What native shrubs to plant along Upland Ca. freeway?

[Anonymous]

The city of Upland has asked me to lanscape the sidewalk median for a commercial property I own. Currently,the median is full of dead grass. I was just going to reseed the grass, however maybe this is an opportunity to fill the median with colorful natives instead! The median is lightly shaded by trees and is the main entry passage to the freeway. Lots of traffic passing by. The commercial site is occupied by a veterinaray hospital--and I am trying to attract more medical tenants as well. it would be great to use healing plants if possible.Any ideas? thanks, laura</p>

[Anonymous]

Laura -Please send me a sketch of the area in question and a rough idea of soilssandy, clay etcI will look into species for you. I am not sure how much help I will be to you though. We'll see. Ben</p>

[Anonymous]

thanks ben for your help--I will get back to you with more info on soil type etc.. in the meantime I am researching 'healing' type plants to go with the medical theme of the site. </p>

[Anonymous]

thanks ben for your help--I will get back to you with more info on soil type etc.. in the meantime I am researching 'healing' type plants to go with the medical theme of the site. </p>

[Anonymous]

Laura, This does not sound like a desirable site for healing plants because they would become polluted by freeway exhaust and dust. I called Scott Wilson, founder of North East Trees, a nonprofit urban forestry group in Los Angeles, to see if he had any suggestions for natives that would succeed in such a site. Interestingly, he commented that, contrary to common belief, plants don't really buffer the noise very well. They can, however, make a visual barrier and a barrier to the bits of asphalt and tire rubber dust and debris that is thrown up at on ramps and along the freeways. He suggested some large native shrubs that grow densely:*Holly leafed cherry Prunus ilicifolia a local native with shiny green holly like leaves, attractive 20' - 30' *Catalina cherry Prunus lyonii- this island form has larger flatter leaves. Both cherries have been used horticulturally for years and easily hybridize.*Pacific wax myrtle Myrica californica -clean dark green foliage all year, varies from a low mat on the coast to 30'*Toyon Heteromeles arbutifolia don't prune out the lower branches if you want this to be a dense shrub - attractive red berries from early to late winter Thanksgiving to first spring flowers.*Scrub oak Quercus dumosa - 3' to 10'*Coast live oak Q. agrifolia - if there is room

Scott has a lot of experience and I don't think you could go wrong with any of his suggestions. If you know anyone in the hills of the Santa Monica Mountains or hills of Los Angeles, you may be able to dig some local seedlings of the holly leaved cherry, toyon or oaks.

After writing this I am wondering how big this space is - perhaps it is not big enough for this type of planting. How big is the space?

Patt</p>

[Anonymous]

I should also add, if this planting is in Upland, you might want to consider plants with parentage in the hills north of Claremont and the San Gabriel Mountains.

Patt</p>

[Anonymous]

Laura; Without knowing the exact soil type, Microclimate ectI can only go by what I recall about the area.first: native plants can be located at the Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden, where they have a complete list,along with instructions for planting and care of all native plants. Second: Due to the locationnext to high traficfind out which ones can tolerate exposuersp?..also, their are a few books 1 Growing Calif.native plants,by Marjorie Schmidt, along with others you can buy @ the gift shop there @ the Botanic Gardens, or check out from the libary.I hope this helps,more people should think alongthe same lines! michael</p>

[Anonymous]

Salvia apiana, Ceanothus leucodermis, Rhamnus illicifolia, Juglans californica, Malacothamnus fasciculatum, Lepidospartum squamatum and others all grow on the alluvial aprons above Rancho Cucamonga and Fontana. They are attractive IMO, and may do well along the freeway. Would this freeway be the highway 30 extension by any chance?</p>