Fall is a good time to plant trees and shrubs. Jug Handle Native Plant Nursery has quite a few different trees and shrubs, including shore pine, pygmy cypress, red alder, buckeye, Garry oak, grand fir, red-twig dogwood, Oregon ash, California nutmeg, ocean spray, western burning bush, twinberry, pacific nine-bark, and various willows.
One tree we have that is uncommon in the area that has some medicinal properties is boxelder, or Acer negundo. It is a deciduous tree, and its leaves turn yellow in fall. Its spring sap can be boiled down for syrup, like all maples. It is native to riparian zones, and our trees were grown from seed sourced from along the Navarro river, the one local area where it is common. The species is dioecious, having male and female plants. Our seed grown plants have not been sexed. They should be happy in any area that alders will grow. The trees will grow 50 to 80’ tall. For the various medicinal uses, see https://agric4profits.com/benefits-of-acer-negundo-boxelder/
For cultivation info, and pollinators that use it, see https://calscape.org/plant/42/Acer-negundo-(Box-Elder)
The Nursery is open to the public by appointment only. Please contact Alison for all your native plant needs.
