Very depressing to see Koster's Curse and so much palmgrass way up there. The small birds like waxbills love to walk across the thin stalks of the palmgrass and eat the seeds at the end. It's humorous to see the bulbuls hanging around closeby trying to figure out how they do that. Where I live in the back of Manoa we get at least 1/10th of an inch of rain at least 2/3rd of the days of the year. Quite often much more. Where Lyon Arboretum is located on the other side of the valley is the second wettest spot on the island. There's a very big long landslide on one of the slopes behind my house. I heard it happen around 5am. Lots of crunching trees.
Abies lasiocarpa is sometimes referred to as the "Rocky Mountain Fir" yes. Within Utah there are only two native species of true firs, the other being Abies concolor, commonly called the white fir. Though the also native douglas fir is similar looking, it is in a different half of the Pine family.
When I was 18, long long ago, my friend and I ran this whole trail barefoot. There were no rope assists then. I remember scrambling and clawing to get up to the lookout at the end. Strawberry guava was our only refreshment on the way.
Thanks for the video, I really appreciate someone showing the flora from these remote places. Nice to see more natives in this one waiting already for the next part 👍👍
Horseweed--so that's what that plant was that grew straight up out of one of my pots a couple of years ago. Mystery solved. Google lens wasn't around back then. What kind of economic benefit would come from planting Australian trees? At what point are people going to learn?
I don't know if they ever will learn. There are plans to try and use some for biomass for electricity (I believe the state used to get a lot its electricity from burning the leftover bagasse from sugar production, so once the mills closed it increased the price of electricity in the islands). I guess that might better than doing nothing with the land, but Hawaiis land is so limited, there may be some better uses for it.
Thanks for this video. The weeds I'm constantly having to deal with on my property at the back of Manoa Valley are haole koa, maile pilau, sleeping grass, Kostor's Curse, juniper berry, asparagus grass, silky oak, wedelia, albizia, macaranga, palm grass, formosan koa, and probably some others that don't come to mind at the moment. There are no naturally growing endemic species of anything (flora or fauna) on my property that I am aware of, but I've been planting a lot of endemic plants, mostly due to the efforts of Hui Ku Maoli Ola making endemic plants available. I've let the wedelia grow because it makes a good ground cover smothering out a lot of the other weeds and has nice deep green leaves and yellow flowers. It was a somewhat recent invader but grows very quickly. I use a lot of monstera to drown out weeds, too. I've got a coral tree that's in the same family as the wiliwili, I believe, and it gets hit with the gall wasp regularly about once a year, but survives fine, due to the other wasp, no doubt. I'm at the 500ft. level, so I suppose that has a lot to do with it surviving the first gall wasp infestations.
Hello! I'm so glad to hear this, Hawaii (and everywhere else for that matter) needs more people interested in planting native species, and who understand invasives are an issue. I've got some more videos coming up if you are interested as well, one of which is going up the Wilhelmina ridge trail (which I guess is now called Mau'umae ridge?) Interestingly there is another parasite of the Erythrina Gall Wasp the Invasive Species Council is planning on releasing, hopefully it can further whittle down the threat they pose to the Wiliwili.
Thank you for the very informative video. Lamington National Park is a great place to explore biodiversity. There are many strange plants and animals. I like the Lamington Spiny Crayfish. (Euastacus sulcatus) 🦞
Thank you. It's a great place and certainly I would say the crown jewel of National Parks and protected places in Southeast Queensland. Hoping I can go back to Australia for a little longer soon. I will have to keep an eye out for the crayfish!
@@Ashitaka-gx2od There are limestone caves at Binna Burra a few kilometres before you get to the Mountain Lodge, and the end of the road. The caves are caused by rain and water over many years leaching out the limestone from the basalt. (Please forgive me if I don't have the science right. You probably know the true explanation) My father took me there before I started primary school. I thought they were like big shells. About 10 yrs ago I went back there looking for the caves. They have changed a lot over time, due to weathering. I noticed something interesting is that there are middens there that consist of crayfish shells, many feet deep that have built up over the centuries. That's where the local Aborigines sat in the cave and cooked their Lamington Spiny Crayfish, and threw the shells on the heap. It's strange that there was no sign to mark the Aboriginal middens. I wonder; did the Aborigines make expeditions there to harvest the crayfish, which are very plentiful after rain. 🦞
Thank you, and yes I am. It’s my favorite movie. I’m not sure I will keep this name forever though, initially it was just something I came up with as a placeholder until I came up with an actual channel name.
@@Ashitaka-gx2od Cool I love that movie too. I'm moving to Nevada for a job in an ecology role so I'll be using your channel as a crash course on the Great Basin Dessert Biome
I tried to grow Rudbeckia occidentalis last year but it died 😢-- something ate it completely, not sure maybe a squirrel 🤷? I still have aspirations though, I'm going to try it again in another spot. I ended up buying a great seep monkeyflower on sale last fall for very cheap at a local nursery -- I was very impressed with how it kept its foliage all winter, and had no problems growing in very poorly draining heavy clay. It's been gone for a while for me since the end of June, but it made a lot of seeds so I don't know if I can grow it as an annual maybe or if has gone dormant in the summer (looks pretty dead) -- it was very lovely while it lasted.
Thanks again for watching. Shame about the Rudbeckia. It could have been a rabbit too, they evidently like to eat them as well. That makes sense about the Monkey flower too, since they do well in poorly drained soils.
Yeah I don't know if they can behave as annuals in seasonally dry places ? I'm in the Willamette Valley in Oregon and we have this annoying combination of rain all winter, desert conditions all summer so I guess I'll find out. So interesting how many of these plants in the Utah mountains overlap with what we have in shaded and/or riparian areas at sea level! Nootka rose for example, for us those get quite large and rambling.
Made me think of a baked crust once I saw the hole appear in the first section where it looked hollow-ish underneath If that's correct, I can imagine it would be fairly difficult for any seeds to succeed unless they landed in a crack along the crust
It can be and crypto seems to have less plants growing on it than disturbed soil. However, seeds are going to tend to fall to the lowest point (into the cracks), some native plants will be able to grow through it, and there are normally gaps in the crypto when you see it.
@@Ashitaka-gx2od it could become technological breakthrough. Especially for people who live in arid area. Thank you for showing me that this kind of moss do exist.
Wow! The one time I went to Utah I just remember it as hot and dusty and a million degrees, but I guess I was just visiting the wrong place (or maybe at the wrong time of the year!) This is beautiful, thanks for taking us along on your walk!
Utah actually has quite a diversity of habitats! Certainly as much as any of the 4 corners states do. Thanks again for the kind words and always watching.
I managed to get a small specimen of the Purshia Stansburiana "Stansbury Cliffrose" and also a cutting. So far, they are looking nice. They were in bloom at the Grand Canyon (N Rim) on July 7th and looked really pretty. The pollinators were all over the blooms. Question: What is a powerhouse plant of the West when it comes to feeding the birds? One of the plants I noticed on the way back to Arkansas was a bush with plenty of berries in Mesa Verde National Park. The stems on the shrub were whiteish, and the berries reminded me a little of crabapples. Any idea what that might have been?
Thats great to hear the Stansbury cliffrose is doing well! It's a real stunner. There are a lot of contenders for powerhouse bird feeders, and it kind of depends if you are talking feeding them nectar, fruit, or nuts. For nectar loving birds, many of the penstemons, columbines, and members of the genus Gilia and Ipomopsis seem to be favorites. For fruit loving birds, there are quite a lot of plants to really say which ones stand out the most, but currants and choke cherries trees always seem plump with fruit every year that is just the right size for birds. For birds that like nuts the most, definitely various conifers trees, especially Junipers, Pinyon pines, and limber pines. The plant you are talking about sounds a lot like Squaw Apple to me, which is related to wild crab apples you might find in the eastern states, though I can't know for certain without seeing it myself.
@@Ashitaka-gx2od Dude, you are the "BOMB"! That's a wealth of information. I looked up the Squaw Apple, and that is exactly what it was. I got a few cuttings of that as well, but I am not so sure they'll make it. Awesome work you're doing with your native videos. One thing I ordered online that is doing really well, here in Arkansas, is a Washington Hawthorn. Maybe it'll start producing berries in the next year or so. Thanks again!
In my experience that is what I have observed of Douglas Firs, them having smaller more frequent furrows than white fir, but I guess I would need to revisit the two trees to know for sure.
@@Ashitaka-gx2od I agree. Speaking of cones, I picked up a couple Ponderosa Pine Cones at the Grand Canyon. Do you suppose I could plant and grow some trees from seedlings here in Arkansas? I'm in growing zone 7a.
Yeah they can definitely survive temperatures lower than that. I don't see any reason they wouldn't grow in Arkansas, but you will have to "stratify" the seeds for them to grow. It's not super complicated, but you will take some time, and they will have to be planted in the spring to give them the best chance of growth. This person explains how they stratified their Ponderosa Seeds and it worked well for them. www.montananaturalist.org/blog-post/propagating-ponderosa-pines/ I'm not sure how much, experience you have growing plants from seed, so just know this process can be critical to these plants success and the process is essentially recreating the conditions these seeds have to undergo in nature before they feel its time to germinate. Until around Autumn just hold onto the cones in a dry area. Let me know if you have any other questions.
@@Ashitaka-gx2od Sir, you're very informative, and it's much appreciated. Thanks for all the information. I will follow up and decide whether to go that route or just purchase one from the Arbor Day Foundation.
Thanks for the video. I just got back from the Coral Pink Sand Dunes, and I was wandering what some of those plants were out there. Also, just before getting to the dunes, I spotted my first Jack Rabbit. That was pretty rad.
Twinberry honeysuckle is such a great shrub. Such a long bloom time, my bumblebees love it, it tolerates my heavy, poorly draining clay... Cool to see that it grows at higher elevations too! :)
This plant even grows at the base of trees in parking strips sometimes. Good winter salad green. I mean not the ones in the parking strip but you can grow this really easily in your backyard -- it only needs to be seasonally wet. Great video, thanks!
Thanks for your comment and very true, as long as it is damp during the growing season, which is early and fast for this guy it should be good (and it doesn't even need to be that wet either)
The astragalus looks like a. cibarius -- that species is actually pretty easy to identify, as it is the only species along the northern wasatch front to have the copious black calyx hairs of a. cibarius.
Thank you and I think you are correct. I will admit I have avoided a deep dive of Astragalus because I'm very intimidated by the genus, but my job last year necessitated me learning them the best I could in Southern Utah, and many are surprisingly easy to recognize once you get the hang of it.
2 years later, I'm still using it for most of my videos, though admittedly the iphone camera quality may exceed it slightly under normal conditions, and it is much easier to hold steady especially when moving, and has better stabilizing software. That being said, if it's dark or I need to zoom (which I need to do constantly), it blows the iphone away, and I much prefer being able to control the zoom exactly as I want to with my D750. It's honestly still a great camera after all these years especially if you are just doing photography!
Hey I appreciate the video, i'm going soon to stay with family that live by a bunch of douglas fir and i'm trying to learn so i can make some douglas fir tea, cheers!
Yeah, it's a good common native to Utah and much of the rest of North America for that matter. They do naturally grow into trees if they have the space, just small ones.
Wtf so cool! I’m in the desert and just started getting super obsessed with the wild moss that grows in the shady corner of my yard!!! Anytime I’ve attempted to propagate, it does 🥺🥺🥺 but I’m hoping I’ll get it one day. Is this “desert moss” actually in the desert?!? Loool
Yes this is in the desert. I'm in a Pinyon-Juniper forest specifically which is not quite dry as other parts of the desert but its still getting only around 10-15 inches of rain a year. I think it might take specific conditions to propagate, but once it's growing it is extremely hardy.
@@Ashitaka-gx2od yeah I’m really trying to get familiar with trees around my area and plants just super stressful so I study 40 minutes every night before I go to bed make couple notes go outside for observe for little bit a day . But just figured while I was studying to watch this for me it was too complex and I easily forget have trouble remembering the information overlong term that’s all didn’t mean to be rude and thanks
Wow, I don't really know what this channel is supposed to be about (I asume botany) but I dig the vibe of your videos. Something about the simple and natural narration of yours paired with the passion that I sense from your voice and with the beautiful imagery makes this experience quite relaxing. Just a man sharing what he loves. I'm intrigued
thanks, and I’m glad you enjoyed my content. You pretty much get the point of the channel, although I suppose nothing in the fields of earth and life science is off the table for my channel.
Thanks for the reeducation on the plants of the Kaiparowitz . I’ve been looking for the name of the cordylanthus wrightii you identified for me. The shepherdia rotundifolia is a favorite native shrub. It’s beautiful when growing in ideal conditions. It is edible to livestock and is utilized in winter when snow covers other forages. I have heard it has high nutrient value as well. I believe you are on Four Mile bench, a place I know well. It was seriously over grazed by both sheep and cattle and has very few water sources. The farther from the water the more grasses and herbaceous plants you will find.
Thanks for the clip on p j forests. It seems the place you are at has a good diverse understory but i see a lot of young trees encroaching. In a lot of the old growth pj forests the understory has been almost eliminated by the alleotrophic effects.
I live in a juniper/pinyon forest in New Mexico at 7100'. I'm curious as to how old the trees are around me. I know it must take a lot of time for the junipers to mature.
Thanks for the question. This is a tough one to answer without seeing the area, let alone doing a tree coring to get actual ages. That being said, much of the trees in these Pinyon-Juniper forests we get out here we can be certain are younger than 160 years because a lot of Pinyon-Juniper forests only came to be after after the settlement of the west began, which brought grazing and fire suppression that favored pinyon-juniper and disfavored sagebrush and grasslands (this expansion isn't necessarily bad either though and it is hotly debated just how much they have expanded). At the same time they are slow growing trees, so to truly look like a forest, it probably took over a 100 years to develop. So between 160-100 years is the best answer I can give unfortunately.
Love the vids as a fellow N Utah based botany enthusiast. Real quick tho I think the mystery Asteraceae at the beginning of the vid is a Heterotheca species (traditionally the common Utah Heterotheca have been called H. villosa, but a recent publication split most of the Utah H. villosa into 2 species: H. utahensis and H. zionensis. They are hard for me to distinguish and I do wonder if one of these new names should not be synonymized with the other or if it would not just be better to follow Welsh and keep calling them H. villosa.) So yeah probably a Heterotheca sp. but the taxonomy around it has been in flux so it is hard for me to give it a species name with confidence.
I'm gad you've enjoyed my videos! After rewatching the video, I do agree with your assessment that it is a species of Heterotheca, but I honestly had no idea about this split into H. zionensis, and H. utahensis. I will have to read up on this.
Do you know if Agastache urticafolia is growable in a garden around sea level? Or do you think it needs high elevation? I really wanted something native in the mint family for my pollinator garden and I have a plant of it now, but I'm worried it will rot over the winter and or get too heat blasted in the summer. Hoping it survives , we shall see...🤞🤞I tried to give it a well drained position. Very helpful to see its habitat. Lots of people grow foeniculum in gardens, but this one is closer to my region, being the one out west (aside from Agastache occidentalis but I can't seem to find any seeds or plants of that species).
Hello again. Honestly I’m not sure. Looking in my copy of the Jepson’s Flora, in California it can grow down to 400 meters above sea level which is close , but not quite there of course. It really depends on where you are I think. For instance, in the Pacific Northwest, near sea level, it would certainly do well. In coastal California as long as it got enough water, it would also likely do well, though it might not go dormant in the winter. I think it could really struggle though in a hot place like California’s Central Valley or the east coast, though the east coast is a ways away from this plants home anyways. Good luck! I hope your planting goes well.
This is an awesome channel. I’m from Arizona, and the pinyon juniper forests are my favorite biome. I love how as the trees age, their height eventually gets capped and their trunks just keep growing thicker and more twisted. It gives a very “ancient Earth” vibe to me. Great for camping and stargazing as well.
