Every Mediterranean
climate has them.
Locals call them the
"berg" in South
Africa, "brickfielder"
in parts of
Australia, "harmattan"
in Algeria, "levanto"
on the Canary
Islands, "leste" on
the island of
Madeira, "leveche"
in Spain, "mistral"
in southern France
and "bentu de soli"
in Sardinia.
Collectively they
are the "sirocco"
throughout the
Mediterranean. East
of San Francisco,
they are "Diablo."
Strong, dry
malevolent winds
from the interior of
the land. We call
them Santa Anas, and
we're now getting
one of our first
samples of the
season.
These dreaded winds
— typical of all
Mediterranean
climates — plague
Southern California
every year,
generally from
mid-fall through the
winter, although
they can occur at
any time of the
year.
Scientifically, they
are the result of
cold, high-pressure
air masses high over
Nevada and Utah. As
the air descends to
lower altitudes, it
warms by
compression.
However, the air is
traveling through
the arid great basin
and Mojave Desert
regions. Thus, by
the time it reaches
Southern California,
it is hot and dry.
October temperatures
over 100 degrees
with relative
humidity below 10%
are possible.
Fall winds can be
strong and constant,
funneled through
Santa Ana Canyon,
the winds' namesake.
Strong gusts are
common.
Sometimes, however,
the wind seems
absent, with only
hot, dry air seeping
toward the ocean —
like a slow leak
under the kitchen
sink, unaware until
eventually you look
down and it's all
around you.
Sometimes the Santa
Anas move so slowly
it seems calm
outside. Either way,
the extreme low
humidity draws water
out of plants and
soil — and out of
our skin.
Gardeners, like
others, are restless
during these events.
Subtle changes
occur, both in our
environment and our
human psyches. The
ocean becomes eerily
glossy, the sky
takes on a yellow
cast and the
mornings light
quickly, as if a
switch had suddenly
been turned on.
Animals grow
restless and birds
may scream at night
in the trees. It's
as if anything can
happen.
Once thought of as
folklore, there is a
documented basis for
the effect these
winds have on all of
us. Perhaps
gardeners, being
outdoor types,
express these
physical and
emotional changes
more than most.
In southern Spain —
the islands of the
Mediterranean,
Morocco and wherever
these hot, dry, fall
winds blow — doctors
are overrun with
migraines, nausea
and allergies.
Patients speak of
"nervousness" and
"depression."
Surgeons are said to
watch the wind
because blood does
not clot normally.
In schools, some
teachers do not
attempt to conduct
formal classes when
the winds come, the
children being too
unmanageable. The
suicide rate climbs
in Europe, and some
courts consider the
winds a mitigating
circumstance for
crime.
It was during Santa
Ana conditions that
the Manson murders
took their toll, the
Watts riots took
another toll, and
the Sylmar, Loma
Prieta and
Northridge
earthquakes took
three more tolls.
It is hard for
people who have not
lived here to
realize how
radically Santa Ana
winds figure in our
collective
imagination.
A physicist recently
explained that these
winds carry an
unusually high ratio
of positive to
negative ions. No
one seems to know
exactly why that
should be —
something to do with
friction or solar
disturbances. Either
way, excess positive
ions, in simple
terms, make people
unhappy.
During these events,
gardeners
unconsciously have
the urge to prune,
to cut living
things. Pruning
shears and saws come
out of storage and
are suddenly oiled
and sharpened.
During these cutting
sessions,
neighboring
gardeners
periodically meet
along property
lines, tools in
hand. Lots of ions
in the air.
Squabbles erupt over
the invasion of tree
roots, dandelion
seed or the prickly
armor of a rambling
rose on a fence.
Otherwise docile
gardeners may
develop subtle ticks
and twitches, a
haunting expression
of the presence of
the dry, hot Santa
Ana winds. Spouses
beware!
Is it mere
coincidence that
Halloween falls in
the midst of this
dry, windy period?
Hmmm. Spooks, black
cats and frightening
garden displays, all
aimed at neighbors.
Last Tuesday in
Orange County, the
humidity was a
comfortable 70% and
a pleasant 68
degrees. All was
calm in
Pleasantville.
On Wednesday ,the
Santa Anas blew. The
humidity sank to 14%
and the thermometer
soared to 82
degrees. Gardeners
became anxious.
Ticks and twitches
crept into the same
muscles that control
pruning shears and
saws.
Positive ions were
out of control. For
many, the desire to
prune, to cut
something, became
insatiable.
Whoa. This is a
gardening column,
not a news story.
Not yet, anyway.
When the Santa Anas
do blow — and they
will a few more
times during the
next couple of
months — let's not
panic. You will need
to water abundantly
and often. Misting
is good too; just a
quick splash around
the garden with a
hose during the
afternoon will cool
things down
considerably.
The combination of
wind, low humidity
and high temperature
will dry your plants
at record speed.
Delicate potted
plants — fuchsias
and tuberous
begonias come to
mind — may be better
set into protected
locations near the
house or away from
the wind.
Otherwise, hot dry
Santa Ana winds are
just part of
gardening in Orange
County, like all
other Mediterranean
climates of the
world. Try not to
get too worked up
over it.
Happy Halloween.
RON
VANDERHOFF
is the Nursery
Manager at Roger's
Gardens, Corona del
Mar.ASK
RON
What are the new
trees that Corona
del Mar has planted
in the median strip
of East Coast
Highway with the
large orange
flowers?
CHRISTOPHER
Corona del Mar
I'm sure you are
referring to the
African tulip tree (Spathodea
campanulata).
They are planted
near the famous
dolphin topiaries in
the median strip.
This species is a
native of tropical
Africa and offers
spectacular flowers
over much of the
year in frost-free
climates. The open
flowers are cup
shaped, and in its
native habitat, hold
rain and dew, making
them attractive to
many species of
birds and even
monkeys and small
mammals. There are
some very large
examples of the
African tulip tree
near the entrance
lobby at the Hyatt
Newporter Hotel on
Jamboree Road.
