Read this please ! Remember this post where we tried to grow native plants? Well, we have successfully propogated over 14 native species for my backyard!
First, what ecosystem do you think these plants (below) belong to?
This is the coastal Sage scrub; it consists of low bushes, shrubs and wildflowers. Like its name suggests, it is found mostly within close proximity to the ocean. Coastal winds and salt are contributing factors to stunted bushes, which provide shelter for hares, rodents, banana slugs, beetles and other various insects. Here in Montara, there are two types of plants that are clearly seen: bushes and flowers. The bush that is pictured in the image is called the California Sagebrush. Although it may look like an evergreen tree, this plant is closely related to sage and rosemary. If you smell a faint herb aroma while in the Sage Scrub, it is probably from the Sagebrush.
Here is our Sagebrush plant here at the CCAG. It was a seed taken from a hike in Calistoga, and has been growing since April.
This next plant is the native Trailing Blackberry, which is a native black berry that lives along side other Sagescrub plants. Like it's name suggests, it has a habit of forming vines that trail along the ground. It often gets confused with the more common and thorny Himalayan blackberry, which is actually invasive. Trailing Blackberries have slimmer, harrier stems with fine thorns, while Himalayan Blackberries have less hairy, bigger leaves and thick, red thorns.
The 3 Lemmon's willow plants above are actually natives of the Chaparral plant community of Lake Tahoe. I got them myself from a mature tree in Nevada back in December. The Sage-scrub version of this is the Arroyo willow, which we are growing too. However, those willows are showing signs of dehydration, so we might start again with new cuttings.
Willows are a sign of ponds and streams because they love water. Sometimes, willows grow near the streams that lead out to the ocean. This is when some of the riparian ecosystem plants co-exist with the Chaparral and Sagescrub plants.'
Above is one of our 2 CA Bay Laurel plants. Like the Lemmon's Willow, it is not a prominent member of the Sagescrub community; it is rather found in the redwood forest mixed with conifers. However, when birds and rodents eat the seeds and then disperse them in a Sagescrub ecosystem, stunted bushes may form. The plant itself is in the Lauraceae family, which also includes olives and avocado. The fruit resembles a small, crude avocado, and the leaves are very fragrant.
We also still have Toyon, the same plant from a previous post.
In addition, here is a list of other plants that we have at the CCAG.
NATIVE
Coyote Brush (planted Sept 2023)
California Poppy (planted April 2024)
Beach Strawberry (Planted March 2024)
Joshua Tree (Planted Dec 2023)
Saguaro Cactus (Planted May 2024)
Beavertail Cactus (Planted April 2024)
Cholla (Planted April 2024)
Santarita Prickly Pear (Planted April 2024)
California Currant (Planted June 2024)
Douglass Iris (Planted April 2024)
CROPS
Yellow Dragonfruit (planted August 2023)
Mango (Planted May 2024)
Lychee (planted May 2024)
Loquat (planted June 2024)
Apple (Planted April 2024)
Mint (Planted March 2022)
Lemon (Planted January 2004)
List of plants we have:
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