Native Sons - Plant of the Week

Convolvulus cneorum 'Snow Angel'

A compact selection to 2 feet tall and 3 feet wide with glossy silver-white leaves.  The white flowers are blushed with pink as they open through the spring and summer.  A good choice for all of California, compact bush morning glory can be used in mixed borders or as a small scale ground cover.  Its tight, dense habit is especially useful in narrow beds, median strips and as a foundation planting.  Hardy to 25F.  Convolvulus cneorum 'Snow Angel' is available this week in #5 containers. 

Carex testacea

Orange New Zealand sedge is a mounding sedge with distinctive coloring that makes it a delight in any garden, especially when combined with other grasses or broad-leafed perennials. The hair-like olive green foliage takes on a vivid tangerine-colored blush at the tips and glows brilliantly in the sunlight particularly in cold weather. Mature plants grow to 15” tall and grow best in moist, well-drained soils. This sedge tolerates sun or shade, but most gardeners agree that the foliage color is best with at least a half day of sun. In our garden this sedge has reseeded in a pleasing fashion in both sun and shade. Use as an accent, in containers, or along waterways or combine with other boldly colored plants like Phormium ‘Shirazz’ or Salvia ‘Burgundy Bliss’. Hardy to below 0F. Carex testacea is available this week in #1 gallon containers.

Coprosma 'Fire Burst'

 Coprosma, is an evergreen shrub with stunning green, cream and pink variegated foliage.  The color transforms from cream/pink tones during the summer to fire red foliage during autumn and winter.  'Fire Burst' is ideal for small hedge and general garden landscaping, growing 3-4 feet tall and 3-4 feet wide.  Prune to promote bushiness.  Performs best on well drained soil and in full sun to partial shade.  Hardy to 20F.  Coprosma 'Fire Burst' is available in #1 containers.

Fremontodendron 'California Glory'

Flannel bush.  'California Glory' has an up right form when young, growing up to 20 feet tall or more, but becoming mounding with age.  Generous bloomer over along period with flowers inches across.  Performs great on dry gardens, and can be used for screens.  Use caution also to place plants away from foot traffic or away from face or eyes due to fuzzy olive-green leaves with extremely irritating stellate hairs.  Hardy to 15F.  Fremontodendron 'California Glory' is available this week in #5 containers.

Euphorbia x martinii 'Ascot Rainbow'

Euphorbia x martinii 'Ascot Rainbow' - Spurge, is a perennial with distinct and unique variegated flowers and foliage. The flower color consists of cream, lime, and green while the foliage displays tones of cream, green/blue with stunning red-pink coloring throughout cooler months. Compact and slightly spreading, 'Ascot Rainbow' grows about 20" tall and 20" wide. Plants are very heat and drought tolerant; best suited to full sun, well-drained soils and moderate water. Hardy to 0F. Euphorbia x martinii 'Ascot Rainbow' is available this week in #1 gallon containers.

Salvia chamaedryoides

Salvia chamaedryoides - Germander sage, is an evergreen perennial with small, silvery leaves that form the perfect backdrop for the radiant blue flowers. A spreading sage, this Salvia grows to 3’ wide with many ascending stems to 2’ when in bloom, eventually forming a small mound. Flowers bloom during warm periods throughout the growing season and peak in early summer then again in fall. It is suggested to prune spent flowers for repeated blooming. Plants are best suited to full sun, well-drained soils and moderate water, however they are tolerant of light shade and modest drought. Hardy to 10F. Salvia chamaedryoides is available this week in #1 gallon containers.

Geranium x cantabrigiense 'Crystal Rose'

 Cranesbill.  'Crystal Rose' exhibits all the long blooming and carpeting characteristics of the parent plant 'Westray'.  The near sterile flowers which are bright and good sized, are long lasting, and profuse appearing throughout the year with the main flush in the warmer months.  They are held erect above the foliage, which archieves a moderately dense 12" diameter during the first growing season.  'Crystal Rose' is a versatile landscape plant, worthy of inclusion in the border or in a rock garden or as a ground cover.  Hardy to 0F.  Geranium x cantabrigiense 'Crystal Rose' is available this week in #1 containers.  

Tagetes lemmonii 'Compacta'

Mexican bush marigold.  Herbaceous evergreen perennial, a native to Arizona and northern Mexico.  The highly aromatic, fine textured medium green leaves are arranged on brittle stems. Yellow-orange daisy-like flowers provide intense color from winter-spring. Growing up to 3 feet tall by 3 feet wide, makes it a good choice for border plantings.  Tagetes lemmonii 'Compacta' is available this week in #1 containers.  

Phygelius 'Snow Queen'

Cape fuchsia.  Semi evergreen shrub with tubular, pure white flowers loosely clustered on sturdy stems that rise up to 3 feet tall with an equal spread. 'Snow Queen' makes a good choice for border or container gardens. Hardy to 25F. Phygelius 'Snow Queen' is available this week in #1 containers.

Prostanthera cuneata

Alpine mint bush is a dense, evergreen shrub growing to 3 feet tall by 5 feet wide. It features shiny, wedge-shaped leaves dotted with oil glands and attractive trumpet-shaped white flowers with a purple spot in throat. An excellent choice for containers and borders, it also makes a fine foundation shrub.  Hardy to 20F.  Prostanthera cuneata is available this week in #1 & #5 containers.