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Horridculture – Trash Talk

Public trash receptacles are a good concept. Without them, some of us would be more likely to litter. Contraptions such as this are most likely a good concept too, since they are somehow more visually appealing than exposed trash cans. Also, they are unlikely to fall over and spill as exposed trash cans sometimes do. Originally, one half of this receptacle was designated for trash, and the other half was designated for recyclables. This is another good concept, but was very unfortunately discontinued because it is so commonly ignored that someone must sort through less than efficiently sorted trash and recyclables. The only obvious component of this device that may not have been such a good concept is the planter box that hovers above it. Once outfitted with a nice collection of succulent perennials, it was left to survive as well as it can, which has not been very well. Succulents were likely selected for this particular application because they are supposedly ‘drought tolerant’. However, only some are drought tolerant, and only because they extend their roots as they must in order to find moisture, which they are unable to do while confined to this hovering planter box. Although they have been surviving, they have not been very happy about it. I suspect that someone must sometimes give them water, but these succulents want a bit more. Realistically, they would be happier in the ground behind the trash receptacle. There is certainly plenty of vacant space for them there, and they would be more visually appealing where they would actually be more visible than they are above average eye level. If some sort of vegetation is desirable above the trash receptacles, small shrubs or vines in the ground next to them would be happier than succulents above them. It would have been better to maintain the space that is already in need of maintenance than to add more.

Posted on by tonytomeo

Not So Spicy

Jamaican allspice, Pimenta dioica, is rare here. I am beginning to learn why. Because it is tropical, it is vulnerable to even very minor frost. Actually, it is not so keen on chill either. It is rated for climates that are no cooler in winter than Zone 10. This is Zone 9. It seems to grow reasonably well in the Los Angeles region, where I collected my cuttings from Brent’s Jungalow Garden, but it is rare there also. That could be because it is not much to look at. Its foliage is no more interesting visually than that of common privet. Although the foliage is splendidly aromatic, only those who are familiar with the species, or become acquainted with its aroma while pruning it, would know. Its bloom is neither prominently colorful nor fragrant. What is worse is that the bloom is dioecious, with male or female flowers on different specimens. Single specimens have no problem blooming, but can not produce allspice fruits without a mate. Single male specimens are fruitless for obvious reasons. Single female specimens are fruitless without pollination. Not many people who grow the very rare single specimens are aware of this, although most are satisfied with the delightfully aromatic foliage. New specimens only very rarely become available in nurseries, and when they do, all of them were likely grown from the same stock specimen, so are genetically identical and of the same gender. Only seed grown specimens are random in regard to their respective genders, and even among them, their genders are unknown until they eventually bloom. The potential for growing both genders is proportionate to the number of seedlings. For example, one seedling will be of one gender. Two seedlings are as likely to be of the same gender as they are to be of different genders. Three are more likely to include one of another gender. Several or many are proportionately less likely to be of the same gender. All of my several cuttings were from the same specimen, so would have been genetically identical. It does not matter much now anyway, since only one survived, and even it is still rather wimpy. It has developed only two new leaves, and retains a trimmed portion of one of its original leaves. I am pleased with it regardless of its gender, and will be satisfied with only its aromatic foliage.

Posted on by tonytomeo · 2 Comments

Please Do Not Pick the Flowers

Am I that predictable? How did whoever posted this sign know I would be here? I do not want their stupid flowers anyway. Besides, only that dinky twig of some random species that I can not identify is blooming on the far right. Is that all they got? What I really want, or more accurately, what I would want if I did not find them to be either uninteresting or redundant what is already in my garden, is stem bits of the succulents for propagation. I suppose that I am not the only one who might want that, which is why the sign, although slightly irrelevant to such desires, became necessary. Actually, I have direct experience with pilferage of bits of succulents from my small planter box downtown, so I am aware of why such signs might be useful. I would not install any such sign within my planter box because such a sign would be bigger and more prominent than any of the flowers that it would be intended to protect. If I were to grow more flowers, I would prefer those that are so abundant that no one would miss a few that might get pilfered. The most abundant flowers are also smaller than less abundant flowers, so they would not be as tempting to those who might want more impressive flowers. For example, the bearded iris within my downtown planter box blooms with only a few big and bold floral stalks. Not only are the flowers tempting and easily taken, but when they are taken, there are no more to replace them. Anyway, I do not actually mind if those who want copies of my succulent perennials take a few bits if only they do so properly. It may happen more often than I am aware of, but of course, I am not aware of it if otherwise useless bits are taken from below the visible growth, or where they should be pruned away anyway. That is how I justify what you likely know I will mention next. Yes, only about a hundred feet from this urn filled with succulents and the sign that requests that I refrain from doing as such, even if it does not mention the subject matter and procedure directly, I ‘borrowed’ a few bits of stem from the underside of a shabby specimen of what seems to be ‘Roman Red’ Salvia guaranitica that should eventually get pruned back for winter anyway.

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Six on Saturday: Day Out

Rhody and I were in Capitola to attend to a few important tasks. Consequently, I did not take any pictures from home or work. My ‘Six’ for this week are therefore totally random without a theme.

1. Liquidambar styraciflua, sweetgum does not require much chill to exhibit exemplary foliar color for autumn. This deep garnet red is almost too dark to be visually appealing. It looks like it should be in Vermont rather than here on the Central Coast of California.

2. Archontophoenix cunninghamiana, king palm is more common closer to Los Angeles than here. I know of only a few here, and almost all are somewhat shabby like these are. King palm is less tolerant of slightly excessive chill than sweetgum is of inadequate chill.

3. Eucalyptus citriodora, lemon gum is also more common in Southern California, likely because it prefers warmer winters. Although these are reasonably happy here, not many are so happy within the Santa Clara Valley on the other side of the Santa Cruz Mountain.

4. Cortaderia jubata, pampas grass is the aggressively invasive sort which is naturalized so wickedly on the West Coast of California and Oregon. This is not a good picture, since it shows only its bloom peeking above the edge of the cliff, with foliage concealed below.

5. Eucalyptus globulus, blue gum is another aggressively invasive naturalized species. It has a completely different personality, though. Where it competes with other tall trees, it grows very high, and is very combustible. This exposed tree is relatively short and stout.

6. Carpobrotus edulis, Hottentot fig, which most of us know incorrectly as ice plant, was imported from South Africa more than a century ago, and is now so abundant that some believe that it is native. Technically, it is invasive too, but it is not easy to dislike as such.

This is the link for Six on Saturday, for anyone else who would like to participate: https://thepropagatorblog.wordpress.com/2017/09/18/six-on-saturday-a-participant-guide/

Posted on by tonytomeo

Horridculture – Headless

Appropriately, this picture was taken on Halloween. The ‘DEAD END’ sign and cemetery beyond, which are visible to the lower left of the picture, were also coincidental. The several headless redwood trees are the primary topic. Obviously, they were decapitated because of the electrical cables above. Otherwise, redwoods with such healthily plump trunks would be rather tall by now. After all, coastal redwoods are the tallest trees in the World. Unfortunately for them and those who are now appalled by their disfigurement, reliable and safe electrical service is more of a priority than poorly situated trees. It is no fault of the trees. Nor should this atrocity be blamed on those who executed it. Their only better option would be complete removal of the subjects, and perhaps replacement with smaller trees that will not grow tall enough to get too close to the electrical cables above. Maintenance of clearance of the vigorously upright redwoods from the cables above is a chronic problem that must be morally challenging for the arborist who must perform the necessary procedures. However, removal of several such significant trees would be very objectionable to the Community, which is very likely why these trees remain, regardless of their severe and irreparable disfigurement. Application for permits for their removal requires posting of such intentions on the trunks of the subject trees, to which neighbors would very likely protest. None of this would be such a problem now if only trees that are more appropriate to this particular situation were installed instead! Did the landscape designer who designed this landscape even visit the site during the design process, or was it all done on paper in a remote studio? Why did those who installed these trees not foresee this problem and modify the landscape plan and species selection accordingly?

Posted on by tonytomeo

Red Alert

Acer platanoides

Acer platanoides ‘Schwedleri’, is Schwedler’s maple, which is an old fashioned cultivar of Norway maple. It is not a red maple. However, because its new foliage initially emerges with deep burgundy red color, it is often mistaken for red maple, particularly where red maple is uncommon. Its deep burgundy red foliar color does not last long before developing deeper purplish bronze color, with tiny contrastingly greenish yellow flowers. For autumn, the foliage turns yellow. Schwedler’s maple was a common street tree for the many large tracts of suburban homes that were built within the Santa Clara Valley during the late 1950s. Although it has not been available from nurseries for the past few decades, at least two similar but more modern and darker bronze cultivars of Norway maple are becoming more available. Modern cultivars are generally sterile, so are not invasive like the simple species has been within some ecosystems that are more favorable to naturalization than that of the Santa Clara Valley. The Norway maple in the picture above is not ‘Schwedleri’ but looks very much like it.

Acer rubrum is the real red maple, not just because of its often bright red autumn foliar color, but primarily because of its red floral buds that emerge immediately prior to foliation in spring. However, prior to autumn, its foliage is simple green. Red maple was rare here prior to 1990, and by the turn of the Century was still only mildly popular in the Santa Clara Valley. It could be more popular than it is, and realistically, performs better as a street tree than cultivars of Norway maple. Although not as colorful as bronzed cultivars of Norway maple are through summer, its vibrant yellow, orange and typifying red autumn foliar color is superior, even in response to only mild chill.

Acer rubrum
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Taking Sides

This is what taking sides looks like. The right side was taken completely off, leaving only the left. The view from the other side would show that the left side was taken completely off, leaving only the right. It is not such a good picture because it is difficult to distinguish the extent of the damage from what is going on in the background. Realistically though, a better picture would be even worse, since the extent of the damage would be more obvious. The justification for such damage here is more obvious, since, obviously, this is a bad situation, with no room for balanced growth. Although survival is possible, this is not what nature intended. Natural growth should be an asset, and efficiently directed to where it can be useful, which would most likely be much more balanced than this. Incidentally, this is a coastal redwood, which is the Official State Tree of California. This sort of pruning would be just as damaging to Western hemlock, Douglas fir or blue spruce. For that matter, it would be just as damaging to longleaf pine, Western white pine or Ponderosa pine. Ultimately, it is bad technique for any tree in any situation.

Posted on by tonytomeo · 9 Comments

Six on Saturday: Attempted Autumn

Astronomical autumn began more than a month ago. It is about a third done, with about two thirds remaining. Meteorological autumn can start at any time. Sometimes, it starts, but then pauses before restarting a bit later. Sometimes, the first rain is the beginning of the rainy season, which typically continues through winter. A bit of rain arrived between Wednesday and Thursday, and a bit more is here now, but no more is in the forecast for next week. Regardless of future weather, some flowers bloom, or at least try to, as late as they possibly can. Of course, some actually prefer to bloom even later and during winter. Apologies for the lack of focus of pictures #4 and #6.

1. A ‘chance or rain’ in the weather forecast here is generally not taken too seriously until something like this happens. It is a genuine puddle. It is wet, and full of water from rain.

2. Sequoia sempervirens, coastal redwood seems to enjoy this damp weather. It actually enjoys all weather, but appears to be more refreshed by any interruption of arid warmth.

3. Lemna minor, duckweed is even weirder with this border of white foam that develops as the first rain washes away pollen and dusty crud that accumulated since the last rain.

4. Hedychium coccineum X coronarium ‘Peach Delight’ ginger lily, which was blooming for last Saturday, is trying to bloom again. I already doubted its ability to follow through.

5. Brugmansia X cubensis ‘Charles Grimaldi’ angel’s trumpet looks like Carl’s Junior ate too much of its own food. I added this because of response to angel’s trumpet last week.

6. More interestingly, it produced this seed pod. Such hybrids should be sterile. I can not help but wonder if seed is true to type. If so, propagation by cuttings is easier than seed.

This is the link for Six on Saturday, for anyone else who would like to participate: https://thepropagatorblog.wordpress.com/2017/09/18/six-on-saturday-a-participant-guide/

Posted on by tonytomeo · 2 Comments

Horridculture – Rocky XXIV . . . or XXV . . . or XXVI . . . Oh, I can not count them all.

another sequel

Winters are not very cold here. Otherwise, I might have assembled a fur coat. Instead, relocation of furs has been more practical than utilization. Besides, without exception, all were already in use when I encountered them. Actually, they were not relocated merely because I had no practical use for them, but, more importantly, because relocation was significantly less inconvenient to those who were wearing them at the time. Of course, it was not totally convenient either. That was sort of the objective. The inconvenience of relocation is a deterrent to those who wear the furs, who identify as racoons. They are unwelcome here. I realize that they eat mollusks and rodents; but neither mollusks nor rodents are problems here. I do not grow much vegetation that mollusks find to be appealing. Heather the kitty who identifies as a feline person is too proficient at deterrence of rodents to have use for any assistance. Actually, Heather is one of the two primary reasons that it is necessary to relocate raccoons. Rhody is the other. Unfortunately, raccoons have potential to become impolite or even dangerously hostile with my canine and feline housemates. Relocation does not permanently eliminate them, but it annoys them enough that, by the time they return, they are much more careful about avoiding us and our space. Also, their impressionable associates seem to learn from their examples. Because they can not be relocated off of the property, they go less than a mile away. So far, that seems to be sufficient. I do not know how long it takes for them to return, but I suspect that it takes quite a while. After this most recent relocation, I do not expect another relocation to become necessary until members of the most recent generation mature enough to become a problem.

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Off Color – Very Variable Variegation

‘Stuttgart’ canna

Reversion among vegetation is the loss of an aberrative genetic characteristic, such as variegation or bronze foliar color. Because most genetic aberrations that are susceptible to reversion are disadvantages, reverted growth generally performs more efficiently, and displaces remaining genetic aberrative growth. For example, because its variegated portions lack chlorophyll, variegated foliage is less vigorous than foliage that is not variegated. Therefore, if not removed, unvariegated reverted foliage is likely to grow faster and replace variegated foliage. This ‘Stuttgart’ canna leaf seems to have done the opposite of reversion, by exhibiting such extreme variegation that all green color is lacking. Fortunately, it is not as bad as it looks. This is merely very variable variegation. Just as a few leaves may be completely green without actually reverting permanently, a few leaves are extremely variegated, and on rare occasion, a few, such as this leaf, may lack any obvious green color. Leaves that developed after and above this leaf exhibited more typical variegation with both green and white. Otherwise, this particular cane would not survive for long without chlorophyll for photosynthesis. The flowers are unaffected because they derive their floral color from pigment rather than chlorophyll. White redwood foliage can survive without chlorophyll only because it can rely on resources provided by the normal growth with green foliage that it is attached to, almost parasitically. Such growth is considered to be albino, but because it merely lacks chlorophyll rather than pigment, it is technically not albino. Furthermore, it is technically not variegated, since it is so completely white, without any green chlorophyll. Oh, this is more complicated than it should be. It is probably better to simply appreciate appealing genetic aberrations such as white, variegated or other colorful foliage. ‘Stuttgart’ canna will not refresh its variegated foliage until the end of winter.