Saturday, December 27, 2014
Friday, December 26, 2014
Fun in the Fynbos Tour Resources (South African Tour)
- South African Tour Map (for the best resolution zoom all the way into the map
South African Plants
- KirstenboschFynbosJamianIhsaan.flv - YouTube
- “Dazzling Quilts Of Colour”, South Africa’s Lovely Fynbos Flowerscapes « Wild Open Eye
- ▶ Into the Fynbos: Conserving Biodiversity in the Cape Floristic Region - YouTube
- ▶ Grootbos | Cape Floral Kingdom - Flowers of South Africa - YouTube
- Trecanna Nursery South African Plants 2009 - YouTube
- Biodiversity+Fynbos+Film - YouTube
- ▶ The Fynbos Trail - YouTube
- Video -- Karoo Biome -- National Geographic
- Flowers of South Africa Video by Plants
- West Coast flowers, South Africa Tourism, Mobile Version - YouTube
- Grootbos | Cape Floral Kingdom - Flowers of South Africa - YouTube
South African Bulbs
- September In Your Garden : Start Planting With South African Bulbs - Los Angeles Times
- South African Bulbs at Desirable Plants - Stocklist A-Z
- www.southafricanbulbs.com/article_growing_south_african_bulbs.pdf
- The Bulb Maven: South African bulbs
- Bulbs for Fall Planting
- Growing Amaryllis - Growing Amaryllis Bulbs, How To Grow Amaryllis Bulbs, Amaryllis Bulb Growing Guide - White Flower Farm
- Colorful, spring-blooming bulbs from South Africa - SFGate
- Pacific Bulb Society | Lachenalia Species One
- dry river bed on Pinterest | 34 Pins
- Encino Hills Contemporary - contemporary - Landscape - Los Angeles - ecocentrix landscape architecture
- Sunny Slope with Drainage Wash, Perennials and Edibles - Mediterranean - Landscape - santa barbara - by Donna Lynn - Landscape Designer
- Telos Rare Bulbs, South African Bulbs, California Native Bulbs, South American Bulbs, Mediterranean Bulbs
- Pacific Bulb Society | Where to Obtain Species Bulbs
- ScienceDirect - Journal of Ethnopharmacology : Toxicological screening of Euphorbia tirucalli L.: Developmental toxicity studies in rats
- African Burkitt's lymphoma: a plant, Euphorbia tirucalli, reduces Epstein-Barr virus-specific cellular immunity.
- Euphorbia sap keratopathy: four cases and a possible pathogenic mechanism. -- Scott and Karp 80 (9): 823 -- British Journal of Ophthalmology
Reasons to use Caution with Euphorbias
Wednesday, December 3, 2014
A Little Light at the End of the PSHB Tunnel.
A relatively new pest continues to wreak havoc on L.A.'s trees and threatens the avocado industry. Until now hope for control of the pest has been slim -but just recently that has changed.
The polyphagous shot hole borer (PSHB) is one of those new pests that makes entomologists and pest control advisors look bad. This small beetle from somewhere in southeast Asia (we think) bores into perfectly healthy trees (we're mostly sure) where it completes its life cycle. It infests more than 200 trees (but that number is growing). Over 30 trees are reproductive hosts in which the borer can reproduce and wreak havoc on other nearby trees (but we're not sure that number is going to stay the same) and many more area adversely effected by the beetle (another number that keeps on growing).
What makes this pest particularly irksome is that it goes after trees that are the heart and soul of what it is to be a Californian: Avocados, Coast Live Oaks, California Sycamores, and many other native California trees. Right now it's in Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside, and now parts of San Diego counties, but there is nothing, save for its seeming preference for well watered trees, to keep it from spreading to the rest of the state. No pesticide has yet found to be really effective in controlling it -this fact due to the pest feeding only on the fungus that it spreads from tree to tree and not on the wood tissue that traditionally carries insecticides from the roots or trunk where they're applied to the feeding jaws of the target insect.
They are also incestuous, with the small number of sibling male beetles mating with their much more numerous sisters. This means that there is no mating cycle to disrupt because they mate in the moist, fungus filled chambers of the beetles galleries. Galleries that penetrate deeply into the heartwood of the tree so they mate there and not out in the open where a pesticide coupled with a mating pheromone could kill enough of the pests to control them. The best treatment so far has been a once every 6 week bark spray -a frequency of application and amount of pesticide that is far too expensive for most homeowners and growers.
Yes, this pest is depressing. Every time I've talked about, consulted about it, or lectured about it I feel like Debbie Downer on pessimistic steroids. But there is finally some good news. It appears that a pheromone-like compound is effective in attracting the beetle. P-menthenol, a chemical compound called a terpene that has been isolated from among other plants Yarrow, can attract the beetle from over 50 feet.
In p-menthenol could be used to attract the beetle to a concentration of pesticide or spores of a fungus that is pathenogenic to the beetle and allow that beetle to bring those substances back to the galleries from where it first emerged to chase the scent.
The polyphagous shot hole borer (PSHB) is one of those new pests that makes entomologists and pest control advisors look bad. This small beetle from somewhere in southeast Asia (we think) bores into perfectly healthy trees (we're mostly sure) where it completes its life cycle. It infests more than 200 trees (but that number is growing). Over 30 trees are reproductive hosts in which the borer can reproduce and wreak havoc on other nearby trees (but we're not sure that number is going to stay the same) and many more area adversely effected by the beetle (another number that keeps on growing).
What makes this pest particularly irksome is that it goes after trees that are the heart and soul of what it is to be a Californian: Avocados, Coast Live Oaks, California Sycamores, and many other native California trees. Right now it's in Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside, and now parts of San Diego counties, but there is nothing, save for its seeming preference for well watered trees, to keep it from spreading to the rest of the state. No pesticide has yet found to be really effective in controlling it -this fact due to the pest feeding only on the fungus that it spreads from tree to tree and not on the wood tissue that traditionally carries insecticides from the roots or trunk where they're applied to the feeding jaws of the target insect.
They are also incestuous, with the small number of sibling male beetles mating with their much more numerous sisters. This means that there is no mating cycle to disrupt because they mate in the moist, fungus filled chambers of the beetles galleries. Galleries that penetrate deeply into the heartwood of the tree so they mate there and not out in the open where a pesticide coupled with a mating pheromone could kill enough of the pests to control them. The best treatment so far has been a once every 6 week bark spray -a frequency of application and amount of pesticide that is far too expensive for most homeowners and growers.
Yes, this pest is depressing. Every time I've talked about, consulted about it, or lectured about it I feel like Debbie Downer on pessimistic steroids. But there is finally some good news. It appears that a pheromone-like compound is effective in attracting the beetle. P-menthenol, a chemical compound called a terpene that has been isolated from among other plants Yarrow, can attract the beetle from over 50 feet.
In p-menthenol could be used to attract the beetle to a concentration of pesticide or spores of a fungus that is pathenogenic to the beetle and allow that beetle to bring those substances back to the galleries from where it first emerged to chase the scent.
Saturday, November 15, 2014
Fall 2014 Leaf Tour
Thank you everybody who came for the 2014 Fall Leaf Tour. It was fun tour, although the leaves were not cooperating. Here's a link to the images I used to show how fall usually looks here. Each of the photos also has its location in the information section of the slide show.
 |
| Peacock posing in front of Ginkgo biloba in full fall color. |
Monday, November 3, 2014
Here at the 7th Oak Symposium
I
t's my first day here at the 3 day long oak symposium and I've got some photos from the field trip I took to the Visalia and Dry Creek Oak preservation areas.
 |
| How big is this sycamore? Check the link down below to find out. |
t's my first day here at the 3 day long oak symposium and I've got some photos from the field trip I took to the Visalia and Dry Creek Oak preservation areas.
Thursday, October 23, 2014
Spooky Aloe Trail in the Light of a Partial Eclipse
Saturday, October 18, 2014
Floss Silk Tree (Ceiba speciosa and friends) Tour
 |
| One of my favorite Ceiba pix |
Tour Related Links:
- Flowering Plant Families, UH Botany
- All the fascinating genera of the family Bombacaceae
- Bombacaceae (Bombax family) - 114 images at PlantSystematics.org images, phylogeny, nomenclature for (Bombacaceae)
- Bombacaceae (Bombax family) - 114 images at PlantSystematics.org images, phylogeny, nomenclature for (Bombacaceae)
- Use the above links to Bombacaceae on the Plantsystacatics.org site to see its relation to other families in its order (Malvales).
- Bombacaceae (plant family) -- Encyclopedia Britannica
- The EB's treatment of this economically important plant family.
- Friday Flower – “Palo Borracho” | Beetles In The Bush
- Find out how an entomologist feels about Ceibas.
- The Ceiba Foundation
- A conservation organization dedicated to both preserving the tree and its environment.
- Ochroma pyramidale - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- A Ceiba relative that is the source of balsa wood.
- Rare exotic tropical plants and seeds
- A possible source of Adensonia seeds and plants.
- B and T World Seeds
- A French firm that sells thousands of types of seeds.
Seed and Plant Sources
 |
| Ceiba speciosa and its' shadow of fallen petals -this one is located on Tallac knoll up above the Herb Garden. |
Video:
How To Tell the Difference Between the Four Arboretum Ceiba speciosa (was Chorisia speciosa) Introductions.More Pretty Pictures
 |
| Seedling Ceiba speciosa |
 |
| Seedling Ceiba speciosa |
 |
| Ceiba speciosa 'Los Angeles Beautiful' |
Wednesday, October 1, 2014
Monthly Plant Information Class Highlights
Fall is Coming, and Here's a Preview from Falls Past
 |
| The Tule pond last year. |
LED Garden Lighting Links:
LED and Fiber Optic Lighting by Wiedamark - Madrix Lighting SoftwareField of Light: Bruce Munro’s Stunning LED Forest Springs Up in Bath Bruce Munro Field of Light LED Art Installation – Inhabitat - Sustainable Design Innovation, Eco Architecture, Green BuildingLED Landscape Lighting by VOLT®LED Ribbon Flex : Flexible LED Light Strip : LED Tape Light - Ledliquidatorsinc.comLED - Outdoor Lighting - Lighting & Ceiling Fans at The Home DepotComplete Kits Landscape Lighting By LampsPlus.comYardBright Landscape Lighting | Garden, Path and Outdoor LightingOutdoor LightingLED Landscape Lighting | Super Bright LEDs | Super Bright LEDsLandscape Light Kits at Lowes.com
Thursday, September 18, 2014
Cape Grape
 |
| The Grape Ape would probably eat the Cape Grape. |
 |
| Cape grape (Rhoicissus tomentosa) sample brought in by a local gardener. |
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
Puppy Pits
I received a phone call from a gentleman who had been walking his puppy outdoors when the puppy ingested some type of plant material. The dog then regurgitated a fibrous pod (or pit). The caller asked what he should do and if I knew what the plant material could be (see illustrations below). The first thing I did was urge him to go to a veterinarian. About a half hour later he called me from the vets and said that he sent some pictures of the regurgitated object for me to inspect. I took a look at the pods and did several Google image searches using terms related to the incident. Using the term "Dog vomit fibrous fruit" I came upon a blog page where the blogger was writing about his puppy eating a similar fruit. Doing some more research and talking again to the owner it appears that dogs like Queen palm fruit and indeed the gentleman who called had passed by an area where these fruit were on the ground and he did recall his puppy eating the fruit. Puzzle solved, dog not in danger, and now I know that Queen palms (Arecastrum romanzoffianum) are not only not harmful to dogs (unless the dog eats too many and get an intestinal blockage from the fiber) they are edible and quite good. Although there are no terribly toxic palms there are some bad actors (as this article in the 'Dave's Garden' gardening bulletin board points out) and some terribly toxic palm look-alikes such as sago palms.
 |
| Fibrous fruit of Aracastrum romanzoffianum after it's been through a puppy's digestive track. |
Wednesday, September 3, 2014
Links from Today's Plant Information Class
South African Bulb Links: Suppliers and Clubs
- September In Your Garden : Start Planting With South African Bulbs - Los Angeles Times
South African Bulbs at Desirable Plants - Stocklist A-Z
www.southafricanbulbs.com/article_growing_south_african_bulbs.pdf
The Bulb Maven: South African bulbs
Bulbs for Fall Planting
Growing Amaryllis - Growing Amaryllis Bulbs, How To Grow Amaryllis Bulbs, Amaryllis Bulb Growing Guide - White Flower Farm
Colorful, spring-blooming bulbs from South Africa - SFGate
Telos Rare Bulbs, South African Bulbs, California Native Bulbs, South American Bulbs, Mediterranean Bulbs
Pacific Bulb Society | Where to Obtain Species Bulbs
Pacific Bulb Society | Lachenalia Species One
Water Saving and Simple: Examples of Minimalist Landscaping for Dry Areas
Saturday, August 30, 2014
The Most Drought Tolerant Bamboo
Frank,
I'm again tapping your expertise. This time it's about
bamboo. We're thinking of planting some bamboo to provide a kind of
natural wall for privacy in a strip that's surrounded by a low concrete wall
with driveway on one side and a concrete patio on the other. Thus, the
bamboo would seem to be sufficiently contained. Ideally, its a type that
tops off at 8-10 feet tall.
Thanks, Vince
Hi Vince,
Is water use a concern for you?
Cheers, Frank
Frank,
This is probably a 20 foot
run of bamboo, so I'm guessing that wouldn't be too much of a water demand, and
the area gets sun all day.
Thanks, Vince
Hi Vince,
Most bamboos are big water users, so keep
that in mind. That being said I would recommend Phyllostachys
aurea planted in a rhizome barrier. P. aurea is the most drought tolerant
of the bamboos. You’ll want to wait till spring or late winter to start it.
Cheers, Frank
 |
| Phyllostachys aurea |
Friday, August 22, 2014
Back from Vacation, Ate some Shrooms!
I just got married (to a wonderful woman who is, coincidentally, a master gardener) and I'm back from the honeymoon. We spent all last week in Mammoth Lakes, a beautiful mountain town and ski resort located in the eastern Sierra mountains. We were lucky as it rained the night we got there, providing some relief from the drought and bringing up some very tasty mushrooms. The first one below is Pine Bolete, the one below that and the cut mushroom ready for sauteing is Boletus edulis, also known as the Porcini in Italy and the Cepe in France. Boletus edulis is very tasty and its texture is one of the finest of any mushroom; slightly crunchy and meaty at the same time.
 |
| Pine bolete |
 |
| Boletus edulis |
 |
| Boletus edulis ready for sauteing. |
Thursday, August 7, 2014
I Fought The Lawn and the Lawn Won: Drought Related Links
Turf Colorant
If you don’t want
to give up your turf you can keep it looking good –even if it’s dormant and
brown by using a suitable lawn dye.
Michigan State
University articles:
North Carolina State
article on seeding vs. turf colorant:
Other Turf Colorant Articles and
Product Links:
Drought Related Government Links:
Drought and Water
Conservation Related Videos:
There are a bunch of things you can do to fine tune your irrigation system that not only save water but help prevent over-watering related diseases and insects -these videos touch on several of these methods.
Greening the Desert revisited - YouTube (Quite Fascinating)
Water Smart Tips - Understanding ET Rates - YouTube (Using ET rates can save you water AND make your landscape healthier)
Friday, July 11, 2014
Perfumery Tour Links
Here are links to subjects covered by
this Saturday's perfume tour:
Scientific Articles on Scemt
- University of North Carolina Perfume Class Syllabus
- Why Certain Smells Trigger Positive Memories | Psychology Today
- The Science of Scent | Psychology Today
- Luca Turin
- Luca Turin is an accomplished perfumer and a maverick biologists whose theories on scent and scent perception were at first rejected and are now being embraced by the scientific community.
- Luca Turin: The science of scent | Talk Video | TED.com
- BBC Documentary on the Perfume Industry
- Part 1 The history of perfumes.
- Part 2 The current state of the perfume industry (go to 20:20 for a very interesting vignette on perfume design and memory).
- Part 3 The future of the perfume industry.
- Perfume Notes
- Fragranica.com notes page
- Do It Yourself Perfume
- Perfumers Apprentice Perfume Kits for Learning the Basics
- Essential Oils (K-L) - Essential Oils & Extracts - Our Products
- A to K Certified Pure Essential Oils - Wholesale Supplies Plus
- Perfume General
- Basenotes - independent online guide to 20,000+ fragrances, with articles, fragrance news, fragrance reviews and more...
- Allergies and Perfume
- Allergic reactions trigger blow to perfume industry | euronews, reporter
- BoDD (Botanical Dermatology Database) Home Page; for looking up plant allergies.
- Perfumers Who Took the Tour
- Roxana Illuminated Perfume: We were privileged to have Roxana, a natural perfumer, on the tour with us. Roxana detailed the fascinating creative process she goes through in designing a perfume.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)