California Garden, Vol. 87, No.6, November-December 1996

32 Pages·1996·3.6 MB·English

by  San Diego Floral Association

California,
GARDEN
NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 1996 Volume 87 No. 6 $1.50
HORTICULTURAL CALENDAR
NOV. 2 DEC. 3-24
DESCANSO GARDENS 1418 Descanso Dr., THE HUNTINGTON Holiday Garden Show.
La Canada Flintidge. First Saturday Talk 1151 Oxford Rd., SanMarino. Tues-Fri Noon-
"SelectingBulbsforLongSpringBloom".9am- 4:30pm. Weekends 10:30am-4:30pm. 818/405-
5pm. 818/952-4401. $5. 2144. $7.50.
NOV. 2-3 DEC 6-7
LAKE HODGES NATIVE PLANT CLUB *SAN DIEGO FLORAL ASSOCIATION
12thAnnualPlantSale.VonsMarket.ThePlaza ChristmasonthePrado. AnnualHolidayShow.
Bernardo Center Dr., Rancho Bernardo. Sat. Casa del Prado, Majorca Room, Balboa Park.
9am-4PM. Sun. 9am-2pm. Native, Bulbs, Etc. Fri. 5-9pm. and Sat. Noon-9PM. Free.
480-4750. DEC. 7
SOUTH COAST BOTANIC GARDEN THE ARBORETUM OF LOS ANGELES
FOUNDATIONChrysanthemumShow&Sale. COUNTY Holidays in the Garden. 301 North
26300CrenshawBlvd.,PalosVerdesPeninsula. BaldwinAve., Arcadia. 10-Noon.
Sat. &Sun. 9am-4pm. Call 310/544-1948$5. 818/447-8207. Fee.
NOV. 4 DEC. 7-15
PALOMAR DISTRICT DESIGN FORUM DESCANSO GARDENS Show. "Let Heaven
FloralDesignProgrambyDr. GeorgeHerring. and Nature Sing." 1418 Descanso Dr., La
The Courtyard 16935 West Bernardo Dr., CanadaFlintridge. 818/952-4401. $5.
RanchoBernardo. 1-3pm.749-1920.Series$35. DEC. 11
NOV. 5 & 12 THE VILLAGE GARDEN CLUB OF LA
*SAN DIEGO FLORAL ASSOCIATION JOLLA Holiday Tour, onetraditional and one
Flower Arranging-Advanced Fall Class. Casa contemporaryhomewithholidayarrangements.
delPrado,BalboaPark.VelmaWest,instructor. 6366 and 6390 Cardeno Dr. La Jolla, 1-4pm.
Call 232-5762. Two Classes $35. Call 390-9908for information. Donation$5.
NOV. 7-10 MONTHLY
THEHUNTINGTONFallPlantFestival. 1151 SANDIEGOHORTICULTURAL SOCIETY
Oxford Rd., San Marino. Thurs.-Sun. 1-4pm. Speakers. Wagering Facility, Del Mar
818/405-2141. $7.50 Racetrack. Mon. 6:30-9pm. Call 630-7307.
Nov.9 ONGOING EVENTS
FALLBROOK GARDEN CLUB Plant and QUAIL BOTANICAL GARDENS 230 Quail
Bake Sale. Lucky Market, Mission Ave. GardenDr., Encinitas. 9am-5pm. 436-4032.
Fallbrook. 9am-2pm. 723-1893. BLUE SKY ECOLOGICAL RESERVE
NOV. 10 Walks. Poway. Sat&Sun9am. 486-7238.
SOUTH COAST BOTANIC GARDEN BALBOAPARK:
FOUNDATION "Latest in African Violets". SAN DIEGO JAPANESE FRIENDSHIP
26300CrenshawBlvd.,PalosVerdesPeninsula. GARDEN DocentTours. 232-2780. Fee.
Sun. 2pm. 310/544-1948. $5. OFFSHOOTTOURS lHr.MeetBotanicalLath
NOV. 19 House. 10am. 235-1121. Free.
*SAN DIEGO FLORAL ASSOCIATION INTERPRETIVE WALKS Ranger guided.
Holiday Basket Special. M. Rosenberg, Meet VisitorsCenter. 10am. 235-1211. Free.
Instructor. Information232-5762. $20. JAN6-TOMAY5, 1997
DEC. 2 PALOMAR DISTRICT DESIGN FORUM
PALOMAR DISTRICT DESIGN FORUM
Designer, BarbaraGillum. (SeeDec. 2).
FloralDesignProgrambyGudrunKimmel.The
Courtyard 16935 West Bernardo Dr., Rancho Deadlineforsubmission to
Bernardo. 1-3pm. 749-1920. Fee. HORTICULTURAL CALENDAR for
DEC.3LAJOLLAGARDENCLUBHolidayTeaand JFaLn.O/RFeAbL. AisSsSueOCiIsANToIvO.N1i5s.noStANrespDoInsEiGblOe
Bazaar. 7776 Eads Ave., La Jolla. 12:30- for changes that are submitted late by the
3:30pm. 454-4109. $7.50. organizations
162 NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 1996 CALIFORNIA GARDEN
California s,nce i9°* SanDiegoFloralAssociation
GARDEN 2125ParkBlvd
CasadelPrado,BalboaPark
SanDiegoCA 92101-4792
LIBRARYOFCONGRESSNO.ISSN0008-1116 Mon10d:a0y0atmhrtooug3h:0F0rpimday
VOLUME 87 NUMBER 6
Publishedby
SanDiegoFloralAssociation THE MAGAZINE FOR THE HANDS-ON GARDENER
for86Years
NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 1996
PUBLICATIONSTAFF
EDITOR
FEATURES
JacquelineColeman
CALENDAREDITOR 165 TulipsThatComeBack B. Newton
JeanE.Johns 165 Daffodils S. Mack
NOWISTHETIMEEDITOR 166 ButterflyPassions—GulfFrittilariesandPassiflora P. Pawlowski
MarianneD.Truby 168 Topiaries R. Horwitz
169 Bill McNamara—PlantWorldExplorer B. Jones
AFFILIATELISTINGEDITOR 170 Herbs—CultureandLandscapeUses H. Chandler
LynnBeyerle 171 Iris—Iridaceae A. Waters
BOOK&VIDEOREVIEWEDITOR 173 Local Sunflowers Staff
RosaleenCox 174 PeanutExplorer B. Jones
175 ChildrenintheGarden, part3 F. Kennell
TOURSEDITOR 180 Shrub-SpeciesofPlectranthus C. Zinsky
AnnWaters 180 ThreeoftheGeraniaceae D. Miller
ADVERTISING DEPARTMENTS
JacquelineColeman
162 HorticulturalCalendar J. Johns
RENEWALS 164 Gleanings StaffEdited
JoanRoman 176 NowIstheTime M. Truby
182 BookReviews R. Cox
MAILING
184 Affiliates L. Beyerle
LynnBeyerle
186 Communications and Addresses EditorandReaders
EDITORIALADVISORYBOARD 186 Classes M. Walsh
MortBrigadier 189 Index EditorialStaff
RobertHorwitz
BarbaraS.Jones COVER illustration ofa daffodilbyJeanie Foord
BettyNewton wasoriginally publishedin London,in 1906.
CatherineZinsky
Claimsand opinionsexpressedby advertisersdo notnecessarily
Manuscript*arcinvited.Deadlinesarethe20thofJanuary,
March, May, July, September, and November. California reflectthe viewsoftheeditorand publisherofCaliforniaGardenmagazine.
Gardenreservestherighttoeditanyandallsubmittedmaterial.
Allmanuscriptsandillustrationswillbehandledcarefully,but SinglecopiesofthecurrentissueofCaliforniaGardenmagazine
wmcefethooxxueermppspretvcaaecialtbstlenisetwnbebhsolddoeteotoa.muafarbnetsEtlioshntceeubhacslomelepseodarensicetareoteoemfudrsserspteansolhoennfe-fsdduaia/stCbudooeaitdrlldhyriioooetfrunisyosn.sraefnaHtodincohradoerptmGtodhpmausoeautrsigptdrnTaaeeohisznrtadii.fdnrneeideeNtcsn.yeiko.vssefsAteSlarlhnuorleodibpmolameoyuriIptssiriBhfesenoMfmiiryleooieoonnntcurysstt WCMOSIAUAASLCNLSIHTIDFIEOIORNNERUGNHAROIINcSALFDaELALEnRSRORYNRbB,SUAeOER2LRN6Sp3EAEuN-TSR6UrS1UYRcO1,MSh4C,EaI2FR59sAO08YeTU0-,Id32NO8D2I0Nf2mA8,o4p,Te-r2r8I1i325Oaa272lN-15d5,,A7Fov36oIen62rN.4a,tC,2t.SCS,taiEaosnon4cta4nkeD7trdi-opeoelrn8fig2DPso0rre7$iaC,Svd1tAeo3..,,,051SS9R0aa2mNnn1.oar1DDt3t1iih0eet5ggB,hooaeBlCCadllAAwboob9ca92aA21Pvt10aei13r.ok0,,nAsSraclnaidDsiitaeeCgdo.ACA9109201601
ofnamedproductsis intended,noris criticismimpliedof FLOWERSHOWS: ShowchairmancontactCaliforniaGarden,232-5762ifyouwantthe
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CALIFORNIA GARDEN NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 1996 163
Gleanings
. . .
CLIMATEPROBLEM . . . light.ThatwayIgetawonderfullastingbouquettoplace
San Diego has at least five major climates—coast, near onadeskorinthebathroom.
coast, regular, hotter-colder regular, semi-desert. Plants
grow or don'tgrow the same in each ofthese climates. WHITEFLIES INBALBOAPARK . . .
California Garden tries to indicate the area where the Giant whiteflies are trying to attach to every variety of
author-gardenerofourarticles lives, butoccasionallywe plant growing in Balboa Park. Some plants are able to
goofandourreaderstellus. withstandthe invasion, butmany are covered with these
agressive and unsightly insects. Everyone is having the
CLIVIA: Werecentlywrotethatcliviacanstandmorning problem. Let'shopeagoodcureisspeedilyfound.
sun. It can near the coast, but not inland. A La Mesa
gardenerandaChulaVistagardenerbothstatedthattheir TREESFORTHEHOLIDAYS . . .
clivianeeded shadeandthatmorningsunwoulddry and All one has to see is a triangle with the pointup atthis
shriveltheleaves. time of the year and thoughts turn to the holidays. In
everycountryand ethnicgroup, sometypeofwelcoming
LETTUCE: Gardeners in all the zones responded to an orcelebratingholidayorfestivalisheldduringthewinter.
article stating that lettuce was now being grown in the Oftenitisassociatedwiththecomingofthenewyearand
summer under a shade cloth covered structure. One mostofthem grew outofsome kind ofceremony either
gardenersaidhe'dbeengrowinglettuceinthesummerfor to give thanks for a harvest or to enticethe summer to
years in the shadeofatree. Anothergardener said he'd come back and bring the growing season. Many ofthe
been successful growinglettuce intheshadeofhistaller earlypeopleswhoemigratedtoAmericacamefromareas
vegetablegardenplants. where trees, particularly evergreens, were used as
decorations in these ceremonies. From primitive
BESTPLANTING SEASON . . . celebrations, the celebrations have been given other
FromthefirstofOctoberuntilthelastofNovemberisthe meanings particularly within different religious groups.
best time of the year to plant most things in Southern But, in AmericatheperiodfromtheendofNovemberto
California. Trees and shrubs do especially well because theendoftheyearhasbecomeaperiodofrejoicinginthe
thegroundisstillwarmenoughsotheywill rootquickly good things we enjoy being Americans. People enjoy
and be ready for the winter rains. There are also fewer special foods and often exchange well-wishing greeting
pests and diseases to attack your new and tender plants. and even gifts. And...plants are an important part,
This isthetimetoplantvegetables andperennials. particularlyatree. Many feel thatonlyadecorated pine-
Bulbs are available and can be planted now. If you typetreewilldo, butsomeofthebestlooking"trees"are
havelimited space ortime, colorful spotgardens canbe decorated cactus plants, dragon trees, jade plants,
madeinlargeflatpotsandscatteredaboutthegarden. Put bottlebrush or even oleanders. Many people now add
the bulbs, freesias are good, in firstand then over plant small lightstoanytreeorshruboutdoorsand enjoythem
with violas or pansies from pony packs. These will be from insidewithoutthefuss and mess. (Many homes are
beautiful for months. Several kinds of bulbs and small too small to accommodate a tree.) In fact, if you go
floweringplantscanbeplacedinonepot. Careandwater aroundSanDiegoyouwillfindthatmanyrestaurantsand
needs willbeataminimumandbeautyatamaximum. hotels havefound these "lighted trees" so charmingthat
they never remove the lights. Some neighborhoods have
PAPERWHITETIME . . . decoratedtheirstreettrees, and many haveleftthelights
The bulbs are in the stores and it's time to start your on. It'sprettyandcharmingandfestiveandnice. Usually
paperwhitenarcissusonpebblesinwaterforbloominthe the participants have different ethnic, racial, generation,
—
holiday season. It takes about six weeks from water to religious backgrounds but they are all enjoying the
flower. The smell ofthe blooming flowers is wonderful sharing and companionship of saying "hello" to their
and permeates the whole room. Most guides advise neighbors. Thetinylightsuseverylittlepower, aresafe,
placingthebowl inadarkplaceuntiltheleaves areup a willnotharmtheplants,andtwinklesocharmingly.Have
few inches. The leaves will not grow so tall if this is awonderful timejoininginthedecoratingofSanDiego.
done. This isbestforlowbowlplanting. I always starta It's fun to tour the different neighborhoods to see how
few in ahighvase and immediately exposethem to high festivetheylook. /\
164 NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 1996 CALIFORNIA GARDEN
TULIPS THAT COME BACK very satisfying. She does not stress nor particularly
by BETTY NEWTON remember thevarietynames. And, bestofall, thebulbs
thatgrewtherelastyearhavethelongerstems.
JANEMINSHALL,GARDENINGintheEucalyptusHills naturIanliztehdesppaircatxuirsethyaotublmoaoym psreoefusseulgygeesatcihonyseaorfonthae
sectionofLakeside, has asuccess storytoshare. It'sher slopeatthesideofJane Minshall'shome. They'vegone
experWieenckenogrwo,wiafntgerlmoangn-ystyeeamrmse,dtthualtipbsa.sicallytulipsare wild.ThisharlequinflowerfromSouthAfricareceivesno
gwoeoekdsfoorromnoereyeoafrfhaellrer.efTrhiagetraits:ionaftaetrapbuoructh4as5edeagnrdeessi,x dseuvmemleorpedwaatewriidnegruannlgesesofitcroalionrss.fTrhoemyparleesepeidnkantdhrhoauvgeh
they will grow and bloom in our soil. The next year, deepestburgundy. Theflowers areprofuseeveryspring.
althoughtheleaves lookokay, theflowers willbestubby Minshall will water in early fall to get the sparaxis
and inconsequential ifthey appearatall. started if it fails to rain. The South African bulbs have
Wonderful exceptions to this short life in a mild nowreseededthemselvesontheothersideofherhouse!°
climate aretwo short species tulips, Tulipa clusiana and
Tulipasaxatilis. T. clusianahasprettynarrowredpetals, Betty Newton teaches gardening classes at Grossmont
white inside, and T. saxatilis has wider, outflopping AdultSchoolandwritesfortheSundaySanDiego Union-
lavender-pinkpetalswithyellowcenters.Thesecanbeleft Tribune. Photobytheauthor.
in a fast-draining soil that is watered only by rainwater
andreturnandbloomformanyyears. DAFFODILS
But Jane Minshall grows traditional tall-stemmed
tulipsinmanycolorsatthebaseofathree-and-a-halffoot by SuzanneM. Mack
rock wall every spring and some of them produce a
sarecchointdectanfodrtthhierdSayneaDri!egMoinCsihtayllSchisooals.retired landscape Iwandered lonelyas acloud
Thatfloatsonhigho'ervales andhill,
Whenall atonceIsaw acrowd,
Ahost,ofgoldendaffodils.
Wordsworth
OVER THE YEARS I have killed a number ofdaffodil
bulbs. I did this by placing otherwise viable bulbs in
impossible situations. These bulbs really have few
requirements and it takes a consummate effort to defeat
their mission to bloom. Call them daffodil, jonquil, or
narcissus,thesehardybulbsofferawidevarietyofshape,
color, and flower form. Their chief requirement is
drainage.Theywillnottoleratehavingtospendtheirdays
sitting in standing water duringtherainy season. Where
ever you plant them, make sure it is "high ground" at
least to the extent it isn't in your yard's personal
floodplain. Theyadaptto sunorpartial shade.
Hereisthetechniqueforgrowinglovelytulipsasshe Daffodilscomeindouble,ruffled,hybrid,traditional
does. I was privilegedto enjoythem lastspring. Now is yellow, orange, apricot, cream, pink, and pure white.
thetimeoftheyearto seeifyou cangetsimilarresults. There are bunched, fragrant, trumpet, and those named
1)Minshallhasalowwallthatprovidesshadeonthe aftercelebrities. InSouthernCaliforniatheyareavailable
narrow bed of soil November through February. This from your local nursery beginning in September. No
assurescoolrootdevelopmentwithoutpushingtopgrowth matterwhichvarietyyouselectlookforlarge,firmbulbs.
toosoon. Unlike tulips they require no chilling time in your
2)Inmid-September shedigslastyear'stulipsupto refrigerator. Until readytoplantkeepthebulbs inacool
seeifany arebigand solidenoughtoplantagain. About dryplace. Plantas soonas you getthem, waterwell and
athirdcanbeused again. wait until mid-February or early March for the display.
3)Sherefrigeratesthosebulbs(andthenewonesshe With any luck your daffodils will naturalize and come
buys to add to the display) for four to six weeks and backagainand again. They arespectacularmarshaled on
plantsthem in November. eithersideofawalkway,massedinbeds,inrockgardens,
Fromthepictureyoucan seethedisplayoftulipsis or crammed into pots. Let them pop up around a stone
CALIFORNIA GARDEN NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 1996 165
—
rabbitsculpturesomewhere inyourgarden. Addthemto BUTTERFLY PASSIONS
potsorbedscontainingotherfoliageplantsforabriefspot GULF FRITILLARIES
ofcolor and whimsy. Ifyou don'tlike the look ofbare
soiloveryourbulbs,thereareseveral lowgroundcovers AND PASSIFLORA®
suchascreepingthyme,baby'stears, orsweetalyssumto by Pat Pawlowski
plantoverthearea.
Gophers don't find the bulbs tasty, but slugs and THEFIRSTTIMETHATsomething is accomplished or
wsnaaiitlsfocranthbeebaloreoamlspronolbyletmo.fIitndisarnathaerrradyisohfeaarmtbeintiinogust,o experienced is very special, and will always be
remembered.
ravenousslugshavebeatenyoutothepunch.Trappingor
bgsaorilautntiuinloganr.fobWrahiste,ntahiolersrapylnoadtuesshlauognfsdbbepeeifrco,kr,eyuotsuheewtfiralaclpts,niesDeedtahdetloibnedes,ot ashmoarztiFlnyografe"txceaarmupsIelepa,lnadnI'tleelfdnfeePcvates"rsiiffnolrboguretattet(rhsfeloymfeigrtasitrmdteeisnmienkgIn.soaIwtwnwtaahsse
somethingifsnailsandslugsareaproblem inyouryard. passion vine, passionflower vine, or passion flower) in
Daffodils, likespring,don'tlastaslongaswemight order to attract the gulf fritillary butterfly, or Agraulis
tlihkeeftuheelmfotro,nuenxftoryteuanra'tselyf.loLwiekreinmgosafttebrultbhseirthbeylogoamtihnegr vanillEaaer.lier, I had joined the Monarch Program and
cycle. To ensure that they generate adequate stores of learned how milkweed (Asclepias) attracts monarch
nutrients letthe foliage turn yellow and die back before butterflies. And, after doing some reading about
cuttingitoff. butterflies, I had planted a passionflower vine, which is
Paperwhite narcissus make a lovely indoor display thelarval-foodplantofthegulffritillary, toseeifIcould
during gray winter days. Place bulbs in a shallow attractthatspecies.
containeronabedofpebblesoveralayerofhorticultural Itwas as ifIhad waved amagicwand.
charcoal (tokeepthewaterfresh)and alittlewater. They One day, while I was out in the yard, I saw a
prefer a cool environment and the fragrance can be bit medium-size, mostly orange, long-winged butterfly. It
overpoweringcomeevening.Thecontainercanalwaysbe flitted and danced around the passionflower vine, then
movedto anotherroomuntil morning. settled on one of the leaves and, curving its abdomen,
Other easy to grow spring bulbs are ranunculus, neatlydepositedatinyyelloweggontheleaf.
Dnuurtscehrieisrihs,avefrceheasriatss,thaatnewimlolnetesll yaonudhaomwardyleleips.toMploasntt seenBaefgourleftfhreitpilulracryhaisne mofythyiasrdv.ineI,t sIeheamdedneavlemrosetvera
aparticularvarietyofbulb. miracle. For those who are butterfly gardening
Select your bulbs now and get them into their greenhorns,itisnecessarytounderstandashorthistoryof
assignedlocationinyourgarden. Cometheendofwinter abutterfly'slifeinordertobesuccessful inattractinggulf
thesehappyharbingersofspringwill nod inyourgarden fritillariestothegarden.
yearafteryear. Imagine you areagulffritillary. You startoutas an
eggy havingbeenlaidontheleafofaPassiflora,which is
Suzanne M. Mack graduatedfrom the Master Gardener the only species of plant that will sustain you in the
Program in 1996. A long-timeresidentofthe SanDiego caterpillar, or larval, stage. You hatch into a tiny
area,shegrowsflowersandvegetablesatherhomeinthe caterpillarand starteatingtheleavesofthevine. As you
Del Cerro/San Carlosregion. grow, you shed your skin a number oftimes and finally
achieve the epitome ofgulffritillary caterpillar fashion:
you are dark gray with orange stripes and studly black
spines. You have eaten your way through quite a few
passionflower vine leaves and are now ready to form a
chrysalis,which isthenextstageofyourlife. In amatter
ofhours you have attached yourselfwith a handy silken
button to a sturdy limb or patio overhang, and you now
resemble a tiny brown curled-up leaf. You hang around
likethis for a week or so and then emerge as a colorful
butterfly, mostly orange on top, with a silver-spangled
patternunderneath. You thenfly offto search for nectar
and amemberoftheoppositesex.
Gulf fritillary adults, just like adults of nearly all
other butterfly species, do NOTeatthe leaves ofplants.
Instead, they sip nectar from a great variety of plant
166 NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 1996 CALIFORNIA GARDEN
species. Good-lookingflowers ofwhitish-pink and lavender with
Ifyou are a gardener who cannotbear to see afew purplecrown. Saidtobetheleastattractivetobutterflies;
holes in a plant, you might not want a Passiflora however, itdrewbutterfliesto my yard.
—instead, you might decide to grow plants that supply P. caerulea 'Constance Elliott'. White flowers.
only nectar. However, although I always had nectar- Vigorousand easytogrow.
producing plants in my garden, it was only AFTER I P. jamesonii 'Coral Sea'. Salmon to coral flowers.
includedthebutterfly'slarval-foodplantthatI sawagulf Profuseblooms all summer.
fritillaryinmyyard. Soit'sbesttoprovidefoodforboth P. manicata. Flowers scarlet with narrow blue
thelarval stageandtheadultstageofthebutterfly. crown.
In order to mitigate the sight of munched-on There are many other varieties. All passionflower
Passifloraleaves, you could situateyourvinenearatree vinesneed averagewaterandfeeding, andaretolerantof
or shrub and let the vine climb up and merge with the many soils. Althoughtheypreferfull sun, somevarieties
leaves of the other plant. That way, half-eaten leaves toleratesomeshade.
won'tbe as noticeable. Attention! Don'tuse pesticides! Favoritenectarplantsofadultgulffritillariesinclude
Butterfly caterpillars (and many other beneficial species) thefollowing: Lantana,Pentaslanceolata(starclusters),
Verbena,
will die after
ingesting
Passiflora(passion
flower),
pesticide-laced
foliage. Chrysanthemum
In additionto species, and
supplying leaves Centranthus ruber
as sustenance for (red valerian),
the gulf fritillary which is easy to
caterpillar, grow and very
passionflowers droughttolerant.
providesustenance In additionto
providing
for the gardener's
aesthetic sense. refreshments to
Passion- flowers attract fritillaries,
are among the here are some
most exotic and other tips: Place
beautiful blooms. plants in a sunny
They come in location and
provide some
different colors,
areverydramatic- protection from
looking,andmany strongwinds.
are easy to grow. For extra
Theyoriginatedin information, call
the tropics, and Agraulisvanillae, gulffritillarybutterflyphotobyBill Howell The Monarch
when the vines Program (619-
were introduced into California, so were the 944-7113)orvisittheSanDiegoNaturalHistoryMuseum
butterflies—stowawaysontheintroducedplants. book shop. One ofthe best books on local butterflies is
TheButterfliesofSouthernCaliforniabyJohnandThomas
Passiflora,sonamedbyearlyJesuits,isbelievedby Emmel. AnothergoodoneisTheButterflyGardenbyM.
somepersonstobetheflowerthatgrewonthecross ina Tekulsky.IfyouwishtopurchasePassiflora,contactThe
vision seen by St. Francis of Assisi. Each part of the MonarchProgramorvisitalocal nursery.
flowerissaidtorepresentsomeinstrumentofthePassion: With a combination of the above suggestions, you
The ten petal-like parts—the five sepals and five shouldbeabletomakeyourgardenintoanenticingplace
petals—represent the ten faithful apostles. The fringed forbutterflyassignations.
crowncouldrepresentahaloorthecrownofthorns.The So, go ahead—throwcautiontothewinds.
fivestamensrepresentthefivewounds. Introducesomepassionintothelifeofyourgarden!
Following are some of the many varieties of
passionflowervinethatcanbegrowninourarea: Text copyright by Pat Pawlowski, who is a writer and
Passifloraalatocaerulea.Carriedinmanynurseries. wildlifegardendesigner, (seepage 186)
CALIFORNIA GARDEN NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 1996 167
TOPIARIES
by Robert Horwitz
TOPIARIAN ART COMES IN SEVERAL forms. The or bird one needs to construct a base of chicken wire,
simplestdefinitionoftopiariesistocallitplantsculpture. wood, andplainwireinthedesired shape. Youcanflesh
The art of topiary originated in ancient times which is outtheshapebywiringintopositionenoughpeatmossto
proved by the fact thatthe word topiary stems from the formagrowingbasefortheplant. Chooseanappropriate
Greek word "topos," meaning place. In Latin the word small-leafed plant that will grow readily to cover the
became "topiarius," loosely defined as a man who framework. Thebaseoftheframework, ifitissmall,can
gardens. be the container in which the plant grows. For larger
Renaissancegardens featuredtopiaryforms withthe topiariesonecanlocateagrowingcontainerinsideofthe
most spectacular in France being Louis XIV's ornate framework, makingthecontainermountingstrongenough
gardensatVersailles. TheEnglishpickeduptheartfrom toholdtheweightofcontainerand itswetsoil.
theFrenchandformalEnglishgardensfeatureveryornate Here is apartial listofadditional plantsthatcanbe
topiaries, both by sculpturing the plants and by making usedfortheconstructionoftopiaries:
frames or armatures to make a base for plants to grow Portulaca—Non-woodywithtrailingcharacteristics. Itis
overandaroundtomakeanartisticformofananimalor anannual withleafsizeoflessthanan inch.
anartobject. Rosemary — A woody trailingtype ofplantwith small,
Whenyou gototheSanDiegoZoo, youwill seeat dark-greenleaves andoccasional purpleblossoms.
the entrance two very large topiaries in the form of Salvia—Awoody,non-trailing,evergreenwithleavesup
elephants. In the Zoo itselfthere are more examples of totwoorthreeinches insize.
ttooppiiaarriieessrtehastemabrleinfgoramneimdalbsy.mTahkeisnegaraefgroaomdeewxoarmkplienstohfe Tchhaurnabcteerrgiisatic—saSnidmitlhaerlteoavseaslvairaeeaxbcoeuptttiwtoexihnicbhietsstirnasiilzien.g
sivhyapteoocfovtheeretlheephsahnatpse.anIdnsgirdeowtihnegfsrmaamlle-wloerafkedthEenrgeliasrhe PatricTihaeRrieleisyaHagmomoderbocoalkleodnTnheewNetowpiTaorpyiatreyc,hnpiuqbuleisshbeyd
proooctkeatnsdogfrsoowi.l aTnhdepteuastksmoasnds ewyheesreareaddmiatdioenaolfipvayinctaend by the Garden Art Press. A copy ofthis book is in the
San Diego Floral Associationlibrary. [Editor'snote: the
wood. I think I have seen evidence of a drip watering Floral Association offers classes in constructing and
systeImhwaivtheinntohteedelempahnanyttporikveaetpetthoepigarroiwesingmaidvyemofirsotm. growing topiaries, however none are scheduled in
sculpted yew trees and small-leafed podocarpus. The NovemberandDecember.]
forms varyfromaconeshapeto apyramidtohorizontal RobertHorwitzisaretiredaerospaceengineerwhogardensin
rings offoliage separated by a space ofbare trunk. The PointLoma. Photos oftopiary forms, taken at MissionHills
Australian tea plant makes a great ball topiary with the Nursery, 1525Ft. StocktonDr., SanDiego,byJ. Coleman.
added attractiveness ofbeingcovered by small pink, red
or white blossoms. Any small-leafed plant that will
withstand considerable pruning makes a good candidate
foratopiaryform.
To makeatopiaryform inthelikenessofananimal
168 NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 1996 CALIFORNIA GARDEN
BILL MCNAMARA — PLANT WORLD EXPLORER
HE'S FACED EXOTIC DISEASES and brutal living brings home seeds and herbarium specimens, which are
conditions. Skidded off treacherous dirt roads while dried, pressed pieces of plant material containing a
drivinghigh inthemountains inTibet. Beendetainedby reproductivepartsuch as a seed. Oncehereturnshome,
suspiciousgovernmentofficialswhoviewmostAmericans hegerminatesmanyoftheseedshimselfandsendsothers
asspies. Stepped—footintoremotevillagesthathavenever tobotanicalgardenshereand abroadforstudy.
seenawesterner alltoholdafewpreciousseedsinhis BillMcNamaraisthedirectorofQuarryhillBotanical
hand. Bill McNamara is a plant collector who travels to Garden in Glen Ellen, California. It is dedicated to the
themostexoticreachesoftheglobeinsearchofseedsand research and conservationofAsianplants. Atthepresent
data that will expand our timethere are over ten thousand
knowledge of the world's flora plants (2000+ species) in the
and save species from ground. He sits on the board of
obliteration. trusteesofSaratogaHorticultural
He has been on expeditions ResearchFoundation,anonprofit
to North America and to Japan, organization that introduces new
India, and China. Concentrating and appropriate plants to the
his efforts in Asia, McNamara California landscape. [See page
has traveled nine times to areas 186] Any plants that have
ofChina that are closed to most potential ornamental or
outsiders. To find plants in their commercialvalue,hegivestothe
natural habitats, which is Research Foundation for further
necessary to document them evaluation and testing. The
scientifically for posterity, he foundation then sells the best to
oftengoes to regions thatare all growers who will offer them to
but inaccessible. His main focus retail nurseries and landscape
is the Chinese-Tibetan border, a professionals.
rugged area where passes are Whenasked howhebecame
sometimes 14,000to 15,000feet aplantexplorer, Bill McNamara
high and the guides are always said that since his childhood he
concerned that they will be hasbeenfascinatedbythestories
trapped and will not get out of the early plant explorers and
before the heavy snows come in thought that no person did it
mid-fall. anymore. Thenin 1987hewasin
McNamara faces other the right place at the right time
hazards on his expeditions. He andhadtheopportunitytojoinan
andhisteam, which includestwo BillMcNamaracollectingspecimen inChina. expedition. Since then he's been
Kew Garden horticulturists and Notesnowcovered peaks inbackground. onthirteenexpeditions.
threeorfourlocals,alwaystravel
ROSEDISCOVERIES
with an armed guard, not only
for personal protection, but also to appear official to Amonghismostexcitingdiscoveriesaremanyvarietiesof
authorities and bureaucrats they encounter. Local chiefs wild species roses. Quarryhill Botanical Garden in Glen
(or mayors) arefairly autonomous and liketo thinkthey Ellenhasbuiltoneofthelargestcollectionsofrosesinthe
candeny access and ignorepermits. Anyonetravelingon country.One—importantdiscoverywasaroselongthought
a scientific visa is automatically suspect. Plant poachers tobeextinct Rosachinensisformaspontanea. Itisone
often smuggle exotic species and, in order to stop this, ofthe mainparents ofmodern roses. Itwas thoughtlost
some governments close down their borders to all plant but is now growing in his garden. Rose experts come
collectors — even legitimate scientists. McNamara said from around the world and rose breeders are interested
being detained in police stations and having equipment becauseitwas so importantintheinitialbreeding.
confiscated (atleasttemporarily) is commonplace.
Hefeelsthedangersandhassleofhistravelsarewell BarbaraJonesusedmaterialsuppliedbyPeggyFernandez
wthorretehhitu.nOdrnedhistofivfeivteohsiuxndwreeedktdriifpfserheenttysppiecaclilmyencsol.leHctes BoifllthMecNSaarmaatrogaatHoowrrtiitceultthuirsaalrtRieclsee.ar(ScehepFagoeu1n8d6.a)tion and
CALIFORNIA GARDEN NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 1996 169
—
HERBS CULTURE AND LANDSCAPE USES
by HELEN CHANDLER
DR. ARTHUR O. TUCKER'S LECTURE, "Herbs: • Sweetwoodruffneedsdappledshadeandrich,humusy
Culture and Landscape Uses," at the San Diego Wild soil and agoodwinterfreeze.
Animal ParkonJuly20th was likeasemester's study in • True Greek oregano has white flowers, green floral
botany and horticulture. Dr. Tucker is a Research bracts, and aheavy creosote-likeodor. Ifyourso-called
Professor at Delaware State University in Dover. He is Greek oregano produces pink flowers and pink floral
veryknowledgeableinallaspectsofherbsandhaswritten bracts, itis probablywild marjoram. Notflavorful, wild
many articles on herbs in both scientific and popular marjoramisnotgoodformuchbesidesdriedflowers and
journals.HeisamemberoftheHerbSocietyofAmerica, landscaping.
the International Herb Association, and numerous • Basiloriginated intropical Asiaand Africa. As such,
botanicalandhorticulturalorganizations. itloves heat and should notbe set outuntil the weather
Hesaidthatalmosteveryplantcanbeconsideredan warms considerably. There are many types ofbasil, in
herbinonewayoranotherbecause colors from green to red and in
herbsaredefinedasplantsusedfor fragrances including licorice candy,
cooking, fragrance, medicine, clove, cinnamon, andlemon.
dyes, liqueurs, cleansing lotions,
hallucinogens,and/orpoisons.This [INTHE KITCHEN]
horticultural definition contrasts • Tryfennelinpicklesinsteadofdill
withthebotanist'sdefinitionofan forachangeofpace.
herb as a non-woody plant (as in • Themarigoldsuggestedforusein
"herbaceousperennials"). cooking is the poet's marigold, or
Calendula officinalis. This plant
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE prefers cool weather.
LECTURE • Pennsylvania German potato salad
[INTHE GARDEN] must have chopped chives. Also try
Ingrowingherbs,oranyother chive blossoms in white vinegar,
plant, it is advisable to consider which islavenderatfirst, fadingto a
theiroriginsandtrytoemulatethe tanlater.
conditionsfromthatarea. Manyof • Nasturtiums come to us from the
our herbs originated in the cool slopesoftheAndes inPeru. All
Mediterranean region, where the parts of this plant are edible,
soil iswell drained and often light providing a wonderful sharp radish-
colored under abrightsun. Raised liketaste.
beds provide drainage; sand, [CAUTIONS]
gravel, marble chips, crushed Lavandulamultifida,photobyBettyNewton • Sweet woodruff produces
oystershells,etc. providedrainage coumarin, which is harmful in
and soil reflectivity as well, which is beneficial. Dark- excess, butitsuseintobacco and May winedoes notfall
colored mulches, such as wood chips, aretobeavoided. underthe FDA. Mexican vanilla, which is usuallyhigh
Dr. Tucker showed slides of an experiment done with inaddedcoumarin, isnotrecommendedforconsumption.
'Dutch'lavandin.Onetreatmenthadaone-inchtoppingof • Inusingbay leaves [from Laurusnobilis] in cooking,
whitesand compared with bare, dark-colored loam. The besuretoremovethembeforeservingfood. Chokingand
plants mulched with white sand produced up to 100% perforated intestineshavebeen reported intheliterature.
greater yield of blossoms compared with the plants on California bay [Umbellularia californica] is not advised
baresoil. The sand notonlyreflects lightbutalso cools, for cooking because of the literature documenting it as
improvesdrainage, and controlsweeds. toxic, and the FDA has not granted it GRAS (generally
Dr. Tucker covered a lot ofmaterial in an hour. It recommended as safe) status.
would be impossible to list all the points he made, but • Recentchemical analysesofboragehaveindicatedthat
somespecificideas maybeuseful: it is high in carcinogenic alkaloids and should not be
• Use caraway thyme if you want a thyme lawn. eaten.
Caraway thyme is vigorous, mounding upon itself, and •Everyformofepazote(aliaswormseed)[Chenopodium
releasesapleasantcarawayodorwhenwalkedupon. ambrosioides] analyzed so far is rich in ascaridole and
170 NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 1996 CALIFORNIA GARDEN