Contained Natives

By Guest Blogger Troy McGregor

Placing natives in containers won’t win you many points for sustainability and some hard core native plant enthusiasts would happily throw me to the (mountain) lions for suggesting the idea. So why would I encourage you to try it? There are a number of reasons.

Many homeowners have limited space and others have no visible dirt at all. Maybe you’re tired of the heavy clays eating your compost and burping out that once sparkling little plant that would have preferred better drainage. Spring flowering bulbs and perennials that require summer dormancy can be relocated to a shady spot until the rains renew them. Containers allow you to take control of the soil and adjust it to suit the plants that you want to grow.

Pot size really depends on the size you expect your plant to grow to. My Coffeeberry (see picture below) looks a little out of scale in its current pot, but after a few seasons will have filled in nicely. Grasses and bulbs work well in smaller pots (at least 12”x12”) as you may want to lift and divide them after a few seasons to make more plants and renew their vigor.

Potting soil can be tricky as it needs to hold enough moisture during the warm months to keep the plants alive while draining reasonably well in the wet months. I tried a mixture from a soil yard that I thought was a winner but failed me miserably. It was mostly sand with some lava rock for drainage and coconut coir for moisture retention. What I didn’t realize was that the components were far too small which resulted in most of my plants drowning… in summer no less. After some research I added bark and pumice to the mix and now I have happy plants. I’ve attached a link (below) to a forum where this is discussed in greater detail. It’s a little long but well worth reading.

I’m sure I’m not the only gardener to make a boo-boo and mess up a plants cultural requirements…     “What’s with that fern turning brown in the sun?” Containers allow us to move plants into parts of the yard that make them happy and satisfy our need for a change of scenery.

Here’s a list of some natives I’ve had success with.

Shrubs
Arctostaphylos spp. (Manzanita)
Remember scale and mature size.
Ceanothus spp. (California Lilac)
‘Dark Star’ and ‘Skylark’ both responded well. Required pruning.
Mahonia aquifolium (Oregon grape)
A pot is a great way to keep this prickly little bugger in check.
Rhamnus californica (California Coffeeberry)
Both ‘Leatherleaf’ and ‘Mound San Bruno’ do well.
Ribes spp.
Both the currents and gooseberries respond well in containers.
Rosa californica (California Rose)
Same as Mahonia.

Perennials

Aster chilensis (California Aster)
‘Purple Haze’ is my favorite.
Dudleya spp. (Live Forevers)
D. brittonii, D. pulverulenta and D. cymosa all do well. Limit summer water.
Epilobium spp. (California Fuschia)
 These plants are great in hanging baskets. Hummingbirds-1 Cats-0
Mimulus (Monkey Flower)
Any of the hybrids will work. Also try M. aurantiacus and M. flemingii.
Monardella villosa (Cotote Mint)
 Easy in containers with lavender flowers for the butterflies. Smells great.
Romneya coulteri (Matilija poppy)
 I have this in a larger container and expect it to do well. Stay tuned.
Salvia apiana (White Sage)
 All sages do well but some have extensive root systems. Use larger pots.
Solanum spp. (Blue Witch, Nightshade) (Poisonous)
 S. umbelliferum or S. xantii work well. Mine are still flowering now.
Trichostema lanatum (Woolly Blue Curls)
 Excels in a container with good drainage.
Verbena lilacina 'De la Mina'
 Bulletproof in a pot and a long season bloomer.

Bulbs
Any of our native bulbs do well in pots. Just remember to cut off the water in summer after the blooms have finished.

This list is far from exhaustive and I’ll keep trying new plant combinations as long as I have pots to pot in. Remember, space isn’t a limiting factor when designing with natives. Matching the right plant with the right pot in the right location is the key. Happy (native) potting.

Resources:

Container Soil
http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/contain/msg031557203792.html

Comments

[Mary Beth]

I love your suggestion of containers when you garden in clay! When we did some remodeling, I had to consolidate my pots in a "holding area" - The holding area was a planting bed that everything struggled in - I had always thought I was doing something wrong there - but the potted items did great! I finally reached the conclusion that I had been knocking my head against the wall by trying to get plants to flourish in that heavy clay. I'm all about the pots!

[Renate]

Very nice Troy! I'm amazed that the Epilobium did well. I have a lot of shade in my garden and have done well with ferns and heucheras. Also a rhododendron occidentale. I've found that many natives do very well in puts, must be the drainage.

[susan (garden-chick)]

Troy, the best thing about having you guest blog is I get to learn new things myself. Other than native penstemon, I don't think I've ever used a native in a pot and probably would have been hesitant to - thanks for the thoroughness of your info.

[Troy]

Which came first, the Native or the Pot? Hmmm

Mary Beth- Pots are a great way to experiment with natives as well as a total solution for some species. Personally I never got the 'Amend the Clay' theory. Adding amendments for 20 years to get a friable soil... no thanks. Containers, raised beds and berms are the doorway to a world of happy gardening in heavy soils. The other option is to grow local species, however I'll leave that exciting and current topic for another post.

Renate - I'd love to see a picture of your rhododendron occidentale, are you able to send a copy? I have 20 of the cultivar ‘Irene Koster’ here at the moment that will no doubt find happy homes shortly. I used both my white form and the 'UC Hybrid' cultivar of the Epilobium. The hanging baskets are 18" deep by 12" wide. I used a mix with a fair amount of coir and watered them once a week. They looked incredible... this year I'll get photo's.

Susan - Apart from my earlier efforts in plant drowning, I've not had a problem with many natives in containers. I've been told that our native Salvias have too large a root system to do well, however I have three mother plants that would prove that theory wrong.

[Jess]

Troy,
So many container plants to try, so little time and space...

I have a Lavatera assurgentiflora in a medium-sized pot that has shot up from a little gallon plant last spring to about 4 feet now. I'm afraid it may be root-bound. How does one know when it is time to repot into a larger size, and is this a risky procedure? I'm hoping for a nice show of flowers on it this spring. Thanks!!

[Troy]

Hi Jess, thanks for bringing our Channel Island native mallow into the conversation. For those not familiar with the species its worth checking out. It blooms all summer with rose to pink flowers similar (kind of) to hibiscus but a lot more hardy.

This is a great option for a larger container as the plant can reach up to 8'x8' or taller when happy. Take to it after the rains have finished with the pruners to keep it in check.

Now is a great time to pot up and let those roots stretch out a bit. The main thing to look for when its liberated from camp '1 Gallon" are curling roots. Try to straighten these out as best as possible without breaking them.

Try under planting with Artemisia pycnocephala ‘David's Choice’ for contrast. Alternativley Sidalcea malviflora 'Palustre' or Mirabilis californica for a complete pink flower theme. All will break up the hard edge of the container.

[lostlandscape]

I like your ideas for reasons to use pots. Yours look great, and they can solve a few problems for plants that don't get along with typical garden conditions. I've had a dudleya in pots for years that's been a showstopper, and a new addition is a baja galvezia (juncea) species that tops out at a manageable size. I'll look forward to how your romneya does. I've been too terrified to let it loose in the ground in my small garden spaces.

I guess there's an aesthetic battle brewing here too. Do plants in pots represent too much control of nature for the died-in-the-wool natives set? I'd think people would be happy for all of us to use more natives, potted or liberated into the earth...

[Troy]

I have both Galvezia 'Firecracker' and 'Boca Rosa' in medium sized containers and they both perform well. These are mother plants and are always being raided for cuttings so they stay compact. I've wanted to try Galvezia juncea for a while now so I'd love to hear how yours does.

http://www.plantoftheweek.org/week179.shtml

I've planted Romneya in the ground before by cutting the bottom out of a 15 gallon container and sinking it down with the plant as a root barrier. It seems to be working. I'll keep you posted on the container version.

Here's my two cents on natives: Protect and restore the wild places before it's too late and practice minimal impact, wildlife-friendly gardening at home.

Native plants require less water, minimal to no fertilizer and are almost pest free (not all bugs are bad). At a time when resources are being stretched, good design and good information can move native gardens from niche to mainstream.

The soap box is back in the cupboard :)