San Jose Hills Wildflowers & Oak Trees

[Anonymous]

I am looking for suggestions for some of the better naturalizing native wildflowers which would withstand the rather severe conditions of my new property located in the East Valley Hills of San Jose, at an elevation of 1400 feet above the bay, in complete sun all day long with a western hillside exposure, no irrigation, currently blighted with yellow star thistle and foxtail, and a very popular gathering place for the local deer population.

I have looked at some natives, and wanted to do something other than California Poppy. I am fond of blue flowers, and was considering some California Blue Eyed Grass, California Blue Bells, and Douglas Iris, and perhaps some Baby Blue Eyeswould any of these have a chance up in these hills?

Also, because I would like to start off planting five acres of hillside, I am looking for good places to buy in bulk. Pacific Coast Seed in Livermore sells quite a few native plant seeds for $12 to $35 per pound, although a few cost a bit more. Are there other sources that sell in bulk?

I have rather limited knowledge, and even less experience with California Native Plants, and I apologize if this information was readily available elsewhereI couldn't find any FAQ's.

Also, I am looking at doing some erosion control with native California Oaks through the CA Bureau of Forestry, which sells the trees for as sometimes less than fifty cents each in bulk. Have people had success with these 1 year old bareroot trees, or should I buy the more expensive and mature ones in the planters, and just plant fewer of them?

Thanks in advance for any help, or encouragement,

Brian</p>

[Anonymous]

Brian -

There are fabulous native plants in the hills around San Jose, so you should look to the wild for your plant sources.

Someone in the Santa Clara Valley Chapter of CNPS should be able to tell you what is native to the area around your property. I can't tell from your description if you would be in a serpentine area or not. This is very important to ascertain, as many plants will not thrive in serpentinitic soils.

Once you determine what kind of soil your land has, and what native wildflowers are found in your area, you should plan to do your own seed collecting. There is nothing like local plant sources to build a lasting wild landscape!

You might be able to get a seed collecting permit on public or private land in your area. It is fun, rewarding, enriching, very much worth doing. I hope you will read Judith Lowry's book, Gardening With a Wild Heart. Her writing would make anyone want to go out and gather seeds.

The problem with mass produced seed is that it tends to be extremely limited, genetically. This does not promote biodiversity. CalTrans, for example, is famous for establishing its own 'genetic lines' of wildflowers, like poppies and lupines. These are the nearest thing to identical clones you can get with seeds - not good.

We all get impatient to get going with our landscapes, but I have never regretted going slowly. Can you imagine, I once considered establishing a propagation area right on top of what turned out to be prime mushroom territory. If I had jumped in and carried out my original plans, I would never have known that Boletus edulis grew there!

Anyway, try to start with reasonably local seeds - ask CNPS members - there are smaller growers, and individuals who collect seeds. Work on removing those weeds, now, while the ground is damp or should be damp - where's our rain?. It just won't all happen at once, but the gradual results of your own work, your growing knowledge, and nature's own surprises yes they happen even in weed-infested places will make it all worthwhile.

Good luck,

Lori</p>

[Anonymous]

You might consider taking a hike in Henry Coe State Park this spring to get a feel for what blooms on west facing hills in San Jose. There is an education center at the main entrance to the park, and they have good maps of the park one of the largest in the state. Also, there are some excellent topo maps of the park online, that you could look at for a while to figure out which trails go through west facing grassy slopes, then you could plan your hikes for the intended purpose. They can be found at http://www.dnai.com/~patches/coemap/map1.htm and http://www.coepark.parks.ca.gov/map-intro.html

Patty</p>

[Anonymous]

Thank you Lori, I did go and buy the book at your suggestion, and found it to be a very good resource. I suppose that I am just daunted at the prospect of six acres of yellow star thistle, and just wanted to get something up else up there.

You were also correct about the surprises in the weeds, I remember that last summer I noticed a small blue flower among the non native weeds, and I decided to look a bit closer, and I did find a mushroom, but I know even less about mushrooms than I do about flowers, so I won't even try to describe it.

I will definitely be incorporating some seed collecting, as well as trying to obtain some from local native garden centers. Thanks for your suggestions.

-Brian</p>