This lecture was given in April, 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. Perfect Perennials
California Native Perennials for a
Colorful Garden
C.M. Vadheim and T. Drake
CSUDH & Madrona Marsh Preserve
Madrona Marsh Preserve
April 7 & 11, 2012
© Project SOUND

3. So darned many perennials – where to begin?
We’ll be considering CA native herbaceous
perennials in the next few classes
© Project SOUND

4. Our challenge today: the maturing garden
Time to assess what’s missing
© Project SOUND

5. What is a perennial?
 A perennial plant or simply
perennial (Latin per, "through",
annus, "year") is a plant that
lives for more than two years.
The term is often used to
differentiate a plant from
shorter lived annuals and
biennials.
 Technically, perennials include:
 Woody plants
 Sub-shrubs
 Herbaceous perennials
 Bulbs
 Ferns
 Perennial grasses
http://howdone.info/hd-shade-perennial-flowers-for-colorado © Project SOUND

6. Herbaceous
perennials
 Live more than 1 year
 Have soft/succulent above-
ground foliage
 Usually are medium to small
size - < 3-4 ft
 Have a dormant period –
often die back to the
ground during that period
http://www.flickr.com/photos/eastbaywilds/6083877815/
Wild Ginger - Asarum caudatum
© Project SOUND

7. What is the difference between
herbaceous perennials & sub-shrubs?
 Perennial sub-shrubs:
 Part-woody; woody part extends at
least partway up the stem
 Usually don’t die back all the way –
re-sprout from wood
 Often the ‘juicy parts’ are eaten
back in the wilds – but not in our
gardens; that’s why we have to cut
them back ourselves in the fall
 Some S. CA native plants are
difficult to categorize – continuum
between herbaceous & woody
© Project SOUND

8. Herbaceous perennials usually have a
dormant period
 Drought-induced
 Local S. CA herbaceous
perennials like Diplacus
 Plant goes dormant and dies
back in summer
 Cold-induced
 Usually plants from colder
climates than ours – N. CA;
S. CA mountains
What happens when we grow  Plant goes dormant in late
these plants in our local gardens
fall/winter
– and don’t have drought- or
cold-induced dormancy?
© Project SOUND

9. Native herbaceous perennials in S. CA
gardens may be a bit different, but…
© Project SOUND

10. Herbaceous perennials: might enhance
our maturing garden
So, you go to your favorite
source of inspiration …
http://www.thisoldyard.net/tag/books-about-trees/ © Project SOUND

11. …and feel like you fell
down the rabbit hole
© Project SOUND

12. These clearly are not
‘New California
Gardens’…
http://www.redcedargardens.com/class/gardening-with-suzi-30/
http://www.hilltowntreeandgarden.com/portfolio-cottage-garden-goshen-stone-
pathways.html
…but they are sort of
pretty and interesting
© Project SOUND

13. How do we apply the inspiration from
‘non-California’ perennial gardens to our
own gardens?
© Project SOUND

14. Where do herbaceous perennials fit into
the ‘New California Garden’ design?
 The ‘perennial bed’ has been
out of fashion for a while – but
that’s changing (as the new
books suggest)
 The classical perennial bed is
http://www.mjmgardendesign.com/consult2.html
http://www.landscaperesource.com/articles/5-tips-designing-california-
much more suited to colder
native-gardens.htm
climates than ours
 It’s difficult to build an entire
bed/garden around just CA
native perennials – they just
aren’t ‘backbone plants’
© Project SOUND
http://www.gardenvisit.com/garden/salutation_garden

15. Native herbaceous perennials can be
used in several ways in our gardens
 Use them as filler plants
 In a new garden – until the
larger woody plants grow
 In mature gardens – to fill gaps
or ‘difficult’ places
 Use them as ‘fitted plants’
that provide specific
additions to the mature
garden – the plants are
carefully chosen for their
attributes © Project SOUND

16. And that’s where the new books on perennial
gardens can be a source of inspiration
© Project SOUND

17. What can herbaceous perennials bring to
the garden?
 Flower color
 Specific foliage attributes – colors,
shapes, textures
 Sun and (especially) shade tolerance
 Habitat value: particularly food
(nectar, pollen, seeds, even foliage)
 Attractants for beneficial insects
 Food & medicinal plants
 Other: dyes, fiber, scents
© Project SOUND

18. Lessons from the new perennial garden
books (for the New CA Garden)
1. Learn to ‘read the pictures’ –
what is it I like about the
feel of this garden?
2. Try to ‘capture the spirit’
-not duplicate the plants
3. Take the time to choose the
right native plant for the job
4. Choose ‘value added’ native
plants that still capture the
spirit of the image you love
© Project SOUND

19. Our mission: find the perfect perennials
for this shady garden
© Project SOUND

20. http://www.gardenlady.com/favorites_2004.html
http://www.anniesannuals.com/plt_lst/lists/search/lst.srch.asp?
prodid=1055&srch_term=tellima
http://allanbecker-gardenguru.squarespace.com/journal/2012/1/12/plant-a-perennial-
Delicate bloom spikes – succulent leaves
garden-that-flowers-for-eight-months-a-boo.html © Project SOUND

21. Heucheras are only one possibility
© Project SOUND

22. Saxifragaceae - The Saxifrage Family
 ~ 1250 species in 80 genera
 Found worldwide, many from
northern temperate regions.
 Mainly perennial herbs and
shrubs, some evergreen, with only
a few annuals or small trees.
 Includes many common garden
plants;
 Hydrangea
 Astilbe
 Bergenia
 Heuchera
 Escallonia
© Project SOUND

23. * Fringe Cups – Tellima grandiflora
© 2007 Matt Below
© Project SOUND

24. * Fringe Cups – Tellima grandiflora
 Central to N. CA north to
AK, MT, including coastal
areas
 Cool, moist woods & rocky
places below 5000 ft.
 Redwood Forest, Mixed
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_cpn.pl?TEGR2 Evergreen Forest, Yellow
Pine Forest
© Project SOUND
© 2003 Craig Smith

25. Fringe-cups: a woodland plant
 Size:
 1-2 ft tall – flowers to 3 ft
 spreading 2-4 ft wide
 Growth form:
 Herbaceous perennial
 Mounded – like Heuchera
 Foliage:
 basal clump of toothed,
shallowly-lobed, rounded,
hairy, long-stalked, dark green
leaves
 Leaves, twigs, and seeds
inside fleshy berries are all
poisonous if eaten, and
potentially fatal to small child,
© 2004, Ben Legler:
animal
© Project SOUND

26. Flowers are enchanting
 Blooms: spring - usually April-
May in S. Ca
 Flowers:
 Like Heuchera – but fancier;
fringed petals
 Start pale, age dark pink
 Long bloom season – flowers
open in succession
 Sweet fragrance
 Hummingbirds adore them
 Seeds: tiny – like fine pepper
 Vegetative reproduction:
© 2007 Matt Below
spreads by thick underground
rhizomes
© 2007 Neal Kramer © Project SOUND

27.  Soils:
Plant Requirements  Texture: most
 pH: any local, though likes
slightly acidic, well-drained
 Light:
 Light shade to quite shady
 Typical woodland plant
 Water:
 Winter: supplement in dry
spells
 Summer: regular water (Zone
2-3 to 3); older plants may
tolerate Zone 2
 Fertilizer: likes organic soils;
amendments/compost fine
 Other: use organic mulch
© 2008 Steve Matson © Project SOUND

28. Fringe-cups: perennial delight
 Groundcover for shady moist
spots – under pine or
redwood trees
 North-facing exposures
 Mixed beds
http://www.alpinegardensociety.net/competitions/online-
show/2009/view+of+a+grouping+of+Alpine+plants+in+a+garden/606/
 Rain garden or pond edges
http://www.anniesannuals.com/plt_lst/lists/general/lst.gen.asp?prodid=1055
© Project SOUND
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Tellima_grandiflora

29. ‘Forest Frost’
 Has variegated leaves –
otherwise no different
from straight species
http://www.rainyside.com/plant_gallery/perennials/T
ellima_grandifloraForestFrost.html
© Project SOUND
http://www.perennials.com/plants/tellima-grandiflora-forest-frost.html

30. Our mission: find the perfect perennials
for this shady garden
© 2007 Matt Below © Project SOUND

31. Something a little taller, bolder – with
white flowers to brighten the area
http://www.hilltowntreeandgarden.com/portfolio-ashfield.html
http://naturalmidwestgarden.com/archives/1090
Are their any choices that would also attract
butterflies?
© Project SOUND

32. Common Cowparsnip – Heracleum maximum
George G. Hawxhurst © California Academy of Sciences
© Project SOUND

33. Common Cowparsnip – Heracleum maximum
 Throughout continental U.S.
except the Gulf Coast; locally in
the San Bernardino Mtns
 In a variety of habitats
including woodlands, forest
openings, grasslands, and
riparian areas (wet meadows,
stream terraces, alluvial
benches, floodplains, and stream
and lake margins.
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_cpn.pl?HEMA80
© Project SOUND
Charles Webber © California Academy of Sciences

34. The Apiaceae – Carrot Family
 Formerly called Umbelliferae
 Commonly known as carrot or parsley
family
 Mostly aromatic plants with hollow
stems.
 Large (16th largest flowering plant
family) - more than 3,700 species/
434 genera
 Includes many well known plants:
 Angelica
 Anise, caraway, coriander/cilantro,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Apiaceae_Pimpinella_anisum.jpg
cumin, dill, fennel
 Carrot, celery, parsley, parsnip
Many make excellent habitat
plants for home gardens  Hemlock, lovage, Queen Anne's Lace
© Project SOUND

35. Common Parsnip is ‘back of the bed’ big
 Size:
 3-8+ ft tall
 2-4 ft wide
 Growth form:
 Herbaceous perennial; winter
deciduous
 All parts large, robust
 Stems succulent, hollow
 Foliage:
 Medium green
 Leaves very large, coarsely
toothed & lobed – sort of like
Acanthus leaves
 Roots: stout taproot and/or
© 2005 Robert Sivinski
fibrous
© Project SOUND
http://www.alaska-in-pictures.com/twins-exploring-108-pictures.htm

36. Flowers light up
shady areas
 Blooms: spring/summer usually
May-July
 Flowers:
 Small and white
 Sweetly scented – many
butterflies are attracted
 In dense to more open
umbels – like a starburst –
typical of the family
 Seeds:
 Flat, ribbed seeds typical
for the family
 Vegetative reproduction: ??
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Heracleum_lanatum_07269.JPG
© Project SOUND

37.  Soils:
Common Parsnip  Texture: well-drained best – but
Likes water adaptable
 pH: any local except very alkali
 Light:
 Part-shade best
 Takes over with full sun & lots of
water
 Water:
 Winter: supplement in dry years
 Summer: likes moist soil
 Fertilizer: adaptable; does well in
amended soils
 Other: Always wear gloves when cutting,
breaking stems – the juices of all parts
contain a phototoxin that can act on
contact with skin and exposure to
ultraviolet light
Gary A. Monroe @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
© Project SOUND

38. Deadheading  What is deadheading?
Perennials  Removing spent flowers/seed heads after
the plant stops flowering
 Clipthe stalk back to the first set of
healthy leaves below the flower stalk;
leave the clippings as mulch/food
 Why deadhead?
 To make the plant look more attractive
 To prolong the bloom season/encourage a
second bloom season
 For many native perennials, and a few
shrubs, a decent deadheading may be all
the pruning they need! Plants that have a
woody base but produce lots of lush growth
each season, such as Monkeyflowers and
http://www.gapphotos.com/imagedetails.asp?imageno=47016 Penstemon seem to respond especially well to
this technique.
 Must I deadhead? no © Project SOUND

39. Big habitat plant
 Large filler plant in shady areas
 Woodland gardens
 Shady slopes
 Butterfly gardens
 Pond/poolside, other moist areas
http://camissonia.blogspot.com/2011/04/spring-has-spring-despite-schizo.html  Medicinal uses
© 2004, Ben Legler
© Project SOUND

40. Our mission: find the perfect perennials
for this shady garden
© 2007 Matt Below © Project SOUND

41. * CA Lomatium – Lomatium californicum
J. E.(Jed) and Bonnie McClellan © California Academy of Sciences
© Project SOUND

42. * CA Lomatium – Lomatium californicum
 Central & Northern CA from ];
Ventura and Kern Cos to S. OR
 Wooded or brushy slopes to
5500', chaparral and foothill
woodlands
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?329,426,428
© Project SOUND

43. CA Lomatium: shrubby perennial
 Size:
 2-5 ft tall
 4-5 ft wide
 Growth form:
 Herbaceous perennial
 Shrubby-looking; clumped
 Dies back to short
stem/root in drought
 Foliage:
 Usually blue-green
 Looks like celery – and smells
like it too!
 Larval food – Anise
Swallowtail
 Roots: taproot stout, thickened
© 1998 Dean Wm. Taylor © Project SOUND

44. Flowers are pretty
 Blooms: spring-summer; usually
May-July
 Flowers:
 Typical for the carrot family
© 2007 Matt Below
 Many, small yellow flowers
 In a rather open umbel
 Flowers attract a wide range
of insect pollinators,
including butterflies
 Seeds:
 Flat, winged seed – typical of
Carrot family
 If growing from seed, rinse
several times in water –
takes several days
© Project SOUND
© 2009 Vernon Smith

45. Plant Requirements  Soils:
 Texture: any well-drained
 pH: any local
 Light:
 Part-shade; morning sun or
dappled shade best
 Water:
 Winter: adequate
 Summer: let plants dry out
after flowering
 Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils
 Other: cut back almost to
ground in fall (or whenever you
can’t take the dead branches any
more!)
© Project SOUND
© 2010 Jean Pawek

46. Garden uses for
Lomatiums
 Accent plant – dry shade
 In a mixed planting with
grasses, annuals
 In dry parts of the
vegetable/medicinal garden
© Br. Alfred Brousseau, Saint Mary's College
http://www.baynatives.com/plants/Lomatium-californicum/ http://jay.timetotrack.com/ccal/lomatca2.htm © Project SOUND

47. Lomatiums:  Spring leaves, stems and roots eaten
raw or cooked as greens
useful plants
 Leaves used as seasoning :
 Pick it before it blooms for a more
even, mellow flavor, or during or after
the bloom for a stronger flavor.
 Shade dry it in a warm spot with good
ventilation, turning the leaves over
every day or two. The flavor resembles
celery.
 Medicinal
 Root chewed for sore throat; dried
root smoked or decoction of roots
taken for colds – makes at least 4
compounds with antibacterial action
 Used as poultice for rheumatism
http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/faculty/carr/ofp/lom_cal.htm
Native CA hunters chewed plant  Ceremonial uses
to conceal their scent when
hunting
© Project SOUND

48. We’ll introduce some other great habitat
perennials in the next few months
Angelica hendersonii
Lomatium utriculatum
© Project SOUND

49. In another part of our shady backyard…
© Project SOUND
http://knechts.net/weblog/post/270/

50. * California Hemp – Hoita macrostachya
© 2009 Lynn Watson
© Project SOUND

51. * California Hemp – Hoita macrostachya
 Western CA (except Great
Central Valley)
 Locally Long Beach, LA River,
Santa Monicas, San Gabriels
 Wetland-riparian between 0
and 5000 feet; in many plant
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_cpn.pl?HOMA4 communities (Yellow Pine
Forest, Foothill Woodland,
Chaparral, Valley Grassland,
Coastal Prairie)
 ho-IT-tay – Maidu name for
this genus
 AKA: Psoralea
© Project SOUND
© 1994 Lee Dittmann

52. Characteristics of CA Hemp
 Size:
 4-6 ft tall
 4-6 ft wide
 Growth form:
 Herbaceous perennial
 Erect to sprawling
 Looks like a large shrub, but
dies back in fall
 Foliage:
 Medium to blue-green
 Leaves compound (3-part),
sparse on stems
 Roots: nitrogen-fixing (nodules)
© 2012 Aaron Arthur
© Project SOUND
http://sbwildflowers.wordpress.com/wildflowers/fabaceae/hoita/hoita-macrostachya/

53. Flowers are fantastic
 Blooms: spring/summer usually
May-July in S. CA
 Flowers:
 On a club-like stalk that
elongates
 Flowers pea-like
 Color is lovely: shades of
purple/pink/magenta
 Beautiful contrasts – flowers
& foliage
 Seeds:
 Bean-like
 In hairy, pea-like pods
© 2003 Michael Charters
© Project SOUND

54. Plant Requirements  Soils:
 Texture: just about any
 pH: any local
 Light:
 Best in light- to part-shade
 Water:
 Winter: fine with flooding;
supplement if needed
 Summer: regular water (Water
Zone 2-3); taper off after
blooming
 Fertilizer: not picky; likes poor
soils but OK with some fertilizer,
amendments
 Other: cut off old, dead branches
in late fall
© Project SOUND
http://www.researchlearningcenter.org/bloom/mobile/species/Hoita_macrostachya.htm

55. Garden uses for
 As a soil stabilizer along a
sunny stream, in a marsh or at
the ponds edge.
 As an accent plant for shady
parts of garden
© 2009 Lynn Watson © 2003 Michael Charters
 Plant near or around trees
such as alder, sycamore, box
elder, and dogwood for a
woodland garden retreat
 Practical uses: roots
 Fibers
 Yellow dye
 Eaten (raw or cooked)
 Pulverized for salve/poultice
for sores, skin ulcers
© Project SOUND

56. Fall/Winter tasks: native herbaceous
perennials
In general, these plants are

low maintenance: properly
placed they come back year
after year
 Many need cutting
back/removing dead
material in fall/winter
 Be sure you know which
perennials need to be
handled with care:
 Toxicities
 Rashes/allergies
© Project SOUND

57. Why do the perennials
produce such interesting
chemicals?
 Plants in the genus Hoita produce
furanocoumarins;
 These substances can cause a
serious photosensitive rash in
some people
 Precautions
 Wear gloves, long sleeves
 Be careful not to get plant juices
on skin – wash off immediately if
you do with soap & water
 Always wash skin and clothes
after pruning
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hoita_macrostachya_(PSo
ralea_macrostachya)_Edwards's_Bot._Reg._21.1769.1836.jpg
© Project SOUND

58. Now a little something low to fill in…
© Project SOUND

59. Native Honeysuckles make good
groundcovers (as well as vines) for shade
© Project SOUND

60. * Orange Honeysuckle - Lonicera ciliosa
© Project SOUND

61. We could use Woodmints (Stachys spp.)
© Project SOUND

62. Now a little something low to fill in…
© Project SOUND
http://www.northcoastgardening.com/2012/01/perennial-plant-2012-jack-frost-brunnera/

63. * Creeping Leather-root – Hoita orbicularis
© 1995 Lee Dittmann
© Project SOUND

64. * Creeping Leather-root – Hoita orbicularis
 California Floristic Province
(except Great Central Valley) S.
to Baja
 Locally: very occasionally in San
Gabriels – more common in San
Bernardino Mtns
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_IJM.pl?tid=28327
 Many plant communities including
Yellow Pine Forest, Foothill
Woodland, Chaparral, Valley
Grassland up to 4-5000‘ ft
elevation
 In moist places: meadows, stream
sides, moist hillsides, pond edges,
seeps
http://jay.timetotrack.com/socal/lethrc.htm © Project SOUND

65. The flowers &
leaves give it away
 Proud member of the Pea
Family - Fabaceae
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hoita_orbicularis_(Psoralea_orb
icularis)_Edwards%27s_Bot._Reg._23._1971._1837..jpg © Project SOUND

66. Creeping Leather-root: it creeps (of course)
 Size:
 < 1 ft tall
 1-3 ft wide
 Growth form:
 Herbaceous perennial
 Winter-dormant
 Prostrate habit
 Foliage:
 Leaves a trefoil – like a giant clover
(2-4” across)
 Edible (young); used to fevers
 Roots: N-fixing (nodules); produce
yellow dye
© 2012 Jean Pawek http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/psoralea-orbicularis
© Project SOUND

67. Flowers:clover on steroids
 Blooms: spring - usually May-
June in western L.A. county
 Flowers:
 On long spikes – up to 2-3
ft long; flowers open up
sequentially
 Each of the many flowers is
up to 1” long, pea-like, and
generally a shade of light
to medium purple in color.
 Very showy for a ground-
cover – like the Woodmints
 Seeds: in a small, hairy pea-like
pod
© 2011 Barry Breckling © Project SOUND

68. Easy plant in the  Soils:
 Texture: most
right place  pH: any local except > 8.0
 Light:
 Part-sun to shade
 Good under trees or N-facing
exposures
 Water:
 Winter: fine with extra winter
water
 Summer: regular water keeps it
looking best: Zone 2 to 3
 Fertilizer: not picky; OK with a
little fertilizer, compost, organic
mulch
 Other: cut back old (dead/dying)
foliage in fall
© 2011 Barry Breckling © Project SOUND

69. Creeping Leather-root works
well in shade gardens
 As a groundcover – alone or mixed
 In rain gardens, infiltration swales
 In pots and planters (incl. ‘mini-bogs’)
 On slopes
 Shady areas in a butterfly garden
 Edges of vegetable or medicinal
garden
© 2011 Barry Breckling
© 2012 Jean Pawek © Project SOUND
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Hoitaorbicularis.jpg
http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/psoralea-orbicularis

70. And that’s not all…
© Project SOUND

71. Round leaved boykinia – Boykinia rotundifolia
© 2011 Neal Kramer
© Project SOUND

72. Round leaved boykinia – Boykinia rotundifolia
 endemic to southern California,
where it grows in shady forested
areas near streams in the
mountains
 Locally: Santa Monica Mtns
(Malibu Cyn); more common in San
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?7088,7093,7096 Gabriels
 Boykinia:
 Dr. Samuel Boykin (1786-1848), an
eminent field botanist - did the
majority of his collecting in
Georgia.
 He was one of the many collectors
who sent significant numbers of
plant samples to John Torrey and
Asa Gray
© 2008 Thomas Stoughton
© Project SOUND

73. Boykinia: woodsy & drapey  Size:
 1-2 ft tall
 1-2 ft wide
 Growth form:
 Herbaceous perennial
 Upright or vine-like –
depends on the conditions
 Evergreen with water
 Spreads via underground
stems (rhizomes)
 Foliage:
 Medium green ; may be hairy
 Leaves rounded, irregularly
toothed – spread out along
stems
 Roots: fibrous
© 2003 Michael Charters
© Project SOUND
© 2008 Thomas Stoughton

74. Flowers are curious
 Blooms: late spring/summer;
usually May-July in our gardens
 Flowers:
 Very tiny – plant where you
be able to see them
 White
 In dense ‘sprays’ along the
long (to 5 ft), thin flowering
stalks
 Would make an interesting
© 2011 Robert A. Hamilton addition to floral
arrangement
 Seeds:
 Many, small seeds in rounded
capsule
© Project SOUND
© 2011 Neal Kramer http://www.crug-farm.co.uk/Content/Plants/Boykinia(Saxifragaceae).htm

75. S. CA Woodlands  Soils:
 Texture: just about any; well-
drained best
 pH: any local
 Light:
 Part-shade to fairly shady
 Flowers best in dappled sun or
bright shade, under trees
 Water:
 Winter: supplement is needed
 Summer: likes regular water –
Zone 2-3 or 3
 Fertilizer: not too particular; fine
with humus and light fertilizer
 Other: use an organic mulch
© 2003 Michael Charters
© Project SOUND

76. Boykinia in the garden
 As an accent plant in shady areas,
around ponds/pools
 Massed as an evergreen
groundcover; woodsy look that
fine under trees, near lawns
 As an interesting pot plant on
shady porches
© 2005 Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
http://www.researchlearningcenter.org/bloom/species/Bo
http://plants.ritchiefeed.com/NetPS-Engine.asp? ykinia_rotundifolia.htm © Project SOUND
CCID=31090003&page=pdp&PID=8366

77. One more bit of inspiration: compound leaves
© Project SOUND
http://brahma-canopy.blog.hr/2011/10/1629568372/perennial-shade-gardens-perennial-shade.html

78. * Redwood Sorrel – Oxalis oregana
Robert Potts © California Academy of Sciences
© Project SOUND

79. The Oxalidaceae: the Wood Sorrel family
 Small family of eight genera
 Herbaceous plants, shrubs and
small trees
 The great majority of the 900
species in the genus Oxalis (wood
sorrels).
 Members of this family typically
have:
 Divided leaves
 Leaflets showing "sleep
movements", spreading open in light
and closing in darkness.
© Project SOUND

80. The genus Oxalis contains
some real bad boys
 Two members of the Oxalis genus in
particular have given it a bad name.
 O. pes-caprae, known by the common
Oxalis pes-caprae name Bermuda buttercup (even though
it comes from South Africa) is known
to take over a garden. When
pioneering California botanist Lester
Roundtree was asked how to deal with
O. pre-caprae, she replied, "You move.“
 O. corniculata - creeping woodsorrel,
also called Procumbent Yellow-sorrel
or Sleeping Beauty, is a somewhat
delicate-appearing, low-growing Oxalis
that has become a weed world-wide
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Oxalis_corniculata
Oxalis corniculata
© Project SOUND

81. * Redwood Sorrel – Oxalis oregana
 Central/North coast up to WA
state (coastal and Cascades)
 Moist conifer forests (Redwood
Forest, Douglas-Fir Forest)
between 0 and 3300 feet
 AKA Oregon Oxalis
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?5527,5528,5537
© Project SOUND
http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=OXOR

82. Redwood Sorrel: a sweet little creeper
 Size:
 ~ 1 ft tall
 2-4 ft wide, spreading
 Growth form:
 Herbaceous perennial
 Mounded, spreading
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Oxalis_oregana  Foliage:
 Bright green (may have some white
or burgundy)
 3 heart-shaped leaflets – trefoil
(looks like large 3-leaf clover) – on
long petiole (leaf stem)
 Songbirds may eat young leaves
 Roots: spreads moderately via stout
underground stems (rhizomes)
© Project SOUND
© 2009 Neal Kramer

83. Oxalis have a long history of human use
 An edible wild plant in
cuisines around the world
 Leaves/stems:
 Raw or cooked, as greens
 Lightly fermented – for a side
dish
 Dried to make a lemony-tasting
tea
 Fresh or dried as an herb – to
put a little ‘zing’ in dishes
 Tuber:
© Bud Kovalchik:
 Cultivated & eaten like a
potato in the Northern Andes
© Project SOUND

84. Redwood Sorrel is used as a medicinal
 Fresh juice from plant applied to
sore eyes.
 Decoction of whole plant used as a
wash for rheumatism.
 Poultice of plant applied to swollen
areas & sores on the skin and to
draw out infections.
© 2006, Clayton J. Antieau
http://www.boilstreatments.com/poultice-for-boils.html
http://www.cieldazur.fr/gb/argile/utilisation.php © Project SOUND

85. Oxalic acid & other compounds
 Giving the leaves and flowers a sour
taste which can make them refreshing to
chew.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxalis
 In very large amounts, oxalic acid may be
considered slightly toxic, interfering
with proper digestion and kidney
function.
 Oxalic acid is also present in commonly
consumed foods such as spinach,
broccoli, brussel sprouts, grapefruit,
chives, and rhubarb, among many others.
 General scientific consensus seems to be
that the risk of sheer toxicity, actual
poisoning from oxalic acid, in persons
© 2006, Clayton J. Antieau
with normal kidney function is "wildly
unlikely“. © Project SOUND

86. Flowers are wonderful
 Blooms: primarily in spring -
usually April-June in our area
 Flowers:
 Usually translucent pink but
may be white; beautiful
contrast w/ foliage
 Often have rays that are
of contrasting shade
 Medium size - ~1 inch
 5 petals – relatively simple
design
 Seeds:
© 2008 Neal Kramer
 In dry capsule that pops
open, throwing the seeds
© 2003, Tim Hagan
© Project SOUND

87. Fairly easy from seed or divisions
 Soak the soil around the roots
24 hours before digging (if soil is
dry).
Use fresh seed
 Divide Oxalis oregana in fall (as
the winter rainy season begins)
or in late winter or early spring
© 2011 Zoya Akulova
(when new shoots/leaves appear).
 Lift the Oxalis roots from the
soil. Gently pull the roots apart
into clumps containing three to
five new growth shoots
 Replant the divisions in the
garden. Soak the area to settle
the soil.
© Project SOUND
http://www.baynatives.com/plants/Oxalis-oregana/

88. Redwood Sorrel is a  Soils:
woodland plant  Texture: most are fine
 pH: any local except > 8.0
 Light:
 Part-shade to shade
 Naturally grows under trees
 Water:
 Winter: supplement in dry,
windy periods
 Summer: like a moist soil –
© Br. Alfred Brousseau, Saint Mary's College Water Zone 2-3 or 3
 Fertilizer: likes a richer soil
Use an organic mulch – leaf than many natives; fine with
litter or leaf mulch is ideal added humus, compost, light
fertilizer
© Project SOUND

89. Woodsy groundcover
 Great in shady spots under
trees – pines, junipers, etc. -
with Lilies, Fringecups & Iris
 Does great in pots & planters
 Around shady fountains,
birdbaths, other moist areas
© Project SOUND
http://agardenerinprogress.blogspot.com/2009/05/path-in-spring.html http://www.calfloranursery.com/plants/oxalis-oregana

90. Oxalis oregana 'Select Pink’, ‘Tilden
Pink’, ‘Smith River white’
 Natural varieties
chosen for their
flower color
http://www.dunngardens.org/plants/spring/Oxalis_oregana.html
© Project SOUND
http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=OXOR

91. Our challenge today: the maturing garden
Time to assess what’s missing
© Project SOUND

92. …and feel like you fell
down the rabbit hole
© Project SOUND

93. © Project SOUND

94. Our mission: find the perfect perennials
for this shady garden – made a good start
© 2007 Matt Below © Project SOUND

95. Lessons from the new perennial garden
books (for the New CA Garden)
1. Learn to ‘read the pictures’ –
what is it I like about the
feel of this garden?
2. Try to ‘capture the spirit’
not duplicate the plants
3. Take the time to choose the
right native plant for the job
4. Choose ‘value added’ native
plants that still capture the
spirit of the image you love
© Project SOUND

96. So, visit the spring plant sales
Some great plants for your water garden –
now’s the time to plant
Wild Mint – Mentha arvensis
© Project SOUND

97. And get out & get inspired: it’s spring!
http://www.californianativeflora.com/garden-blog/7th-annual-theodore-payne-native-plant-garden-tour-april-10th-and-11th/
© Project SOUND