Trees for future 2016

© Project SOUND
Out of the Wilds and Into Your Garden
Gardening with California Native Plants in Western L.A. County
Project SOUND – 2016 (our 12th year)

© Project SOUND
Trees & Shrubs for the Future:
large native plants suited to our
changing climate
C.M. Vadheim and T. Drake
CSUDH (emeritus) & Madrona Marsh Preserve
Madrona Marsh Preserve
February 6 & 11, 2016

The last four years have been stressful…
© Project SOUND
heat
smog
drought
wind
unusual rain patterns

© Project SOUND
Some days, you just want to weep….

Like it or not, the past four years have been
a pilot test of our future
© Project SOUND
Some plants lost –
others surviving
Destructive effects
of new pests
Cool, green oasis with
dry shade

People have gone crazy about water-wise
gardening this year
© Project SOUND
Water restrictions
$$$$ rebates $$$
Exhortations/examples
http://www.greenindustrypros.com/article/12069076/turf-terminators-cashing-in-on-lawn-replacement-rebates-in-california

This kind of ‘water-wise garden’ makes
me sad and mad at the same time
© Project SOUND
http://ks957.com/heat-advisory-issued/
Heat Wave

So does this one!!!
© Project SOUND
http://dev.easyturf.com/artificial-grass-transformation-backyard-la-mesa-california-10967/
http://www.hometone.org/12687/2015/05/03/the-killer-
benefits-that-come-with-artificial-grass-installation-in-your-
lawn/
http://www.mediacitygroove.com/tag/heat-wave

So how do we go about evolving a
sustainable – and elegant – future?
© Project SOUND
http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/23192-Maple-Ave-Torrance-CA-90505/2106438376_zpid/

2016 Season - Rediscovering Eden:
S. California Gardens for the 21st Century
© Project SOUND

The past four years have taught us
important lessons (if we’re willing to listen)
© Project SOUND

…lessons that point towards the future
© Project SOUND
… and steps we can take (right now) to make
that future more pleasant & sustainable

Today we’ll be creating a green oasis,
starting with replacing a sick tree
© Project SOUND
http://www.clker.com/clipart-tree-silhouette-4.html

Considering the future is most important
when we choose long-lived plants
© Project SOUND

Why take your time when choosing a new tree?
 They take longer to mature – you don’t
want to have to start over
 They hopefully will serve you for many
decades – if not more
 Their size means they dominate – and
effect - the landscape
 If chosen wisely, they can provide many
services:
 Shade; cooler temperatures
 Food (fruits or nuts)
 Materials for crafts
 Excellent habitat for birds, insects and
others: food, home sites, cover, etc.
© Project SOUND
A well-chosen tree is the
jewel of the garden

Trees are one of the best ways to create
a green oasis
© Project SOUND

What future will our new tree live in?
© Project SOUND

The earth has gotten hotter since 1950-1980
© Project SOUND

A few new pieces have been added since we
last considered climate change (2014)
© Project SOUND

The Climate Change in the Los Angeles
Region Project
 Series of studies by atmospheric
scientists at UCLA (and others)
 Employ innovative techniques, applying
multiple global climate models to the Los
Angeles region
 Goal: to provide detailed projections of
climate change (through 2100)
 Why important? Direct planning at all
levels (National/state government to your
own backyard)
© Project SOUND
Read about it yourself:
• http://research.atmos.ucla.edu/csrl//LA_project_summary.html
• http://www.kcet.org/news/climate_change_la/
• http://slideplayer.com/slide/6269865/
http://slideplayer.com/slide/6269865/

First Report (2012):"Mid-Century
Warming in the Los Angeles Region."
 By mid-century, Los Angeles will
experience temperatures similar to what
we experience today only about 75-80%
of the time (274-292 days a year)
 If we don't reduce global greenhouse
gas emissions, Los Angeles will continue
to get warmer. By the end of the
century, temperatures will be like they
are today only 50- 65% of the time
(1 83- 243 days a year)
© Project SOUND
• Hotter than normal temperatures will likely be experienced
primarily in late summer and early fall (our typical hot, dry period).
• December to January and July to August are projected to change
the most (relative to today).

The South Bay benefits from it’s proximity to
the ocean
© Project SOUND
http://research.atmos.ucla.edu/csrl//LA_project_summary.html
 Areas that are already ‘somewhat
hot’ will see many more days > 95°
 Palmdale, Lancaster
 The San Fernando Valley
 Riverside
 What can we expect (Western L.A.
County)?
 More hot days in summer/fall
 More year-to-year variability in both
hot and cold temperatures
 Warmer days in winter (on average)
 Warmer nights in winter; fewer nights
below 45° F

We do need to worry about the effects of
more warm/hot days on local plants
 All plants have optimal temperature
ranges – in general, plants from
hotter places have higher ranges
 Temperatures higher and lower than
the optima affect literally
everything a plant does:
 Taking up water
 Growing new leaves, branches
 Producing flowers, fruits & seeds
 Warding off pests & diseases
 Timing of life & seasonal changes
 Just plain staying alive!
© Project SOUND
http://www.intechopen.com/books/abiotic-stress-plant-responses-and-
applications-in-agriculture/extreme-temperature-responses-oxidative-
stress-and-antioxidant-defense-in-plants
temperatures just beyond the
optimal range can greatly affect
both survival and reproduction

Precipitation change in the 20th century
 Most of the U.S. saw increased
precipitation
 S. CA and Arizona saw significant
decreases
© Project SOUND
http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/science/indicators/weather-climate/precipitation.html
http://pauldouglasweather.blogspot.com/2014/01/winds-ease-travel-improves-another.html

This has not been a good 4 years for the West
 All of California experienced some level of drought throughout 2015
 Estimated population in drought areas: 36,660,308
© Project SOUND
http://www.californiadrought.org/drought/current-conditions/

© Project SOUND
Totals: 2013 = 3.5 inches 2014 = 9.5 inches 2015 = 6.5 inches
What was I thinking, starting a
garden in 2012 (and 2014)?

Good news – El Niño year this year!
© Project SOUND
 The period October through March tends to be wetter than usual in a
swath extending from southern California eastward across Arizona,
southern Nevada and Utah, New Mexico, and into Texas.
 There are more rainy days, and there is more rain per rainy day. El
Nino winters can be two to three times wetter than La Nina winters in
this region.

Local gardeners are anxiously awaiting El Niño…
© Project SOUND
…and wondering what all this means for the future

Predicting S. California’s future
precipitation is challenging
© Project SOUND
 Role of El Nino events is not well
understood – and they have a role
in our precipitation
 We have complex topography
 Our area lies right between two
areas on which most models
agree:
 An area of more precipitation
to the north
 An area of significantly less
precipitation to the south

“21st Century Precipitation Changes over
the Los Angeles Region” - 2014
 Major findings:
 Probably about the same amount of precipitation overall
(some models suggest slightly higher – some slightly lower)
 Continued high year-to-year variability
 Less precipitation falling as snow (40% decrease in
snowfall) due to increasing temperatures
 Higher wintertime stream/runoff flows
 Need to capture/infiltrate
 For more see:
http://www.kcet.org/news/climate_change_la/downloads/LARC_
PartIII_V2.pdf
© Project SOUND

Slight decrease or
slight increase?
 Probably wisest to assume
somewhat drier conditions –
and less water available
for home gardens
 Year-to-year variability
will likely increase
 Plan for drought years
 Plan enough flexibility to
deal with wet years:
 Plant choices
 Water infiltration/
conservation
© Project SOUNDhttp://cal-adapt.org/precip/decadal/
PV peninsula
Much of South Bay
Los Angeles average since 1877
thru 2012 (135 years): 14.98 inches

So, we now have a good idea of the conditions we need
to plan for: hotter & more variable precipitation
© Project SOUND

Trees and large shrubs are more important
now (and in the future) than ever
 Heat is not just annoying – it kills
 Greater risk of death from dehydration,
heat stroke/ exhaustion, heart attack,
stroke, and respiratory distress
 By mid-century, extreme heat events in
urban centers such as Los Angeles are
projected to cause two to three times
as many heat- related deaths as there
are today.
 High temperatures stress living
creatures - from bacteria to mammals.
© Project SOUND
http://leadingwithtrust.com/2013/06/23/are-you-a-
thermometer-or-thermostat-leader/

Trees/other vegetation cool our neighborhoods in
two important ways
 Provide shade
 Tree shade: decrease temperature
20 to 45ºF (11-25ºC) for walls and
roofs; ~ 45ºF for parked cars
 Vines: reductions of up to 36ºF
(20ºC).
 Provide evapotranspirational cooling
 Peak air temperatures in tree
groves are 9ºF (5ºC) cooler than
over open terrain.
 Suburban areas with mature trees are
4 to 6ºF (2 to 3ºC) cooler than new
suburbs without trees.
 Temperatures over grass sports
fields are 2 to 4ºF (1 to 2ºC) cooler
than over bordering areas.
© Project SOUND
http://www.c3headlines.com/global-warming-urban-heat-island-bias/
http://gawker.com/5625730/take-a-tour-of-tv-landmarks-
with-google-street-view

And trees/other vegetation have other
effects that will help us cope in the future
 Filter out harmful UV rays
 Root system allows for
increased water absorption
during rain/irrigation events
 Act as windbreaks to
decrease wind-associated
drying
© Project SOUND
We should choose our trees
carefully, so they provide these
services for years to come.

The human benefits of trees/vegetation
 Improve human health and
well-being
 Reduce pollution/dust
 Reduce noise levels
 Decrease effects of
extreme heat events
 Provide habitat, food
 Provide oxygen
 ‘calm the soul’
© Project SOUND
Trees have inspired writers, painters
and other artists as far back as
record goes.

Why plant trees?
 Aesthetics
 Light & shade are more
interesting
 Provides vertical depth
 Human/environmental health
 Decreases heat for both the
home & neighborhood
 Cleans the air
 Carbon sink; oxygen source
 Mental health
 Habitat
 Perching, nesting sites
 Food (flowers; fruits; seeds;
insects)
© Project SOUND

Qualities to look for in a tree for the future
 Tolerates more hot days than we
experience now.
 Good drought tolerance – can get by
on 8-10” per year + supplemental
irrigation. Look for deep roots.
 Tolerates occasional flooding/above
average rainfall. Look for shallow
roots, in addition to the deep ones.
 Low vulnerabilities to:
 Wind
 Smog
 Pests/pathogens
 As locally native as possible for both
viability and habitat value
© Project SOUND
In short, we’re ‘looking
for Super-tree’

Where is Super-tree
likely to live?
 Right here locally
 In slightly warmer/drier areas of Los
Angeles, Orange & San Diego
Counties
 In the California deserts – and
particularly:
 In the Sonoran desert (which
experiences summer rainfall)
 Along season streams (which
experience both drought and flooding)
 In desert chaparral (which is dry, but
also receives more rain than CSS)
© Project SOUND
http://www.viator.com/tours/Phoenix/Self-Drive-Twilight-Tour-
through-the-Sonoran-Desert/d639-3121TWILIGHT
http://www.usgs.gov/faq/categories/9792/3501

© Project SOUND
http://publicgarden.ucdavis.edu/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/chilopsis-Timeless-Beauty-Monhews.jpg
Needless to say, ‘Super-tree’ must also be
lovely and useful
Not asking for a lot, are we?

Many people like the look of pine trees
© Project SOUND

If you like pines, the smaller CA native
species may be just the ticket
© Project SOUND
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Pinus_monophylla

© Project SOUND
Singleleaf Pinyon – Pinus monophylla

 Single-leaf Pinyon occurred as early
as the Late Wisconsin glacial period
(20,000 to 11,000 years ago.
 Large area of distribution and,
therefore, probably a large degree
of genetic variation
© Project SOUND
Singleleaf Pinyon – Pinus monophylla
green - Pinus monophylla subsp. monophylla
blue - Pinus monophylla subsp. californiarum
red - Pinus monophylla subsp. fallax
Mark W. Skinner @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

© Project SOUND
Singleleaf pinyon
 Soils:
 Texture: most any
 pH: any local
 Light: full sun to part-shade
 Water:
 Winter: good soil moisture
 Summer: very drought tolerant
 Most xeric pine in the U. S.
 Mean annual precipitation range
is 8 to 18 inches; most
precipitation falling December-
April (perfect for our area)
 Once established, needs only
occasional watering
 Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils
 Management: Native Californians
pruned out dead branches; removed
underbrush – fire can kill this species
Charles Webber © California Academy of Sciences

© Project SOUND
Gardening with single-leaf pinyon
 Large container or bonsai plant
 Screen/hedge; good for mild, coastal conditions
 Neat and bold appearance for a native tree
 Gray-green color blends well with dry high-desert
and mountain landscapes, as well as modern and
Mediterranean gardens
http://selectree.calpoly.edu/treedetail.lasso?rid=1054
http://www.thetreefarm.com/pine-pinon

© Project SOUND
*Pinyon pine – Pinus edulis

 Southwestern United States, in southern
California (rare), the intermountain region
(Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, New
Mexico), to w. Oklahoma (rare) and w.
Texas, and south into Chihuahua, Mexico.
 Note: CA plants may actually be Pinus
monophylla with double needles
© Project SOUND
*Pinyon pine – Pinus edulis
©2005 Robert Sivinski
©1998 Joseph Dougherty/ecology.org
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-
bin/get_cpn.pl?PIED
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinus_edulis

© Project SOUND
Pinyon pine: medium size tree
 Size:
 25-50 ft. tall
 15-30 ft. wide
 Growth form:
 Short, shrubby trees; conical when
young, mounded with maturity
 Somewhat open; shade not dense
 Lowest branches quite low
 Bark: red-brown aging to gray
 Slow-growing; very long-lived
 Foliage:
 Needles in bundles of two
 Yellow-green to blue-green
 Tree is very sticky
©1998 Joseph Dougherty/ecology.org
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pinus_edulis_Torrey-UT.jpg

© Project SOUND
Best pinyon for eating
 Blooms: spring when weather warms up
 Flowers: typical pine
 Separate male (pollen) and female
(seed) cones on same tree
 Seed cones are short, squat and very
sticky
 Seeds take two years to mature
 Seeds:
 Produced by mature trees (at least 20
years of age)
 Variable crop year-to-year
 Large and absolutely delicious
 Gathered and used/sold by indigenous
and other people
 Jays, small mammals LOVE them too
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinus_edulis

© Project SOUND
Plant Requirements  Soils:
 Texture: well-drained best
but tolerates clays
 pH: any local (6.0-8.0)
 Water:
 Winter: need normal rainfall;
supplement if needed
 Summer: likes occasional, deep
water (Water Zone 2)
 Fertilizer: fine with poor soils,
but OK with occasional fertilizer
 Other:
 Prune to shape, remove dead
branches
 Use organic mulch (pine needles
or bark best
Like all pines, especially in dry
years, pinyons become more
susceptible to pests and
diseases: boring insects, moths,
sawflies and rusts

© Project SOUND
Use Pinyon pine
 Where ever a medium-
size, hardy, drought-
tolerant pine is needed
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pinus_Edulis,_UNM_Arboretum,_Albuquerqu
e_NM.jpg
https://www.flickr.com/photos/grand_canyon_nps/12199713556
http://www7.nau.edu/arboretum/Littleman/pinyon.html

Using Pinyon nuts:
raw or roasted
 Seeds ground, rolled into balls
and eaten as a delicacy.
 Seeds mixed with yucca fruit pulp
to make a pudding.
 Nuts parched, ground, mixed with
datil fruit, mescal, mesquite
beans or sotol.
 Pinon and corn flour mixed and
cooked into a mush.
 Seeds parched, ground, kneaded
into seed butter and eaten with
fruit drinks or spread on bread.
 Nuts used to make a soup.
 Needles used to make a tea.
© Project SOUND
http://www.dishmaps.com/pinon-rice-bake-recipe-with-artichokes-plum-
tomatoes-pine-nuts-and-goat-cheese/25832
http://www.theperfectpantry.com/2014/05/pine-nuts-recipe-toasted-pinon-
shortbread-cookies-vegetarian.html

December to January and July to August are
projected to change the most (relative to today)
© Project SOUND
 What can we expect (S. Bay)?
 Warmer nights (on average) in
summer
 Warmer days in winter (on
average)
 Warmer nights in winter; fewer
nights below 45° F.
http://www.c3headlines.com/global-warming-urban-heat-island-bias/
https://www.zagat.com/b/los-angeles/7-new-outdoor-bars-for-sipping-around-la
The more heat-absorbing
surfaces that surround us, the
warmer the nights (whenever we
have sunny days)

Decreasing hours of chill: bad for W. Coast
agriculture
 ‘Chill factor’ – the number of
hours below a certain temperature
required to trigger some plant
behavior (often flowering)
 Most important for fruiting
trees/shrubs, ‘winter annuals’ and
biennials
 Fruit and nut production in
California will likely be seriously
affected
 May also affect those of us
that grow ‘low chill’ fruits in
home gardens [Anna apple; Fuji
apple; Black Mission fig; Santa
Rosa plum]
© Project SOUND
DECREASING CHILL HOURS,
2070-2099

How will decreased hours of chill affect local
native plants (in gardens & Preserves)?
 Some native plants from slightly
higher elevations, more northern
latitudes and the high desert
(which experience more chill) will
likely not produce as
well/reliably:
 Manzanita?
 Native cherries & other Prunus
 ? Coffeeberry & other Rhamnus
species
 ??? Native pines
 ??? Hard to predict
 Research is desperately needed
on native species that provide
food for birds & other creatures.
© Project SOUND
http://irri.org/rice-today/rice-feels-the-heat
Lots of research on effects of
heat on crop species – very
little on native plant species

The past few years give reason to pause & think
© Project SOUND

Climate change raises important concerns
for some California plants
 Temperature and precipitation extremes
may kill or limit reproduction
 Fire & disease – will be worse problems
 Loss of other key components of habitat:
 Associated plant species
 Pollinators; seed distributors
 Particularly vulnerable:
 Small natural populations
 Isolated populations
 Plants with very narrow climatic ranges
 Plants w/ very specialized relationships
 Large, long-lived plants (trees)
© Project SOUND
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Cupressus_nevadensis_re
sin_glands.jpg
Piute Cypress
Hesperocyparis nevadensis

© Project SOUND
* Piute Cypress – Hesperocyparis nevadensis
©2008 Matt Teel

 Narrow endemic: Kern County: the drainage
of Bodfish Creek, and, at 4000 feet, on Red
Hill in the Paiute Mountains where it grows
at elevations of 5000-6000 feet with
Juniperus californica, Pinus sabiniana, P.
monophylla and Ephedra viridis
© Project SOUND
* Piute Cypress – Hesperocyparis nevadensis
http://ucjeps.berkel
ey.edu/cgi-
bin/get_IJM.pl?tid=
89300
http://www.conifers.org/cu/Cupressus_nevadensis.php
©2012 Joey Malone

© Project SOUND
Uses for Piute Cypress
 Planted as an ornamental tree,
particularly for gray foliage
 Nice large background plants – or
drought-tolerant large hedges/screens
 Hardy – planted along roads in Santa
Monica mtns
http://www.worldbotanical.com/images/145-Cupressus.jpg
©2002 Dr. Louis Emmet Mahoney
©2010 Rebecca Wenk

Climate change forces us to face serious
questions about species conservation
© Project SOUND

Gardens/parks are one place to conserve
rare/endangered plant species
© Project SOUND
Nevin’s barberry

© Project SOUND
* Tecate Cypress – Hesperocyparis forbesii
Gary A. Monroe @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

© Project SOUND
* Tecate Cypress – Hesperocyparis forbesii
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_IJM.pl?tid=89295
http://dendro.cnre.vt.edu/dendrolo
gy/syllabus/factsheet.cfm?ID=784
 Very rare – 15 U.S. populations;
formerly more widespread – in La Brea
tar from Pleistocene
 Santa Ana Mountains (Orange County);
Guatay Mountain, Otay Mountain (San
Diego County); Mount Tecate on the
U.S.-Mexican boundary; N. Baja.
 Dry slopes, exposed hillsides, ridgetops;
also along stream banks/arroyos, 1,500
to 5,000 feet

© Project SOUND
Tecate cypress in the garden
 Anywhere you might consider a non-
native Cypress
 Great on dry hillsides – but is fire-prone
 Excellent as a large evergreen hedge or
screen; good boundary plant
 Impressive specimen plant
 Can even be pruned up as a shade tree
http://www.geographylists.com/tecate_cypress.jpg
http://vhd.heritage.vic.gov.au/vhd/heritagevic#detail_places;70998
http://www.laspilitas.com/garden/pictures/Cupressus_forbesii_tecate_cypress.jpg

© Project SOUND
*Cuyamaca cypress – Hesperocyparis stephensonii
©2011 Joey Malone

 Endemic to headwaters of King Creek
in the Cuyamaca Mountains, Cleveland
National Forest, San Diego County.
Also a population in NW Baja
 AKA: Cupressus stephensonii ;
Cupressus arizonica subsp.
stephensonii
© Project SOUND
*Cuyamaca cypress – Hesperocyparis stephensonii
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cupressus_stephensonii
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cupressus_stephensonii

© Project SOUND
Cuyumaca cypress: shape changes with age
 Size:
 30-50 ft. tall
 20-30 ft. wide
 Growth form:
 Central trunk; grows 1-3 ft.
per year
 Form depends on age and
environment; young tend to be
tall & narrow, spreading w/ age
 Bark pretty red-brown, peeling
 Foliage:
 Typical scale-like leaves of
cypress species
 Dull green to blue-green
©2011 Joey Malone
©2013 Susan McDougall

© Project SOUND
Cones typical of Cypress
 Blooms: in summer – only CA
cypress that’s summer-blooming
 Flowers:
 Separate male, female
 Female cones are rounded;
each section has a unique
projection (umbro)
 Green – age to gray when ripe
(takes two years)
 Pods open with heat (incl.
from fire) releasing seeds
 Seeds:
 Tan, flat and hard; may be
hard to germinate
©2011 Joey Malone
http://www.hazmac.biz/100726/100726HesperocyparisStephensonii.html
http://www.baumpruefung.de/baumlexikon/baumbilder/cupressus/arizonica_conica/var
_stephensonii

© Project SOUND
One tough Cypress  Soils:
 Texture: well-drained
 pH: best with slightly acidic –
use pine needle mulch
 Light: full sun
 Water:
 Winter: needs normal rain;
supplement if needed
 Summer: best with occasional
summer (deep); Water Zone 2
 Fertilizer: fine with poor soils;
light fertilizer probably fine
 Other:
 Pretty disease/pest-free
 Little pruning needed; nice
natural shape
©2013 Susan McDougall
Has deep roots – but won’t cause
damage

© Project SOUND
Garden uses for Cuyamaca cypress
 As an accent plant – unique appearance, color
 On slopes, hillsides and in formal gardens - in place
on non-native pines & cypress
 For large hedgerows, screens
 As large tree in a habitat garden with Ceanotus
spp., Cercocarpus spp., Rhamnus spp. - good choice
©2013 Jean Pawek
http://www.baumpruefung.de/baumlexikon/baumbilder/c
upressus/arizonica_conica/var_stephensonii
http://conifersgarden.com/grafted-plants/cupressus/cupressus-arizonica-var-
stephensonii.html

Using cypress in a garden
 Mainstay of formal Italian gardens
 Good for leading the eye – lining
roadways, long driveways
 As backdrops, screens & accents in
larger gardens – evergreen
 Remember: they become LARGE
© Project SOUND
https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cupressus
http://www.houzz.com/cypress-trees

How about something a little more open?
© Project SOUND

© Project SOUND
*Blue paloverde – Parkinsonia (Cercidium) florida
J. E.(Jed) and Bonnie McClellan © California Academy of Sciences.

 Sonoran Desert of California, Arizona &
Mexico
 Scattered along washes, flood plains in
desert riparian associations, pseudo-
riparian communities and desert wash
woodlands
© Project SOUND
*Blue paloverde – Parkinsonia florida
J. E.(Jed) and Bonnie McClellan © California Academy of Sciences
©2011 Neal Kramer
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:L76_Map_35_Parkinsonia_florida.png

© Project SOUND
Blue Paloverde: big and impressive Pea
 Size:
 15-35 ft. tall
 20-35+ ft. wide
 Growth form:
 Large shrub or tree; mounded
to weeping habit
 Multiple stems (usually)
 Drought deciduous – loses all
its leaves in dry season
 Bark: green (photosynthesis)
becoming gray with age
 Deep roots
 Foliage:
 Compound leaves typical of Peas
 Blue-green
 Has thorns
http://www.public.asu.edu/~camartin/plants/Plant%20html%20files/parkins
oniaflorida.html
https://www.snwa.com/apps/plant/detail.cfml?id=14986 http://www.discoverlife.org/mp/20o?search=Parkinsonia%20florida

© Project SOUND
Clouds of yellow flowers
 Blooms: in spring – Mar-May
 Flowers:
 Bright yellow flowers in loose
clusters
 Absolutely splendid display!
 Habitat for bee pollinators
 Seeds:
 In flat, rather thin pods
 Mature in summer
 Seeds are relative large and
hard-coated
 Usually require some
treatment (sanding; hot
water; acid) to aid
germination
©2011 Neal Kramer

And yes, the seeds are edible
 Native tribes (Cahuilla; Pima;
Papago) all gather and eat seeds
 Immature pods can be cooked and
eaten as a vegetable
 Green pods & seeds were also
eaten raw in summer
 Seeds were traditionally dried and
ground in mortars to produce a
flour which could be used to make
a mush or cakes.
 They were also parched and
stored for lean times.
© Project SOUND
Charles Webber © California Academy of Sciences
http://snowbirdpix.com/sonoran_desert_plant_page.php?id=1072

© Project SOUND
Paloverde needs
 Soils:
 Texture: adaptable but like well-
drained. If clay, limit water
 pH: any local
 Light: full sun only; heat is fine
 Water: drought-tolerant
 Winter: normal rainfall
 Summer: bi-monthly deep watering
 Other:
 Does fine in our area
 Can prune up for tree; periodically
thin (no more than 30% a year)
 Watch for pests in dry, dusty
conditions
 Does drop leaves, pods
 Few plants can grow beneath it
https://azsf.az.gov/forestry-community-forestry/urban-community-
forestry/tree-care
http://k-adventuresinlife.blogspot.com/2011/04/mon-mar-28-
2011-southwest-spring-break.html

© Project SOUND
Blue paloverde
 Used as an ornamental shade tree
in dry gardens
 Excellent habitat tree
 Large informal screen or hedge
 Looks beautiful with other desert
natives
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5268/5670580435_627551819d_b.jpg
http://www.springspreserve.org/apps/plant/detail.cfml?type=85&id=14986
http://www.springspreserve.org/apps/plant/detail.cfml?type=85&id=14986

Parkinsonia ‘Desert
Museum’
 Parkinsonia (Cercidium) x 'Desert
Museum‘ - complex hybrid among
Mexican, Blue and Foothills paloverdes
 Introduced by Arizona Sonora Desert
Museum (1981); widely available
 25-30 ft. x 25-30 ft.
 Good attributes
 Thornless; few seed pods
 Fast growing to 25 ft.
 Long flowering season (up to 2 months)
 Needs well-drained soil
© Project SOUND
http://www.public.asu.edu/~camartin/plants/Plant%20html%20files/parkins
oniaflorida.html

© Project SOUND
*Desert-willow – Chilopsis linearis
http://www.pssc.ttu.edu/techhort/PLANTID/desert/dsrtwllw.htm

© Project SOUND
*Desert-willow – Chilopsis linearis
 American SW from CA to Texas; S. to Mexico
 Desert & adjacent mountain ranges < 5000
 Mojave and Colorado deserts
 Common in gravelly or rocky soils in arid
desert washes and desert grasslands
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?Chilopsis+linearis+ssp.+arcuata
http://www.delange.org/WillowDesert/WillowDesert.htm
http://southwestdesertflora.com/WebsiteFolders/All_Species/Bignoniaceae/
Chilopsis%20linearis,%20Desert%20Willow.html

© Project SOUND
Desert Willow is a small, deciduous tree or large shrub
 Size:
 15-30 ft tall
 15-25 ft wide
 Growth form:
 Naturally grows with several
trunks – can be trained to single
 Open structure; graceful looking
 Branches droop as they age
 Old bark has fissures
 Foliage:
 Bright green glossy leaves
 Winter-deciduous (Nov-spring)
 Fast growing – to 3 ft/year
http://www.wildflower.org/gallery/result.php?id_image=21922

© Project SOUND
 Texture: any well-drained;
can’t take very wet soils
 pH: any local
 Light:
 Full sun best
 Light shade ok
 Water: drought tolerant
 Regular water first 2 years;
no flooding
 Zone 2; deep water when soil
is dry
 Other: can tolerate extreme
heathttp://ag.arizona.edu/pima/gardening/aridplants/Chilopsis_linearis.html

© Project SOUND
Flowers are like orchids
 Blooms:
 Long bloom period
 usually Apr-Aug/Sept. in S. CA
 Flowers:
 Like an orchid or Catalpa
 Extremely showy – tropical- or
Mediterranean-looking
 Light fragrance – somewhat like
violets
 Nectar attracts hummingbirds &
bees
 Seeds:
 In long, thin pods
 Tan pods remain on tree through
winter
http://www.wildflower.org/gallery/result.php?id_image=21931
http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/1788381_t5i7e/1/91507869_yreg7#91507869_yreg7

© Project SOUND
Common cultivars
 If you're looking for a specific flower color, shop in spring,
while the trees are in bloom.
 Named cultivars are propagated vegetatively and are
consistent in their flower characteristics.
 Look for a tree with good vigor and a profusion of blooms in
the color you like.
‘Lucretia Hamilton’
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/procee
dings1999/v4-436.html
‘Burgandy’
‘Warren Jones’
http://www.flickr.com/photos/vsny/2530579994/

© Project SOUND
Many uses for Desert Willow
 As a shade tree – even in lawns
(with well-drained soils)
 Produces filtered sun – can grow
other plants beneath it
 Winter deciduous
 Good near decks/patios
 As a specimen/accent tree –
even on parking strips
 For erosion control on slopes
 As a large informal hedge or
screen; windbreak
 In very large containers – better
in ground
http://www.delange.org/WillowDesert/WillowDesert.htm
http://desertwillow.us/

We like winter-deciduous – but want a bit more shade
© Project SOUND

© Project SOUND
Netleaf hackberry – Celtis laevigata var. reticulata
Celtis reticulata

 Native to western United States (mainly the
Southwest), but extending eastward
 Riverside & San Bernardino Co, Kern Co -
Banning, Mojave Desert Mtns
 Most commonly in bottomlands, washes,
ravines, arroyos, etc. Also as scattered
individuals in desert shrubland and semi-desert
grasslands.
© Project SOUND
Netleaf hackberry – Celtis laevigata var. reticulata
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?7729,7730,7731
http://www.arizonensis.org/sonoran/fieldguide/plantae/celtis_reticulata.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celtis_reticulata

© Project SOUND
Celtis: nice size water-wise tree
 Size:
 20-30 ft tall
 20-30 ft wide
 Growth form:
 Usually a small tree with relatively
short trunk; bumpy bark
 Spreading branches; rounded form
 Medium-slow growth; lives 100-
200 years
 Foliage:
 Medium green; simple with net-like
veins underside; gritty feel
 Roots: wide-spreading, shallow &
deep. Don’t plant too near foundation
©2013 Jean Pawek
http://www.bio.utexas.edu/courses/bio406d/images/pics/ulm/celtis_laevigata_reticulata.htm
http://www.bio.utexas.edu/courses/bio406d/images/pics/ulm/celtis_laevigata_reticulata.htm

Fruit: sweet drupes
 Fruits are small drupes ( ¼ - ½ inch)
 Ripen in late summer or fall; ripe
fruits are red to dark red
 Surprisingly sweet and tasty – you
can eat them fresh, but they have a
big seed
 Important food source for many
Native American peoples; eat fresh,
dried, as fruit leather, cooked
 Make nice jelly, candy, syrup – or
dried and ground for tea, seasoning
 Birds love them; they stay on the
tree in winter, so birds can eat
great quantities of them
© Project SOUND
http://www.friocanyonnature.com/n/w/celtis-r.htm

© Project SOUND
Hackberry: hardy
 Soils:
 Texture: any well-drained
 pH: any local, including alkali
 Water:
 Winter: adequate
 Summer: wide tolerance range:
Water Zone 1-2 to 2-3
 Fertilizer: whatever you want
 Other: galls are common; other than
that no problems
Sheri Hagwood @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
http://www.arizonensis.org/sonoran/fieldguide/plantae/celtis_reticulata.html
Start training up fairly early

© Project SOUND
Hackberry: water-
wise shade tree
 Shade, water-wise, habitat and
fruit – good all-purpose tree
 Good choice for home & public
 Fine for rain garden/infiltration
 Takes heat, cold, sun
http://artmeetsnature.org/portfolio/treesx/pages/Celtis%20reticulata-1.htm

What about something more open & lacy?
© Project SOUND

Crepe myrtle Pacific wax myrtle
© Project SOUND
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/432416001694936923/http://crapemyrtleguy.com/blog/

© Project SOUND
* Baja Birdbush – Ornithostaphylos oppositifolia
© 2005 TRNERR P. Roullard

 Very limited range (narrow endemic) :
San Diego Co. and N. Baja
 In Chaparral from 180-2500‘
 listed as endangered under the
California Endangered Species Act.
© Project SOUND
* Baja Birdbush – Ornithostaphylos oppositifolia
©2005 TRNERR P. Roullardhttp://www.plantscomprehensive.com/ornithostaphylos-
oppositifolia-aka-palo-blanco-aka-baja-bird-bush

© Project SOUND
An unusual and lovely shrub or small tree
 Size:
 6-10 ft tall
 6-8 ft wide
 Growth form:
 Erect, multi-branched evergreen
shrub
 Reddish-brown bark; peels in thin
sheets to expose smooth, white
or gray-green stems – hence the
common name ‘Palo blanco’;
 Foliage:
 Thick, linear leaves - shiny green
above and pale green beneath
 Looks almost like an olive
© 2005 TRNERR P. Roullard

© Project SOUND
Flowers like manzanita
 Blooms: winter, usually Jan-
March in western L.A. Co.
 Flowers:
 Small, pale-pink or white and
urn-shaped
 Attracts butterflies
 Fruits:
 Also like manzanita
 Loved by birds; also eaten
by Native Californians

© Project SOUND
 Texture: well-drained, rocky
 pH: any local except alkali
 Light:
 Full sun best
 Part-sun OK
 Water:
 Winter: adequate
 Summer: looks best with
occasional water (Zone 2 or
1-2) but very drought
tolerant.
 Other: leaf mulch/self-mulch

© Project SOUND
Garden uses for Palo
Blanco
 As a unique and rare
specimen plant – like a
manzanita
 As a small tree – somewhat
like Crepe Myrtle in
architecture
 In a white/moonlight garden
 Does well in large pots
 Can even make an informal
hedge
 Good for hot gardens
http://www.flickr.com/photos/briweldon/5209373967/

© Project SOUND
*Desert ironwood – Olneya tesota
 Sonoran Desert of CA, AZ and n. Mexico;
Imperial, Riverside, San Bernardino, San
Diego counties
 In washes, arroyos, flood plains to 2500 ft.
– sandy/rocky soil, intermittent water
 Member of Desert Riparian plant community
http://www.livescience.com/51276-desert-ironwood-trees-photos.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olneya

© Project SOUND
Desert ironwood is one tough tree!
 Size:
 15-35 ft tall (slow-moderate)
 15-25 ft wide
 Growth form:
 Shrubby tree, often multi-trunk,
mounded form
 Attractive gray bark
 Partially drought deciduous;
evergreen with a little water
 Foliage:
 Leaves compound, medium- to blue-
green, leathery
 Sharp, curved thorns at leaf base
 Very nice looking tree; long-lived
 Roots:
 Deep and shallow; shallow ones
nitrogen-fixing
http://www.livescience.com/51276-
desert-ironwood-trees-photos.html

© Project SOUND
Flowers like orchids
 Blooms: late spring into summer
 Flowers:
 Pea-shape; in clusters
 Color: white, pink, lavender
 Bee pollinated
 Very pretty – showy – trees
covered with blooms
 Seeds:
 In bean-like, brown pods
 Edible seeds
 Birds, animals love them!
http://faculty.ucr.edu/~chappell/INW/plants/ironwoodblossoms.shtml
http://ironwoodforest.org/about/the-monument/nature/desert-ironwood-tree

© Project SOUND
Very hardy Sonoran
Desert tree
 Soils:
 Texture: must be well-drained:
sandy, gravelly
 pH: any local
 Light: full sun; takes heat well
 Water:
 Winter: needs adequate
 Summer: deep water monthly or
less once established (Water
Zone 2 or 1-2)
 Other:
 Will need to be pruned up – be
careful of thorns
 Plant 10 ft. from watered lawn;
don’t over-water
 Flower, pod, leaf drop – self-mulch
http://web.gccaz.edu/glendalelibrary/glis%20olneya%20tesota.htm

© Project SOUND
Water-wise with the look of
Crepe Myrtle or Olive
 Good shade tree; becomes more
dense with water, age
 Often used in desert front yards –
with Sonoran desert (or other Zone 2)
plants (serves as nurse plant)
 Attractive: needs few other plantings
http://www.enchantedgardenaz.com/plants_pg3.htm
http://deserthorizonnursery.com/desert-trees/ironwood-tree/ http://www.desertharvesters.org/native-plant-food-guides-the-desert-can-feed-
you/desert-ironwood/

Desert trees as
‘nurse plants’
 Ironwood functions as a habitat
modifying keystone species – a
nurse plant
 Services they provide:
 Safe sites for seed dispersal
 Seedling protection from
extreme cold and freezes
 Sapling protection from
extreme heat and damaging
radiation.
 Protection from herbivores
preying on vulnerable plant
seedlings
 Enrich the soil with nutrients
such as nitrogen.
 Other examples: Mesquites and
Palo verde
© Project SOUND

Edible seeds are an
extra plus!
 Fresh seeds taste like fresh
soybeans
 Seeds can also be dried,
roasted or parched and eaten
as pinole, or ground into a flour
 Can also be sprouted for
sprouts (like bean sprouts)
© Project SOUND
http://www.desertharvesters.org/native-plant-food-guides-the-desert-can-feed-
you/desert-ironwood/

The wood is fantastic: prized by woodworkers
 Very hard & heavy – traditionally
used for tool handles and other
‘heavy use’ items like arrowheads
 Wonderful grain, colors
 Also makes great charcoal
© Project SOUND
http://straightrazorplace.com/workshop/38870-olneya-tesota-desert-
ironwood.html
http://ironwoodmexico.com/information
http://www.edelholzverkauf.de/?MODsid=73c67940b6831d1940bc4f02c35ac56c

© Project SOUND
*Honey mesquite – Prosopis glandulosa
https://www.springspreserve.org/apps/plant/detail.cfml?current_page=16&type=80&id=15190

© Project SOUND
*Western honey mesquite – Prosopis glandulosa
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_cpn.pl?PRGLT
 Southwest U.S. and Mexico
 In CA (var. torreyana) : San Joaquin Valley, San
Gabriel & San Bernardino Mtns, Mojave &
Sonoran Deserts south into Mexico.
 Common. Mesas, washes, bottomlands, sandy
alluvial flats and other low places to 4000',
creosote bush scrub, alkali sink.
©2002 California Academy of Sciences
http://www.nzdl.org/gsdl/collect/hdl/index/assoc/HASH011e.dir/p060.png

© Project SOUND
Honey mesquite: large member of the Pea Family
 Size:
 25-40 ft. tall
 20-50 ft. wide
 Growth form:
 Large shrub or tree
 Mounded or weeping form
 Bark red, brown or gray
 2 inch thorns
 Foliage:
 Medium green
 Double-compound leaves with 15-35
rather narrow leaflets – feathery or
fern-like appearance
 Roots:
 Deep taproot (to 150 ft.)
 Shallow roots (N-fixing); most nutrients
http://wnmu.edu/academic/nspages/gilaflora/prosopis_glandulosa.html
http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/537--
prosopis-glandulosa-torreyana
https://selectree.calpoly.edu/tree-detail/prosopis-glandulosa-torreyana

© Project SOUND
Mesquite flowers: small
 Blooms: in warm weather – April
to August
 Flowers:
 Small, yellow flowers on
dense stalks
 Sweetly fragrant; bee
pollinated
 Unique – make you want to
look at them up close (sort
of like willow catkins)
 Seeds:
 Bean-like pods with
constrictions between seeds

Another edible ‘Pea’
 Lining of seedpods separated, dried,
and ground into a powder to make
mesquite meal or mesquite flour
 Sweet, caramel-tasting; a staple of
indigenous diet & now sold
commercially
 Can be used to make breads, cookies
and other baked goods.
 When fermented, it produces a
slightly alcoholic beverage.
 The green pods can be boiled in
water to make a syrup or molasses.
 A tea or broth can also be made
from the pods.
© Project SOUND©2005 Robert Sivinski
http://sagebud.com/honey-mesquite-prosopis-glandulosa
http://wnmu.edu/academic/nspages/gilaflora/prosopis_glandulosa.html

© Project SOUND
Adaptable Mesquite
 Soils:
 Texture: just about any
 pH: any local
 Light: full sun
 Water:
 Winter: need adequate
 Summer: best with occasional deep
water – Water Zone 1-2 to 2
 Fertilizer: fine with poor soils; likely
fine with light fertilizer
 Other:
 Prune up (carefully) for tree
 Low risk – roots not invasive
 Does drop leaves, podshttp://blog.growingwithscience.com/tag/prosopis-glandulosa/

© Project SOUND
Ornamental shade
 Fast-growing & attractive
 Best 10-20 ft. away from lawn or
regular water
 Nice, medium shade – the best kind
to have!
 Excellent habitat tree
http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=PRGLT
http://knpr.org/programs/norms-favorite-desert-treeshttps://www.springspreserve.org/apps/plant/detail.cfml?current_page=8
&type=85&id=15037

Mesquites are important
medicinal plants
 Pods/Seeds:
 Eyewash
 Sunburn treatment
 Sore throat
 Gum (exuded from trunk):
 Eyewash for infection and
irritation
 Treatment for sores, wounds,
burns, chapped fingers and lips
and sunburn
 Diarrhea, stomach
inflammation, system cleansing
or to settle the intestines
 Sore throat, cough, laryngitis,
fever reduction, painful gums
 Leaves
 Eyewash
 To treat headaches, painful
gums and bladder infection
© Project SOUND
Mesquite wood (smoke) is also favored for
barbeque
http://www.couponclippingcook.com/how-to-
barbeque-a-turkey/
https://www.groupon.com/deals/green-
mesquite-round-rock-1

What if you like the looks of an Olive tree?
© Project SOUND
https://ferrebeekeeper.wordpress.com/2012/06/13/athenas-gift/

© Project SOUND
Toyon – Heteromeles arbutifolia
Some local native shrubs can be used
as ‘tree-like’ shrubs (somewhat olive-like)
Lemonadeberry – Rhus integrifolia
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/11962755236984722/

© Project SOUND
* Desert Olive – Forestiera pubescens var. pubescens
 SW north America from TX & CO
to CA and s. to northern Mexico
 In CA, mostly in foothills of dry
desert mountains, 3000-7000 ft.
 Dry slopes, canyons, cliffs
 Creosote bush scrub, chaparral,
coastal sage scrub and foothill
woodland
 Forestiera: named after Charles
Le Forestier (?-1820), an 18th
century French physician and
naturalist,
 pubescens: with soft, downy hair
 Other common names are Elbow
Bush & New Mexico Privet

© Project SOUND
Desert Olive: large
shrub or small tree?
 Size:
 10-15+ ft tall; mod. long-lived
 12-15 ft wide
 Growth form:
 Woody shrub/tree; lovely gray
bark ; moderate growth rate
 Somewhat mounded shape –
reminds me of Laurel Sumac –
but may be almost vine-like
 Densely branched, some thorny;
hard wood (used for tools)
 Foliage:
 Bright green/gray-green leaves
– yellow color in fall
 Roots: naturally clump-forminghttp://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=FOPUP
USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
http://www.cnr.vt.edu/DENDRO/dendrology/syllabus2/factsheet.cfm?ID=739

Yes, Desert olives
do make olives
 Plants are dioecious
(separate male & female
plants)
 Fruits (olives) only on
female plants, and only if
you have both male &
female plants
© Project SOUND

© Project SOUND
Can be pruned and
shaped, even hedged
 Can be sheared to make
a reasonable hedge
 Mix with other species
in mixed hedge or
hedgerow
 Very adaptable and
useful – could probably
even be espaliered
 Limit water to provide
better shape
http://www.coopext.colostate.edu/4DMG/Trees/Shrubs/mexpriv.htm
http://flickr.com/photos/eastbaywilds/2640329338/in/set-72157605994561368/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/eastbaywilds/2973733432/
Forestiera & Cornus glabrata

© Project SOUND
Desert Olive makes a
lovely tree
 Use as a substitute for non-native
white-bark ornamentals like Olive,
Aspen, Melaluca
 Great plant for front yard,
background areas, along roadways –
very tough and need little water
 Management:
 Start selective pruning in first
year
 Limit to 1-5 stems; prune out the
rest
 Selectively prune each winter to
provide open habit

 Primary distribution outside of CA
 South Coast Ranges, Western Transverse
Ranges, San Bernardino Mountains
 Mt. Pinos, Cuyama River Valley/Piru
 Along streams, river bottoms, slopes,
1000–2000 m.
 Introduced into cultivation in California
by Theodore Payne
© Project SOUND
* Silver buffaloberry – Shepherdia argentea
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_cpn.pl?SHAR
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shepherdia_argentea
©2010 Lee Dittmann

© Project SOUND
Silver buffaloberry: silvery foliage
 Size:
 6-15 ft tall
 6-10 ft wide
 Growth form:
 Deciduous large shrub or small
tree
 Bark silver-white, exfoliating
 Some stout thorns
 Foliage:
 Leaves simple, lance-shaped
 Color: silvery green – like olive
tree
 Roots: complex; shallow and
deep; sprouting from rhizomes
©2005 Louis-M. Landry
http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=SHAR

© Project SOUND
Flowers: simple
 Blooms: in spring - usually
April-May in many areas
 Flowers:
 Dioecious (separate male &
female plants)
 Both are simple, yellow
flowers – small (males slightly
larger)
 Long bloom period
 Bee pollinated – perhaps with
help from pollinator flies
 Vegetative reproduction:
sprouting from rhizomes
Al Schneider @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

Fruits are drupe-like
 Ripe color varies – usually dark
red but may be yellow
 Fruits have single large seed
 Use soon after harvesting – and
best to harvest after a cold spell
– sweeter
 Used to make pies, jams, and
jellies & other cooked foods; or
dried – breaks down the low
levels of saponins
 Native Americans also used
berries/bark medicinally for
fevers, stomach complaints &
more.
© Project SOUNDhttp://www.nps.gov/plants/sos/news/BLM-Montana-
Dakotas%20Miles%20City%20Field%20Office%20Develops%20Native%20Plant%20Materials%
20Program.htm

© Project SOUND
Plant Requirements
 Soils:
 Texture: well-drained is best,
but adaptable
 pH: any local
 Light:
 Full sun to part-shade
 Water:
 Winter: needs good moisture
 Summer: fairly drought tolerant
but best with some summer
water – Water Zone 2 or 2-3.
Let dry out between waterings to
prevent fungal diseases
 Other: inorganic or thin layer of
organic mulch; prune out suckers
regularly – other than that easy

© Project SOUND
Silver buffaloberry
 Often used as hedge/ hedgerow plant
– also good on slopes
 Nice accent plant – showy foliage, fruit
– quite pretty with a little pruning
 Prune up for a small tree – nice shape
R.A. Howard @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
http://conservationgardenpark.org/plants/213/silver-
buffaloberry/http://search.millcreeknursery.ca/11050005/Plant/443/Silver_Buffaloberry

We hope this talk has given you some things to ponder
– and some hope for the future
© Project SOUNDhttp://www.zillow.com/homedetails/23192-Maple-Ave-Torrance-CA-90505/2106438376_zpid/

What trees should I choose? The
answers are not all available
 Need to weigh the effects of heat as
well as those of intermittent drought
& other factors
 Need for empirical studies in the local
setting – role of CSUDH, local gardens
© Project SOUND

Current favorites (based on last four years)
 Citrus fruits: ‘Moro’ and other blood oranges;
lemons; grapefruits
 Local natives:
 Mulefat - Baccharis salicifolia
 Mountain mahagony – Cercocarpus spp.
 Fremontodendron spp.
 Toyon - Heteromeles arbutifolia
 Boxthorns – Lyceum spp.
 Catalina ironwood - Lyonothamnus floribundus
 Laurel sumac - Malosma laurina
 Catalina Island cherry - Prunus ilicifolia ssp. lyonii
 Local Quercus (Oaks)
 Rhus (especially Lemonadeberry)
 ? Chaparral currant - Ribes malvaceum
 ? Blue elderberry - Sambucus nigra ssp. cerulea
 ? Mission manzanita - Xylococcus bicolor
© Project SOUND

Desert/chaparral natives to consider
Trees
 Arctostaphylos pungens
 Chilopsis linearis ssp. arcuata
 Hesperocyperus forbesii
 Hesperocyparis nevadensis
 Juniperus californica
 Olneya tesota
 Ornithostaphylos oppositifolia
 Parkinsonia florida
 Pinus edulis
 Pinus monophylla
 Prosopis glandulosa
 Prosopis velutina
 Prunus andersonii
 Prunus fasciculata
Large shrubs
 Acacia/Senegalia greggii
 Baccharis sarothroides
 Calliandra californica
 Celtis laevigata var. reticulata
 Cupressus arizonica ssp arizonica
 Fallugia paradoxa
 Forestiera pubescens var.
pubescens
 Hyptis emoryi
 Lycium andersonii var. deserticola
 Lycium brevipes
 Mahonia fremontii
 Mahonia nevinii
 Shepherdia argentea
 Simmondsia chinensis© Project SOUND

Climate change will be a challenge to local plants
in the future – often in subtle ways
 A few more really hot days –
but generally warmer temps
 Warmer nights
 Shorter winters – chill factor
 Pollinator mis-match due to
seasonal shifts & higher
temperatures
 ‘tropical’ pest species: insects
and pathogens
© Project SOUND
We’ll discuss these and
other topics in greater
detail in future talks

© Project SOUNDhttp://www.immersivmedia.com/gardensoft/garden_detail.aspx?garden=1085
But we do hope you’re inspired
to plant a tree

Trees for future 2016

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