The plants of the Potrero Hill Eco-Patch have been growing steadily since they were planted during November and December, but over the last few weeks they have really taken off with a brilliant show of flowers and textures. A beautiful display of San Francisco ecology and the hard work of the Potrero Hill neighbors!
At the time of planting, the pink flag identifiers towered above the plants. Lately, many of them have become lost in the sea of growth. Thus over the last few days, Alex has been at work removing the flags, and a result, the garden is really coming alive and the plant mixes are becoming more legible. It’s been wonderful to watch these plants grow and learn more about their different stages of growth. Bring on summer!
The ‘Beach Strawberry Coastal Prairie’ mix, with Pacific Reed Grass (Calamagrostis nutkaensis) in the foreground, Beach Strawberry (Fragaria chiloensis) serving as a unifying groundcover, and Douglas Iris (Iris douglasiana) and California Scorpionweed (Phacelia californica) beyond.California Scorpionweed (Phacelia californica) going to seed in the ‘Beach Strawberry Coastal Prairie’ mix.California Sea Pink (Armeria maritima spp. californica) with Beach Strawberry (Fragaria chiloensis) below, in the ‘Coastal Dune Scrub’ mix.Miniature Lupine (Lupinus bicolor), Sky Lupine (Lupinus nanus), Dune Gilia (Gilia capitata ssp. chamissonis), Tomcat Clover (Trifolium willdenovii), Ithuriel’s Spear (Triteleia laxa), Coyote Mint (Monardella villosa), Field Sedge (Carex praegracilis), and Prairie Junegrass (Koeleria macrantha) in the ‘Oak Savanna’ mix.Looking out over the Eco-Patch with the ‘Oak Savanna’ mix in the foreground.The ‘Oak Savanna’ mix, including Miniature Lupine (Lupinus bicolor), Sky Lupine (Lupinus nanus), Ithuriel’s Spear (Triteleia laxa), Coyote Mint (Monardella villosa), Field Sedge (Carex praegracilis), and Prairie Junegrass (Koeleria macrantha). Douglas Iris (Iris douglasiana) is featured as a seasonal plant in several of the plant mixes.Beach Strawberry (Fragaria chiloensis) is used as an evergreen groundcover planting in two of the plant mixes.The ‘Coastal Dune Scrub’ mix, including Coast Buckwheat (Eriogonum latifolium) in the foreground, Seaside Fleabane (Erigeron glaucus) and Seaside Woolly Sunflower (Eriophyllum staechadifolium) beyond.The ‘Coastal Dune Scrub’ mix, including Coast Buckwheat (Eriogonum latifolium) in the foreground, with Seaside Fleabane (Erigeron glaucus) and Seaside Woolly Sunflower (Eriophyllum staechadifolium).Seaside Fleabane (Erigeron glaucus) in the ‘Coastal Dune Scrub’ mix.Hummingbird Sage (Salvia spathacea) in the ‘Oak Understory’ mix.The Franciscan Wallflower (Erysimum franciscanum) is one of the rarer plants growing in the Eco-Patch. This particular plant is a local eco-type from San Bruno Mountain, which has a similar serpentine ecology. California Scorpionweed (Phacelia californica) gets a visit from a Yellow-Faced Bumble Bee (Bombus vosnesenskii).Dotseed Plantain (Plantago erecta) emerges from a matrix of Clustered Field Sedge (Carex praegracilis) in the ‘Serpentine Prairie’ mix.Dotseed Plantain (Plantago erecta) is a critical host plant for the threatened Bay Checkerspot Butterfly (Euphydryas editha bayensis). As the Dotseed Plantain dies back later in the season, the Purple Owl’s Clover (Castilleja exserta) then becomes a critical host plant. Both the Dotseed Plantain and the Purple Owl’s Clover are included in the ‘Serpentine Prairie’ mix. Douglas Iris (Iris douglasiana) with Yerba Buena (Clinopodium douglasii) in the ‘Oak Understory’ mix.California Scorpionweed (Phacelia californica) flowering in the ‘Beach Strawberry Coastal Prairie’ mix. Silver Lupine (Lupinus albifrons) in the ‘Coastal Dune Scrub’ mix.
