Progress Photos from October 2015

Due to some technical issues I was not able to post these pictures last October.  Without further delay here are pictures from the Fall planting session.

 On the left you can see the area cleared and planted in 2014 and the right is the area cleared in 2015 but not yet planted.

The right hand side planted.  It might not look like much but there were over 200 plants installed during a three hour period.

 View from Southern most boundary of the restoration plot.

 On the left of the trail you can see the restored area and on the left is uncleared park area.

Left hand side cleared area with native plants.  Right hand side uncleared area. 

View from the back side of the restoration looking through to the main street that goes through the park.  You could not see through this area last July. 

None of this restoration would have been possible without the dedicated help of our small group of volunteers and the City of SeaTac's Parks department's support!

Springs First Bloom

Yesterday was the first day of Spring.  In honor of the changing seasons let us look at one of the earliest blooming native plants, Indian Plum (Oemleria cerasiformis).

This native shrub is one of the very first species to bloom toward the end of Winter / beginning of Spring.  It is present in great number at the restoration site and is one of the few natives that was growing there pre-restoration.  

Indian Plum is can grow between 1.5-5 meters tall and grows in bunches of purple brown stems. This deciduous shrub has alternate green broadly lanced leaves, which when crushed tend to smell a little like cucumber.  

In the Spring Indian Plum blooms with small cascading bunches of small light green/ white flowers that can be between 5-10 cm long.  The flowers have 5 petals and 15 stamens. These flowers are great Spring food for native insects and local hummingbirds. Indian Plum is a dioecious plant, having both male and female plants.  In the summer the female plants will develop small bluish-black “plums” that are bitter and have large pits.

(http://www.vannattabros.com/plant41.html)

Indian Plum is an excellent native plant to add to any garden.  It is versatile and hardy, growing in both dry and moist soils.  It can grow in open and shady areas.  It is often seen growing on road sides and undisturbed urban areas.  It is also easily propagated.  Live staking, using a cutting from a mature planted and planting it in the ground during winter hibernation, is easily accomplished.  If you already have a stand of Indian Plum you can even bend down mature branches into an adjacent dug hole and then cover it up with some dirt make sure the branch stays anchored in that position.  This in most case will beginning rooting and form a new plant.

I hope you enjoy this wonderful native shrub has you take walks around the restoration area!

For further more in depth informations check out http://plants.usda.gov/factsheet/pdf/fs_oece.pdf.

Long Winter Break is Ending

Sorry for the long time without posting, Winter has kept us busy.  Now that Winter is ending it is time to get back to work.  We will be clearing in the near future and hope to see you there.  Also be on the look out for new plant species posts.  There are some really beautiful natives in bloom to announce the coming of Spring.

Event:  Blackberry Removal at North SeaTac Park

Date: Saturday, April 23

Time: 10 AM to 1 PM

Address: 2000 S 136th St SeaTac, WA 98168

Washington Native Plant Society Stewards, in Partnership with the City of SeaTac, are holding a volunteer event at the Southern end of North SeaTac Park.  This event’s focus is on pulling invasive blackberry, Ivy, and laying mulch.  

Tools and refreshments will be provided. Please dress for the weather, bring gloves, wear long sleeves and pants, and close toed shoes.

Like us on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/NorthSeaTacParkRestoration