Category: Plants

An irritating reminder … Yet another manifestation of the drought concerns poison oak; harbinger of itchy rashes. If you have been out on More Mesa you may have noticed that our abundant poison oak populations have come up in profusion this year, and in spite of little water. And you may also be aware that poison oak being deciduous, its leaves normally turn red and die in the fall. However in this fourth year of the drought, the leaves began to turn red in mid June and are already dropping. Because poison oak branches and stems are as dangerous as the leaves, but harder to notice without their famous “Leaves of three, let them be” reminder, all who visit More Mesa need to exercise special caution much earlier in the season … like now!

Poison oak can grow in several forms; in open sunlight as a dense shrub, or in shaded areas as a ground or climbing vine. The three leaflets have scalloped edges, resembling (slightly) the leaves of a true oak and can be bronze, bright green, yellow-green or reddish depending on the season. If you have inadvertently wandered into poison oak:

• Remove your clothes as soon as possible
• Wipe the suspect area with alcohol
• Wash all exposed areas with cool running water. Use soap and water if possible … be sure to clean under fingernails
• Wash clothing and all objects that came into contact with the plants
• Bathe pets exposed to the plants.

Last month we reported on the beautiful greenery and grasses of More Mesa. This month we are pleased to present the next installment of emerging spring … flowers. A great many species are contributing to the show. And among all the introduced species (mustard, radish, Bermuda Buttercups, etc) there are some truly delightful natives popping out.

The most prominent, abundant and spectacular of these is the California Bush Flower (Encelia californica), a perennial shrub growing mostly on coastal bluffs and open slopes in coastal sage scrub below 2000 feet. On More Mesa, this drought-tolerant plant appears in profusion along the bluffs and on the coastal trail. It is a fast-growing, slope-loving plant with tenacious roots that limit erosion, as do the green leaves that disperse rain downpour before it reaches the soil. The large, bright yellow sunflowers attract bees, butterflies and insects that  remain for a while to collect pollen, or consume nectar.

California Bush Flower grows to a height of about four feet and a width of about five feet. Flowering starts as soon as the first rains, and depending upon moisture can continue flowering through spring, summer and fall. Native birds consume the seeds, which are set in summer. The genus name Encelia comes from Christoph Entzelt, a German clergyman and naturalist who lived in the 1500s and wrote about the medicinal uses of plants and animals.  (This plant is also called California Brittlebush, which can be confused with another plant with common name Brittlebush (Encelia farinosa), that grows further inland.)

A little shyer and more difficult to spot is the diminutive and lovely Redmaid, a succulent carpet-forming plant having small brilliant reddish-pink flowers. These tiny treasures grow in open areas of woodland and grassland habitats, with sandy or loamy soils. Currently Redmaids can be seen along the north-south trail on the eastern side of More Mesa.

Within a few weeks other species of native flowers will be making their appearances all over More Mesa. We would love to hear about those you have seen. In addition to reporting birds and animals, you can also report flowering native plants on our sightings reports. Click “Sightings” on the home page of this web site.

And some rain came …

Santa Barbara joyously welcomed the 6.3 inches of rain we received in December. Unhappily these rains represent only 20% of the yearly average rainfall in Santa Barbara and a very small percentage of the amount needed to end our three-year long drought. That being said, the growing things on More Mesa were very appreciative of even this small relief. Grasses and flowers are making their appearance, Cottonwoods are getting ready to burst, Red Wing Blackbirds are calling, and we have even heard tree frogs “singing” in some areas. In short, it is very lovely out on More Mesa. Enjoy!

Happy New Year!