Who really belongs in Echo Park? Nuts. Juglans Californica, aka Southern California black walnuts. This is a walnut woodland, as was so casually declared at a master plan meeting for Elysian Park a couple of years ago. But Michael O’Brien clarified the walnut matter a bit on Monday morning. Michael took the time to walk around Kite Hill and talk about weeds. A self-taught naturalist and botanist, Michael works for the Los Angeles Planning Department, where he reviews landscape plans for larger building projects.

I learned from Michael that Echo Park is ground zero (that term again!) for the Southern California black walnut, which a protected native species. And it’s really native to this location at the true tail end (or tail beginning) of the Santa Monica Mountains. Unlike the also-native elderberry tree – which can be found all over the state, Juglans Californica created itself to live in Echo Park and Mount Washington, which also is known for these trees. According to Michael, the natural range for juggy is only from Elysian Park through the Santa Monica Mountains. They piddle off in Ventura County. Across the river, Boyle Heights and Lincoln Heights are at the far western edge of the Puente Hills, and the Socal walnut doesn’t go there.

According to Michael, the trees were crowded out in the last century by eucalyptus and other exotics (the pepper tree, for example), which outcompete the little walnut for water and light. But north side of Elysian Park is a walnut stronghold – so is my yard, but that’s a different story altogether.

From Michael I learned that a lot of the plants I had been told – or imagined, maybe – were natives are not. The pepper tree, for example. I was definitely told that they were native, perhaps because – planted extensively by the Spaniards, who brought them here from Peru because peppers are lovely and shady -- they predate large-scale anglo settlements in the area. Interesting definition of native. I am sure my informant passed along the misinformation unwittingly. Michael says the mother of all our regional pepper trees lives at the Mission in San Luis Obispo.

Anyway, Michael and I walked along Park Drive and then down the Baxter steps. I pestered him with the same questions over and over. Is this one native? Where is this one from? Is this one a noxious weed? Will I be sick if I eat it? What’s a weed anyway? Who – or what -- really belongs here? He knew the names and histories of virtually everything I could point to. He also has a very good, dry sense of humor, which I am sure is why he didn't get cranky walking and walking through down stairs and through vacant lots. In any case, he didn't suddenly remember an emergency dentist's appointment he'd forgotten all about. He's originally from Kansas City.

Few of the plants we passed, even along the properties flanking Baxter steps, which are bare except for the weeds, were from the region. Most came from Africa, South America and, especially, the Mediterranean.

In this season’s drought, Michael sees a boon, because so much of the mustard plants didn’t come up. As a parks volunteer, he said, he was delighted! Because they grow first and crowd out all of the native wildflowers. So, where I saw pretty carpets of yellow was actually a bully glorying in domination. Well, this season I won’t have to be conflicted in the new knowledge because there isn’t any mustard on these hills. In any case, to quote Michael, “It’s hard to talk about negative effects [of exotic species] because it’s a value judgment.” He even had nice things to say about a lot of the exotics and seemed enthusiastic about the exotic trees arboretum in Elysian Park.

“So, Michael, what’s the definition of a weed?”
“A weed is any plant that is growing where it shouldn’t.”
“Well, if it’s growing where it shouldn’t (which means it has found a place where it can thrive) doesn’t that mean it’s growing where it should?”
Full circle: We were back to the value judgments. We started talking about the U.S. Army instead.