Planning 'Hummingbird Heaven' with water- wise hummingbird plants - 2014 - final

© Project SOUND

Out of the Wilds and Into Your Garden

Gardening with California Native Plants in Western L.A. County Project SOUND – 2014 (our 10th year)

© Project SOUND

‘Hummingbird Heaven’: creating an elegant water-wise

garden for hummingbirds

C.M. Vadheim and T. Drake

CSUDH & Madrona Marsh Preserve

Madrona Marsh Preserve

August 2 & 5, 2014

© Project SOUND

California is a migratory route or year round residence for at least six members of the hummingbird family, more than any other state in the U.S.

© Project SOUND

Anna’s Hummingbird

Feeds on a variety of flowers as well as insects and spiders - eats more arthropods than most hummingbirds.

Particularly likes Salvia species, (Sage), particularly Hummingbird Sage (Salvia spathacea).

Likes to get a drink on hot days.

They especially like bird baths that drip so they can hover and sip water as it runs over the edge.

They will also perch on the edge and drink as other

birds do but they only sit still for a minute

http://www.laspilitas.com/California_birds

/Hummingbirds/Anna's_Hummingbird/An

na's_Hummingbird.htm

http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/167/_/An

nas_Hummingbird.aspx

Known for its red head. These feathers are only visible at a certain angle. This allows the male Anna's Hummingbird to hide when he needs to and show off when it suits him.

http://www.laspilitas.com/plants/206.htm

http://www.laspilitas.com/California_birds/Hummingbirds/Anna's_Hummingbird/Anna's_Hummingbird.htm



© Project SOUND

Allen’s Hummingbird

Common in brushy woods, gardens & meadows of coastal California

Male highly aggressive and territorial. Hot-tempered despite its diminutive stature, a male Allen's Hummingbird will chase other males from its territory, as well as any other hummingbird species

Eats mainly nectar (occasionally eating spiders and insects it finds in flowers). The spiders and insects provide a source of protein.

Need nectar sources with high amounts of sugar to support their incredibly high metabolisms.

Must visit approximately one thousand flowers per day and needs to consume more than twice its own weight in nectar each day.

Has very general nesting requirements - will nest in trees, shrubs, or herbs. Nests are very small and tightly woven cups.

http://hummingbirds.arizona.edu/Web%20pictures/Allen's%20male_salal_Melton.png

http://www.shawcreekbirdsupply.com/allens_hummingbird_map.htm

Most hummingbird garden plans look

something like this

© Project SOUND

http://www.michigandnr.com/publications/pdfs/huntingwildlifehabitat/landowners_guide/habitat_mgmt/backyard/Special_Gardens.htm

Tohono Chul Park –

Tucson AZ

© Project SOUND http://www.gogobot.com/tohono-chul-park-tucson-attraction

http://arizonaforboomers.com/

‘This garden is planted with salvia, desert honeysuckle, desert willow and many other hummingbird-friendly plants.

Hummingbirds are drawn to sweet, flute-shaped flowers, which are perfect for the birds’ long, narrow beaks.

You’re sure to see a “hummer” flitting from flower to flower.’

© Project SOUND

Tohono Chul –Hummingbird Garden

http://sabinocanyonblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/whats-blooming-at-tohono-chul.html

Even the restaurant attracts

hummingbirds at Tohono Chul Park

© Project SOUND

http://www.soaznonprofits.org/tucsons-worst-best-kept-secret/

Site Map – front yard

© Project SOUND

garage

house

40.5’

40

’

Site Map – front yard

© Project SOUND

garage

house

10 ft 8 ft 15 ft

6 ft 4

Physical characteristics & constraints

Sandy loam soil – well-drained but dries quickly

Front yard – N-facing; back is S-facing and somewhat hot

Water Zones:

Front yard 2 to 2-3;

Back yard 1-2 to 2

© Project SOUND

http://www.estately.com/listings/info/2062-w-234th-street

Hummingbird needs in a nutshell

food—75% nectar, 25% protein from small insects and spiders and some pollen

water—they love to zip through moving water, such as a birdbath fountain, mist sprayer, or garden sprinkler

cover—from predators and for nesting (as well as nesting materials), and

perches—they spend 60–80% of each day perching, surveying their territory and dozing.

© Project SOUND

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1a/

Anna's_Hummingbird_-_male_flying.jpg

What expert California hummingbird

gardeners have learned

Hummingbirds prefer a mixed diet of nectar from multiple sources.

Hummingbirds need a source of nectar throughout the season (choose plants with different bloom seasons).

A yard needs between 400 and 1000 flowers to support one bird.

© Project SOUND

Fortunately, most neighborhoods

have at least some gardens with

nectar plants



Attractive blooming plants should lean towards reds & purples

In addition to native plants, hummingbirds use common garden plants such as Fuchsia, Salvia, Nicotiana, Agastache, Bee Balm, Columbine, Scarlet Gilia , Hyssop, Pride of Madiera and Red Hot Poker.

Penstamons are especially attractive because of their high nectar content.

© Project SOUND

Plant characteristics: ‘Hummingbird Heaven’

Must attract hummingbirds

Bloom season through year (combination of plants)

Some evergreen background plants – at least in front yard

Use vertical space wisely

Shade tree for backyard

Bright colored flowers: reds, oranges, purples

© Project SOUND

http://www.estately.com/listings/info/2062-w-234th-street



Hummingbirds need safe places to perch & hide – dense trees and shrubs of any kind, including many CA native species

Hummingbirds prefer the native species for nesting.

© Project SOUND

© Project SOUND

For the front yard, need to consider scale

Front yard – need small ‘tree’ and some

low evergreen shrubs as backdrop

Common evergreen choices – Water Zone 2 to 2-3

Manzanita (Arctostaphylos)

CA lilac (Ceanothus)

CA Coffeeberry

Hollyleaf redberry

Coyote bush (Baccharis pilularis)

Lemonadeberry

Pacific wax myrtle – Myrica

Prunus ilicifolia

Pines/junipers

© Project SOUND

Seasonally deciduous Ribes

Sambucus

Large (tree-like) Ceanothus

Ceanothus arboreus

Ceanothus ‘Ray Hartman’

Ceanothus ‘Trewethin Blue’

Ceanothus thyrsiflorus ‘Snow Flurry’

© Project SOUND http://www.goldrushnursery.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/plants.plantDetail/plant_id/130/index.htm http://www.contracosta.watersavingplants.com/eplant.php?plantnum=24340&return=l12

Tree-like manzanitas

Arctostaphylos glauca (and cultivars

A. ‘Lester Rowntree’

A. densiflora ‘Howard McMinn’

A. bakeri 'Louis Edmunds‘

© Project SOUND

A. bakeri ‘Louis Edmunds’

http://www.californianativeplants.com/index.php/catalog/item/arctostaphylos-bakeri-louis-

edmunds

A. densiflora ‘Howard McMinn’

http://www.pacifichorticulture.org/articles/arctostaphylos-for-pacific-northwest-gardens/

http://plantplanet.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/arctohoward.jpg

http://cdn3.pacifichorticulture.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Bonine.07.Howard-McMinn-.jpg

Which ‘tree’: Manzanita or Ceanothus?

Arctostaphylos (Manzanita)

Water Zone: 2

Winter-spring bloom

Small white-pink flowers

Wide range of sizes

More open habit

Long-lived once established

Excellent hummingbird plant

Ceanothus (CA lilac)

Water Zone: 2

Spring bloom

Showy blue-purple flowers

Wide range of sizes

More dense

Shorter life in garden setting

Good hummingbird plant

© Project SOUND

http://plantplanet.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/arctohoward.jpg

Arctostaphylos ‘Lester Rowntree’

© Project SOUND

http://www.cnps.org/cnps/grownative/tips/pruning03-levin.php

Conclusion: perhaps a little out of

scale - too large and heavy-looking

for site

© Project SOUND

* Vine Hill Manzanita – Arctostaphylos densiflora

© 2006 Steve Matson

© Project SOUND

Vine Hill Manzanita is a winner..

Size: 4-8 ft tall (cultivars somewhat

outside this range)

4-6+ ft wide

Growth form: Woody shrub; actual form

depends on local conditions

Cultivars range from tree-form to low groundcover

Moderate growth rate

Bark an attractive red-brown

Foliage: Evergreen

Leaves leathery, elliptic, upright, medium green

http://www.elnativogrowers.com/images/Photos/arcdenhm_trunk.JPG

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/171/419662011_8048513537.jpg?v=0

© Project SOUND

An adaptable Manzanita Soils: Texture: quite adaptable –

more so than other Manzanitas – takes clay soils

pH: any local; slightly acidic is best

Light:

Full sun to part-shade

Water: Winter: tolerates seasonal

flooding

Summer: likes to be fairly dry – Zone 1-2 to 2 once established

Fertilizer: likes poor soils; fine with organic mulch

© Project SOUND

Vine Hill manzanita

Train as an attractive tree

Use as a large accent shrub

Shear as a formal hedge – or leave it more informal

Some cultivars even make nice evergreen groundcovers

‘Howard McMinn’ cultivar

http://www.elnativogrowers.com/Photographs_page/arcdenhm.htm

http://www.nativeson.com/images/plants/arctostaphylossunset.jpg

© Project SOUND

‘Sentinel’ cultivar

8-10 ft tall & ft wide; upright habit

Very ‘garden-tolerant’

One of the easiest Manzanitas to grow

http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/arctostaphylos-densiflora-sentinel-manzanita

http://sagehen.ucnrs.org/Photos/misc. credits/al_grigarich/blue-violet/slides/B029 Graeagle Crk.T. Pennyroyal Monardella odoratissima.html

© Project SOUND

‘Howard McMinn’ cultivar

5-8+ ft tall & wide

Readily available

Very tolerant of garden conditions; long-lived (50+ years)

Often trained as a small tree

‘White Lanterns’ is more dense

http://www.wildscaping.com/plants/plantprofiles/Arcto_HowardMcMinn.htm

http://www.elnativogrowers.com/images/Photos/arcdenhm_lsp_shrub.JPG

http://www.pacifichorticulture.org/articles/arctostaphylos-for-pacific-northwest-gardens/


Aesthetic and other considerations when

choosing a manzanita

Open or dense growth pattern

Growth speed

Foliage color

Flower color

Size/color of fruits

‘Garden hardiness’ – length of time used in gardens

© Project SOUND

© Project SOUND

Vine Hill manzanita - too dense?

© Project SOUND

*Baker’s manzanita – Arctostaphylos bakeri

Narrow endemic – small area of Sonoma County

Rare/endangered in wild

Chaparral and woodlands, in open areas – generally on serpentine soils

First described by Alice Eastwood in 1934

Much debate on taxonomy

AKA Arctostaphylos stanfordiana bakeri

© Project SOUND

*Baker’s manzanita – Arctostaphylos bakeri

©1995 David Graber

http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?3449,3454,3457

© Project SOUND

Small tree size

Size: 6-10 (usually 6-8) ft tall

6-8 ft wide

Growth form: Large shrub/small tree

Upright & open – often used for shape

Nice branch structure – and dark (purple/brown) bark

Foliage: Medium green

Leaves simple, oval, held mostly upright – may be rough or fuzzy

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Arctostaphylos_bakeri#me

diaviewer/File:Arctostaphylos_bakeri_ssp._bakeri_-

_University_of_California_Botanical_Garden_-_DSC09037.JPG

http://www.baynatives.com/plants/Arctostaphylos-bakeri/

© Project SOUND

Manzanita flowers

Blooms: early spring – usually Feb-Mar in S. CA, but may be even earlier

Flowers: Small, urn-shaped flowers

In dangling clusters

Pink (light to medium)

Attract hummingbirds and long-tongued butterflies, bees

Fruits: Dryish red-brown drupe

Can be used to make ‘cider’, jelly, syrup, ‘mush’

Fruit-eating birds will take up the slack

© Project SOUND

Plant Requirements Soils:

Texture: well-drained

pH: slightly acidic

Light: Full sun to light shade

Water: Winter: needs plenty –

supplement as needed

Summer: needs some; Water Zone 2

Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils

Thin organic mulch/leaf litter

Other: Prune up when young if desired;

remove dead branches

©1995 David Graber

Arctostaphylos bakeri ‘Louis Edmunds’

Natural variant from N. Coast introduced into gardens in 1962

Lg shrub/small tree - to 10 feet tall and will spread 6 – 8 feet.

Open habit; nice branch structure

Small light gray-green leaves.

Adapts to many climates; full sun to part-shade & tolerates more water than most manzanitas, but is drought tolerant

Excellent for a screen or as a focal point in almost any garden.

AKA Arctostaphylos stanfordiana bakeri 'Louis Edmonds'

© Project SOUND

http://plantplanet.wordpress.com/2010/12/29/005-arctostaphylos-bakeri-louis-edmunds-louis-

edmunds-manzanita/

Why choose Manzanita cultivars?

Because they have better size, shape, color, etc.

Because they often are better adapted to garden conditions (and therefore more likely to thrive in your garden)

Garden tolerance - cultivars are often more tolerant of: A little extra water

Soils that are not perfectly drained

Heat and cold

Salinity and higher pH

© Project SOUND

http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/California/Santa-Clara/blog-42295.html

Which Manzanita to choose?

‘Howard McMinn’

Adaptable

Good track record in gardens

Available

Rather dense foliage

‘Louis Edmonds

Adaptable

Good track record in gardens

Available

More open foliage

© Project SOUND


Tohono Chul – open shade with flowers

© Project SOUND

http://davidandlindab.blogspot.com/2011/04/tohono-chul-park.html

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ws7JAfKsM0Y/TZpH1NXBIsI/AAAAAAAAAVU/ds8-poSMvKs/s1600/035.JPG

Island Alumroot – Heuchera maxima

J.S. Peterson @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

Growth requirements – Island Alumroot

Sun: Full sun on the coast, part shade anywhere

Soils: Any well-drained – sandy is best Any pH except very acidic

Nutrients: organic supplements, mulches are useful

Water: regular water to establish two to four times a month (especially in

summer and at inland locations) to keep plants looking green and lengthen bloom.

Are fairly drought tolerant in shady sites – just look a little raggedy with summer drought

Maintenance: Mulch Remove dead foliage Divide every 3-5 years – when flowering

decreases

http://www.gardenbuddies.com/forum/messages/4314/6145.html

© Project SOUND

Remember, Manzanitas are slow-growing

And our Heucheras will need some shade

© Project SOUND

We’ll need a temporary groundcover

© Project SOUND

That’s better

© Project SOUND

The end result will be lovely and neat

Fortunately, we have the ‘Ceanothus list’

© Project SOUND

Groundcover ceanothus

* * Ceanothus “Joyce Coulter’

* * Ceanothus ‘Centennial’

** Ceanothus gloriosus ‘Blue Jeans’

** Ceanothus maritimus ‘Frosty Dawn’

** Ceanothus thyrsiflorus var. repens ‘Ken Taylor’

** Ceanothus thyrsiflorus var. repens ‘Louis Edmunds’

Likely others if we asked a Theodore Payne Foundation or Tree of Life Nursery

© Project SOUND

Groundcover ceanothus: several choices

© Project SOUND

Ceanothus “Joyce Coulter’

http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/ceanothus-joyce-coulter

Ceanothus ‘Centennial’

http://www.monrovia.com/plant-catalog/plants/3260/centennial-hybrid-wild-lilac/

Ceanothus griseus horizontalis

‘Yankee Point’ – trimmed low

http://www.landscapestandards.com/index.php?title=Lawn_Alternatives

Managing our low-growing ceanothus

Many groundcover species flower only once a year, in spring.

Everything that has flowered should be pruned immediately afterwards to keep the growth compact

All spring-flowering species should absolutely not be pruned in the autumn or winter or few flowers will be evident the following spring.

© Project SOUND

© Project SOUND

Those tropical shrubs have gotta go…

Carex ‘lawn’

© Project SOUND

* Rose Meadowsweet – Spiraea splendens

©2011 Kelsey Byers

© Project SOUND

Rose Meadowsweet:

a garden favorite

In woodland garden with others that like a little moisture

As a groundcover under trees

In large containers – accent

In a butterfly garden Gary A. Monroe @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

http://www.nwplants.com/business/catalog/spi_spl.html Photo credit: cascade hiker / Foter / CC BY-NC-SA

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mvanderbilt/1446570568/

http://foter.com/

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/





© Project SOUND

You’ve probably noticed ….

… that this month’s garden is very

different from the garden we

designed last month

Tohono Chul (and other famous gardens)

use an ancient design trick: repetition

© Project SOUND

http://www.gogobot.com/tohono-chul-park-tucson-attraction http://sabinocanyonblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/whats-blooming-at-tohono-chul.html

Definition: Repeating visual elements such as line, color, shape, texture, value or image

When applied to garden plants often referred to as ‘mass plantings’

Repetition

© Project SOUND

http://www.botanicaatlanta.com/Formal%20Italian%20Garden.jpg

Used: where ever design plays a role, from photography & painting to design of all types including garden design

Why done: To unify the total effect:

provide sense of consistency

To create rhythm – sense of movement as your eye follows the pattern

Often occurs in nature – part of why we find it pleasing

Too much repetition can be boring

Massed plantings

Advantages Look glorious when in bloom –

one of the showiest ways to garden - repetition

Fewer plant species to choose

More focused maintenance

Disadvantages More difficult to get year-

round color/flowers

May be hard to get enough plants of a given species

Risk of die-off on a massive scale

Less ecological in many cases

© Project SOUND

http://plantlust.com/plants/zauschneria-californica/images/28093/

http://gardendesigninc.com/gardendesignblog/?cat=23

http://gardendesigninc.com/gardendesignblog/?attachment_id=438



Repetition works : use clusters of colorful blooms – easier for hummingbirds to spot the flowers

Contrast is also needed:

Layering blooms:

Tallest plants in back or in the center if it is accessible around the circumference of the garden. An example: Phlox

Middle size plants in the middle. An example: Bee Balm

Small plants in the front. An example: Salvia Sage

Color contrasts:

© Project SOUND

© Project SOUND

* Nettle-leaf Giant Hyssop – Agastache urticifolia

© 2004, Ben Legler

© Project SOUND

Giant Hyssop is

easy to grow

Soils: Texture: just about any well-

drained soil

pH: any local

Light: Full sun to part-shade

Will attract more pollinators in sunny spot

Water: Winter: needs water; winter

flooding is fine

Summer: likes a bit of summer water Zone 2 or 2-3 – good under a birdbath

Fertilizer: not picky – fine with organic mulch

Other: spread slowly via rhizomes

© Project SOUND

Giant Hyssop adds a pastel

element to the summer garden

In mixed perennial beds – even mixed with non-natives

In areas with overspray from lawns, near fountains

In the vegetable garden or home orchard – fine with morning sun

Nice addition to a woodland garden – plant in sunny patches

Great bee plant – produces a light, minty-flavored honey

One of the best additions to the butterfly garden

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:qxNbk1BRhPMJ:forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/salvia/msg021927179459.html+Agastache+urticifolia+propag

ation&cd=29&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us

Horticultural Agastache increase our options

© Project SOUND

Agastache cana ‘Sinning’

Agastache cana Agastache rupestris ‘Sunset’

Agastache urticifolia

© Project SOUND

Hybrid Agastache adds both repetition & contrast

Verbena bonariensis is a staple of

hummingbird gardens

© Project SOUND

http://www.deborahsilver.com/blog/a-particular-planting/hudas-05-27/

Comes from South America

The Verbenas: family Verbenaceae

~ 75 genera and 3,000 species

Includes herbs, shrubs, and trees

Mostly from tropical and warm temperate regions.

Heads/spikes/clusters of small flowers, many of which have an aromatic smell

Well-known examples” Teak -Tectona grandis (wood)

Verbena/Vervain

Lantana

Lippia or Frog Fruit

Chase Tree (Vitex)

© Project SOUND

http://delawarewildflowers.org/images/verbena_hastata.jpg

http://www.easttennesseewildflowers.com/gallery/var/albums/Texas09/Copy_of_Lantana_TX1.jp

g?m=1348906529

Verbenas as often massed in gardens

© Project SOUND http://powellgardens.blogspot.com/2010/10/reflections-of-grand-growing-season.html

Is there a native verbena we could use?

© Project SOUND

*Southwest mock verbena – Glandularia gooddingii

http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=GLGO

Eastern Mojave desert foothills; ne Sonoran Desert to UT, AZ, NM to n. Mexico

Sandy soils, washes, rocky slopes, 1200–2000 m. (4000-6500 ft.)

© Project SOUND

*Southwest mock verbena – Glandularia gooddingii

http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_cpn.pl?GLGO

http://www.delange.org/Verbena/Verbena.htm

http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/draw_jmap.pl?e000000000

© Project SOUND

Glandularia gooddingii – verbena-like for certain

Size: 1-2 ft tall

2-4 ft wide

Growth form: Herbaceous/part-woody perennial

Mounded, groundcover-like habit

Moderate growth rate; lives 3-5 years (replace when needed)

Near evergreen with a little summer water

Foliage: Pale/medium green

Variable leaves – somewhat chrysanthemum-like

© Project SOUND

Flower-garden flowers

Blooms: in spring – usually Apr-June

Flowering season depends on moisture

Flowers: Violet or pale pink-purple

In dense clusters at tops of stalks

Very attractive – and also attract hummingbirds and butterflies

Seeds: Plant untreated seeds in winter

Needs light to germinate

Best seeded in place

Will reseed if happy

http://www.fireflyforest.com/flowers/1163/glandularia-gooddingii-southwestern-mock-vervain/

© Project SOUND

Plant Requirements Soils:

Texture: well-drained a must

pH: any local

Light: Full sun to part-shade; good heat

tolerance

Water: Winter: needs adequate;

supplement if needed

Summer: best with occasional summer water – Water Zone 2 to keep green, blooming


Other: No/inorganic mulch for reseeding

Light pruning (deadheading) after flowering

http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=GLGO

© Project SOUND

Groundcover/fill

Groundcover under trees

Along walkways, patios

As an attractive pot plant

In mixed planter beds

In habitat, desert or rock gardens

©2010 James M. Andre

http://www.amwua.org/pictures/gc-v-gooddingii-1.jpg

http://www.landscape-resources.com/portfolio/groundcoversx/pages/Verbena%20gooddingii-

1.htm

© Project SOUND

Add the Mock verbena & replace a shrub…

Ribes

© Project SOUND

And our front yard looks pretty good

Front (Water Zone 2 to 2-3) – N = 7 species

Winter-spring Spring-summer Summer-fall

Trees

Arctostaphylos bakeri ‘Louis Edmunds’

Large shrubs Ribes (malvaceum; sanguineum)

Smaller

shrubs Spiraea splendens

Groundcover Heuchera cv

Ceanothus cv

Glandularia gooddingii

Heuchera cv

Glandularia gooddingii

Other Agastache rupestris ‘Sunset’

Agastache rupestris ‘Sunset’

© Project SOUND

© Project SOUND

Now it’s time to tackle the backyard

Here’s the site map for backyard

© Project SOUND

porch

house

Vegetable/Annuals

36 ft

38

ft

N

© Project SOUND

*Desert-willow – Chilopsis linearis

http://www.pssc.ttu.edu/techhort/PLANTID/desert/dsrtwllw.htm

© Project SOUND

Desert Willow is a small, deciduous tree or large shrub

Size: 15-30 ft tall

15-25 ft wide

Growth form: Naturally grows with several

trunks – can be trained to single

Open structure; graceful looking

Branches droop as they age

Old bark has fissures

Foliage: Bright green glossy leaves

Winter-deciduous (Nov-spring)

Fast growing – to 3 ft/year

http://www.wildflower.org/gallery/result.php?id_image=21922

We do have room for the Desert Willow

© Project SOUND

porch

house

Vegetable/Annuals

N

6’ 4’

© Project SOUND

Plant Requirements Soils: Texture: any well-drained;

can’t take very wet soils

pH: any local

Light: Full sun best

Light shade ok

Water: Regular water first 2 years;

no flooding

Zone 2; deep water when soil is dry


Other: can tolerate extreme heat

http://ag.arizona.edu/pima/gardening/aridplants/Chilopsis_linearis.html

© Project SOUND

Flowers are like orchids

Blooms: Long bloom period

usually Apr-Aug/Sept. in S. CA

Flowers: Like an orchid or Catalpa

Extremely showy – tropical- or Mediterranean-looking

Light fragrance – somewhat like violets

Nectar attracts hummingbirds & bees

Seeds: In long, thin pods

Tan pods remain on tree through winter

http://www.wildflower.org/gallery/result.php?id_image=21931

http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/1788381_t5i7e/1/91507869_yreg7#91507869_yreg7

© Project SOUND

Common cultivars

If you're looking for a specific flower color, shop now while the trees are in still in bloom.

Named cultivars are propagated vegetatively and are consistent in their flower characteristics.

Look for a tree with good vigor and a profusion of blooms in the color you like.

‘Lucretia Hamilton’

http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/procee

dings1999/v4-436.html

‘Burgandy’

‘Warren Jones’

http://www.flickr.com/photos/vsny/2530579994/

© Project SOUND

The Desert willow is perfect for the backyard

© Project SOUND

Coyote Mint – Monardella villosa

http://drystonegarden.com/index.php/2010/08/august-bloom-day/

© Project SOUND

Coyote Mint

Soils:

Texture: any well-drained

Light: full sun to part shade

Water:

Winter: don’t let it get too wet

Summer: best with slightly damp to slightly dry sandy soil; don’t over-water – will make it leggy and decrease it’s lifespan


Other: Pinch tips to promote fuller growth

Shear back to about 1/3 of it’s volume in fall/winter

If the plant loses its leaves

to drought during the hot

months, it will leaf out

again with rain and cooler

weather.

So far, so good: all plants are hummingbird magnets

© Project SOUND

porch

house

Vegetable/Annuals

N

6’ 4’

© Project SOUND

Baja fairyduster has a Baja look…

Size:

4-8 ft tall; may be more

4-5 ft wide; sprawls

Growth form:

Evergreen woody shrub (may lose leaves when stressed)

Many crossing branches – airy look; sprawls

Foliage: Bright green

Many small leaflets; lacy/ferny look

Unique and pretty; doesn’t look like a drought-tolerant plant

Larval food for Marine Blue

http://www.elnativogrowers.com/Photographs_page/calcal.htm



Narrow gardens are better. It’s easier for hummingbirds to access the garden from either side.

Curving flower beds work also. These allow approach from all sides. Because hummingbirds are territorial, it’s better if they can zip down into the garden quickly before the competitor gets a chance to take over.

© Project SOUND

S High Sierras, Tehachapi Mountain Area, San Bernardino Mountains, Peninsular Ranges, Desert Mountains

Dry slopes, pinyon/juniper to yellow-pine forest, 5,000 to 10,000 ft (1,500 to 3,000 m) usually in decomposed granite

© Project SOUND

*Rose/Blue Sage – Salvia pachyphylla



http://prairiebreak.blogspot.com/2013/09/santa-rosa-mountain-or-bust.html

© Project SOUND

Rose sage: one of our prettiest Salvias

Size: 2-3 ft tall

2-3 ft wide

Growth form: Mounded sub-shrub

Very dense branch pattern

Fairly fast growth

Foliage: Pale green to gray-green –

depends on light, water

Leaves spoon-shaped

Aromatic on touch – like a sweet White Sage scent


© Project SOUND

Flowers are fantastic

Blooms: summer/fall – usually May-Aug/Sept. at our elevation

Flowers: Violet-blue flowers

surrounded by bright magenta bracts ; lovely

Plants literally covered with blooming stalks – makes other Salvias jealous!

Attract hummingbirds, bees, butterflies

©2006 Steven Thorsted


© Project SOUND

Plant Requirements Soils: Texture: well-drained a must

pH: any local

Light: Full sun to part-shade (under

high canopy)

Tolerates heat

Water: Winter: needs adequate

Summer: none to occasional (better) in well-drained soils – Water Zone 1-2.

Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils. Light organic or inorganic mulch

Other: prune in fall as with other native Salvias


© Project SOUND

Queen of the garden

http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/salvia-pachyphylla

http://acantholimon.blogspot.com/2014/03/plant-select-super-xerics.html

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wPzEvN-2RGA/UyyUjDJ4QJI/AAAAAAAARU4/RcUB53imlCA/s1600/Salvia+pachyphylla+(Kendrick).JPG

Salvia pachyphylla

‘Blue Flame’

Lush flowers are offset by mid-green foliage. Expect to fall in love with it

Does well in dry, gravelly gardens as a groundcover, border or pathway edging, native Southwestern gardens

36 inches tall and 24 inches wide

Flowers summer to fall attracting butterflies, honeybees. Hummingbirds

Available from High County Gardens (order on-line)

© Project SOUND

http://www.highcountrygardens.com/perennial-

plants/salvia/salvia-pachyphylla-blue-flame

Salvia pachyphylla ‘Mulberry Flambe’

‘Dark, mulberry-purple bracts and blue flowers held over pure silver, evergreen foliage.’

High Country Gardens

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http://www.highcountrygardens.com/perennial-plants/salvia/salvia-

pachyphylla-mulberry-flambe

Two similar appearing

alternatives

Lavandula angustifolia ‘Hidcote’ (English Lavender) Blooms: mid- to late summer

Full sun; well-drained soils

Occasional/medium (Water Zone 2 to 2-3)

Prune back to 8” every 2-3 years

Salvia leucantha ‘Santa Barbara’ & ‘Santa Barbara dwarf’ - (Mexican Sage) Blooms: year-round (or almost so); great

hummingbird plant

Full sun/ well-drained soils

Occasional water (Water Zone 2)

Prune like native Salvias

© Project SOUND

English Lavender ‘Hidcote’

http://www.americanmeadows.com/perennials/lav

ender/lavender-hidcote

Salvia Leucantha ‘Santa Barbara’

© Project SOUND

Scarlet Bugler – Penstemon centranthifolius

http://www.researchlearningcenter.org/bloom/species/Penstemon_centranthifolius.htm

© Project SOUND

Flowers are showy

Blooms: mid- to late spring - usually Apr-June in our area, but may be later.

Flowers: Bright red to red-orange

(less common) – glow in the sun

Narrow, tubular shape – hummingbird flower

Along tall, rather narrow flowering stalks – somewhat like large Heuchera

Long-lasting & showy

http://homepage.mac.com/cjbowdish/ManzanaTrailandFigueroaMtMay2008/

© Project SOUND

Penstemons shine

in dry areas

Dry hillsides; lovely massed

With local native grasses

Paired with Salvias, other penstemons

Under oaks or other water-wise trees & shrubs

http://xasauantoday.com/2009/05/04/spring-at-the-indians/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/amarguy/2388294009/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/12205793@N04/5116623276/

Penstemon ‘Garnet’ (syn. ‘Andenken an

Friedrich Hahn’)

A fast grower as well as reliable bloomer, ‘Garnet’ can reach 3’ high and 2’ across. The slender ruby-colored stems bear narrow, toothed green leaves and garnet-colored flowers from June to October; individual blossoms have a white throat marked with thin, red lines. The outermost flowering stems, heavy with blossom, often arch away from the center of the plant making it an elegant selection for containers. One of the hardiest hybrids, it persists longer than most in a favorable site

© Project SOUND

California Fuschia – Epilobium canum

CA Fuschia – Epilobium canum

Formerly Zauschneria californica

Western U.S. from Wyoming to Baja

In southern CA

Away from immediate coast in drier areas of Coastal Sage Scrub, Chaparral, Southern Oak Woodlands

Dry areas, rocky slopes & cliffs

Also in mountain pine forests


Very showy flowers

Trumpet-shaped, orange-red flowers with extended anther, stamens

Flowers on short stems from vertical stems

Hummingbird pollinated

Flowers also attract butterflies

Horticultural requirements for CA Fuschia

Soils: Texture: sand to clay – very tolerant pH: any, including alkali Nutrients: low needs

Sun: Full sun to part shade Ok under open trees

Water: Little to moderate water once

established Tolerates seasonal flooding

Pruning: Cut back in late winter – can cut

back to ground Can pinch back terminal buds for

fuller appearance

Multiplies by seeds and spreading roots

Isolation breeds

variability

Island variant (top) Foliage more gray-green

Blooms fall/winter (Sept.-Jan.)

Peninsula variant (bottom) Foliage more bright green

Blooms in summer/fall (Aug.-Oct.)

http://nnvesj.org/Y04/Ed13/NativeGarden2.htm

Epilobium canum ‘Uvas Canyon’

Upright habit to ~ 20”

Moderate to regular water

Very grey fuzzy foliage

Hot red-orange flowers that flower for many weeks in early fall

© Project SOUND

http://camissonia.blogspot.com/2011/11/california-fuchsias-red-hot-hotties-in.html

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-h5Hev50BbIk/TreIsLQCaGI/AAAAAAAAGHs/Beyzjn0Du3o/s1600/IMG_0615.jpg

Epilobium septentrionalis

'Select Mattole'

Selected from a rock outcrop along the Mattole River in Humboldt County

Dense, silvery leaves offset tubular scarlet late summer blooms.

Best with sun/part-shade and occasional to regular water.

Beautiful amid grasses or along a wall where it can spill down.

© Project SOUND

http://www.yerbabuenanursery.com/viewplant.php?pid=901

Epilobium canum ‘Western Hills’

Zauschneria ‘Western Hills’ makes an upright, shrubby plant, to 70cm, clothed in small grey-green leaves. The orange-red trumpet, produced in a long succession, are held well above the foliage on twiggy stems. I’ve planted it in the dry garden next to the dusky pink flowered Origanum ‘Santa Cruz’.

© Project SOUND

http://lambley.com.au/garden-notes/californian-plants-for-an-australian-dry-garden

Back yard (Water Zone 1-2 to 2) – 7+ species

Winter-spring Spring-summer Summer-fall

Trees Chilopsis linearis

Large shrubs Calliandra californica

Smaller

shrubs Salvia leucantha

Penstemon centranthifolius;

Salvia pachyphylla

Lavandula angustifolia ‘Hidcote’ Salvia leucantha

Salvia leucantha

Groundcover Monardella villosa

Other Wildflowers

Epilobium

canum

© Project SOUND

© Project SOUND

Other annuals & biennials that are

particularly attractive to hummingbirds

Circium occidentale

Clarkia unguiculata

Collinsia heterophylla

Lupinus species

Oenothera elata

Annual Salvias

http://www.calfloranursery.com/pages_whatsnew/whatsnewmay07.html

The main back yard hummingbird haven

© Project SOUND

Provides good habitat & design Uses vertical space to provide interest and habitat

Uses repetition in shrubs and smaller plants

Uses contrast: size; foliage color; flower color

Provides interest and hummingbird food year-round

© Project SOUND

The hummingbird habitat: not just pretty

red flowers…

A hummingbird-friendly garden requires five key elements to provide good hummingbird habitat

Nectar-producing flowers

Insects

Water

Perching places

Nest sites

http://www.morrocoastaudubon.org/pics/alhumas.jpg

© Project SOUND

Gardening for hummingbird habitat

Place plants in several locations. This will allow more hummingbirds and minimize territorial fighting

Fill as much of your yard as possible with flowering plants, vines, shrubs, and trees. If you do not have a garden, even a window box or hanging basket can attract hummingbirds!

Plant clusters of the same species together.

Plant flowers with different blooming times to provide nectar throughout the seasons.

Minimize or avoid using herbicides or pesticides on or near those plants where butterflies and hummingbirds are feeding.

© Project SOUND

More tips: Gardening for Hummingbird habitat

Create both sun and shade area in your hummingbird garden. Your hummingbird flowers will need sun to grow and your hummingbirds will need the shade to perch in between feedings.

Be sure to position your hummingbird garden where you can see it and get the most enjoyment out of it.

Hummers spend nearly 80 percent of their time resting, so you also will want to provide plenty of places to perch. They'll sit on twigs, leaf stems, fences, etc..

Mature trees and shrubs with a thick canopy are important nesting and escape features. Shrubs, bushes and perennials not only provide food but can also provide perching and nesting sites and, in some cases, escape features the bird will use.

Trees and shrubs don’t necessarily need to be huge to provide good hummingbird habitat

Planning 'Hummingbird Heaven' with water- wise hummingbird plants - 2014 - final

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