Plant of the Month – February
Red Valerian Jupiter’s Beard Centranthus ruber Plant Form: Perennial sub-shrub Water Use: Very low, low Mature Size: 2-3 ft. tall x 1-2 ft. wide Exposure: Full sun, light shade Bloom Time: Spring (March – May), Summer (June – Aug), Fall (Sept – Nov) Native to: Mediterranean region, North Africa Hardiness: Cold hardy to -10°F Red Valerian, also known as Jupiter’s Beard, is a moderately fast-growing, erect sub-shrub that is not fussy about its growing conditions. Showy, rose-red flowers appear continuously […]
Plant of the Month – November
Desert Broom, Broom Baccharis Baccharis sarothroides Plant Form: Semi-deciduous shrub Water Use: Very low Mature Size: 6-12 ft. tall x 6-7 ft. wide Exposure: Full sun Bloom Time: Summer (June – August), Fall (September – October) Native to: Southern California, southwest US, Mexico Hardiness: Cold hardy to 15°F Desert Broom has branches that are so green, you won’t notice that it drops its small, narrow leaves during drought, making this rounded shrub look like a giant, green broom. This fast-growing, […]
Plant of the Month – February
Linear-leaved Goldenbush Narrowleaf Goldenbush Showy Goldenbush Ericameria linearifolia Plant Form: Evergreen shrub Water Use: Very low Mature Size: 2-3 ft. tall x 3-4 ft. wide Exposure: Full sun Bloom Time: Spring (March-May) Native to: California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah Hardiness: Cold hardy to 10°F Linear-leaved Goldenbush is a moderately fast-growing, erect shrub that is highly branched. One of its common names, Showy Goldenbush, was inspired by its prolific spring display of bright yellow, daisy-like flowers on long stems above dark […]
Plant of the Month – November
Great Basin Sage Big Sagebrush Artemisia tridentata Plant Form: Evergreen shrub Water Use: Low Mature Size: 3-6 ft. tall x 3-10 ft. wide Exposure: Full sun Bloom Time: Summer (July-Aug), Fall (Sept) Native to: Western North America, Canada, Baja California Hardiness: Cold hardy to -20°F Great Basin Sage is a study in silver and gray. This shrub forms the primary vegetation across vast stretches of the Great Basin desert. A member of the sunflower family, it develops a woody trunk […]
Plant of the Month – March
Pink Rockrose Cistus x skanbergii Plant Form: Evergreen Shrub Water Use: Low Mature Size: 3 – 4’ tall; 3 – 6’ wide Exposure: Full Sun Bloom Time: Peak bloom Spring; Summer –Fall (March – Sept) Native to: Greece Hardiness: Cold hardy to 15°F A charmer in informal cottage gardens, this sturdy Mediterranean shrub is blanketed in spring with pale pink, one-inch flowers with yellow centers, offering a lighter smattering of flowers in summer and fall. This low-maintenance shrub tolerates […]
Plant of the Month – April 2014
California Buckwheat Eriogonum fasciculatum Plant Form: Evergreen Shrub Water Use: Very Low Mature Size: 2’ tall x 4-5’ wide Exposure: Full Sun Bloom Time: Spring, Summer, Fall (April – November) Native to: Southern California (below 7,000 feet), Arizona, Nevada, Utah Hardiness: Cold Hardy to 15°F California Buckwheat is an extremely drought-tolerant, evergreen shrub forming a rounded clump with many stems. White to pink flowers grow in dense clusters on thin stalks above small, dark green leaves. The […]
