Cape Honeysuckle

An Interesting Development

 

Cape honeysuckle is native to southern Africa but grows, like a weed, in my California backyard. 

All writing and images ©Cliff Hutson unless expressly noted. Do not use without permission.

California Native Plant Week

 An eight day week!

Coast Live Oak: photo by Cliff Hutson

Once again it is California Native Week. This year it runs from April 13 to April 20. That is eight days, perhaps inspired by the Beatles' song. Anyway, in 2010, the California legislature designated the third week of April to be California Native Plant week, so this is the perfect time to take a moment to appreciate the beauty and diversity of California’s native flora. 

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Monkey Flower: photo by Cliff Hutson

I was just recently asked what was my favorite native California plant. That is a very hard choice that I found hard to limit to just one. But, to narrow it down, my favorite tree would be the Coast Live Oak (see up top).

Tidy Tips: photo by Cliff Hutson

There is a draw for favorite wildflower between Monkey Flower (Mimulus) and Tidy Tips. The former because it was the plant that led to my 26 year stint as a "nature interpreter" at a botanic garden. [A long story best left for another time.] The latter  because a photograph I took of one was published as my first (and so far only) magazine cover. I consider that to be the high water mark of nearly a lifetime spent as a photographer. 

But, catch me during another week and I might have different answers.

California Native Plant Week - 2022

 California Native Plant Week

California Poppy: photo by Cliff Hutson

California Native Plant Week began last Saturday, April 16, and will run through April 23rd. 

California is the most biologically and geographically diverse state in the United States. This makes for a large and diverse native flora. Southern California, the region that I am most familiar with, encompasses about 2,200 species of native vascular plants. (I have written about a few.) That is about half the flora occurring anywhere in the state, just to you some idea of what nature has in store.

No matter where you are,  check out what the California Native Plant Society is offering in celebration of this week. 

Five Spot: photo by Cliff Hutson

Earth Day

Earth Day is this coming Friday, April 22.  I would recommend observing it by going out and looking for native plants. But, here are some other suggested activities.

Hoary-leaved Ceanothus

Hoary-leaved Ceanothus

Hoary-leaved Ceanothus: photo by Cliff Hutson

hoary |ˈhôrē|

adjective ( hoarier , hoariest )

1 grayish-white : hoary cobwebs.

• (of a person) having gray or white hair; aged : a hoary old fellow with a face of white stubble.

• [ attrib. ] used in names of animals and plants covered with whitish fur or short hairs, e.g., hoary bat, hoary cress.

A Hoary Leaf: photo by Cliff Hutson

 

There are at least 52 species of ceanothus in the world. California is home to 43 species, sometimes known as California lilac, and 13 of these are native to the chaparral of Southern California. The dominant species in our local, lower-elevation, Santa Monica Mountains is Bigpod Ceanothus, Ceanothus megacarpus. However, at higher elevations it is replaced  Ceanothus crassifolius, Hoary-leaved Ceanothus. 

Plants in the genus Ceanothus are divided in to two groups - the subgenus Ceanothus and the subgenus Cerastes. The later is actually the larger group. But, I think that most of us, thanks to its showy displays, are more familiar with the former which is characterized by thin leaves that have three main veins, arrayed alternately on the stems. The leaves of Cerastes are leathery with a single main vein, and generally opposite in arrangement. 

A member of the Buckthorn family (Rhamnaceae) it is a large, evergreen shrub which may grow to twelve feet in height.  The leathery olive green leaves have white fuzzy undersides, which makes them hoary. The field guides I use describe the leaves as being “small”, which seemed a bit vague.  An internet gardening catalog stated they they are 1/4­ to 1/2" long. However, I took some measurements on a specimen at Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden and found them to be closer to 1-1 1/2”. Which reminds me of the old taunt - “Who are going to believe, the facts or your lying eyes?” The small (truly about a quarter of an inch), rounded flowers are white with the inflorescences borne on short stalks.

Hoary-leaved Ceanothus is distributed through the Outer South Coast Range, Transverse Range, Peninsular Range, and Northern Baja on dry ridges or slopes below 3700'. Which is to say locally we can find it in the Verdugo, San Gabriel, Santa Monica and San Bernardino Mountains.

National Pollinator Week 2020

The birds and the invertebrates

Ant: photo by Cliff Hutson

June 22-28, 2020 is National Pollinator Week.   It is an annual celebration of the many animals that move pollen to help plants make fruit or seeds.

While it is probably safe to say that most people readily identify honey bees as pollinators, many other creatures are also crucial to the lifecycle of plants.  It should not be a surprise that butterflies  and moths are among the usual suspects.  (Ants should probably be excluded, but I like my opening photograph so I am including it anyway.)

Butterfly Bush: photo by Cliff Hutson

Another thing that I find amusing is that much of the literature maintains that flower shape dictates the pollinators for a plant. Which is to say that flat flowers attract butterflies, cup shaped flowers bees, and tubular flowers humming birds. However, as I used to joke with my students, the animals do not read those papers. 

To wit, I can present bees  that are thinking outside of the box or perhaps they just have a rebellious nature.

Bee on California Sunflower; photo by Cliff Hutson

Bee & Camellia: photo by Cliff Hutson

Nevada Mining Bee: photo by Cliff Hutson

While Ladybugs are noted for eating aphids and other plant destroying pests, it seems that help in pollination as well.

Ladybug: photo by Cliff Hutson

Finally, this butterfly seems to be going by the book.

Painted Lady Butterfly: photo by Cliff Hutson

Pollinators are essential to our environment. The ecological service they provide is necessary for the reproduction of over 85% of the world’s flowering plants, including more than two-thirds of the world’s crop species.  

Here are some ways that we can help them to carry on:

• Grow a variety of bee-friendly flowers that bloom from spring through fall.
• Protect and provide bee nests and caterpillar host plants.
• Avoid using pesticides, especially insecticides.

California Native Plant Week #9

A 9 Day Week

"Eight days a week
Is not enough to show I care"

- The Beatles

An eight day week was not enough for The Beatles, and apparently not for California Native Plant Week as well. So, here we are with my last plant for this year.

x Chiranthofremontia lenzii

x Chiranthofremontia lenzii: photo by Cliff Hutson

X Chiranthofremontia lenzii (hybrid monkey hand tree) is a large bush that is a hybrid between Mexico's Chiranthodendron pentadactylon and California's Fremontia californicum. It has a glorious yellow/orange blooms. The distinctive flowers appear in late spring and early summer; the stamens are long, curve upward, and give the distinct impression of a clawed hand or paw.

The nothogeneric name is derived from the two generic names using "Chir- antho" (hand, anther) and "Fremont" portions of the parental generic names. The species epithet honors Dr. Lee Wayne Lenz, Director Emeritus of Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden, who made many native hybrids, including Fremontodendron 'California Glory,' 'Pacific Sunset,' and 'San Gabriel'.

Hybrid Monkey Hand Tree: photo by Cliff Hutson

Earth Day Again

I was in grad school when the very first Earth Day happened.  The campus was alive with the sound of music and many well attended events. Obviously, this year's 50th anniversary observance has to be very different. The Union of Concerned Scientists has planned a three-day event called Earth Day Live.

What Is Earth Day Live? Find out here.