Californication

[epiphyte]

Californication was a pretty good show.   But which show is the greatest?  It is, according to Richard Dawkins, evolution.   

In this post I'm gonna use the word "Californication" to refer to the process of plants adapting to California's conditions.  Anybody who grows plants outdoors here in California participates in this process, but it is not something that we generally talk about.  

Around a decade ago I sowed some orchid seeds on my tree and quite a few germinated...

Last year the largest seedling bloomed for the first time...

In this blog entry you can see pics of the largest seedling over the years.  Plus you can see a pic of the smallest seedling.  

Some orchid seed pods contain a million seeds.  Since each seed is different, we'd expect there to be quite a bit of variation among the seeds in a single pod.  We've all heard the expression "the apple didn't fall far from the tree".   But if a million apples fall from a tree... 

More variation means faster adaptation.  Of course I'd love to have an epiphytic orchid that doesn't require any supplemental water here in California.  Such an orchid though would essentially be capable of naturalizing in California.  

On the one hand, in terms of traditional conservation, it is a bad thing for non-native plants to naturalize.  But on the other hand, everybody who grows non-native plants outdoors facilitates their eventual naturalization.  

Traditional conservation is a zero-sum game.  For example, adding Aloe dichotoma to California's wilderness would result in the subtraction of Hesperoyucca whipplei.  In any case, anybody who is pro-conservation will certainly be opposed to Aloe dichotoma's naturalization.  Yet, everybody in California who grows Aloe dichotoma is helping to select for individuals that are more and more capable of naturalization.   People who grow Aloe dichotoma from seed are especially "guilty".  

I personally haven't grown Aloe dichotoma from seed, but have grown plenty of other Aloes from seeds.  Out of all the different Aloe species and hybrids, which is the closest to being capable of naturalizing?  Every plant in California can be ranked according to how close it is to being able to naturalize.  

Aeoniums are ranked higher than Tillandsias, but which is the highest ranked Tillandsia?  Tillandsia usneoides would seem like it should be higher ranked than Tillandsia aeranthos, but for some reason the latter volunteers for me far more than the former.  I've given away 100s of Tillandsia aeranthos volunteers over the years.  It might be my imagination but the most recent batch of volunteers seem smaller than my original plants...

The original plants are from my friend's greenhouse where they had been volunteering for years.  They hadn't been selected for temperature or moisture, until he gave most of them to me.  Since then they've been subjected to temps below freezing and up to 116F, as well as cold wet rain and summer drought.  Plus they've probably been crossed with Tillandsia stricta, tenuifolia, bergeri and other compatible Tillandsias.

Absent any human intervention or natural disaster, Tillandsias would have eventually made their way to California.  The same is true of Canada.  

Here's a relevant post... Tillandsia usneoides (forms and hybrids).  Seva lives in Virginia near the edge of T. usneoides' natural distribution.  He is experimenting with growing different forms of usneoides outdoors.  It stands to reason that the non-native forms will naturally be cross-pollinated with the native forms.  Increasing the size of the gene pool should facilitate the northern expansion of the Spanish Moss.  From the perspective of the Spanish Moss this is a good thing.  But from the perspective of traditional conservation?  Traditional conservation is opposed to facilitating colonization.  Well, it is ok for birds and squirrels to help move Spanish Moss northwards, but not ok for humans to do so.  

Today I noticed that Silas bumped my thread about Hoya/Dischidia cold tolerance.   Hoya carnosa is relatively cold tolerant and last year I sowed some seeds of it...

One of the seedlings already has peduncles on it with buds just starting to form.  

Here are some red Brugmansia hybrids that I grew from seed...

I've also grown various Begonias from seed, such as Begonia umbraculifera... 

And here are some Aeoniums that I've grown from seed (Aeonium Cyclops)...

Easy to see the variation in colors, but not easy to see the variation in suitability to California's conditions.  

There was only one year where I had Aeoniums volunteer in my garden.  Probably wasn't a coincidence that it was a relatively wet winter.  It is kinda surprising how much moisture succulent seeds need to germinate.  

Tracy asked about the effectiveness of sprinkling orchid seeds.  Lots of people here in SoCal grow reed-stem Epidendrum orchids, which readily produce numerous viable seeds, which end up being sprinkled by the wind.  The seeds rarely germinate though, for the same reason that Aeoniums and Echeverias rarely volunteer... inadequate moisture.  

If you sow reed-stem seeds on slightly moist New Zealand Sphagnum that is in a slightly open zip lock bag that is by a bright window then voila...

The same method has worked with Bletilla striata seeds.  Guessing that it would also work with Sobralia macrantha seeds.  

In every batch of seeds though some are going to need less moisture to germinate than others.  Variation is nature's way of hedging bets.  It is the basis of adaptation and colonization.  

Of course I don't want every plant to colonize California.  But as it is, California isn't nearly diverse enough for me.  Not that I go around trying to directly introduce plants into the wild.  However I do certainly directly participate in a process that will eventually result in a far more diverse California.  And I'm definitely not alone!  Lots and lots of people participate in this process.  

What do you think about Californication?  How well do you perceive the process of countless non-native plants being selected for by California's conditions?  

 

 

 

[kinzyjr]

1 hour ago, epiphyte said:

Californication was a pretty good show. 

And a decent song by the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

[Silas_Sancona]

17 hours ago, epiphyte said:

Californication was a pretty good show.   But which show is the greatest?  It is, according to Richard Dawkins, evolution.   

In this post I'm gonna use the word "Californication" to refer to the process of plants adapting to California's conditions.  Anybody who grows plants outdoors here in California participates in this process, but it is not something that we generally talk about.  

Around a decade ago I sowed some orchid seeds on my tree and quite a few germinated...

Last year the largest seedling bloomed for the first time...

In this blog entry you can see pics of the largest seedling over the years.  Plus you can see a pic of the smallest seedling.  

Some orchid seed pods contain a million seeds.  Since each seed is different, we'd expect there to be quite a bit of variation among the seeds in a single pod.  We've all heard the expression "the apple didn't fall far from the tree".   But if a million apples fall from a tree... 

More variation means faster adaptation.  Of course I'd love to have an epiphytic orchid that doesn't require any supplemental water here in California.  Such an orchid though would essentially be capable of naturalizing in California.  

On the one hand, in terms of traditional conservation, it is a bad thing for non-native plants to naturalize.  But on the other hand, everybody who grows non-native plants outdoors facilitates their eventual naturalization.  

Traditional conservation is a zero-sum game.  For example, adding Aloe dichotoma to California's wilderness would result in the subtraction of Hesperoyucca whipplei.  In any case, anybody who is pro-conservation will certainly be opposed to Aloe dichotoma's naturalization.  Yet, everybody in California who grows Aloe dichotoma is helping to select for individuals that are more and more capable of naturalization.   People who grow Aloe dichotoma from seed are especially "guilty".  

I personally haven't grown Aloe dichotoma from seed, but have grown plenty of other Aloes from seeds.  Out of all the different Aloe species and hybrids, which is the closest to being capable of naturalizing?  Every plant in California can be ranked according to how close it is to being able to naturalize.  

Aeoniums are ranked higher than Tillandsias, but which is the highest ranked Tillandsia?  Tillandsia usneoides would seem like it should be higher ranked than Tillandsia aeranthos, but for some reason the latter volunteers for me far more than the former.  I've given away 100s of Tillandsia aeranthos volunteers over the years.  It might be my imagination but the most recent batch of volunteers seem smaller than my original plants...

The original plants are from my friend's greenhouse where they had been volunteering for years.  They hadn't been selected for temperature or moisture, until he gave most of them to me.  Since then they've been subjected to temps below freezing and up to 116F, as well as cold wet rain and summer drought.  Plus they've probably been crossed with Tillandsia stricta, tenuifolia, bergeri and other compatible Tillandsias.

Absent any human intervention or natural disaster, Tillandsias would have eventually made their way to California.  The same is true of Canada.  

Here's a relevant post... Tillandsia usneoides (forms and hybrids).  Seva lives in Virginia near the edge of T. usneoides' natural distribution.  He is experimenting with growing different forms of usneoides outdoors.  It stands to reason that the non-native forms will naturally be cross-pollinated with the native forms.  Increasing the size of the gene pool should facilitate the northern expansion of the Spanish Moss.  From the perspective of the Spanish Moss this is a good thing.  But from the perspective of traditional conservation?  Traditional conservation is opposed to facilitating colonization.  Well, it is ok for birds and squirrels to help move Spanish Moss northwards, but not ok for humans to do so.  

Today I noticed that Silas bumped my thread about Hoya/Dischidia cold tolerance.   Hoya carnosa is relatively cold tolerant and last year I sowed some seeds of it...

One of the seedlings already has peduncles on it with buds just starting to form.  

Here are some red Brugmansia hybrids that I grew from seed...

I've also grown various Begonias from seed, such as Begonia umbraculifera... 

And here are some Aeoniums that I've grown from seed (Aeonium Cyclops)...

Easy to see the variation in colors, but not easy to see the variation in suitability to California's conditions.  

There was only one year where I had Aeoniums volunteer in my garden.  Probably wasn't a coincidence that it was a relatively wet winter.  It is kinda surprising how much moisture succulent seeds need to germinate.  

Tracy asked about the effectiveness of sprinkling orchid seeds.  Lots of people here in SoCal grow reed-stem Epidendrum orchids, which readily produce numerous viable seeds, which end up being sprinkled by the wind.  The seeds rarely germinate though, for the same reason that Aeoniums and Echeverias rarely volunteer... inadequate moisture.  

If you sow reed-stem seeds on slightly moist New Zealand Sphagnum that is in a slightly open zip lock bag that is by a bright window then voila...

The same method has worked with Bletilla striata seeds.  Guessing that it would also work with Sobralia macrantha seeds.  

In every batch of seeds though some are going to need less moisture to germinate than others.  Variation is nature's way of hedging bets.  It is the basis of adaptation and colonization.  

Of course I don't want every plant to colonize California.  But as it is, California isn't nearly diverse enough for me.  Not that I go around trying to directly introduce plants into the wild.  However I do certainly directly participate in a process that will eventually result in a far more diverse California.  And I'm definitely not alone!  Lots and lots of people participate in this process.  

What do you think about Californication?  How well do you perceive the process of countless non-native plants being selected for by California's conditions?  

 

 

 

Good to see a new post from you sir, lol.. Anyhow

My thoughts mirror yours in several ways on this topic.. Can see, as i'm sure we've discussed in topics' past the seed of certain Tillandsia, or Orchids finding their way into a more "native" environment, and developing into their own, distinct "form" over time.. Pretty sure if you set the same Epidendrum.. ( or Laelia ) seed on a mossy rock near a stream ( or other consistent moisture source ) in a park, some of that seed would likely germinate.. Depending on conditions during the "developmental years " ..and degree of inherited genetics that might help or hinder adapting to conditions during that time, those that survive go on to flower and set more seed, some of which end up even better adapted.. 
 

For plants like these, which might only colonize specific niches,  the path to spreading across the entire state would be more challenging than if, like most of the Grasses / weedy annuals brought here from Europe, your DNA is already quite adaptable and can grow to seeding age in almost every corner of the state whether wet or bone dry 9 out of 12 months of the year..  Add in the role of pollinators, ..some of which ( in the case of Orchids.. or Figs ) might not occur anywhere in California ( for now, in some cases ) helping to generate more of your seed to be spread to more places ..providing more opportunities to germinate in the right spot, and start down the long road to speciation.. or " Californication" in this case..

That said, even among things that might take up specific, currently un-occupied spots in the states' ecosystem, those plants that originate closer to California.. ( Baja, Pacific Coast of.. Mountains of Western/ Southwestern Mexico ) would  have the best chances of evolving into their own "Californian" species the fastest.. Have little doubt that several likely ranged into the state in times past.. so re occupying old territory would be familiar somewhere in x species' DNA.. where as it would take a much longer span of time for many Protea that evolved in low- Phosphorus soil to adapt to growing in places with lots of it..

On another note.. ( and have little doubt this will stir some debate here.. ) stumbled across an article discussing Washingtonia and how there may not be two species, just two variations of one..

Title of the article is " Hollywood palm icon unmasked.. clinical variation of Washingtonia of Peninsular California" Published Oct. 18, 2018. Abstract version is viewable, Whole article is behind a pay wall ..Should be free to read, but that's another story..

Edited January 23, 2020 by Silas_Sancona
edit

[epiphyte]

On 28 Aug 2021 I sowed the following seeds in 16 pots...

Dragon fruit yellow 1 ea 
Ficus rubiginosa variegated few ea 
Guava banana 2 ea
Guava lemon 2 ea
Jackfruit 1 ea
Papaya 3 ea 
Rose apple 1 ea 

The pots were outside and not in bags, unlike my typical sowing method.  But I did hedge my bets by putting different seeds in a pot.  None of the dragon fruit seeds germinated, and one or two Ficus seeds germinated, most likely because of the absence of bags.  I did keep the pots on the moist side though and the rest of the seeds germinated well.  All the jackfruit seeds germinated within a week of sowing.  Right now I'm down to around 7 survivors.  Perhaps by spring there will only be 2 or 3 left.  The Papayas suffered the greatest losses.  

Some Amaranth seed was inadvertently sowed uh, pretty much everywhere.  The ones in these pots are so much smaller than the ones that sprouted in 5 gallon pots.  When I make ramen I add the leaves just after I turn off the stove.  Not sure if it's my fav edible ornamental but it's up there.  

Jackfruit is pretty high on the list of fruit that I wished that I tried way way way sooner.  Not sure if it's higher on the list than yellow dragon fruit.  I joined a rare fruit forum and suggested that donations (to the forum) be used to prioritize fruit, but that seed failed to germinate.  

I watched a video about land restoration in Zimbabwe and commented whether anybody there grows pomegranate or dragon fruit.  A guy in Zimbabwe replied and said yes to pomegranate but no to dragon fruit, so I offered to send him some dragon fruit seeds.  I'd probably include some lemon guava seeds.  It's invasive in Hawaii but Zimbabwe seems a lot drier.  

Opuntia is invasive in Africa.  I watched a few videos of elephants and camels eating it.  I think that I read that the spines can harm their insides?  

Anybody else eat prickly lettuce?  I eat it in salads, the spines aren't as bad as they look.  

What seeds would you send to Zimbabwe?  Hmmm... I will have a ton of Amaranth seed soon, but it might be too thirsty.  Actually, a quick Google search indicates that it is starting to be grown there with some success.