This lecture was given in April, 2009 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 - 2009
© Project SOUND

2. Gourmet Seasonings
and Condiments
C.M. Vadheim and T. Drake
CSUDH & Madrona Marsh Preserve
Madrona Marsh Preserve
April 4 & 7, 2009
© Project SOUND

3. Growing your own food: on the upswing?
 Fun
 Educational
 Good exercise
 Interesting looking
plants
 Saves money
 Tasty, fresh
ingredients
 Chance to grow &
use ‘exotic’
ingredients –
http://bloomtown.typepad.com/bloomtown/bloomtown_my_garden/ including CA native
plants
© Project SOUND

4. Not your grandmother’s vegetable garden any more!
© Project SOUND

5. Advantages of including native edible
plants in your garden
 Often easy to grow
 Attract native pollinators as
well as honey bees
 Attract other beneficial
insects (predators)
 Many are water-wise; spend
you ‘water allowance’ on other
vegetables
 Add wonderful ‘exotic’ &
healthy flavors to your diet
© Project SOUND

6. Sand Fringepod – Thysanocarpus curvipes
http://syrpa.lindberglce.com/flowersBig/B106.htm
© Project SOUND

7. Sand Fringepod – Thysanocarpus curvipes
 Western N. America:
Mexico to British Columbia
 Most of CA, including
western L.A. County
 Common to an elevation of
about 5000'
 Slopes, washes, moist
meadows
 Valley grasslands, coastal
sage scrub, chaparral and
foothill woodland
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?2240,2683,2685
 Thysanocarpus: from the
Greek words thusanos,
"fringe," and karpos, "fruit,"
hence "fringed fruit"
© Project SOUND

8. In nature, Sand Fringepod is usually found
with other wildflowers, grasses
 Lindley’s
Silverpuffs
 Goldenrods
 Bicolor Lupine
 CA Poppy
 Creamcups
 Many others…
http://edgehill.net/nature/sierra/pg1pc2 http://tchester.org/srp/plants/pix/fringe_pod.html
© Project SOUND

9. Sand Fringepod – a delicate spring annual
 Size:
 1-2 ft tall
 1-2 ft wide
 Growth form:
 Delicate and upright habit
 May be a single stem or
branched; more branches
with more water
 Generally disappears quickly
with drought
© 2004, Ben Legler  Foliage: larger leaves mostly at
base
© Project SOUND

10. Flowers are tiny
‘mustard’ flowers
 Blooms:
 Spring; usually Mar-May in
W. L.A. Co
 Depends on timing of rains
 Flowers:
 Really tiny - < ¼ inch across
 White tinged with purple
 Flowers open sequentially
‘up the stalk’
 Typical shape for Mustard
family – parts of 4
http://www.researchlearningcenter.com/bloom/species/Thysanocarpus_curvipes.htm © Project SOUND
http://www.calflora.net/bloomingplants/fringepod.html

11. …but the real show
is in the seeds
 Flat round pods; each
contains a single seed
 Each seed fringed with a
lacey edging – hence
‘Fringepod’ or ‘Spectaclepod’
 Ripe seeds are golden tan;
easy to strip from the stalk
into a bowl
 Remember: annual
wildflowers need a drought
period to set & mature their
seeds – the drying period is
key to healthy seeds
© Project SOUND
http://www.calflora.net/bloomingplants/fringepod.html

12. Cleaning seeds
 Collect only fully ripe seeds;
usually brown, and often easy
to strip of shake from plant
 Rub seeds over a rough
surface (like a screen) or roll
between your hands in a cloth
bag
 Separate seeds from chaff:
heavier seeds will fall to
bottom – will have to
experiment
 Then seeds are ready to
store or prepare as a
condiment!
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3062/2416699089_94dab9fd1e.jpg?v=0
© Project SOUND

13. Sand Fringepod: a welcome addition to
the native prairie palette
 Mix with other native
annuals and bunchgrasses
 Great in pots & planters
 Treat them like any other
native annual wildflower:
 Full sun to light shade
 Any local soil is fine
 Need plenty of
winter/spring water;
supplement if needed
 Withhold water after
flowering ceases; can taper
off in mid/late spring
© Project SOUND

14. Can I plant native
wildflowers in my regular
vegetable garden?
 But of course!
 In pots & planters
 In out-of-the way corners
 Amongst winter/spring
vegetables
 In their own place of honor
(Zone 1 in summer)
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3062/2416699089_94dab9fd1e.jpg?v=0
© Project SOUND

15. * Blue Flax –Linum lewisii var. lewisii
© Project SOUND

16. Blue Flax –Linum lewisii var. lewisii
 Found in most of CA
north to OR
 Grows on dry open slopes
and ridges
 The genus Linum contains
all the flax plants
(including the European
one used for commercial
fibers)
 Species name lewisii for
Meriwether Lewis of the
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?4965,4980,4983,4985 Lewis and Clark
expeditions
© Project SOUND

17. http://sagehen.ucnrs.org/Photos/misc.%20credits/al_grigarich/blue-violet/slides/B034.1%20%20Mt.%20Lola%20%20%20Blue%20Flax%20%20Linum%20lewisii.html
 Blue flax only looks delicate – it’s actually a pretty tough
little perennial (but often grown as an annual)
© Project SOUND

18. Blue Flax is a nice addition to the spring-
summer garden
 Size:
 1½ to 2 ft tall; flowering stalks to
3 ft
 1-2 ft wide
 Growth form:
 Short-lived perennial; sometimes
more like an annual
 Mounded clump with upright,
arching branches
 Foliage:
 Gray-green to blue-green
 Leaves are ‘feathery’, delicate
looking
 Looks ‘woodsy’
 Roots: longish tap-root; use a
taller pot
© Project SOUND

19. The flowers are just enchanting….
 Blooms:
 Usually May-Sept. in S. Bay
 Will bloom in second year after starting
from seed
 Long boom period – about 6 weeks
 Flowers:
 Electric blue – difficult to photograph
 Typical flax flower; parts in 5’s
 Dozens of blooms on drooping branches
 Flowers open in sunlight, close at night
 Pollinated by bees and flies
 Nice butterfly plant
 Seeds:
 Small, in papery capsule
 Poisonous eaten raw; cooked seeds add a
delicious taste to baked & cooked dishes
Our native flax is just as pretty as the  Birds eat the seeds
non-native flaxes that most gardeners
plant  Vegetative reproduction:
 Plant sends up more branches each year –
slightly spreading
© Project SOUND

20. Treat Blue Flax like most
of our native annuals
 Soils:
 Texture: light, well-drained soils are best
 pH: any local, including alkali
 Light:
 Usually found in full sun in nature
 Does fine with part-shade
 Water:
 Winter: regular winter water
 Summer:
 Good cold and drought tolerance
 Tolerates anything from no summer water to
regular water; best to withhold water in late
summer for good seed-set
 Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils
 Other:
 Weed control and removal of very competitive
species may improve chance of establishment
Good self-seeder in most gardens;  To maintain tidy appearance, cut plants back
easy to remove unwanted plants after bloom
© Project SOUND

21. Every garden needs a little Blue Flax
 Lovely specimen plant in a pot;
will trail over edges
 Massed in a mixed bed with
other wildflowers & grasses
 In rock gardens
 For erosion control or in a
greenbelt for fire suppression
 In a habitat garden – for bees,
butterflies & seed-eating birds
 Flax provided food, medicines
and fiber for native
Californians
© Project SOUND

22. Parching seeds
 Use a heavy skillet (cast iron is
great)
http://www.texasbeyondhistory.net/granado/images/basket.html  Heat a little oil in the skillet
over low heat; no oil needed for
well-seasoned skillets
 Wipe out all but a thin layer of
the oil
 Pour in a thin layer of fully dry
seeds
 Keep seeds moving so they
http://www.d.umn.edu/cla/faculty/troufs/Buffalo/images/pf021841.jpg don’t burn
 Remove from skillet when
golden brown – some may pop
 You can also parch seeds in
the oven
© Project SOUND

23. http://deborahsmall.wordpress.com/page/3/
© Project SOUND

24. Using parched seeds: limited only by your
imagination
 To add flavor to baked or
cooked items
 Topping for bread
 On bland cooked vegetables
 On casseroles
 As a salad topper
 Etc.
 Ground (alone or with other
http://plants.usda.gov/culturalinfo.html
seeds/spices)
 Pinole
 Mush
 Beverages
 Biscuits & pancakes
 Etc.
http://www.allgauhotel.com/wiki/wiki_turkish_cuisine.html
© Project SOUND

25. Clustered Tarplant – Hemizonia (Deinandra) fasciculata
Gary A. Monroe @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
© Project SOUND

26. Clustered Tarplant – Hemizonia (Deinandra) fasciculata
 CA and Baja
 Dry coastal plains below
1000', coastal grasslands,
vernal pools, disturbed
areas, sage scrub,
southern oak woodland
 Often in sandy or clayey
soils
 Taxonomy –still evolving
http://www.timetotrack.com/jay/dudleyl2.htm
© Project SOUND

27. Characteristics of Clustered Tarplant
 Size:
 1-3 ft tall
 1-3 ft wide
 Growth form:
 Herbaceous annual
 Shrubby habit; many branched
 Foliage:
 Sparse, toothed leaves with
bristly hairs
 Upper leaves narrow, in
bundles
 Aromatic
© 2006 Steven Thorsted
 Produces a tarry substance
© Project SOUND

28. Flowers are a spot of gold in summer/fall
 Blooms:
 Summer/early fall
 Usually May-Sept. in local
lowland areas
 Flowers:
 Yellow sunflower heads
 Few ray & disk flowers –
Southern Tarplant (H. parryi
ssp. australis) has more
 Seem to float above the
twiggy foliage
 Seeds:
 Little ‘sunflower seeds’
 Edible; parched or boiled – but
very small
http://www.sdnhm.org/fieldguide/plants/dein-fas.html
 Re-seed nicely on Project SOUND
©
bare ground

29. Encouraging native wildflowers: Native
California Wisdom
 Many native annuals were
valued as food plants (seed;
greens)
 Native annuals usually
require light, spring
moisture – little competition
 Native practices:
 Scattering seed during
http://www.hazmac.biz/080109/080109DeinandraFasciculata.html
harvest (seed-beating)
 Burning in fall after harvest
 Clearing a ‘garden spot’ near
dwellings to raise commonly
eaten plants
 Weeding
© Project SOUND

30. Flavored vinegars are still quite popular…
http://i.pbase.com/g6/41/768841/2/83826488.7gqVevyu.jpg © Project SOUND

31. You can make your own with native CA plants
© Project SOUND

32. Seasoning marinades & vinegars
 Artemisia californica
 Artemisia dracunculus
 Bladderpod
 Native onions (Allium)
 Peppergrasses
 Salvias
 Even some of the berries/
fruits
Experiment to find the best
combinations. In general, stronger
flavors are best with red wine or rice
vinegars
© Project SOUND

33. California Boxthorn – Lycium californicum
http://www.sci.sdsu.edu/plants/sdpls/plants/Lycium_californicum.html
© Project SOUND

34. California Boxthorn – Lycium californicum
 A local endemic:
 S. CA coast, Channel
Islands into Baja CA
 Western L.A. Co. and south
 Washes and hillsides,
coastal bluffs, coastal
sage scrub, below 1500‘
 In the nightshade family
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?7625,7636,7642 (with the Nightshades,
tomatoes, etc.)
© Project SOUND

35. Right at home on
the bluffs…
 Fine with salty soils,
salt-spray, high winds
& blowing sand
 Habitat is disappearing
– on CNPS ‘rare’ watch
list
© 2004 Michael Charters
© Project SOUND

36. CA Boxthorn:
interesting or homely?
 Size:
 3-6 ft tall (occasionally to
10 or 12 ft tall)
http://www.sci.sdsu.edu/plants/sdpls/plants/Lycium_californicum.html
 4-8 ft wide (occasionally
wider)
 Growth form:
 Dense, woody shrub
 Drought-deciduous
 Ends of branches have
thorns (hence ‘boxthorn’)
 Foliage:
 Small, very succulent leaves
http://www.newportbay.org/plants/califboxthorn.html
© Project SOUND

37. Flowers are slightly
tomato-like
 Blooms: Spring - usually
Mar-June in S. Bay
 Flowers:
 Small; < ½ inch
 Green-white to somewhat
purple tinged
 Look like members of the
nightshade family – yet
unique
http://www.calflora.net/bloomingplants/californiaboxthorn.html
© 2004 Michael Charters © Project SOUND

38. Using the fruit…think
‘tomato’
 Fruits are firm and red when
ripe – usually in summer
 Birds will eat the fruits
 Fruits are not sweet – more
tart
 Fruits can be dried for later
use
 Can be used to make a sauce
that’s somewhat like a
tomato sauce – see recipes
Gerald and Buff Corsi © California Academy of Sciences
http://www.newportbay.org/plants/califboxthorn.html
© Project SOUND

39. Plant Requirements  Soils:
 Texture: any well-drained,
sand to clay, rocky
 pH: any local
 Light:
 Full sun to light shade
 Water:
 Winter: needs winter rains
 Summer:
http://www.newportbay.org/plants/califboxthorn.html
 Very drought tolerant –
but loses leaves
 Best Water Zone 2
CA Boxthorn thrives on seaside
conditions; excellent for sea
 Fertilizer: none; likes poor
bluffs
soils
© Project SOUND

40. CA Boxthorn has a place in some CA
gardens…..
 On seaside slopes
 As a barrier plant or
hedge
 As an unusual – and
rare – specimen plant
 ? as an interesting pot
plant? – I’ll let you
know
© 2004 Michael Charters
© Project SOUND

41. Maybe you really wanted a sweet/tart
sauce….
© Project SOUND

42. Make nice, sweet/tart sauces & jellies
 *Amelanchier alnifolia –
Western Serviceberry
 *Berberis/Mahonia species –
Oregon Grapes
 Opuntia littoralis – Coastal
Pricklypear
 Prunus ilicifolia – Catalina &
Holly-leaf Cherries
 *Prunus virginiana – Western
Chokecherry
 Rosa californica – CA Wild Rose
 Sambuccus cerulea - Blue
(Mexican) Elderberry
 Vitis species – Native Grapes
© Project SOUND

43. Oregon Grape – Mahonia (Berberis) aquifolium
© 2006 Louis-M. Landry
© Project SOUND

44. Oregon Grape – Mahonia (Berberis) aquifolium
 Much of western N.
America: Mexico to
British Columbia
 In CA:
 Mostly N. CA
 Also mountains &
foothills throughout Ca –
locally in San Gabriels
 Slopes, canyons,
coniferous forest, oak
woodland, chaparral
 In the Barberry family
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?Berberis+aquifolium
 State flower of OR
© Project SOUND
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=233500223

45. Oregon Grape: sized for the garden
 Size:
 3-8 ft tall
 3-6 ft wide
 Growth form:
 Evergreen shrub; medium-slow
growth
 Stiff, upright branches; overall
irregular or mounded form
 Foliage:
 Very attractive – leaves ‘holly-like’
 Shiny dark green above; may give
red color in fall/winter
 Overall – coarse texture
 Roots: spreads via rhizomes
© Project SOUND

46. Oregon Grape: not
 Soils:
demanding at all
 Texture: pretty much any
 pH: any local
 Light:
 Best in part-shade; can
take full sun to very shady
 Water:
 Winter: likes water; can
take some flooding
 Summer: best with some
supplemental water – Zone
2 to 2-3 (even 3)
 Fertilizer: likes a good
organic mulch; renew yearly
© Project SOUND

47. Flowers are a cheerful sight
during rainy season
 Blooms: winter/spring
 Usually Feb-Apr in S. Bay
 Blooms for 3-4 weeks
 Flowers:
 Bell-shaped & buttery
yellow
 In dense clusters – very
showy against the darker
leaves
 Honey-like fragrance
 Seeds:
 Relatively large
© Project SOUND

48. Berries are tart but delicious
 Can be eaten directly for
a tasty zing!
 Can be fermented with
sugar to wine
 Make nice, tart jellies –
good with meats
 Boil berries in soup to
add flavor
 Use to make sauces and
marinades for ham, pork,
chicken
© Project SOUND

49. Oregon Grape is a
popular home shrub
 foundation plant
 mass plantings
 shrub border
 mixes well with other broadleaf
evergreens
 useful in shady spots
 desirable for spring bloom, high
quality summer foliage and blue
fruit in fall
 Yellow natural dye from roots &
bark; also dye from berries
 Medicinal uses: roots for
various infectious conditions
© Project SOUND

50. Cultivar ‘Compactum’ (sometimes ‘Compacta’)
 Smaller – 3’ by 3’
 More mounded- bushy
http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ldplants/maaqc1.htm
© Project SOUND
http://www.intermountainnursery.com/demonstration_garden_list.htm

51. You may know that CA Wild Rose hips make a
nice jelly or syrup…
….but there are other members of the Rose family
that are even better known for their tasty fruits
© Project SOUND

52. * Western Serviceberry – Amelanchier alnifolia
© 2007 Matt Below
© Project SOUND

53. * Western Serviceberry – Amelanchier alnifolia
 Mainly a plant of the Pacific
Northwest, the midwest and
western Canada – up to AK
 In CA, mainly in the
http://www.cnr.vt.edu/DENDRO/DENDROL
northwest, but…
OGY/syllabus/factsheet.cfm?ID=193
 Also, in the western San
Gabriel mountains
 Found on forested slopes,
open rocky woods, cliff edges,
prairies, or along side streams
or lakes; also bogs and wet
sites.
 ‘Serviceberry’ and ‘Juneberry’
refer to the time of bloom
© Project SOUND

54. In the wilds, a shrub
or small tree
 Size and shape very
greatly depending on:
 Available water
 Available light
 Snow pack
 Growth season
http://www.malag.aes.oregonstate.edu/wildflowers/species.php/id-103
© Project SOUND

55. In the local mountains, Western
Serviceberry is an understory to pines
 Often grows in the
shade of the shade of
larger trees
http://biology.csusb.edu/PlantGuideFolder/SanGabriels.htm
In Western San Gabriels
© Project SOUND

56. Western Serviceberry: very adaptable
 Size:
 6-15+ ft tall
 6-10 ft wide
 Growth form:
 Erect shrub/single or multi-
trunk small tree
 Branches smooth with gray or
red bark
 Dense, but winter-deciduous
 Medium/slow growing
 Foliage:
 Medium to dark green
 Leaves oval, toothed
 Roots: spreads via rhizomes; also
http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=amal2
deep taproots
© Project SOUND

57. Serviceberry is showy in bloom
 Blooms:
 Spring: usually Apr-May
in Western L.A. Co.
 Bloom period up to 1 mo.
 Flowers:
 White; rose-like
 In dense clusters; very
showy
 Fragrant (sweet)
 Seeds:
 Like rose; propagate
similar to roses
© 2004, Ben Legler
© Project SOUND

58. But most folks like
the berries best
 Ripen in summer
 Dark blue-purple when ripe
with white bloom – look
like blueberries
 Loved by berry-eating
birds – you’ll probably have
to outwit them!
 Use just like a blueberry:
 Eat fresh or dry
 Used in baked goods
 Use for sauces, syrups,
jellies, beverages, etc.
© Project SOUND
http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=amal2 http://www.malag.aes.oregonstate.edu/wildflowers/species.php/id-103

59. Serviceberry does well in the home garden
 Soils:
 Texture: just about any
moderately or well-drained soil
 pH: likes pH between 5.0-7.5
 Light:
 Adaptable: part-sun best, but
can take full sun to quite shady
 Water:
 Winter: like good soil moisture
 Summer: best in Zone 2 to 2-3
 Fertilizer: likes a good organic
mulch like leaf litter
© Br. Alfred Brousseau, Saint Mary's College
© Project SOUND

60. Serviceberry: a
garden favorite
 Makes a great small tree
for front yard or patio
 Fine as a large shrub;
dormant Dec.-Feb/Mar
http://www.swcoloradowildflowers.com/White%20Enlarged%20Photo%20Pages/amelanchier.htm  Good choice for hedge,
hedgerow or screen
 Espalier along a wall
 Can even trim to a medium
groundcover
http://www.denverwater.org/cons_x
eriscape/xeriscape/garden2002.htm
l Leave some of previous year’s
growth as fruiting wood
http://www.colostate.edu/Dept/CoopExt/4dmg/Trees/Shrubs/junebrry.htm © Project SOUND

61. Serviceberry makes
great habitat
 Cover & nesting
 Nectar:
 Bess & other pollinators
 Butterflies: orange tip, CA
Hairstreak, western tiger
swallowtail, spring Azure and
elfin butterflies
 Foliage: (note: poisonous if
eaten in large quantities)
 Swallowtail, Elfin and other
butterfly larvae.
 Deer will browse
 Fruit:
 Just about everyone loves it!
http://loriaull.wordpress.com/2008/07/12/western-serviceberry-amelanchier-alnifolia/
Lazuli Bunting in Serviceberry Bush © Project SOUND

62. Uses for sweet/tart
jellies, syrups, sauces
 On toast or muffins
 On pancakes & waffles
http://cache0.bigcartel.com/product_images/1630485/300.jpg
 On ice cream or cake
 As a flavoring for hot & cold
beverages
 As a glaze or marinade for
meats
 As a condiment with ethnic
dishes: Thai, Middle
Eastern, Asian Indian
© Project SOUND

63. * Western Chokecherry – Prunus virginiana var. demissa
http://www.wildflower.org/gallery/result.php?id_image=23962
© Project SOUND

64. * Western Chokecherry – Prunus virginiana var. demissa
 Western N. America from
Mexico & TX to British
Columbia
 In CA, generally a plant of
higher elevation foothills &
mountains
 Locally: San Gabriel Mtns –
generally > 5000 ft.
 Rocky slopes, canyons, scrub,
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?Prunus+virginiana+var.+demissa
oak/pine woodland, coniferous
forest – generally as an
occasional plant on N-facing
slopes
© Project SOUND

65. Chokecherry in
nature
 Widely varied
habitats that share:
 Often soils are a little
© Br. Alfred Brousseau, Saint Mary's College
richer in terms of
nutrients
 A little extra moisture
in winter
 Some shade in summer:
 N-facing slopes
 Under trees
© 2005 Steve Matson
© Project SOUND

66. Chokecherry: another shrub in the Rose family
 Size:
 6-18 ft tall; variable –
depends on local conditions
 15-20 ft wide; spreads via
rhizomes
 Growth form:
 Upright, multi-trunk large
shrub to small tree
 Branches somewhat
horizontal
 Smooth red-gray bark
 Often fairly open growth
 Foliage:
 Leaves simple, medium green
 Typical for Rose family;
winter-deciduous
© Project SOUND

67. Flowers are fantastic!
 Blooms:
 Spring: usually Apr-May
in S. CA
 Flowers:
 Small, buff to white
rose-like flowers
 In dense, drooping
flowering stalks – very
showy & distinctive
 Sweet scent –
reminiscent of almonds
 Attract many pollinators,
http://www.wildflower.org/gallery/result.php?id_image=23962 including butterflies
http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/prunus-virginiana-demissa © Project SOUND

68. Fruits are prized…
 Wonderful sweet-tart
flavor for:
 Jelly
 Syrups & sauces
 Fruit leather
 Juice
 Note: pits (seeds) are
toxic if eaten raw;
poison neutralized by
cooking or drying
http://www.wildflower.org/gallery/result.php?id_image=23962
© Project SOUND

69. Plant Requirements  Soils:
 Texture: all but very heavy
clays
 pH: not highly alkali (> 8.0)
 Light:
 Full sun to fairly shady
 Probably best with some shade
 Water:
 Winter: needs good winter
rains; supplement if necessary
 Summer: best with
supplemental water (Zone 2 to
2-3; will sucker in Zone 3)
 Fertilizer: likes an organic mulch
(leaf mulch best)
 Other: prune as needed; often
best with little pruning
© Br. Alfred Brousseau, Saint Mary's College
© Project SOUND

70. Managing fruiting shrubs
in the Rose family
 Pest management:
 Susceptible to Fire Blight & fungal
diseases
 Practice good preventive measures
(see last lecture handouts)
 Pruning:
http://www.stevenspoint.com/forestry/right_tree/11.html
 Flowers/fruits on last year’s wood –
leave some if you want fruits
 In general, best with minimum of
pruning once general shape is
established
 Suckering:
 Will happen with watering
 Plant accordingly; good candidates for
mowed lawn area or someplace where
they can just fill in
http://www.kansasforests.org/conservation/shrubs/chokecherry.shtml © Project SOUND

71. Garden uses for
Chokecherry
 Trimmed as a small tree
 For hedgerows &
screens
 As a large accent shrub
– pretty most of the
year
 For erosion control –
good on slopes
 Note: recommended only
for colder gardens
http://www.landscapedia.info/images/plant_images/Prunus_virginiana_Canada_Red_.jpg
© Project SOUND

72. Make nice, sweet/tart sauces & jellies
 *Amelanchier alnifolia –
Western Serviceberry
 *Berberis/Mahonia species –
Oregon Grapes
 Opuntia littoralis – Coastal
Pricklypear
 Prunus ilicifolia – Catalina &
Holly-leaf Cherries
 *Prunus virginiana – Western
Chokecherry
 Rosa californica – CA Wild Rose
 Sambuccus cerulea - Blue
(Mexican) Elderberry
 Vitis species – Native Grapes
© Project SOUND

73. Picking and cleaning the fruits can be messy
 Pick only ripe fruits
 Either strip fruits off
branches or:
 Cut off individual clumps
(grapes; elderberries)
 Use a pair of tongs
(Pricklypear cactus)
 Remove stems, flowers,
other ‘non-fruit’ material
 Wash fruit thoroughly –
several changes of water is
best
 Remember: many of these
fruits can stain
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3255/2875487011_70d4797e99.jpg?v=0
© Project SOUND

74. Simmer the fruits on low heat until they split
 Use a deep, heavy pot
 Barely cover fruit with clean
water
 Bring fruits to boil, then
turn down heat
 Simmer about ½ hour (varies
with type/size of fruit)
 Stir occasionally; fruit will
split
 Be sure to enjoy the
wonderful aroma!!!
© Project SOUND

75. Strain the juice…then use it for jelly/syrup
 Strain hot juice through a
jelly bag or layers of
cheesecloth
 Best it you don’t squeeze bag
(or only do so lightly); some
jellies will become cloudy it
squeeze small particles
through
 Use juice right away, or can
refrigerate for several days
before making jelly/syrup
© Project SOUND

76. Making jellies & sauces: really very easy
 Use a good basic recipe – in
handout.
 If you’ve never canned, be sure
you have all the needed
equipment – and read in general
about canning
 Add sugar & lemon juice (to
help it jell better)
 Suggest use purchased pectin –
may need to experiment with
amount needed
 Have fun: you can mix flavors,
add to conserves, etc.
 Enter your creation in the
County Fair or other contest –
you might just have a winner!
© Project SOUND

77. We hope you’ll consider including some
native food plants in your yard
Blue Elderberry - Sambucus nigra ssp. cerulea
© Project SOUND

78. ‘Roger’s Red’ Grape – Vitis californica ‘Roger’s Red’
© Project SOUND

79. Chia Sage - Salvia columbariae
© Project SOUND

80. Let’s go see what’s out there
© Project SOUND