- Author: Samantha Dowdall
- Editor: Noni Todd
Foxtail Agave
By Samantha Dowdall UCCE Master Gardener
Common name: Foxtail Agave
Scientific name: Agave attenuata variegata ‘Ray of Light'
Planting areas: USDA zones 9b to 11
Bloom season: All of the nearly 300 species of agave are monocarpic, meaning they will bloom only once after many years, then die. The mother plant will leave behind offsets (“pups”) that are easily grown into beautiful new plants. This particular agave is commonly called ‘foxtail' because the tall flower spike curves such a way that resembles the tail of a fox.
Exposure: Full to part sun. This agave can become scorched in very hot weather, so some dappled light will keep your plant happiest. It is sensitive to the colder microclimates along our central coastal region. Covering your plant with frost cloth or soft sheeting at night during frosts conditions will provide good protection. It will grow quite happily in pots as well, either in a protected area outdoors or inside to wait out the storm.
Pruning needs: Damaged leaves can be removed to maintain a tidy appearance.
Water needs: Water young plants every 4-5 days to get the roots established. Mature agaves only need to be watered 2-3 times a month in the summer, unless you live in a dry, hot area.
Snapshot: Agaves are native to the arid and semiarid regions of the Americas, especially Mexico, and parts of the Caribbean. While most species have sharp, pointed tips, this agave distinguishes itself from its cousins by having tips that are soft and harmless, making it a living sculpture of beautifully shaped leaves of bright green, with light yellow or white stripes.
With plenty of room, this specimen can grow 4-6 feet tall, 6-8 feet wide. Left to its own devices, pups growing along the edges will mature and turn your plant into a very large display. Pups can be easily propagated by cutting the stems just long enough to put into well-draining soil to spread about your landscape or to give as gifts to lucky recipients. Grown in pots, agaves grow much smaller, making them ideal for spreading light and beauty around a patio.
Advice to Grow By Workshops
Our next San Luis Obispo Advice to Grow By Workshop will be January 21st, 2024. The subject will be “Fruit trees-How Winter Care Can Aid Warm Weather Success”. More information to follow.
You can view workshops on Instagram live at slo mg or visit our You Tube channel at “San Luis Obispo County UC Master Gardeners.”
Visit our website at ucanr.edu/sites/mgslo/ or email questions to anrmgslo@ucanr.edu.
UCCE Master Gardener Helpline offices:
San Luis Obispo: 805-781-5939 (Monday and Thursday 1:00 to 5:00)
Arroyo Grande: 805-473-7190 (Wednesday 10:00 to 12:00)
Templeton: 805-434-4105 (Wednesday 9:00 to 12:00)
- Author: Polly Nelson
- Editor: Noni Todd
Coahuila Sage
By Polly Nelson UCCE Master Gardener
Common Name: Coahuila Sage (also ‘Saltillo Sage', ‘Purple Ginny')
Scientific name: Salvia coahuilensis
Planting area: Sunset zone 8, 9, 12-24
Size: Up to 2.5 feet high and wide
Bloom season: late spring through fall
Exposure: full sun
Pruning needs: tip pinch annually to maintain shape
Water needs: low to moderate
Snapshot: This is a season for spicy scents, and Salvia coahuilensis' (pronounced co-a-willensis) foliage can bring smell memories to life! It grows well as a border or bedding plant and its abundant blooms can add a distinctive scent to your landscape.
Originating in the mountains of Coahuila, Mexico, it is an evergreen, mounding, sage featuring one inch, textured, olive green leaves that rise on slender branches. A light brushing of the foliage emits a pleasing spicy scent. Flowers form at the end of three-inch stems, richly deep blue/violet in color. Bloom starts in early summer and last into fall, although year-round blooms can be seen in mild winter climates.
Plant Coahuila sage in full sun in soil with good drainage. Space plants approximately three to four feet apart to provide adequate air circulation and to minimize fungal disease.
The water needs are generally low once established. Deeply water weekly initially, then every 2-4 weeks during the hottest months to retain foliage and extend the bloom cycle. Prune annually in late winter to early spring. Reducing the plant's overall size to about 8 inches will encourage vigorous growth. Maintain the rounded shape during the growing season by pinching back the tips by no more than 1/3 of the total height.
Propagate this sage by taking cuttings from the new growth in the spring, or softwood cuttings later in the season. Place cuttings in small individual containers with well-draining rooting mix. Equal parts of fine bark and peat will help prevent root rot. Keep the cuttings protected in a lightly shaded area. Roots will develop and the plant should be ready to transplant into a larger container in about four weeks.
Bees, butterflies and hummingbirds enjoy the nectar from Coahuila sage, while deer and rabbits are less interested.
It makes “scents” to check out this less common sage and add this evergreen, later-booming pollinator plant to your garden.
- Author: Jutta Thoerner
- Editor: Noni Todd
Hollyhock
By Jutta Thoerner UCCE Master Gardener
Scientific name: Alcea species
Plant size: 3-8 feet tall, 1-3 feet wide.
Bloom description and season: Flowers are single or double, cup shaped and start at the bottom of the stalk and continue all the way up. Colors are blue, orange, pink, purple, red, white, yellow and black. Bloom time is May-August.
Pruning needs: none
Exposure: partial shade to full sun
Water needs: none
Hollyhocks never seem to go out of style. Seeing these towering plants in full bloom can evoke nostalgic memories of a grandparents' cottage garden. A defining feature is their size, easily reaching 6-8 feet with the entire stalk lined with stunning flowers that attract bumble bees and hummingbirds. Most hollyhocks are biannual, meaning they bloom during their second year. However, Crème de Cassis is a variety that will bloom its first year.
Hollyhocks require no water, even in the heat of the summer. They'll accept acidic, neutral or alkaline soil that is clay, silty or sandy. And like most plants, hollyhocks do prefer well drained soil. Strong winds can bend these tall flowering stalks, therefore, planting by a fence or in front of a wall is recommended.
Hollyhocks are easily grown by seed. When the flowers are spent, each flower turns into a large seed pod. Allow the seed pod to mature on the plant until the husk is dried, and they can be easily picked off. Simply drop the seeds on the ground in the location where you want hollyhocks to grow and bloom next year. No need to cover the seeds with soil or water. These self-sufficient seeds need no additional assistance. Damp or foggy climates can lead to rust on hollyhock leaves. Picking off the infected leaves and disposing of them is sufficient for managing this issue.
I can't think of a single reason not to add hollyhocks to your garden for next year! If you have extra seeds, consider adding hollyhock seeds to your gift giving list so your friends and family can enjoy the plant that draws your eye to the sky!
Advice to Grow By Workshops
Our next San Luis Obispo Advice to Grow By Workshop will be January 21st, 2024. The subject will be “Fruit trees-How Winter Care Can Aid Warm Weather Success”. More information to follow.
You can view workshops on Instagram live at slo mg or visit our You Tube channel at “San Luis Obispo County UC Master Gardeners.”
Visit our website at ucanr.edu/sites/mgslo/ or email questions to anrmgslo@ucanr.edu.
UCCE Master Gardener Helpline offices:
San Luis Obispo: 805-781-5939 (Monday and Thursday 1:00 to 5:00)
Arroyo Grande: 805-473-7190 (Wednesday 10:00 to 12:00)
Templeton: 805-434-4105 (Wednesday 9:00 to 12:00)
- Author: Deborah Light-Pacheco
- Editor: Noni Todd
Creeping Charlie
By Deborah Light-Pacheco UCCE Master Gardener
Common name of plant: Creeping Charlie or Swedish Ivy
Scientific name: Plectranthus verticillatus
Planting area: Sunset 22-24: H2; or indoors
Size: 4-8 inches tall, 4-6 inches wide
Bloom Season: intermittently
Exposure: partial shade, bright indirect light
Pruning needs: as needed
Water needs: Regular
Growing up I fell in love with houseplants. There were so many varieties, and they were so festive and fresh. My favorite was, and still is, the houseplant variety of Creeping Charlie. Creeping Charlie is related to coleus and are native to tropical regions. Different varieties have different leaf colors, but he houseplant variety has roundish, waxy dark green and scalloped edged leaves that smell uniquely fresh and spicy at the same time. This perennial is a member of the mint family. And as such, the aromatic nature of the plant lends itself for use in essential oils, anti-fungal and anti-bacterial medicinals. Charlies look glamorous in hanging baskets or in decorative pots. The P. verticillatus variety produces white or pale purple blossoms intermittently all year.
A fun fact is that President Kennedy was gifted a Swedish Ivy plant from the Irish Ambassador during his term of office. An offspring of the plant still exists in the White House and can be seen in photographs above the mantel of the fireplace. Rumor has it this is the most photographed plant in the world!
Though this specific variety of Creeping Charlie is a houseplant, it can be used outside as ground cover in a warm protected area. The plant can grow from 4-8 inches high and 4-6 inches wide. Whether grown as a houseplant or outdoor ground cover, this plant is easily propagated by cuttings. The stems root easily in the ground or in water. The only soil they don't appreciate is a heavy clay. If planting within a pot, peat based potting soil is best. Water to maintain a moist, but not wet, soil. Pinch it back regularly to maintain the plant's shrubbiness. Charlies need approximately 6 hours of filtered bright sunlight per day. The two most important factors in your houseplant's health are the right amount of light and the right amount of water. Your Creeping Charlie will creep into your heart and become your favorite with the right care. Enjoy!
Advice to Grow By Workshops
Our next San Luis Obispo Advice to Grow By Workshop will be January 21st, 2024. The subject will be “Fruit trees-How Winter Care Can Aid Warm Weather Success”. More information to follow.
You can view workshops on Instagram live at slo mg or visit our You Tube channel at “San Luis Obispo County UC Master Gardeners.”
Visit our website at ucanr.edu/sites/mgslo/ or email questions to anrmgslo@ucanr.edu.
UCCE Master Gardener Helpline offices:
San Luis Obispo: 805-781-5939 (Monday and Thursday 1:00 to 5:00)
Arroyo Grande: 805-473-7190 (Wednesday 10:00 to 12:00)
Templeton: 805-434-4105 (Wednesday 9:00 to 12:00)
- Author: Andrea Peck
- Editor: Noni Todd
Cousin Itt Acacia
By Andrea Peck UCCE Master Gardener
Common name of plant: 'Cousin Itt' Acacia
Scientific name: Acacia cognata
Planting area: USDA Zones 9-11
Size: 3' tall x 3' wide
Growth season: Evergreen
Exposure: Full to partial sun
Pruning needs: Low
Water needs: Low
Snapshot:
No need for Halloween décor this year---not if you have the Cousin Itt Acacia, that is. Cousin Itt lives up to his name and reputation. You may catch yourself staring at Itt wondering exactly what you're looking at---is it a grass, a tree, a bush? Put a hat and glasses on your mystery plant and you may trick your friends into believing Cousin is just another guest. We do know, however, that underneath that mass of green cascading foliage are actual roots.
Though it's hard to determine if this plant is standing or laying down, Cousin Itt makes a nice addition to any garden setting. You'll be won over by the quiet grace of the weeping growth habit and the shine of the blue-green leaves. Itt is often utilized in difficult areas such as sloped spaces or dry creek beds. Native to Australia, Cousin Itt is well-versed in drought-speak and once established, Itt handles dry weather with aplomb---though it will be hard to tell by its expression.
During the first year, it is important to provide regular irrigation in well-draining soil. Slightly acidic soil enriched with organic matter is preferred. After the roots have made themselves at home, your dear Cousin won't ask for much. This plant will spread to a contained three-feet tall by three-feet wide and only require pruning when a branch is damaged. Avoid over pruning as it may lead to a haystack look.
When spring rolls around, feed your favorite Cousin a general all-purpose fertilizer as needed, following label instructions. Itt will have a growth spurt during this time and will appreciate the added nutrition. As summer looms, your little Itt will continue to grow, making itself more comfortable each day. Some even say they've seen Cousin Itt shuffling around amongst the plants, whispering gibberish into the night air. But that couldn't happen, could it?
Advice to Grow By Workshops
Our next San Luis Obispo Advice to Grow By Workshop will be January 21st, 2024. The subject will be “Fruit trees-How Winter Care Can Aid Warm Weather Success”. More information to follow.
You can view workshops on Instagram live at slo mg or visit our You Tube channel at “San Luis Obispo County UC Master Gardeners.”
Visit our website at ucanr.edu/sites/mgslo/ or email questions to anrmgslo@ucanr.edu.
UCCE Master Gardener Helpline offices:
San Luis Obispo: 805-781-5939 (Monday and Thursday 1:00 to 5:00)
Arroyo Grande: 805-473-7190 (Wednesday 10:00 to 12:00)
Templeton: 805-434-4105 (Wednesday 9:00 to 12:00)
