Sunday, April 24, 2011
Valley Oak
Scientific Name: Quercus lobata
Date Collected: April 15th, 2011
Location: Collected at Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Garden at UCLA right outside the southern entrance.
Nativity: Quercus lobata is native to California.
Habitat: It is able to grow in a variety of environments, but it is native to the hot and dry climate of the California foothills and valleys and riparian forests below 600 meters of elevation where there is more water available.
Special Notes: The Valley Oak is the biggest oak tree in North America. It can grow as high as 100 feet and have trunks that are 6-7 feet in diameter. This plant can produce up to a ton of acorns in a successful year. Q. lobata is an important ecological species. Many birds and small mammals rely on the tree as a food source and a shelter.
Resources: http://www.kaweahoaks.com/html/valley_oaks_new.html
http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/tree/quelob/all.html
Willow Myrtle
Common Name: Willow Myrtle
Scientific Name: Agonis flexuosa
Date Collected: April 15th, 2011
Location: Collected at Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Garden at UCLA on a hill close to the main entrance.
Nativity: A. flexuosa is a plant native to south eastern Australia.
Habitat: This plant grows in the sand plains of Austalia. It grows best in full sun and a more alkaline soil. This plant grows best in sandy, poor soils.
Special notes: Agonis flexuosa is also knows the pepper mint tree because the leaves of Agonis flexuosa give a peppermint smell when crushed. This plant also has a long "weeping" foliage (plant leaves) that can grow as long as 15 meters. This plant is grown in many places because of its ability to grow in poor soils.
Resources: http://www.bewaterwise.com/Gardensoft/plant_description.aspx?PlantID=1316 http://anpsa.org.au/a-fle.html
http://www.metrotrees.com.au/treehandbook/page-listings/agonis-flexuosa.html
http://www.metrotrees.com.au/treehandbook/page-listings/agonis-flexuosa.html
Saturday, April 23, 2011
California-Fuschia
Common Name: California-Fuchsia
Scientific Name: Zauschneria californica/ Epilobium canum
Date collected: April 15th, 2011
Location: Collected at Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Garden at UCLA on the rock walls on the upper region of the garden
Nativity: The California-Fuchsia is native to California.
Habitat: This plant grows in dry rocky areas and on slopes and cliffs. It can grow at elevations up to 10,000 feet.
Special notes: The California- Fuchsia has flowers that are pure red in color. This plants attracts humming birds with its beautiful flowers and the nectar it produces. This is dependent for humming bird populations and is often called "hummingbird's trumpet".
Woolly Blue Curls
Scientific Name: Trichostema lanatum
Date Collected: April 15th, 2011
Location: Collected at Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Garden at UCLA in the collection of chaparral plants.
Nativity: T. lanatum is native to the south coast ranges of California.
Habitat: Woolly Blue Curls are cultivated in areas with dry, well drained soils. This plant will die if grown with fertilizers, standing water, or soil amendment. In its natural environment, it can often be found in the chaparral regions of California with soils like serpentine clay and gravel with little precipitation.
Special Notes: Native Americans had many uses for this plant. For example, they would make a concoction with the leaves and flowers to cure stomach ailments. Some tribes used the woolly hairs from the plant and put them in streams, which would clog the gills of fish, making them easier to catch. Spanish Californians used the Woolly Blue Curls as medicine to cure many ailments. They also dried the plant and used the flowers and leaves to make a flavorful tea.
Resources: http://www.ventanawild.org/news/ss01/romero.html
http://www.smmtc.org/plantofthemonth/plant_of_the_month_200607_Woolly_Blue_Curls.htm
http://herb.umd.umich.edu/herb/search.pl?searchstring=Trichostema+lanatum
http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/trichostema-lanatum
Sapphire Tower
Common Name: Sapphire Tower
Scientific Name: Puya alpestris
Date Collected: April 15th, 2011
Location: Collected at Mildred E Mathias Botanical Garden at UCLA in the desert area.
Nativity: The Sapphire Tower is native to higher altitude regions of Southern Chile along the slopes of the Andes Mountain Range.
Habitat: P. alpestris grows in areas with relatively dry and well drained soils with plenty of sunlight. This plant does not require a lot of water.
Special Notes: The Puya alpestris is often planted in gardens for ornamental purposes for its beautiful sapphire color that is not seen in the plant kingdom.
Resources: http://www.desert-tropicals.com/Plants/Bromeliaceae/Puya_alpestris.html
http://www.smgrowers.com/products/plants/plantdisplay.asp?plant_id=1328
http://www.tradewindsfruit.com/sapphire_tower.htm
Friday, April 22, 2011
Giant Sequoia
Scientific Name: Sequoiadendron giganteum
Date Collected: April 15th, 2011
Location: Collected at Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Garden at UCLA outside of the southern entrance on the lawn.
Nativity: Giant Sequoia is native to California.
Habitat: The Giant Sequoia can be found on the slopes of Sierra Nevada in Central California. The Giant Sequoia can grow at elevation of up to 1400 feet to 2000 feet.
Special Notes: The Giant Sequoia is the largest tree by volume but not by height; the tallest tree is its closest relative, the Coastal Redwood. The Giant Sequoia dominates the Yosemite Park with its large trunks and height. The Giant Sequoias are known to be one of the oldest trees and the fastest growing trees on Earth. Some specimens collected are known to be 2000- 3000 years old.
Resources: http://www.extranomical.com/HTML_PAGES/GIANT_SEQUOIAS.htm
http://library.thinkquest.org/J002415/
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