California native ID

[Jubaea_James760]

Was driving on the 15 fwy heading back from  SD when I spotted what looked like aloes. Now I know there's no native aloes in the America's so my next thought was agave. I had to pull over & investigate. As i got closer I realized these definitely aren't agaves. They were growing growing on rocky hillsides along the freeway pretty much from Rainbow Bridge to Fallbrook. Anyone know what they are?

 

 

[Silas_Sancona]

3 minutes ago, Jubaea_James760 said:

Was driving on the 15 fwy heading back from  SD when I spotted what looked like aloes. Now I know there's no native aloes in the America's so my next thought was agave. I had to pull over & investigate. As i got closer I realized these definitely aren't agaves. They were growing growing on rocky hillsides along the freeway pretty much from Rainbow Bridge to Fallbrook. Anyone know what they are?

 

 

Dudleya, possibly D. pulverulenta :  https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/76737-Dudleya-pulverulenta

[Jubaea_James760]

Very cool plant thank you!

[Rivera]

Nice roadside find James.

Oddly, I'm yet to find Dudleya pulveralenta for sale in northern California. I think Dudleya brittonii fills the role and leaves few wanting. 

Always stoked to see any dudleya species growing wild.

Chris

[Silas_Sancona]

5 minutes ago, Rivera said:

Nice roadside find James.

Oddly, I'm yet to find Dudleya pulveralenta for sale in northern California. I think Dudleya brittonii fills the role and leaves few wanting. 

Always stoked to see any dudleya species growing wild.

Chris

Pretty sure i'd come across a few from time to time on a nursery's availability  stock list when i'd bring in 1 gal Dudleyas where i'd worked at the time.  That said, yes, brittonii was the most widely available from the bigger native plant growers, for whatever reason. Ill have to find the pictures of pots i put together w/ brittonii in them. Always the first of the " specialty pots " i'd create that would sell. after i set them out. 

 

[Rivera]

26 minutes ago, Silas_Sancona said:

pots i put together w/ brittonii in them. Always the first of the " specialty pots " i'd create that would sell. after i set them out. 

Brittonii makes an impression when it's in peak form. A neighbor up the hill has the largest one I've seen. So many flower stalks. 

I'm told D. pulveralenta has red flowers and looks like a smaller brittonii, but I've never seen one in person. 

[Silas_Sancona]

4 minutes ago, Rivera said:

Brittonii makes an impression when it's in peak form. A neighbor up the hill has the largest one I've seen. So many flower stalks. 

I'm told D. pulveralenta has red flowers and looks like a smaller brittonii, but I've never seen one in person. 

Brittonii makes an impression for sure, even from a distance.. If i remember right, biggest difference between the two was pulveralenta was greener, and the leaves looked a little different / didn't have as much Farina on them. It could be since those where nursery grown, their form was not exact to what you might observe in habitat though. Great plant though.

Looking through the iNat photo gallery, i did not realize that species could get as big as it apparently can. Would be awesome to see something like that in habitat for sure.