Download QUESERIA CREEK PLANT DIRECTORY

Queseria Creek Plant Directory
Growth Patterns and
Propagation Techniques for
Plants Used in Re-vegetating
Queseria Creek
For
Swanton Pacific Ranch
Davenport, CA
Compiled by:
Alicia Moss and Ben Jansen
The purpose of this packet is to help identify,
propagate, and harvest native plants for the Queseria
Creek restoration project. Please feel free to add
additional information such as pictures, references,
propagation techniques, etc. to the packet to help future
students/staff with revegetation efforts.
Acer macrophyllum
Big Leaf Maple
Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Habitat: Stream banks, moist canyons, and floodplains
Propagation: Collect seedlings, or softwood cuttings; Collect seedlings no greater than 3 ft. in
height, which generally grow directly around the parent plant; Collect cuttings of young shoots
from June-July which should have 2 - 3 pairs of leaves, plus one pair of buds at the base.
Remove a very thin slice of bark at the base of the cutting, rooting is improved if a rooting
hormone is used. The rooted cuttings must show new growth during the summer before being
potted up otherwise they are unlikely to survive the winter.
Growth Requirements: Moist, well-drained clay soils, medium water requirements, can be
exposed to sun or shade
Acer negundo
California Box Elder
Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Habitat: Moist woods, stream banks, floodplanes
Propagation: Cuttings of young shoots in June or July. The cuttings should have 2 - 3 pairs of
leaves, plus one pair of buds at the base. Remove a very thin slice of bark at the base of the
cutting, rooting is improved if a rooting hormone is used. The rooted cuttings must show new
growth during the summer before being potted up otherwise they are unlikely to survive the
winter. The cuttings of this species usually root easily.
Growth Requirements: Partial shade or full sun; tolerates most soil types but does well in clay
and sandy soils, moist to well-drained soil drainage
Adiantum aleuticum
Five-Fingered Fern
Leaf Retention: Semi-evergreen
Habitat: Shady, moist soils and stream banks
Propagation: Division; allow fern to get roots established in large pot with ample irrigation
Growth Requirements: Moist to well-drained soil drainage, partial to full shade
Adiantum jordanii
Maidenhair Fern
Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Habitat: Often grow in rock crevices, in partial to fully shaded moist woods
Propagation: Division; allow fern to get roots established in large pot with ample irrigation
Growth Requirements: Moist to well-drained soil drainage, partial to full shade
Aesculus californica
California Buckeye
Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Habitat: Dry slopes and canyons below 4000 ft., riparian corridors, and foothill woodlands
Propagation: Collect seed directly after they drop in fall to early winter (Sept.1-Dec.1). There are
a variety of recommendations for how to pretreat the seeds but many consistent
recommendations include: 1) It’s imperative to not let the seed dry out so either soak in water for
a maximum of 24 hrs. before planting, or soak and place seeds in a sterile, sealed plastic freezer
bag and place in refrigerator until radicle emerges 2) Plant either one seed per container or plant
3-5 seeds together directly into the ground 3) Plant seed with scar pointed downward at a depth
equivalent to the diameter of the seed
Growth Requirements: Moist, well drained loamy soils; water plantings regularly but don’t
overwater; prefers sun and dry conditions
Alnus rubra
Red Alder
Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Habitat: Moist soils near streams and/ or at low slopes
Propagation: Cuttings of mature wood, taken as soon as the leaves fall in fall; propagate
in sandy soils
Growth Requirements: Requires high water usage and damp clay soils; benefits of this plant are
that it 1) has a fast growth rate and 2) this species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil
micro-organisms that form nodules on the roots of the plants and fix atmospheric nitrogen;
prefers heavy clay soils; wind resistant and does well in exposed sites
Arbutus menziesii
Pacific Madrone
Leaf Retention: Evergreen
Habitat: Exposed or wooded slopes and canyons below 5000 ft.; often on dry, well-drained
slopes
Propagation: May be difficult to transplant softwood cuttings; cuttings in November through
December in a frame
Growth Requirements: Requires lime-free, nutrient-rich and well-drained, moisture-retentive soil
in sun or partial shade and shelter from wind, especially when young; they dislike being
transplanted and should be placed in their final positions as soon as possible and give them
some protection in their first winter outdoors (in a greenhouse until the last frosts in spring)
Artemisia californica
Sagebrush
Leaf Retention: Evergreen
Habitat: Full sun; near coastal areas; dry slopes
Propagation: Collect seeds between October and January; collect brown to dark brown seeds
and pull achenes out of seed head to ensure maturity (not green); keep seeds dry and
refrigerated; surface sow seed in greenhouse April 1st; should germinate three weeks after
sowing; transplant into larger containers three weeks after germination occurs, and then place in
shade house for five weeks to get completely established
Growth Requirements: Drought tolerant; prefers full sun and dry to moist soil; does not require
irrigation during dry months
Asarum caudatum
Wild Ginger
Leaf Retention: Evergreen
Habitat: Extremely shaded and moist pine or redwood forests
Propagation: Clump division in spring or fall. It is best to pot the divisions and keep them in light
shade in the greenhouse until they are growing away strongly.
Growth Requirements: Partial to full shade and requires consistently moist soils
Athyrium filix-femina var. cyclosporum
Lady Fern
Leaf Retention: Evergreen
Habitat: Forested areas, wet meadows, marshes
Propagation: Division; allow fern to get roots established in large pot with ample irrigation
Growth Requirements: Prefers wet, moist soils and full to partial shade;
Carex obnupta
Slough Sedge
Leaf Retention: Perennial
Habitat: Moist low elevations or high forested wetlands; commonly found in marshes, bogs, wet
meadows, lakeshores, and stream banks
Propagation: Collect seeds in late summer to early fall--sow seeds on medium flat in spring and
allow seeds 30 days to germinate--then transfer seedlings to individual containers; best to collect
young plants as direct transplants in the fall where you can then place them in large containers to
get them established and later divide OR collect division clumps in spring.
Growth Requirements: Able to tolerate fluctuating water availability; can form dense stands in
standing water; prefer full sun.
Ceanothus thyrsiflorus
Ceanothus (Blue Blossom Ceanothus)
Leaf Retention: Evergreen
Habitat: Wooded slopes and canyons, evergreen forests, and riparian areas
Propagation: Cuttings; best not to cut any wood thicker than a pencil; cuttings of half-ripe wood
taken at a node between July and August; it is best to plant the cuttings in pots in spring
Growth Requirements: Prefers sandy to loamy well-drained soils; full sun to partial shade;
dislikes root disturbance so plant directly in permanent location; benefits are 1)fast growing and
2) sometimes have a symbiotic relationship with certain soil micro-organisms which enable the
absorbance of soil nutrients
Cornus sericea
Dogwood
Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Habitat: Riparian corridors, lakeshores, and wooded or exposed moist soils
Propagation: Cuttings or seed; cuttings of half-ripe side shoots in July and August;
Cuttings of mature wood of the current year's growth, taken with a heel (new wood and old wood)
if possible in autumn in a cold frame; half-ripe cuttings in July to August.
Growth Requirements: Requires sun to partial shade;and clay moist soils
Cyperus eragrostis
Tall Cyperus
Leaf Retention: “Stress Decidous”
Habitat: Grows in/around seasonal creeks and moist soilsi; can be a native invasive
Propagation: Division; dig clumps out and plant directly to permanent location or allow roots to
establish in large potting containers before transplanting
Growth Requirements:
Gaultheria shallon
Salal
Leaf Retention: Evergreen
Habitat: Moist and shaded conditions in coastal regions; coastal woods or brushy areas
Propagation: Cuttings of half-ripe wood 3 - 6cm long from July to August in a frame in a shady
position. They form roots in late summer or spring; division in spring when new growth is about
7cm tall. Divided plants can be rather slow to get established so pot up the clumps and grow
them on in a shady position in a cold frame until they are rooting well and transplant to permanent
location in spring.
Growth Requirements: Full to partial shade so plant under existing trees; moist soil conditions;
grows well in sandy or peaty, lime-free soils; must have summer fog or shade
Heteromeles arbutifolia
Toyon
Leaf Retention: Evergreen
Habitat: Dry, brushy slopes, foothills, and canyons in the vicinity of streams
Propagation: Cuttings of half-ripe wood in July through August in a frame; switch into individual
pots when they’re 10-15 cm. long and keep in shade in a cold frame or greenhouse; plant in
permanent position is summer
Growth Requirements: Sun to partial shade; water regularly but don’t over water; prefers drier
soil moisture but well drained; toyon are drought resistant; can exhibit allelopathic tendencies
Holodiscus discolor
Oceanspray (Cream Brush)
Leaf Retention:
Habitat: Riparian areas, and moist woods and canyons
Propagation: Collect seed in fall in soils with abundant drainage and allow them to grow a full
season before transplanting them directly into the ground. Cuttings are possible but extremely
difficult to propagate.
Growth Requirements: Water regularly but do not over water; requires partial to no shade and
moist soils; has a shallow root system so is ideal to plant in areas with a shallow topsoil; is
drought tolerant and can thrive in poor soils
Iris douglasiana
Douglas Iris
Leaf Retention: Herbaceous Perennial (Evergreen)
Habitat: Open, grassy slopes and flats near the coast and open woodlands.
Propagation: Division of rhizomes, tubers, corms or bulbs (seed collection is not available for
this plant)
Growth Requirements: Full sun near the coast, afternoon shade inland and some summer water
Juncus effusus
Pacific Rush
Leaf Retention: Evergreen perennial
Habitat: In or near stream channels, other areas with saturated soils
Propagation: The easiest propagation method is to directly dig a clump out and dig a hole (as
deep as the root wad) adjacent to the stream, and plant the juncus.
Growth Requirements: Require moist soil conditions; if transplanted in summer, irrigate
frequently.
Juncus patens
Spreading Rush
Leaf Retention: Evergreen Perennial
Habitat: Marshy places, saturated soils
Propagation: The easiest propagation method is to directly dig a clump out and dig a hole (as
deep as the root wad) adjacent to the stream, and plant the juncus.
Growth Requirements: Require moist conditions; if transplanted in summer, irrigate frequently.
Lithocarpus densiflorus
Tan Oak
Leaf Retention: Evergreen
Habitat: Moist slopes of coastal ranges
Propagation: Collect and plant acorns in fall—plant acorns point up in large containers and
seedlings should appear within three weeks
Growth Requirements: Requires well drained soil
Mimulus aurantiacus
Sticky Monkey Flower
Leaf Retention: Evergreen
Habitat: Rocky hillsides or open forests near the coast
Propagation: Cuttings; OR Collect seed in spring by allowing pod to dry and plant, and then
break pod open to collect seed
Growth Requirements: Well-drained and moist soils, full sun to partial shade; drought tolerant;
water regularly but don’t overwater
Petasites frigidus var. palmatus
Coltsfoot
Leaf Retention: Perennial
Habitat: Moist to wet forests, thickets, swamps, openings, and clearings
Propagation: Division at any time of the year; pot the smaller divisions in a cold frame with light
shade until well-established and transplant in spring to early summer; plant larger clumps directly
into permanent location
Growth Requirements: Full to no shade but prefers semi-shade; consistently moist soils
Polystichum californicum
Sword Fern
Leaf Retention: Evergreen perennial
Habitat: Redwood forests, mixed evergreen forests (streambanks to rocky open slopes)
Propagation:
Growth Requirements:
Pseudotsuga menziesii
Doug Fir
Leaf Retention: Evergreen
Habitat: Rocky mountains and costal regions
Propagation: By seed; cuttings can be rooted but difficult
Growth Requirements: Full sun to partial shade; moist well drained soils; dislikes high winds,
dry soils, and crowded conditions
Pteridium aquilinum
Bracken Fern
Leaf Retention: Deciduous (herbaceous perennial)
Habitat: Woodlands and grasslands
Propagation: Division
Growth Requirements: Semi-shaded to no shade; well drained soils
Rhamnus californica
Coffeeberry
Leaf Retention: Evergreen
Habitat: Dry conditions, in canyon coastal and slope habitats
Propagation: Seed
Growth Requirements: sun to partial shade, low water
Ribes divaricatum
Ribes
Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Habitat: Woodland
Propagation: Seeds ripen from July to August, can be stored for 4-5 months between 0 and 9
degrees C, and should be sown as early in the year as possible. Put seedlings in individual pots
when they are large enough to handle. Cuttings of half ripe wood, 10-15 cm with a heel in July or
August.
Growth Requirements: Well-drained, moist soils, partial to full shade
Rosa californica
Rose (California Rose, California Wildrose)
Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Habitat: North slopes, next to streams and in moist canyons
Propagation: Seed, often takes two years to germinate. Plant out in summer when plants are
more than 25cm tall. Cuttings of half-ripe wood in July in a shaded frame and plant in spring.
Cuttings of mature wood during early autum. These cuttings can take up to 12 months to
establish but a high percentage normally succeed.
Growth Requirements: Near coast full sun, tolerates drought but likes moisture but not water
logged soils
Rubus parviflorus
Thimbleberry
Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Habitat: Woodlands, canyons and open areas
Propagation: Division in early spring
Growth Requirements: Well-drained soils in sun or partial shade; water but don’t overwater
Rubus spectabilis
Salmonberry
Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Habitat: Moist spots in and around woods
Propagation: Cuttings of half-ripe wood in July or August in a frame; division in early spring and
up until leaves fall in fall
Growth Requirements: Well-drained, moist soils; full sun to partial shade
Rubus ursinus
Blackberry
Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Habitat: Canyons, coastal, streambanks and disturbed areas.
Propagation: Cuttings of half ripe wood from July to August in a frame; division in early spring
before leaves fall
Growth Requirements: Well drained, moist soils; partial shade to full sun.
Salix sitchensis
Coulter Willow
Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Habitat: Riparian corridors at low elevations
Propagation: Cuttings in dormant season (November to February); collect stakes approximately
an inch in diameter and roughly 2-3 ft. in length; remove all leaves so it can use energy to
establish roots; attempt to get willow stake as deep into the ground as possible (i.e. 75% of its
length)
Growth Requirements: Prefers sun and moist/wet soils;; if transplanted in spring or summer it is
important to ensure it is well irrigated
Salix lasiolepis
Arroyo Willow
Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Habitat: Riparian corridors at lower elevations
Propagation: Cuttings in dormant season (November to February); collect stakes approximately
an inch in diameter and roughly 2-3 ft. in length; remove all leaves so it can use energy to
establish roots; attempt to get willow stake as deep into the ground as possible (i.e. 75% of its
length)
Growth Requirements: Prefers sun and moist/wet soils; can tolerate wind but not maritime
conditions; if transplanted in spring or summer it is important to ensure it is well irrigated
Sambucus racemosa
Red Elderberry
Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Habitat: Moist, rocky terrain at middle to low mountain slopes
Propagation: Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 7 - 10cm with a heel July through August; collect seed
as soon as it’s ripe in fall and store in cold location for two months, then store in warm location for
two months—place seedlings into individual pots after evidence of germination and plant either in
following summer or the following spring
Growth Requirements: Partial to no shade, but prefers sun with cool, moist conditions; requires
moist soil; can tolerate windy conditions but not maritime conditions
Torreya californica
California Nutmeg
Leaf Retention: Evergreen
Habitat: Cool shady slopes and canyons and mountain stream banks
Propagation: Cutting (cuttings are difficult) but collect half-ripe wood in late summer; Collect
seeds as soon as they’re ripe, store seeds in cold area until they begin to germinate, then with
evidence of germination plant seeds in individual large pots and keep in light shade in a
greenhouse for first couple of winters, transplant seedlings into permanent location when they
reach 20 cm. in height
Growth Requirements: It can grow in full, partial, or no shade; thrives in full sun; prefers moist
soil; dislikes wind exposure so should be planted in a sheltered position; prefers damp and cool
conditions
Umbellaria californica
Bay
Leaf Retention: Evergreen
Habitat: Riparian areas
Propagation: Cuttings and seed
Growth Requirements: Moist but not saturated soils; full sun
Woodwardia fimbriata
Giant Chain Fern (Chain Fern, Western Chain Fern)
Leaf Retention: Evergreen
Habitat: In woodlands, next to streams, moist bogs or ponds.
Propagation: Division
Growth Requirements: Shade to partial shade
The following websites were used to make this directory, and are good
future resources for plant descriptions and propagation methods:
http://www.ibiblio.org
http://www.pfaf.org
http://www.spranch.org/floramain.lasso?Available=Y
http://depts.washington.edu/propplnt/Plants/
http://www.wildflower.org/plants
http://plants.usda.gov
www.rainyside.com/features/plant_gallery/nativeplants
http://www.nwplants.com
http://www.shootgardening.co.uk
http://davesgarden.com
Appendix
A-1………………………………………………………………………Cold Frames
A-2………………………………………………………………………Cuttings
A-3………………………………………………………………………Cuttings
Cold Frames
http://www.organicgardening.com/feature/0,7518,s1-5-19-106,00.html
Start gardening early and keep on growing later in the season with a simple soil warmer you can build
yourself.
You might think that the growing season has a finite beginning and end: the last frost in spring and the first
frost in fall. But, in fact, many gardeners try to start planting and harvesting when frost still threatens. With a
simple cold frame, you can extend your season by a month or more on either end—in some climates, you
can grow right through the winter with one. A cold frame is an ideal place to gradually acclimate tomato or
pepper seedlings grown indoors to conditions outside.
What is a cold frame? Nothing more than four walls to trap heat and shelter plants, and a transparent lid
that admits light. You can make the walls from any sturdy material—plywood, concrete, even bales of hay.
An old window works perfectly as a lid, but you can also use Plexiglas or plastic sheeting tacked to a frame.
The lid's size usually determines the dimensions of the cold frame. Still, you'll want it to be larger than 2 by 4
feet to make it worth your while; you don't want it much larger than 3 by 6 feet, so that you can reach all the
plants inside. Build the back 4 to 6 inches higher than the front to maximize the amount of light that reaches
the plants inside and to allow water or melting snow to drain off the top easily.
The best site for your cold frame, according to Rodale's All-New Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening, is a
south-facing, sunny spot with good drainage and some protection from the wind. Ideally, the site should get
full sun from mid-morning to mid-afternoon. You can set up a cold frame permanently in your garden, or
make one that you put away when you're not using it.
Before you set up a cold frame in a permanent spot, dig out the top 3 or 4 inches of soil inside the frame and
replace it with a layer of coarse gravel. Then put 6 inches of topsoil back. This will ensure good drainage.
You can grow cold-frame plants in pots, flats or, if you're growing just one type of plant (say, salad greens)
plant right in the soil.
The key to using a cold frame successfully is paying attention to the temperature—and the trick is in
keeping it cool rather than warm. The temperature inside the cold frame should stay below 75 degrees F for
summer plants, below 60 degrees for plants that normally grow in spring and fall. The way to keep
temperatures cool inside a cold frame is to lift the lid. A good rule of thumb: when outdoor temperatures are
above 40 degrees, prop open the lid 6 inches; when the outdoor temps clear 50 degrees F, remove the lid.
Be sure to restore the lid in late afternoon to trap the heat inside for the cool night. You can also buy
automatic venting devices in some gardening catalogs.
On frigid nights, the plants inside the cold frame may need a little extra protection to keep from freezing.
Most heat escapes through the glass, so pile insulation on top. You can use old blankets, straw, newspaper
or whatever is handy. Snow insulates well, too, but brush heavy snow off the glass so it doesn't break.
Cuttings
A-1
Make More Plants with Cuttings From Your Own House and Garden Plants
From Marie Iannotti
http://gardening.about.com/od/gardenprimer/ss/Cuttings.htm
What you’ll need:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
A Mother Plant
Soilless Potting Mix
Rooting Hormone
Water
Containers or Pots for planting
Containers for holding water and rooting hormone
Razor Blade or Scissor
Rubbing alcohol
Pencil or Stick
Choosing A Plant for Cuttings
Select a healthy house or garden plant to take the cuttings from. This is referred to as the mother
plant. It needs to have enough stems on it so that removing one or more will not kill the mother.
Prepare Your Planting Containers for Rooting the Cuttings
Fill a clean plant pot or container with soilless potting mix, to hold the house or garden plant stem
cuttings for rooting. A soilless mix drains better than garden soil and achieves a moist, but not wet
quality.
Selecting Stems for Your Plant Cuttings
Choose green, non-woody stems for taking tip cuttings. Newer growth is easier to root than
woody stems. You are looking for a stem with a node on it. A node is where a leaf is or was
attached. It looks like a joint on the stem.
Taking the Plant Cuttings
Use a scissor or razor blade that has been sterilized in alcohol to cut back to just below a node.
The cutting doesn’t need to be long. A single node with a couple of leaves will be fine.
Prepare Your Plant Cuttings for Potting
Place the cutting on a flat, hard surface and make a clean slice through the middle of the node
with a sterilized razor blade. Plant stems send our their new roots from the stem nodes. Making
the cutting at the node increase your chance of successfully rooting the cutting.
Remove all but 1 or 2 leaves. The cutting needs some leaf growth to continue photosynthesis,
since it can’t take in any food from roots it doesn’t yet have. But too many leaves will just sap
energy from its efforts to create new roots. If the leaves are very large in proportion to the stem,
cut the leaves in half.
Pre-Make Your Planting Holes
A-2
Pre-making holes in the rooting medium will insure that the rooting hormone remains on the plant
stem cutting, not on the soil surface. This will improve chances of rooting the cuttings and making
new house or garden plants.
With a pencil or similar pointed object, poke holes into the potting mix. Pre-making the planting
holes will insure that the rooting hormone you will be using in the next step remains of the
cuttings and doesn’t rub off on the potting mix.
Using Rooting Hormone to Increase Your Chances of Successful Rooting
Rooting hormone stimulates a house or garden plant cutting to begin sending new roots out of a
stem node. Using rooting hormone increases the success rate of creating new plants.
Rooting hormone stimulates the plant cutting to begin sending out new roots from the stem node.
The hormone is not always necessary for the cutting to root, but it does give an advantage. Many
plants will even root in plain water, but transferring the water rooted seedling to soil is not always
successful.
Fill one cup or container with water and place some rooting hormone into another. You won’t
need much hormone. Too much rooting hormone can actually lower your success rate, so tap off
the excess. Don’t return used hormone to the original container. Once it comes in contact with the
cuttings, it is activated.
Dip the node end of the plant cutting into the water and then into the rooting hormone
Potting Up Your Cuttings
Carefully place the cuttings into the holes you made in your potting mix and gently firm the soil
around them. You can fit several cuttings into one container. Space them so that the leaves do
not touch one another.
A-3