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Oregon Grape

Oregon grape, Mahonia aquifolium, is the Official State Flower of Oregon. Fruit such as this develops after its bright yellow bloom. It is nothing like grapes, though. It is edible, but unimpressive alone and fresh. Locally, it is not abundant enough to bother with collecting for culinary application, such as jelly. Wild plants are both rare and scarcely productive. Landscape plants are not much better. That justifies growing it in a garden where fruit production can be promoted. Perhaps it requires specialized pruning, like other species that are grown for fruit. Perhaps, like cane berries, it would be more productive if its old canes get pruned out annually. I really do not know, and am therefore receptive to suggestion. I already intend to grow it, although it will take a few years to get enough fruit to do anything with. Not so long ago, I was similarly intrigued by the native but ignored blue elderberry, which I found to be as useful as black elderberry of the East. My blue elderberry jelly won more ribbons than I can remember at the annual Jelly Competition of the Boulder Creek Harvest Festival. A blue ribbon for Oregon grape jelly would be excellent!

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Which Mesquite?

Prosopis velutina, velvet mesquite?

Prosopis velutina, velvet mesquite is supposedly the most popular mesquite within landscapes, such as the landscape in Surprise in Arizona in which I encountered this mesquite. This particular specimen conforms to the description of the species. However, both Prosopis glandulosa, honey mesquite, and Prosopis pubescens, screwbean mesquite, are also somewhat popular within landscapes, and, except for the distinctly twisted beans of screwbean mesquite, both are visually similar to velvet mesquite. All three species are native to the region of Surprise. Because beans that I collected from below this particular specimen were merely somewhat warped, rather than distinctly twisted, I doubt that this specimen is a screwbean mesquite. Also, because the leaflets are relatively short with relatively rounded tips, I doubt that this specimen is a honey mesquite. Therefore, I suspect that this really is velvet mesquite. Although I would prefer to grow honey mesquite, I would be quite pleased to alternatively grow velvet mesquite, or realistically, any mesquite that is useful for smoking. I do not smoke enough vegetables or meats to be so discriminating about the sources of the smoke involved. Besides, if I were so discriminating, I could purchase honey mesquite seed online. For now, I will grow the seed that I collected from below this particular mesquite tree, regardless of its species. The handful of beans that I collected must contain several seed. I have no idea of how many of them will be viable, but will find out. Some of the beans have small holes in them from larval insects who undoubtedly ate some or all of the seed within, but I collected them regardless, merely because they were available. Because the seed are difficult to separate from their beans, I may not bother. I suspect that they will germinate and grow through their bean pods as the pods decay under a shallow layer of medium. Scarification of seed supposedly accelerates germination, but there is no rush. I do not even know where to plant any seedlings that might eventually grow. Although no mesquite are native here, velvet locust, as well as the other two species that this could possibly be, are surprisingly native to nearby counties. Because they are also native to harsh desert climates, I suspect that they prefer the drier and warmer of local climates. I therefore intend to grow them in exposed ridgetop areas with well drained and perhaps somewhat sandy soil.

Posted on by tonytomeo

Horridculture – Bay

Umbellularia californica is NOT Laurus nobilis.

Bay grows wild here. It is native. It is also known as bay tree, laurel, bay laurel, spice tree, pepperwood, myrtlewood, Pacific myrtle, Oregon myrtle and California bay. All these different common names demonstrate why simple botanical nomenclature is useful. In that regard, this native bay is Umbellularia californica.

Bay is also native to the Mediterranean region. Of course, it is a different species, Laurus nobilis. Like the bay that is native here, it is also known as bay tree, laurel and bay laurel. Furthermore, it is known as Grecian bay, true laurel and sweet bay, although it is not at all sweet.

Laurus nobilis is a common culinary herb though. Umbellularia californica is not. That does not mean that Umbellularia californica can not be useful as such. It merely means that it is not commonly used as such, and is very different from the bay that genuinely is. Some of us here in California and southwestern Oregon actually do sometimes find culinary applications for it.

Umbellularia california has a much more pungent and stronger flavor than Laurus nobilis. Although it has potential to be useful for similar applications, it is by no means a substitute, and should certainly not be used in comparable proportions. Most of us who use it are aware of the differences, and know how to use it, generally quite sparingly.

The problem is that fresh foliage of Umbellularia californica is sometimes available as culinary bay from supermarkets, and is typically labeled as sweet bay, true laurel or Grecian bay. This is no problem for those of us who recognize it, but we would not purchase it from a market while we can get it for free from the wild. Those who purchase it likely do so because they believe that it is genuine Laurus nobilis.

Posted on by tonytomeo · 10 Comments

Culinary Herbs With Landscape Appeal

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Culinary herbs work well within landscapes.`

Vegetables grow mostly in designated vegetable gardens because they are not appealing enough for the rest of the landscape. Flowers for cutting might grow in designated cutting gardens, from which they are not missed after harvest. Culinary herbs can grow in herb gardens for the same reasons. Some might not be very pretty. After harvest, some might be too shabby for the landscape.

Of course, such perceptions are debatable. Home gardens are casual and customized. If Swiss chard, artichoke and other vegetables can grow in front yard landscapes, then culinary herbs can too. In fact, some already do. Rosemary, thyme, lavender and a few other culinary herbs happen to be popular for landscapes because they are so appealing and practical. There is a slight catch.

Culinary cultivars of herbs are distinct from landscape cultivars. Trailing rosemary is a landscape cultivar with sprawling growth that works well as a resilient ground cover. Another cultivar exhibits more sculptural upright growth. Both are well flavored. However, neither is as richly flavored as culinary cultivars of the same species. Yet, culinary cultivars are not so remarkable for landscaping.

Most of us are satisfied with landscape cultivars of rosemary for culinary application. Alternatively, culinary cultivars, which are rare in nurseries and landscapes, can adapt to landscape functions. Cultivars of culinary rosemary happen to make nice low and mounding hedging. Infrequent shearing or selective pruning does not constantly deprive it of too much of its more flavorful new foliage.

The same applies to several herbs that have both culinary and landscape applications. Compromise might be in order.

Incidentally, two culinary herbs, Grecian bay and bronze fennel, are presently quite trendy. Grecian bay or sweet bay (which is not California bay) is a very popular potted plant. In the ground, it can grow into a midsized tree. Bronze fennel is supposedly comparable to common fennel, but with sepia toned foliage. Chive, parsley and borage all work nicely with mixed perennials and annuals.