Western California display

<em>Arbutus menziesii</em>
Arbutus menziesii

The Western California display will be developed over the next few years. Within this region the chaparral biome dominates and will be displayed with a number of specific types: Ceanothus chaparral, home to Ceanothus thyrsiflorus and C. crassiflous, manzantia chaparral home to Arctostaphylos glauca, Scrub oak chaparral home to Heteromeles arbutifolia, Rhus ovata and Quercus dumosa. Coastal scrub will display Ribes speciosum, R. sanguineumEschscholzia californica and Mimulus cardinalis. Forest species will be represented by the coast redwood, Sequoia sempervirens an unusually large tree for a Mediterranean climatic zone, dependant on forest fires to break seed dormancy and with the ability to re-sprout after fire. Forest edge plants Umbellularia californica and Arbutus menziesii will be planted illustrating the relationship between forest shrub layer and tall coniferous trees. 

Central to the display will be a planting of seasonal vegetables. Whilst not showing any evolutionary adaptations to the seasonally dry environment the planting will illustrate the fate of large tracts of Mediterranean plant communities which have been developed as agricultural areas important for producing out of season vegetables. The display will illustrate many of the common types found growing in Mediterranean climate regions.