By Susan Lewitt, for Let’s Talk Plants! October 2024.
Mind Your Elder(berries) and Enjoy the CNPS Fall Plant Sale, Oct 19, at its New Location - Sikes Adobe Farmstead!
The California Native Plant Society’s new plant sale location, the Sikes Adobe Historic Farmstead was restored in 2004, but then a fire destroyed all but several adobe walls. Since those were still standing, the original contractors were allowed to rebuild it as a restoration and it reopened in June 2010. This house is part of San Diego’s rustic past. It “preserves the legacy of dry farming in the latter part of the 19th century.”
Zena Sikes started this farm in the 1870s on land that was originally Kumeyaay territory. His family joined him later. The home started out very small and eventually became a seven-room house. You will have the opportunity to take a tour of the house and displays, giving you an impression of 19th century farm life. For more information of Sikes Adobe Historic Farmstead see: https://www.sdrp.org/history-of-sikes-adobe-and-the-sikes-family/
At the sale, there will be a very wide variety of wonderful native plants to choose from such as Manzanitas, Ceanothus, Oaks and Milkweed, but the plants do sell out. If you have a list of desired plants and alternatives, you have a good chance of getting plants that will work for your landscaping needs. There will be experts to help you make sound choices for your situation, whether you need drought tolerant plants, plants for riparian areas, trees, shrubs, or perennials, or something else.
Native plants are more than just their beauty. Among the choices, there will be native plants that feed you, and the wild native fauna. Remember, the Kumeyaay thrived for hundreds of years by using just the native species around them and found plenty to eat, and to use for shelter, clothing, tools, medicine, and other necessities. Some of the native plants with edible parts that the Kumeyaay used that may be available at the plant sale include Elderberry, Wild Strawberry, Cherry, and Grape, Bladderpod, Mesquite, and Oak. Miner’s lettuce may only be available as seed.
Woodland strawberries, Fragaria vesca, and Beach strawberries, Fragaria chiloensis, may have tiny berries, but they are delicious. Both are typically available in local native nurseries and the CNPS native plant sale.
Black Elderberry, Sambucus nigra, is commonly native to a large portion of the world. It is found in Europe, parts of Africa, parts of Asia, and western North America, including California. Blue Elderberry, Sambucus caerulea, is also native here and found in many parts of the world. Both are available in local nurseries, but the Blue Elderberry is more available. If you have space for a fast growing, small tree, or shrub, these plants are a good choice, getting to maximum of 30 feet tall and 20 feet wide, but may be kept smaller. They are both winter deciduous and bloom in the spring with cream or white flowers that turn into clusters of green berries that darken into bluish black for the Black Elderberry and more bluish for the
Blue Elderberry. The Blue Elderberry will also bloom during the summer.
The berries can be messy, which means that they should not be planted where they might drop onto cars, concrete or any hardscape that might stain. The black elderberry fits in well with many of the native chaparral and woodland plants. Firs, Abies spp., Pines, Pinus spp., Manzanita, Arctostaphylos spp., Ceanothus spp., Toyon, Heteromeles arbutifolia, Mahonia/Barberry, Berberis spp., and Currant/Gooseberry, Ribes spp., are some plants that make up a nice grouping with Black Elderberry. The Blue elderberry will be a good companion with Toyon, Heteromeles arbutifolia, Coast Live Oak, and White Flowering Currant. There are a possible nineteen butterflies and other pollinators that are supported by the Black Elderberry and twenty-three that visit the Blue Elderberry. Both may be visited by the lacy Admetovis oxymorus. Many fruit-eating native birds rely on the berries of both. Elderberry also supports caterpillars. Bees will visit the Blue Elderberry.
When installing this plant, look for an area with medium speed draining soil. Just about any type of soil is acceptable for these elderberries. It will need watering during the summer about twice a month once established, but more frequently as a new plant. When it is leafless in the winter, it may be pruned to give it a more balanced form. It will fill out in the spring.
The berries of these plants may be consumed ONLY after cooking, otherwise THEY ARE NOT SAFE TO EAT for people. They have been cooked into jam, jelly, chutney and soup. The berries and flowers are used to make wine, drink flavoring syrups and cordials. Make sure you follow the recipe very carefully if you have not used this plant before, or better yet, leave the leaves, flowers and fruit for the birds to enjoy. When in doubt, just leave the berries for the birds and they will appreciate that!
The CNPS Native Plant sale will be from 9 am to 3 pm on October 19. The address is 12655 Sunset Drive, Escondido, California, 92025.
To prevent confusion, shoppers may start lining up at 8 am along the driveway by the CASHIERS. If you have special needs, there will be an alternate line near the HOLDING AREA. For more details such as volunteering, parking, and purchases, please go to: https://www.cnpssd.org/fall-plant-sale-2024 or plantsale@cnpssd.org
Susan Lewitt is a member of the California Native Plant Society (CNPS), participating in their Native Gardening Committee, and their Conservation Committee.
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