Re: Schinus molle and ground covers below them
- Subject: Re: Schinus molle and ground covers below them
- From: d* f*
- Date: Wed, 24 Oct 2001 08:48:28 -0700 (PDT)
Ryan,
If you are looking for a ground cover which might do
well under a Schinus molle, why not consider using
Crassula multicava? Takes fairly deep shade, will
absorb leaf litter, and very low water use, (I can
keep it alive here in coastal northern California with
no irrigation at all in shade, but this is without
tree root competition. As an added plus, it
propagates extremely easily from cuttings or even the
small little plantlets which form on the old flower
heads. The winter pinkish white flowers are also
showy, and account for its common name of Mosquito
Flower.
--- Ryan Gyurkovitz <r.gyurkovitz@verizon.net> wrote:
> Hi Carol, I took the opportunity earlier when
> collecting seeds from under a
> pepper tree (If a plant from a one gallon pot has
> greater potential than one
> from a five gallon pot, how about a seedling?) to
> measure the thickness of the
> litter, the only place I have seen duff that thick
> before was the floor of an
> old growth evergreen forest. It'll be tough finding
> plants that will live under
> such conditions, but I saw a pyracantha growing
> (unirrigated) under a pepper
> tree only today, so there is hope. Hopefully I can
> find something lower growing
> to use as bulb cover.
>
> Ryan Gyurkovitz
> 34.5N Coastal California (Oxnard Plain)
>
> P.S. I am often unimpressed with the advice received
> by nurserymen and regularly
> ignore the advice of all but a select few.
>
> Carol Joynson wrote:
>
> > When I mentioned to a nursery man that I was
> putting my vegetables near a
> > pepper tree I was warned about using the leaves as
> mulch. But, like
> > yourself, I haven't found any other references,
> except to contact dermititis
> > in humans... The parts of the garden that get the
> litter seem to thrive,
> > particularly tomatoes (the herbalists mention
> anti-fungal, anti-bacterial
> > qualities for the Shinus). However, under the
> tree itself, the shade is
> > very dense, the litter is very deep, and I make
> sure not to water because
> > the pepper tree is susceptible to root rot (clay
> soil). They are considered
> > an invasive weed in Florida, and one of their
> listed flaws is shading out
> > the competition. In the year since I cleared the
> ground under the tree, an
> > inch to two inches of stuff has already
> accumulated: leaves, little
> > blossoms, unidentified detritus. The tree drips,
> drops and litters
> > constantly. My partner can count the amount of
> time I spent "gardening" in
> > the chair under the tree by the amount of trash in
> my hair, and uncovering
> > the plants near the edges of the canopy is a
> regular chore. But it is cool
> > and lovely in high summer.
> >
> > Carol
> > L.A., two ridges north of the river.
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Ryan Gyurkovitz
> [r*@verizon.net]
> > Sent: Tuesday, October 23, 2001 9:46 AM
> > To: Medit newsgroup
> > Subject: Schinus molle
> >
> > I have noticed that pepper trees (naturalized)
> don't seem to have any
> > understory growth beneath them apart from a few
> suckers or seedlings. Is
> > this because of allelopathy or merely the dense
> shade, heavy litter and
> > dry conditions? I have been checking my various
> reference books as well
> > as the internet and have been unable to locate any
> specific information.
> >
> > Thanks in advance,
> >
> > Ryan Gyurkovitz
> > 34.5N Coastal California (Oxnard Plain)
>
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