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2025 Seed Palette Reveal for the San Lorenzo River

by | Nov 14, 2024 | Featured Articles, Habitat Enhancement, News, Plant Profile

2025 seed palette

by Kaiya Giuliano-Monroy, CWC River Ecologist

After many hours of thought and deliberation, the Coastal Watershed Council has chosen our 2025 seed palette to plant along the San Lorenzo River this winter as part of our efforts to grow native plants from seed to enhance the diversity of the river habitat. Just like an artist assembles a palette of complementary colors, our Restoration Ecologist has carefully chosen this selection of native plant species based on their tolerance, growing needs, and past successes. This year’s seeding list consists of five species: Coast Tarweed, Seaside Daisy, Coast Buckwheat, Oregon Gumweed, and Yarrow. Read on to learn what makes these plants special and how they can enhance the health and diversity of the lower San Lorenzo River ecosystem and its overall success.

Coast Buckwheat (Eriogonum latifolium)

Coast Buckwheat has a long history on the lower San Lorenzo River (the region from Highway 1 to the river mouth), with records dating back to 1861! Now buckwheat is only found on the lower river in active restoration zones where it has been planted. Buckwheat is a small shrub that has lovely greyish-green leaves with a cluster of tiny white flowers that resemble pom poms. When it is visited by a pollinator, its flowers will turn a pink color to indicate pollination has taken place. As its name suggests, this plant grows on the coast where it can enjoy the fog – while it can handle full sun and little moisture, this species benefits from a little morning dew. Coast Buckwheat is an important food source for many insects, and its seed provides food for birds. Traditionally, indigenous Californians used the plant parts in tea as a remedy for colds and coughs.

Seaside Daisy (Erigeron glaucus)

Seaside Daisy has been recorded along the lower San Lorenzo River since 2001, just across from San Lorenzo Park. Now, it is only found on the lower river within active restoration zones where it has been planted. This daisy has brilliant lavender ray flowers and yellow central disk flowers. These flowers and nectar feed many pollinators, including the Orange Tortrix Moth, Calendula Plume Moth, and many butterfly species. This is a drought-tolerant plant, but we recommend supplementally watering it during the full heat of summer. Seaside Daisy is mostly found on dunes along the California and Oregon coasts.

Oregon Gumweed (Grindelia stricta)

Oregon Gumweed has been recorded along the Lower San Lorenzo River since 2001, and now is found all along the lower river, especially along walking paths. It is a hearty plant that can pop right back up after mowing. Oregon Gumweed is part of the sunflower family, and exhibits central disk flowers as well as outside ray flowers: one “flower” is actually a collection of hundreds of tiny flowers! Oregon Gumweed is an essential pollinator plant. On the Lower San Lorenzo River, CWC staff and volunteers have observed this plant to have 20 unique pollinators feeding on it at a time! It has been used traditionally by Native Americans for respiratory, skin, urinary, and digestive ailments. In California, The Shoshone and the Blackfeet Indians used gumplant as a remedy for colds, and it is currently used in products to relieve itch from poison oak. This hearty drought-tolerant plant does well in full sun or partial shade.

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

Yarrow has been recorded along the lower San Lorenzo River since 1881, and now is found sporadically in this region, primarily where CWC is working to enhance the river’s habitat. This hearty plant in the sunflower family has rhizomes that allow it to spread quickly, giving it an edge to compete against non-native plants. Yarrow is a pollinator plant that feeds both bees and butterflies with its nectar. Its numerous seeds also supply a fatty food source for birds. In California, the Miwok used the plant as an analgesic and head cold remedy. Yarrow is a strong, drought-tolerant plant that does well in full sun or full shade. It does have a tendency to take over, and is often used as a lawn replacement. 

Coast Tarweed (Madia sativa)

Coast Tarweed’s earliest record on the lower San Lorenzo River dates back to 1862! Since then, a few small patches have been found along this stretch of the river, and the biggest patches were seeded by CWC volunteers last winter. Coast Tarweed is one of several Madia species that are known as “tarweeds” because they are very sticky. This aromatic annual grows to heights of two inches to four feet along the San Lorenzo, depending on conditions. It is known to provide nectar to pollinators and oil-rich seeds for birds: we’ve seen Lesser Goldfinches eating its seeds in CWC’s habitat restoration area. Traditionally, tarweed seeds were one component in pinole, a staple food of Native Americans in California, such as the Miwok, Hupa, Cahuilla, Digueño, Chumash, Costanoan, Kawaiisu, and Maidu tribes

Working with Native Plants

If you would like to perfect the seed palette for your own garden, we highly recommend using websites like Calscape and Calflora. They both contain a wealth of information to help you grow your own native plant garden and create an oasis for our birds, pollinators, and bug friends. We also invite you to come out to one of CWC’s River Health Days and tend to the native plants of the lower San Lorenzo River!

References

2025 Seed Palette Information and Plant Profiles

2025 Seed Palette Guides and Resources

Educational Resources and PDFs

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