This talk discusses CA native plants in the Rose Family (Rosaceae), It was given in Nov. 2013 as part of the series 'Out of the Wilds and Into Your Garden'. These are 4-per page notes.

1. 11/2/2013
Out of the Wilds and Into Your Garden
A Rose is a Rose:
the family Rosaceae
C.M. Vadheim and T. Drake
CSUDH & Madrona Marsh Preserve
Madrona Marsh Preserve
Gardening with California Native Plants in Western L.A. County
Project SOUND – 2013 (our
9th
November 2 & 5, 2013
year)
© Project SOUND
Roses have always been a source of
inspiration
© Project SOUND
What do all these plants have in common?
A rose by any other name
would smell as sweet.
Shakespeare
Cotoneaster – non-native
A rose is a rose is a rose.
Gertrude Stein
http://www.easy-drawings-and-sketches.com/draw-a-rose.html
© Project SOUND
© Project SOUND
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2. 11/2/2013
The Roses family: family Rosaceae
The Rose Family
 Medium size (19th largest) :
75-100 genera and ~ 3000
species
The rose is a rose
And was always a rose;
But the theory now goes
That the apple’s a rose,
And the pear is, and so’s
The plum, I suppose.
The dear only knows
What will next prove a rose.
You, of course, are a rose,
But were always a rose.
 Goes back ~ 90 million years
(fossil ‘roses’)
 Worldwide distribution except
in the arctic; greatest
diversity in the north
temperate regions.
 Trees, shrubs and perennials –
only a few annuals
Robert Frost
http://delta-intkey.com/angio/www/rosaceae.htm
© Project SOUND
The Rose family is complex taxonomically
© Project SOUND
Economic importance of the rose family
 One of the six most economically
important crop plant families, and
includes: apples, pears, quinces,
medlars, loquats, almonds, peaches,
apricots, plums, cherries,
strawberries, raspberries and roses.
 Old, widespread family –
lots of time to diversify
 First classifications were
too simplistic – based on
fruit characteristics
(which can sometime be
misleading)
 We’ll come back to
taxonomy when we discuss
fruits next Apr.
http://media.mlive.com/newsnow_impact/photo/fli0918-apples29jpgcfa7644879fb210b.jpg
 Many genera are also highly valued
ornamental shrubs; these include
Cotoneaster, Crataegus, Photinia,
Potentilla, Prunus, Pyracantha, Rosa,
Sorbus, Spiraea, and others.
http://santabarbaraarborist.wordpress.com/2013/02/28/if-shakespeare-was-an-arborist/
© Project SOUND
© Project SOUND
2

3. 11/2/2013
Like any family, the Rose family has some
‘black sheep’
Let’s look at some CA native Rosaceae
 Several genera are also introduced
noxious weeds in some parts of the
world, costing money to be
controlled.
 These invasive plants can have
negative impacts on the diversity of
local ecosystems once established.
 Such naturalised pests include
Acaena, Cotoneaster, Crataegus,
Pyracantha, Rubus and Rosa.
Cotoneaster
http://goweros.blogspot.com/2011/12/invasivecotoneasters-at-fox-hole.html
© Br. Alfred Brousseau, Saint Mary's College
© Project SOUND
© Project SOUND
Wild roses are important
habitat plants
CA Wild Rose – Rosa californica
 Blooms:
http://www.qty.com/anna3.html
 Main season: May-Aug (but blooms
intermittently in warm season)
 Flowers: single pinks; color varies
slightly
 Important pollen source for bees and
other insects
 Fruits (hips)
 Summer/fall
 Edible; good syrups & jellies
 goldfinches, bluebirds, grosbeaks,
robins, mockingbirds, and sparrows-relish the hips
 Plants/foliage
http://static.flickr.com/29/37921551_c468a94b4a_m.jpg
 Dense, spiny foliage provides good
cover and nesting sites for birds
http://www.yerbabuenanursery.com/wildflower_watch_wk18.htm
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4. 11/2/2013
Three classes of CA native wild Rosa
Interior Rose – Rosa woodsii ssp ultramontana
 Thicket-Forming Roses: (Subg. Rosa, Sect. Cinnamomeae)
1. Rosa californica
2. Rosa nutkana var. nutkana
3. Rosa pisocarpa
4. Rosa woodsii
 Wood and Ground Roses: (Subg. Rosa, Sect. Gymnocarpae)
 5. Rosa gymnocarpa
 6. Rosa spithamea
 7. Rosa bridgesii
 8. Rosa pinetorum
 Subg. Hesperhodos
 9. Rosa minutifolia
© Project SOUND
Interior Rose – Rosa woodsii ssp ultramontana
© Project SOUND
Interior Rose: much like CA Wild Rose
 Native to much of w. North America
– British Columbia to CA & NM
 Size:
 5-8+ ft tall
 Spreading; can form thickets
 In CA: High Cascade Range, High
Sierra Nevada, San Gabriel
Mountains, San Bernardino
Mountains, Great Basin Floristic
Province, Desert Mountains
http://archive.is/JkiE
 Yellow Pine Forest, Subalpine Forest,
Pinyon-Juniper Woodland, Joshua
Tree Woodland, wetland-riparian
between 3500 and 11500 feet
 Moist or seasonally wet
 Growth form:
J.S. Peterson @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database




 Foliage:


 ? Ssp or var.??
Woody shrub
Upright to mounded with age
Stress deciduous
Sparse, straight prickles
Typical rose leaf (compound);
smaller than garden rose
Medium green; may be yellow
in fall
 Roots: suckers from roots – not
rhizomes (as once thought)
© Br. Alfred Brousseau, Saint Mary's College
© Project SOUND
© Project SOUND
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5. 11/2/2013
Flowers: the best a
wild rose can offer
The place of roses in
the edibles garden
 Blooms: spring/summer usually
May-June in our area
 Seed dispersion – birds &
mammals
 Flowers:
 Some genera in Rosaceae have
fruits that are especially
tempting – and high in vitamin C



©2008 Thomas Stoughton
http://www.fireflyforest.com/flowers/3214/rosa-woodsii-woods-rose/

Single rose
Pale to medium pink
Very fragrant – among the
best
Wonderful tea, potpourri,
flavoring
©2006 Larry Blakely
 Collect in fall when red and
slightly soft – best after first
cold snap
 Rosehips make delicious:
 Fruits (hips):


Red when ripe
The best tasting of any –
really premium
©2009 Barry Breckling
http://web.ewu.edu/ewflora/Rosaceae/Rosa%20woodsii.html
Quite adaptable
© Project SOUND
 Soils:
 Texture: better with medium to
coarse/rocky
 pH: any local
 Light:


©2001 Gary A. Monroe
Full sun (coast) to part-shade (hot,
inland)
Best flowers/fruits w/ at least
morning sun




Tea (dried)
Jelly
Syrup
Etc.
© Project SOUND
Inland Rose: good if you’ve
got the right spot
 Good for N & E-facing slopes
- even with no water
 Barriers/hedges/hedgerows
 Large shrub at back of beds
 Try in a large container
 Water:
 Winter: needs good rain/irrigation
 Summer: fairly drought tolerant
but best with some summer water
(Water Zone 2 or 2-3)
 Fertilizer: none/light (1/2 strength)
 Other: organic mulch OK
©2012 Jean Pawek
© Project SOUND
© Project SOUND
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6. 11/2/2013
What makes a rose smell like a rose?
Many uses of rose scent
 Some roses [Damascus Rose] known
for scent – used to make rose oil
 Rose oil – ‘Attar of roses’
 Perfume distillation
 It turns out the answer is complex: a
number of aromatic compounds are
involved
http://hildablue.com/2013/03/16/how-to-recognize-quality-rosewater-and-how-to-make-your-own/
Beta-damascenone presence
and quantity is considered as
the marker for the quality of
rose oil.
 The unique ones that give the scent
are: beta-damascenone, betadamascone, beta-ionone, and rose
oxide.
 Even though these compounds exist in
less than 1% quantity of rose oil, they
make up for slightly more than 90% of
the odor content due to their low odor
detection thresholds
 Rose water – easy to make
http://www.thecraftycrow.net/2009/07/making-things-from-the-garden.html
Many native roses have a
lovely rose scent





Jar
Rose petals (scented)
Hot water
Time
1 Tbsp vodka as preservative
 Potpourri
© Project SOUND
Perhaps you want a real ‘specimen’ wild
rose
© Project SOUND
Baja Rose – Rosa minutifolia
http://qbgdocents.org/Bloom_board/Bloom_Board_May_10/IMG_0796.jpg
© Project SOUND
© Project SOUND
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7. 11/2/2013
‘The Thorny Rose Affair –
Baja Rose – Rosa minutifolia
Lenz, 1982

April, 1882 – botanizing expedition to Baja

Jones was beginning a significant career as
field botanists; Parry lead the expedition –
experience in border surveys

4/12 - Rosa minutifolia discovered growing
along the side of the road on the protected
slopes of the hills just inland from the beach.

Marcus Eugene Jones
1852-1934
The controversy which arose and was to cause
so much ill feeling between Jones and others
revolved around who first discovered the rose
and Jones's accusation that Parry stole his
rose.
 Otay Mesa east of San Diego (rare) and
n. Baja (pretty common)
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/ina/roses/minutifolia.html
 Chaparral, north-facing Diegan Sage
Scrub ; common constituent of the
coastal scrub community in northern Baja
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/ina/roses/map_minutifolia.html
Charles Christopher Parry
1823-1890
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/ina/roses/minut_Calif.html
© Project SOUND
Baja rose: small leaves & many prickles
© Project SOUND
Botanical terms: thorns vs. prickles
 Size:


4-6 ft tall
5-6 ft wide
 Thorn: a modified branch
with a sharp point
[pyracantha]
 Growth form:

©2010 Anna Bennett


Upright to mounded stems;
tangled, dense
Young foliage often red-tinged
Many stout, straight prickles –
this one is really prickly (one
proposed name: Rosa horrida
 Prickle: a sharp pointed
outgrowth of the epidermis
(the outer ‘skin’ ) of a stem
[example: rose]
 Foliage:


http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/ina/roses/minut_twig_full.html
Compound rose leaves, but
small (< ¼ “ leaflets) and
wrinkled – very unusual
Drought-deciduous; re-leaf
with first rains
© Project SOUND
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/ina/roses/minut_twig_full.html
© Project SOUND
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8. 11/2/2013
Flowers are bright &
showy
Growing roses from seed
 Blooms: very early – usually
Jan-Apr in w. L.A. County;
tied to rain cycle
 Choose very ripe hips
 Let them soften several days in
water
 Flowers:
Gary A. Monroe @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database



Single rose flowers
Often very bright pink,
magenta color; fragrant
Great for insect pollinators
©2010 Anna Bennett
 Clean remaining pulp from seeds
 Stratify: I use moistened coffee
filters (1:1 water: hydrogen
peroxide) – several months in
fridge
 Fruits :

Edible, but small and rather
prickly; birds & critters
don’t seem to mind
 Plant & cross your fingers
 Vegetative reproduction:
© Project SOUND
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Rosa_minutifolia
© Project SOUND
http://www.hazmac.biz/050801/050801RosaMinutifolia.html
Baja Rose: drier parts
of the garden
Requirements: think coastal Baja
 Soils:

 Winter: need adequate water
 Summer: like a little summer
water, esp. at monsoon time
(August)
Barrier hedge

 Water:
Rock gardens, and climbing over
boulders

 Light: full sun to part-shade
Erosion control on slopes

 Texture: adaptable – even clays
 pH: any local
Gary A. Monroe @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
 Remove the seeds; sterilize with
5% bleach solution
With desert chaparral plants:

Backs of beds

Try in large container
 Fertilizer: likes poor soils
 Other: much more adaptable to
garden conditions than one might
expect – even grown N. CA gardens
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/ina/roses/minut_habitat_full.html
© Project SOUND
http://commons.wikimedia
.org/wiki/Rosa_minutifolia
Enceliafarinosa, Eriogonum
fasciculatum, Fremontodendron
mexicanum, Mirabilis californica,
Trichostema lanatum, Salvia
apiana, and Simmondsia chinensis
© Project SOUND
8

9. 11/2/2013
Not all ‘Roses’ look like roses – until
you know what to look for
Rose family members share some
physical characteristics: leaves
 Generally arranged spirally, but
sometimes opposite
 Simple or pinnately compound
(either odd- or even-pinnate).
 Leaf margin is most often
serrate.
http://www.hiltonpond.org/ThisWeek080501.html
 Paired stipules are generally
present (primitive feature)
 Spines may be present on the
midrib of leaflets and the
rachis of compound leaves.
© Project SOUND
Rose family members also share some
floral traits
 Generally "showy“
© Project SOUND
Rose family members also exhibit some
variability: fruits & seeds
 They are radially symmetrical and
almost always hermaphroditic (both
male & female parts in same flower).
 Many fruits of the
family are edible.
 Generally have five sepals, five petals
and many spirally arranged stamens.
http://montana.plant-life.org/families/Rosaceae.htm
Flowers in ‘parts of 5’
 The bases of the sepals, petals, and
stamens are fused together to form a
characteristic cup-like structure
called hypanthium.
 Often arranged in racemes, spikes, or
heads
© Project SOUND
 There are many
different types of fruit;
we’ll discuss these more
in April 2014
Hawthorn
© Project SOUND
9

10. 11/2/2013
Some common CA Rosaceae genera
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Adenostoma – chamise
Amelanchier – serviceberry
Argentina – silverweed
Cercocarpus – mountain mahogany
Chamaebatiaria – desert sweet
Crataegus – hawthorn
Fallugia – Apache plume
Fragaria – strawberry
Geum – avens
Heteromeles – toyon
Some common CA Rosaceae genera

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Holodiscus – oceanspray
Horkelia – horkelia
Lyonothamnus – Catalina ironwood
Potentilla – cinquefoil
Prunus – plum
Purshia – bitterbrush
Rosa – rose
Rubus – blackberry
Sorbus – mountain ash
Spiraea – spirea
© Project SOUND
Toyon/California Christmas Berry –
Heteromeles arbutifolia
© Project SOUND
Heteromeles arbutifolia 'Davis Gold'
 Similar in all ways to redberried form except has
yellow fruits when ripe
 Reportedly also more disease
resistant
http://redwoodbarn.com/images/toyonyellow.jpg
Note that the leaves and flowers are
what you’d expect for Rose family
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11. 11/2/2013
*Redshanks – Adenostoma sparsifolium
*Redshanks – Adenostoma sparsifolium



Coastal CA from San Luis Obispo Co. to
Baja
Locally: Santa Monica, San Gabriel Mtns.
dry, well-drained slopes and mesas at
elevations from 1,000 to 7,000 feet
(most 1,500 to 5,000 feet )
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?6677,6681,6683
© Project SOUND
Redshanks: large chaparral shrub/tree
6-18+ ft tall
10-15 ft wide
 Used externally in the treatment of
arthritis.
 Growth form:


© Br. Alfred Brousseau, Saint Mary's College


Large woody shrub/tree
Many trunks/branches with
shreddy red bark on older limbs –
‘born to burn’
Nice natural shape – rounded
Moderate growth rate; lives 100+
years
http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=ADSP
Sclerophyllous leaves: thick,
linear/narrow, sticky
 Crushed twigs have been mixed with
oil and used as a salve
 Roots: has lignotubers (sprouting
©2004 Steven Perkins
roots)
© Project SOUND
 Infusion of leaves used in the
treatment of colds and chest
complaints, and also as a mouth wash
to treat toothaches.
 An infusion of dried leaves or
branches used in the treatment of
stomach ailments, inducing either
bowel movements or vomiting.
 Foliage:

© Project SOUND
Medicinal uses of Redshanks
 Size:


© Br. Alfred Brousseau, Saint Mary's College
Charles Webber © California Academy of Sciences
http://www.smmflowers.org/bloom/species/Adenostoma_sparsifolium.htm
© Project SOUND
Charles Webber © California Academy of Sciences
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12. 11/2/2013
What a flower show!
Plant Requirements
 Texture: adaptable; often
grows in shallow soils in
nature – likes well-drained
 pH: any local
 Blooms: in summer – usually
June-Aug.
 Flowers:


http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/adenostoma-sparsifolium


Small white/cream flowers
Clearly rose flowers when you
look closely
On dense flowering branches –
plant covered with blooms in a
good year
Very important pollinator
plant
 Soils:
 Light: full sun
 Water:
 Winter: needs good rains or
irrigation – normally gets
more than here.
 Summer: summer dry to
occasional ‘summer monsoon’
Steven Perkins @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
 Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils
 Vegetative reproduction: in
 Other: organic mulch
some areas, most reproduction is
now vegetative; sprouting roots
In Santa Monica Mtns
© Project SOUND
Redshanks: dramatic
 Often trimmed up as a small
tree to accent its form,
distinctive bark
© Project SOUND
http://www.smmflowers.org/bloom/species/Adenostoma_sparsifolium.htm
Holly-leaf & Catalina Island Cherries
Prunus ilicifolia
 Has nice natural shape as a
large shrub
J.S. Peterson @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Adenostoma_sparsifolium
 Not for fire-prone areas
http://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/taxa/index.php?taxon=26425
http://www.wildscaping.com/plants/plantprofiles/Prunus_ilicifolia.htm
© Project SOUND
12

13. 11/2/2013
The biggest difference is in
the leaves
Holly-leaf & Catalina Island Cherries
Prunus ilicifolia
 Holly-leaf Cherry (ssp. ilicifolia):
southern North Coast Ranges,
Central- & Southwestern California
(except Channel Islands) to Baja
 Holly-leaf Cherry:




 Catalina Island (ssp. lyoni): Channel
Islands and mainland Baja California
 Both: shrubs grow in the moister
areas of dry chaparral shrub lands
and foothill woodlands.
Has serrated leaf margins
More shrub-like
10-25 ft tall (usually)
10-20 ft wide
 Catalina Island Cherry:




Has smooth leaf margins
More tree-like
20-40+ ft (usually)
10-20 ft wide
http://www.desert-tropicals.com/Plants/Rosaceae/Prunus_ilicifolia.html
http://www.calflora.net/bloomingplants/catalinacherry.html
Holly-leaf Cherry in nature
 Often found in canyons and on
north-facing slopes
 alluvial fan sage scrub, chaparral,
coast live oak riparian forest,
coast live oak woodland, coastal
sage scrub, sycamore riparian
woodland, walnut woodland
 Most often interspersed with
other shrubs
 Usually fairly slow growing
 May live up to 100+ years
© 2006 BonTerra Consulting
Catalina Island Cherry on Catalina
http://www.coestatepark.com/prunus_ilicifolia_at_coe.htm
13

14. 11/2/2013
Attractive flowers & berries
 Blooms:
You can grow your own from seed…or
buy one at our fall plant sale
 Mar-May
 Flowers small, white,
clustered
 Showy, lightly scented
 Excellent for native
pollinators
 Fresh seed – fall
 Be patient – seeds may
take 4-9 months to
sprout – or may sprout
right away
 Fruits (cherries)
Ripe Sept-Oct
Red to dark red
Big pit; sweet flesh
Many birds, animals
love them!
 Are edible – with
preparations




http://www.lifeandleaf.com/category/leaf/seed/
http://www.ecnca.org/Plants/Photo_Pages/Prunus_ilicifolia.htm
Native Cherries in the garden…almost
anywhere
 Make a nice, small evergreen
tree
 Can be pruned to suit many
garden needs:
 Shrub
 Hedge
 Screen
 Great choice for scent and
habitat gardens – get a lot for
your money
Good hedge/screen plants
 Many plants in Rosaceae
– esp. those with edible
fruits - can be pruned
and shaped extensively
 Hedged
 Espaliered
 Fine on slopes/banks
 So you can have native
fruit trees even in a
small space
 Hardy: good for roadways,
commercial plantings
 More on these in 2014
 Fine in large containers &
planters
http://www.yerbabuenanursery.com/images/new_botimages/large/0511_j.jpg
14

15. 11/2/2013
Native Rosaceae span a range of water
requirements
*Antelope Bush – Purshia tridentata
 Many (especially those from S.
CA) are remarkably drought
tolerant once established
 Some actually are better with less
water:
 Slower growth
 Better health – decreases risk of
fungal and other diseases/pests
 Others are ‘opportunists’
 Some just need regular water to
look nice in the garden
©2009 Thomas Stoughton
© Project SOUND
*Antelope Bush – Purshia tridentata
© Project SOUND
Antelope Bush: drought tolerant shrub
 British Columbia to CA/NV/CO
 Size:


 San Gabriel & Bernardino Mtns.
(particularly on the desert side)
 Growth form:
 Dry slopes in many plant communities
with 12 to 36 inches precipitation
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgibin/get_IJM.pl?tid=77219
 Lewis & Clark Expedition sent back first
specimen – used by Frederick Pursh who
first described it (1814)
4-10 ft tall
to 8 ft wide; usually 4-5

©1987 Gary A. Monroe


Woody shrub; two forms:
 Taller, mounded shrub
 Low-growing (< 4 ft.)
‘groundcover’ form
Many branches – dense
Natural layering
 Foliage:


Small, three-lobed leaves
Shiny green above; light below
 Roots: deep taproots; often
©2005 Steve Matson
©2010 Lee Dittmann
associated w/ N-fixing bacteria
© Project SOUND
©2003 Michael Charters
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Purshia_tridentata
© Project SOUND
15

16. 11/2/2013
Flowers for pollinators
Adaptable & hardy
 Texture: adaptable; best in
medium-coarse
 pH: 6.0-7.5
 Blooms: late spring/early summer
depending on weather
 Light:
 Flowers:



Small, rose-type, cream or yellow
Profuse bloomer – thousands of
flowers
Irresistible to native pollinators
 Full sun to part-shade
 Water:
 Winter: adequate
 Summer: quite drought tolerant;
probably best as Water Zone 2
©2010 Lee Dittmann
 Seeds:


Large seeds for family
In turban-shaped dry capsule
 Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils
 Other:
 Vegetative reproduction: natural
©2008 Matt Below


layering; re-sprouting (some better
than others – ask nursery if
purchasing)
©2012 Jean Pawek
©2010 Lee Dittmann
©2012 Aaron Arthur
© Project SOUND
Antelope Bush: a sensible choice
•
•
•
•
 Soils:
Erosion control on dry slopes
Water-wise shrub
In habitat garden: insects & birds
Medicinal garden: leaf poultice/wash for itches, rashes, insect bites,
OK with organic mulch
Should be pruned back by 1/3
each year to maintain vigor –
normally browsed
© Project SOUND
Douglas’ Spiraea – Spiraea douglasii
Leaf tea was used as a general tonic and for colds, pneumonia, liver
disease, to expel worms, and as an emetic and laxative for stomach ache
and constipation. Twigs, leaves, and berries were used as a laxative.
©2006 Steven Thorsted
©2010 Lee Dittmann
http://www.unce.unr.edu/programs/sites/nemo/lid/plantlist/plantdetails.asp?ID=40
© Project SOUND
© Project SOUND
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17. 11/2/2013
Douglas’ Spiraea – Spiraea douglasii
Woodsy perennial of moist places
 Southern AK to n. California
 2 var. (var. douglasii; var. menziesii)
 Redwood Forest, Red Fir Forest,
wetland-riparian, 0-6400 feet
 Damp meadows, riparian zones, bogs,
marshes, open swamps, and the margins
of ponds and lakes
 Size:


2-6 ft tall
4-10+ ft wide
 Growth form:



http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_IJM.pl?tid=45201
Spreading herbaceous
perennial
Many wand-like stems
Fast-growing
 Foliage:


Simple, medium-green leaves;
light colored below
Stress-deciduous
 Roots: spreads by suckers
(under-ground shoots) to form
dense thickets.
©2012 Jean Pawek
© Project SOUND
Flowers: a gardener’s
delight!
©2009 Julie Kierstead Nelson
The colors of the Rose family: limited
 Blooms: summer – June-Sept.
 Members of the Rosaceae
that occur in the wild NEVER
have blue flowers or true red
flowers
 Flowers:





Medium to bright pink
Many tiny ‘rose’ flowers on
wand-like stalks
Long stamens make flower
stalks appear ‘fuzzy’
Really lovely
Excellent native pollinator
habitat – esp. bees
 This is because the Rosaceae
lacks the genes to produce
true blue or pure red flower
pigments.
 Interestingly, they do have
other genes which produce
the red-orange fruits
 Seeds:

© Project SOUND
Eaten by birds and critters
http://camissonia.blogspot.com/2012_08_01_archive.html
©2003 Michael Charters
 Vegetative reproduction:
© Project SOUND
http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/spiraea-douglasii
© Project SOUND
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18. 11/2/2013
Spiraeas are forest plants
Use Spiraea for:
 Soils:
 Texture: any
 pH: any local

 Light:






Part-shade
Dappled shade under trees
 Water:
Summer color in woodland
gardens; informal hedge
In large containers
Under pines, redwoods
On moist slopes, stream banks
In any moist area of garden
 Winter: plenty; tolerates
seasonally flooding
 Summer: best with regular
water (Water Zone 2-3 to 3);
will die back at Zone 2, but
will not spread as fast
 Fertilizer: fine
 Other: loves leaf mulch
©2006 Steve Matson
© 2004, Ben Legler:
© Project SOUND
Beach Strawberry - Fragaria chiloensis ssp.
http://nosleepingdogs.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/spiraea-douglasii-full-plant.jpg?w=470&h=783
© Project SOUND
* Woodland Strawberry – Fragaria vesca ssp. californica
pacifica
© 2002 George Jackson
© Project SOUND
© Project SOUND
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19. 11/2/2013
Species reminiscent of strawberries
Pacific Silverweed – Argentina egedii ssp. egedii
(Potentilla anserina vars. grandis, pacifica)
 Potentilla
 Argentina
 Geum
 All have similar leaves
 Flowers are also similar – and
yellow
 Grow as herbaceous
groundcovers – some more
spreading than others
 Fruits are dry capsules
USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / USDA NRCS. Wetland flora: Field office illustrated guide to plant species. USDA
Natural Resources Conservation Service.
The genus Geum
© 2005 Dr. Amadej Trnkoczy
© Project SOUND
 ~ 40 species, mostly in the
northern hemisphere, but also in
southern Africa and the Andes
of South America.
http://flickr.com/photos/27830975@N05/3061843001/in/photostream/
© Project SOUND
* Apache Plume – Fallugia paradoxa
 At least three different
evolutionary clades (groups)
http://www.anniesannuals.com/plt_lst/lists/general/lst.gen.asp?prodid=1487
Some species have been
developed into common
garden cultivars
 All of the Geum species of North
America have enlarged,
persisting styles at the top of
each ovary. In some species
[Geum], the styles are straight
and bristly, while in others they
have feathery plumes.
© Project SOUND
© Project SOUND
19

20. 11/2/2013
* Large-leaved Avens – Geum macrophyllum
* Large-leaved Avens – Geum macrophyllum
 Much of N. America: British Columbia
Great Lakes to Baja
 Locally in San Bernardino Mtns
 Forests, including Yellow Pine forest
 Mostly moist, partially shaded areas
such as moist forest openings, stream
banks, meadows and shrub thickets
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_IJM.pl?tid=26835
©2007 Matt Below
http://www.wnmu.edu/academic/nspages/gilaflora/geum_macrophyllum.jpg
© Project SOUND
© Project SOUND
Avens: perennial groundcover plants
Flowers: often mistaken for buttercups
 Size:
 Blooms: spring-early summer; April
 < 2 ft tall (flower stalks taller)
 2-3 ft wide
to June or July
 Flowers:
 Growth form:



Herbaceous perennial
Spreads entirely by seed – not
a true vegetative spreader


 Foliage:


Al Schneider @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
Stress deciduous
Basal leaves with long erect
petioles, a larger, more or less
heart-shaped terminal leaflet
© Project SOUND

Like a yellow strawberry or
buttercup flower
On flowering stems above plant –
like strawberry but longer
Have ‘invisible’ dark dots that are
nectar guides for insects
Mostly pollinated by small
pollinator flies
 Seeds: seeds in balls that look like
pincushions – unusual; stick to clothes
Sheri Hagwood @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
© Project SOUND
20

21. 11/2/2013
Geum vs. Potentilla (Cinquefoil): close cousins
Likes some water
 Soils:
 Texture: any
 pH: 5:00-7:00 (moderate
alkalinity tolerance)
 Both:
 Bright yellow, 5-petaled flowers and a
distinctive calyx appearing to have 10 sepals
(there are five true sepals that alternate
with five narrower, sepal-like bracts).
 Light:
 Part-shade; dappled sun under
trees
 Geum (Avens)
 Pinnately compound leaves
©2007 Matt Below
 Potentialla (Cinquefoil) –
© Project SOUND
Avens has its place




 Winter: adequate
 Summer: occasional to regular
water – Water Zones 2 to 2-3
 Fertilizer: fine
 lack the long, persistent, twisty styles of
Geum.
 palmately compound leaves with leaflets
arranged like fingers on a palm
http://www.missouriplants.com/Yellowalt/Potentilla_simplex_page.html
 Water:
 Other: self-sows freely in moist
soils; remove seed heads if an issue
Sheri Hagwood @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
© Project SOUND
Small Rosaceae make great pot plants
As a natural lawn substitute in
moist areas – could combine with
Yarrow
Good groundcover under trees
Around water features, rain
garden
As an attractive pot plant
 Use a large enough
container; some have
extensive root systems
 Use a good, well-drained
potting mixture, modified
for special needs (if any)
Sheri Hagwood @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
http://camissonia.blogspot.com/2013/01/a-winters-tale-in-southern-california.html
Raised bed with assorted monkey flowers
(Mimulus spp.), Large-leaved Avens (Geum
macrophyllum), and annuals including Sticky
Phacelia (Phacelia viscida), Wind Poppy
(Stylomecon heterophylla), Baby Blue Eyes
(Nemophila menziesii), and Chinese Houses
(Collinsia heterophylla).
©2010 Jean Pawek
© Project SOUND
 Monitor soil moisture –
don’t over-water
 Place where plants get
good air circulation
© Project SOUND
21

22. 11/2/2013
Avens: an important medicinal plant
In summary, we’ve learned that there are
many native members of the Rose family
 poultice of smashed or boiled
leaves for cuts, boils;
 decoction of roots for
stomach pain, acid;
 tea from roots and chewed
leaves during labor, childbirth
 tea made of plant material
can also be gargled to sooth
sore gums.
 An eyewash was also prepared
from the leaves.
 The Haida boiled the roots to
make a steambath to treat
rheumatism.
© 2010, Ron Bockelman
© Project SOUND
We’ve learned some common traits shared
by members of the Rose family
Holodiscus discolor
 Woody stems, often with
prickles, or trailing stems with
runners
 Simple or compound leaves,
often evergreen
 Stipules at the base of the leaf
 Large flowers with five petals
or clusters of tiny flowers with
five petals – flowers in ‘parts of
five’
 Many stamens
 Often woody trees, shrubs or
climbers
© Project SOUND
Oceanspray
© Project SOUND
Some are surprisingly drought tolerant,
while others like water & shade
© 2010, Ron Bockelman
© Project SOUND
22

23. 11/2/2013
* Western Chokecherry – Prunus virginiana var. demissa
We’ve only just gotten started with
the edible members of the Rose
family – but that will have to wait for
another lecture
Topics for 2014 – some good ones
 Climate change & the home
garden
 Edible fruit plants
 Life-friendly pest
management
 And much, much, more
http://www.wildflower.org/gallery/result.php?id_image=23962
© Project SOUND
Plant Sale: CSUDH Nov. 9th, 14th
© Project SOUND
Other fun activities - November
 Potpourri from Native Plant Trimmings
– 11/9 & 11/10 – Mother Nature’s
Backyard
 Pruning workshops:
 Gardena Willows – 11/16
 Mother Nature’s Backyard – 11/16
afternoon
 Garden of Dreams (CSUDH) – 11/15 &
11/22 – e-mail me if coming
 Natural Dyes
Go to ‘Native Plants at CSUDH’ blog for more details, plant list
© Project SOUND
 11/10 – exhibit – Mother Nature’s
Backyard
 11/17 – show & tell meeting ‘South Bay
Natural Dye Circle – Madrona, 1:00-4:00
© Project SOUND
23

24. 11/2/2013
So, get out and do something fun this month
© Project SOUND
And take some time to smell the roses
© Project SOUND
24