

Amaryllis a nice Idyllwild choice
By

We have all admired the gorgeous blooms of the Amaryllis, especially at the winter holidays. Then, the blooms fade, the plant dies down, and because it is somewhat tropical and tender (can’t plant it outdoors and ever hope to see it next year up here in the mountains), many folks just give it “the toss” and buy another new one a few seasons later.Try planting a few of these Amarcrinum bulbs this coming spring and watch the show begin this summer. Crinodonna is an evergreen bulb that is the result of the intergeneric cross of Crinum moorei and Amaryllis belladonna. Photo courtesy of Harold Voorheis

Pipestem Clematis or Chaparral Clematis,(Clematis lasiantha), is one of the two native clematis in California (the other being C. ligusticifolia or Western Virgin’s Bower). Pipestem clematis is a beautiful deciduous vine that can be as long as 20 feet. This native vine can be found growing on hillsides, chaparral, and open woodlands in southern and central California. It blooms April to May, displaying many small, creamy white and fragrant flowers. This vine prefers shade for its roots, and sun for its top, and is completely drought-tolerant when established.
The Mountain Disaster Preparedness group met with several Riverside County officials last week to discuss emergency medical care in case of a disaster such as an earthquake, which might leave the Hill isolated from nearby medical facilities. MDP has been developing plans for providing emergency medical services for more than a year. Among its initiatives…
In this column, my Riverside Mountain Rescue Unit teammates and I usually focus on safety on the trails and the overall beauty of the high country. Never have we talked about the safety aspect of the core sport that makes Idyllwild a destination for people from around the world — climbing!