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

[Robert]

NORTH FORK

of the

FEATHER RIVER

PART I

Thursday, 3 November 2016

Sacramento Weather

Weather: High Clouds
Temperature, High:71 F, 21.5 C
                      Low:47 F, 8 C

Placerville Weather

Weather: High Clouds
Temperature, High:68 F, 20 C
                     Low: 42 F, 5.5 C



This November is the beginning of my 4th year with this botanical diary. To start the new season I decided to travel to one of my favorite sites in the northern Sierra Nevada. When I was much younger I had a very good friend who lived in Chico, California, a town in the northern Sacramento Valley. We both liked to hike and fish in the mountains east of Chico. I was always looking at the plants. Over the years, I became very familiar with the region and many of its plants. It has been a bit over 10 year since I have been to the canyon of the North Fork of the Feather River. A bit over due, but now was a good time to see this land and its plants again and visit some familiar places.

I started out early from Sacramento and traveled north to the town of Oroville, and then northeast into the foothills. The photograph is a view to the northwest out over the mist filled valley toward the north Coast Range.



The northern foothills of the Sierra Nevada are quite different from the southern foothills. Many of the plant species are the same, however the life zones transition at a noticeably lower altitude in the north, as there is considerably more precipitation and lower snow levels. Although both the north and the south share many of the same plant species, the are considerable differences too.



The highway quickly rises out of the valley, cuts through Jarbo Gap, and then quickly descends into the canyon of the North Fork of the Feather River.



My first stop was near the tiny railroad town of Pulga, elevation 1,587 feet (484 meters). In the past I explored the south canyon face in this area and found many very interesting species as well as some unique forms of more common species.

I also decided I needed to invest in a better vehicle for my botanical travels, after all I plan on doing this for many years. My two wheel drive Toyota truck was not appropriate for snow, mud, and other less than desirable driving conditions. Also any gear or equipment in the back bed of the truck could get dusty or wet from rain/snow. My solution was an all wheel drive Subaru Outback. It seems an excellent vehicle for this sort of work.



This time of year many species are going dormant for the season, however with the beginning of the rainy season many species are awakening, such as the perennial California Poppy, Eschscholzia californica.

[Robert]

Spicebush, Calycanthus occidentalis, is a very interesting Magnoliids. Its flowers are a maroon red-brown in color and indeed show a small resemblance to a Magnolia flower. I rarely encounter this species in El Dorado county, California (near the farm), however it is quite common in along streams, creeks, and moist sites in the northern foothills of the Sierra Nevada.



A fuzzy photograph of Calycanthus with seed pods.



With the autumn rains the summer dormant fern species are coming back into growth.

Indian Dream, Aspidotis densa, is a very common fern species at lower and mid altitudes in the Sierra Nevada. It is quite tough. It is sometimes found growing in full sun, however it does dry-up completely during the summer. In the garden it will stay evergreen with summer irrigation. It makes a relatively small, compact plant and seems very easy to please in cultivation.



Goldback Fern, Pentagramma triangularis, is another very common fern species. It favors the lower elevations and generally prefers more shade. This summer dormant fern will also stay evergreen with summer irrigation under garden conditions.



Eriogonum umbellatum is one species that I never noticed on previous visits to this site. I am not certain on the variety, however var. speciosum is one possibility. This variety is said to grow on serpentine rock. Although these were not growing on serpentine, there is certainly plenty of serpentine in this area. I will want to check on these plants again when they are in bloom.

[Robert]

Getting around in this terrain is certainly not easy. As you can see it is very steep with many cliff faces.



About 30 years ago I noticed azaleas blooming on a cliff face above the highway. This site is very close to the old railroad village of Pulga. At the time I thought that they might be from an old abandon farmstead or miner's shack, so I never stopped to investigate. They were always blooming very early in the season, around 15 March. This fact niggled at me for a long time until I finally stopped to investigate the plants about 15 years ago. It turns out they were all naturally growing Rhododendron occidentale. One thing that was remarkable about them is the fact that they were blooming 2 months earlier than the other Rhododendron occidentale in the area. In addition, many were growing in full sun on a south facing cliff face where summer temperatures can easily reach 110 F, 43 C.

I found a good range of color forms, from pure white, to various combinations of yellow, pink, and cream. In addition, some bloomed very early in the season, others at intervals up to mid May. I took cuttings of various forms and rooted them to grow on and evaluate. As of today we have several growing and thriving in our Sacramento garden. They do indeed retain their traits under garden conditions.



On this day the azaleas foliage was just beginning to turn color. In our Sacramento garden they turn brilliant scarlet red.



One reason the azaleas thrive at this sites is the continuous flow of water from springs higher on the canyon face.



This day, I continued up the canyon side to explore the drier portions of the canyon. Many bulbous species grow in among the rocks. I spent a goodly amount of time looking for the dry remains of bulbous species for future reference when I return in the springtime.

[Robert]

Of coarse, there are many other species of plants growing in this area. The Toyon, Heteromeles arbutifolia, were looking exceptional with their bright red berries.



There were a few other sites I wanted to visit this day so I very carefully worked my way down the mountain. From this site I drove east, up river, to Indian and Chips Creeks, near the tiny village of Belden.



The last time I visited this site 15 years ago, or so, a fire had burn through the area. This fire had consumed much of the under growth leaving most of the tree canopy intact. Since then, another much more destructive fire burn through this area. Much of the forest was completely burned to the ground. The burn area was vast, a far as I could see in many directions. How sad! I had seen so many fantastic plant species in previous years. How are they now?



Since the last fire, many of the shrub and tree species had stump sprouted creating thickets of brush. The fruit of Choke Cherry, Prunus virgoiniana var. demissa, were very apparent as I hiked up the steep grade of the trail. In the past I had found large stands of Fritillaria recurva and Delpinium nudicaule in this area. I was hoping to find their dried remains.



Somehow these Sword Ferns, Polystichum imbricans ssp. curtum, were surviving in the full sun on this sunny south facing slope. This is a woodland species that enjoys forest shade. It will be many years before they are shaded again in a semi mature forest.

To be continued.......

[Robert]

NORTH FORK

of the

FEATHER RIVER

PART II

Despite the widespread damage from the last fire, there are areas that did not burn at all. I see this burn pattern frequently in the mountains of California. The areas that do not burn seem to act as a seed bank, providing a backup source of seed to help regenerate the forest ecosystem.



Most of the Indian Creek canyon was spared from the flames of the last fire.



Here I encountered some of my old friends from past outings. Asarum hartwegii enjoys the cool shade in the canyon. This species grows abundantly in the northern Sierra Nevada.



The molted leaf pattern of this evergreen species is quite attractive. It is also easy to cultivate in the garden, appreciating woodland conditions and some summertime irrigation.



I was very pleased to see the waters of Indian Creek running clear. Some of our creeks within burn areas can still quickly turn muddy after heavy rainfall like what we have recently experienced.

[Robert]

Heuchera micrantha is another woodland species. Most of the plants I encounter have green foliage, however some populations have leaves that are beautifully molted with a variety of patterns and colors.



The autumn rains have awaken many summer dormant perennial species such as this Ranunculus. It is most likely R. occidentalis var. occidentalis, however I admit this is a guess. Its identity can be confirmed when it blooms.



The trail passed through many different habitats such as this forest dominated by California Black Oak, Quercus kelloggii. Their golden autumn foliage is subtle, but can create a beautiful impact in the mountain landscape.



Despite the fires there are still many breath taking views. The rusty gold autumn foliage of California Black Oak dominates this seen. A light dusting of snow can be seen on the highest peaks.



After a distance the trail reemerged into the burn area. This Dogwood, Cornus nuttallii, has stump sprouted well after the fire.

[Robert]

A close-up view of the autumn color on Cornus nuttallii. Generally the foliage of Cornus nuttallii turns brilliant scarlet, however there has been a lack of autumn chill so far this season - thus some lack-luster autumn colors.



The berries of Chaparral Honeysuckle, Lonicera interrupta, can be very showy. This species is a common component of the low elevation chaparral plant community. Wildlife must like the fruit as I rarely see plants with an abundance of berries.



In this photograph the snow on the higher peak is clearly visible.



After awhile, I came across an extremely interesting community of Manzanita, Arctostaphylos sp. Four species grew at this site, with some suggestion of mixing (hybrids) between the species. I actual encounter this phenomenon within mixed populations of Arctostaphylos somewhat frequently. It is always interesting for me to observe these plants carefully.



Here is a perfect example of the burl forming Arctostaphylos mewukka ssp. mewukka stump sprouting from its burl.

[Robert]

The burl on Arctostaphylos mewukka ssp. mewukka.



Here one can see the multiple stems emerging from a burl. Burls or lack of burls is an important characteristic of Arctostaphylos that is useful in keying the species. Unfortunately the burls are not always apparent, thus it is very important to consider all their different characteristics.



Fruit is another characteristic to consider. These relatively large dark mahogany-brown berries belong to Arctostaphylos mewukka ssp. mewukka.



The fruit of Arctostaphylos viscida ssp. viscida is smaller, generally red in color, and glabrous. I encounter 3 subspecies of A. viscida in my travels. The fruit of subspecies mariposa is covered with glandular hairs; the fruit of subspecies pulchella is also glandular hairy, however less so than ssp. mariposa. The berries of ssp. pulchella also have a rough texture.



Of coarse, the polished red bark of many Manzanita species is extremely attractive. This is Arctostaphylos mewukka ssp. mewukka.

[Robert]

Here are two samples of Arctostaphylos.

The sample on the right is classic A. viscida ssp. viscida. Occassionally the nascent inflorescence of A. viscida is upright as seen here. The inflorescence of this species is also very glandular-sticky and the bracts are appressed hiding the flower buds.

The sample on the left is one of those questionable plants of perhaps hybrid origin. This sample exhibits characteristics of both A. viscida ssp. viscida and A. mewukka ssp. mewukka. The inflorescence bracts are spreading exposing the flower buds, a characteristic of A. mewukka ssp. mewukka. This sample has an upright nascent inflorescence which is indicative of A. viscida. The inflorescence is also very slightly glandular. The inflorescence of A. mewukka ssp. mewukka is glabrous.

Another interesting feature of this specimen is that Arctostaphylos mewukka ssp. mewukka is a tetraploid, 2n=52. Arctostaphylos viscida is diploid, 2n=26. Growing seedlings from this plant could be very enlightening. The plant could be a sterile to semi-sterile triploid like our seedless watermelons (semi-sterile) or Cavendish bananas (completely sterile). Another possibility is that a mistake could have happened during meiosis and the plant is a fertile allotetraploid. Anyway, some interesting hypotheses to experiment with.



This photograph shows a leaf of Arctostaphylos mewukka ssp. truei on the right. This sub species has very large leaves, the largest within the Genus. The leaf tips are generally obtuse. This subspecies does not form burls.

The samples on the left are those of A. mewukka ssp. mewukka. The leaves are much smaller and they generally have an acute tip.



In this photograph Arctostaphylos manzanita ssp. manzanita with its dull green foliage can be seen in the foreground of A. mewukka ssp. mewukka.



A close-up of Arctostaphylos manzanita ssp. manzanita. The foliage looks completely glabrous, however when examined with a hand lens one can see that the leaf veins are lined with hairs.



A vigorous Arctostaphylos mewukka ssp. mewukka. The leaves on this plant were very large, however the leaf tips were generally acute and the plant had a noticeable burl.

This Manzanita population had a fair number of very interesting off type plants and will be well worth my effort to observe over the years to come.

To be continued........

[Hoy]

Robert,

although you are not finished yet I do make a few comments!

It is very interesting when you compare the different manzanitas. Do you think the possibility of hybridization has increased when different species (or ecotypes?) meet more often in the burned areas due to more frequent fires?

I have tried Asarum hartwegii but the slugs chose it as a favorite

[Robert]

Robert,

It is very interesting when you compare the different manzanitas. Do you think the possibility of hybridization has increased when different species (or ecotypes?) meet more often in the burned areas due to more frequent fires?

Trond,

I personally do not have enough information to answer this question, however my observations to date suggest that this might be the case. I have observed the same apparent mixing (hybridization) in the Manzanita populations on Peavine Ridge, El Dorado County, California. Peavine Ridge has burned twice within my lifetime. The intervals between the fires has been greater on Peavine Ridge. Commercial logging also needs to be considered on Peavine Ridge.

Another phenomenon on Peavine Ridge is the gradation between the two species, A. mewukka ssp. mewukka and A. viscida ssp. viscida, as the altitude changes. There are differences between the plants at the bottom of the canyon and the top of the ridge. This may, or may not, shed light on the apparent mixing after fires.

Anyway, it is all very interesting. I could never get bored going to the same location repeatedly.    Also, for me, it would be good to translate all of this into superior garden plants. No shortage of things to do. 

[Robert]

NORTH FORK

of the

FEATHER RIVER

PART III

After spending much time checking Manzatinas it was time to move on. There were still several site I wanted to visit, so I continued on through a new section of burned forest land.



Human activity has had considerable influence in the North Fork Canyon for over 100 years. There is a highway, a major freight railroad line, logging, mining, many recreational sites, as well as numerous hydroelectric installations. As one might expect many invasive plant species have moved in over the years. Bromus tectorum is one of many invasive species in this region. It was seen frequently and had moved aggressively into the latest burn site. Bromus testorum grew in this area well before the fires, however once the forest canopy was burned away, this species quickly colonized the new open space.



A big surprise was finding Lychnis coronaria as an invasive species in this area. At first I though it might have been an odd chance occurrence, however I found it growing frequently in scattered sites along the trail.



Monardella odoratissima, a native species, grew abundantly too. One off season flower remained on this single plant.



Once again I moved into a forested area. I spotted a beautiful specimen of Garrya fremontii above the trail. It was the only plant of this species I spotted on this outing.

[Robert]

Polypodium calirhiza was still another native fern that was awakening from its summer dormancy. This species has been a bit tricky for me to grow in the garden. It clearly wants to be kept completely dry when dormant and is not tolerant of any moisture during the hot summer months.



As one might expect, Polystichum imbricans ssp. curtum grew beautifully where the forest canopy remained intact. Where the forest had been burned away the plants were often badly burned by the hot summer sun, but they somehow had managed to survive.



Cirsium occidentale var. candidissimum. What amazing foliage. Despite the fact that it might become weedy in the garden, I am very tempted to give this one a try. Some of the other California native Cirsium species have not caused any problems in our garden. On the contrary the slugs seem to love them and it has been more of a challenge to keep them going.



Another beautiful view of the canyon and the snow topped mountains.



The other side of the canyon had been badly burned by the fire too. California Black Oaks, Quercus kelloggii, grew in a huge swath across the mountain side and were glowing with their rusty-gold autumn leaves.

[Robert]

There were still a number of sites I wanted to visit in and above the canyon. Unfortunately, time had run out and it was time to return home, however there was one last place that I wished to visit just above the Sacramento Valley floor.



Table Mountain



Table Mountain does not look like much of anything this time of year, however in the spring it is one of the best wildflower sites in the northern Sacramento Valley.



Vernal pools, like this one, become dazzling displays wildflowers. The whole place is absolutely ablaze in color and completely amazing.



Here a lone Valley Oak, Quercus lobata, grew on the flat tops volcanic mesa.

I did not have any time to hike around, however I did see a huge swath of Calochortus seed pods - most likely C. superbus.

[Robert]

Another view from Table Mountain - the Sutter Buttes.

In addition to the wildflowers, the sunsets can be spectacular at Table Mountain. On my other laptop I have some photographs of some beautiful Table Mountain sunsets from past years, as well as the waterfalls and other beautiful sights.



There was just no time for hiking so I drove back down to the town of Oroville. Here is one view looking back toward Table Mountain. The big "O" for Oroville is on the side of the mountain.



One last view of Table Mountain before returning home.

It was a 2-1/2 hour drive to Table Mountain from the farm. From our home in Sacramento it is only an hour away!  I certainly will be planning a return trip to Table Mountain this spring.

....and what an excellent trip for me. There was more than enough to see. It also felt great to return to some of my old territory. I'll have to visit the West Branch of the Feather River and Chico Creek too. Aahh! So many great places to visit.

Until next time.....