Garden.

LuAnn Munns

May/June 1985

Los Angeles a coun eae of Arboreta and Botanic Gardens

7.2

sat

A new yea sign goes up, welcoming visitors to the renovated eailen

SUNSET MAGAZINE MODERNIZES
DEMONSTRATION HOME GARDENS

HE MYRIAD DETAILS that make the

Demonstration Home Gardens
so appealing to visitors at the Los
Angeles State and County Arboretum
were all carefully scrutinized during
a recent facelift. Representatives
from Sunset magazine worked with
the Arboretum staff to revamp the
four “idea gardens” that were first
opened in 1958. The improvements
were made possible through a gen-
erous contribution from Sunset mag-
azine.

The most obvious change was the
labeling of every element through-
out the gardens in keeping with the
Arboretum’s present program of pro-
viding scientific as well as cultural
information on plant characteristics.

New Metalphoto signs list not only
the scientific and botanical names of
individual plants but also give perti-
nent horticultural information that
helps gardeners decide on appropri-
ate uses for eyecatching plants. Free-
standing redwood lecterns now sup-
port signs describing the hypothetical
lifestyles the different gardens are
meant to serve.

Each of the four gardens came in
for attention as details were changed
or added to give a fresh, contempor-
ary look. In the garden designed for
easy maintenance the deck and fence
were repainted a medium brown to
blend better with modern exteriors.
A group of pots featuring easy-care
plants now provides a focal point for
the deck

The entertainers’ garden features
a modernized food preparation area
with a quarry tile counter surround-

ing the stainless steel sink. Slim
wooden battens that decorate the
base extend upward behind the cen-
ter to screen the Administration
Building from the garden.

In the plant hobbyist’s garden new
benches were constructed and a num-
ber of new plants added to the col-
lection. The family garden also bene-
fitted from fresh paint, new trellises,
improved plantings and general re-
furbishing. Containers of annuals
and perennials as well as exotic speci-
men plants will be rotated through-
out the gardens to add seasonal color.

To celebrate the re-opening of the
gardens, Sunset featured them in a
major publicity campaign through-
out the Southland. The magazine
showed them in a photographic fea-
ture in the March issue and broad-
cast a series of inviting advertise-
ments on local stations.

Regional edition of Garden

LASCA 1

COLORFUL AVIAN VISITORS
FLOCK TO ARBORETUM LAKE

ESIDES ITS RENOWN with botanists
of the world, the Los Angeles
State and County Arboretum also
seems to enjoy a growing popularity
among members of the bird world.
Of course, the more than 200 resident
peafowl with the brilliant blue and
green trains are a regular attraction.
They are, however, only one of the
many fascinating bird species that
either live here year around or stop
by on their annual migrations.

Visitors during the Christmas holi-
days were treated to the spectacle
of a great egret swooping down on
the unsuspecting koi, bass and cat-
fish in the 4-acre Lasca Lagoon. Ac-
cording to Edna Fiore, active in both

as Voluntarias and the Audubon
Society, the bird was one of many
passing through on its way to the
Salton Sea.

This snow-white giant with its 7-
foot wing span was nearly extinct by
the turn of the century when fashion
called for ladies’ hats to be adorned
with filmy egret feathers. Fortunate-
ly, early environmentalists interven-
ed and the few surviving birds were
protected until a viable population
once again flew the now-friendly
skies. But they still face other threats.
They are losing their habitat to in-
creased development of our wet-
lands, and pesticides are affecting
egret eggs. As with another winged
monarch, the California condor, the
egrets eggs shells are much thinner
than normal, causing them to break
frequently, thus lowering the birds’
reproductive rate.

Brandt’s cormorant, a 3-foot tall
black seabird, normally travels in
flocks numbering in the hundreds,
scavenging along the Pacific Coast
and nesting in seaweed. Occasional-
ly, a few get lost and stray from the
rest. One place they may end up is
at the Arboretum where they were
spotted last fall and winter catching
their fish in the early morning.

Presently there are over a dozen
herons both the blue-crowned night
heron and the green heron, staked
out strategically around the lake.
These predators epitomize the vir-
tue of patience, often sitting stone-
still for what seems like hours await-
ing their finned prey. They seem to
have a favorite spot near the Queen
Anne Cottage where on a Saturday
in March, 11 herons were seen in a
single tree.

The blue-crowned heron is unusual
in that it tends to be a loner, fishin
and nesting by itself. These herons
can be recognized by their 3-inch
beaks, 3- to 5-foot wing span and
harsh “kwok” that resounds over the
lake area. Like most of the other
predators, they are out bright and
early catching breakfast.

Two of the most beautiful ducks
on the grounds are the wood ducks
and the ruddy ducks. The wood
ducks — glossy green and purple with
white stripes, chestnut breast and
black back — habitually winter in the
southwestern states and Mexico. Once

s

Jim Johnson

eS apr

One green heron perch
photo skims across the water.

ee

J

es on the Lasca Lagoon bridge as another in the upper

Jim Johnson

they find a location to their liking,
they are inclined to return each year.
This spring there are several pair who
appear to have found Lasca Lagoon
ideal. According to Mrs. Fiore, they
seem to be extending their migratory
range, so we could expect to see more
and more of them during the next few
winters. The ruddy duck, his entire
body a bright chestnut brown that
contrasts with his sky-blue beak, is a
year around resident that Mrs. Fiore
affectionately calls “the clown of
ducks.” Catch them at their antics

2 LASCA

as they busily bob around Lasca
Lagoon and you'll see why.

Not only are the birds at the Arbo-
retum beautiful, this year they are
especially plentiful. If Nature is
kind, these unusual transients may
become regular visitors to the Arbo-
retum grounds.

Jim Johnson

mo 8 a
A pair of
at the Arboretum.

wood ducks rests beside Lasca Lagoon during a spring stopover

SELLOUT CROWD ATTENDS
FIRST GARDEN SEMINAR
A SELLOUT CROWD of enthusiastic
gardeners attended the first of
three all-day seminars at the Los
Angeles State and County Arbore-
tum on Feb. 23. Most of the 100
people there were members of the
California Arboretum Foundation,
not because of any formal restriction,
but simply because members filled
the classes when they were given the
opportunity to make advance reser-
vations.

“Members came from all over,”
said Wendy Sekovich, Arboretum
education specialist and program co-
ordinator. “We had people from the
San Fernando Valley on the west to
San Bernardino to the east and Long
Beach on the south,” she added.

The level of information as pre-
sented by the six gardening experts
seemed to be just right for the audi-
ence. Terms such as microclimate,
compost, bud graft and anti-siphon
valve fell on the ears of gardeners
who already knew something about

the subjects and were eager to learn
more. Judging by the energetic tone
of conversations during intermis-
sions, everyone was anxious to go
home and put the newly acquired
information to use in his or her own

Joe Erby

gti

After learning about irrigation
handle the hardware.

landscape.

The rest of the spring series is also
filled, and many people are already
pressing Ms. Sekovich for informa-
tion about plans for subsequent
seminars.

in theory, gardening seminar students get to

LASCA 3

ARBORETUM CLIPPINGS CHEER
DEPRESSED ZOO GORILLAS

A ARE CONSIDERED to be among
the most intelligent of animals,
perhaps second to only man and dol-
phins. In the wilds there are plenty
of real-life situations occurring that
tend to keep the average gorilla busy,
certainly not bored. But pity the
captive gorilla.

According to Laine Courtney, an
official ape observer at the Los An-
geles County Zoo, gorillas are easily
bored and can drift into a state of
listless depression. Imagine, they al-
most never leave their constant living
quarters, never interacting normally
with other animals.

Zoo officials are currently experi-
menting to see if a more varied diet
would lift the apes’ spirits and var-
ious plants have been tried in an
attempt to determine the most
appealing delicacies. Mrs. Courtney
said that impressive results have been
recorded since the program began
six months ago. Data are constantly
being compiled not only in areas such
as the types of food the apes prefer
but their favorite colors as well. This
is where the Arboretum plays a major
role.

It was Mrs. Courtney who initially
approached Director Francis Ching
with a proposal to collect plant cut-
tings to see if the apes liked the dif-
ferent new tastes. Mr. Ching was
delighted that the Arboretum was
asked to participate and promised
full cooperation.

One reason that the Arboretum
was selected over other noted botanic
gardens is mostly because the zoo
cannot use any plants or trees that
have been treated with systemic
chemicals. The Arboretum doesn’t
use toxic chemicals on the vegetation
in question.

So each Wednesday morning a zoo
representative stops by the Arbore-
tum and picks up from one to four
large plastic bags full of clippings
collected by Arboretum gardener

Kenji Tokushige.

Lately the gorillas have sampled
passion vine, roses, banana and grape
leaves (but not the fruit) and their
favorite, paperleaf mulberry, said
Mrs. Courtney.

“They really go for the diversity,
all the different tastes. Our youngest
gorilla is seven years old and he pre-
fers roses. Not just the flower, but
the stem, the thorns, the whole
thing,” she added.

nother of the more interesting
results of this study was in the field
of color preference and differentia-
tion. “When we first started experi-
menting we were kidding around to
see if they preferred leaves and
flowers of any particular color. Now
that we've observed them for awhile
we definitely think that they do in-
deed prefer certain colors to others,

LuAnn Munns
pa

—

Fa A —?

Apes at the Los

Angeles zoo will soon be m

especially yellow and certain
whites,” she explained.

An experiment with regard to the
psychological effect of different col-
ors on the apes is still just an un-
proven hypothesis. The theory, if
proven, would state that apes are
affected by certain colors in much the
same way as humans. It is now gen-
erally accepted that red aggravates
humans while blues tend to induce
a calm, peaceful state of mind in
most people.

Thanks in part to the Arboretum,
these and many other experiments
will provide previously unknown
answers to questions about apes and
other primates. As an understand-
ably pleased Laine Courtney puts it,
“So far, it’s a very surprising experi-
ment that’s working out very, very
well.”

c

J Tas. ’ a " ~

‘et ‘ .

unching on the twigs that Kenji

Tokushige is gathering from a strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo).

4 LASCA

(LASCA continues after page 32)

Plant Portraits

Figs at the Arboretum

By Epwarp Murray

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< byoae”

M OST OF THE ROUGHLY 800 trees,

shrubs and vines in the tropi-
cal fig genus could be grown in
Southern California. E. J. H. Corner
reported some 470 species in the
Australasian-Asian region alone with
the rest found in Africa and tropical
America. Milky sap is found in most
species. The unusual fruit, a fleshy,
pear-shaped receptacle or fig, is most
often fertilized by only one species of
wasp. This fact is of great interest
to the scientists who study insects,
especially wasps. The wasp enters
through the small hole at the top of
the fig, unknowingly bringing along
pollen from another fig, and incident-
ally pollinating the stigmas while
finding a place to deposit eggs for
the next generation. This mutually
beneficial relationship between the
fig and the wasp has intrigued scien-
tists and amateurs for decades.

The most familiar of the Ficus
vines is the climbing fig (F. pumila)
which readily clings to buildings,
walls and fences as well as tree
trunks. This fig makes a fine ground-
cover except that it tends to climb
any shrub, tree or wall within reach.
As a vine it is unsurpassed on the
north-facing side of a building. The
delicate tracery of the small, rounded
leaves of its juvenile foliage is in
contrast with the much coarser,
larger and thicker adult foliage on

flowering and fruiting branches.
Apparently the plant needs to gain
only a very few feet of altitude to
permit the adult growth to appear.
At the Arboretum the creeping fig
is used both inside and outside the
west wall of the tropical greenhouse.
Here one may observe both the adult

and the juvenile growth.
e tree form is the most common
within the genus. One of the most
ore weeping trees is the Benja-
n fig (F. benjamina). Actually it
is a ie cultivar ‘Exotica’ that is most
often noticed in Los Angeles County.
There is another, more handsome

The asymmetrical leaves of Roxburgh’s fig (Ficus auriculata) are taboiat one

and one-half feet long by a foot wide.

LASCA 5

Tallac Knoll
hoe fruits

>

cultivar, F. benjamina ‘Variegata,
which should be more widely grown
because most of the leaves are cream
with some green variegation or mot-
tling. This makes for a very striking
color contrast against the background
of preponderant greens in the land-
scape.

Another beautifully variegated fig
is the clown fig (F. aspera‘Parcellii’),
that is often mistakenly called F.
parcellii. Its leaves are handsomely
marbled cream and green; in fact
there are two shades of green, a pale,
gray-green and a deeper, medium
matte green. There is also a soft,
felty-hairy feel to the obliquely based
leaves. In the shade allac
Knoll it has developed into a beauti-
ful small tree quite well-suited to the
small suburban garden. Some shade
and protection are recommended for
it to succeed in our climate.

Roxburgh’s fig (F. auriculata) is a
small to medium-sized tree whose im-
mense leaves have a few small teeth
along the leaf margin. These ever-
green leaves create a bold, tropical
look. There is no confusing this
large-leaved fig with the other trees
in the fig collection.

“ = ,* é
ee aie climbing fie (Ficus anil’ clambers sconce: coarse gears Solan
replaces the smaller, round juvenile leave:

Of the shrubs, the most commonly
cultivated worldwide is the common
edible fig.(F. carica) which may be
used as a tub plant or as a large, de-
ciduous shrub or small tree for the

ome orchard. In California there
are usually two crops: the first comes
in June from last season’s growth;
the second crop comes from August
to November on the current season’s
growth. One may find it necessary
to cover the shrub or small tree with
mosquito netting to keep the birds
from devouring the figs. Plant young
figs in wire baskets to protect the
roots from pocket gophers. Three of
the better cultivars for the home gar-
den are ‘Blue Celeste’ whose fruit
resists spoilage, ‘Genoa’ which per-
forms well in the home garden and
‘Mission’ whose black-purple figs are
borne on large trees.

The Indian laurel fig (F. micro-
carpa), native to the Indo-Malayan
region of southern and southeastern
Asia, is used as a heavily sheared
street tree in Glendora, Pasadena and
Hollywood. If allowed to grow on
its own it can become a large, tall
tree. The common cultivar is ‘Nitida’
with dense foliage and a more up-
right growth habit. Its leaves are a
shiny green and the leaf-tips are
bluntly pointed. It was once called
F. retusa ‘Nitida.’ Fortunately the
name ‘microcarpa’ (meaning small-
fruited) aptly describes the decided-
ly small figs of the Indian laurel fig.

The Peepul or Bo tree (F. religiosa)
is the sacred Indian tree beneath
which Gautama Buddha is said to
have received divine inspiration. This
species may live to be 2,000 to 3,000
years old. Bo tree planted at
Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka is known
to have been planted in the year 288
B.C. An almost continuous record
has been kept of this particular tree
and the steps that have been taken
to preserve it through the successive
centuries. In the village of Dean-
Pitya in Sri Lanka over 100 huts
stand in the shade of one Bo tree.

6 LASCA

The tree is hardy in Southern Cali-
fornia but it grows better in the high-
er humidity of Florida and Hawaii.
At the Arboretum there is a nice
specimen in the bow] on top of Tallac
Knoll. Look for the fig with very
long, slender leaf tips.

The sycamore fig (F. sycomorus)
not only has its own wasp for polli-
nation but was known in Biblical
days as one of the few broad-leaved
evergreen trees that could be culti-
vated in Palestine. In both the Old
Testament of the Jews and the New
Testament of the Christians there is
mention of the sycamore fig. In fact,
a rather short man named Zaccheus
purportedly climbed a sycamore fig
in order to catch a glimpse of Jesus.
The best tree of this species at the
Arboretum is in the circle atop Tallac

In the Virginia Robinson Gardens
in Beverly Hills there are stay
trees that appear to be Watkin’s fig
(F. watkinsiana) displaying or
roots which eventually reach the
ground to help support the heavy
limbs. The medium-sized leaves of
this Australian native are a hand-
some dark green and the smooth
trunk is gray. The combination of
higher humidity and temperatures
that are warmer in winter and cooler
in summer near the Pacific Ocean
probably accounts for the aerial roots
in Beverly Hills. In Arcadia it is
drier and few aerial roots form.

The Arboretum has a very fine
collection of figs primarily due to the
efforts and generosity of Dr. Ira J.
Condit who was a professor of horti-
culture at the Citrus Experiment
Station of the University of Califor-
nia at Riverside. Dr, Condit is well-
known for his study of the cultivated
figs and his numerous articles and
books on the subject. His book Ficus;
the exotic species (1969) is consid-
ered the “Bible” for horticulturists
who grow figs. Dr. Condit also wrote
about the common cultivated fig (F.
carica) and its numerous cultivars.

Above: Leaves of the Bo tree (Ficus religiosa).

Below: haba roots of a fig ne is mane i Ficus Se

4p :

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CMOGGS 7. “,* .

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A visit to Tallac Knoll to see the
variety of fig trees would be very
rewarding. The figs are located along
the tram road west of the grove of

native oak trees.

a
Dr. Murray, who obtained his PhD
at the Pennsylvania State University,
is a staff biologist at the Los Angeles
State and County Arboretum. (Photos
by LuAnn Munns)

LASCA 7

Off to a flying start Robert Tyrrell
(seated) and his heh Esther, talk to

first-eve.

ma. Norm on au
thors signed 144 copies of their first
book for the kick off party

— ——.
em mM

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LuAnn Munns

LOS ANGELES STATE AND
COUNTY ARBORETUM, Arcadia
MAY 5 — 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
BALDWIN BONANZA XV
California Arboretum Foundation

Epiphyllum Society of America
MAY 25, 26, 27 — 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Bonsa i Sho
Santa ‘Anh Bonsai Society
JUNE 1, 2—9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Satsuki and Azalea Show
Satsuki and Azalea Society
JUNE 8, 9 — 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Gladiolus Show
Southern California Gladiolus Society
JUNE 15 through 30 —
9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Mixed media art show
Women Artists of the American West

JULY 6, 7— :30 p.m.
Cactus and Succulent Show
Cactus & Succulent Society of America

JULY 13, 14 — 1 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday
abe he to 4:30 p.m. Sunday
Miniature Ros

h
San Gabriel Valley Rose &
Horticultural Soci
JULY 20, 21 — 1 - 4:30 p.m. Saturday
sty m. to 4:30 p.m. Sunday
Begonia Sho
San Gabriel Valley Begonia Society

CALENDAR OF EVENTS
MAY, JUNE, JULY 1985

JULY 22 through 28 —

9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Art Show

Mid-Valley Arts wei

All events sponsored by

California Arboretum fates

DESCANSO GARDENS, La Canada
APRIL 26 through MAY 30 —
9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Artist of the Month
nn Fash
MAY 11, 12 — Noon to 5 p.m. Saturday
Me Hr to 4 p.m. Sunday
Geranium Show and Sale
International Gevadiins Society
MAY 18, 1

c
Glendale Cara ube Society
MAY 26 through JUNE 2 —
9a 0 5p.m.
Antique Doll and Leal Exhibit
Museum of a ee

JUNE8—9a aa p.m
Remerocaliie ad Amaryl lis Show
Southern Cali oe a Heneiveaiie and
Amaryllis

JUNE 22 ‘hroush 30 — Ya.m. to 5 p.m.
Bonsai Show
Descanso Bonsai Society

All events sponsored by the
Descanso Gardens Guild

SOUTH COAST BOTANIC

GARDEN, Palos iealig Peninsula

MAY 4,5 —9a.m
FIESTA DE FLORES
South oer ea Botanic Garden
Foundatio

MAY 1 sae

Special Mothers ig pil con

El Camino College B

MAY 18, 19 — 1 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday

10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sunday

Rose Show

South Coast Rose Societ
JUNE 1, nabs res ‘to 430 pam . Sat.
0 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday
Fuchsia

South Gout Branch of the National
Fuchsia Socie

South Coast Cactus & Saccitens Society
JUNE 23

Book Signing

"Hummingbirds: Their Life

and Behavio

Robert and Esther Tyrrell
JUNE 30 — 2

“Learn to he ‘Fun Arranging Flowers

from Your Own Garden in an Informal

Fashion,” a lecture

Dorothy Copeland

All events sponsored by the
South Coast Botanic Garden Guild.

8 LASCA