Plant Materials Study. A Search for Drought-Tolerant Plant Materials for Erosion Control, Revegetation,and Landscaping along California Highways.

摘要

Plant materials were assembled,propagated,and established along California state highways. Grasses,legumes,and the California poppy were evaluated for erosion control,fire control,and aesthetic purposes. Shrubby species were evaluated for revegetation and general landscaping. Emphasis was placed upon drought-tolerant,low-growing plants which would require a minimum of maintenance. A herbaceous seeding guide and a list of native shrubs and trees were prepared for California,classified by major land resource areas. Special and supplementary studies relevant to plant propagation and establishment were conducted. Whenever possible,the plants were evaluated on representative highway sites using common methods applied by contractors. Most data were collected by visual observation,no statistical analyses were made beyond simple arithmetic averages. Some continued monitoring of plantings is recommended to assess anticipated future changes.