r/CaliforniaNativePlant

In 2002 I planted a Fremontodendron in this exact location, it was a cultivar I can't remember, most likely'Pacific Sunset'.

It grew without a problem and established its first rain season, grew fast, strong, 16' x 16'. If anyone remembers we had a very large multiple season drought between 2012-2017. So it's not rare for this genus to be short lived in landscaping settings. Between that consideration, and the extended 5 year drought during a wind storm it was wind thrown, and close to 70% of its rootball exposed, resulting in fatality.
Being selectively lazy and understanding its ecology I cut all the canopy roughly 18" from the crown, and stacked all that canopy on that crown and lit it into a bonfire of only itself, no additional material added.
This was done as soon as burn permits were allowed again, after first good rains.

The drought was done and great rains returned. Close to 6 weeks after the burn and those rains I saw perhaps a square yard of germinated seedlings, and the highest density where it burnt the hottest.
I noticed that some deer where eating the sprouts, so I cage some and, selectively thinned out seedlings.
After seeing wich seedling had the most vigor the deer cage was left on for it to mature a season or two till it could actually provide for the dear after a tender seedling stage. So 7 or so years later she's roughly 12' tall, and 20' wide.

I imagine considering her origin story one or some might already guess she was given the name "Phoenix" as she truly came from Fire and ash.

Hi CA native plant enjoyers! Really love your sub.

I have noticed on Calscape the range of many native plants are nearby where I live, Fresno CA, but not actually in their range. How important is the native range to you and what would you consider the above range for narrow leaf milkweed close enough for growing in Fresno?

Slowly getting more natives in my yard that was only dirt and grass 3 years ago and have been loving seeing more birds and insects in my yard.

My baby paintbrush is finally starting to bloom!!! It really does look like a neon rocket in the shadows :3 also peep all my other wildflower blooms :D

I grew this from SeedHunt seed back last fall in a baby sagebrush pot and then repotted both of them into a larger planter!!! Also have a Festuca ‘Siskiyou Blue’ alongside (and a bunch of Eriogonum nudum ‘Robust Form’ and Eriogonum grande var. rubescens) just in case the paintbrush wanted different hosts😆

Local wildflowers in my grandparents’ front yard

For years I was use to seeing this plant in nooks in volcanic substates, stunting its size. In the field for seed collection found plants close to knee high 3-4' wide on flood plain river cobble. So impressive and lots of bumblebee diversity.

Hi All, I have some yarrow coming back and some penstemon as well. They seem brown in the middle and are floppy. I'm in the Bay Area (Vallejo). I haven't watered but we've had a lot of rain, and the soil still feels damp. I did just cull back a lot of rampaging poppies, so it may be they just need space and air. For context, this was a lawn three years ago--sheet mulched over. The yarrow is about 3 and the penstemon 1 or so. Any insights are welcome! Thanks!

Cloudy day in Santa Clarita

Hello, I found these interesting flowers growing in sandhill habitat in the Santa Cruz mountains and hoping for some help with an ID. I’m pretty certain it’s of the Silene genus but I’m mostly curious if this is a CA native or not. Thanks!

Almost a month ago, I planted this bindweed in the ground. It's in a real terrible spot that gets partial shade between two trees and backs up against a brick wall. But when I went to Theodore Payne in Sun Valley (SoCal if you're unfamiliar with the area), the person who was helping me said it should do fine (although she was seriously reluctant to assist me after seeing how terrible [hardscaped and filled with garden soil] my yard is lol).

Is it doing okay? Should I do anything or just leave it alone? This is my first time ever planting a native and I have no idea what to expect.

I live in northwest San Fernando Valley for reference, if it makes any difference.