2016 - Robert's adventures in the Northern Sierra Nevada - California

[Hoy]

The manzanitas never ceases to impress!


Subaru is no 9 among sold 4x4 SUVs here. No 1 is Mitsubishi Outlander and no 2 is Toyota Rav4.

[David Nicholson]

My neighbour has just had to have an engine replacement on his Rav 4 after only 53,000 miles

[johnralphcarpenter]

You don't see or hear a lot about Subaru here in the UK, and what you do hear is largely negative (boy racers in WRX, etc.), but the Outback is superb in my view. Not a volume seller here though.

[Maggi Young]

I  think there are quite a lot of Subarus in the car park of many SRGC events - a case of workhorses with large load-carrying capacity for plants!

[johnralphcarpenter]

I  think there are quite a lot of Subarus in the car park of many SRGC events - a case of workhorses with large load-carrying capacity for plants!
[/quote

And compost and grit and gravel etc etc

[Hoy]

The best car I ever had to get around with was a VW 1300. Never a problem with snow, ice, sand or anything - except the space inside!

[Tim Ingram]

Robert - very many thanks for the seed of Arctostaphylos that arrived a few days ago; I am in your debt. I will copy your method of using 'smoke' to stimulate better germination. This would be a great genus to experiment with, even if it might not prove so easy to grow in our relatively damper summer climate.

These a few photos from a recent walk in 'The Blean', an area of 'ancient' woodland (which means very long managed) near to Canterbury, where we often take the dog for a walk (and quite often get lost taking new paths!). The landscape here is so very different to your experiences in California - there is hardly any that is natural wilderness except in the ways it reverts from human use, or adapts to this, but still a great deal of beauty in different places. I shall try to copy your example and show how this changes through the year - it would be a fascinating exercise both photographically and in getting to know the woods better. There is a good website describing 'The Blean' here: http://www.theblean.co.uk.

[Robert]

Tim,

"The Blean" certainly looks like an interesting and beautiful place to hike. There must be more there than many can imagine.

I am glad that the Arctostaphylos seed arrived safely. It could be a very interesting batch of seed.

Today I will return to the site where I gathered the seed. I have an ongoing project at this site and some niggling questions about the Manzanitas that grow there, as well as questions surrounding the interpretation of some molecular-based phylogentic data. As you most certainly know, introgression and hybridization can influence the interpretation of molecular-based phylogentic data, including data based on ITS region(s). There is a hypothesis that Arctostaphylos mewukka is an allopolyploid originating from a cross between A. viscida and A. patula. At this site, all 3 species grow in fairly close proximity to each other. There is considerable evidence that introgression and hybridization is taking place. In addition, Fire has occurred in this area several times in the past 50 years. The disruption cause by fire has certainly influenced pollinators and pollination, as well as the distribution and spread of seed by birds and mammals. This raises questions of the integrity of species boundaries, mostly in the case of fire and other major disruptions. There are other uncertainties I would like to addressed too.

Anyway, the seed could be very unique. While visiting this site I will be checking on all the other plants and will report on my findings.

Until then.....   

[Robert]

It was a beautiful clear morning to be out, cold and crisp. I had a few free hours and drove up the mountain toward Peavine Ridge. My goal was to check on the Manzanitas (Arctostaphylos sp.); tag specific plants and record information; then enjoy and survey the other plant species in the area.

When I arrived at the 3,500 foot level (1,067 meters) I was surprised to find snow on the ground. I drove on, winding my way up the mountain. The snow became deeper and deeper. Eventually it became clear that this was not going to work! The site I wished to visit is situated at slightly above 5,000 feet (1,524 meters) and the plants would be buried, to partly buried, in snow. To be honest, I was quite please. 30-50 cm of snow on the ground is a typical snow cover for this time of year at this elevation. We have not seen this for awhile.  If we have an average winter (temperatures and precipitation) I will not be visiting this site until late March at the earliest when there has been sufficient snow melt.

So on to plan "B" for the day......



It was easy to stop at Traverse Creek on my way back down the mountain. It was good to make a quick visit. My last visit was in the early spring of 2016. Even though the winter dormant season has started there was still plenty to see. I will be reporting on this short outing soon.

I will have one more short outing next week, then I will be returning to home in Sacramento. From there I have a number of trips planned to the inner coast ranges. This will be very different habitat with many familiar plant species as well as many that do not grow in the Sierra Nevada.

But first Traverse Creek  ...... (soon)     ......

[Hoy]

Robert,

Snow on the ground at 1000m? It is almost like here! (Have to go up to several 100 meters (and a bit inland) to find snow. On the eastern side of the mountains they have a lot of snow even at low altitude.

Looking forward to your next report.

[Robert]

Robert,

Snow on the ground at 1000m? It is almost like here! (Have to go up to several 100 meters (and a bit inland) to find snow. On the eastern side of the mountains they have a lot of snow even at low altitude.

Looking forward to your next report.

Trond,

It was not that long ago that we could have snow at 425 meters on 1 November. My personal weather records show a definite warming over the last 45 years. Days with snow and snow accumulation have decreased at the farm. 45 years ago there could be snow in Sacramento (not much). This never occurs now.

I have definitely settled in at our Sacramento home. It is an equal distance to the Sierra Nevada as it is to the Coastal Mountains. I plan on taking advantage of this situation. It will be a challenge dividing my time between the two regions. There are many plants of considerable interest to me in the coastal mountains. Good species for us in California and like climates, however some species can lack cold hardiness as one moves closer to the Pacific Coast.

[Robert]

TRAVERSE CREEK

Friday, 2 December 2016

Placerville Weather

Weather: Clear
Temperature, High: 54 F, 12 C
                       Low: 30 F, -1 C



As stated earlier there was too much snow to be effective on Peavine Ridge so I stopped by Traverse Creek on my way back down the mountain. Traverse Creek is always an interesting place to visit. There is an extremely large diversity of species that grow in this area, and all within a fairly small site. Generally something new comes to my attention when I visit.

From the main staging area, there are a number of trails that take off it several different directions. Each trail leads to an area with a different habitat and different plants.



The autumn rains have brought many species out of their summer dormancy. The rains have also triggered seed germination of many annual and perennial plants.

The second season of half-way decent precipitation and we have a bumper crop of Delphinium hansenii coming on. I found many older clumps coming into growth as well as numerous new seedlings sprouting. They will likely put on a massive display this spring.



Frangula californica ssp. tomentella is one of our common chaparral species. Good forms of this evergreen species have very attractive foliage and can look very nice in the garden.



I hiked north from the main trailhead and shortly crossed one of the tributaries to Traverse Creek. Rosa californica is one of several species that grow in a thicket along this tributary. The bright red rose hips were brilliant against the blue sky. Sadly the photograph of the hips did not turn out. 



Umbellularia californica is an evergreen species seen frequently in the Traverse Creek area. This species is known for its strongly scented foliage.

[Robert]

As you can see the California Bay trees, Umbellularia californica, are budded and ready to bloom. Depending on the weather, the flower buds will start opening in January or early February. The open flowers create a hauntingly sweet fragrance in the forest. The fragrance is most delightful, however it is often difficult to detect from where the fragrance emanates.



Much of the Traverse Creek Botanical Area consists of exposed serpentine rock. Quercus durata, one of a number of dwarf oak species native to California, is frequently found in serpentine rock habitats.



Rhamnus ilicifolia is still another of our the more common chaparral species. This evergreen is unassuming until the fruits turn bright red in the summer and then into the autumn. I have a few planted out in our Sacramento garden and I am quite impressed with its appearance. It takes well to trimming and seems to always look good.



The Traverse Creek area is the only location where I have seen Quercus garryana var. semota. I checked the few plants that grow at this site very closely. They best fit variety semota, however they did not not match completely. I have always wondered how they ended up at this location as I have yet to see this variety anywhere else in this area. My guess is that they are a surviving relic. Maybe at the end of the last Ice Age they were much more numerous and slowly gave out as the climate warmed and dried. The plants do produce acorns, however I have never found any seedlings.



A beautiful scene of the Traverse Creek area on a beautiful day.

[Robert]

Ranunculus occidentalis var. occidentalis coming into growth. The plants were identified from a previous determination. There are a number of Ranunculus species that are native to California that can be very difficult to identify, sometimes even when flowering. This is one of them.



Drymocallis glandulosa waking from summer dormancy. This is a tough, xeric species topped with yellow flowers in the spring.



Monardella villosa, Coyote-Mint, is very attractive when it flowers in the spring and is fairly common throughout the Sierra Nevada Foothills. Monardella sheltonii is less common, however I have found it growing here at Traverse Creek too.



I saw many dried seed pods of Calochortus superbus this day. Calochotus superbus is our most common "Mariposa type" Calochortus species in this part of the Sierra Nevada Foothills. C. albus and C. monophyllus can also be found in the Traverse Creek area. I did not see any dried pods of these species on this day.



Eriogonum tripodum, looking sleepy and half dormant, is rarely seen in our part of California. There is a strong population growing here at Traverse Creek.

[Robert]

There is a strong population of Lewisia rediviva at Traverse Creek. Last year was a good blooming season for them and the spring rains encouraged a good crop of new seedlings which I noticed coming back strong this year. More plants to enjoy when they start flowering!



Our California blooming season is already getting started with Alnus rhombifolia.



I ended my short hike through a grove of Buckbrush, Ceanothus cuneatus. There were also a few plants of Ceanothus palmeri growing nearby. I do see Ceanothus palmeri occasionally in El Dorado County, but mostly at lower elevations.



The die-off of Ponderosa Pines, Pinus ponderosa, continues! Once the trees were weaken by the drought the bark beetles have continued to attack them. Our other native conifer species have suffered much less from the drought. I have read several articles lately stating that the tree density is far to high in our California forests and some natural thinning is needed, however it is still difficult to see such beautiful tree dead and dying.

Anyway, this ended my short outing for this day.

Next week I hope to make a brief trip to see the Ione Manzanita, Arctosrtaphylos myrtifolia.

Until then.....