Bol Park is located in the Barron Park neighborhood
of Palo Alto, California.
This revegetation project is being conducted by
the Barron Park (Neighborhood) Association,
in cooperation with the City of Palo Alto
and the Santa Clara Valley Water District.
Caveat: this page does not reflect acquisitions made since early 1997.
Description of below native plants:
including
mature height and width,
blooming time and color,
and wildlife supported.
Plants alphabetized on official (latinate) name within sections.
A. Plant and seed donations sought
Note: Being expanded (17 May 1997)
Trees
California Bay-Laurel/Bay/Laurel, Oregon Myrtle, Pepperwood (Umbellularia californica)
Enough already:
we have enough Coast Live Oaks (Querus agrifolia).
They grow fast and the squirrels will plant many more.
However, donations of other oaks
(Valley Oaks and Blue Oaks) are appropriate,
but not currently a high priority.
Shrubs
Manzanita (Arctostaphylus)
Monterey Manzanita (A. hookeri species hookeri)
A. refugiensis
Dwarf Coyote Bush (Baccharis pilularis var. pilularis)
Calliandra californica
Tree Anemone (Carpenteria californica)
California/Wild Lilac (Ceanothus)
C. `Julia Phelps' (have one, but seeking another)
Holly-leafed Ceanothus (C. purpureus)
Summer Holly (Comarostaphylis diversifolia)
Tree Poppy, Bush Poppy (Dendromecon rigida)
Bladder Pod (Isomeris arborea)
Twinberry (Lonicera involucrata)
Creeping Mahonia (Mahonia repens)
Monkey Flower (Mimulus/Diplacus): some bushes, some perennials
Indian Paintbrush (Castilleja species)
Note: this would be a later addition because it depends
on other native plants already being established:
It is (harmlessly) parasitic on nearby native bushes.
Western Hounds Tongue (Cynoglossum grande)
Penstemon
Scarlet Bugle (P. centranthifolius)
Azure (P. azureus)
Dune Goldenrod (Solidago spathulata)
Dune Tansy (Tanacetum douglasii)
Bulbs
For many of the native bulbs below,
it is often hard to find a source of supply:
even those few vendors that list them often do not have any available.
If you find a source, please notify the contacts listed above
so that we can try to obtain additional quantities.
Allium
Pink Meadow Allium (A. unifolium)
Crinkled Allium (A. crispum)
Golden Stars (Bloomeria crocea)
Brodiaea/Triteleia/Dichelostemma
California Brodiaea (B. californica)
Harvest Brodiaea (B. coronaria)
Pretty Face, Golden Brodiaea (B. lutea/ixioides)
Long Rayed Brodiaea (B. peduncularia)
Note: the Brodiaea commonly available in bulb catalogs
and gardening stores is B. laxa and B. laxa `Queen Fabiola'.
This is native to the western US,
but we do not know how much the bulbs offered in the catalogs
have been adapted for "normal" gardens,
and thus whether they would survive in a native environment.
Mariposa Lily/Tulip, Globe Lily, Star Tulip (Calochortus)
Coyote Ceanothus, Coyote Valley California Lilac (C. ferrisae)
C. rigidus `Snowball': qty 1
Perennials
Dutchman's Pipe (Aristolochia californica)
Sulfur Flower (Erigonum umbellatum polyanthum)
Monkey Flower (Mimulus): some bushes, some perennials
Scarlet Monkey Flower (M. cardinalis)
Common/Creek/Seep Monkey Flower (M. guttatus)
Downy/False Monkey Flower (M. pilosus)
Verbena lilacena
California Fuchsia, Hummingbird's Flower/Trumpet, Fireweed (Zauschneria, Epilobium)
Note: Zauschneria californica = Epilobium canum
Zauschneria californica `Brilliant Smith'
Epilobium `Kristin Jakob'
Bulbs
Brodiaea/Triteleia/Dichelostemma
Elegant Brodiaea, Harvest Brodiaea (B. elegans)
Blue Dicks (B. pulchella/capitata)
Iris
Douglas Iris (Iris douglasiana): qty "many"
Slender-tubed Iris (I. fernaldii)
Blue-eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium bellum): qty 2
C. Plants being raised from cuttings/...
Residents have they have the below plants in their own yards
and will be propagating them for use on this project.
(Some of these people have acquired these plants with the specific intent
of propagating them for this project).
Propagation: cuttings, seeds, root division, offset bulbs, ...
Sandhill Sage (Artemisia pycnocephal `David's Choice')
Note: in addition to one that will be planted
Mariposa Lily/Tulip, Globe Lily, Star Tulip (Calochortus)
Beautiful Calochortus (C. venustus)
Goddess Mariposa (C. vestae)
Stream Orchid (Epipactis gigantea)
Snapdragon Penstemon (Keckiella antirrhinoides x cordifolia)
Note: in addition to one that was planted
Leopard Lily (Lilium pardalinum)
Penstemon heterophyllus `Blue Bedder'
D. Plants being raised from seeds
These plants are being raised by volunteers.
The annuals will be planted this spring,
but most of the shrubs, perennials and bulbs will be planted
in the fall (they will be larger and it is a better time to plant).
Shrubs
California Sagebrush (Artemisia californica): doing well
Coyote Bush (Baccharis pilularis): doing well
California/Wild Lilac (Ceanothus thyrsiflorus)
Western Redbud (Cercis occidentalis)
Flannel Bush (Fremontodendron californica)
Toyon, Christmas Berry (Heteromeles arbutifolia)
Blue-flowering Shrub Lupine (Lupinus propinquus)
Sugar Bush (Rhus ovata)
Coast Red Elderberry (Sambucus callicarpa): slow germinator
Perennials
Columbine (Aquilegia)
VanHoutte's Columbine (A. exima)
Western Columbine, Red Columbine (A. formosa)
Large-flowered Fairy Bells (Disporum smithii): very poor germination rate
California Bee Plant (Scrophularia californica): good success
Bulbs
Amole, Soap Lily (Chlorogalum pomeridianum): just sprouting
Douglas Iris (Iris douglasiana): moderate germination rate,
but plants are growing quickly
Annuals (good reseeders)
Chinese Houses (Collinsia heterophylla): doing well
Chia (Salvia columbariae): slow germinator
Wind Poppy (Stylomecon heterophylla): doing well
E. Seeds to sow
Some will be sown now, some in the fall.
California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica)
Bee Food (Phacelia tanacetifolia)
Lupine Mix
Wildflower Seed Mixes
Low growing seed mix (Larner Seeds' Marin Meadow Mix):
Sky Lupine,
Tidy Tips,
Owl's Clover,
Baby-blue Eyes,
Miniature Lupine,
Chinese Houses,
Mountain Phlox,
Dwarf Farewell-to-Spring,
Red Ribbons,
Goldfields,
California Bluebells,
California Poppy
Taller growing seed mix (Larner Seeds' Hills of California Wildflower Mix):
California Poppy,
Dwarf Farewell-to-Spring,
Tall Farewell-to-Spring,
Chinese Houses,
Globe Gila,
Birds' Eye Gilia,
Tidy Tips,
Goldfields,
Mountain Phlox,
Blue Flax,
Miniature Lupine,
Sky Lupine,
Arroyo Lupine,
Golden Lupine,
Blazing Star,
Baby-blue Eyes,
Calico Flower,
California Bluebells,
Mountain Garland,
Monterey Clarkia,
Owl's Clover
For sun/shade area (Larner Seeds' California Shady Wildflower Mix):
Dwarf Farewell-to-Spring,
Tall Farewell-to-Spring,
Mountain Garland,
Monterey Clarkia,
Red Ribbons,
Baby-blue Eyes,
Calico Flower,
Chinese Houses,
Birds' Eye Gilia
F. Already planted by the Water District's flood control project sub-contractor
Trees/Shrubs
California Buckeye (Aesculus californica): qty 20
Madrone (Arbutus menziesii): qty 14
Coyote Bush (Baccharis pilularis): qty 8
Blue Wild Lilac (Ceanothus thyrsiflorus): qty 13
Western Redbud (Cercis occidentalis): qty 25
Redtwig Dogwood (Cornus stolonifera): qty 16
California Sycamore (Platanus racemosa): qty 5
Valley Oak (Quercus lobata): qty 72
Coast Live Oak (Quercus agrifolia): qty 63
Coffeeberry (Rhamnus californica): qty 30
California Wild Rose (Rosa californica): qty 8
California Blackberry (Rubus Ursinus): qty 33
Arroyo Willow (Salix lasiolepis): qty 27
Blue Elderberry (Sambucus mexicana): qty 8
Grass and Wildflowers:
The BPA had requested a mix that had a high proportion of low-growing
wildflowers.
Unfortunately, the contractor used a mix that was high in rye grasses
and low in wildflowers
(rye grass pollen is a very common allergen).
Even worse, this mix contained a high proportion of Foxtail Grass,
which produces sharped, barbed seeds
that not only stick in your clothing and your pet's fur,
but, if they get in a pet's ear or nose,
they pose a real danger (and can lead to an expensive Vet bill).
More info:
from
of the
Aside:
The explanation for including Foxtail Grass was that
it was previously in the park.
It seems that the Water District's revegetation contractor
was more enthusiastic about reestablishing weeds
than desirable plants.
G. Potential American Indian "Teaching Garden" Plants
Oregon Grape (Berberis aquifolium)
California Barberry (Berberis pinnata)
Creeping Barberry (Berberis repens)
Mariposa Lily, Sego Lily (Calochortus nuttallii)
Deer Brush (Ceanothus integerrimus)
Tansy Mustard (Descurainia pinnata)
Turkey Mullein (Eremocarpus setigerus)
Yerba Santa (Eriodictyon californicum)
Chinch Weed (Pectis papposa)
Cascara Sagrada (Rhamnus purshiana)
Squaw Bush (Rhus trilobata)
Lacepod (Thysanocarpus curvipea)
Mule's Ear (Wyethia species)
Spanish Bayonet (Yucca baccata)
Our Lord's Candle (Yucca whipplei)
Version Info: $Revision: 1.11 $ $Date: 2002/12/11 08:06:25 $