Seeds to Dye For: September Check In

Back in April, I sowed seeds for a few dye plants in containers (see Seeds to Dye For). The calendula seeds (Calendula officinalis) have already run their course. I've collected and dried blossoms for a dye project, and am drying a few seeds for the birds and for planting. Now the coreopsis seeds (Coreopsis x hybrida) are coming into their own. Their yellow and red faces are quite cheerful, and provide great transition color as fall approaches.

Coreopsis x hybrida

According to Botanical Colors, coreopsis flowers produce a bronzy-orange dye, and a more reddish shade with a pinch of soda ash added to the bath. Sounds lovely, but so far I'm not sure the flower yield will be enough for much of a dye project. I'll still collect and dry the flowers as they pass their prime, and see what happens!

Tall, lanky coreopsis

Heliotropic faces following the sun

My plants are quite tall and lanky, with a feathery, tiered leaf pattern that is quite lovely. They must be heliotropic, as their flower heads all face in one direction. I haven't seen any butterflies so far, but many insects pause on their flowers, including a tiny lady bug that was about the same size as the flower bud.

Ladybug rests on the bud (a little blurry, but so cute I couldn't resist)

Symphony in the Garden

 We recently added wind chimes to the garden. Its rich tones add a gentle, soothing musical element, almost like hosting a small private symphony. The tones may even dampen some of the traffic noise from the nearby highway.

Every once in a while a breeze kicks up, and the birds around the water dish pause from drinking or bathing to listen. They keep coming back, so it must be an acceptable sound. That might change as we move into fall and winter, and experience big winds.

In the meantime, we can enjoy the symphony in the garden.

Plant Aquarium: Chinese Elm

A mature Chinese Elm grows in our front yard. It must be over 40 feet tall, and its long tails of small leaves provide wonderful dappled light and shade all through the day. Its nearby neighbor is the oak, and together they provide deep shade that cools our home in summer. Both trees came with the property, and were probably planted by the original owners. 

Chinese Elm

Chinese elm or Lacebark elm (Ulmus parvifolia) is native to eastern Asia, including China, Taiwan, Japan, North and South Korea, and Vietnam. It is a small-to-medium tree that grows to 60 feet tall, with a mottled trunk of grays, browns and red. The single-toothed leaves are leathery and small. Here in the Bay Area the leaves are retained throughout the year, but in Europe and other places in North America they are typically dropped. The flowers are small and inconspicuous, and the fruit is a samara with a seed in the center. 

Chinese elm and its oak companion

Our tree is infected with Anthracnose, a fungal disease that causes lesions on leaves, cankers on twigs and stems, and distorted limbs. When the disease infects the bark and encircles a branch, it dies. Periodically our tree drops a branch (see The Chinese Elm Drops a Branch). The frequency of limb drop seems to be increasing, and we can see more and more cankers with each drop.

Chinese elm leaves (color distorted due to seasonal fires)

Our arborist has worked valiantly to keep the tree as healthy as possible over the last 20-plus years, monitoring the progression of the disease and clearing out unhealthy vegetation. During that time we have enjoyed its graceful stance, cooling shade, and beautiful features. It will be a sad day when the tree is finally removed.

Learn More:

• Wikipedia
• Jepson eFlora
• U.S. Department of Agriculture
• U.C. Integrated Pest Management - Anthracnose