Drycreek Blog

While The Weather Is Erratic

2012-04-03T17:22:00-04:00

It's always exciting this time of year to take some day hikes around our area to catch a glimpse of the native perennials reemerging for the next growing season. Right now is a good time because the non-native, incredibly invasive Cheat Grass has not yet sprouted. The green that is emerging are the indigenous plants, for the most part, and because the Cheat Grass is still brown, the emerging plants are easy to see.

There's not a lot of snow on Peavine this spring (the photo is one of the lesser peaks on the way to the summit). But more snow is predicted for later this week, so perhaps soon the mountain will look more like itself for this time of year.

It's beautiful out, so take a hike, then stop by the Nursery to see what's arrived for planting this week.

Happy April!

Euphorbia myrsinites -- Donkeytail Spurge

2010-03-26T13:09:00-04:00

This non-native evergreen Euphorbia loves our climate. It will take the cold, which many Euphorbias will not tolerate. It will lose some of its bright healthy looking luster during the winter, especially if it sits under a heavy blanket of snow, but it will quickly beautify itself come spring. It's in bloom right now, showing off its greenish-yellow flowers, so lovely to see this time of year.

This particular Euphorbia does not require rich soil; even unprepared, rocky, sandy soils will do just fine, but it does demand good drainage. And it does its very best in full sun.

Also called Creeping Spurge, Donkey Tail Spurge, and Myrtle Spurge, it is a popular choice for rock gardens, container gardens and low borders. Because it self-seeds, it works well as a xeric ground cover. It also drapes itself well over rock walls and container rims.

But be cautioned: this plant, like many types of euphorbia, can irratate the skin. Handle with care, and always use gloves. When stems and leaves are broken, they emit a white, milky latex that should not be touched or ingested. Also, this plant is considered an invasive weed in some parts of the west, like Colorado. The only Euphorbia growing in Nevada considered to be invasive is the Leafy Spurge (Euphorbia esula).

There is a Euphorbia -- Woodland Spurge (Euphorbia palmeri) -- that is native to Nevada and California. For more information, see the Spurge entry in our ongoing Dry Creek Garden Plant Index.

Cheatgrass Fires & the History of Livestock Grazing

2009-07-28T00:00:00-04:00

Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) was introduced into the western United States as a food for livestock foraging on arid lands, such as the Great Basin Desert. It quickly proved to be a huge mistake, not only because the time frame for eating by cattle and sheep herds was so limited (after a short stretch in early spring, the grass becomes inedible), but also because the grass quickly invaded both the old growth Pinon Pine / Juniper forest and Big Sage desert ecosystems with exceptionally disastrous effects.

According to Peter Weisberg of the Online Nevada Encyclopedia, once introduced, the big problem with cheatgrass is this:

Cheatgrass is able to alter natural fire conditions through its particular life history characteristics. Cheatgrass has a winter annual life cycle that differs from that of most native grasses. Seeds germinate in fall or early winter so that established plants grow rapidly in early spring as a result of their head start. Abundant seeds are produced and the plant's life cycle is completed in early summer, while native bunchgrasses are still green and not yet reproductively mature. Dry, dead cheatgrass burns readily and produces a continuous layer of fuel to carry range fires. The resulting fires put native vegetation at a disadvantage because many species have not yet set seed. A positive feedback loop is created; with each successive fire, cheatgrass becomes more dominant.