- Author: Susan Rosenthal
Turk's cap grows rapidly and can reach 4 to 6 feet high and wide with profuse red blooms spring through fall. It's adaptable to a variety of soil types and is very heat and drought-tolerant once established. Plants may bloom better in full sun, but the foliage will suffer; morning sun and afternoon shade is perfect in our area. In fact, Malvaviscus is one of the few perennials that blooms reliably in shade.
In mild winters the plant will be evergreen. It may die back after a hard frost but is root hardy. Prune hard in late winter/early spring. Plants can become somewhat leggy, so cut back by one-third to one-half as needed to encourage denser growth.
Very attractive to hummingbirds and butterflies, Turk's cap is actually a butterfly host plant. Few disease problems but watch for aphids or whiteflies. Turk's cap has bright red flowers, but other varieties bloom pink or white. All in all, an excellent choice to brighten a shady place.
- Author: Susan Rosenthal
Looking for a salvia that's something out of the ordinary? Salvia Africana-lutea, or beach sage, is just that. Rarely seen in our area, beach sage is a very tough, drought tolerant shrub.
Fragrant gray-green foliage is slightly ruffled and almost succulent looking. Rusty orange flowers that quickly fade to brown begin in early spring and continue sporadically through fall.
In addition to their unique color, flowers have a curious “withered” appearance even when fresh. Purple-tinged papery calyces remain attractive after petals fall, providing almost year-round interest. Native to coastal areas of South Africa, beach sage prefers sandy, loose soil.
Plant in full sun to part shade. Water occasionally and feed with an annual top-dressing of compost. Eventually reaching 4 to 6 feet tall, it should be trimmed back by at least a third in late spring to encourage new basal growth. Hardy to 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Attractive to pollinators. Hard to find in garden centers but easily available by mail order. All in all, this is one eye-catching sage.
- Author: Susan Rosenthal
Calycanthus occidentalis, or western spice bush, is a large deciduous shrub native to lower elevations of the Coast Range, Sierra Nevada and southern Cascades. Reaching 10- to 12-feet tall and wide, it makes an excellent specimen plant or can be limbed up into a small multitrunked tree.
Large leathery leaves have a spicy scent when crushed and turn golden yellow in the fall. Fragrant maroon red flowers, reminiscent of lotus flowers, magnolia blossoms or water lilies, appear in late spring through summer. The distinctive flowers are actually whorls of structures called tepals, or undifferentiated petals and sepals.
Blooms are followed by large fruit capsules that remain through the winter. Spice bush is not fussy about soil type or pH. Naturally found in moist canyons and along streams, this one will look best with regular water. Leaves may burn if it gets too dry. Will take full sun near the coast, but in our area it's best in partial or dappled shade. Prune immediately after flowering to shape and control growth. No known disease or pest issues. Calycanthus occidentalis is yet another UC Davis Arboretum AllStar.
- Author: Susan Rosenthal
It might be tempting to pass on this one, sometimes dismissed as a weed, at the garden center, but that would be a mistake.
Erigeron karvinskianus, or Santa Barbara Daisy, is a tough, almost carefree perennial and so useful in the garden. Delicate evergreen foliage stays under 12 inches tall, and plants are covered in small daisy-like flowers spring through fall. Flowers emerge white and fade to a pinkish lavender which adds to their interest.
Grow in full sun to partial sun in well-draining, even sandy or chalky soil. Erigeron is very drought tolerant once established but will look better with regular water in our hot summers. Hardy to about 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Plants spread by seed and rhizomatous roots but are easy to control; shear to the ground in late winter and reduce the clump as needed to control size. Deadheading is not required, but an occasional light shearing will encourage more flowering and reduce the spread of seed, if that is a concern.
Really no known pest or disease problems. Very attractive to pollinators. With its trailing habit, Erigeron is very useful as an edging or filler plant in the border, spilling over the edge of a container, cascading over a garden wall or boulder, or filling crevices in a patio or walkway. This is UC Davis Arboretum All Star.
- Author: Susan Rosenthal
Stalked bulbine (Bulbine frutescens), native to southern Africa, is an undemanding succulent perennial perfectly suited to our hot dry summers.
Fleshy onion-like leaves store a great deal of water, making the plant very drought tolerant. Clusters of delicate star shaped yellow or orange (depending on variety) flowers are carried on tall wispy stalks. Blooms over an extended period early spring through fall, with maybe a short break at the peak of summer.
Deadheading is not necessary but will encourage more fall blooms. Plant in full/partial sun in free draining, even sandy or rocky soil. Provide occasional deep irrigation in summer, but definitely do not over water.
Plants spread by rhizomes to eventually form a 3- to 4- foot clump. It may lose vigor after several years, and if so, divide and replant in late winter/early spring. Bulbine is an excellent choice for a xeriscape or rock garden. Mass planted it makes an attractive ground cover.
Evergreen and hardy to 20 degrees Fahrenheit. No serious disease or pest issues. Very attractive to bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
