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by Diane Daly and Clara Josephs, posted by Deb Shaw
January’s coming up fast, and the Chapman University Leatherby Library Drought Tolerant Plant Exhibition will be upon us (along with all the other exhibition opportunities we have stacked up for the month — but more on those later!).
Students from Jennifer Funk‘s Ecology course currently are writing descriptions of the plants’ drought-tolerant traits now. We are planning to have at least one species that fits into each of the following seven categories:
- Drought-deciduousness (plants that lose their leaves during the dry season, or during periods of dryness)
- Small leaves (better adapted to dry soils and conditions)
- Deep taproot (a tap root that penetrates deep into the ground can access water when it is scarce during a drought or dry conditions, as well as store water in the root)
- Succulent leaves (thick, fleshy leaves and stems can store water)
- Pubescent leaves (pubescent, or furry leaves can slow the air flowing over the leaf to reduce water evaporation, hold water, reflect sunlight, and provide shade for the surface of the leaf)
- Evergreen, sclerophylous leaves (evergreen leaves, of course, stay on the plant year-round; sclerophylous leaves have a hard surface and are frequently spaced close together
- Annual life habit (one way to avoid dry periods is to quickly grow, bloom and develop seeds during the wet season, skipping the dry season altogether!)
Important Deadlines:
- Artist entry deadline: January 11 (BAGSC needs the list for handouts, Chapman University needs the list for labels and insurance)
- Set up show in Henley reading room: January 25
- Reception: February 7 , 7-9 pm
- Take down the show: February 25
All BAGSC members will receive an email with the official BAGSC “Call for Entries” packet. If you do not receive this email with the attachment by 30 November, please contact Deb.
Drought Tolerant Plant Choices for the Chapman Exhibition
The following are plants that BAGSC members are planning to submit. Botanical and common names, of course, will need to be reviewed and verified. Don’t worry if you have to change your mind, or if you’re already painting something that someone else is painting on the list below. This is a preliminary list and is not set in cement. Space allowing, species duplicates will be accepted (see the Call for Entries packet).
Arillyn Moran-Lawrence:
Dudleya Farinosa; Salvia Chamaedroyides, Electric blue sage; Desert Marigold, Baileya multiradiata; Echeveria graptoveria or Kalanchoe thyrsiflora
Bonnie Ash:
Agave Utahensis var. nevadensis; Pacific Mist Manzanita, Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
Linda Ericksen:
Prickly pear cactus, Opuntia
Joan Keesey:
California Buckeye Flower, Aesculus californica; Flannel Bush, Fremontodendron; California Poppy Eschscholzia californica; Foothill Penstemon, Penstemon heterophyllus; or Heart Leaf Penstemon, Keckiella cordiforlia; Toyon, Heteromeles arbutifolia; Bush Monkey Flower, Mimulus aurantiacus
Patricia VanOsterhoudt:
Crape Myrtle, Lagerstroemai indica; Columbine Aquilegia; Yucca
Sue Kuuskmae:
Fortnight Lily Dietus vegeta; Rock Rose Kalanchoe; Toyonberry; Matilija poppy, Romneya coulteri
Estelle DeRidder:
Coastal Prickly Pear, Opuntia littoralis; Baja Fairy Duster, Dalliandra eriophylla; California Live Oak, Quercus agrifolia; Chia, Salvia Columbriae
Clara Josephs:
Coffeeberry, Rhamnus californica; Topsy Turvy, Echeveria; Bladderpod, Isomeris arborea
Diane Daly:
Island Alum Root, Heuchera maxima; Seaside Daisy, Erigeron glaucus; Bird of Paradise, Caesalpinia pulcherrima
Carmen Lindsay:
Bladder Sage; Ocotillo; Buckwheat
Veronica Raymond:
Coffeeberry, Rhamnus californica; Bladderpod, Isomeris arborea; Nevins Barberry, Mahonia nevinii; Englemann Oak Quercus engelmannii
Cristina Baltayian:
Lemon, C. limon; Bougainvillea; Fig, Ficus carica L. (Brown turkey); Olives, Olea europaea; Cabernet grape vitis vinfera L.; Pomegranate, Punica granatum
Mitsuko Shultz:
Nevins Barberry, Berberis nevinii; California Sycamore, Platanus racemosa
Patricia Mark:
Manfreda masculosa; Aeonium
Deborah Shaw:
Dudleya pulverulenta, Chalk Dudleya; Dudleya viscida, Sticky Dudleya; Arctostaphylos glauca, Big Berry Manzanita
Add your name and plants to the list: contact Diane.
It’s shaping up to be a great show!!!
by Diane Daly, posted by Deb Shaw
Finally, we have the dates for our Chapman show on drought tolerant plants. We will have the Leatherby Library Henley Reading Room and the Clarke wall just like we used in the Brush with Nature exhibit.
We will set up and hang the exhibit on January 25, 2013. We will have an evening reception on February 7, and we will take down the paintings on February 25.
The botanist, Jennifer Funk will have her students write descriptions of drought tolerant plant groups with explanations of how the plants retain moisture and survive the heat.
Reminder, all paintings should be framed in the Dick Blick bamboo frame, white mat, and plexiglass. Use the same label on the back as we do for other exhibits. All members can submit up to four paintings. Paintings can be delivered to Diane Daly’s house the week before Jan 25 or brought to Chapman on that date at 10 am to be hung.
More details will be coming. Questions? Contact Diane Daly or Clara Josephs.
A plant selections list follows below. This list is just a “ working list” to let everyone know what other artists are working on. We hope this will inspire other members to paint for this exhibit. Don’t worry if you’re interested in painting something that is already listed below. Duplicates are not automatically excluded. Feel free to add, delete or change, depending on how your paintings are going. Let Diane Daly know. We’ll continue to publish updated lists.
Arillyn Moran-Lawrence
Dudleya Farinosa
Salvia Chamaedroyides, Electric blue sage
Desert Marigold, Baileya multiradiata
Echeveria graptoveria or Kalanchoe thyrsiflora
Bonnie Ash
Agave Utahensis var. nevadensis
Pacific Mist Manzanita Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
Linda Ericksen
Prickly pear cactus, Opuntia
Joan Keesey
California Buckeye Flower, Aesculus californica
Flannel Bush Fremontodendron
California Poppy Eschscholzia californica
Foothill Penstemon Penstemon heterophyllus
Or
Heart Leaf Penstemon Keckiella cordiforlia
Toyon Heteromeles arbutifolia
Bush Monkey Flower Mimulus aurantiacus
Patricia VanOsterhoudt
Crape Myrtle, Lagerstroemai indica
Columbine Aquilegia
Mountain Phlox
Yucca (another view)
Sue Kuuskmae
Fortnight Lily, Dietus vegeta
Rock Rose, Kalanchoe
Toyonberry
Matilija poppy, Romneya coulteri
Estelle DeRidder
Coastal Prickly Pear, Opuntia littoralis
Baja Fairy Duster, Dalliandra eriophylla
California Live Oak, Quercus agrifolia
Chia Salvia, Columbriae
Clara Josephs
Coffeeberry, Rhamnus californica
Diane Daly
Island Alum Root, Heuchera maxima
Seaside Daisy Erigeron glaucus
Carmen Lindsay
Bladder Sage
Ocotillo
Buckwheat
Veronica Raymond
Coffeeberry, Rhamnus californica
Bladderpod, Isomeris arborea
Nevins Barberry, Mahonia nevinii
Englemann Oak Quercus engelmannii
Deborah Shaw
Fuschia Flowered Gooseberry, Ribes speciosum
Blue-eyed Grass, Sisyrinchium bellum
Chalk Dudleya, Dudleya pulverulenta
White sage, Salvia apiana
Mitsuko Schultz
Nevin’s Barberry, Berberis nevinii
California Sycamore, Platanus racemosa
by Clara Josephs, posted by Deb Shaw
As we firm up the dates for the Chapman show, now is the time for you to make final decisions about which plants you will portray.
Please email Diane with the names of your selections. As we receive names of plants, the list will be posted monthly on the blog. By checking the blog list, you can make informed decisions as you progress with your paintings for the show.
Several people have asked about duplicate subject matter. We don’t expect a problem with that issue. At the first Chapman show we reserved the right to exclude duplicate subjects if we had too many paintings for the available display space. We had no problem displaying 70 + paintings and probably could have displayed more. This would be our policy again, but this time we would refer to our “Intent” list and give preference to the earliest declarer.
As you know, the exhibit is not only about the plants, but about the artistry in presenting the plant. Certainly, several artists can successful portray the same plant in dramatically different compositions. So don’t let the fact that another artist has declared for a plant stop you from painting a subject you are passionate about. But, do be aware that there is a small chance that if space is tight, some duplicates could be excluded
We hope to announce the exhibit dates very soon. Email Diane as you make your choices. We expect to be able to hang four paintings per member.
by Clara Josephs and Deb Shaw
Many BAGSC members have been asking about where they can find information about drought-tolerant plants. You can find a lot of information about drought tolerant plants on the web. Here is a section from the Wikipedia entry I was directed to after googling “lemonade berry”:
Rhus integrifolia, the Lemonade Berry’s leaves are simple (unusual in a genus where most species are trifoliate), alternating, evergreen and leathery, ranging from two to four centimeters wide on reddish twigs; length of leaves is five to seven centimeters. Leaves are toothed with a waxy appearance above and a paler tone below. The flowers which appear from February to May are small, clustered closely together, and may be either bisexual or pistillate.[1]
These fragrant flowers exhibit radial symmetry with five green sepals, five white to rosy-pink petals, and five stamens. The small flowers are only six millimeters across. The ovary is superior and usually has a single ovule; although in pistillate flowers, the stamens are small and infertile. The mature fruit of Rhus integrifolia is sticky, reddish, covered with hairs, and about seven to ten millimeters in diameter. The elliptical fruit presents tight clusters at the very ends of twigs.
Young plants manifest smooth reddish bark, while more mature individuals have cracked, even scaly, grayish bark with the smooth red bark displayed underneath. Twigs are rather stout and flexible, and reddish bud ends are diminutive and pointed. There is often a multi-furcate branching structure from the base of the plant. A mature plant is large and thicket-like with a sprawling arrangement.
Notice how many painting cues for color and structure are in that entry! It also tells me when it flowers. Very useful and free information! Next, if I hit “images” for lemonade berry – bingo – what a selection!
The following is a list of California Native plants and their drought-tolerant adaptive strategies, compiled for us by Jennifer Funk, Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Schmid College of Science and Technology. Please keep in mind that the exhibition is open to any drought-tolerant plants from around the world, not just California natives! This list was handed out at a BAGSC Quarterly meeting earlier this year. Future articles on the blog will list characteristics of drought-tolerant plants.
Let us know your questions, or any future articles you would like to see on the blog about drought-tolerant plants.
A few drought-tolerant species, all native to southern California:
Scientific name, Common name
Drought deciduous (plants that drop their leaves during dry season or periods of dryness)
Achillea millefolium, Common Yarrow
Calliandra eriophylla, Pink Fairy Duster
Encelia californica, California Bush Sunflower
Encelia farinosa, Brittlebush
Keckellia antirhhinum, Yellow Bush Penstemon
Ribes aureum, Golden currant
Small leaves (small leaves have a reduced surface area, and so lose less water)
Adenostoma fasciculatum, Chamise
Arctostaphylos species, Manzanita
Artemisia californica, California sagebush
Ceanothus species, Ceanothus
Cercocarpus minutiflorus, San Diego Mountain Mahogany
Epilobium canum, California Fuchsia
Ericameria cuneata, Wedgeleaf goldenbush
Eriogonum fasciculatum, California buckwheat
Hazardia squarrosa, Saw-toothed Goldenbush
Isocoma menziesii, Coastal Goldenbush
Isomeris arborea, Bladderpod
Lotus scoparius, Deer Weed
Lycium californicum, Coastal Boxthorn
Mimulus aurantiacus, Bush Monkeyflower
Prunus ilicifolia, Hollyleaf Cherry
Deep taproot (taproots find water sources deep below the soil surface, and are often thick and fleshy, so they can store available water)
Pinus species, Pine
Platanus racemosa, California Sycamore
Populus fremontii, Western Cottonwood
Quercus agrifolia, Coast live oak
Succulent leaves (succulent plants store water in their fleshy leaves, stems and roots)
Agave species, Agave
Cylindropuntia prolifera, Coastal Cholla
Dudleya species, Dudleya
Opuntia species, Prickly pear cactus
Yucca schidigera, Mohave Yucca
Yucca whipplei, Chaparral Candle
Pubescent leaves (pubescent leaves are covered with hairs, which may be tiny or long, and which help hold water and reflect the hot rays of the sun)
Asclepias californica, California Milkweed
Encelia farinosa, Brittlebush
Galvezia speciosa, Island Bush Snapdragon
Malacothamnus fasciculatus, Chaparral Mallow, Bush Mallow
Salvia apiana, White sage
Evergreen, sclerophylous leaves (evergreen leaves stay on the plant year-round; sclerophylous leaves have a hard surface and are frequently closely spaced together)
Arbutus menziesii, Madrone
Baccharis pilularis, Coyote brush
Eriodictyon crassifolium, Thick-laved yerba santa
Heteromeles arbutifolia, Toyon
Malosma laurina, Laurel sumac
Rhamnus species, Coffeeberry
Rhus integrifolia, Lemonadeberry
Rhus ovata, Sugar bush
Salvia leucophylla, Purple sage
Salvia mellifera, Black sage
Sambucus Mexicana, Mexican elderberry
Sources
http://www.cnpssd.org/plantlistlinked.html
by Deb Shaw
Calochortus amoenus (Rosy Fairy Lantern), watercolor by Joan Keesey, © 2012, all rights reserved.
Joan Keesey, BAGSC member and membership chair, will be having an exhibition of botanical watercolors, “Wild Flowers of Mineral King” at the Theodore Payne Foundation for Wild Flowers and Native Plants (TPF), Friday, March 30 – Saturday, June 30, 2012.
An opening reception for the artist will be held Saturday, March 31, 2012, from 2:00 pm – 4:30 pm.
The opening reception coincides with “Poppy Day” at the TPF, their annual spring plant sale event, which takes place from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm on March 31. Hundreds of different native California species and cultivars will be available to choose from — a great opportunity for those BAGSC members who would like to paint California natives for the Chapman University exhibition on drought-tolerant plants. TPF members will receive 15 percent off all plants in 4-inch containers, one gallon containers and up. Non-members will receive 10 percent off those same plants, and memberships will be sold at the door.
California Buckeye, watercolor by Joan Keesey, © 2012, all rights reserved.
The TPF is located at 10459 Tuxford Street, in Sun Valley, California 91352. The phone number is 818.768.5215 and the wildflower hotline number is 818.768.3533.
Davidson's Fritillary, watercolor by Joan Keesey, © 2012, all rights reserved.
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