Oxalis
To find an illustration of the function of natural controls on an organism, one needs look no further than yellow oxalis (aka sour grass or […]
Author Archives: Jake Sigg
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Miner’s Lettuce (Claytonia perfoliata)
Miner’s lettuce (Claytonia perfoliata) is a native annual herb that is common in disturbed, often shady areas. It is a cheerful light green, and it […]
Your Garden in Winter
Readers of this newsletter know that we pay attention to the wildlife value of garden plants. Another aspect that I stress is discipline and foresight […]
Your Garden in Summer
Look at urban backyards—I use the term “backyard” because most of them don’t deserve to be called gardens. The usual sight in the Bay Area […]
Winter Botany in the Bay Area
If you are unable to travel to southern California to enjoy the early season, what might you see in December and January right here in […]
Wild Cucumber (Marah)
“So Moses brought Israel from the Red Sea…and when they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter; […]
Plant Sale Pointers
We want to encourage you to plant our local plants in your garden, so at our annual fall plant sale we try to keep our […]
Pink Flowering Currant – Ribes sanguineum var. glutinosum
Pink flowering currant is one of the easiest of all our native plants to grow. It tolerates a broad range of conditions-sand, clay, wet, dry, […]
Lichens in the City
“I remember Mimi asking me as a child to make a lens by curling my fingers around to my thumb. I closed one eye and, […]
It Doesn’t Have Nine Lives
Like human beings and other animals, a plant has a budget. In order to exist, its income must equal or exceed its outgo. If you […]
Invite Wildlife to Your Garden by Planting Local Natives
This year we give added emphasis to our advocacy of inviting wildlife to the garden. With the launching of our BackYard Natives project we are […]
California Buckeye (Aesculus californica)
The California buckeye (Aesculus californica) is common in the Bay Area but harsh winds, sandy soils, and other factors conspired to prevent very many trees […]
Buckwheats, Erigonums
Would you like a well-behaved garden plant that, once established, no longer requires attention, needs little or no water beyond rainfall, is compact and shapely, […]
Contaminating the Gene Pool
I would like to address the home gardener from a broader perspective, where I see the main issue. CalTrans and environmental consultants have all sorts […]
Michael’s rein orchid (Piperia michaelii)
About ten years ago our chapter Rare Plants Committee did an extensive but vain search for Piperia michaelii, Michael’s rein orchid, on Brotherhood Way, a […]