanks
 Chaparral, Douglas Fir Forest, Central Oak
Woodland, Joshua Tree Woodland and Yellow
(Ponderosa) Pine Forest
© Project SOUND
Western redbud – Cercis orbiculata/occidentales
http://clminternship.org/blog/?author=572&paged=2 ©2005 Gary A. Monroe
http://dendro.cnre.vt.edu/dendrology/syllabus/factsheet.cfm?ID=203
© Project SOUND
Western redbud: large shrub/small tree
 Size:
 6-20 ft tall
 6-20 ft wide
 Growth form:
 Multi-trunk large shrub or
small tree,
 Rounded crown w/ many
spreading branches; can be
trained to a central leader.
 Gray bark
 Foliage:
 Rounded heart-shaped leaves
 Winter deciduous; fall color
(yellow-gold to red-brown)
https://selectree.calpoly.edu/tree-detail/cercis-occidentalis
©2009 Gary A. Monroe
© Project SOUND
Western redbud makes
a nice small tree
 Small tree for water-wise gardens
 Excellent wildlife habitat
 Year-long interest: flowers, green
foliage, fall color (leaves, pods),
architectural branches (winter)
 Fine on slopes
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/11962755236984876/
The real local stars of fall have showy
flowers and/or seeds & fruits
© Project SOUND

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Plants with fall flowers – Yellow, orange, buff
 Shrubs (large)
 Coyote bush (Baccharis pilularis)
 Goldenbushes
 Hazardia species
 Isocoma menziesii
 Shrubs (smaller)
 Abutilon
 Rabbitbush (Ericameria
nauseosa)
 Other Ericameria species
 Gutierrezia californica
 Other
 Annual sunflower
(Helianthus annuus)
 Clinopodium mimuloides
 Epilobium canum
 Heterotheca grandiflora
 Mimulus cardinalis
© Project SOUND
California Fuschia – Epilobium canum
California fuschia look spectacular massed – or
against a green backdrop
© Project SOUND
If you’re limited to container gardening, a few
orange-flowered plants may bloom again in Fall
© Project SOUND
http://www.livingandkitchen.com/15454-cheap-adirondack-chairs-exterior-modern-with-adirondak-deck-dobkins-house-floor-to-ceiling-
window-frank-lloyd-wright-mid-century-patio-potted/cheap-adirondack-chairs-porch-beach-with-adirondack-chairs-area-rug-container-
plants-hurricane-lamps-neutral-colors-outdoor-cushions/

26. 11/9/2016
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© Project SOUND
Scarlet Monkeyflower - Mimulus cardinalis
© Project SOUND
*Monkeyflower savory – Clinopodium mimuloides
Beatrice F. Howitt © California Academy of Sciences
© Project SOUND
Monkeyflower savory: a little more upright
 Size:
 1-3 ft tall
 2-4 ft wide
 Growth form:
 Sub-shrub/perennial; drought-
deciduous to evergreen
 Slender, fuzzy branches; more
upright in brighter locations
 Fast growth
 Foliage:
 Simple, medium-green
 Aromatic – minty (tea)
 Roots: shallow roots; spread via
rhizomes
http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/satureja-mimuloides
© Project SOUND
Plant Requirements  Soils:
 Texture: any
 pH: any local
 Light:
 Best bloom in morning sun; part-
shade, dappled shade or quite
shady in most gardens
 Water:
 Winter: adequate; tolerates
seasonal flooding
 Summer: keep it green (Water
Zone 2-3) or more natural (Zone
2) – taper off water in late
Aug/Sept
 Fertilizer: probably OK; organic
mulch would work as well
Cut back to 2-4 inches in late fall
after blooming ceases (like CA
Fuschia – Epilobium species)

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© Project SOUND
Monkeyflower savory: hummingbird habitat
 Under trees and other shady parts of the
garden - groundcover
 In a hummingbird garden paired with
Heuchera maxima & Aquilegia Formosa –
mid-ground
 As an attractive pot plant
http://www.anniesannuals.com/plt_lst/lists/general/lst.g
en.asp?prodid=950https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5579/14797700067_98a9c7fccf.jpg
If you have a sunny location, you’re in luck
© Project SOUND
Notice how the yellow flowers contrast with green background
The Goldenbushes
signal Fall
 Isocoma menziesii
 Hazardia squarrosa
 Telegraph plant
(Heterotheca grandiflora)
© Project SOUND © Project SOUND
Two Coastal Goldenbushes
 Similar growth habit (2-4 ft shrub) and flowers; fall blooming (Aug-
Oct)
 Coast Goldenbush: foliage lighter; leaves rounder, softer,
 Sawtooth Goldenbush: foliage stiffer, prickly
Coastal Goldenbush – Isocoma menziesii Sawtooth Goldenbush – Hazardia squarrosa

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© Project SOUND
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 conditions
Cut back yearly in the fall after
bloom
Goldenbushes are excellent choices for
local water-wise gardens
 Do well in almost any local soil
 Water-wise & sun loving – need little
to no supplemental water
 Good size for mid-bed; foliage
provides nice contrast to foreground
plants (spring/summer)
 Great for erosion control on slopes;
mix with grasses, other native shrubs
 Super habitat plants: butterflies,
bees, birds in fall (when such habitat
is needed)
© Project SOUND
Ericamerias – smaller
shrubs for fall gold
 Shorter and more shrub-like than
Goldenbushes
 Like occasional summer water
 Glorious color – fantastic habitat
© Project SOUND
Ericameria linearifolia
Ericameria ericoides
Ericameria nauseosa
The Senecios
© Project SOUND
Senecio flaccidus var. douglasii
Senecio californicus
©2015 Zoya Akulova
 Look more like native perennial
asters or sub-shrubs
 Fewer flowers, but nice foliage
 Green up with late summer water
 Fabulous habitat plants
We will have some of these
for sale at the Fall Plant Sale
Nov. 18, 19 - CSUDH

29. 11/9/2016
29
© Project SOUND
California Matchweed – Gutierrezia californica
http://cals.arizona.edu/yavapaiplants/imageviewer.php?&genus=Gutierrezia&species=sarothrae&imagenum=0
Genus Gutierrezia
 Named for Pedro Gutierrez
(Rodriguez), a 19th century
Spanish nobleman, botanist and
apothecary at the Madrid
Botanical Garden
 Commonly called ‘Snakeweeds’ or
‘Matchweeds’
© Project SOUND
 Native to CA and Baja
 Los Angeles Co.: foothills of San Gabriels
& Liebre Mtns, Griffith Park, Westwood,
- 1 from Palos Verdes
 Sunny sandy or rocky areas in grasslands,
scrub, or open woodlands
 AKA: San Joaquin snakeweed
© Project SOUND
CA Matchweed – Gutierrezia californica
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=3140
G.A. Cooper, hosted by the USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database©2010 Neal Kramer © Project SOUND
Matchweeds: small, bunching sub-shrubs
 Size:
 8-20 inches tall
 2-3 ft. wide
 Growth form:
 Mounded, bunching sub-
shrub from woody root
 Many stems – but fairly
open
 Foliage:
 Medium- to gray-green,
narrow leaves (almost
linear)
 May be drought-deciduous
 Roots: stout, woody taproot
J. E.(Jed) and Bonnie McClellan ©
California Academy of Sciences

30. 11/9/2016
30
© Project SOUND
Sunny & bright
 Blooms:
 Usually May-Nov. in S. CA
 Blooms in response to rain or
watering – quite dramatic
 Flowers:
 Small (1/4 to 1 inch) sunflower
heads with yellow ray and disk
flowers
 Fantastic insect plant;
attracts wide range of insect
pollinators (beetles, flies,
bees, butterflies and others)
 Seeds: fluffy sunflower seeds
are favorite of birds
©2010 Neal Kramer
© Project SOUND
Matchweeds are hardy, drought-resistant plants
 Soils:
 Texture: prefers well-drained soils;
if clay, plant on slope or berm
 pH: any local
 Light: full sun to part-shade
 Water:
 Winter: supplement if needed
 Summer: very drought tolerant, but
best with monthly water
 Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils
 Other:
 Mulch should be inorganic (gravel) or
light organic
 Prune back (nibble) for nice shape
©2010 Neal Kramer
© Project SOUND
Matchweed in gardens
 As an attractive pot plant
 As a filler in mixed dry beds; great
with buckwheats, silver-foliage plants
 For Fall flower color
 As an important insect habitat plant,
particularly in Fall
 As a medicinal: warm poultice of
foliage for joint/muscle pain
©2009 Barry Breckling http://www.flickriver.com/photos/eastbaywilds/sets/72157630212655446/
…but that’s not all
© Project SOUND
Berries of Summer holly and other fruit-bearing natives
often provide Fall color

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31
Plants with colorful Fall fruits, seeds
 Trees/large shrubs
 Creambush (Holodiscus
discolor)
 Summer Holly
(Comarostaphylis
diversifolia)
 Toyon (Heteromeles
arbutifolia)
 Berry bushes, roses, grapes
 Smaller shrubs
 Native buckwheats (Eriogonum
californicum; E. fasciculatum;
E. giganteum; E. parvifolium)
 Catalina silverbush
© Project SOUND
Toyon – Heteromeles arbutifolia
© Project SOUND
Toyon color occurs earlier with drier conditions
© Project SOUND
But the real seed-color stars are the
native buckwheats
Native Buckwheats: lovely throughout the year
© Project SOUND

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Giant Buckwheat/ St. Catherine’s Lace
Eriogonum giganteum var. formosum
© Project SOUND
© Project SOUND
 St. Catherine’s Lace makes a grand statement in the garden
© Project SOUND
E. gianteum is a representative native
buckwheat
 Foliage
 White-green
 Thick
 Drought deciduous
 Used as larval food by Blue and
Hairstreak butterflies
 Flowers typical
 Cream-pink fading to rust
 Clustered in dense heads
 Used as nectar source by many
butterflies, bees, other
pollinators
 Seeds – eaten by birds in late
summer/fall
http://www.timetotrack.com/jay/stcath.htm
Like all Eriogonums, prone
to hybridization
© Project SOUND
Garden potential
 Tall informal hedge
 On dry sunny slopes
 For erosion control
 As a specimen plant (both for
gray foliage, summer flowers and
fall seed heads)
 Dried flowers in arrangements
 Bird/butterfly habitat gardens
 As a backdrop for smaller shrubs
and perennials in a border, planter
or parkway
 In large pots; can be pruned up
to show its thick, rough trunk and
branching structure

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Because of their dark fall
seed heads, buckwheats also
make good background
shrubs
© Project SOUND
https://plus.google.com/s/Eriogonum%20giganteum/top
© Project SOUND
California Buckwheat - Eriogonum fasciculatum
© Project SOUND
California Buckwheat - Eriogonum fasciculatum
 Southwestern U.S.
 to Utah, Arizona, nw Mexico
 s Sierra Nevada, Central
Western California,
Southwestern California,
East of Sierra Nevada,
Desert
 Common. Dry slopes, washes,
canyons in scrub < 2300 m.
 fasciculatum : derived from
a Latin word meaning
"bundles" and describing the
way the leaves are attached
to the leaf stem in little
bunches or 'fascicles'
http://www.cnr.vt.edu/DENDRO/dendrology/Syllab
us2/factsheet.cfm?ID=639
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?5936,5994,6045
var. fasciculatum
var. foliolosum
© Project SOUND
 var. fasciculatum: Dry slopes and canyons near the coast, coastal sage
scrub
 var. foliolosum: Sandy to gravelly flats, slopes & canyons , mixed
grassland and chaparral communities, oak and conifer woodlands
http://www.cnps.org/cnps/nativeplants/gallery/ingram/index.php

34. 11/9/2016
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© Project SOUND
Characteristics of California Buckwheat
 Size: similar to Dune Buckwheat
 2-5 ft tall
 3-5 ft wide
 Growth form:
 low mounded semi-evergreen
shrub
 Many-branched, but truly
shrub-like
http://www.newportbay.org/plants/index.html
 Foliage:
 Leave alternate, but densely clustered
at nodes, evergreen, narrow lanceolate
(nearly needle-like)
http://www.birdmom.net/wildflowerspink.html
© Project SOUND
CA Buckwheat:
showy for months
 Great for summer color: May-
Nov. possible
 As an alternative to the non-
native Rosemary
 In perennial beds
 On parking strips & bordering
paths and driveways
 For erosion control
 larval foodsource for Morman
Metalmark, Bramble Hairstreak, Common
Hairstreak, Avalon Hairstreak
Shrubby Buckwheats can even be
sheared to shape for a more formal look
© Project SOUND
CA Buckwheat cultivars make good (but
large) groundcovers
 ‘Dana Point’ - brighter green leaf, more
mounding than species; 2-3 ft tall, 5-8
ft spread
 'Bruce Dickinson' – good for
groundcover; stays close to the ground,
spreads nicely, and holds good form
throughout the year.
 ‘Theodore Payne' – low groundcover (1
ft high; 1-3 ft spread)
 'Warriner Lytle' - A sprawling low
growing California buckwheat; can grow
to 2 feet tall but is often more
prostrate, hugging the ground like a
mat
‘Dana Point’
Warriner Lytle’
You could design an entire fall garden
around our local native buckwheats
© Project SOUND

35. 11/9/2016
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A colorful S. California fall garden takes
planning – and time
© Project SOUND
Fall Pruning Workshops –Mother Nature’s
Backyard
© Project SOUND
Mother Nature provides some valuable
lessons on fall gardening
© Project SOUND © Project SOUND
Coming in December: Designing with
Silver Foliage

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Several words come to mind when I see a Fall garden
© Project SOUND
peaceful
grounded
productive
appropriate
warm & inviting
© Project SOUND
I want to sit, relax and enjoy Fall’s bounty
A garden should connect California’s past
with her future
© Project SOUND © Project SOUND

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In summary, we have choices about how
our Fall garden will look
© Project SOUNDhttp://www.inspiredhomeideas.com/amazing-colorful-autumn-fall-pictures/
Or we can learn to relish one that looks like this
© Project SOUND