🚀 go-pugleaf

We have moved to a county in California in which there is very
little knowledge or use of native plants.  We also happen to have
one of the most diverse and unusual native plant communities I have
seem.  ONe of the areas of the county is heavily covered with
various types of chapparal shrubs, with many neat species mixed in
with the Chamise and Scrub Oak. Sadly (and probably stupidly) this
area is also subdivided, and everyone seems intent on landscaping
their little lot into a typical suburban neighborhood.  (The area is
a brush fire waiting to happen.) Anyway, homeowners go to the local
nurseries and come home with Oleander (highly poisonous), Pampas
Grass (introduced pest species), Rosemany, junipers (fire hazard),
and use nothing that was indigenous.  What is being ignored and
indigenous are many and varied Manzanitas, Toyon, Silk Tassel,
Creeping Sage,  Foothill Penstemon, Wild Iris, etc, etc!  It's very
sad-and also very funny when the local roaming population of deer
eat all their new landscaping.

How do you get rural homeowners to think in terms of natives when
landscaping?  Anyone have any ideas?  If only they would look around
the area first, then ask the questions, I need a shrub,groundcover,
tree, etc,  what is there that is native, hardy and pretty that will
work? Then go to the local nurseries and bug them until they start
carrying these plants.  At least in California, there are many
wholesale nurseries now that propagate natives.

Natives are cold hardy, drought tolerant, many deer resistant, and
most important, provide habitat for native wildlife.

A bill before the California legislature would ban the sale of the
following plants (considered invasive pests):

Cytisus monspessulanus FRENCH BROOM
C. scoparius SCOTCH BROOM
Cortaderia jubata ANDEAN PAMPAS GRASS
Acacia decurrens
Pennisetum setaceum FOUNTAIN GRASS
Tamarix species
Ulex europaeus GORSE

also hopee to be included are:

Carpobrotus edulis ICE PLANT
Cotoneaster all speciess
Ailanthus glandulosa TREE OF HEAVEN
Eucalyptus globulus BLUE GUM
Pennisetum clandestinum KIKUYU GRASS
Pyracantha
Senecio mikanoides GERMAN IVY
Vinca major PERIVINKLE

In case its not obvious, these plants naturalize and crowd out
native species.  Many european and near-east species are adapted to
thousands of years of over-grazing and influence by man.  The best
example of a non-native species naturalizing is Star Thistle, which
is covering California grasslands.  It is highly toxic to horses,
and chokes out local grasses.

Hoping to promote the use of native plants in Lake Co.,
Karen Sullivan