![]() The island was home to the largest population of island Chumash and developed a highly complex society dependent on marine harvest, craft specialization and trade with mainland groups. Please help us in protecting and preserving this rich part of California's heritage.Īrcheological investigations indicate that Santa Cruz Island has been occupied for at least 9,000 years. Archeological sites are sacred to Chumash peoples today, are protected by federal law, and are a vital nonrenewable scientific resource. The archeological sites around the Channel Islands are a testament to the importance of the Chumash and other American Indians. Taking from or disturbing archeological sites or artifacts is a violation of state and federal law. The island was subsequently called the Island of the Holy Cross (Santa Cruz) by the European explorers.Īlthough Chumash occupation of Santa Cruz Island ended in the early 19th century, many individuals who trace their ancestry to specific villages retain a lively interest in the preservation and management of their heritage. Climbing on board he delivered it to the priest and after being rewarded returned to the island. However, at daybreak an island dweller paddled his tomol to the ship and returned the staff with the cross. They immediately gave it up as lost because it carried an iron cross and they believed that the Chumash would desire the metal. The missionaries aboard the ship decided to go ashore to visit the village, where "they were well received and presented with fish, in return for which the Indians were given some strings of beads." The priests returned to the ship and soon realized that they had left their staff at the village. The newcomers gave them glass beads in return. During the land-and-sea expedition of Gaspar de Portolá in 1769, Father Francisco Palóu wrote that the Chumash at Xaxas welcomed the visitors "with demonstrations of great joy" and offered fish and helped with the water gathering. Xaxas appears to be the first place that Europeans set foot on Santa Cruz Island. ![]() At the time of European contact (Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo's voyage in 1542) the village was home to approximately 95-160 Chumash, including many high-ranking families, a powerful chief, and tomol (plank canoe) owners. It was a major port of trade and a departure point for cross-channel travel. ![]() Climate data used in creation of plant range maps is from PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University, using 30 year (1981-2010) annual "normals" at an 800 meter spatial resolution.The second largest historic Chumash village on Santa Cruz Island, Xaxas (hä´ häs), was located at Prisoners Harbor and was occupied for over 3,000 years. Other general sources of information include Calflora, CNPS Manual of Vegetation Online, Jepson Flora Project, Las Pilitas, Theodore Payne, Tree of Life, The Xerces Society, and information provided by CNPS volunteer editors, with special thanks to Don Rideout. Sources of plant photos include CalPhotos, Wikimedia Commons, and independent plant photographers who have agreed to share their images with Calscape. Propogation from seed information provided by the Santa Barbara Botanical Garden from "Seed Propagation of Native California Plants" by Dara E. Plant observation data provided by the participants of the California Consortia of Herbaria, Sunset information provided by Jepson Flora Project. All text shown in the "About" section of these pages is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Even when drought-stressed in the summer, the plant looks beautiful, turning a beautiful silvery green color as the soil dries out. It's extremely drought tolerant, and after the first two years should need no supplemental summer water. Plant on dry, well drained shallow slopes or flats, and surround with plenty of mulch or rocks. Santa Cruz Island Buckwheat is easy to grow. It has also been planted as highway landscaping and in gardens on mainland California, where the shrub is not native. This is an uncommon plant in its native range on a few of the Channel Islands. Each flower is only a few millimeters wide, very light pink in color, with nine protruding stamens. The bush erects clusters of densely clustered, frilly flowers on nearly naked peduncles. The stems bear narrow, fuzzy green leaves at the ends of the branches, each 2 to 5 centimeters long and sometimes with edges rolled under. It may be anywhere from one half to two meters in height and sprawl from one half to three meters in diameter across the ground. This shrub is endemic to the Channel Islands of California. About Santa Cruz Island Buckwheat (Eriogonum arborescens) 57 Nurseries Carry This PlantĮriogonum arborescens is a species of wild buckwheat known by the common name Santa Cruz Island buckwheat.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |