This lecture was given in August, 2012 as part of the California native plant gardening series ‘Out of the Wilds and Into Your Garden’.

1. Out of the Wilds and Into Your Garden
Gardening with Western L.A. County Native Plants
Project SOUND – 2012 (our 8th year)
© Project SOUND

2. Hedges & Habitat
Water-wise Hedges & Screens
That Provide Habitat
C.M. Vadheim and T. Drake
CSU Dominguez Hills & Madrona Marsh Preserve
Madrona Marsh Preserve
August 4 & 7, 2011
© Project SOUND

3. What is a mixed hedge or hedgerow?
 A row of trees/shrubs & other
plants that separate
agricultural fields
 A narrow planting strip that
grows along field borders,
fence lines, property
boundaries and waterways
http://blog.histouries.co.uk/2011/03/28/hedges-and-hedgerows-in-england/
 A living fence
 A small ecosystem that has all
the key ingredients that an
animal needs to survive: food,
shelter, nesting and denning
sites.
© Project SOUND

4. Mixed hedges/hedgerows are not a new
concept
 Hedgerows have long played
an important role in
agriculture.
 Since Bronze Age people first
used them to divide fields,
mark property boundaries and
control livestock in Europe
more than 5,000 years ago,
farmers around the world
http://www.ehow.com/info_12000999_traditional-hedge-laying.html
have appreciated the benefits
hedgerows provide
© Project SOUND

5. What are the benefits of hedgerows?
 Security – keeping people/ animals
in or out
 Provide privacy screens and reduce
noise
 Act as a windbreak
 Reduce soil erosion
http://www.ofnc.ca/trailguide/tour3_e.php
 Attract beneficial insects and
reduce pests
 Provide foods and medicinal plants
 Provide materials for crafts
 Provide a backdrop for other plants
 Increase plant diversity
 Provide habitat
© Project SOUND
http://www.citrona.com/nativeplanthedgerow.htm

6. What does a classical hedgerow look like?
http://www.dnr.state.md.us/wildlife/Habitat/WildAcres/wahedgerows.asp Looks like a whole garden in a narrow space
 Traditional hedgerows contain a complex mix of evergreen and
deciduous plants, including:
 Trees/Large shrubs
 Smaller shrubs & sub-shrubs/ Vines and climbers
 Perennial wildflowers
 Grasses
 Ferns/ Annual wildflowers © Project SOUND

7. But what do hedgerows have to do with urban/
suburban Los Angeles county?
http://www.barrsam.com/ww/index%20012.htm
© Project SOUND

8. Can we really create hedgerows in
urban/suburban S. California?
Yes, if we understand that:
 We need to consider the
appropriate scale of plants
 We understand that our
hedgerows will be small
 We plant the right types of
plants to provide the habitat
values that are an essential
http://www.dietrick.org/projects/bbb.html component of true hedgerows
In short, we need to learn how to design S. California Garden Hedgerows
© Project SOUND

9. In fact, our small gardens make hedgerows
even more important
 Make the most of small
spaces by multi-tasking
 Screening
 Beauty
 Functional assets (food, etc)
 Habitat
 Make good use of limited
space by:
 Growing plants close together
S. California Garden Hedgerows  Combining a number of
are essentially wide, carefully different kinds of plants
planned and densely planted  Making optimal use of
garden beds vertical space
© Project SOUND

10. Any habitat is better
than no habitat
 For maximum habitat benefit, a
California Backyard Hedgerow
should be:
http://www.wildwillowdesign.com/residential-landscape-design/featured-projects/napa-1/
 At least 20 feet long – the longer
the better
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mechanoid_dolly/4922239063/
 At least 8 feet wide – 10-12 ft or
more is even better (consider it a
large mixed bed)
 Contain a mix of large shrubs,
smaller shrubs/vines, flowering
perennials and grasses
 Feature plants native to the local
area – or with similar flora/fauna
© Project SOUND

11. The hedge continuum
http://www.nzplantpics.com/cat_hedges.htm
http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/photos/0,,1589974,00.html
formal
© Project SOUND

12. To cut or not to cut?
 Many native hedge plants
can be pruned or not – the
choice is yours
 You can even cut one side
http://www.ruralni.gov.uk/print/hedge-cutting.jpg
and leave the other uncut
 Once you choose to cut,
you’re committed to cutting
 Choosing to cut has
consequences
http://www.pcorbett.co.uk/hedge-cutting-contractor.htm © Project SOUND

13. The formal hedge
 Often composed of a single
type of shrub
 Pruned to formal – often
geometric - shapes
http://www.hotgardens.net/hedges.htm
 Maintained by regular pruning
– often several times a year
 Requires plants with certain
characteristics:
 Moderate growth rate
 Densely branched
 Fine-textured foliage; small
leaves
 Can take regular shearing
http://blogs.move.com/do-it-green/2007/06/06/hedges-a-green-alternative-to-
fences/
© Project SOUND

14. The informal hedge
 May contain one or several
different species of plants
 Plants can differ in size,
even shape.
http://www.ipswich.gov.uk/Services/Greenways+Countryside+Project/Photos/The+Fonnereau+Way.htm  Are lower-maintenance
 Initial shaping may be
required
 Yearly pruning to maintain
general size, promote plant
health
 May be too large and unruly
for home gardens
© Project SOUND

15. The semi-formal
hedge
 Rely on pruning to maintain
natural shape.
 Are a little bit more formal –
so appropriate for urban
gardens.
 Work well with many of our
native species.
 Need enough space in the
garden to show their form.
 Are more forgiving; pruning
is less crucial.
© Project SOUND

16. The S. California Garden Hedgerow
 Is designed to be in scale
with local gardens:
 At least 20 ft long
 At least 8-10 ft wide
 Uses CA native plants (at
least primarily)
 Usually ranges in size
from large shrubs (6-10
ft tall) to groundcovers
 Provides a screen
 Reflects the owner’s
desires in design, plant
choices, formality
http://www.wildwillowdesign.com/residential-landscape-design/featured-projects/napa-1/ © Project SOUND

17. The new backyard – a clean slate
60 ft
15 ft (2 shrubs)
© Project SOUND

18. Steps in designing a S. California Garden
Hedgerow
 Draw a scale map of the area
 Do site assessment: light, etc.
 Decide on a plant palette:
 N. Calif. Coast – Water Zone 2 to 2-3
 Western L.A. Co. – Zone 2
 Sonoran Desert – Water Zone 1-2 to 2
 Choose a ‘Backbone Shrub’ species;
determine number of plants needed
 Choose complementary ‘Filler Shrubs’
 Complete design with smaller shrubs,
sub-shrubs, perennials, grasses &
groundcovers
© Project SOUND

19. ‘Backbone Shrub’ – the key to a good
hedgerow  Will constitute 40 to 70% percent
of the mixed hedgerow
 Should be selected first.
 Should be a plant with:
 Evergreen foliage
 A good growth rate;
 Nice, but neutral-looking, foliage
 Pest/disease resistance
 Appropriate for your site
 Added value: flowers/fruit/seeds
 Comparison shop before you
choose
 Compare 3-4 potential Backbone
Shrubs before making final
selection
 Choose the species with the most
‘value’
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Myrica_californica.jpg
© Project SOUND

20. Zone 2 to 2-3 – Northern Coast
‘Backbone Shrub’ : Coffeeberry (Frangula/Rhamnus californica)
© Project SOUND

21. How dense to plant the large shrubs?
 Principles:
 Need some overlap – no gaps
 Need to insure that the death of
one shrub doesn’t leave a gap
 Want it to fill in as quickly as
possible
4-6 ft on center  Don’t want to over-crowd species
1-2 ft that normally have room to
stretch
 Rules of thumb:
 1-2 foot overlap between adjacent
mature large shrubs
 Example: 8 ft wide shrubs are
4 ft radius/8 ft diameter
planted 4 to 6 feet apart
© Project SOUND

22. Zone 2 to 2-3 – Northern Coast
8-9 large shrubs
© Project SOUND

23. But what if we want our hedgerow to be
more drought tolerant – and local?
http://earthfriendlylandscapes.blogspot.com/2010/07/planting-with-hedges-in-california.html
No problem – we’ve got a wealth of
large evergreen shrubs native to
http://nativeson.com/annotated_catalog/qcatalog.htm
western L.A. County
Lemonadeberry - Rhus integrifolia
© Project SOUND

24. Steps in designing a California Backyard
Hedgerow
 Draw a scale map of the area
 Do site assessment: light, etc.
 Decide on a plant palette:
 N. Calif. Coast – Water Zone 2 to 2-3
 Western L.A. Co. – Water Zone 2
 Sonoran Desert – Water Zone 1-2 to 2
 Choose a ‘Backbone Shrub’ species;
determine number of plants needed
 Choose complementary ‘Filler Shrubs’
 Complete design with smaller shrubs,
sub-shrubs, perennials, grasses &
groundcovers
© Project SOUND

25. Western L.A. Co. Palette: Water Zone 2
 Large shrubs: backbone candidates
 Ceanothus crassifolius: white/gray
 Ceanothus cuneatus: white/green
 Ceanothus megacarpus : white/green
 Cercocarpus montanus var. glaber:
ins/green
 Heteromeles arbutifolia: white/green
 Prunus ilicifolia ssp. ilicifolia: white/green
 Prunus ilicifolia ssp. lyonii: white/green
© Project SOUND

26. Zone 1-2 to 2: local native backbone plants
http://sbwildflowers.wordpress.com/wildflowers/rham http://www.researchlearningcenter.org/bloom/sp
naceae/ceanothus/ceanothus-cuneatus/ ecies/Ceanothus_megacarpus_megacarpus.ht
m
Ceanothus crassifolius Ceanothus cuneatus Ceanothus megacarpus
http://www.flickriver.com/photos/mechanoid_dolly/sets/72157624828039022/
Heteromeles arbutifolia
© Project SOUND

27. Zone 1-2 to 2: local native backbone plants
Cercocarpus montanus var. glaber Prunus ilicifolia
© Project SOUND

28. Planning a hedgerow –  Appropriate for site/compatible
with other plants
take time in planning  Size
 Light
 Soils
 Water needs
 Aesthetic considerations
 Foliage characteristics: color,
texture, etc.
 Flowers: color, season, etc.
 Fruits/seeds: color, season, etc.
 Other benefits
 Scent; edible; medicinal; etc.
 Habitat value
 What species: insects, birds, etc
Remember, your hedgerow  What they provide: food, shelter,
will be around for a long time nest sites, perches
© Project SOUND

29. How do the local backbone shrubs stack up?
Ceanothus species Toyon – Heteromeles arbutifolia
 Flowers: abundant, white, spring  Flowers: abundant, cream, summer
 Fruits: insignificant looking  Fruits: showy, red in winter
 Other: soap; dye  Other: dye; medicinal
 Aesthetic: pretty; neat,  Aesthetic: neat; nice green color;
evergreen; well-known can prune to tree shape; well-known
 Hedge characteristics: good;  Hedge characteristics: good; dense
dense & take semi-formal hedging & take formal/informal hedging
 Habitat: bees: good; birds: cover  Habitat: insects – good; birds –
& fruits/seeds cover, nest, fruits
© Project SOUND

30. How do the local backbone shrubs stack up?
Mountain Mahogany - Cercocarpus Native Cherries - Prunus ilicifolia
 Flowers: seeds showy  Flowers: masses of white, spr/su
 Fruits: no  Fruits: edible cherries, fall
 Other: medicinal; dye  Other: fruit; medicinal; dye
 Aesthetic: pleasant; neutral  Aesthetic: shiny leaves, good color,
background; white bark; can be pretty flowers, fruits
tree-like
 Hedge characteristics: excellent,
 Hedge characteristics: informal formal/informal, narrow screens
or formal; easy to maintain
 Habitat: bees – excellent; Pale
 Habitat: bees – excellent; birds –
Swallowtail host plant; Project SOUND
© birds –
perch, nest, cover, seeds

31. Western L.A. Co. backbone shrub: Toyon
© Project SOUND

32. Replacing the old (short) hedge
http://www.jeunitedrealty.com/listing/2009-robinson-street-%7Cb-redondo-beach-s12013328
© Project SOUND

33. How many 8-10 ft backbone shrubs?
22 ft
http://www.jeunitedrealty.com/listing/2009-robinson-street-%7Cb-redondo-beach-s12013328
© Project SOUND

34. How many 8-10 ft backbone shrubs?
 Place one shrub at
each end – each 5 ft
in from edge
 12 feet remain
6 ft  You have room for a
total of 3 plants –
6 ft planted 6 feet on
22 ft
center
 You might want to:
 Use just a backbone
http://www.jeunitedrealty.com/listing/2009-robinson-street-%7Cb-redondo-beach-s12013328 species for lg. shrub
 Choose a filler shrub
that looks similar to
the backbone
© Project SOUND

35. Replacing the old (short) hedge
5 ft 6 ft 6 ft
Toyon Toyon or Mountain Toyon
Mahogany
© Project SOUND

36. What do we still need?
Aesthetics/Human Uses Habitat
 Have  Have
 Summer flowers
 Summer nectar
 Winter red berries
 Winter fruits
 Dye/medicinal plant
 Good cover/nest sites
 Need  Need
 Winter/spring color -flowers  Seeds
 Colored flowers  ? Fruits:
 ? Different foliage  Grass: nests; seeds; Skipper
habitat
© Project SOUND

37. Need 3 more local large shrubs
 Large shrubs
 Filler
 Backbone  Arctostaphylos glauca
 Ceanothus spinosus
 Ceanothus crassifolius: white/gray  Comarostaphylis
 Ceanothus cuneatus: white/green diversifolia
 Ceanothus megacarpus : white/green  Cornus glabrata
 Crossosoma californicum
 Cercocarpus montanus var. glaber:  Garrya veatchii
ins/green  Mahonia nevinii
 Laurel Sumac (Malosma
 Heteromeles arbutifolia: white/green laurina) ??
 Rhamnus crocea
 Prunus ilicifolia ssp. ilicifolia:  Rhus integrifolia
white/green  Quercus berberidifolia
 Prunus ilicifolia ssp. lyonii: white/green  ? Xylococcus bicolor
© Project SOUND

38. Possible local filler shrubs
Local Ceanothus
Nevin’s Barberry – Mahonia nevinii
Summer Holly Spiny Reberry
Comarostaphylis diversifolia Rhamnus crocea © Project SOUND

39. Western L.A. County Palette: Water Zone 2
• Toyon - Heteromeles arbutifolia
• Wedgeleaf Ceanothus - Ceanothus cuneatus
• Summer Holly - Comarostaphylis diversifolia
© Project SOUND

40. Western L.A. County Palette: Water Zone 2
© Project SOUND

41. What do we still need?
Aesthetics/Human Uses Habitat
 Have
 Have
 Summer flowers
 Winter red berries
 Summer nectar
 Dye/medicinal plant
 Winter fruits
 Winter/spring color –
 Good cover/nest sites
flowers  Fruits: more variety
 Need  Need
 Colored flowers  Seeds
 ? Different foliage  Grass: nests; seeds;
 Mid- and low-growing Skipper habitat
species
© Project SOUND

42. Western L.A. Co. Palette: smaller species
 Other
 Achillea millefolium
 Smaller shrubs
 Artemisia californica
 Amorpha californica var.
californica
 Boykinia rotundifolia
 Brickellia californica  Grindelia stricta var.
platyphylla
 Lycium californicum
 Salvia spathacea
 Ribes aureum
 Solanum wallacei
 Ribes indecorum
 Solidago californica
 Salvia leucophylla
 Tauschia arguta
 Salvia mellifera
 Venegasia carpesioides
 Native grasses
© Project SOUND

43. Zone 2 (local) backbone shrub: Toyon
• Purple Sage - Salvia leucophylla
• Western Yarrow - Achillea millefolia
• Foothill Needlegrass - Nassella lepida
© Project SOUND

44. Zone 2 (local) backbone shrub: Toyon
• Golden Currant - Ribes aureum
• Purple Sage - Salvia leucophylla
• Western Yarrow - Achillea millefolia
• Foothill Needlegrass - Nassella lepida
© Project SOUND

45. We’ve transformed the old (short) hedge
• Golden Currant: colored flowers/edible berries/contrasting foliage
• Purple Sage : scented foliage (herb) /colored flowers/nectar/seeds/
gray foliage
• Western Yarrow: flowers/beneficial insects/seeds/medicinal
© Project SOUND

46. Placing smaller shrubs/other small plants
 Plants nearest to the large
shrubs should overlap the
large shrubs – 1 ft overlap –
you will prune these as if
they are an extension of the
large shrubs
 Plants further from the large
shrubs can be spaced further
apart or overlapped –
depends on the plants and
your personal taste
© Project SOUND

47. The hedgerow at
Heritage Creek
Preserve
© Project SOUND

48. Sonoran Desert Palette: Water Zone 1-2 to 2
http://www.shannontech.com/ParkVision/JoshuaTree/JoshuaTree4.html © Project SOUND

49. A little less water (Sonoran Desert Palette)
 Large shrubs  Smaller shrubs
 Abutilon palmeri
 Backbone
 Acalypha californica
 Arctostaphylos pungens
 Encelia farinosa
 Forestiera pubescens var.
 Justicia californica
pubescens
 Sphaeralcea ambigua
 Lycium brevipes
 Simmondsia chinensis
 Other
 Filler  Ericameria nauseosa
 Calliandra eriophylla  Geraea canescens
 Fallugia paradoxa  Mirabilis multiflora vars
glandulosa and pubescens
 Hyptis emoryi
 Nolina bigelovii
 Lycium andersonii
 Penstemon eatonii
 Ornithostaphylos oppositifolia
 Penstemon palmeri
 Prunus andersonii
 Viguiera parishii
© Project SOUND

50. Zone 1-2: Sonoran Desert backbone shrubs
http://www.delange.org/ManzanitaPointleaf/ManzanitaPointleaf.htm
Point-leaf Manzanita Jojoba - Simmondsia chinensis
Arctostaphylos pungens Lycium brevipes
http://www.wildflower.org/gallery/result. http://seedsofsuccess.smugmug.com/keyword/pubescens/1/11
php?id_image=1004 53460478_2UbVe#!i=279467734&k=Y7pqc
Desert Olive - Forestiera pubescens
© Project SOUND

51. *Jojoba – Simmondsia chinensis
© 2003 Monty Rickard © Project SOUND

52. Characteristics of Jojoba depend a bit on
the site  Size:
 3-12 ft tall (usually 6-10 ft)
 6-10 ft wide
 Growth form:
 Large woody shrub or small tree
(larger forms in wetter sites)
 Many branches; dense –
provides good cover
 Foliage:
 Thick, leathery gray-green leaves
 Evergreen except in severe
drought; deer & rabbits eat it
 Leaves move through day to
minimize sun exposure
 Roots: deep taproots; don’t disturb
© 2005 Michelle Cloud-Hughes
© Project SOUND

53. Jojobas is really  Soils:
drought tolerant  Texture: well-drained; sandy or
rocky best
 pH: any local (6.0-8.0)
 Light:
 Full sun to part-shade
 Takes hot exposures
 Water:
 Winter: no flooding, but needs
good soil replenishment
 Summer: best with occasional
water (Zone 1-2 to 2) but can be
treated as Zone 1
 Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils
 Other: use an inorganic mulch
http://www.wildflower.org/gallery/result.php?id_image=3245 (crushed rock; coarse sand)
© Project SOUND

54. Jojoba is gaining popularity as a
water-wise shrub
 Really hardy – great for
places that get little
Remind you a maintenance (street
bit of olive trees! medians; roadsides)
 Can be used as a small tree
http://www.cas.vanderbilt.edu/bioimages/speci
 Makes wonderful water-wise
hedges, screens, windbreaks
es/sich.htm
 Informal – little or no
pruning
 Formal – clipped or hedged
(after seed production)
 Hedgerow foundation plant
© Project SOUND

55. * Desert Olive – Forestiera pubescens var. pubescens
USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
© Project SOUND

56. Desert Olive: large
shrub or small tree?
 Size:
 10-15+ ft tall; mod. long-lived
 12-15 ft wide
 Growth form:
 Woody shrub/tree; lovely gray
USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database bark ; moderate growth rate
 Somewhat mounded shape –
reminds me of Laurel Sumac –
but may be almost vine-like
 Densely branched, some thorny;
hard wood (used for tools)
 Foliage:
 Winter deciduous
 Bright green/gray-green leaves
– yellow color in fall
http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=FOPUP
http://www.cnr.vt.edu/DENDRO/dendrology/syllabus2/factsheet.cfm?ID=739
 Roots: naturally clump-forming
© Project SOUND

57. Desert Olive is very
undemanding
 Soils:
 Texture: any, but well-drained best
 pH: any local (6.0-8.0)
 Light: full sun to part-shade;
 Water:
 Winter: needs enough for ground-
water replenishment
 Summer: regular water first year;
then Zone 1-2 to 2
 Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils
 Other: tolerates heat, high winds,
moderate soil salinity
http://www.swcoloradowildflowers.com/Yellow%20Enlarged%20Photo © Project SOUND
%20Pages/forestiera%20pubescens.htm

58. Flowers are reminiscent of Forsythia
 Blooms:
 Spring: usually Feb/Mar. in
western L.A. County – depends on
http://www.coopext.colostate.edu/4DMG/Trees/Shrubs/mexpriv.htm night temperatures
 Often flowers before plants leaf
out – like Forsythia
 Flowers:
 Tiny and rudimentary, but lots of
them
 Clustered along branches – quite
showy & sweet-scented (like all
olives)
 Important nectar source for
nectar insects (mostly native bees
& butterflies)
© Project SOUND
http://www.swcoloradowildflowers.com/Yellow%20Enlarged%20Photo%20Pages/forestiera%20pubescens.htm

59. Desert Olive is a true olive
 Family: Oleaceae (Olive Family)
 trees or shrubs comprising about 30 genera
and 600 species
 Many members of the family are
economically significant.
Includes: Forestiera &
http://www.swcoloradowildflowers.com/Yellow%20Enlarged%20Photo
%20Pages/forestiera%20pubescens.htm 
 The olive (Olea europaea) - important for
fruit and oil
 The ashes (Fraxinus) - tough wood
 Forsythia, lilacs (Syringa), jasmines
(Jasmonium), privets (Ligustrum), are valued
as ornamental plants
 Important habitat plants: food, shelter
& nesting sites (pollinator insects; larval
food for Hairstreaks, Sphinx Moth;
many birds & animals eat fruit and
utilize shelter)
http://tree-species.blogspot.com/2007/11/olive-tree.html  The ‘olives’ of Forestiera may sometime be
an important source of olive oil.
European Olive - Olea Europaea
© Project SOUND

60. Can be pruned and
shaped, even hedged
 Can be sheared to a
reasonable hedge
 Mix with other species in
mixed hedge or hedgerow
http://www.coopext.colostate.edu/4DMG/Trees/Shrubs/mexpriv.htm
 Very adaptable and
useful – could probably
even be espaliered
 Limit water to provide
better shape
© Project SOUND
http://flickr.com/photos/eastbaywilds/2640329338/in/set-72157605994561368/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/eastbaywilds/2973733432/

61. * Baja Desert-thorn – Lycium brevipes
© 2002 Charles E. Jones
© Project SOUND

62. * Baja Desert-thorn – Lycium brevipes
 s Channel Islands, western Sonoran
Desert
 CA and NW Mexico
 Coastal bluffs, canyons, below 2000’
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?7625,7636,7639
© 2010 Aaron Schusteff
© Project SOUND

63. Baja Desert-thorn: typical Lycium
 Size:
 8-12 ft tall
 8-12 ft wide
 Growth form:
 Large, woody shrub
 Mounded, densely branching
(good for hedges)
© 2010 Aaron Schusteff
 Stout thorns
 Gray-brown bark
 Foliage:
 Small, rounded leaves
 Succulent, pale green
 Evergreen or drought
deciduous
© Project SOUND

64. Sweet little flowers
 Blooms: in spring; usually Mar-
May in our area
 Flowers:
 Masses of small, white to
© 2010 Neal Kramer purplish flowers
 Sweet and old-fashioned
 May be almost hidden by
leaves
 Attract bees, butterflies
and hummingbirds
 Fruits:
 Like tiny tomatoes
 Abundant and showy
© Project SOUND

65. Uses for fruits
 Decorative – plant is very
pretty when fruiting
 Birds love the fruits – you’ll
know when they’re ripe
 Human uses:
http://ag.arizona.edu/pima/gardening/aridplants/Lycium_brevipes.html
 Dried
 Fresh, as a snack
 Cooked for tomato-like
sauces
© Project SOUND
http://www.abdnha.org/pages/03flora/family/solanaceae/lycium_brevipes.htm

66. Plant Requirements  Soils:
 Texture: any well-drained
 pH: any local
 Light:
 Full sun
 Fine with reflected heat
 Water:
 Winter: be sure it gets good
winter moisture
 Summer: best with occasional
water – Zone 1-2 to 2 will
keep it green
 Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils
 Other: inorganic mulch (gravel;
DG; crushed rock; etc.)
© Project SOUND

67. Lyciums: good in
water-wise gardens
 For tall hedges, hedgerows and
screens: semi-formal to informal
(can be pruned to shape; even
hedge-trimmed)
 Pruned up as a small tree
http://ag.arizona.edu/pima/gardening/aridplants/Lycium_brevipes.html  Good shrub for attracting wide
range of wildlife:
 Nectar
 Fruits
 Dense cover, nesting sites
© Project SOUND
http://www.desertmuseumdigitallibrary.org/public/detail.php?id=ASDM08603

68. How do our backbone shrubs stack up?
Pointleaf Manzanita
Arctostaphylos pungens
Desert Olive - Forestiera pubescens
 Flowers: yellow; spring; sweet
 Flowers: white; early spring
 Fruits: edible olives (need M/F)
 Fruits: edible berries; pretty
 Other:
 Other: medicinal; dye
 Aesthetic: attractive shape,
 Aesthetic: attractive form,
bark; pretty big
foliage; ?? Mixed with others
 Hedge characteristics: informal
 Hedge characteristics: informal,
to semi-formal
semi-formal
 Habitat: very important habitat
 Habitat: bird – hummingbirds,
for wide range of insect and
fruit, cover, nest sites
bird species © Project SOUND

69. How do our backbone shrubs stack up?
Baja Desert-thorn - Lycium brevipes Jojoba - Simmondsia chinensis
 Flowers: small, purple - spring  Flowers: insig./ insects
 Fruits: edible, tomato-like (small)  Fruits: not really showy; edible
 Other: edible berries  Other: medicinal
 Aesthetic: striking berries; a bit  Aesthetic: nice color and shape –
informal looking like an shrubby olive tree
 Hedge characteristics: best left  Hedge characteristics: excellent
semi-formal for berries – formal to informal
 Habitat: excellent for insects,  Habitat: excellent for insects,
fruit/insect-eating birds birds, small animals
© Project SOUND

70. Zone 1-2 (Sonoran) backbone shrub: Jojoba
• Jojoba – Simmondsia chinensis
• Baja Desert-thorn - Lycium brevipes
© Project SOUND

71. What do we still need?
Aesthetics/Human Uses Habitat
 Have  Have
 Summer berries – red  Cover/nesting sites
 Edible fruits  Summer fruits/fall nuts
 Need  Spring nectar plants
 Spring/summer flower color
 Need
 Scented flowers/foliage
 Seeds
 More edibles
 More larval food sources
 More foliage variability (butterflies & moths)
 Mid- to low height range  More nectar/pollen sources
© Project SOUND

72. Zone 1-2: Sonoran Desert native filler shrubs
http://www.unce.unr.edu/programs/sites/nemo/lid/plantlist/plantdetails.asp?
ID=38 http://wolf.mind.net/swsbm/Images/New10-2003.html
Prunus andersonii Lycium andersonii
© 1998 Larry Blakely
http://www.andydownunder.com/nature_profiles?id=129
Hyptis emoryi
© Project SOUND

73. Zone 1-2: Sonoran Desert filler shrubs
Pink Fairyduster – Calliandra eriophylla Apache Plume - Fallugia paradoxa
© Project SOUND

74. *Desert Lavender – Hyptis emoryi
© 2004 James M. Andre
© Project SOUND

75. Desert Lavender is
a woody shrub
 Size:
 3-8+ ft tall
 3-8+ ft wide
 Growth form:
 In nature (with little water) a
compact, branching upright
shrub
 Drought-deciduous to evergreen
 Gray bark
 Slow growth (with little water
 Foliage:
 White-green to gray green; hairy
 Simple leaves; lavender scent
when crushed or after rain
http://www.fireflyforest.com/flowers/violets/violet10.html © Project SOUND

76. Desert Lavender is a
 Soils:
typical desert shrub  Texture: must be well-
drained; sandy or rocky
 pH: any local
 Light:
 Full sun needed for dense
foliage
 Tolerates reflected heat –
good for very hot place in
garden
 Water:
 Once established, give
occasional water (Zone 1-2)
 Withhold water in late
summer/fall
 Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils
http://caornamentalnativeplants.org/desert_lavender.jpg © Project SOUND

77. Flowers are dainty
 Blooms: off and on throughout
the year, but most heavily in
spring
 Flowers:
 Tiny; in clusters
 Lavender to purple; typical
shape for Mint family
 Scented of lavender
 A bee, butterfly &
hummingbird magnet!!
 Seeds: small; plant in spring –
no treatment
© 2004 James M. Andre
http://www.delange.org/Lavender/Lavender.htm © Project SOUND

78. Desert Lavender is popular with desert gardeners
 As an attractive accent shrub
near patios and walks
 In a habitat garden; try it as an
informal or sheared hedge
 As a delightful addition to the
‘Evening Garden’ – color & scent
make it attractive day & night
http://www.delange.org/Lavender/Lavender.htm
© Project SOUND
http://www.mswn.com/Plant%20Info%20Sheets/Hyptis%20emoryi.pdf

79. Desert Lavender is important for desert
peoples – to this day
 Dried foliage used to make a calming tea,
season foods
 Infusions of flowers and leaves used for
inflammatory and infectious conditions
 A poultice of crushed leaves makes an
antibacterial dressing for wounds
 ‘Fragrant natural cleansing bar, with the
healing qualities of Desert Lavender (Hyptis
emoryi) and organic jojoba oil extracted
from the seeds of Simmondsia—both native
to the desert Southwest--partner here
with the best French lavender essence to
achieve moisturizing aromatherapy as you
http://www.flordemayoarts.com/pages/soapinfolavender.html bathe.’
 Dried foliage has been used instead of
mothballs - fragrance is said to repel moths
© Project SOUND

80. Zone 1-2 (Sonoran) backbone shrub: Jojoba
• Jojoba – Simmondsia chinensis
• Baja Desert-thorn – Lycium brevipes
• Desert Lavender – Hyptis emoryi
© Project SOUND

81. * Apache Plume – Fallugia paradoxa
© Project SOUND

82. * Apache Plume – Fallugia paradoxa
 Desert uplands from 3,500 to 7,500
feet
 Throughout all four south-western
deserts -- Mojave, Chihuahuan,
Great Basin, and Sonoran
 In CA, Joshua Tree Woodland,
Pinyon-Juniper Woodland
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?6677,6721,6722
 Fallugia is a monotypic genus of
shrub containing the single species
Fallugia paradoxa
 Introduced into cultivation in
California by Theodore Payne; Avail
even through Monrovia Nursery
© 2009 Lee Dittmann © Project SOUND

83. Apache Plume: medium-large desert shrub
 Size:
 4-8+ ft tall
 5-10+ ft wide
 Growth form:
 Semi-evergreen to evergreen
– depends on water
 Mounded form; many shrubby
G.A. Cooper @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database slender branches – good cover
for birds, etc.
 Shreddy gray-brown bark
 Foliage:
 Small, deeply-lobed leaves
 ‘fine textured’ appearance –
looks good with other shrubs
 Roots: spreads by root suckering
Patrick J. Alexander @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database with abundant waterProject SOUND
©
© 2007 Jason E. Willand

84. Flowers and seeds are
very showy
 Blooms: in spring – April-June in
our area
 Flowers:
 Give a good clue that this plant
is in the Rose family
 2 inch pure white flowers like a
wild rose – ooh la la
 Like a rose, attracts many
insects (butterflies, bees, etc.)
 Seeds:
© 2010 James M. Andre  Have fluffy tails – very showy
on the plant
 Fade from pink to gold as they
mature
© Project SOUND

85.  Soils:
Another desert wash plant  Texture: likes a well-drained
soil, but pretty adaptable
 pH: any local
 Light: full sun to part-shade –
perfect for hedgerow
 Water:
 Winter: supplement if needed
 Summer: likes occasional
© 2009 Lee Dittmann
summer water, but very
drought tolerant when
established – Water Zone 1-2
to 2 (about once a month)
 Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils
 Other: inorganic mulch or very
thin organic
© 2006 Heath McAllister
© Project SOUND

86. Managing Apache
Plume
 Prune in late fall/winter
 Prune to shape & promote
blooms (blooms on new growth)
http://desertedge.blogspot.com/2011/06/plant-trinity-abq-to-el-paso.html
 Selective deep pruning of old
branches (3 years or older)
 Shortening of younger ones
(up to ½ of length)
 Hedge pruning/tip pruning in
summer – makes it neater, too
 Prune to rejuvenate
 Cut oldest woody stems to the
ground to rejuvenate
© Project SOUND

87. Gardeners are discovering
Apache Plume
 As an accent plant in desert-
themed gardens for beauty &
habitat value
 As a foundation shrub
 In informal hedges/hedgerows
© 2002 Gary A. Monroe
 In very hot, dry situations (parking
lots; roadways)
http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/fallugia-paradoxa
© 2003 Charles E. Jones http://www.nazflora.org/Fallugia_paradoxa.htm © Project SOUND

88. * Pink Fairy Duster – Calliandra eriophylla
http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=CAER
© Project SOUND

89. * Pink Fairy Duster – Calliandra eriophylla
 Sonoran Desert from CA & Baja to
W. Texas
 Dry, gravelly slopes & mesas ; often
in beds of intermittent streams,
bajadas, washes, etc. - rocky, sandy
 In Spanish, Cabeza de angel refers
to an angel's head or angel's hair
http://www.graniteseed.com/seeds/seed.php?id=Calliandra_eriophylla
http://www.saguaro-juniper.com/i_and_i/flowers/fairy_duster/fairy_duster.html
© Project SOUND
http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=CAER

90. Pink Fairyduster is a nice sized accent shrub
 Size:
 3-5+ ft tall (depends on water)
 4-6+ ft wide
 Growth form:
 Woody shrub
 Mounded/upright to sprawling;
can grow around existing
http://www.public.asu.edu/~camartin/plants/Plant%20html%20files/calliandraeriophylla.html
shrubs
 Light-colored bark
 Foliage:
 Bright to medium green
 Binnately pinnate – small pinna
(like Acacia)
 Roots: nitrogen-fixing bacteria;
rhizomatous – will slowly spread
© 2005 Dr. Amadej Trnkoczy
http://www.fourdir.com/p_fairy_duster.htm © Project SOUND

91. A plant of desert washes  Soils:
 Texture: loves sandy/rocky soils
but fine in any well-drained
 pH: any local
 Light:
 Full sun for best flowering
 Will take light shade
 Water:
 Winter: needs adequate
 Summer:
 Best looking with occasional
water (Zone 1-2 or 2) but
very drought tolerant
 Some water in Aug.
 Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils;
inorganic mulch
Glenn and Martha Vargas © California Academy of Sciences © Project SOUND

92. Showy accent plant
 As a foundation plant
 A water-wise accent shrub
 As an informal hedge – or for
erosion control on slopes
 Even in large containers
 Consider for Asian or Desert-
http://www.flickr.com/photos/36517976@N06/4307505066/ themed gardens
© Project SOUND
http://ag.arizona.edu/pima/gardening/aridplants/Calliandra_eriophylla.html

93. Shaping Fairydusters
 Have a good natural shape – can
leave as is
 Tip-prune during growing season
to produce fuller shrub
 Lightly prune to shape in late
spring
http://www.flickr.com/photos/36517976@N06/4307505066/
http://www.elnativogrowers.com/Photographs_page/caleri.htm SOUND
© Project
http://www.avondale.watersavingplants.com/eplant.php?plantnum=1346&return=b_aC

94. Placing Sonoran Desert Palette plants:
observe desert wash patterns
 Notable patterns:
 Masses of plants contrast other
plant masses
 Color
http://www.biology.ed.ac.uk/archive/jdeacon/desbiome/sonoran.htm
 Evergreen vs. deciduous
 Simplicity
 Spacing to conserve water
© Project SOUND
http://localism.com/az/phoenix/sonoran_foothills

95. Zone 1-2 (Sonoran) backbone shrub: Jojoba
• Jojoba – Simmondsia chinensis
• Baja Desert-thorn – Lycium brevipes
• Desert Lavender – Hyptis emoryi
• Apache Plume – Fallugia paradoxa
• Pink Fairyduster – Calliandra eriophylla
© Project SOUND

96. Zone 1-2 (Sonoran) backbone shrub: Jojoba
• Jojoba – Simmondsia chinensis
• Baja Desert-thorn – Lycium brevipes
• Desert Lavender – Hyptis emoryi
• Apache Plume – Fallugia paradoxa
• Pink Fairyduster – Calliandra eriophylla
© Project SOUND

97. But maybe pink isn’t your thing…
• Jojoba – Simmondsia chinensis
• Baja Desert-thorn – Lycium brevipes
• Desert Lavender – Hyptis emoryi
© Project SOUND

98. Zone 1-2: Sonoran Desert filler plants: lots of
choices
 Smaller shrubs
 Indian Mallow - Abutilon palmeri
 California Copperleaf -Acalypha californica
 Desert Encelia - Encelia farinosa
 Rabbitbush - Ericameria nauseosa
 Chuparosa - Justicia californica
 Desert Mallow - Sphaeralcea ambigua
 Other
 Coues’/Desert Senna – Cassia covesii
 Geraea canescens
 Mirabilis multiflora vars glandulosa and
pubescens
 Nolina bigelovii
 Penstemon eatonii
 Penstemon palmeri © Project SOUND

99. * Chuparosa – Justicia californica
© 2010 Neal Kramer
© Project SOUND

100. * Chuparosa – Justicia californica
 Sonoran/ Western Colorado Desert plant:
CA, AZ & N. Mexico
 Dry, sandy or rocky soils, washes from
1000-4000 ft elevation
 Introduced into cultivation in California by
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_cpn.pl?JUCA8 Theodore Payne.
 AKA: Beloperone; Hummingbird Bush
http://agentmary.wordpress.com/category/california-sights/
Charles Webber © California Academy of Sciences © Project SOUND

101. Chuparosa: takes some time to establish
 Size:
 3-6 ft tall
 4-8+ ft wide
 Growth form:
 Mounded sub-shrub from a
woody base
http://www.solano.watersavingplants.com/eplant.php?plantnum=2065&return=l8_p2  Stems green, becoming
gray/hairy
 Takes 4-5 years to ‘fill out’
 Foliage:
 Bright green succulent leaves in
spring
 Cold & drought deciduous –
usually leafless most of the year
in nature
© 2002 Charles E. Jones
© Project SOUND

102.  Blooms:
Flowers are superb  Main bloom in spring : usually
Mar-May in western L.A. county
 Blooms off and on through fall
with rains/irrigation
 Flowers: hummingbird flowers
 Tubular, red (may be orange or
even yellow)
 Lots of them along the stems
 Attract hummingbirds like
magnets – let the battles begin!
 Sparrows bite off the flowers
and eat the nectar-filled bases
 Flowers edible: raw or cooked –
taste ‘cucumber-like’
 Seeds:
 No pre-treatment needed to
© 2010 Neal Kramer
grow from seed
© Project SOUND

103. Plant Requirements  Soils:
 Texture: well-drained/sandy
soils best, but tolerant
 pH: any local
 Light:
 Full sun; if using in a hedgerow,
plant on the south of west-
facing side
 Water:
 Winter: supplement if needed;
don’t over-water clays
 Summer: likes occasional water –
Zone 1-2 to 2 (will become very
large with more water)
 Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils
 Other: inorganic mulch best
J. E.(Jed) and Bonnie McClellan © California Academy of Sciences
© Project SOUND

104. Chuparosa in the garden
 Often used as a showy specimen plant
in desert-themed gardens
 A must for hummingbird gardens
 As a filler plant in a low-water
hedgerow
 In large pots/containers
© Project SOUND

105. Justicia californica 'Tecate Gold'
 Color variants exist in nature
 The ‘gold’ variants are basically
like the standard red-flowered
species, but with yellow flowers
 Look for more variants in the
future
© Project SOUND
http://www.huntingtonbotanical.org/WhatsInBloom/april07/Page4.html

106. A timeline for S. CA Garden Hedgerows
 Year 1
 Plant large shrubs (backbone & filler
shrubs)
 Plant cover species: grasses, annuals,
herbaceous groundcovers
 Weed, weed, weed
 Selective pruning: health; fullness in
fast-growing species
 Year 2-4
 Replace large shrubs if needed
 Add smaller species as hedgerow
size/shape is revealed
 Weed, weed
 Prune for fullness during growth
season © Project SOUND

107. Fillers cover, hide and provide habitat
© Project SOUND

108. *Coues' Cassia – Senna covesii
© 2005 Gene Wagner, RPh.
© Project SOUND

109. *Coues’ Cassia (Desert Senna) – Senna covesii
 Sonoran Desert (San Diego, Imperial, Riverside,
San Bernardino Co.), NV, AZ, N. Mexico
 Dry, sandy desert washes, slopes from 1,000 to
3,500 feet elevation
 Named after Dr. Elliott Coues 1842-1899, noted
ornithologist who was stationed by the U.S.
government at Fort Whipple in 1864, author of
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?
3691,4205,4207
Birds of the Colorado Valley
Robert Potts © California Academy of Sciences http://www.nazflora.org/Senna_covesii.htm
© Project SOUND