Growing California Native Plants

I used Growing California Native Plants, by Marjorie G. Schmidt and Katherine L. Greenberg to research plants for my front planter project. I used the second edition (revised and expanded), published by University of California Press, Berkeley in 2012. Schmidt published the first edition in 1980, and Greenberg expanded and reorganized the work (Greenberg received a Certificate of Landscape Design at Merritt College).

The book starts with an introduction to gardening with native plants, including descriptions of California habitats and plant communities. Native plant descriptions are organized into categories—trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals, bulbs, vines, and grasses—followed by a plant selection guide grouped by garden requirements, and described by species. For example, I was especially drawn to the plant selection guides for Shade/Dry Situation, Coastal Conditions (being in the fog belt), Deer-Resistant Plants (thanks to my growing deer problem), and Under Oaks (for my huge oak in the front yard) The reference section includes a crisp, concise glossary; a reading list (including many of my favorite authors, such as Peter Dallman and Glenn Keator); and additional references for journals, references, botanic gardens, and plant and seed sources.

I love this book’s compact size, which can easily fit in a purse or day pack on a plant-buying expedition; and its beautiful pictures and illustrations. I also appreciate the tables of plant species, with information about plant distribution, and physical characteristics. This information makes it very easy to review and consider the merits of a particular plant for a garden site.

Expeditions of Pehr Kalm

Pehr Kalm spent two and a half years in North America. Most of his time was spent in Philadelphia, and the nearby Swedish settlement of Raccoon, New Jersey (now Swedesboro). He explored the surrounding country side collecting plants and seeds to send to Linnaeus, and researching their uses and environment. He often took short trips in the area to expand his range, visiting new friends and colleagues. Later he took an extended trip up to French Canada. Most of his travel was by boat, following the many rivers and lakes in eastern North America.



Journey of Pehr Kalm - North America

North America

Timeline of Kalm’s travels in North America:

·         Philadelphia (1748-1749) – during the winter, Kalm spent time in Raccoon, where he also served as a lay minister for a Swedish church, whose rector, Johan Sandin, had died.

·         New York, United States (1748, 1749) – Kalm reports on trees and their uses, and on agriculture.

·         Pennsylvania, United States (1748, 1750)

·         Quebec, Canada (1749)

·         Montreal, Canada (1749)

·         Albany, United States (1749)

·         Niagara Falls, United States (1750) – Kalm writes a description of Niagara Falls.

North America to Sweden

Before leaving North America, Kalm married Anna, Johan Sandin’s widow. The Kalm’s left the continent via Philadelphia on February 13, 1751, and arrived in England in late April. After stays in London and Gothenburg, Sweden, they arrived in Stockholm, Sweden on June 3, 1751. Kalm took a Professorship in Economy at Åbo Academy, the Swedish university in Norway. There he established a botanical garden, published accounts of his travels, and taught until he died in 1771. He also became a minister. In Species Plantarum, Carl Linnaeus credits Kalm for 90 species (60 of them new, including his namesake, Kalmia).

Learn more:

• Summary of Pehr Kalm's life (though date of birth and place varies); also download the PDF version of his “Travels into North America” – volumes 1 and 2: http://www.americanjourneys.org/aj-117a/summary/index.asp
• Pehr Kalm at Trinity church in Raccoon Creek Swedesboro, New Jersey: http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM47GR_Peter_Kalm_Trinity_Church_Swedesboro_New_Jersey_USA
• Pehr Kalm's travel articles, taken from his journal entries (see pages 398-400 for a list of plants in binomial form): http://international.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?intldl/ascfr:@field(DOCID+@lit(gcfrpi013_0384)) 

 

Pehr Kalm in North America

From Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, originally a Swedish settlement, Pehr Kalm began his survey of North American plants. He notes in his journal meeting Mr. Benjamin Franklin, who introduced Kalm to many of his friends, and provided significant introductions. One introduction was to Mr. John Bartram, an important plants man and botanist of the day (he grew plants native to the eastern seaboard, and distributed them to Britain and Europe, and to colonists, such as George Washington and Thomas Jefferson). In his journal, Kalm reports that wherever he goes, he “finds plants he has never seen before,” and stops people to learn their names.

Kalm’s journal reveals his intellect and curiosity. It is filled with observations about plants, soil, and animals, as well as economic potential for plants (for example, he considered the Mulberry—Morus rubra—to start a silk trade in Sweden). He reports how the American Indians and colonists use plants for commerce, food, and medicine. He also reports on customs, churches, manners, history, and local lore. He frequently visits “Old Swedes” to gather information on plants, and about the old New Sweden. All the old Swedes report that fish, fowl, and game were more plentiful in their youth (even in the mid-1770s the impact of a growing population was being felt). He also notes that some colonists express they were becoming economically strong enough to no longer need ties with Britain.

Kalmia latifolia (photo by Arx Fortis)

Kalm collected seeds and specimens, and sent them, with his observations, to Dr. Linnaeus at the University of Uppsala, whenever he had an opportunity. In a journal entry on October 25, 1748, he reports packing up seeds to send on a ship bound for Europe. In appreciation, Linnaeus named an entire genus after him – Kalmia in the Ericaceae family, with about eight species of evergreen shrubs. In a journal entry on November 20, 1748, Kalm notes that Dr. Linnaeus had named several laurels after him, including Kalmia latifolia.

Linnaeus Apostle: Pehr Kalm

Carl Linnaeus chose Pehr (Peter) Kalm for the expedition to North America to survey and collect plant specimens. Linnaeus described him as “tall and towering, and with a manly and agreeable countenance.” Kalm was born in Finland in 1715, son of a Lutheran minister. His father died soon after his birth, and his mother returned with her son to her family home Sweden in 1716. He attended college at Åbo University in Finland, and then enrolled at Uppsala University in Sweden in 1740, where he studied under Carl Linnaeus. Between 1740 and 1744, Kalm studied, travelled, and collected plant specimens in Finland, Sweden, and Russia, financed by Sten Carl Bielke.

Kalm was a distinguished student, with an inquisitive mind, and well liked. In 1747, Kalm was selected to make an expedition to North America to look for useful agricultural plants for Sweden’s climate. He was sponsored by Åbo University, Uppsala University, and several partners from industry. He was well versed in the Linnaeus binomial naming system, and a perfect candidate to be a Linnaeus Apostle.

Pehr Kalm (oil on canvas, signed J.G. Geitel, c. 1764
(some uncertainty whether the portrait depicts Kalm)

England to North America

At 31 years of age, Kalm headed by ship first towards Norway, and then to London, England on the first step of his journey to North America. He spent six months in England, becoming familiar with its flora and fauna and arranging for his passage. On July 25, 1948, Kalm and his associate, Lars Yungstram (a botanist, gardener, and artist), set sail on the HMS Mary Galley, commanded by Captain Lawson. They had mild weather and a surprisingly easy journey, and arrived in Maryland after only six weeks (the trip could take as a long as 14 weeks). They then sailed to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where Kalm and his associate disembarked. On the journey, and for the whole expedition, Kalm kept a journal recording daily events, observations about people, customs, and flora and fauna.

Learn more:

• The IK Foundation – provides detailed information about natural and cultural history, including Carl Linnaeus and his apostles: http://www.ikfoundation.org/ifacts/pehrkalm.php
• The Linnaean Society of London – provides a comprehensive online collection of information, correspondence, specimens, art, and documents: http://www.linnean-online.org/.
• Linnaeus The Compleat Naturalist by Wilfrid Blunt. Princeton University Press, Princeton and Oxford (2004). Chapter 6, “The Apostles,” pages 185 – 186.