As fall settles over Ojai, the landscape begins to slow. Plants and animals alike prepare for dormancy as the days grow shorter and cooler. Most blooms fade away, saving their energy for spring’s return—but as we near winter, a few hardy native plants continue to thrive. Ragweed, coyote brush, manzanita, and mistletoe to name a few, all of which mammals and pollinators depend on to get them through the season. 

The restoration team was weeding between plantings, focusing on our target species. Mustards and thistles occupied our minds and hands. It is a low grasp, at the base of the weed where the shoot becomes root, and then a slow pull. If it is too quick, the root snaps and the plant grows back—somehow with even more vengeful vigor. If it is too slow, the site never shifts to native canopy. So, the weed’s roots unravel from soil, and the index fingers callus. I grabbed and pulled, combing through a thick section of young plants, until I found an unusual plant. At first thought, this was a prostrate knotweed. It was not. The low growing plant was a few inches long, with cupped, delicate, bindweed flowers. It was a sweet plant, and one I had not seen before. As it lay in my hand, I realized I’d found a small-flowered morning glory—one of the few with such a limited range. 

We are thrilled to announce that our OVLC Nursery is undergoing a major expansion to better serve the Ojai Valley and the Ventura River Watershed. As climate change intensifies and native habitats continue to be fragmented or lost, the need for regionally adapted native plants has never been more urgent.