Friends of the Regional Park Botanic Garden, Tilden Park, Berkeley

Spring plant sales are coming to a close (darn), you've done your spring planting (right?), and now you have to wait ever-so-patiently for those natives you planted to take off. Remember, you can always go for a stroll around the Botanic Garden and experience what your native plants will someday (hopefully) look like!

While I could write about many of the showy flowers I wrote about last year at this time (e.g., Rhododendron, Azalea, Matilija Poppy, Lilies, Fremontia), I'll turn my focus instead to flora that are often overlooked because of those lovely show-offs; some you surely know, others you may not have thought of for a while, and one rarely blooms but has been this year. I have also indulged in a few other show-offs.

Achlys californica (Vanilla Leaf): large fan-shaped leaflets, tiny white flowers on spike

Agave shawii (Shaw's Agave): tall panicle (>6ft), yellow flowers, rarely blooms

Aralia Californica (Elk Clover): small white umbels, large pinnate, ovate leaflets

Berberis/Mahonia spp. (Barberry): rare & endangered shrubs, small yellow flowers

Calycanthus occidentalis (Spice Bush): large shrub, glossy ovate leaves, dark red flowers

Calystegia spp. (Morning Glory Vine): delicate white-pink funnelform flowers

Carpenteria californica (Bush Anemone): shrub with fragrant white showy flowers

Clarkia spp. (Clarkias): many shades of pink-purple, 4 petals, entire or lobed

Clematis ssp. (Buttercup Vine): woody vine with large cream colored sepals

Clintonia andrewsiana (Red Clintonia): pink-purple umbels, basal elliptic leaves

Cornus sericea (Creek Dogwood): often overlooked because of showy C. nuttalii

Dendromecon harfordii (Tree Poppy): shrub with showy four petal yellow flowers

Hydrophyllum tenuipes (Pacific Waterleaf): large leaf (lobed) perennial, white flowers

Lonicera ciliosa (Orange Honeysuckle): deciduous vine with dense flower whorls

Malacothamnus palmeri (Bush Mallow): pink-petal flowers on woody, tall stems

Nolina cismontana (Bear Grass): sword-like leaves, tall panicle with creamy flowers

Philadelphus lewisii (Mock Orange): small shrub with showy fragrant white flowers

Sidalcea spp. (Checkerblooms): pink flowers, often on decumbent spreading stems

Tanacetum bipinnatum (Dune Tansy): pinnately lobed leaves, small yellow composite flowers

Tellima grandiflora (Fringe Cups): spike-like raceme, many small pink "fringed" flowers

Vaccinium ovatum (Evergreen Huckleberry): small white flowers, delicious berries

Of course there are also the many swaying grasses, tender ferns, and delicate bulbs to take in, along with conifers' new growth, and new leaves of deciduous plants. Enjoy experiencing some plants that you may not usually notice this time of year. Feel free to ask Interpretive Student Aides or Gardeners if you don't know where to find any of these plants, or check the location binder in the Visitor Center.

--by Juliet Hannafin, May 10, 2013

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