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© Project SOUND

Out of the Wilds and Into Your Garden

Gardening with Western L.A. County Native Plants Project SOUND – 2011 (our 7th year)

© Project SOUND

Delicious Drinks: Native

Plants for Teas & Other

Beverages

C.M. Vadheim and T. Drake

CSUDH & Madrona Marsh Preserve

Madrona Marsh Preserve

November 5th & 8th 2011

© Project SOUND

What can I do with all those rosehips?

Most of our parents didn’t pass along

the ‘traditional ways’

© Project SOUND

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In the next year, we’re going to try to

change that

Today’s class – beverages

Dec. 8 – Flavored Vinegars Workshop – Madrona

May class – Scents for potpourri and more

And more

© Project SOUND

Please ask questions

© Project SOUND

http://cte.uwaterloo.ca/teaching_resources/tips/asking_questions.html

What do you think of when you think

of beverage plants?

One of the first that comes to mind is mint – because mints are common and their leaves make such great tea!

© Project SOUND

http://natural-language.blogspot.com/2011_02_28_archive.html

© Project SOUND

* Wild (Field) Mint – Mentha arvensis

© 2005 Louis-M. Landry

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Found throughout N. Hemisphere, incl. Europe, Asia

Locally in San Bernardino & San Diego Co. mtns.

Formerly many ssp & vars – now combined into single species

Always grows in moist places

© Project SOUND

* Wild (Field) Mint – Mentha arvensis

http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?4745,4779,4780

http://www.everwilde.com/Mentha-arvensis-WildFlower-Seed.html http://www.bushcraftusa.com/forum/showthread.php?t=41276 © Project SOUND

Field Mint – a typical mint

Size: 1 to 1 ½ ft tall

spreads to many ft wide; in nature, forms a mat-like colony in favorable sites

Growth form: Herbaceous perennial

Dies back in fall/winter

Upright or sprawling

Foliage: Typical mint with square stems

Aromatic; strongly minty – repels deer, mice, unwanted insects

Roots: spreads via rhizomes

http://www.prairiemoon.com/seeds/wildflowers-forbs/mentha-arvensis-wild-mint

© Project SOUND

Flowers are dainty

Blooms: anytime from July to Oct; usually in bloom about 4 weeks

Flowers: Color: white to very pale

violet or pink

Tiny; bell-shaped

In dense, ball-like clusters in leaf axils – often mostly hidden by the leaves

Vegetative reproduction: Easy to propagate from stem

cuttings in spring, fall

Let them root in water in a light place – no direct sun

http://www.prairiemoon.com/seeds/wildflowers-forbs/mentha-arvensis-wild-mint

© 2004, Ben Legler

Seeds

Many tiny seeds in dry capsule typical of mint family

Best with 2-3 mo cold moist stratificatoon

© Project SOUND http://www.prairiemoon.com/seeds/wildflowers-forbs/mentha-arvensis-wild-mint

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© Project SOUND

Plant Requirements Soils:

Texture: any

pH: any local but 6.0-7.5 best

Light: Full sun to light shade – dappled

sun is fine

Foliage has stronger flavor in full sun

Water: Winter: fine with seasonal

flooding

Summer: needs regular water – Zone 2-3 to 3

Fertilizer: likes compost amended soils; light fertilizer if gown in containers

Other: cut back in fall/winter

© Br. Alfred Brousseau, Saint Mary's College

© Project SOUND

Mint in the garden

Best use: as an attractive pot plant; evergreen most of the year

In an herb or kitchen garden

In water garden – lowest area – or other moist area

http://www.your-cup-of-tea.com/mint-tea-recipe.html

http://www.houseintohome.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/

http://harrietsgarden.blogspot.com/2011/07/dill-vinegar-and-herb-garden.html

http://groweat.blogspot.com/2010/06/plant-with-caution.html

Repotting mint

Required yearly – if not more often

Easy – hard to kill

You can give the extras as gifts

© Project SOUND

http://outofmyshed.co.uk/2011/03/20/good-time-to-re-pot-mint/

Making fresh mint tea - easy

The leaves are harvested between May and August. It is important to harvest only the well matured leaves as the half-mature ones do not have the fine mint aroma.

© Project SOUND

http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/prairie/plantx/wild_mintx.htm http://www.roadlesstraveledstore.com/blog/2007/12/13/simple-mint-tea/

http://www.pakichill.net/forum/showthread.php?1778-Delicious-Mint-Green-Tea

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Or use fresh mint to make your

favorite summer beverage

© Project SOUND

http://www.amctv.com/shows/mad-men/cocktail-guide/mint-julep

Drying leaves for tea

Wash leaves – pat dry

Place on a cookie sheet in a warm oven (180º F or less – ‘warm’ setting)

Check for dryness – usually ~ 20-45 min. Leaves will be crackly.

Strip leaves off stems

Store in air-tight container

© Project SOUND http://www.twentysomethinghome.com/2010/11/mint-tea-leaves.html

http://www.howipinchapenny.com/2009/06/how-i-save-mint/

The many edible uses of mints

The mint flavored leaves are used as herb in various cuisines.

Sometimes raw leaves are added to salads and other preparations to add flavor to the food.

Fresh leaves are also used to make chutneys.

The oil extracted from these plants is used as a flavoring agent for beverages and sweets.

© Project SOUND

http://www.yumsugar.com/Snappy-Summer-Side-Strawberry-Mint-Salad-1713036

Medicinal uses of Wild Mint

Leaves are used as a herbal remedy : For stomach disorders like indigestion and gas.

As an anti inflammatory agent

For treatment of fever, headache, cold and asthma.

To make cough syrups.

To treat stomach pain, diarrhea, vomiting and influenza.

To reduce toothaches and swellings of gum.

To alleviate arthritis.

The oil extraction of these leaves is used in the treatments of insomnia and nervous tension.

© Project SOUND

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The tea/medicinal connection

Many herbal teas are not only delicious, they also may have soothing & other effects

Plants make a number of plant-specific chemicals (phytochemicals)

Some are pleasant tasting to us – but actually repel herbivores [Mint]

Some play similar, often medicinal, roles in both plants & animals

These chemicals are the basis of many traditional & ‘modern’ medicines

© Project SOUND

http://peacecooking.blogspot.com/2010/01/delicious-moroccan-mint-tea.html

Since infusions are an easy

means of extracting plant

chemicals it’s not surprising that

they are used as both traditional

medicines and beverages

The medicinal benefits of specific herbs are often anecdotal or controversial, and in some countries (including the United States) makers of herbal teas are not allowed to make unsubstantiated claims about the medicinal effects of their products.

© Project SOUND

http://www.abs-herbs.com.ph/prod-tea.htm

A few words of caution

Herbal teas can have different effects from person to person – always start with a little, and never overdo

Some plants/plant parts are toxic; correct identification and correct preparation is essential

If you are pregnant, nursing, taking prescription medications, or have known allergies to certain foods or plants, caution and consultation with a physician or pharmacist are advised.

© Project SOUND

The benefits of making beverages from

plants growing in your own garden

You know what the plant is – so you don’t mistakenly substitute a toxic plant for an edible one

You can control the chemicals used on the plants

You can pick plant parts when they are at the ‘peak of flavor’

© Project SOUND

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Fragrant Pitcher Sage – Lepechinia fragrans The genus Lepechinia

In the Mint family (Lamiaceae)

Occur in California, Mexico to South America, and Hawaii.

An interesting group of shrubs and woody-based perennials, some of them quite ornamental.

They vary in habit but have large paired, usually hairy and aromatic leaves and irregular flowers with broad tubes and 2-lipped “faces”.

Attractive features of Fragrant

Pitchersage

Soft contrast of leaf and flower color

Pleasant fragrance

Interesting leaf texture

Attracts birds and butterflies

Pitcher Sage in the garden

Good plants for the background of a perennial border

For banks and open slopes

Mix with berry fruits in a border

Great addition to a butterfly garden

Planted near patios for their pleasant scent

In shaded areas (does equally well in sun or partial shade)

In the kitchen garden – makes a delicious tea, jelly, etc.

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Is Pitchersage ‘tea’ really a tea?

Tea: infusion made from the leaves of the tea bush (Camellia sinensis).

Herbal tea, tisane : herbal infusion that does not include true tea leaves; often simply the combination of boiling water and dried fruits, flowers or herbs. Can be used as beverage or medicinal

Flavored tea: a true tea flavored with other herbs, spices, oils

© Project SOUND

Fragrant Pitcher Sage & Hummingbird

Sage leaves make unique tisanes

Minty, but with distinct flavors

Make excellent hot and iced teas

Can be used fresh or dried for later use

Not only tasty – may have medicinal properties

© Project SOUND

Leaves are the most common plant part

used for plants in the mint family

© Project SOUND

In fact, several different plant parts

can be use to make beverages

Leaves Hot or cold herbal teas

Flavorings for other beverages

Syrups for cordials; sparkling waters

Liqueurs (alcoholic)

Fruits/berries Hot & cold herbal teas

Juices

Syrups/Flavorings

Liqueurs (alcoholic)

Flower petals

© Project SOUND

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CA Wild Rose – Rosa californica

http://www.yerbabuenanursery.com/wildflower_watch_wk18.htm

CA Wild Rose – Rosa californica

S. OR to northern Baja

In CA, everywhere but high mountain elevations

Common thicket-forming rose in S. & central CA foothills

Moist places, near streams, in shaded woods and canyons

Spanish padres called it ‘Rose

of Castile’ because it reminded them of the roses of Spain.

http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?6677,6887,6889

CA Wild Rose in nature: thicket-forming

http://www.yerbabuenanursery.com/wildflower_watch_wk18.htm

A rose is a rose….

Size: to 6 ft. tall, 9 ft. wide

Winter deciduous

Growth form: upright shrub that spreads by suckers; typical wild rose

Garden requirements:

Light: full sun to semi-shade

Soils: any well-drained

Water: take cue from nature Does best in full sun with some

summer water

Will need less water in shaded areas

Less prone to fungal diseases than cultivated roses

http://www.sci.sdsu.edu/plants/sdpls/plants/Rosa_californica.html

http://www.yerbabuenanursery.com/wildflower_watch_wk18.htm

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Wild roses are important

habitat plants

Blooms: Main season: May-Aug (but blooms

intermittently in warm season) Flowers: single pinks; color varies

slightly Important pollen source for bees and

other insects

Fruits (hips) Summer/fall Edible; good syrups & jellies goldfinches, bluebirds, grosbeaks,

robins, mockingbirds, and sparrows--relish the hips

Plants/foliage Dense, spiny foliage provides good cover

and nesting sites for birds

Dried rose petals

for tea

Blown blooms (fully mature flowers) that haven't browned will make the most flavorful tea petals.

Rose petals and other flower dry quickly if you're using a heat source, so watch them closely to make sure they don't scorch. They should be "shatter" dry, but not brown.

In a dehydrator, they just take a couple of hours to dry completely (in a single layer).

© Project SOUND

http://deborahsmall.wordpress.com/

Drying nature’s bounty: many ways

© Project SOUND

Note: cover with mesh

if air-drying

Making tisanes from flowers: requires

a gentle touch for best flavor

Bring water to just under the boiling point, water should be very hot but never boiled.

Remove water from heat and add the fresh or dried petals. Allow petals to seep for one hour without stirring.

NEVER BOIL THE PETALS AS THIS WILL DESTROY THE LIGHT FLAVOR AND COLOR. IT WILL ALSO CAUSE THE TEA TO HAVE A BITTER TASTE.

You can re-heat the tisane or drink it cold

© Project SOUND

http://eggbeater.typepad.com/shuna/2008/07/rose-petal-tea.html

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Flowers in the Honeysuckle family also

make delicious tea

© Project SOUND

http://www.delish.com/recipes/cooking-recipes/inkos-unsweetened-honesuckle-white-iced-tea-

best-processed-foods#fbIndex9

Rose leaves also make

a delicate tisane

Dry leaves – dryer or warm oven

Grind with a spice mill or crumple

Store in dry, well-labled container

© Project SOUND

http://tarragonnthyme.blogspot.com/2010/06/dried-rose-leaf-

tea.html

Combining flavors: be creative

Making mild leaf tisanes: ½ to 1 tsp dried leaves per cup; pour on boiling water and infuse for 10 minutes. Strain.

Drink hot or warm or iced with a sprig of mint or a slice of lemon. Tend to taste very ‘green’ - which you may or may not like alone

Consider adding to Rose leaves:

Loose leaf commercial green tea (to make a Roseleaf flavored tea)

Dried wild rose buds or rose petals – add to the visual appeal as well.

© Project SOUND

http://tarragonnthyme.blogspot.com/2010/06/dried-rose-leaf-

tea.html

Many prepared ‘herbal

teas’ and ‘flavored tea’

are blends of several

dried herbs and spices

© Project SOUND

Beach Strawberry - Fragaria chiloensis ssp.

pacifica

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© Project SOUND

Native Strawberries have much to

recommend them……

Easy to grow in the garden environment – including in light shade

Attractive foliage, flowers & edible fruit

Excellent coverage – quickly spread by runners (even on sand!)

Can mix with grasses & other plants – or grow as a grass substitute

http://www.csdl.tamu.edu/FLORA/imaxxros.htm

Beach Strawberries

are a delicacy in

Chile

http://wildsuburbia.blogspot.com/2009_09_01_archive.html

Strawberries: a groundcover with lots

of beverage potential

Strawberry leaves make a delicate ‘tea’ with a taste all it’s own

Wild strawberry fruits make some of the best dried fruit tisanes and flavored teas – and can also be used for other ‘strawberry drinks’

© Project SOUND

Saving the fruits of

summer

Collect only fully ripe, undamaged fruit

Thoroughly wash with water; pat dry

Small fruits & berries (even small native rose hips) can be dried whole; slice strawberries or other large fruits thinly

Dry until fully dry

Store whole or process/crumble then store

© Project SOUND

http://photo-dict.faqs.org/phrase/9734/strawberry-tea.html

http://www.cpaphilblog.com/2009/06/strawberry-tea-aholic.html

Processing dried fruits for herbal tea

Why? Releases the flavor better

Easier to handle, particularly if you’re filling tea bags

How? Crumble with hands

Chop coarsely with a knife

Break with mortar & pestle

Use a spice mill or rotary- blade coffee grinder

Use a small food processer to coarsely chop

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Fill your own tea bags

Readily available

Easy to fill & store

Make a nice – and unusual & trendy - gift

During summer a cold drink is nice

© Project SOUND

Fortunately, there are some classical

California cold beverages that use

native plants commonly used in

home gardens

http://honest-food.net/2010/08/22/manzanita-cider/

© Project SOUND

* Hooker’s Manzanita – Arctostaphylos hookeri

Beatrice F. Howitt © California Academy of Sciences

Native range extends from the coastal San Francisco Bay Area to the Central Coast

Sandy, coastal pine or oak woods, coastal scrub < 1000 ft

© Project SOUND

* Hooker’s Manzanita – Arctostaphylos hookeri

© 1991 David Graber

http://www.elkhornsloughctp.org/factsheet/factsheet.php?SPECIES_ID=1

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Several rare sub-species

ssp. hearstiorum Very low-growing – mat-like

Clays & summer fog-drip; very moderate temperatures

ssp. franciscana 2 ft. groundcover

Now extinct in the wild; once restricted to serpentine outcrops on the San Francisco peninsula. It is now known only as a cultivated plant

Takes temperature extremes better than others

© Project SOUND

ssp. hearstiorum near San Simeon

© 2011 Chris Winchell

© 2006 Steve Matson

J.S. Peterson @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database © Project SOUND

Hooker’s Manzanita makes a good

coastal groundcover

Size: mostly low – 1-3 ft tall

spreading to 6-8 ft wide

Growth form: Woody evergreen shrub

Matt-like to mounded

Red bark on older branches

Foliage: Medium green

Leaves upright on branches

© Project SOUND

Flowers: Manzanita

Blooms: in early spring – usually Feb-Mar

Flowers: Typical for manzanita

Small white-pink urn-shaped flowers

Adored by hummingbirds

Fruits : Typical ‘little apples’ of the

genus

Ripen in summer – turn a red-brown

http://www.answers.com/topic/dudleya © Project SOUND

Plant Requirements Soils:

Texture: the species likes sandy soils; some cultivars have other requirements

pH: best with slightly acidic – 5.0-7.5 is fine

Light: Full sun to part-shade

Water: Winter: adequate

Summer: best with occasional summer water (Zone 2); rinse leaves in summer to simulate fog drip

Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils

Other: use an organic mulch

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Managing manzanitas

Avoid unnecessary pruning. Most manzanitas develop a nice shape if just left to their own devices

Manzanitas are prone to branch die-back, caused by a naturally occurring fungal pathogen.

When removing dead branches, sterilize pruning shears with alcohol between cuts to prevent the spread of the disease.

© Project SOUND

Be sure to leave a 6” circle of

bare soil around manzanta

trunks

© Project SOUND

Hooker’s Manzanita is a

natural groundcover

Under trees

On slopes

In front yards - evergreen

http://absbonsai.org/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=834

http://www.yerbabuenanursery.com/viewplant.php?pid=173 http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/arctostaphylos-hookeri-wayside-manzanita

http://128.253.177.181/imgs/dws/r/Ericaceae_Arctostaphylos_hookeri_18909.html

‘Ken Taylor’

< 2 ft tall; spreads to 8+ ft. wide

All the good traits of the species – dense evergreen foliage

Takes clay soils

Best nearer the coast

Excellent low-water groundcover plant

© Project SOUND

http://www.yerbabuenanursery.com/viewplant.php?pid=173

‘Monterey Carpet’

Very low-growing ( 1 ft or less)

Does best in sandy soils along the coast

Good under pines

Not very cold tolerant

© Project SOUND http://www.calfloranursery.com/pages_plants/pages_a/archoomoncar.html

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‘Wayside’

2-3 ft tall x 8-10 ft wide

Low, mounding habit

Vigorous; fast-growing

Takes heat & cold better than other cultivars

Best in part-shade in hot gardens

© Project SOUND

http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/arctostaphylos-hookeri-wayside-manzanita

http://www.theodorepayne.org/mediawiki/index.php?title=Arctostaphylos_hookeri_'Wayside'

If you have a bumper crop of manzanita

berries, consider yourself lucky

Manzanita ‘cider’ for now

Jams & jellies for gifts

Syrup (can be used for beverages) for later

© Project SOUND

http://www.livingwild.org/seasonal-blog/page/2/

Making Manzanita ‘Cider’

Wash 4 cups ripe berries (summer)

Cover with water & simmer (don’t boil) until soft (~ 15 min.)

Cool until warm; pour the liquid into a large non-metal bowl or jar

Slightly crush/grind/mash the cooked berries in food processor or mash with potato masher; add to the liquid in the bowl/jar

Let settle 1 day; strain the liquid

Put strained liquid in glass (best) jar in refrigerator; let settle 1 day

© Project SOUND

Strain again then

drink; sweeten if

desired

How do I know if fruits are ripe?

Time of year: mid- to late summer for manzanita

Color: know what color ripe berries should be; manzanita fruits are red when ripe

Texture: many fruits are soft when ripe; manzanitas are rather dry when ripe

© Project SOUND

http://honest-food.net/2010/08/22/manzanita-cider/

http://www.primitiveways.com/pt-photo_gallery16.html http://elkhornsloughrestoration.blogspot.com/2009/09/manzanita-berry-cider-and-how-we-use.html

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Very ripe (dry) manzanita berries

need to be ground before

making cider

Berries mixed with cold water sat for 9-12 hours in the refrigerator and yielded a liquid much more clear than the hot.

The hot water treatment included boiling the water and pouring it over the crushed berries, letting it sit for one hour before straining. The hot water cider is darker.

© Project SOUND

Make manzanita cider with

either ripe or semi-ripe berries

in either hot or cold water (in

refrigerator)

http://elkhornsloughrestoration.blogspot.com/2009/09/manzanita-berry-cider-and-how-we-use.html

Another ‘Classic California’ drink –

Lemonadeberry ‘lemonade’

Try about 15 berries per 8-12 oz water (mild taste) or 1 part berries to 4 parts water (stronger)

Can use either hot or cold water for infusion

Usually takes several hours

Strain out berries, etc.

Very tart (acidic) – may need to sweeten to taste

© Project SOUND http://www.urbanoutdoorskills.com/News_June2001.html

Other ‘classic’ natural beverages include

rustic ‘teas’

© Project SOUND

http://homesteadingthebackforty.blogspot.com/

Pine needle tea

Juniper berry & juniper leaf tea

http://www.getprice.com.au/Hilde-Hemmes-Juniper-Berry-Loose-Leaf-Tea-Gpnc_631--43207143.htm

© Project SOUND

* California Juniper – Juniperus californica

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Juniperus_californica_Mount_Diablo.jpg

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Mountain slopes of W. CA into Baja; desert mountains of S. CA, NV & AZ – locally in Antelope Valley & desert side of San Gabriels

In S. CA commonly occurs in pinyon-juniper woodlands that border and integrate with chaparral along desert margins

© Project SOUND

* California Juniper – Juniperus californica

© 2003 Monty Rickard http://www.conifers.org/cu/Juniperus_californica.php © Project SOUND

CA Juniper is a well-shaped juniper

Size: 10-20 ft tall (usual); may be

taller (to 40 ft)

10-20 ft wide

Growth form: Large woody shrub/small

tree with rounded, somewhat open habit

Multi-stemmed

Evergreen

Slow-growth – ½ ft / yr; long lived – to 150+ years

Foliage: Medium-green scale-like

leaves – typical juniper, fragrant

http://mojavedesert.net/plants/shrubs/juniper.html

© Project SOUND

Plant of the dry

foothills Soils:

Texture: any well-drained

pH: any local

Light: Full sun to part-shade

Water: Winter: adequate

Summer: quite drought tolerant; water infrequently (Zone 1-2 probably best for gardens)

Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils

Other: good heat tolerance

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juniperus_californica

© Project SOUND

Use where ever you

want a juniper

As an unusual bonsai

On hot, dry slopes

As a specimen or hedge plant

For it’s great habitat value http://www.fourdir.com/p_california_juniper.htm

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Juniperus_californica_Mount_Diablo.jpg

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© Project SOUND

Flowers: insignificant

Blooms: in spring, but you probably won’t notice

Flowers:

Dioecious (usual) or have both sexes on same plant (rarely)

Cones (‘berries’): Only from female flowers

Take 8-9 mo. to develop & mature

Begin green; blue-purple to red-brown when ripe (fall)

http://mojavedesert.net/plants/shrubs/juniper.html

Juniper berries

spice up foods

The cones from a handful of species are used as a spice, particularly in European cuisine and native SW U.S. - also give gin its distinguishing flavor

In addition to J. communis (Europe), other edible species include Juniperus californica which is said to have ‘sweet’ berries

The mature, dark berries are usually but not exclusively used in cuisine, while gin is flavored with fully grown but immature green berries

© Project SOUND

http://mojavedesert.net/plants/shrubs/juniper.html

© 2005 James M. Andre

Uses for juniper berries

To season meat, particularly wild game & fish (salmon)

As a flavoring for alcoholic beverages: Gin (uses other seasonings as

well as juniper berries)

Juniper-flavored liqueurs

For tea (fresh or dried)

Note: intense flavor (a little goes a long way) – often mixed with other teas, flavoring agents

© Project SOUND

http://www.seachangesavouries.ca/juniper-tea/

http://theteacosy.tumblr.com/post/4075869086/8-different-teas-and-what-they-do

Juniper tea is said to aid digestion

Perhaps you’d like a beverage that’s

slightly less rustic

© Project SOUND

http://www.jeremytaylor.eu/rosehip_syrup.htm

Many native fruits & berries make excellent syrups

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© Project SOUND

* Desert Peach – Prunus andersonii

http://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Prunus_andersonii_(USDA).jpg

© Project SOUND

* Desert Peach – Prunus andersonii

High Sierra Nevada (e slope from Lassen Co. south), Great Basin Floristic Province, n Desert Mountains (Last Chance Range)

Often found on dry slopes, mesas, washes, ravines, draws, cliff bases, and rocky hillsides, 3500'-6500‘

Yellow pine forest, sagebrush scrub, desert chaparral

© Project SOUND

Small and shrubby, but a real peach

Size: 3-6 ft tall

3-6 ft wide – but spreading

Growth form: Dense, mounded shrub; lots of

side-branching

Individual stems live ~ 5-10 years, then die

Winter-deciduous

Bark light gray

Foliage: Light green to gray-green

Leaves small for peach - desert

Roots: clonal; spreading via rhizomes

http://www.unce.unr.edu/programs/sites/nemo/lid/plantlist/plantdetails.asp?ID=38

http://mudface.net/1landscapenatives.html © Project SOUND

Water-wise but adaptable to gardens

Soils: Texture: most local except

those with very poor drainage

pH: any local

Light: full sun; heat tolerant

Water: Winter: needs good winter rains

Summer: quite drought tolerant but best with a little summer water – Zone 1-2 or maybe 2

Fertilizer: likes poor soils but could take light fertilizer

http://www.comstockseed.com/Inventory/NATIVE%20SHRUBS.htm

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© Project SOUND

Where to put a peach?

Hot dry areas of yard

In a desert-themed garden

As a natural hedge

In the edible & habitat garden – great plant for birds, pollinators

http://131.230.176.4/imgs/pso/r/Rosaceae_Prunus_andersonii_2097.html

http://www.drycreekgarden.com/plants/common/desert_peach.cfm © Project SOUND

Flowers are fantastic!

Blooms: Spring – usually Mar-Apr but may be earlier

Flowers:

Typical pink peach flowers ½ to 1 inch across

Plants are just loaded with blooms – extremely showy

Great nectar for native pollinators

Charles Webber © California Academy of Sciences

© 1982 Gary A. Monroe

Yum, peaches

In wild, tend to be small & dry

With a little summer water they are delicious

Native Californians eat fresh, make into jelly, dry into fruit leathers

Stems, leaves & roots used for medicines, dyes

© Project SOUND

© 1982 Gary A. Monroe

Making syrup from native fruits: takes

some time but worth the effort

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Most native fruits are easy to clean

Remove debris – leaves

Wash in water; use collander/sieve for berries

Pick out damaged fruit

Stone fruits: remove pits

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Cactus fruits require careful handling

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Cook fruit to

produce juice

Barely cover fruits with water

Bring to a boil; reduce heat

Simmer uncovered until fruits are soft; usually 15-30 min.

Many fruits will be pale and the liquid will have taken up the color

Your kitchen – and whole house - will smell delicious

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Next you need to strain out the pulp,

seeds, skin, etc.

A jelly/juicing bag and holder can be really useful if you’re making a lot of juice/syrup or jelly

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Making syrup is easy

from this point on

Use a good standard recipe; see recipes

Place juice, sugar, etc. in pot and follow recipe

Don’t overcook – will thicken when it cools

Prepare your jars; get out your jar-processing tools

Fill prepared jars

Remove ‘foam’

Remove sterilized jar from hot water

Fill, using a canning funnel

Cap with sterilized lid

If you want to store

your syrup for more

than a few weeks

Use glass jars with tight-fitting lids – regular canning jars best

Process using a boiling water bath (follow instructions to the letter)

Cool; store in a cool dry place for 1-2 years

Refrigerate after opening

Use your syrup in so many ways

As a syrup for pancakes, deserts

As a sweetener for teas

Mixed with sparkling water for a fruit cordial

Etc.

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What to do with just a few berries?

© Project SOUND © Project SOUND

http://www.laspilitas.com/plants/fragrant.htm

http://www.minibottlelibrary.com/mbl/alpha/christian-di-marco/

http://www.ehow.com/how_7346089_make-

homemade-liqueurs-cordials.html

Liqueurs made from native fruits are another

delicious and creative way to use a ‘small crop’

Chaparral Gooseberry – Ribes malvaceum

http://www.santabarbarahikes.com/flowers/index.php?action=show_item&id=42&search=

Chaparral Gooseberry – Ribes malvaceum

Coastal & foothill areas, including Channel Islands

Chaparral

Slightly more inland and higher elevation than white- and pink-flowered currants

malvaceum: leaves like a mallow

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Chaparral Currant – fabulous cultivars

‘Barrie Coate’ – bright pink

‘Ortega Ruby’– darker flowers

‘Christie Ridge’ & ‘Montara Rose’ – light pink flowers

‘Dancing Tassels’ – long flower stalks; medium pink flowers

http://www.yerbabuenanursery.com/images/botimages/big/pink/0226_3.jpg

Many possibilities for currants/gooseberries

in the garden

As a berry bush in the edible garden; great for jellies

As a shrub in backs of summer-dry beds

Along walks or N- or East-facing walls

In a fragrance garden

As an accent plant – showy flowers & attractive foliage

Even in large pots & planters

Making liqueurs from native berries &

fruits is simplicity itself

Follow the basic recipes I’ve given you

A general rule of thumb is 1:1:1 – fruit:sugar:vodka/rum; but you’ll want to ‘tweak’ the recipes for your fruits and taste

In general, you add all ingredients, let the mixture steep for several weeks, then strain out the fruit.

The best liqueurs are then aged for several months

A final filtering through a coffee filter/cloth and it’s ready to drink

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http://luirig.altervista.org/generinam/ribes.htm

We hope we’ve inspired you to use the

bounty of your native plants

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Several of the plants we’ve discussed are

available at the plant sale

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And we’ve got some tisanes and syrups

for you to try

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