Here’s What We’re Planting In Our Forest In The Desert.
We started with 1 tree in 2021. Now, we’re expanding to .25 acres.
We believe a greener world is possible.
That’s why in 2021, our nonprofit — For Every Star A Tree — planted a single tree in the Los Angeles desert.
Thanks to our partners, we’re growing that into .25 acres this autumn.
Our Personal Why
In March 2020, I experienced three surreal events: my daughter was born, lockdowns from the pandemic started, and my father died.
This led me to shift away from my old life.
Instead of staring at a computer all day, I went on a spiritual side quest:
Healing abandoned land in hopes that it would help me heal myself.
Our Mission
We believe we ALL have a role to play in cultivating a greener earth.
Working together, we can help heal degraded land and restore desertified communities on behalf of the global health of the planet.
Our Vision
Imagine: a constellation of trees scattered throughout Southern California’s desert.
Our vision is to cultivate a loose network of Butterfly Forests — plots of desert transformed into conservation habitats.
This green corridor will spread climate resilience, heal desert communities, and provide sanctuary for people as well as pollinators (like the Western Monarch).
Here’s Our Plan For The Upcoming Planting Season
Thanks to Monarch Joint Venture along with Hedgerow Farms, we have received free Southern California wildflower seeds for our .25-acre Butterfly Forest.
The list includes:
- Clover
- Sunflower
- Gumplant
- Common Yarrow
- Goldentop
- Desert Bluebells
- Chick Lupine
- Arroyo Lupine
- California Poppy
- Evening Primrose
- Goldenrod
- Silverpuffs
- Goldfields
- Tidy Tips
- Globe Gilia
- Baby Blue Eyes
- Western Thistle
- Vinegar Weed
Since we have been planting Tiny Forests in the desert since 2021, here are plants that have already been established:
- Creosote
- Narrow-Leaf Milkweed
- Desert Willow
- Palo Verde
- Mesquite
- Olive*
- Desert Pine*
- Desert Bird of Paradise*
Here Are Plants We Still Need
We are sending this list to local backyard growers, community nurseries, and plant shops. Our hope is to utilize the donations we received this year to pay for these plants.
If you are an out-of-town nursery who would like to help, please send us an email: ForEveryStarATree@gmail.com.
This list is extensive on purpose. Our thinking? If we can find even five of these plants, we’ve diversified our Butterfly Forest enough to help pollinators thrive.
We’ve broken this list into categories to help future desert restoration projects thrive. We’ve also chosen to deliberately use each plant’s common name to help lower the barrier of entry for would-be earthcare workers (who, we believe, will come from all walks of life).
1.) Mojave Desert Butterfly Plants
These are plants that are considered the “companion” to plants like the Desert Willow along with Narrow-Leaf Milkweed.
- Brittlebush
- Desert Globemallow
- Apache Plume
- Mojave Yucca
- California Buckwheat
- Showy Goldeneye
- Cleveland Sage
- Deerweed
- Mojave Lupine
- Blue-Eyed Grass
- Bladderpod
- Matilija Poppy
- Desert Marigold
- Apricot Mallow
- Chuparosa
- Sand Verbena
- Sacred Datura
- Desert Lavender
- Desert Sunflower
- Goldenhead
- Four-Wing Saltbush
- Paperbag Bush
- Desert Holly
- Jojoba
2.) Southern California’s Climax Plants
While not historically native to the desert, these are plants that belong to the “final” stage of a Southern California forest.
- Coast Live Oak
- Western Sycamore
- California Black Walnut
- Blue Elderberry
- Fremont Cottonwood
- California Lilac
- Manzanita
- Toyon
- Lemonade Berry
- Coffeeberry
- California Wild Grape
- Clematis
- Honey Suckle
- Deergrass
- Purple Needlegrass
- California Fescue
- Golden Yarrow
- Showy Penstemon
- Sticky Monkeyflower
- Beach Strawberry
- Creeping Snowberry
3.) Milkweeds for Butterflies 🦋
As we all know, Milkweeds help butterflies like the Monarch thrive. It provides a vital food source and d nesting ground for all stages of monarch butterfly life.
- Showy Milkweed
- Woollypod Milkweed
- California Milkweed
- Heartleaf Milkweed
- Spider Milkweed
- Broadleaf Milkweed
- Wooly Milkweed
Ways You Can Help Grow A Greener Tomorrow
If you would like to make an individual donation to help us purchase plants for our .25-acre Butterfly Forest, you can donate via Zeffy (zero fees) or Stripe (charges a 2% fee).
If you are a business or angel donor looking to sponsor your own Butterfly Forest, send us an email. We have partnered with a variety of organizations, corporations, and generous individuals to create Tiny Forests across the Los Angeles desert.
