Attractive annuals 2013

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This lecture was given in April, 2013 as part of the California native plant gardening series Out of the Wilds and Into Your Garden


<ul><li> 1. 4/6/2013 Out of the Wilds and Into Your GardenGardening with California Native Plants in Western L.A. County Project SOUND 2013 (our 9th year) Project SOUND 1 </li> <li> 2. 4/6/2013 Attractive Annuals our most attractive annualwildflowers &amp; how to use them C.M. Vadheim and T. Drake CSUDH &amp; Madrona Marsh Preserve Madrona Marsh Preserve October 8, 2013 Project SOUND 2 </li> <li> 3. 4/6/2013 My Gardening Philosophy circa 2013 1. Knowledge is power 2. Its better to understand how something works rather than to just follow rules 3. Its easier to work with the physical conditions in a garden (soil characteristics, light, etc.) than to try to change them dramatically 4. California native plants from the local area are often the best suited for local gardens 5. Look to Mother Nature and Native Californians for gardening advice 6. Make a garden plan even tho it may change over time 7. Choose plants based on their suitability for your needs and garden conditions 8. Save Heritage trees and large shrubs unless theres a good reason to remove them 9. Choose plants for their habitat value 10. Choose plants for their usefulness (food; dyes; etc.) Project SOUND 3 </li> <li> 4. 4/6/2013 What are Complete their entire life cycle in Annual plants? a year or less (one growing season) Only the dormant seed bridges the gap between one generation and the next. Because they only grow a short time, most have an economical form: short, herbaceous, just enough leaves, etc. Some plants can behave as an annual or a perennial depending on local climatic and geographicIn the garden, annuals are growing conditions [examples:particularly useful for providing pepper plants; CA Poppies].seasonal color and food Project SOUND 4 </li> <li> 5. 4/6/2013It all starts with Pollination and Fertilization 5 </li> <li> 6. 4/6/2013 Schematic representation of Arabidopsis seed development and stages of the life cycle used Seed development: a complex process for GeneChip analysis. Le B H et al. PNAS 2010;107:8063-80702010 by National Academy of Sciences 6 </li> <li> 7. 4/6/2013 Notice the last step of seed development Loss of water: up to 90- 95% of water is lost Important for: Putting embryo into (and keeping it in) suspended animation Keeping the seed protected hard, protective coat Thats why important to let plants dry out after they set seeds Project SOUND 7 </li> <li> 8. 4/6/2013 The mighty seed: a time capsule into the future Seed coat (testa) protection Embryo Provisions: Food (cotyledon) Hormones Other stored chemicals (enzymes &amp; other)Everything the seed needs in order to be ready for germination Project SOUND 8 </li> <li> 9. 4/6/2013 Germination: rapid re-animation Uptake of water: imbibation Turning on metabolism Activating enzymes needed to break down food stores All this involves many plant hormones; may also involve outside signals (light; temp.) Project SOUND 9 </li> <li> 10. 4/6/2013 The annual lifestyle is a good adaptation to our mediterranean climate Plants are dormant during long dry period they are in suspended animation in the seed The plants can weather particularly dry years wait for more favorable rainfall conditions Plants grow during the season of abundant soil moisture; fast growth, timed to rainfall Set seed as the soil dries out Project SOUND 10 </li> <li> 11. 4/6/2013 Timing is everything Project SOUND 11 </li> <li> 12. 4/6/2013The schedule of local Annual plants Seed germination Fall/Winter (after the first seasonal rains); some require spring warmth; generally quick (1-4 weeks) Plant growth Winter (some) Spring, Summer (some) rapid in warm days of Spring Flowering Spring/Summer (a very few in early fall) Seed production Late Spring- Summer Death Spring (some), Summer (most), Fall (a few) Project SOUND 12 </li> <li> 13. 4/6/2013But how can I use annual wildflowers in my garden? Project SOUND 13 </li> <li> 14. 4/6/2013 Annuals are often used to add a spot of color Project SOUND 14 </li> <li> 15. 4/6/2013 Dark background thats gloomy (or boring) in spring need something to liven it upA little bit of yellow might addsome cheerful sunshine Project SOUND 15 </li> <li> 16. 4/6/2013Tidy-tips and Goldfields are old standbys Project SOUND 16 </li> <li> 17. 4/6/2013But maybe we want something a little bigger that is pure golden yellow Project SOUND 17 </li> <li> 18. 4/6/2013 The genus Coreopsis: the Tickseeds Scientific name is derived from the Greek word koris, meaning Bedbug. Flowers: usually yellow, toothed tips. Primarily native to North America. Many cultivars are available for gardens; used world-wide as yellow daisies. Coreopsis species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera speciesFamily: Asteraceae Project SOUND 18 </li> <li> 19....</li></ul>