Specimen #15: Bladderpod (Isomeris arborea) true California native, the bladderpod (Isomeris arborea) lives comfortably in the desert and by the sea. It inhabits the sort of world traveled by the itinerants in Steinbeck's books: the parched highways and less-traveled coastal roads, the desolate bluffs and disturbed areas, from Monterey to Mexico. It is hearty and [...]

Read the full article →

Specimen #14: Southern Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora) he seeds were the first thing I noticed. I was collecting specimens in my Hollywood neighborhood when I came upon the crimson drops, scattered across the grey concrete like so many precious stones. Truly, to me, they were jewels. They lay in the generous shadow of the tree from [...]

Read the full article →

Specimen #13: Canna Lily (Canna indica) n epic narrative with waxing popularity, a chronology of the canna lily (Canna indica) could be mapped on its leaves. Each leaf unfurls into a large scroll with variegated stripes that alternately fade and reappear, and an enduring heft that confirms its purpose ? a perfect analogy for the [...]

Read the full article →

Specimen #12: Mountain Mahogany (Cercocarpus ledifolius) he mountain mahogany's spiraling seeds are designed for flight. Affixed with a silver-haired coiled plume, they remain nested in their dried tubular calyx until the suggestion of wind exhorts an inclination to disperse. While this is a perfect adaptation for mountain top life and its strong late summer gusts, [...]

Read the full article →

Specimen #11: Golden Rain Tree (Koelreuteria paniculata) asy on the eyes and light in the wind, the golden rain tree's seed cases are a perfect example of well-designed vessels. The inflated papery capsules balloon like iridescent bubbles, but do not mistake them for fragile travelers. The fruit's fibrous skins are deceptively thick and durable, with [...]

Read the full article →

Specimen #10: Castor bean, Ricinus communis eaders of a certain generation might be all too familiar with Ricinus communis. The formidable shrub is more commonly known as the castor bean, a plant whose list of economic derivatives includes, most notably, castor oil. Once considered a cure-all elixir, castor oil has been used to remedy many [...]

Read the full article →

Specimen #9: Agapanthus (Agapanthus africanus) espite its ambitions of accuracy, plant taxonomy is a discipline with shifty, sometimes bewildering results. It applies the methodologies of an empirical science, but, in reality, precision is often elusive. It endeavors to classify plants based on behaviors and forms and to delineate an evolutionary history of botanic relationships. A [...]

Read the full article →

Specimen #8: California flannel bush Fremontodendron californicum classic native species, the California flannel bush (Fremontodendron californicum) has perfected an environmentally-specific survival strategy. The bush is a long-time denizen of the chaparral; it knows the neighbors, the weather, and how to manage both. As such, the plant discourages anyone who attempts to reorient it elsewhere. One [...]

Read the full article →

Specimen #6: American sweetgum, Liquidambar styraciflua appy October, everyone. 'Tis the season of shape shifting, technicolor costumes, sweet treats, and fearsome accessories. Thus it's also the perfect time to consider a tree with an according autumn transformation: the American sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua). To the sweetgum, the magic of fall is marked by the disappearance of [...]

Read the full article →

Specimen #5: Japanese Wisteria, Wisteria floribunda he wisteria evokes visions of heavy Southern summer afternoons and the crumbling countryside estates of Europe's past. Winding carousels of leafy amethyst pendulums construct a soft, heavy canopy, one that almost seems to narrow the distance between sky and earth. It's presence becomes a third participant in any intimate [...]

Read the full article →