Oak Forest and Oak Grasslands Ethnobotany

1. Holly Leaf Cherry: Native Americans fermented berries to make a mildly alcoholic drink

2. Coast Live Oak: Acorns formed the core of the diet of the Kumeyaay Indians. The acorns were placed in water. Those which floated were discarded because they had already been devoured by insects. The good acorns were ground into flour at morteros hollowed into granite rocks. Before the flour could be used it had to be leached by soaking at least five times. The flour was used to make soup, bread, and pudding. Flour or meal mold was used to heal boils, sores, and inflammations. The bark was used for fuel, pottery and making medicines. The numerous "galls" found on oaks are actually a growth, which occurs as a reaction to being stung by a wasp. The wasp deposits her eggs which mature within the gall eating the substance secreted by the tree. When mature the youngster bores a hole in the gall and flies off.

3. Scrub Oak: Acorns ground into flour, leached, soup, bread, and pudding made from flour or meal mold used to heal boils, sores, and inflammations. Least favorite acorn- small and lots of tannic acid.

Native Grasses: Native Americans collected seeds, ground them and made flour and gruel. Native Americans burned the grasslands to stimulate seed production. They only harvested what they needed and left the rest to sustain the grasses, which once covered most of the coastal plain. The first governor of San Diego forbade burning the grasses, and the padres grazed cattle. Cattle were easy to raise. There was water and food. The missionaries only needed to release them. In the early days cattle hides were sold to the shoe factories in England. The lack of burning allowed the chaparral plants to take over large areas of grassland. The cattle introduced European grasses in their droppings. The European grasses tend to be quick growing annuals. The native grasses tend to be slower growing perennial bunch grasses. They were not able to compete. We have several species of native grasses growing in the garden in three different areas.