Common Rush, Juncus patens

Common Rush, Juncus patens:



 "Juncus patens is a species of grass-like plant known by the common name Common Rush. It is native to the western United States from Washington to California, and its range may extend into Mexico. Within California it is found primarily along the coastal and coastal mountain, in marshes and other wet areas. However, it can also be tolerant of summer drought and garden conditions. It is a perennial herb forming narrow, erect bunches of stems arising from a central clump. The stems are thin, gray-green, often somewhat waxy, and grooved, and grow 30 to 90 centimeters in maximum height. The leaves have no blades; they appear as brown sheaths around the base of the stems. The flower cluster sprouts from the side of the stem rather than its tip. It holds many flowers, each of which has short, narrow, pointed petals and six stamens. The fruit is a spherical red or brown capsule which fills and bulges from the dried flower remnants when mature. It is popular in somewhat formal gardens, water gardens, and restoration projects. There are several available cultivars including 'Carman's Grey', 'Elk blue' and 'Occidental Blue'.

This plant is tough and easy to grow. It is happy in areas that are damp year-round, but also looks good and healthy in fairly dry soils with only minimal irrigation in summer."



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Cardinal Flower, Lobelia cardinalis

Cardinal Flower, Lobelia cardinalis:



"Cardinal Flower is an evergreen species native to the Americas, from southeastern Canada through the eastern and southwestern United States, Mexico and Central America to northern Colombia. It tends to grow in very wet areas like stream bottoms, bogs and seeps. It grows to about a meter tall (when in flower) and has bright red flowers. Hummingbirds love it. Cardinal flower is often cultivated for ornamental purposes and has also been used for medicinal purposes.

The plant is very alkaloid and is considered toxic"



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Indian Rhubarb, Darmera peltata

This has edible stalks




Indian Rhubarb, Darmera peltata:

"Darmera peltata (Indian rhubarb or, ambiguously, "umbrella plant") is the only species within the genus Darmera in the family Saxifragaceae. It is a slowly-spreading rhizomatous perennial from mountain streamsides in woodland in the western United States (southwestern Oregon to northwestern California). In late spring the flowers emerge before the leaves, with rounded cymes of numerous five-petalled white to bright pink flowers (measuring up to 1.5 centimeter across each) borne on flower stems up to 2 meter long. The leaves are peltate, rounded, deeply lobed, coarsely-toothed, conspicuously veined and dark green, also on stems up to 2 meter in height. The leaves turn red in autumn.

In gardens, Darmera peltata flourishes in pond margins and bog gardens, where it forms an imposing umbrella-like clump. It is suited to smaller gardens where there is no room for Gunnera manicata or Gunnera tinctoria, unrelated plants that are somewhat similar in appearance, but much larger. It is easy to grow in the cooler climates of its native range, but is not happy in hot southern areas. "



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