California Native Plant Week #6

Joshua Tree

Joshua Tree Forest: photo by Cliff Hutson

While I am hesitant to once again write about a plant and perhaps draw too much attention to one of our over-pressured national parks, this tree is one of California's most iconic species.  

The park is named for the Joshua trees (Yucca brevifolia) native to the Mojave Desert, but it does occur outside those boundaries. And, sadly, some say that in the not too distant future it may no longer grow there.  

California Native Plant Week Takes a Different Turn This Year

A thoughtful essay from CNPS:  Native plants can offer hope, fun, and healthy distraction during stay-at-home orders.

Another way to connect with nature:  Birds

"Millions of people who aren’t frontline workers in the COVID-19 pandemic are adjusting to a new routine that means staying home — or close to it. Many are seeking solace outside."

But, wait, there's more!

There are plenty of other fun activities easy to enjoy while maintaining safe social distancing.

Reading Log: November 2018

Beneath the Peaks: photo by Cliff Hutson

“Beneath the peaks, white bands of fog clung to the contours of rock.” 

 -  The Feral Detective

The books I finished reading in November 2018

November 2018 Books: photo by Cliff Hutson

“Dark Sacred Night,” Michael Connelly

“The Feral Detective,” Jonathan Lethem

“Yosemite Fall,” Scott Graham

“The President is Missing,” Bill Clinton and James Patterson

“Crime Partners,” Donald Goines

Mt. Whitney - 55th Anniversary

“Climb the mountains and get their good tidings.” 
― John Muir, The Mountains of California

Mt. Whitney Summit - 1962

This past weekend marks the fifty-fifth anniversary of my summiting Mt. Whitney, with Loncy, my oldest brother. It was his idea that we should do this to celebrate my sixteenth birthday.

Neither of us had ever backpacked prior to this. Although, he had done a stint in the army, so he had some experience with bivouacking. Also, we were both in good physical condition - he from his job, and me from my participation on high school sports teams - so we gave no thought to training.The whole trip was put together in a couple of weeks.

We obtained most of our equipment from the Army Navy surplus store at the Sunset Junction (which still seems to be there in some iteration, imagine that). The main purchases were knapsacks, Army canteens - which included a cup which could be used for cooking, and a foldable Stereo stove on which to cook. Loncy also bought a sleeping bag. But, I had my Mom make mine out of a wool blanket based on a design from a  card found in a box of Nabisco shredded wheat. Our food supplies were just things from the local market.

I have read that, nowadays, each year 19,000 people now attempt to climb Mt. Whitney from the east. We saw only about 10 - 12 (most of whom were very surprised to see us) over the duration of our trip. We spent one night at Whitney Portal.The next day we hit the trail and hiked to Mirror Lake and overnighted in the open. The follow morning, we summited and walked down to the base camp by late afternoon.

It was a great way to spend a birthday, and a trip that I shall always remember. 

SaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSave

Joshua Tree

Joshua Tree: photo by Cliff Hutson

Yucca brevifolia, the Joshua tree, is a plant native to California; indeed it is the signature plant of the Mojave Desert.  It is also found in western Arizona, southern Nevada, and southwestern Utah.

A member of the “century plant” family, Agavaceae, it is not truly a tree. But, its size - between 15-40 feet in height,with a diameter of 1-3 feet - makes it seem like one.They grow 2 to 3 inches a year, take 50 to 60 years to mature and they can live up to 150 years. One interesting characteristic is that the evergreen leaves live for about a year, then hang on to form a brownish thatch around the branches. Flowers may appear from February to late April.

Each species of yucca has a specific moth that pollinates it. In this case it is the Joshua tree yucca month (Tegeticula synthetica). The moth is the tree’s only pollinator. The tree is the only food the moth’s larvae eat. An example of mutualism; the tree and the month share the task of making more trees and more moths.  

However, these plants face a problem in that the primary disperser of their seeds has not been around for about 11,000 years. The Shasta ground sloth is believed to have played this important role. Clearly the trees are still with us, but it has been proposed that the lack of these sloths helping to spread the seeds to more favorable climates is causing the trees to decline. It has been further suggested that, if climate change continues on its present course, the Joshua tree will eventually no longer grow in its namesake national park. 

Joshua Tree National Park: photo by Cliff Hutson