"Plant Plaques"

 

Art plaques for 70th St. Trolley Garden area.

California Sycamore,   Platanus Racemosa
Stand alone bronze, triangle area,  A
"The Sycamore was an indicator to California Natives that a stream or underground water was nearby."

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Coast Live Oak,   Quercus Agrifolia
Stand alone bronze, triangle,  B
The Oak can live for 250 years. It takes 8 months for the acorns to mature. A Family of 4 would gather 500 pounds for the next year. They would travel here and set up temporary camp to harvest the acorns, collecting them in conical baskets.  They wore the baskets on their backs and supported them with head bands so they had both hands free to gather this important food.
Acorns are 20% fat, 6% protein 68% carbohydrates.

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Deer Grass,  Muhlenbergia Rigens
Stand alone bronze,  near handicapped parking,  K
"Principal foundation material for coiled baskets."
(text with basket fragment)

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Wild Strawberry, Fragaria Chiloenis
Light pole,   traffic island cross walk,  H
"If you can find it before another creature, this tiny berry is sweet and delicious."

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Arroyo Willow,  Salix Lasiolepis
Stand alone bronze, near culvert by access road,  W
"Kumeyaay used shredded bark to pad cradle boards in which women carried their babies."

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Elderberry, Sambucus Mexicana
Light pole, concrete, east of track   Q
"Fresh elderberry leaves produced a light yellow dye for baskets"

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Coastal Sagebrush,  Artemesia California
Stand alone bronze, near culvert   D
"Early miners used it to deter fleas."

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White sage, Salvia Apiana
Light pole, concrete,  near track east bound, O
"Before going hunting, the Dieguenos rubbed white sage on their bodies to eliminate odor"
(The name salvia comes from the Latin for 'I am well')

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Western Redbud,  Cercis Occidentalis
Light pole, concrete, small wall near entry   C
"Girls tied Redbud blossoms to their shoulders and waist for the spring ceremonial dance of womanhood."

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Lemonade Berry, Rhus Intergrifolia
Stand alone, bronze, near bench at kiss n ride   P
"To make a hot lemonade berry drink, the Native Americans would soak the berries in water,strain them to remove the fine hairs, and then boil the berries."

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Wild Rose, Rosa California
Light pole, concrete,culvert fence R
"The rose's fruit, known as the hip, contains more vitamin C than oranges."
and
light pole, concrete, bench in the triangle,   X
"California is the only state in the union where you can fall asleep under a rose bush in full bloom and freeze to death." 
WC Fields

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Rush, Juncus Textilis
Light pole, concrete,  near sculpture   J
"Juncus was used as a wrapping material with deer grass for baskets."

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Bear Berry,    Arctostaphylos Uva-ursi
Stand alone, bronze, near bike rack by Alvarado road,  F
"This plant , used as a diuretic medicine, gets it's astringency from tannic acid."

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Holly-leaf cherry, Prunus Ilicifolia
Light pole, concrete, near parking cliff close to the entry,  G
"Cahuilla Indians made soup by extracting the Holly-leaf cherry kernel from the pit, crushing it, leaching it and boiling."