Planning for Pollinators 2013

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© Project SOUND
Out of the Wilds and Into Your Garden
Gardening with California Native Plants in Western L.A. County
Project SOUND – 2013 (our 9th year)

5/20/2013
2
© Project SOUND
Planning for Pollinators: how to
turn your garden into a pollinator
haven
C.M. Vadheim and T. Drake
CSUDH & Madrona Marsh Preserve
Madrona Marsh Preserve
June 1 & 4, 2013

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© Project SOUND
Review: sex and the single flower
 Pollination is the act of transferring pollen grains from the
male anther of a flower to the female stigma. It’s necessary
for seed and fruit production in most higher plants.

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© Project SOUND
Sometimes physical
agents transfer the
pollen
http://www.annerondepierre.com/wisdomarchive8.htm
Only about 20% of plants are wind pollinated
And <1% are water pollinated

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© Project SOUND
Living creatures (pollinators) usually carry the pollen
from flower to flower

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Colony Collapse Disorder – our wake-up call
© Project SOUND
http://bee-rapture.blogspot.com/2009/04/found-cause-of-colony-
collapse-disorder.html

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© Project SOUND
Why worry about living pollinators?
 They play a key role in the normal
functioning of our local ecosystems
 > 200,000 plant species worldwide
depend on pollination
 Imagine life without these plants
 They are required for production
of many of our food, medicinal and
other crops
 ~80% of the world’s crop plants
depend on pollination – 150 crops in
the U.S. alone
 A combined annual $20+ billion
industry in the U.S
 Without them, our gardens would
not sustain themselves; many
flowering plants would eventually
become extinct.

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© Project SOUND
 Many pollinators at risk:
 Non-native pollinators are
vulnerable to environmental
factors - limited genetic
variability [Example: Honeybee
Colony Collapse Disorder]
 Native pollinators are at risk
due to habitat loss, climate
change and use of pesticides
 Crop production world-wide is
decreasing due to decreasing
numbers of pollinators
 So we all should be worried
 The time to take action is NOW,
in our schools, home gardens,
places of work and anywhere
else that we can promote the
well-being of pollinators
Honeybee Colony Collapse Disorder

5/20/2013
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National Pollinator Week
 U.S. Senate designated the 3rd week in June as “National
Pollinator Week” . The U.S. Secretary of Agriculture signs the
proclamation every year.
 Now an international celebration of the valuable ecosystem
services provided by bees, birds, butterflies, bats and beetles.
 “Pollinating animals are vital to our delicate ecosystem,
supporting terrestrial wildlife, providing healthy watershed,
and more.
 Pollinator Week is a week to get the importance of pollinators’
message out to as many people as possible. “
© Project SOUND

5/20/2013
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Even before colony collapse disorder,
some people were concerned…
 Depending on a single source
– for anything – should make
us nervous
 Better to ‘diversify the
portfolio’
© Project SOUND
http://therealnewsjournal.com/?tag=colony-collapse-disorder
http://urbangardencasual.com/2009/04/28/possible-cure-
for-honey-bee-colony-collapse-disorder-discovered/
European Honey Bee
Apis mellifera

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Why worry about other pollinators? Can’t
the bees do the pollination work?
 Flies and bees are the two most
important insect pollinator groups.
 Depending on the region, the time of
the day, the flowering phenology and
weather conditions, flies may be
the main or exclusive pollinators,
or share pollination services with
bees and other pollinator groups.
 Native pollinators play an important
role – not just in the wild, but in
gardens and agricultural fields
© Project SOUND
It turns out that pollination is
a lot more complex than
early agricultural studies led
us to believe

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© Project SOUND
Who are the living (biotic) pollinators?
 Bees – of all sizes
 Butterflies
 Moths
 Flies & other fly-like insects
 Beetles
 Hummingbirds
 Ants
 Bats
 Even small reptiles & mammals
Most common
Least common

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Mother Nature plays it safe with regards to
pollination
 Most insect pollinated flowers receive visits
from several different types of insects:
bees, flies, beetles, bugs, etc.
 In a study of 2200 CA plant species:
 71% of the out-crossing species were visited
by two potential pollinators
 49% were visited by three or more potential
pollinators
 Redundancy in pollination systems is
probably the rule, rather than the
exception.
© Project SOUND
By hedging her odds

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We too should hedge our bets and support
many different types of pollinators…
© Project SOUND
…but how, particularly given our small urban gardens?
http://non-secateur.blogspot.com/2011/05/southern-
californias-best-garden-blog.html

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Planning for pollinators: knowledge and
making good choices
© Project SOUND

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© Project SOUND
Knowledge is power: what we each can do to
promote our native pollinators
 Plant the plants they need
for food – at all stages of
their lives.
 Provide places where they
can reproduce and provide
for their young
 Protect them by practicing
Integrated Pest Management
– limited/no use of
pesticides
 Teach others – by word and
example – about the value of
native pollinators

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Many butterfly larva require specific food
sources – more on that next month
© Project SOUND

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Fortunately, many generalist pollinators
are less picky than we once thought
© Project SOUND
http://mommyculture.com/?p=678
There are just five basic principles for planting to
support a wide range of pollinators

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What makes a good pollinator landscape?
5 elements according to the latest evidence
 S (size) - The larger the area covered
by flowers/plants the better
 A (abundance) - The greater the
number of flowers the better
 L (length) - It’s important that
something is flowering from early
spring through fall
 U (useful attributes) –The plants must
provide quality pollen and/or nectar
 D (diversity) - Diversity of plants to
attract both generalists and specialists
© Project SOUND
SALUD! – To your health!
http://picturesforcoloring.com/2012/05/bee-coloring-pages-for-honey-lovers/

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Using these elements in our gardens…
© Project SOUND
Really not so difficult
once we understand
the principles http://non-secateur.blogspot.com/2011/05/southern-californias-best-garden-blog.html

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© Project SOUND
Why are some plants pollinator magnets?

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Characteristics of ‘pollinator magnet’ plants
 Lots of little flowers
 Flowers have simple, open
architecture – ‘accessible to all’
 Flower color often white, pink
or yellow
 Often – but not always – long
bloom season (or several)
 May be sweetly scented (but not
necessarily noticeable to us)
© Project SOUND

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Lots of little flowers: many popular choices
 Apiaceae (Carrot family)
 Asteraceae – (Sunflower family)
 Baccharis
 Grindelia
 Hydrophyllaceae (Waterleaf family)
 Phacelia
 Lamiaceae (Mint family)
 Salvia (Sage) and others
 Polygonaceae (Backwheat family)
 Eriogonum – Buckwheats
 Rhamnaceae (Buckthorn family)
 Ceanothus, Rhamnus
 Rosaceae (Rose family)
© Project SOUND

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Most people envision pollinator gardens
as looking something like this
© Project SOUND
Salvia species
Buckwheats
CA Fuschia
Penstemons

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© Project SOUND
California Buckwheat - Eriogonum fasciculatum

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© Project SOUND
California Buckwheat: sprawling sub-shrub
 Size:
 2-5 ft tall
 3-5 ft wide
 Growth form:
 Low mounded sub-shrub
 Semi-evergreen shrub
 Many-branched
 Foliage:
 Leave alternate, but densely
clustered at nodes
 Evergreen, narrow lanceolate
(sometimes nearly needle-like)
 Roots:
 Net-like; hold soils well
http://www.newportbay.org/plants/index.html

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© Project SOUND
CA Buckwheat cultivars make good, life-
friendly groundcovers
 ‘Dana Point’ - brighter green leaf,
more mounding than species
 'Bruce Dickinson' – good for
groundcover; stays close to the
ground, spreads nicely, and holds
good form throughout the year.
 ‘Theodore Payne' – low groundcover
(1 ft high; 1-3 ft spread)
 'Warriner Lytle' - A sprawling low
growing California buckwheat; can
grow to 2 feet tall but is often more
prostrate, hugging the ground like a
mat
‘Dana Point’
‘Warriner Lytle’

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© Project SOUND
CA Buckwheat: showy for months
 Great for summer color: May-
Nov. possible
 As an alternative to the non-
native Rosemary; far better
pollinator habitat plant
 In perennial beds
 On parking strips & bordering
paths and driveways
 For erosion control
 Larval foodsource for Morman
Metalmark, Bramble Hairstreak,
Common Hairstreak, Avalon Hairstreak

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Native plants: what’s their secret?
© Project SOUND

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© Project SOUND
Native plants attract pollinators by
providing quality nectar and/or pollen

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What about non-native species? Herbs are
often your best bet  Mint family
 Basil
 Bee Balm (Monarda)
 Catnip
 Lavender
 Mints
 Monarda/Monardella
 Rosemary
 Sage
 Thyme
 Apiaceae (Carrot family)
 Parsley
 Dill
 Borage
 Chives
© Project SOUND
http://jimlongsgarden.blogspot.com/2010/05/bees-arrive-at-long-creek-herb-farm.html
Many can be combined with natives;
most attractive to bees

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Non-native flowering plants for pollinators
– you may have to search to find them!
 Non-native flowers: look for
 Old-fashioned – open-pollinated
/ ‘heirloom’ varieties
 Search on ‘butterflies’ for
plants that may have broader
appeal to pollinators
 When buying bedding plants,
look for plants with pollinator
insects flying around them at
the nursery
© Project SOUND
Some ‘modern’ flowering
plants are specifically bred to
NOT be attractive to bees
and other pollinators

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© Project SOUND
Buckwheats, Salivas (Sages) and other local sub-
shrubs are great pollinator plants…
But they do need sun and space

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Achieving adequate floral coverage in each
season: it takes some thought if space is limited
 Flower patches: at least 3 ft x 3 ft
per species – the bigger the better
 A few well-chosen plant species
might be better than many
 Most bang for buck: shrubs vs. annual
wildflowers (depends on situation)
 Likely will need to use vertical space
 Some shrubs and trees are quite
adaptable to small/narrow spaces
 Lots of ‘flowering area’ with a small
footprint
 One yard can’t do it all - “it takes a
neighborhood”
© Project SOUND
http://www.northwestbotanicals.com/portfolio_chcraftsman.htm

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You can make any yard more pollinator
friendly – no matter how small or shady
© Project SOUNDhttp://www.northwestbotanicals.com/portfolio_chcraftsman.htm
http://bammorgan.blogspot.com/2008/04/payne-foundation-garden-tour.html
You just have to garden ‘smart’

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How can I possibly supply lots of little
flowers year-round?
 Think outside the (horizontal)
box – use your vertical space
 Shade trees
 Vines & climbers
 Espalier
 All other things being equal,
choose the plant with greater
pollinator habitat value
© Project SOUND
http://www.the-philosopher.co.uk/

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Let’s see how Mother Nature’s Garden
became a ‘pollinator haven’
© Project SOUND

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Map of site – rough draft
© Project SOUND
Wall with large condo building behind as view
‘Uglywall’–12ft.tallcinderblock-north-facing
back porch
paths

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Two walls to hide – potential for habitat?
© Project SOUND

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© Project SOUND
hedgerow
espalier

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Several good habitat choices: trees &
large shrubs
 *Arctostaphylos spp – Manzanitas
 Baccharis salicifolia – Mulefat
 * Ceanothus spp.
 Cercocarpus spp. – Mountain
Mahoganies
 *Chilopsis linearis – Desert Willow
 Comarostaphylis diversifolia –
Summer Holly
 Sambucus nigra – Blue Elderberry
© Project SOUND
Desert Willow
Blue Elderberry
Note: bold species are included in garden

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Several additional habitat choices: trees
and large shrubs
 * Frangula/Rhamnus californica –
Coffeeberry
 Heteromeles arbutifolia – Toyon
 Prunus spp. – native Cherries
 * Ptelea crenulata – Hoptree
© Project SOUND
Wanted one species that could be used both for hedgerow
and espalier – to demonstrate the adaptability of some large
native shrubs.

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Toyon/California Christmas Berry –
Heteromeles arbutifolia

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Toyon/California Christmas Berry –
Heteromeles arbutifolia
 Member of the Rose Family
(Rosaceae)
 Occurs from SW Oregon to
Baja CA
 Occurs in several plant
communities
 Chaparral – throughout CA
 Coastal Sage Scrub
 Oak woodlands
 Coastal prairie
 Var. macrocarpa found only on
Catalina and San Clemente
Islands
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?6677,6731,6732

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Toyon is a joy of color year-round
 Evergreen large shrub/
small tree w/ stiff foliage
 Usually 6-10 ft tall, can be
20-30 ft. in right location
 4-10 ft wide (to 25 ft)
 Spring – new growth is
light green
 Plant takes anything from
full sun to very shady
 Quite drought-tolerant

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Toyon is a mass of blooms in summer
 Blooms June-July
 Showy flowers in dense
bunches
 Flowers small – look like little
white rose blossoms (Rose
family)
 Bee-pollinated – so good
plant for native bees
 Good nectar plant for
butterflies
 Even quite young plants
(several years old) will bloom)
 Fall/winter – red berries

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Traditional uses for
Toyon
 Background/specimen plant
 Large shrub – anywhere that
you would consider Pyracantha
or Holly
 Grows well with Coastal Live
Oak & other dry trees
 Shady parts of the garden
 Slopes – good for erosion
control
 In a habitat garden featuring
local native species

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But what if we don’t have room for a
large, free-standing shrub?
 Toyon is very adaptable
 Prune up: makes a very
acceptable (and life-
friendly) shade tree
 Use in a hedge or
hedgerow; can hedge-prune
or leave more natural
 Bonsai in a pot
 Even espalier it along a wall
© Project SOUND

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Size of area and abundance: what
matters is the shear number of flowers
© Project SOUND
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mechanoid_dolly/5895279617/
Hibiscus hedge – several 100 flowers Toyon hedge – many 1000’s of flowers
http://www.flickr.com/photos/just_jane/938744081/
If you were a pollinator (other than a hummingbird) which
would you visit?

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When choosing a shade tree or other
large shrub, maximize habitat value
 Nesting places/cover
 Perching/sunning places
 Flowers for nectar/
pollen
 Fruits
 Foliage useful as larval
food source
© Project SOUND
The majority of our pollinators flew from April to Oct. last year.
We’ll want to supply food throughout this period.

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Mother Nature’s mixed hedgerow (to cover the
short ugly wall)
 Size: 6 ft wide – 30+ ft long
 Large shrubs – all provide good,
multispecies habitat value
 Big-berry Manzanita (winter)
 Lemonadeberry (early spring)
 Chaparral Whitethorn
Ceanothus (spring)
 CA Coffeeberry (later spring)
 Toyon (summer)
 Understory/filler – Yarrow
(summer)
 Pollen/nectar: winter to summer

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Toyon espalier: transforming the ugly wall
at Mother Nature’s Backyard
 Young Toyon branches are very
flexible – simplicity itself to
espalier
 Start shaping the first year
 Choose design – ‘informal fan’
 Select branches appropriate for
design
 Remove unwanted branches (those
growing in wrong direction;
crowded branches)
 Tie branches to support lines with
soft ties (cut from old stockings)
 Continue to remove ‘inappropriate’
branches

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Some non-native edibles attract pollinators
© Project SOUND
 Fruit trees/canes
 Apples – ‘Anna Apple’ espalier in
Mother Nature’s Backyard
 Stone Fruits
 Citrus
 Nut trees
 Berries
 Vegetables
 Onions & Shallots
 Melon family: Cucumbers, Melons,
Pumpkins, Squash, Watermelons
The range of pollinators visiting
food crops can be surprising!

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© Project SOUND
California Hoptree – Ptelea crenulata
©2009 Barry Breckling

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 Lower elevations of N. CA
 Banks of the Sacramento River;
foothills of the Sierra Nevada &
Cascade mountain ranges
 Foothill Woodland, Yellow Pine
Forest between 0 and 2000 feet
 Often grows in part-shade
 Ptelea - small genus with only 15
species of trees or shrubs native
to North America and Mexico.
© Project SOUND
California Hoptree – Ptelea crenulata
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ptelea_crenulata
http://byrdiebotany.livejournal.com/199457.html

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© Project SOUND
Hoptree: shrubby
 Size:
 8-15 ft tall
 10-15 ft wide
 Growth form:
 Large shrub to small tree
 Winter deciduous
 Variable growth form – can
be shaped to tree, espalier
 Foliage:
 Medium green, shiny leaves
 Citrus-like scent (same
family)
 Contact dermatitis in some
people; wear gloves when
handling
© Br. Alfred Brousseau, Saint Mary's College
©2011 Neal Kramer
http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/ptelea-crenulata

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© Project SOUND
Flowers: pure citrus
 Blooms: in spring – usually
April-June in S. California
 Flowers:
 Many white flowers in
clusters; showy like
Elderberry
 Similar in form to orange
or lemon flowers
 Sweet scent attracts
tons of native pollinators
– and the birds that eat
them
 Seedpods:
 Unique; papery wings
©2009 Barry Breckling
Charles Webber © California Academy of Sciences

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© Project SOUND
Likes its water!
 Soils:
 Texture: most
 pH: any local
 Light:
 Best in part-shade in our
climate; fine for north-facing
exposures
 Water:
 Winter: adequate
 Summer: likes regular water –
Water Zone 2-3 or 3
 Fertilizer: light fertilizer OK; leaf
mulch appreciated.
©2005 Brian L. Anacker
©2011 Neal Kramer

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© Project SOUND
Hoptree = habitat
 Most often planted for its
habitat value – excellent value!
 Makes a nice lawn tree; OK in
even full sun if gets regular
water
 Background shrub; winter
deciduous
©2011 Zoya Akulova
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ptelea_trifoliata_MN_2007.JPG
http://www.baynatives.com/plants/Ptelea-crenulata/

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California Coffeeberry is another pollinator
magnet shrub – in large or small size
© Project SOUND
http://www.smgrowers.com/products/plants/plantdisplay.asp?plant_id=1850

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© Project SOUND
CA Coffeeberry – Frangula (Rhamnus) californica
USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

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© Project SOUND
Coffeeberry: another versatile, dense evergreen shrub
Gary A. Monroe @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
J.S. Peterson @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
 Size:
 6-12 ft tall (usually 8-10)
 8-10 ft wide
 Growth form:
 Evergreen shrub/small tree
 Mounded form; ultimately at
least as wide as tall
 Bark red, becoming gray
 Moderate growth rate; long lived
(several 100 yrs)
 Foliage:
 Attractive, medium green
 Leaves simple, attractive; smaller &
thicker w/ less water
 Deer love it!; Pale Swallowtail larva

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© Project SOUND
Plant Requirements
 Soils:
 Texture: well-drained; sandy or
rocky best
 pH: any local (5.0-8.0)
 Light: full sun to part-shade
 Water: very flexible
 Winter: needs good winter
moisture
 Summer:
 Best with occasional summer
water: Zone 2 to 2/3; don’t over-
water in clays
 Very drought tolerant once
established
 Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils
 Other: very undemanding (if you so
desire)

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© Project SOUND
With Coffeeberry, the
berries are the show…
 Blooms: late spring; usually Apr-
June in western L.A. Co.
 Flowers:
 Small and not very noticeable
 Hummingbirds and insect
pollinators adore them (in MNBY)
 Fruits:
 Small – ¼ inch
 begin green, ripen to orange/red
and finally black in August –
October
 Eaten by many: Quail,
Mockingbirds, Thrushes, Robins,
Finches, Towhees, Thrashers and
Jays, etc., even humans!

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© Project SOUND
Coffeeberry can be used in so many ways…
 For erosion control on
slopes; great combined
with other CSS or
chaparral plants
 As an accent plant
 For backs of mixed beds
 Under oaks; great for
sun/shade transition zones
 Particularly suited for
hedging:
 Formal or informal
hedges, screens
 As a partner in hedgerows
http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/rhamnus-californica

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© Project SOUND
Plenty of cultivars: most of them low-growing
compared to the species
‘Eve Case’
http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-
california/plants/rhamnus-californica-eve-case
‘Mound San Bruno’
http://www.smgrowers.com/products/pla
nts/plantdisplay.asp?plant_id=1850
‘Leatherleaf’
http://www.yerbabuenanursery.com/viewplant.php?pid=0521
‘Salt Point’
http://www.calfloranursery.com/pages_plants/pages_r/rhacalsalpoi.htmlhttp://www.agikehoe.com/mcgregor-garden.html

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Coffeeberry cultivars: habitat
at ¼ the size
 ‘Little Sur’
 Very compact; 3-4 or 5 ft.
 Best nearest the coast; some
shade inland
 Makes good hedges; pot plant
 ‘Seaview Improved’
 2-3 ft tall; 3-6 ft wide
 Takes quite a bit of shade to
part shade; sun on coast
 Good groundcover or small shrub
© Project SOUND
http://www.horticopia.net/media.details.php?mediaID=OTg4MTI2ZWMxZThiZDk2

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Length of bloom coverage: our goal - flowers
from early spring through fall
© Project SOUND
Pictures can provide
a helpful reality check
– take plenty!

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© Project SOUND
Winter-Spring transition

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Conclusions: winter-spring
Good (better in future)
 2 ‘early/mid’ Ceanothus
 ‘Ray Hartman’ – tree
 ‘Yankee Point’ – groundcover
 Two ‘early’ Manzanita
 Arctostaphylos densiflora
'Howard McMinn‘ – shrub
 Arctostaphylos glauca – large
shrub
 CA Encelia (1) – shrub
 Miniature Lupine – annual
Consider adding
 At least 1 more CA Encelia
- ?? Where
 More Miniature Lupine –
around the pruned shrubs
to cover bare spots
 ?? Wall Flower - Erysimum
insulare
 Early bloomer
 Yellow color - ? Early
spring is becoming yellow-
blue color scheme; spring
summer is pink-purple
© Project SOUND

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© Project SOUND
Transition from Spring to Summer

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© Project SOUND
Transition from summer into fall

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Conclusions for summer-fall
Good – better in future
 Still blooming
 Yarrow (Achillea millefolia)
 Buckwheats (E. cinereum; E.
fasciculatum)
 Coming into season – fall-blooming
sunflowers
 Coastal Aster
 CA Goldenrod (Solidago californica)
 Sweet Scent – Pluchea odorata
Consider adding
 ???? Any ideas
© Project SOUND

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© Project SOUND
The Sunflower family
(Asteraceae) provides
important food in fall
 Bloom in late summer/ fall
 Long bloom season
 Nectar and pollen
available to many types of
pollinators (even ants,
beetles)
 Lots of small flowers
Goldenbushes – Hazardia & Isocoma
Baccharis species

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Another possible ‘pollinator place’ is the
rain garden – yes, really!
© Project SOUND

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© Project SOUND
Salt Marsh Baccharis – Baccharis douglasii

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 Lower elevations from OR to
Baja
 Moist places: Coastal salt
marsh, coastal salt scrub,
moist places near streams to
2500‘
 In Coastal Sage Scrub,
Northern Coastal Scrub,
Redwood Forest, Foothill
Woodland, Yellow Pine Forest
© Project SOUND
Salt Marsh Baccharis – Baccharis douglasii
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?609,781,783

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© Project SOUND
Characteristics of Marsh Baccharis
 Size:
 4-6 ft tall
 6-8+ ft wide, spreading
 Growth form:
 Sub-shrub with part-woody
stalks; evergreen with water
 Numerous stalks from
rhizomes; generally upright
 Foliage:
 Simple leaves – quite like
Mulefat but not serrated
 Leaves sticky, resinous
©2008 Keir Morse

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© Project SOUND
Flowers like Mulefat
 Blooms: blooms off and on in
warm weather – like Mulefat –
usually June to fall.
 Flowers:
 Dioecious – separate male/
female plants
 Flowering heads like Mule-
fat, though mostly clustered
at tops of stems
 Very important nectar
source – summer to fall
 Seeds:
 Tiny, air-borne seeds with
fluffy hairs

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© Project SOUND
Wetland plant – but
hardy once established
 Soils:
 Texture: any – sand to clay
 pH: any local, including alkali,
salty
 Light:
 Full sun to afternoon shade
 Water:
 Winter: adequate
 Summer: very adaptable
 Pondside/bog
 Regular water (Zone 3)
 Little summer water (with
p.m. shade)
 Fertilizer: not picky; likes leave
mulch
 Other: consider containingMarsh Baccharis gets no water in
Heritage Creek Preserve - CSUDH

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© Project SOUND
Fabulous habitat plant
 Good pond-poolside plant – will
need to divide
 Attracts very wide range of
insects (like Mulefat)
 Butterflies – including
American Painted Lady,
Buckeyes and Acmon Blue
 Bees & flies
 Many other weird & wonderful
insects
 Makes an attractive pot plant
 Medicinal:
 Used as a disinfectant for
wounds and sores
 Infusion or dried powered
foliage
http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/baccharis-douglasii

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Limit insecticide use – or use none at all
 Pesticides can kill more than the
target pest – some kill pollinators for
several days after the pesticide is
applied.
 Pesticides can also kill natural
predators, which can lead to even
worse pest problems. Instead:
 Encourage native predators with a
diverse garden habitat
 Expect and accept a little bit of pest
activity
 Try removing individual pests by hand if
possible (wearing garden gloves)
 If you must use a pesticide, choose one
that is the least toxic to non-pest
species
© Project SOUND
Using fewer pesticides is more
life-friendly for all species

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© Project SOUND
Saltmarsh Fleabane – Pluchea odorata
http://www.kenbowles.net/SDWildflowers/FamilyIndexes/AsteraceaeDisciform/AsteraceaeDisciformKey.htm

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© Project SOUND
Saltmarsh Fleabane –
typical for genus
© 2003 BonTerra Consulting
 Size:
 2-4 ft. tall
 2-3 ft. wide
 Growth form: sub-shrub
 Woody base; ends of stems are
herbaceous
 Upright growth habit
 Annual in colder climates;
perennial in ours
 Dies back in winter
 Foliage:
 Pretty color; like
 Arrow-shaped leaves
 Roots: fibrous; good soil-binding
http://www.kenbowles.net/SDWildflowers/FamilyIndexes/AsteraceaeDisciform/Aste
raceaeDisciformKey.htm

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© Project SOUND
Saltmarsh Fleabane does well in gardens…
 Soils:
 Texture: any local – does very well in
fine-textured soils (clays)
 pH: any local, including alkali, salty
 Light:
 Best in full sun with some water
 Fine with partial shade; not too
particular
 Water:
 Winter: likes it’s water; plant in moist
areas of garden, rainswale, etc.
 Summer: quite flexible; looks better
with some to regular summer water
(Zone 2/3 probably optimal; takes 3)
 Fertilizer: fine with none; organic mulches
work well (leaf mulch)
© 2003 BonTerra Consulting

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© Project SOUND
Versatile in the garden
 Excellent choice for moist
places in garden:
 Stream or pond banks/edges
 Rain gardens/swales
 Areas with sprinkler drift
 Fine with other natives
needing similar water
requirements – remember,
dies back in winter
 Showy choice for fall habitat/
butterfly garden; great with
yellow fall-flowering plants
 Does great in pots; give it an
occasional dose of fertilizer
or top-dress each spring
http://www.wildflower.org/gallery/result.php?id_image=13929
http://www.sibleynaturecenter.org/daytrips/naturetrail0709/index.html

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Lack room and/or water? Try a ‘wetland in
a pot’ for a touch of wetland
 Guilt-free – saves space &
water
 Can contain 1 plant or several –
depending on size of container
 Choose a pretty container;
locate in at least part-sun
 Requires some yearly
maintenance – dividing plants
 See May posting – Mother
Nature’s Backyard blog for
more
© Project SOUND
A ‘wetland in a pot’ serves several
functions when you include pollinator
plants like Marsh Baccharis

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Western Yarrow – Achilla millefolia

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Western Yarrow: the ultimate ‘tuck-in’ plant!
 Slopes, hillsides
 Mixtures
 Good garden plant for fresh or dry
floral arrangements
 Foliage is pleasantly fragrant when
crushed; medicinal
 Can be mowed to form a highly
competitive ground cover to
control soil erosion.
 Flowers!!!
 Good butterfly/pollinator plant –
one of the best in Mother Nature’s
Backyard

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© Project SOUND
Cliff Aster – Malacothrix saxatilis var. tenuifolia
 Local distribution: common
 in the Transverse Ranges
(Santa Monica, San Gabriel,
and San Bernardino mountains)
 coastal areas in Los Angeles to
San Diego counties
 on Santa Catalina Island
 Found in several habitats:
 Coastal strand/coastal shrub
 Canyons, coastal-sage scrub
 Chaparral
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?Malacothrix+saxatilis+var.+tenuifolia
var. tenuifolia

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© Project SOUND
Cliff Asters are
versatile locals
 Herbaceous perennial
 Size: 3-5 ft tall & wide
 Open growth habit; sort
of ‘unfurls’ as it blooms
 Lacy leaves – mostly basal
 Summer dormant with no
water
 Long bloom period:
 Mar-Dec. in good years
 Often many blooms; quite
showy
http://www.newportbay.org/plants/cliffaster.html

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© Project SOUND
Wonderful with its
natural partners
 Welcome spot of white against
darker foliage in a mixed bed
 On slopes, cliffs, hillsides
 Natural partners (mostly
Zone 1/2):
 Salvia mellifera & leucophylla
 Diplacus aurantiacus
 Quercus agrifolia
 Native clovers
 Many spring-blooming annual
wildflowers
 Charming plant – should be
used more in local gardens

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© Project SOUND
Providing homes for native pollinators
 Native bees don’t build the wax or
paper structures we associate with
honey bees or wasps, but they do need
places to nest, which vary depending
on the species.
 Wood-nesting bees are solitary, often
making individual nests in beetle tunnels in
standing dead trees.
 Ground-nesting bees include solitary
species that construct nest tunnels under
the ground.
 Cavity-nesting social species—bumble
bees—make use of small spaces, such as
abandoned rodent burrows, wherever they
can find them.
Learn about how you
can construct or
promote native
pollinator homes in
your garden

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© Project SOUND
Island Buckwheat – Eriogonum grande
 Channel Island endemic:
 var. grande (Island Buckwheat)
 Channel Islands; Santa Cruz,
Anacapa, Santa Catalina, San
Clemente Islands
 Bluffs and cliffs, coastal sage
scrub and chaparral
 var. rubescens (Red Buckwheat;
San Miguel Island Buckwheat )
 n Channel Islands; San Miguel,
Santa Cruz, and Santa Rosa
islands
 Cliffs and bluffs, coastal
grassland and scrub communities
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-
bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?5936,5994,6063,6
064
var. rubescens
var. grande

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© Project SOUND
Special features of Red Buckwheat
 Size:
 1-2 ft tall
 3-4 ft wide
 Growth form:
 Low-growing mounded form
 Spreads slowly
 Foliage:
 Attractive bright to gray-green with
wooly white backs
 Medium-large ‘Buckwheat leaves’
 Flowers:
 On stalks 2-3 ft tall
 Color range from light to dark pink
 One of the showiest CA native
buckwheats
http://www.soquelnursery.com/shrubs_correa_fuchsia.html

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© Project SOUND
Garden uses for Red
Buckwheat
 Super as a pot plant
 Lovely massed as a ground
cover
 Makes a pretty smaller border
plant
 For a ‘silver’ (moonlight) garden
 In any sort of habitat garden
 As an unusual accent plant
 In narrow beds & planters
 Nice with dudleyas, purple sage,
yarrow, sedums

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Diversity of plants/flowers: food for adults
and juveniles of a range of pollinators
© Project SOUND
© Paul Mirocha 2004

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© Project SOUND
Moths are important pollinators in western U.S.
 More prevalent in the Southwest than in other
regions due to warm evenings, hot daytimes,
favorable climate
 Moths visit flowers in search of nutritious
rewards, usually nectar, and transfer pollen as a
consequence of their contact with floral
structures.
 Some night-blooming plant species, especially in
desert grasslands and dune areas, appear to be
specialized for moth pollination
 However, most moth-pollinated plants employ
alternative reproductive strategies. These include
self-pollination, recruiting other (diurnal, or day-
active) pollinators, or simply waiting for the next
flowering season.
 Moth pollination is a risky proposition, and moth-
flower mutualisms are not very exclusive.

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© Project SOUND
Characteristics of flowers that attract large
dusk-to-dawn flying moths
 Night-blooming
 Large size – often > 1 inch
 Light color – often white,
but may be light yellow or
pink
 Tubular shape – those that
attract the large moths
 Sweetly scented – may be
overpoweringly so

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© Project SOUND
Flowers are fantastic
 Blooms:
 Long summer bloom season;
sequential blooms
 Usually July/Aug to Sept/Oct
western L.A. county
 Flowers:
 Good sized; ~ 1 inch diameter
 Lemon yellow; iridescent
 Really showy against green leaves
 Seeds:
 Bulky pods; split lengthwise
 Many tiny seeds
 Re-seeds very well, esp. in sandy
soils. Usually not a problem to
pull up unwanted plant in spring

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© Project SOUND
Garden uses for
Hooker’s primrose
 As a summer perennial in the mixed
bed – nice w/ purple accents.
 Valuable addition to the habitat
garden:
 Nectar: moths, butterflies,
hummingbirds, other pollinators
(large bees)
 Finches and other seed eaters love
the seeds
 In a dry garden
 In the vegetable garden:
 Root - boiled and eaten like parsnip.
 Young shoots - raw or cooked
 Young pods – cooked vegetable

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© Project SOUND
California Primrose – Oenothera californica
 Coastal, Sierra, Transverse
and desert mountain ranges
of CA to Baja – locally in San
Gabriels
 In foothills (mostly)
 Sandy or gravelly areas,
dunes, desert scrub to
pinyon/juniper or ponderosa-
pine woodlands
 Same genus as Hooker’s
Evening Primrose
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?Oenothera+californica

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© Project SOUND
Flowers are the reason to
plant native primroses
 Blooms:
 In spring - usually Apr-May in
our area
 Flowers open over long period –
individual flowers short-lived
 Flowers:
 White, becoming more pink
 Fairly large (2 inch) and
definitely showy
 Sweet, slightly musky fragrance
 Seeds: many tiny seeds in a capsule
 Vegetative reproduction:
sprouting from roots
© 2003 Lynn Watson
http://botany.si.edu/onagraceae/taxalist.cfm?genus=Oenothera

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© Project SOUND
Evening Primrose has a specific cast of
pollinators who work at dusk or dawn
 Hawkmoths (White-lined sphinx
moth - Hyles )
 Bees (specifically Lasioglossum,
Centris, Xylocopa, Andrena)
Hawk moth/White-lined
Sphinx Moth (Hyles lineata)
Sweatbee
Lasioglossum oenotherae
Oil-collecting Bee
Centris species
Carpenter Bee
Xylocopa spp.

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© Project SOUND
Care and management: plant & ignore
 Soils:
 Texture: sandy/rocky best
 pH: any local to 8.5 (alkali)
 Light:
 Full sun – coastal
 Part-shade/morning sun inland
 Water:
 Winter: good winter rains
 Summer: drought tolerant but
takes anything from 2 to 3; best
to let dry out in late summer/fall
 Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils
 Other: cut back as needed in fall.http://botany.si.edu/onagraceae/taxalist.cfm?genus=Oenothera

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© Project SOUND
Native primroses
in the garden
 Best planted with native
grasses, perennials, annual
wildflowers
 Excellent choice for
water-wise parking strip
 Lovely in pots on a sunny
deck
 Tucked in around other
plants – a ‘filler plant’
 Attract a wild assortment
of insects
http://botany.si.edu/onagraceae/taxalist.cfm?genus=Oenothera

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Make your garden water-wise and Life-friendly
 Plant the right plants to
attract and nourish native
pollinators
 Provide places for pollinators
to hide and raise their young
 Provide a source of water –
can be as simple as patch of
moist earth or a saucer with
stones
 Use pesticides sparingly
 Respect the pollinators and
the services they provide
© Project SOUND

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‘The growing concern for pollinators is a sign
of progress, but it is vital that we continue to
maximize our collective effort.’
 Do something to make your
garden more pollinator-friendly
 Celebrate National Pollinator
Week – check for local events
(Gardena Willows)
 Learn more about a pollinator
that interests you
 Take photos of pollinators in
your garden – they’re fascinating!
© Project SOUND
http://textileranger.com/2012/08/11/pollinator-quilt/

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Xerces Society
 Nonprofit organization that protects
wildlife through the conservation of
invertebrates and their habitat.
 Information, books, programs for
schools, home gardens, etc.
© Project SOUND
http://www.xerces.org/bringbackthepollinators/
http://www.dadant.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=1392

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Other resources on pollinators
 UC Berkeley Urban Bee Gardens Site -
http://nature.berkeley.edu/urbanbeegardens/
 Pollinator Partnership -
http://www.pollinator.org/pollination.htm
 U.S. Fish & Wildlife – Pollinators Page
http://www.fws.gov/pollinators/
 USDA Insects & Pollinators page -
http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/mai
n/national/plantsanimals/pollinate/
© Project SOUND
http://resonatingbodies.wordpress.com/
resources/recommended-books-
downloadable-files-links/

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Past ‘Out of the Wilds’ talks – links on
Native Plants at CSUDH blog
 Butterfly Garden talks – Most July talks
 Moth Pollinators – July, 2010
 Bee pollinators – July 2011
 Fly pollinators – July 2012
 Hummingbirds – May, 2009
© Project SOUND

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Take the message to your friends and
neighbors
 Talk to others – including
children – about
pollinators
 Encourage your neighbors
to plants pollinator-
friendly plants
 Turn your neighborhood
into ‘Pollinator Heaven’
© Project SOUND
http://eastcountymagazine.org/images/logo-guidelines.jpg

Planning for Pollinators 2013

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Planning for Pollinators 2013