Early-Spreading Wild Cucumber Climbs Fast Once It Starts to Rain
What's cool as a cucumber, bitter as the biblical waters of Marah, and so well-rooted in the Bay Area that pulling it up is futile?
Botany
Presidio’s forest resists the sands of time
The Presidio in San Francisco is a forested oasis, home to around 300 bird species. But once upon a time, the park was coastal dunes with nutrient-poor, shifting soils. Just...
Let It Rain: Two Short Strolls at Point Reyes
Now that the winter rains have finally found us here along the central California coast, my attention focuses on finding weather windows for walks in the wild. During a gentle...
Containing an Invasive Weed at Thornewood Preserve
Thornewood Open Space Preserve above the town of Woodside isn't easy to find--unless you're a weed. This area is the only site in California where the plant has been found,...
What’s the Secret of Nectar?
Q: When I see bees and hummingbirds feasting on even tiny flowers, I wonder if each flower replenishes the nectar supply, or is it a one-time offering?
Marin passes new tree cutting ordinance
The new Marin ordinance restricts the number of trees residents can cut down a year from five to two. But salmon advocates say it doesn't go far enough in protecting...
Book Review: Oaks in the Urban Landscape: Selection, Care, and Preservation
By Laurence R. Costello, Bruce W. Hagen, and Katherine S. Jones, UC Agriculture and Natural Resources (anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu), 2011, 265 pages, $55. As Californians continue moving into woodlands, we are loving...
Saving Bay Area Ecosystems, One Chorus Frog at a Time
If you happen to be in El Cerrito and hear a frog calling, or catch sight of a large yellow butterfly flitting through your yard, it might be Jim McKissock's...
Watch Out for Invading Sea Lavender
Advocates for native plants and wetlands say now is the time to worry about Algerian sea lavender, an invasive plant that barely has a toehold at the moment. If it...
The Subtleties of Knowland Park
Knowland Park might be the City of Oakland's largest park--about 500 acres--but it's mostly known as the home of the Oakland Zoo. We visit the park with some native plant...
