HABITAT: Dune | MBBGarden

DUNE HABITAT

DESCRIPTION

A plant community characterized by low-growing salt, wind, fog and drought resistant shrubs adapted to our Mediterranean climate of dry summers and rainy winters. The leaves of many shrubs are blue-grey in order to reflect heat, and are soft to touch but durable against the elements. Some, like Beach primrose, have a flowering season that can last many months. Their stems are woody and easily broken so always step around them.

SOIL

All sand to sandy mixture. Plants require good drainage.

WHERE TO FIND LOCALLY

The LAX Coastal Dunes Improvement Project between Vista del Mar highway and LAX runways.

https://www.santamonicabay.org/friends-of-the-lax-dunes/

DUNE PLANT and WILDLIFE COMMUNITY

Beach Primrose is the official City Flower of Manhattan Beach and it still grows wild along the dunes just west of THE STRAND. This heavy bloomer provides nectar and seeds to a variety of birds and insects. Sea-cliff Buckwheat is another local--it's an essential host plant for El Segundo Blue Butterfly caterpillars, and provides food and cover for Square-spotted Blue and Dotted Blue Butterflies as well.

IF YOU PLANT IT ------------->

THEY WILL COME!

Pink Sand Verbena (Abronia umbellata)
Big Saltbush (Atriplex lentiformis)
Beach Primrose (Camissonia cheiranthifolia)
Sea Cliff Buckwheat (Eriogonum parvifolium)
Seaside Daisy or Beach Aster (Erigeron glaucus)
Sanddune Wallflower (Erysimum capitatum)
Coastal California Poppies (Eschscholzia californica maritima)
Seaside Heliotrope (Heliotropum curassavicum var. oculatum)
Deerweed (Lotus scoparius)
Dune Bush Lupine (Lupinus chamissonis)
Miniature Lupine (Lupinus bicolor)

White-lined Sphinx Moth; Acmon, El Segundo and other Blue Butterflies
Horned Toad; Sootywing and Western Pygmy Blue Butterflies
Western Fence Lizard; Acmon Blue Butterfly; House Finch
El Segundo Blue, Square-spotted, and Dotted Blue Butterflies
Host plant of Orange Tortrix Moth caterpillars; Bees
Host plant of Sara Orangetip and Large Marble Butterfly Caterpillars
Yellow-faced Bumblebee; dozens of solitary native bee species; Crab Spider
Celery Leafier and Blue Butterflies; birds consume berries
Orange Sulphur, Acmon Blue and Silver spotted Skipper Butterflies
Sweetclover Root Borer Moth; Bumble and Honey Bees; birds consume seeds
Likely host plant for over 50 species of butterflies! Birds consume seeds

The dunes are alive with Fence lizards, Acmon blue butterflies, Crab spiders and Yellow-faced bumble bees. Beach primrose and Dune poppies attract them.