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Re: Re[2]: new subscriber

Hi Karl,
I understand that Chrysolepis chrysophylla, once it is established, needs
its native soil fungus to florish. Wayne Roderick grew chinquapin in pots
at Tilden Bot.Gard. for that reason.
Regards,
Elly Bade

On Wed, 2 Sep 1998 khoover@hii.hitachi.com wrote:

>  Sean had written:
> >An interesting list!  I'm looking for the 'thread' that runs 
> >through such a collection.  Perhaps you should explain to the 
> >group why these are interesting to you - many are unfamiliar to 
> >me, though looking them up has made me curious . . . 
> 
> 
> Hmm, a thread to all this? I'm not sure I'm so focused.
> Here's what I like about these species:
> 
> Aesculus californica  - 'Obviously' a california native
>          - California Buckeye. Beautiful flowers. Somewhat
>         drought resistant. Seeds make excellent sling-shot ammunition. Very easy
>         from seed, which I just happened upon a few miles from my house.        
>         Poisonous enough to deterdeer and those Thomomys pocket devils. It's    
>         said our aboriginal forebears knew howto prepare the seeds to render    
>         them edible.
> 
> Banksia integrifolia - A South Australia native? I'm expecting beautiful flowers
>                        on this medium tree.
>         
> Combretum padoides: A pretty South African shrub I think it's supposed to have  
>                     very nice autumn colors; I will soon find out..
> 
> Dovyalis caffra A pretty South African with edible fruit
> 
> Euphorbia ingens  Another south African, but this one's a big cactoid and       
>                 probably not quite cold hardy in N. California.
> 
> Phacelia bolanderii A California native wild flower - easy from seed.
> 
> Carissa haem.(?) A South African, quite similar to its very well-known          
>                 genus-mate, C. grandiflora (Natal Plum) This one's got smaller  
>                 leaves, almost like yew needles.
> 
> Callitris rhomboidea A pretty Australian cedar- should be drought tolerant?
> 
> Cupressus macrocarpa  Our native Monterrey Cypress - quite easy from seed. (If  
>         you like little 15 cm tall trees! 8)  )
> 
> Ephedra nevadaensis  Mormon Tea - a great anti-allergy (and weight control)     
>                 herbal remedy
> 
> Testudinaria elephantipes A pretty disappointing 'caudex' (partially-exposed    
>                 tuber) forming  member of Dioscorea (sp?) (Yam family, I think)
> 
> Asclepias syriaca   Common milkweed  - My wife tolerates the flowers (... "But  
>                      they're not roses!")
>                      And I'm trying butterfly husbandry, too.
> 
> Umbellularia californica (I've got dozens of these guys)  California Bay.
>                 A native, beautiful, useful tree. Leaves are a good seasoning,  
>                 seeds are said to be very tasty when roasted (but I haven't     
>                 tried it.) I found hundreds of the seeds scattered about the    
>                 ground last winter near the Pinnacles ( rocky hills south of    
>                  here)
> 
> Chrysolepis chrysophylla  Giant Chinquapin - native nut tree, quite easy from   
>                 the outrageously expensive seeds.
> 
> Celtis australis  (southern) European Hackberry - reasonably                    
>                  drought tolerant. - Fruits said to be edible (perhaps just less
>                  in-edible than those of North American Hackberry. ) 
> 
> Gardenia spatuifolia - Another South African, I believe, Looks somewhat like    
>                 it's well-known cousin.
> 
> Euphorbia lathyrus (sp.?)This plant amazingly protects any plant near it from   
>                 the ubiquitous pocket gophers( Thomomys )
> 
> So the theme is, that of the many kinds of things I've tried from seed, these 
> things actually are growing.For example, I've several times to raise Dendromecon
> rigida and Romneya coulteri but I cam'tget the devils to sprout. Oh yes, to 
> continue my list of success plants (and why I like them):
> 
> Araucaria araucana - I just like the way Araucarias look
> Araucaria bidwillii - ditto
> Clivia - (supposedly with yellow flowers) - $2 / seed surely beats $50 / bulb
> and finally some kind of Meconopsis with orange flowers.
> 
> In any event, the only thread I can think of is that I am a plant nut.
> karl.
> 
> 
>
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