Feuilles esthétiques

Good-looking Leaves

"Photographers are the only people who can turn a normal walk into a 45-minute investigation of shadows, walls, puddles, and suspiciously good-looking leaves."  -  Anon

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

En transition

 Les feuilles vertes deviennent brunes

En transition: photo by Cliff Hutson

"Et les feuilles vertes deviennent brunes,

Et elles se flétrissent au gré du vent,

Et elles s'effritent entre tes mains."

- Paul Simon

Lunatique

 Ne crains pas la Faucheuse

We all want to do something worthwhile with the time we have left.

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

Autumnal Equinox - 2025

The First Day Fall - 2025 

Autumn Trilogy Notebooks: photo by Cliff Hutson

The autumnal equinox in 2025 occurs today (September 22) at 2:19 PM EDT (11:19 AM PDT). This marks the official start of fall in the Northern Hemisphere.

I have used a photo of some notebooks by Field Notes as the leaves where I live will not start to turn for several weeks. I wrote about this phenomena some years ago.

This Day in History

A personal reflection in photos:

2005

2006

2009

2010

2015

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

Spring Flowers

 What's Blooming?

Random photos of what has come in to bloom on my patio and in my yard.

All that rain was pretty helpful. 

Note: All photos are my own work (© Cliff Hutson). I dispensed with captions as I thought they would not be useful.

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.

The First Day of Fall - 2020

 Autumnal  Equinox

Farm Truck: photo by Cliff Hutson

The Autumn Equinox for 2020 in Northern Hemisphere was at 6:30 AM (PDT) this morning, marking the astronomical start of the fall season. 

"The Old Farmer's Almanac"  says that another definition of fall is “nights of below-freezing temperatures combined with days of temperatures below 70 degrees Fahrenheit (21°C)”. From here on out, the temperatures begin to drop. I do not know who its target audience is, but that is certainly not the case for us.  But, there are some notable changes.

Night and Day

Changing Leaf: photo by Cliff Hutson

After the Fall equinox, nights become longer than days, bringing us into a period of relative darkness. It is this difference in the amount of sunlight that triggers the changes in foliage for many of our trees and other plants. 

While tradition has it that Indigenous Peoples’ Day weekend is when the color peaks in New England, our best colors do not occur until much later in the season. So, some years the best way to tell that Fall is here is to watch for the return of Pumpkin Spice Latte. But, that came early this year. 

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.

Spring Has Sprung

One of My Favorite Flowers

The calendar says that it is Spring. But, the weather says that it is "late Winter".  One of my favorite California native plants has been showing for a couple of weeks, as it can go either way.

As a naturalist, I like to have a theme in mind when I lead an interpretive walk. I see this as a means of engaging the audience’s interest, as opposed to just wandering around identifying plants until their eyes start to glaze over. One of the themes I use is “does the common name of this plant make sense”.  A favorite plant for this discussion is the Fairy Duster, Calliandra eriophylla. It takes little imagination to see that the fluffy pink blossoms do resemble feather dusters scaled down to fairy size, assuming we are thinking of Tinker Bell instead of Titania.

The flowers appear between late winter and late spring. They have dense clusters of pale to deep pink stamens and are about two inches wide. I think that they are quite attractive; and, in fact, Calliandra is derived from the Greek kallos, "beautiful," and andra, "stamen”. The leaves are also interesting being twice pinnately compound with each division bearing five to ten pairs of leaflets.

The plant, also known as False Mesquite, is a densely branched shrub, about two feet tall and twice as wide, native to western North America. A member of the Pea Family (Fabaceae), it belongs to a group of primarily tropical plants that include Acacias and Mimosas. However, Fairy Duster grows in sandy washes and on slopes in the arid desert and grasslands of California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas; and Mexico.

But, to say it occurs in California is a bit misleading as it is found only in the Creosote Brush Scrub community and then seemingly limited to Imperial and San Diego Counties. Due to this geographic circumscription , it is included in the California Native Plant Society Inventory of Rare and Endangered Plants on list 2.3 (rare, threatened, or endangered in California; common elsewhere). In the interest of full disclosure, I would like to point out that one specimen was collected by Dr. Robert F. Thorne (of RSABG) on April 12, 1964, in Riverside County and that there is also a questionable 1881 accession from Kern County. I, myself, first encountered Fairy Duster while hiking in Riverside County. It was on land that was starting to be developed somewhere outside of Palm Springs, so it may not have been a natural occurrence.

Wherever we find it, I think it offers people an opportunity to ask people to look more carefully at nature and by observing this one flower they might go to focus on other aspects of nature rather than passively walk though it.

Matilija Poppy

Romneya coulteri

Romneya coulteri: photo by Cliff Hutson

Matilija Poppy, Romneya coulteri, is a perennial herb that is not only native to California but is endemic (limited) to California alone. It also has the distinction of being having the largest flower of any plant native to the state.  The flowers, up to seven inches in diameter, are said to resemble a fried egg as they are yellow in the center and surrounded by five or six white, crinkled petals. Its tall stems, with grayish-green leaves, may reach between three and eight feet in height.

This rampantly showy species, of the Papaveraceae family, is found in the chaparral and costal sage scrub habits. It should be blooming from May through June in the Peninsular Ranges and the eastern parts of the South Coast Ranges; at elevations of 20 - 1200 meters. Some blossoms may last well in to late Summer. Threatened by both development (urbanization, flood control, road widening, and road maintenance) and invasive species it is included in the CNPS Inventory of Rare and Endangered Plants on list 4.2 (limited distribution).

Matilija Poppy is very popular in native plant gardens. Care must be taken in its placement as it is rhizomatous and very aggressive in spreading itself through underground rootstocks which form additional colonies. It needs sun and tolerates various amounts of watering depending on how well the soil drains.

The scientific name commemorates Romney Robinson, an Irish astronomer of the 1800’s, and Thomas Coulter, an Irish physician, botanist, and explorer. The plant itself was almost honored. It was a nominee in 1890 for the title of state flower but lost to the California poppy ( Eschscholzia californica ) by an apparently considerable margin. However, I would like to demand a recount.

Matilija Poppy: photo by Cliff Hutson

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First Day of Spring

A nice walk

I took a walk through the botanic garden on the first day of Spring. These plants captured my attention.

x Chiranthofremontia lenzii: photo by Cliff Hutson

Manzanita Berries: photo by Cliff Hutson

Berberis aquifolium 'Golden Abundance': photo by Cliff Hutson

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Yerba Mansa

Anemopsis californica

Yerba Mansa: photo by Cliff Hutson

Anemopsis californica, is also known as yerba mansa and lizard tail. Yerba, is Spanish for herb. Some say that mansa is the feminine form of the Spanish word manso meaning tame, tranquil or calm. But, as the plant has none of these effects, the best translation is probably “soft herb”. The common name Lizard Tail derives from its family name  - Saururaceae. It is the only member of that family native to California.

What looks like a flower is actually a succession of bracts which sit below a petal-less flower with six stamens and an inconspicuous pistil. 

The plant flourishes in very wet soil or shallow water. Thus, today, it is much used as an excellent plant for water features in home landscaping. It can be planted in the water or along moist edges and will trail down along rock faces or fountain edges. 

However, it may be said that it better known for its medicinal uses.  Native peoples from the coastal Chumash to the desert Shoshone have used yerba mansa as an anesthetic and antiseptic for a very long time. Its dried roots, ground into a powder, are used to relieve sore throats Yerba mansa is used as an antimicrobial, an antibacterial, and to treat vaginal candidiasis. It has been used to treat colds, coughs, asthma, kidney problems, and venereal disease.

NOTE: This article is an examination of traditional medicinal use of a plant. It is intended for cultural and environmental education purposes only, and should not be taken as medical advice.

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California Dodder

California Dodder: photo by Cliff Hutson

The astute reader of this blog may recall that I am a Nature Interpreter at Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden (RSABG) and lead tours for school children and adults. It was also my pleasure to have written the “Plant of the Month” article for “Oak Notes”, an in-house newsletter, for four years.

One of the sites I refer to, among the usual suspects such as Wikipedia and CNPS, when writing about a plant is maintained by the Consortium of California Herbaria  which provides information about California vascular plant specimens that are housed in participant herbaria. One can search on just about any plant and obtain a list of accessions from around the state.

California Dodder (Cuscuta californica), hits close to home as it has records dating from 1897 to 2009 for specimens found in and around Claremont. Two of these are housed in the RSABG herbarium. One was collected from the Bernard Field Station, just to the east. The other was found along Thompson Creek where I often see the plant.

Cuscuta californica, also called Chaparral Dodder, is an annual parasitic herb or vine that is native to California. It is also found outside of California, but is confined to western North America. Dodder is readily identified by its threadlike, hairless, yellow, orange, or red shoots which twine around host plants eventually creating a tangled mat. One notable feature is that it does not usually have roots that reach the ground. Instead, knoblike organs along the shoot (haustoria) penetrate the host stem. Shoots either lack leaves or have very tiny red, yellow, or orange scalelike leaves pressed close to the stem. It tends to bloom from May through October. The white flowers are tiny, only about 3 to 6 millimeters wide. The fruits are even smaller.

Dodder once had its own family, but it is now consigned to CONVOLVULACEAE, the Morning Glory Family. The epithet Cuscuta seemingly comes from Cuscu'ta a name of Arabic derivation meaning "dodder”. The common name, Chaparral Dodder, tips us to one of its habitats. It is also found through out the state in many other plant communities such as forests and grasslands. And, of course, “the City of Trees and PhDs”.

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