2015 - Robert's adventures in the Northern Sierra Nevada - California

[Maggi Young]

You're very persuasive, Robert - you're converting me to Salvia with this... 

[Robert]

You're very persuasive, Robert - you're converting me to Salvia with this... 

Maggi,

I think that you understand that it is not me, it is the Salvia. They are very persuasive, as are many of the other plants.

I do not think that it would like growing in Scotland, however I know that you have your special plants, too, that would not enjoy our part of California. The forum seems to extend the boundaries of our gardens.

Unfortunately I can not post the scents, sounds, and other divine aspects of the sites I visit. This is okay as, maybe, this will encourage others to see the divine in everything. 

[David Nicholson]

Hugely enjoyable as usual Robert.

[Maggi Young]

Maggi,

I think that you understand that it is not me, it is the Salvia. They are very persuasive, as are many of the other plants.

I do not think that it would like growing in Scotland, however I know that you have your special plants, too, that would not enjoy our part of California. The forum seems to extend the boundaries of our gardens.

Unfortunately I can not post the scents, sounds, and other divine aspects of the sites I visit. This is okay as, maybe, this will encourage others to see the divine in everything. 

I think you have "caught" there the great treasure of the forum, Robert - we can see and appreciate the plants and habitats of all sorts of far flung places which we may never have the fortune to visit ourselves- and  experience of our own plants and gardens, however different they may be.

[Robert]

Hugely enjoyable as usual Robert.

David,

The season is moving forward quickly. It will still be several months before there is much action in the high country. I'm looking forward to visiting several sites with interesting Lewisia species. June or July before they start blooming, maybe earlier this season. It looks like we could finally get some cold storms with low snow levels. This will slow things down. The California Black Oaks are already leafing out. Snow could do some serious "pruning". Stay tuned. It is always interesting out there.

[Hoy]

Thank you for your answers, Ed and Robert.

No poison oak or other dangerous plant had frightened me from a walk in the chaparral should I ever get the chance!

I can't sniff the air and recognize the scent of Salvia but I discern exactly how it feels.

You steadily bring interesting plants in focus, Robert, some new to me and some known.
I do grow California Buckeye in my garden. It is still waiting for warmer days to leaf out and it will keep its green leaves to late fall! I have had it for several years but it has never flowered. Not warm enough to induce flower buds maybe.

[Robert]

Trond,

I plant California Buckeye at the farm. Originally there were not any on the property. So far, I have not had any flowers. Out in the surrounding countryside they are generally fairly large before they start blooming, at least 3 x 3 meters. Around here they grow in semi-shaded areas or on north facing slopes. My guess is that they will enjoy full sun in your part of the world. If your Buckeyes start blooming I would be interested to know this.

We might actually get some winter weather in the next few days. It will be interesting if we get a wet snow, with the plants so far advanced in growth. Maybe many broken branches. Cold, like -4 to -6 c., could burn the foliage too. It would not be the first time we have had something like this around here.

[Robert]

Thursday, 26 February 2015

My wife and I returned to the Salmon Falls area on the South Fork of the American River. We hiked the same trail I had traveled a few days ago and found a very interesting plant that I missed the other day.



Chaparral Broomrape (Orobanche bulbosa) is a parasitic plant generally associated with Chamise (Adenostoma fasciculatum). It is easy to miss as it blends in well with the surrounding environment. The flowers are interesting too. I hope that we will come across it again when in bloom.



Manroot (Marah watsonii) is a common vine in the chaparral. As a Cucurbitaceae, its long stems vine over the surrounding shrubbery.

[Ed Alverson]

If your Buckeyes start blooming I would be interested to know this

Robert,

I have a California buckeye growing in my yard that I planted as a 1 or 2 year old whip in 2009. It is now about 15 ft. tall and last year it flowered and fruited quite nicely. It is from seed from the northern most population in southern Oregon, so it may be genetically different, but it may also be a climate difference. Last summer was pretty dry but it did not lose its leaves until fairly late in the summer. Our longer season with sufficient soil moisture to support growth may explain its flowering at a young age.

The "downside" of California buckeye is that the nectar in the flowers is apparently toxic to honey bee larvae. Honey bees are non-native in North America (some would consider them to be problematic competitors to our diverse and declining native bee fauna) so it is a sticky situation...

Ed

[David Nicholson]

................................so it is a sticky situation...

That made my day Ed,

[Robert]

I had a very productive outing Friday on the lower reaches of the South Fork of the American River. The spring seasons is certainly coming alive and there were some interesting plants found.

I will be out of town until Monday, so a full report will have to wait until then.



I will sign off with one of the Turkey Vulture friends from this area. They are very friendly and curious about my activities. I have been visiting this area since the early 1970's and have always known them to prefer this area.

[Robert]

Friday, 27 February 2015

Weather: Partly Cloudy
Temperature  High: 64 F (17.5 C)   Low: 42 F (5.5 C)

I started this outing at Skunk Hollow on the South Fork of the American River. The trail first crosses a small creek before ascending through typical low elevation chaparral on a south facing slope.



Near the creek Nemophila heterophylla was blooming. The flowers are quite small compared to some of the other Nemophila species.



Quickly the trail moved into the chaparral. Sanicula bipinnatifida was quite common in this area.



As I moved higher the Turkey Vultures followed me. They were very curious of my activities.



Shrub Oak (Quercus dumosa) grew here and there throughout the chaparral. The species rarely grows larger than 3 meters or so.



Ericameria arborescens grew in disturbed areas. This species is frequently seen after a fire moves through an area. There has not been a fire on this slope for over 50 years. In this situation they take advantage of the disturbed sites.

[Robert]

After about 2 miles (3.2 km) I arrived at the ridge top at about 1,035 feet (315 meters). The trail followed the ridge crest for some distance. This was interesting territory as the chaparral sloped steeply off to the south and an oak woodland sloped gradually to the north.



On the edges of the oak woodland I found a good friend, Cynoglossum grande.



I enjoy the subtle beauty of their foliage and blueish flowers. In this area they were bloooming with Dodecatheon hendersonii, Ranunculus canus / californicus, and various other perennials and annuals. A very beautiful sight - site (both meanings).



Here and there were large blooming shrubs of Buckbrush (Ceanothus cuneatus).



The flowers have a strong pollen-like fragrance that filled the air with a delightful scent.

[Robert]

Clematis lasiantha was one of the vines scrambling through the shrubs and trees in the oak woodland. I did not see one open flower, however they will clearly be opening soon.



Eventually the trail turned north and opened into an oak savannah.



The plant life changed and here I found Sanicula bipinnata. The foliage has an interesting scent when rubbed and helps identify this species.



Sanicula bipinnatifida was common in both the yellow and purplish flowered forms.



I was very happy to see Elymus glaucus, one of our native perennial bunch grasses. The annual Eurasian grasses have taken over this type of habitat. Seeing some of our native grasses gives me hope.

[Robert]

I was delighted and surprised to see Iris macrosiphon blooming. This is about a month early for this species at this elevation. This was the only blooming plant of this species I saw on this day.



Soon the habitat changed again and I was now moving into another chaparral community.



This was the only plant of Scrophularia californica I saw this day. It definitely wanted to be found as it was right next to the trail and certainly stood out.



The last of the White Leaf Manzanita (Arctostaphylos viscida) were blooming at this elevation. This was a nice pinkish form.



The trail followed the South Fork well above the river. I was hoping to get down to the river without having to bushwhack through the chaparral.