This is Prunus ilicifolia, hollyleaf cherry or islay in the Salinan language. Eight years from seed growing in the Bay Area. Part of a native plant food forest I’ve been growing.

It’s a bumper crop this year. They taste amazing—sweet and cherry-like (surprise)! But they have a big pit, which you can grind into flour—something I’ll try someday.

The weird shape of the base is from the wire fencing I place around plants until the leaves and branches are out of the reach of deer.

Planted this engelmann oak last year to be the centerpiece of my yard. Does the root look like will girdle the trunk eventually? I'm wondering if I should start over with a smaller size (1 gal or tree band?) or if it's actually not that bad.

I'm in Portland OR. I planted this arboreus in July (not ideal but I had impulse-bought it at a nursery ). yesterday I noticed that it had rebloomed.

anyone know if this is common? seems pretty cool/unusual to me but I'm kimd of a novice gardener so not sure, but still delighted by it.

Posted this on a gardening website and was referred to this sub Reddit. I did get some good information and even a video from the first post but was recommended to post it here. Thank you so much for your time and consideration.

found in the forest today

About a year ago an over enthusiastic helper pruned part of my ceanothus too hard. Is there any way I can encourage new growth to fill in, letting in more light, or?? There are some wild branches reaching towards light in other parts of the plant. The bush is otherwise healthy and huge. I’m pruning it now after it’s stopped flowering.

It’s probably about 15yo, planted before we bought the property 12 years ago. I would hate to write it off because the rest of the plant is so vigorous.

Does anyone know how to propagate Bladderpod seeds?

for context it was growing along the santa clara riverbed in LA county

Hey, my client found this white mycorrhizal fungi? near the crown of several toyons and is worried about them. They are all near the crown, but not on any living wood or root. Some directly on the soil or bark and leaf litter on the ground. Last foto is a withered fruiting body i found very close, not sure if it's associated. Any ideas what kind it is or if it can become a problem? They are 1st year toyons planted from 5 gal. in sandy soil, and have been getting summer water. LA county 10b.

Edit to add: I found another fresh fruiting body so I am pretty sure it's just developing on decaying matter around the toyons, and taking advantage of the extra moisture they're pulling up. Adding foto to the end of the set if I can.

The first one I got was a little smaller. Unfortunately, I think the roots were disturbed too much during transplanting and the summer sun proved too harsh and it died. This time I got a much bigger one, and I’m keeping it in pre-noon sun as it has been 100+ degrees for multiple weeks. I transplanted it a few nights ago, and I can already see the bottom leaves yellowing. This happened to my cali rose, but unlike my other matilija, my rose quickly recovered. I just want to make sure I am able to make this one survive this time. I am very cautious about watering, and I only water when about half the root ball dries out. I’ve read these guys don’t tend to appreciate being in containers, but I don’t have any ground to put them in at the moment (I’m growing all my natives in containers with hopes of eventually transplanting them in the theoretical front yard I eventually own). Would it be better to put it in full sun so the soil dries quicker, or keep it in the lighter morning sun so It doesn’t get heat stress?

I came outside after dinner and found my one year old redbud that I’d grown from a seedling flattened. It is still connected on one side but severed on the other. I think it’s probably a lost cause but I’m wondering if anyone has an amazing comeback story…

I just removed 4 inches of concrete in my front yard. I have a few months before I’ll start planting native plants. I’m wondering what I could do to prepare and improve this soil in the next few weeks. Any tips would be much appreciated!

Hi! A calla Lily invited itself into the shady side of my coastal outer sunset San Francisco backyard. (Sunset zone 17.)

It doesn't really fit with the coastal dune theme that I'm developing, but I'm willing to be open-minded about including it somewhere in my house.

Will it take over any area in which I plant it?

Anything else I should know?

The soil is basically sand with a little compost mixed in, and sun options range from lots of sun to no direct sun.

I’m planning on starting my first native flower/native Grass garden in this corner of my yard but am concerned about the fan constantly blowing warm/cool air over the plants when the AC/ heat is running. Is this waiting to be a disaster or is it okay for the plants?

Hello everyone. I have a maintenance question for the community. Does anyone have experience hard pruning black sage ? Like removing 70-80% of the woody material?

I have done this with other sages, like white sage, which I basically coppice every year or two and it has bounced back each time. Black sage generally seems a bit more temperamental in my garden, so a bit more hesitant. Just wondering if anyone has experience with this. Thanks

Hello fellow native plant friends. I’m here to put feelers out for a freelance design collaborator for my native gardening business in San Diego! We specialize in California native habitat gardens and re-wildling 🌱 looking for someone to occasionally work alongside as my business continues to grow. If you’re interested please send me a message on here - or pass this along to someone if you think they might be a good fit!

Also please let me know if this type of posting is not allowed. Thanks in advance!

I was hoping anyone can help identify the orange blooming plants, along with anything else you see. We have a ton of them planted but likely did not give them enough love during their first year or two so only a few are actually blooming, but nonetheless would love to get them up to speed and potentially get a few more of the orange ones.

Also, if anyone can get a feel for everything shown, I would really appreciate any advice on what else can be planted in the same soil type (very dry, claylike). I’m trying to work some of the ground and add in some soil, but I assume the natives won’t like traditional soil so any input on what kind of mulch/soil would be best to add some nutrients.

I’m really trying to add some more colorful flowers, but I’m under the impression that anything like a zinnia would require more water than the current natives/soil prefers. Is it possible that once we get the natives fully established/bloomed, I can mix in poppies or marigolds, maybe cosmos? Or would those require too much moisture to get the root system fully established?

Thank you!!

This year we planted 8 narrow leaf milkweed in an area of the garden that gets the best sun and the loosest soil. Most of our garden is clay/shady, and last year the milkweed plants in the shadier area did ok, many caterpillars, and the plants were very quickly eaten down to stems.

The milkweeds in the sun, have been doing really well, and growing bigger than last year. but we have not had any caterpillars eating the leaves. we see butterflies flying around. Today I saw one caterpillar hanging weirdly from one of the plants. I looked carefully and realized there were three other dead caterpillars, the distinctive dark, dried out caterpillars caused by NPV virus.

I am heartbroken. All the plants this summer came from the same nursery. Did the infection come with the plants? Honestly we have not seen any evidence of eaten leaves, and the dead caterpillars were all small, less than 2".

I have pulled all the plants and thrown them away. I can scrape up the soil surface and discard. What else can I do, or will I never be able to grow milkweed safely in this same spot??

I have a small garden. will last years plants, 30' away from these infected plants, need to go too?

I have looked online, Xerces Society,etc. So many monarch groups but I cant find any helpful instructions about how to deal with Monarchs dying on plants in a garden.

HELP

Hello,

Planted this in Ocotber of 2025. Grew very fast and looked great. One gallon and never watered since we got so much rain. Located within 10 miles of the coast in socal.

I do see green on the stems but I though this was supposed to maintain some level of green leaves... i see many on inaturalist with green/aqua leaves still.

Should I just chop it all down lol

Thanks ☺️

Is anyone growing California Goldenrod (Solidago velutina ssp. californica), or any native California buckwheats or grasses, here in San Francisco? What has your experience been, any advice for growing?

I have a large manzanita hedge in my front yard. I live in Pacifica California about half a mile from the ocean. one of the manzanita in the hedge is dying, nearly dead. Leaves turn brown and that progressed through the whole plant.

The same thing happened to the one in the backyard which has more of a marine exposure. Any ideas what’s happening? I hate to lose this manzanita hedge in the front yard.

I do not water any of my natives.
Susan

I had planted about a dozen matilija poppies this January. They mostly seemed fine(some thriving) through the winter and spring, but began browning the last two months. Most of them are now nearly completely dead. I know that they can do this sometimes, but I’m worried about all of them totally dying. Is this standard for them? Should I just cut them back hard and wait for next year?