California Native Plant Society
Orange
County Chapter
March/April
2010
California Native Plant Society
Orange
County Chapter
March/April
2010
Location, Time, Contact Golden West College; Tuesday & Thursday, 10 – 1; Dan Songster, 949-768-0431 Fullerton Arboretum; any day, 8:30-12; Chris Barnhill Irvine Open Space; irvineranchwildlands.org Bolsa Chica; 3rd Saturday; 714-846-1114 Upper Newport Back Bay; 4th Saturday; contact Matt Yurko murko@coastal .ca.gov Orange County River Park; Tuesdays 10 – 1; call 714-393-3976 Chapter meetings are held at the Duck Club in Irvine on the
third Thursday of the month, September through June. Directions
to the Duck Club: Driving south
on the 405,
exit on Jamboree, turn right. Left on Michelson to 3rd
signal. Right on Riparian View. Pass the IRWD water treatment
plant. Follow signs to Audubon House and the Duck Club. Driving
north on the 405,
exit on Culver and turn left. At the second signal, Michelson,
turn right. Continue on Michelson to third signal, Riparian View,
turn left toward the IRWD treatment plant and follow signs to The Duck
Club. [Thomas Guide to Orange County, page 859 J-7] |
CHAPTER MEETINGSThursday,
March 18, 2010--Restoration,
Past and Future at the Bolsa Chica Mesa* 6:45 PM doors
open 7:15 PM
Planting Natives feature and Plant ID 7:30 PM Main Program: Kim Kolpin, Director, Bolsa Chica Stewards Focusing on the Mesa portion of the Reserve, Kim will give an overview of the history of Bolsa Chica, the issues and circumstances that have resulted from the property's former uses and the restoration plan currently being designed, which will involve the establishment of multiple habitats with help from the community. Kim will discuss the future nursery design and the challenges faced by the project. The presentation will include historical photos, maps, current photos and conceptual design drawings. For more information on Bolsa Chica and the restoration plans that Kim will present to us in person, please see the article on page 4, another in the chapter’s “Orange County is Special” series. Kim Kolpin is one of the founding members and director of the Bolsa Chica Stewards, the restoration team of the Bolsa Chica Land Trust. For eleven of the past fourteen years of the organization's history, Mrs. Kolpin has led all of the group's activities. As director, she and landscape architect Guy Stivers are currently designing the Lower Bench restoration project for the Bolsa Chica Mesa. Mrs. Kolpin is also actively engaged in other Bolsa Chica Land Trust projects and issues. As a result of her work at Bolsa Chica, Mrs. Kolpin began a California native plant garden design firm in spring of 2008. Sage Landscape Designs now brings drought tolerant native gardens to homeowners in Southern California. She lives with her husband and three children in Huntington Beach. *This talk was
postponed from January 21 when IRWD closed the road in to the Duck Club
due to potential flooding. newsletters | home | contents Thursday, April 15, 2010—Wildflower Hotspots of Orange County 6:45 PM: Doors open 7:15 PM: Planting
Natives feature and Plant ID 7:30 PM Main Program: Bob Allen Our county may be known for Disneyland, shopping malls and freeways, but thankfully we also have some of the loveliest wildflower spots in southern California! With these rains what a year this should! Let’s get away from it all and take a tour of some of Orange County’s wildflower hotspots (some popular and some more “secret”) to see what is in bloom. And who better to lead us on this virtual field trip than Bob Allen who has spent countless hours documenting and photographing our local flora! Whatever you’re level of interest and knowledge, with Bob we always learn something new. Throw in that special dash of Bob Allen humor and it will be an enjoyable night for all. Bob Allen is a nature photographer, author, instructor, and consulting
biologist. Raised in San Juan Capistrano, he studied insects from a
very early age. In high school, he was introduced to plants, became
hooked, and bought his first copy of Philip Munz’s Flora
of Southern California at age 15. He is currently preparing his
eagerly awaited second book, A Field Guide to Wildflowers
of Orange County and the Santa Ana Mountains. |
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One of the most important ways that CNPS attracts new enthusiasts is through native plant gardening. Many people are introduced to our native ecosystems through living daily with the beautiful plants that call California home. In December, I was in attendance at the quarterly chapter council meeting, and during a discussion about our mission statement, one after another CNPS leaders from all over the state described how they came to their native plant interest through native gardens. To support native plant gardening efforts, dedicated volunteers and staff at CNPS have revamped the state website to gather information and links about the subject. On the main “cnps.org” webpage, you will find the “Growing Natives” subject in the top menu bar, along with other important CNPS program areas such as “Conservation”, “Education”, “Rare Plant Science”, etc. Here, experienced and potential new gardeners may access articles about habitat gardening, links to hummingbird and butterfly gardening tips, locations to buy and view native plant collections, school garden information, and much more. The newest feature, just introduced at the end of February, is the “Growing Natives Blog”. Contributing authors from around the state are posting short features about all aspects of native gardening, and you are encouraged to visit and to share your own insights through comments. The internet is such an important communications tool, and we are fortunate to have a staff in Sacramento that continues to move forward with important content and continuous updates. Your financial support of CNPS, including your membership, is contributing to these efforts every day. The state horticulture committee, including Orange County board members Nancy Heuler, Dan Songster (and myself), is working on the website and many other projects. If sharing native plant gardening is an interest of yours, there are many fun opportunities at both the state and local level to get involved. Please talk with any board member about your interests. Locally, on May 8, 2010, the Orange County chapter will host a Garden Tour featuring a dozen gardens. What a great opportunity we will have to see what local people are doing to successfully garden with native plants and to bring new friends for ideas and fun. Sarah Jayne, Brad Jenkins, and Jennifer Mabley are organizing the effort. You can help by volunteering a few hours in one of the gardens as host, spreading the word about the garden tour to your neighbors and friends, and coming out to the gardens. Thanks to all of you who have agreed to host tours at your homes. You made an important statement in support of native plants by joining CNPS. Your fees for membership in CNPS go directly to the state organization. Someday, with growing membership, other sponsorship and your important support, we will have a statewide director of the horticulture program on staff to direct our continuing efforts towards introducing new members to California natives. —Laura Camp, President |
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This column offers chapter members a chance
to briefly share information on many things related to gardening with
natives. The question for this issue was; “What Tool do
you find most useful in your garden?” (Include information on where
hard-to-find implements might be purchased.) The answers are arranged as received and may be edited for
space. Christiane Shannon—The tool that I find most useful in my garden is a small
shovel. The handle is 18 inches long, the blade 8 inches high by 6
inches wide. I find it perfect for working in tight places, e.g.
between established plants and on my knees, which is a common position
for me because it allows me to save my back. I had bought it at the
Home Depot, quite a few years ago. It has been well used in my garden. Thea
Gavin—My favorite garden tool
often shoots rocks at me as it tries to swallow my arm; nevertheless,
this gas-powered relic from 1995 makes it possible for me to recycle 99
percent of what some folks call “green waste.” It may be green, but
it’s not waste—it’s the key ingredient of the compost I make to mulch
and/or feed the soil that grows my natives and veggies. I have a
complicated relationship with my loud and dangerous shredder, but it
beats the alternative—chopping up all my yard’s leaves, clippings and
branches with a machete. (This stuff is much too valuable to put in a
bin and let someone else have.) Greg Rubin—Long handled shears: you can dead-head just about anything without bending over (too much). Sarah Jayne-A recent discovery—a really cheap knee pad for weeding. Any trash-size plastic bag will do. Kneel on it with open end toward the area to be weeded. Put weeds into the open end. Every now and then, stand up (knees need that!) and shake weeds down into the bottom of the bag. The more you weed, the softer your knee pad gets! This works best for small weeds that require close-up attention such as grasses lurking among wild strawberry. Lili Singer—My
favorite garden tool is my right hand. The left is pretty good, too. Carol Bornstein—I can't help it, but my answer is—my eyes. Alan Lindsay—I call my favorite tool a mulcher, but I think it's sold as a chipper. It does a good job on leaves and branches up to one inch. The manufacturer, McCulloch, says inch and a half but that is pushing it. (It is rated at 14 amps and cost $200 at Lowe's). I bought the last one they had for the season about 3 years ago. It clogs easily if over loaded but I am very happy with the mulch it produces which I spread for drying before moving to where it is needed. Birds and lizards love to forage in it, wet or dry. It's probably paid for itself by not having to buy the pine bark I was buying for mulch. Ron Vanderhoff—Currently my favorite is a good shuffle hoe, sometimes also called a “hula-hoe”. I planted a California meadow recently and until it fills in, weed control is a major chore. This kind of a hoe has a blade at the end that does a really good job chopping off weeds before they get too big, a twice a week chore right now. Celia Kutcher—My favorite garden tool is a kama, a Japanese-style sickle w/ fine teeth. A few swipes with one easily trims bunchgrasses (of which I have lots) back to 3" or so during fall cleanup. Works well on other fine-textured plants too. Orange County Farm Supply, in Orange, carries them; local hardware/garden stores may have them too. Dori Ito—My
favorite tool is the often unheralded and taken-for granted common
garden leaf rake. For gathering, tidying up and putting a garden in
order I can't think of a better tool (that doesn't require earplugs). Dan Songster—Two things come instantly to mind. First are the Felco #2 Pruners. Whatever I am doing in the garden I often have a pair of these either in my scabbard or incorrectly placed in my rear pocket. Whether removing an odd branch here or there, tipping back small shrubs, incidental dead heading, or doing serious pruning on a shrub or small tree, these pruners make the cleanest cuts, require the least pressure, and its parts, even it’s cutting blade, are replaceable. They cost much more than cheapies at warehouse stores, but they are simply the best—a pleasure to work with—and they last ‘forever.’ Orange County Farm Supply carries them as do a number of better nurseries. Second, I must at least mention that useful and well-written book California Native Plants for the Garden by Carol Bornstein, David Fross, and Bart O’Brien. I have gone through it again and again and always find something new to help the garden! Next
Newsletter’s Question: “What native plant is your favorite for habitat,
and which birds, bugs, and/or butterflies does it attract?” Email your
responses to Dan Songster. Songster@cox.net
and please remember to keep replies brief so we can include most of the
responses! |
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CEQA
ENDANGERED: CNPS has joined
with conservation organizations statewide to strongly oppose proposed
legislation that would immunize at least 125 “favored” projects from
CEQA enforcement. (See http://www.pcl.org/projects/ceqa.html)
The bills and
their sponsors are: §
ABx8
37 (Calderon (D) &
Nestande (R)) §
AB
1805 (Calderon (D) &
Nestande (R)) §
SBx8
42 (Correa (D) & Cogdill
(R)) §
SB
1010 (Correa (D) &
Cogdill (R)) Descriptions of the bills are at http://ct2k2.capitoltrack.com/report.asp?rptid=U27790. The four bills are aimed to create the CEQA Litigation Protection Pilot Program. The proponents’ stated purpose is to expedite an increase in both jobs and investment throughout California during a great recession. The language of all four bills is the same, with regular and fast-tracked versions heading through both the Assembly and the Senate. However, as pointed out during the Feb. 24 debate on SBx8 42 by the Senate Committee on Environmental Quality, the relationship between the effect of the bill(s) and actual job creation is limited and anecdotal, if not completely absent. After some candid debate, the Committee pushed the legislative "pause button" on SBx8 42. (See more on the hearing in PCL Insider for Feb. 26.) If any version of these bills passes, selected projects would be granted judicial immunity long before any environmental review is done. This means that California citizens would have no means to enforce CEQA’s environmental review process in court for any of the projects—no matter their size or their impact on native flora and fauna, or on people's lives. ACTION NOW: Tell your State
Assemblyman and Senator that CEQA must not be bypassed in the name of
short-term economic solutions, or for any other cause. Find your
legislators at http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/yourleg.html.
SAVE OUR STATE PARKS INITIATIVE: A drive is underway to gather signatures to qualify the State Parks and Wildlife Conservation Trust Fund Act (aka the State Park Access Pass) for the November ballot. See calparks.org/takeaction/. The initiative would create an $18 vehicle license fee to fund state parks, and allow California vehicle owners to receive free day use access to all State Parks. The drive is headed by California State Parks Foundation, Sierra Club, and Audubon California; state CNPS is a supporter. ACTION NOW: Contact Save Our State Parks Initiative Orange County Coordinator Elizabeth Lambe, ejlambe@verizon.com, to help gather signatures. NORTHERN OC WATERSHEDS: If you live in northern OC, you have a new opportunity to have input re native plants and habitat restoration. The Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) wants community input as part of its Master Plan analysis of Brea, Carbon Canyon and Fullerton Dams. ACOE recently held a Master Plan Community Workshop to review and recommend appropriate locations for habitat preservation and recreation, as well as provide guidance for future management of ACOE lands. See http://www.ocwatersheds.com/watersheds.asp for maps of the watersheds. ACTION NOW: contact Priyanka Wadhawan, ACOE Lead Planner, (213) 452-3828, to learn how to have input on the habitat restoration associated with these dams. CNPS’ NATIVE PLANTS & FIRE SAFETY POLICY: The final draft of the formal policy will be presented to CNPS’ Chapter Council at its March 13 meeting. If the policy is approved, information on fuel management, fire-safe landscaping and local fire-safe guidelines will be available on CNPS’ hort website in coming months. Contact celia552@cox.net for policy details.
—Celia Kutcher, Conservation Chair |
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Prepare for field trips: Fill your gas tank, wear appropriate clothing and sturdy shoes, bring water, snack or lunch (depending on the length of the trip), hat, and sunscreen. Other suggested equipment: hand lens, note pad, camera, and perhaps a walking stick.There are no fees for nature walks or field trips. Pre-registrate at http://www.occnps.org/. If you have questions, email Rich Schilk, birdguy@naturalista.net. Rain within 24 hours cancels the event.
Nature Walks New this year, our nature walks are designed as an introduction to common plants in our area, and their relationship to the rest of our natural environment. Leaders are members of the California Native Plant Society or sister organizations. Saturday, March 20: San Mateo Marsh, 10:00 AM (postponed from March 6) This fresh-water marsh is a now-rare habitat at the mouth of one of Southern California’s very few remaining free-running watersheds. We will amble around the marsh's perimeter on mostly-level trail (some along the beach), looking at the riparian, estuarine and other vegetation types, as well as early wildflowers. We'll take a snack/lunch break along the way. MEET: 10
AM at junction of Cristianitos Rd. & El Camino Real (old Hwy 101) Directions: Caspers Wilderness Park: 33401 Ortega Hwy, about 7 miles east of San Juan Capistrano; turn left into park from Ortega. We will meet in the entry parking area, caravan to trailhead parking. Restroom at entry & near trailhead. Fee: $5 day-use fee per vehicle if don't have a current OCParks pass. (see http://www.ocparks.com/caspers/) Duration: 2+ hours. Distance: Approximately a mile & mostly level.
Field Trips Trout Journey
I, II, and III with Joel
Robinson, Naturalist for You. Unfortunately,
since the first of these three related outings was canceled due to
rain, the remaining two were also canceled. Perhaps we will be able to
reschedule this for next year. Saturday,
April 10: Irvine Ranch Conservancy Auto Tour, 8:30 am Wildflowers and Arthropods of Orange County
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Upcoming events and workshops at Tree of Life Nursery—Visit www.californianativeplants.com for the latest information
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In an email that he sent us before this outing, Field Trip Leader Tom Chester made a crack about “famous CNPS ‘Parking Lot’ tours, in which the tour group never leaves the area of the parking lot.” Honesty forces us to admit that there was more than a ring of truth to his allegation. Accompanied by members of the Anza Borrego Desert Botanical Society, our field trip could be divided into three legs. After the long drive from Orange County, we began our outing at the first leg, the junction of SR-22 with Fonts Point Wash. This arid expanse of sand, perhaps 100’ wide, serves as the entry point for a stream of 4WD vehicle enthusiasts, eager to begin their arid recreations. Bordering this river of sand were sparse clumps of grayish-green Burrro-Weed, Dyeweed and similar knee-high shrubs. Along with parked vehicles and a few struggling Smoke Trees, that was the extent of the vista that greeted us. True to Tom’s prediction, we never strayed more than about 200’ from our vehicles. Our quest at this location was specialized, and it sparked the curiosity of at least one member of the 4WD set, who approached me as I stooped over “my” Dyeweed. “May I ask you a question?” “Sure!” “I just have to ask; what the heck are all you people doing out here bent over those weeds?” I explained that we were all looking for very, very tiny dead flowers. “That’s all I wanted to know. Thankyouverymuch.” With that, he immediately took off. Tom describes those tiny, dead flowers: “Pilostyles thurberi, Thurber’s stemsucker, has been called Southern California's most unusual wildflower. It is a parasite that is only visible when it produces its tiny blooms, which appear as tiny warts on the stem of its host plant. The human eye can just barely tell an open fresh flower from a dead flower, but a hand lens or macro camera reveals the difference clearly.”
More on Pilostyles from Wayne Armstrong (Wayne’s Word, at http://waynesword.palomar.edu/ploct98.htm): “It is rarely seen because it lives completely embedded within the stems of a small, leguminous desert shrub called Dyeweed (Psorothamnus emoryi). In fact, you could walk right by a dyeweed shrub without ever knowing that a Pilostyles plant is living inside the stems. Once a year, tiny buds appear on the host stem that resemble small reddish pimples; however, unlike a severe case of acne, the "pimples" burst open into minute reddish blossoms about 2-3 millimeters in diameter.” Back to Tom: “The Pilostyles tour went as well as it could, given that none of the darn plants had any fresh blooms. Everyone got to see what Pilostyles looked like. As Rich said, with a smile on his face: ‘We traveled four hours for a 1 mm dead flower??’ (or something like that).” One of the thrills of a desert field trip is the opportunity to enjoy the desert in bloom, and to photograph the masses of colorful Brittlebush, Fleabane, Tidy-Tips, Fairyduster, Lupine, Blazing Star, Apricot Mallow, Cream-Cups and other signature flowers of the region. Actually, we did not see any of those. For the second leg of our field trip, we botanized along the roadside in the Coyote Mountain area. We did see Desert Spanish-Needles (Palafoxia arida) and Chuparosa (Justicia californica) long with various minute flowers with obscure names that were only visible to those of us who were willing (and able) to get down on the ground and peer through a hand lens. We did see two horned lizards, however. Despite its beauty, the desert is a place of menace. Dehydration, hyperthermia, and the danger of getting lost in the trackless wilderness were dangers that we contemplated during the final leg of our field trip. Tom, with his intimate knowledge of the Anza-Borrego region, was able to expertly guide us through this area, appearing to know our exact location at all times.
His basis for choosing this particular location? Tom again: “After we ‘used up’ the [Coyote Mountain] area, a request was made to go to an area with ‘good bathrooms.’” Once that challenging demand was satisfied, “we had a ‘parking lot tour’ at the Visitor Center, until 4 p.m.” My personal favorite there was Pygmyweed (Crassula Connata), a minute, wispy, dead-looking flowering plant that was abundant underfoot. newsletters | home | contents |
Field Trip Report – Caspers Wilderness Park, February 20Laura Camp The night before our scheduled field trip it was pouring rain, but luckily Caspers did not close down their trails, and Sarah Jayne, Rich Schilk, Mary Olander and I ventured out on the East Ridge Trail on a fresh, clean morning. We were soon greeted by beautiful coastal sage scrub and an early Indian Paintbrush, Castilleja sp. Rich and Sarah were confidently identifying butterflies, including Bramble Hairstreak, Sara’s Orangetip and a mating pair of Common Buckeye. We saw Deerweed (Lotus scoparius), just starting to bloom,, a great Clematis plant in full bloom climbing over plants near the path, a single Johnny jump up plant (Viola pedunculata) and Lemonade berry (Rhus integrifolia) and Wild cucumber vine (Marah macrocarpus) in full bloom everywhere. Just as we were about to reach the Quail Run intersection, we reached a meadow full of Shooting stars, Dodecatheon clevelandii. They are a petite flower, and so unusual and striking with the purple/black pointed face of the flower pointed downward and the mostly white (a few light pink) petals shooting up to the sky. At the edge of this meadow we had beautiful views of the red cliffs of Casper’s east ridge in wonderful light, and over the edge of the cliff a huge grouping of California polypody fern, Polypodium californicum. It was also a good birding day, with Cactus Wren calling in the distance and White-throated Swifts flying overhead, and a great day to see a variety of mushrooms while avoiding the mud! When we return to Caspers on March 27th we should expect to see more flowers in peak bloom, and probably more butterflies, too. We know that many of you were deterred by the iffy weather, and we hope you’ll circle your calendar for our next try. This walk is meant to be for beginner and intermediate introduction, and it should be a great spring to bring a friend to see some spectacular wildflowers. Go to Laura’s gallery to see her pictures. |
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eight february poems
by chuck wright Orange County, CA 02-16-10 like a flying saucer
glistening in the sun
poised for take-off
poised for landing mushroom top
shines in the sun walk to barbara’s lake James Dilley Preserve Laguna Coast
Wilderness Park Orange County, CA
02-19-10 lurching from
side
to
side a drunk
a cell phone driver
an exhausted runner nooooooooo
driven
seeking
sara
orange-tip
seeking mate
protecting turf
hardly sipping
barely
resting lurching from
side
to
side THE SARA ORANGE-TIP
Anthocaris sara sara Lucas
Larry J. Orsak, The Butterflies of Orange County,
California road by barbara’s lake James Dilley Preserve Laguna Coast
Wilderness Park Orange County, CA
02-24-10 lumbering along in
mid-morning sun
inch by inch
stop
and rest
hunker
down barely
an inch long
toad/frog
crosses
road o
not a
h p
to be seen toad/frog stops &
rests in mid-morning sun junction of gravel
road & barbara’s lake road James Dilley
Preserve Laguna Coast
Wilderness Park Orange County, CA
02-24-10 bouncing over hill
& dale
ruts from recent rains
jerks & bangs
ups & downs
side to
side
wilderness now
yesterday’s cattle drive
track for early man
deer
coyote bobcat
mountain lion, bunny & like
today’s animal caught on image
not by snare spear
arrow or such
records made of
nature’s fauna
orange county’s preserved open spaces
riding with octrackers
dick newell & don millar irvine ranch
conservancy and laguna coast wilderness |
02-24-10 he’s not your domestic
cat
yet he looks docile
laid back & very cat-like he’s territorial
he knows what’s his what you think of as
yours
was his & his ancestors
since time began you’re his guest
so who’s the intruder admire, respect &
let him be
don’t tempt him with
those cute pets
he sees food
where you see
fondness you need not fear
but you must be smart you are his guest lance,
bob cat, Lynx rufus
territorial cat in your backyard thanks to octrackers
02-24-10 they are waiting for
you
they need you to survive
really they prefer coyote & deer
but pass their way
they’ll hitch a ride
climb high & hide
ignore them & you become their meal TICKS -- ‘tis the
season
proceed with caution
or be a host to more than just a tick deer tick Ixodes
scapularis dog tick Dermacentor
variabilis see Outwitting
Ticks, by Susan Carol Hauser
02-24-10 there’s a flurry in
our backyard
yellow black & white
as well as tannish-grey &
olive green you provide the niger
seed & the
flurry arrives
along with chirps & tweets there’s a flurry
in our backyard
Lesser Goldfinch Carduelis
psaltria American
Goldfinch Carduelis tristis Irvine CA
02-24-10 they’re hitchhikers
you know
not with thumbs
but with claws you can go fast
or slow
not even stop they know you’re
passing your
breath gave you away
they’ve got you quick
questing is their game they’re
hitchhiking
you know
ticks
deer ticks Ixodes
scapularis dog ticks Dermacentor
variabilis |
Crassula connata