Re: rain! & info request

Julie,

I was thinking it would never rain!
Re: Cercocarpus-- I am not real familiar with your climate, but a few
general notes on these.
I love the cercocarpus.  Mainly because of those adorable plumey seeds.
Plant it where it can be backlit in the sun!
C. betuloides is a foothill chaparral shrub, which means it likes it hot
and dry in the summer.Good drainage. It will take summer water as well, and
grow quickly if watered.  It will also take a deal of pruning. It can been
espaliered. (Although I don't know why you would want to.)Good drainage. It
has a rather open and airy habit, so I don't know if it would be thick
enough for screening. (You should mix it with Toyon and redbud. . .mmmmm.)
C. ledifolius I have not grown. It is said to be a slow grower.  Don't know
about its water tolerance.  It should be able to take hot and dry summers.

Rebecca Lance
Sonora CA (Sierra Foothills)
Sunset zone 7-8

>Finally we have signicant wet in far northern California.  A storm system
>dropped several inches this week, along with 50 mile per hour winds.  Very
>exciting!  Now the vernal pools are filled to overflowing.  The frogs are
>ecstatic--at night the noise is deafening.  Out my office window the
>pipevine (Aristolochia californica) flowers are recognizable, though still
>small.  Camellia 'Yuletide' petals all knocked off by the deluge.  Meyer
>lemon looking like it did not like that last cold spell at all.
>Can any of you tell me of your experience in growing Mahonia (Berberis)
>nevinii & M. haematocarpa, or Cercocarpus betuloides & C. ledifolius.  I
>would like to try one or more as screening plants for my compost piles and
>am wondering about growth rate, heat tolerance, and water needs.
>**************************
>Julie Kierstead Nelson
>Redding, far northern inland California, USA
>USDA zone 9, Sunset zones 7/9 margin
>****HOT summers****
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