Northern California Coastal & Inland Valleys
Cactus and Succulents
Cactus and Succulents by editors of Sunset Magazine (Sunset Publishing, 1978; $12) is an easy to use pictorial book with an encyclopedia of cactus species listed by both common and botanical name. It also features a guide to potting, propagating, grafting, plant selection, and trouble-shooting and even a small section to tell you what to do when you inevitably get pricked. The book contains both drawings and photographs of the various cactus and succulent species. It's good reading for the beginning cactus fancier.
Sudden Oak Death Spreads to California Buckeye
The fast moving brown alga disease, Phytophthora, that has been killing the native oak trees in Northern California has moved on to claim another victim, the California Buckeye (Aesculus californica). Buckeyes are common along the coastal range and are one of the first trees to loose their leaves in the late summer, acting as a harbinger of cooler weather to come. They're a welcome sight in early February when they burst forth with brilliant green foliage before any other deciduous plants even give a hint that spring is around the corner.
The microbe has killed so many oaks in Marin County that it's believed as much as 80% of the forest canopy is dead in that county. The contagion was recently found in Napa County, causing concern that the disease is now moving inland and will spread in dry, inland areas as well as along the cooler coasts.