Plant Badges Revisted

**Destin_scot** · 26th January 13, 05:25 PM

good luck, they need to be grown in a fairly acid soil, down around 4.5, if possible. If you don't have natively acid soil, it can be really hard to get the pH that low. Pretty much the same requirements for blueberries down here.

**piperdbh** · 26th January 13, 07:50 PM

Tilling lots of rotted mulch and leaves into the ground wouldn't be a bad start on lowering the pH of your plot. Let us know how it all turns out.

**Ancienne Alliance** · 27th January 13, 02:24 AM

Natural plants are fantastic.

Wouldn't it be great to have articicial plants available for all clans though ?

Best,

Robert

**sailortats** · 27th January 13, 06:33 AM

[QUOTE=Ancienne Alliance;1147310]Natural plants are fantastic.

Wouldn't it be great to have articicial plants available for all clans though ?

/QUOTE]

Yes, Robert, it would. My plant badge for Clan Stewart is the thistle and that plant is forbidden entry into California. It is considered a pest because it reproduces so easily and would be dangerous to the local plant life.

**Laird_M** · 29th January 13, 05:55 AM

Originally Posted by sailortats

Yes, Robert, it would. My plant badge for Clan Stewart is the thistle and that plant is forbidden entry into California. It is considered a pest because it reproduces so easily and would be dangerous to the local plant life.

Is the Eryngium sp http://muller.lbl.gov/photos/Eryngium.jpg also proscribed? Its not a true thistle, but would go with Hunting Stewart.

**sailortats** · 29th January 13, 06:20 AM

I don't know about that plant but I shall look into it. Thanks for your response Laird M

**Laird_M** · 29th January 13, 06:32 AM

I've grown it as I used to have a landscaping business. Very tolerant of many soil types and salt tolerant. Most varieties come from South America although it is fairly widespread, and its hardy - VERY HARDY. And good for keeping unwanted people out - the leaves are

sharp - as I found out doing a blue perenial border for a client.
And I've just found out, it IS actually a true member of the hairless thistles family, so just goes to prove you learn somethign new everyday...(and I'm known in bushcraft and scouting circles for my plantlore knowledge...)

**Destin_scot** · 29th January 13, 05:13 PM

[QUOTE=sailortats;1147342]

Originally Posted by Ancienne Alliance

Natural plants are fantastic.

Wouldn't it be great to have articicial plants available for all clans though ?

/QUOTE]

Yes, Robert, it would. My plant badge for Clan Stewart is the thistle and that plant is forbidden entry into California. It is considered a pest because it reproduces so easily and would be dangerous to the local plant life.

Sailortats,

There are at least 40 species/sub-species of thistle that are native to California, some are threatened and endangered, but you should be able to find some to grow from a native plant supplier. Check this link, it has photos, descriptions, and native status.

http://www.calflora.org/cgi-bin/spec...-genus=Cirsium