Plant ID

Theodore Payne Education > Plant ID
  1. Learning objectives
    1. Identify more than two dozen California native plants
    2. Identify nonnative plants that are compatible with native plant landscape management
  2. Discussion: California Native Plants
    1. California native plants are those that existed for millennia in their present form in California. They evolved together, in the same soils and with similar weather conditions (climate) and animal life.
    2. Explore the most common California native plants for Southern California available in the landscape industry. Learn each plant genus, unless a species or cultivar is listed. If listed, learn that species or cultivar.
      1. Annuals, Groundcovers, Shrubs, Perennials (herbaceous), Grasses, Trees, Cacti and Succulents, Vines
    3. Many of these plants are all part of the Theodore Payne Foundation Flashcard deck-utilize during this class for review.
    4. Microclimate and how these affect plant growth
    5. These plants grow naturally in various compositions to create what are known as plant communities. These are often the basis of many designs and can be useful in informing every level of the landscape, from plant pallet to irrigation, to soil management.
  3. In-class exercise
    1. Flashcard sorting
      1. Organize cards by environmental needs
    2. Plant alternatives
      1. What native could be used in place
  4. Homework review

  5. Resources
    1. Native Plants for Southern California Flashcards (available only in hard copy)
    2. Calscape.org

    3. Calflora: Planting Guide

    4. Calflora: Information on wild California plants

    5. TPF database
    6. Las Pilitas Nursery and their database of plants
    7. LADWP’s California Friendly Landscaping
  6. Homework
    1. Observe a mature native plant and compare to flashcards and other listed resources
      1. What size is it?
      2. Is it full size?
      3. Is it flowering?
      4. Does it need maintenance?
      5. How is it managed?
    2. Upload homework to Assignment section below before next class. Allowed file types are pdf, doc, jpg or png.
  7. Key figures, graphs, and concepts
    1. See flashcards

Planting_Guide

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