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| DECEMBER 2020 NEWSLETTER |
Re-Oak Solano CountyJoin a statewide effort to re-oak California by helping plant acorns in Benicia open space areas on December 12 and December 17. After the wildfire season in 2017 CNPS launched Re-Oak California, a project where commnities across the state gather, sort, and distribute local acorns and seedlings to get new oaks planted from nearby trees. Click here to register for one or both of these local opportunities to grow these iconic trees which are a defining feasutre of California savannas and woodlands. This year, the Jepson Chapter was approached by the Benicia Tree Foundation to help grow plant material for use in their project to expand the oak woodland habitat in the Lake Herman watershed. Their project started on a pilot basis in 2014 with the City of Benicia which owns the land surrounding Lake Herman, a reservoir created on Sulphur Springs Creek in 1905. The Benicia Parks Recreation and Cemetery Commission has approved plans to expand planting in the watershed. [READ MORE]
Benicia Tree Foundation volunteers planting acorns at the Lake Herman Open Space. |
Volunteer Profile: Nursery Volunteer Jan de Giere
 Did you ever wonder who grows all those beautiful plants you buy at the Willis Linn Jepson plant sale? Our volunteers! One of them is Jan de Giere, retired school library tech and plant propagator extraordinaire.Jan has been surrounded by native plants all her life. She was born and raised on a farm in Capell Valley, Napa County. She was one of 7 kids, and the family kept dairy cows until Jan was 10. She and her siblings helped in the family vegetable garden and around the farm - carrying hay to the cows, feeding the chickens, gathering eggs, etc. The hillsides and pastures were full of native plants, and every spring Jan would go out to see what was blooming. The area was host to chaparral plants of all kinds, including lots of manzanita. [READ MORE]
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Stop by the CNPS Store for Holiday GiftsShare your love for native plants by giving a CNPS membership this holiday season! Your giftee will receive the CNPS quarterly magazine Flora, the scientific journal Fremontia, and listings for virtual events and presentations as well as covid-safe volunteer opportunities with native plants. And the cost of gift memberships are tax deductible. The CNPS online store also offers native plant books, posters, prints, t-shirts, and garden signs. It's all available at affordable prices, and all purchases support the CNPS mission.  |
Native Plant News from Sister Organizations A Flora of Napa County is Published: The Flora was authored by Jake Ruygt, a botanist and Conservation Chair of the Napa Valley Chapter of CNPS. The book compiles over 30 years of field research on the native plants found in Napa County, their indigenous uses, and scientific descriptions. Jake’s aim is to inspire all individuals to learn about the unique and invaluable native environment, and to share the botanical history of Napa County with the next generation. The book includes historical information, species descriptions, beautiful color plates, and detailed botanical illustrations. It is a must-have complete reference book and field guide for anyone interested in exploring the native plants of Napa County. Click here to order, for shipping or pickup after Dec. 1. The Breeding Birds of Solano County is on Sale: The Napa Solano Audubon Society has announced that the 2nd edition of their beautiful coffee table book, Breeding Birds of Solano County, is now on sale for the holidays. The second edition is 1 inch smaller in both width and height (12" wide by 11" tall), and includes the latest taxonomy and conservation status updates, modifications, and some minor corrections, as well as the original descriptions and stunning photographs. Click here to order online. Wayne Roderick Lectures will be Online for the 2020-21 Season: Every year the Friends of the Regional Parks Botanic Garden sponsors free public lectures on a broad array of topics related to plants and natural history. The lecture series is named in honor of its founder, Wayne Roderick. Wayne was the director of the Regional Parks Botanic Garden from 1976 to 1983, and was a world-known California native plantsman. This year the sponsors are adapting the lecture series to an on-line format, which is anticipated to begin in early December. When all the logistics are worked out, the schedule of lectures will be posted at this link (Click here). |
Plant of the MonthDiplacus 'Fiesta Marigold' (Fiesta Marigold Monkeyflower)
This herbaceous perennial subshrub blooms profusely with eye-popping flowers resembling the full skirts traditionally worn in Mexico at fiesta time. The flower centers are a deep velvety orange, surrounded by five petals of rich maroon with orange-fringed edges. They are flashy and festive, with narrow, deep green leaves for a backdrop. (Note: you may have heard monkeyflower called by its old name -- Mimulus. However, most Mimulus were reclassified in 2012 as Diplacus, based on their DNA.)  Fiesta marigold monkeyflower photo by FarOutFlora, via Creative Commons, NC-ND2.0 |
UPCOMING EVENTS
- Volunteer opportunities Monday or Thursday, 10 to Noon at Jepson Native Plant Nursery, Contact Barbara
- Click for CNPS Calendar of Events: During this period of social distancing, many chapters are pleased to offer virtual programs to CNPS members and the community. here
- Click for December lecture series offered by the Center for Environmental Inquiry here
- December 12, 9:00 AM, Lake Herman Open Space Acorn Planting
- December 16, 7:00 PM, Visions of the Wild Festival, Art & Nature: Dispatch from Tajikistan.
- December 17, 9:00 AM Lake Herman Open Space Acorn Planting
- December 18, 6:00 PM, Winners of Wreath Masters Competition.
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CNPS Statewide Website | Jepson Chapter Website     
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