Common Stork's Bill

Erodium Cicutarium

Common names: Redstem filaree, Redstem stork's bill, Common stork's bill.

This pretty 'weed' is an herbaceous annual, and in warm climates a biennial member of the Geranium Family of flowering plants. It is native to the Mediterranean Basin and was introduced to North America in the eighteenth century.

The stems bear bright pink flowers, arranged in loose cluster, and often have dark spots on the bases. The leaves are pinnate and fern-like, and the long seed-pod, shaped very much like the bill of a stork, bursts open in a spiral when ripe, sending the seeds (which have little feathery parachutes attached) into the air. Fun for all. I know you've done it, barely touched the tip of one of those spines and watched it curl back in fear.

Here's where it gets tricky:
The seeds of this annual are a species collected by various species of harvester ants.

It is a food plant for the larvae of the Brown Argus butterfly.

The entire plant is edible with a flavor similar to sharp parsley if picked young.

If I watch them carefully, maybe I'll put a couple plants aside for the ants, the butterflies and me.

Oriental Hedge Mustard

Sisymbrium Orientale

Common names: Oriental Hedge Mustard, Indian Hedge Mustard, Tumble Mustard

Not a CA native. It's a dicot (dicotyledon). Dicot is a name for a group of flowering plants whose seed typically has two embryonic leaves or cotyledons.

Still Planning

Books help a lot in the planning stage and the library has been a great source of information. I am building muscles carrying books back and forth. I have spent hours pouring over pictures and information, making notes and visualizing the future of my yard. However, there is nothing like a field trip. Seeing plants and fountains and gardens in person is essential for me. So off I went.....

Jackie Worden suggested that I check out Terra Sol Nursery in Santa Barbara. She knows that I need a water source (fountain, birdbath) in my yard and that I love succulents. Both are in good supply at this nursery. I also found a worm can

and some benches that I like. On a rack in the office area I found seed packets from Botanical Interests seed company. Organic. Some heirloom.

From there I drove to The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden. I walked the entire garden, making notes of the manzanitas, meadow grasses, vines and ground covers. I'm aware of benches and paths, of color and texture. I enjoyed an outdoor art exhibit, 'from ashes to art' to honor the May 2009 Fire - they sliced burnt trees and had visitors write on them, then constructed these art-poles.

Then a friend suggested we visit Seaside Gardens in Carpinteria. Seaside gardens is planted in sections so you get a real feel for different types of atmospheres. Asian, Australian, Mediterranean, CA Native, Meadow, and so on. Exquisite. If you get a chance, stop by to look for yourself. I'm going to have a meadow. I fell in love with this grass.

I kept my hands in my pockets and my wallet in the car. It's hard to maintain this planning discipline. For me, it's essential to get the water structure in place before I plant. It's look, don't buy for another month or so.

Velvet Leaf

January is an important month for the Ventura gardener. This is year One in my garden and most of the big jobs for the gardener will wait. This is a start up year. I won't be trimming trees, I'm still planning. Weeds are my big January job. A little rain has turned my backyard into a tangle of weeds. A walk around my neighborhood proved that I'm alone.

I am curious about these weeds. What are they? Some have pretty little flowers. When you look closely at them, many are quite beautiful. I found a weed identification website that is very helpful. They have a weed ID tool. It's a series of multiple choice questions. They tell you not to answer all of the questions, because one false answer will lead you to the wrong weed.

Here is the weed:

The first question to answer is Board leaf, Grasslike or Woody? I chose Broad leaf.
"Where was this weed found?" I answered Urban - Garden/Landscape/Parks.
"General Characteristics - Growth Form," I chose- upright.
"Leaf Characteristics - Leaf Arrangement," I chose - alternate.
With that, I hit 'search database'.

The result was a list of possible weeds, with scientific names and Common names and pictures. I need pictures and they are very generous with pictures. This weed is definitely, without a doubt: Abutilon theophrasti or commonly called Velvet leaf because of her soft leaves or China Jute because of her tough fibers. She came here from China originally, to be a fiber crop, now, she's a lowly weed.