PEOPLE FOOD & LAND Foundation
SunMt Research Center: SunGardens
Photos from SunMt Herbal Cookery
SunMt Research Center is located in the Chaparral zone of the Sierra foothills of California at 2,000 ft. level, with dry hot or cold weather. In Fresno County it seldom rains between May & November, so our SunGarden and wild area have many arid land plants, drought tolerant, pest resistant, multi-purpose perennials using Permaculture design concepts. We have done extensive trials here since 1983.
SunMt Research Center
Plant Inventory & Illustrated Plant Trials
Key: – indicates failure due to drought, frost, pests, removal etc.
ACACIA
- Acacia decurrens – delbata
- – Acacia farnesiana
- – Acacia villosa Acacia iteaphylla
- – Acacia myrtifolia
Alfalfa
- – Almond Non-pareil squirrels got the nuts 1st, so dry farmed
- – Aloe Vera, greenhouse & kitchen
- – Amaranth , A. hypochondriacus
- – Angelica
- – Anise Anise hyssop
APPLES low chill
- Anna Israel, mild flavored yellow
- Early Dawn, S. CA
- – Golden Dawn, Bahamas, mild yellow
APPLES heirloom lower orchard near stream most lost in drought
- – Ashmead’s Kernal
- – Cox Orange Pippin
- – Ketherine
- – King Solomon
- – Liberty
- – McIntosh dwarf
- – Mutzu
- – Pink Permain
- – Pioneer Scarlet
- – Prima
- – Priscilla
- – Spitzenberg
- – Yellow Bellflower
- – Wealthy
Wickson Apricot, Blenheim
- – Artichoke
- – Asparagus
Avocado, Mexicola, greenhouse BAMBOOS, all lost in drought
- – Black
- – B.. viridis
- – Golden
- – B. Meyeri
- – B. Moso
BANANA greenhouse, too arid
- – Honey
- – Red
BASILS
- Sweet Basil
- Cinnamon Basil
- Dark Opal Basil
- Lemon Basil
BEANS
- Scarlet Runner
- Tepary
- Chinese Long Bean
- Purple Long bean
Bee Balm, Scarlet
Bee Balm, Wild Purple Beets
Beefsteak Plant, Perilla
BERRIES
- Autumn Olive, E. Umbellata
- Elderberries
- Goumi berry, E. multiflora
- Hawthorne berry
- Juniper berry
- Lycii berry (Wolfberry)
- Mulberry, Black Persian
- Mulberry, Black
- Mulberry, white
– BLACKBERRIES
- Cheyenne
- Cherokee
- Shawnee
- Black satin
Black Locust Robinia pseudoacacia L.- Bog bean (died in pond)
Borage
Broccoli
– Burdock
Cabbage
Cabbage, Chinese
Cabbage, Purple flowering
CACTI
- Cholla,Cylindropuntia
- Night blooming cereus
- Nopale, Opuntia basilaris, Opuntia robusta
Calendula
- – Canigre
- – Caraway
- – Carnation
- – Caper plant
Carob
Catnip
Cattails, dwarf (pond)
Cayenne
Century plant, Agave Americana
Chamomile, Matricaria recutita
Chamomile, Roman, C. nobile
Chard, Rainbow
Chasteberry, Vitex agnus-castus
- – Chayote
- – Chervil
- – Chestnut, Malabar (drought)
Chickweed
Chinese Boxthorne
Chives
Chives,Garlic
Chrysanthemum
CITRUS
- Blood orange, genetic dwarf
- Calamondin
- Grapefruit
- – Honey mandarin
- – Kumquat
- Lemon, Meyer
- – Tangerine
Cleavers
CLOVERS
- Subterranean
- Red
- White
Collards, Perennial
Comfrey
Coriander
CORN
- Corn silk
- Taos Blue
- Papago white
- Red
CUCUMBER
- Cucumber, Armenian
- Cucumber, Lemon
Curly leaf dock
Curry plant
Dandelion
Day Lily
Devil’s Claw
Dill
Dock, Yellow
Echinacea
Eggplant, Japanese
Fennel
FIGS
- Fig, Black Mission
- – Fig, Calmyrna
- – FoTi: polygonum multiflorum
GARLICS
- Garlic
- Garlic, Elephant
- Garlic, Society
Geranium, Rose
Giant Purslane
Ginger (greenhouse/mild root)
GOURD
- African
- Bottle
- Buffalo
- Luffa
GRAPES
- – Agawan Alden
- – Ameria
- – Aanab-E-Shahi
- – Black Corinth
- – Black Damascus
- – Cardinal
- – Christmas
- Flame
- – Golden Chasselas
- – Interlaken
- – Iona
- – Katakourgan
- – Keuka
- Lady Finger
- Manuka
- – Mission
- – Muscat of Alexandria
- – Muscat orange
- – Oeillade noir
- – Palomino
- Perlite
- – Red Chanez
- – Servant
- – Sauvis
- Thompson
Grasses, native bunching
Green onion
Hibiscus, H. sabdariffa
Honeysuckle
Hops
Horehound
Jasmine
Jerusalem artichoke
Jujube, Red Dates
Kale
Kohlrabi
Lambsquarters, large leaf
LAVENDERS
- French
- English
- Spanish
Lemon Balm
Lemongrass, greenhouse
Lemon verbena, as annual Licorice, native G. lepidota Loquat
– Lotus (pond dried out)
– Lovage
MALLOWS
- Hollyhock
- Desert Mallow (shrub/tree)
- Mallow
MARJORAMS
- Marjoram, garden
- Marjoram, creeping
- Marjoram, creeping golden
– Matilija poppy (romneya coulteri)
Mesquite, Honey
Milk thistle
MELON
- Melon, Juan Canary
- Melon, Desert Watermelon
MINTS
- – Apple mint
- Bergamot mint
- Black peppermint
- – Chocolate mint
- Spearmint
- – Pineapple mint
Mullein,Verbascum thapsis
Nasturtium (greenhouse)
Nettle
Nigella
Olives
Onion
Oregano
Oregon Grape
Orris root iris
Palo Verde
Parsley
Passion flower
Passion fruit
PEACHES
- Indian burgundy
- Nectar
Peas, Edible pod
Peony tree
PEPPERS
- Cayenne
- Fresno chile
- Italian long
PERSIMMONS
- – Persimmon, Chocolate
- – Persimmon, Cinnamon
- Persimmon, Fuyu
- Persimmon, Hachiya
Pineapple guava
Pineaple Quince
PLUMS
- Plum, Japanese flowering
- – Plum, Natal (frost) Plum,
- Santa Rosa
POMEGRANATES
- Pink Pomegranate, Thompson
- Wonderful
Raisin Tree
Rosemary
ROSES
- Rose, Rosa Rugosa Frau Dagmar Haustrup
- Rose, Lady Banks, Rosa banksiae
- Wild Rose, Rosa californica
SAGES,native + garden
- Sage, garden
- Sage, Mexican
- Sage, White, Salvia Apiana
- Sage, Wild Black, S.Mellifera
Sagebrush, Artemesia tridentata
Santolina
Siberian Pea Bush
Southernwood
SQUASH
- Crook neck yellow
- Luffa squash
- Zucchini
Strawberry Tree, Heteromeles arbutifolia
Sunflower
Tansy
Tarragon
TOMATOES
- Brandywine heirloom
- Sweet 10 Cherry tomatos
- Pear Tomatoes, low acid
THYME
- Thyme, officinalis
- Thyme, lemon
Valerian
Watercress (in stream)
Wormwood
YARROW
- Golden Yarrow
- Pink Yarrow
- White Yarrow
Flora found on SunMt property
Brodiaea B. californica
Brodiaea, Brodiaea elegans
Milkweed, Asclepias
California Bay Laurel, Umbellularia californica
California Lilac, Ceanothus calfiornica
California poppy, Eschscholzia californica
Chinese houses,Collinsia heterophylla
Common Camas, Camassia quamash
Blazing Star, Mentzelia laevicaulis
Blue Dick, Dichelostemma capitatum
Buckeye, Aesculus californica
Elderberry, Sambucus nigra
Fern, Woodwardia fimbriata
Fremontia, Fremontodendron
Lupin, L. californicum
Manzanita, Arctostaphylos
Mimulus, Diplacus aurantiacus
Owl Clover, Orthocarpus purpurascens
OAKS
Valley Oak, Quercus lobata
Live Oak Quercus wislizeni
Pearly Everlasting, Anaphalis margaritacea
Penstemon, Penstemon heterodoxus
Pineapple weed, Matricaria discoidea
Plantain, Plantago ovata
Poison Hemlock, Conium maculatum
Poison oak,Toxicodendron diversilobum
Popcorn flower, Plagiobothrys tenellus
Pine, Gray Pinus sabiniana
Purple Owl’s Clover, Castilleja exserta
Redbud, Cercis occidentalis
Sage, Chia, Salvia columbariae
Spice Bush, Calycanthus occidentalis
Soap plant, Chlorogalum pomeridianum,
Tarweed, Harmonia species
Turkey Mullein, Croton Setiger
Twining Snakelily, Dichelostemma volubile
Vinegar weed, Trichostema lanceolatum
Wild cucumber, Marah macrocarpus
Wild lettuce, Lactuca virosa
Wild onion, Allium fimbriatum
Wild oats, Avena fatua, Europe
Woodwardia fern, Woodwardia fimbriata
Yerba Santa, Eriodictyon californicum
SunMt PLANT TRIALS
Downloadable PDF of illustrated details on selected plants.