Plants for a Plant Zoo: Goat’s Foot (Ipomea pes caprae)
Karen This evergreen, creeping, perennial vine is native to tropical and subtropical coastal areas around the world, especially on upper beaches and dunes. The plant grows 6-16″ high and has a…
Plant Profile: Woolly Bluecurls (Trichostema lanatum)
Native to dry slopes of south coast ranges of California and northern Baja, this evergreen shrub is a member of the deadnettle family, Lamiaceae, that also includes mint, rosemary, and…
Plants of the Bible: Wild Jujube (Ziziphus lotus)
Also known as lotus tree, this deciduous shrub or small tree is a member of the buckthorn family, Rhamnaceae, and is native to the arid and semi arid areas of…
Invasive Plants and Their Native Alternatives: English Holly (Ilex aquifolium)
English holly is a broadleaf evergreen tree or shrub growing 15-20’ tall. It has attractive glossy dark green leaves with sharp spines on the edges and red to yellow berries…
Plant Profile: Birch Leaf Mountain Mahogany (Cerocarpus betuloides)
Native to California, Baja, Oregon, Arizona and northwestern New Mexico, this evergreen shrub or small tree can be found in the dry areas of foothills and mountains of California, often…
Plants for a Plant Zoo: Pheasant’s Breast (Aloe variegata aka Gonialoe variegata)
This tender evergreen succulent is also known as tiger aloe so can join the cat or bird parts of a plant zoo. The stripes on the leaves beg for inclusion…
Plant Profile: Lemonade Berry (Rhus integrifolia)
Native to coastal sage scrub and chaparral of Southern California and Baja, this evergreen shrub or small tree is a member of the cashew family, Anacardiaceae, that also includes sumac,…
Plants of the Bible: Boxthorn (Lycium europaeum)
Also called European tea-tree, this deciduous shrub native to Mediterranean shrublands, is a member of the nightshade family, Solonaceae, that also includes tomato, eggplant, and tobacco. The spreading many branched…
Invasive Plants and Their Native Alternatives: Beach Naupaka (Scaevola sericea var. taccada)
Also known as beach cabbage and sea lettuce, beach naupaka is a dense, spreading evergreen shrub growing 3-10’ tall. The medium green leaves are elliptical, waxy, fleshy, smooth and 1.5…
Plant Profile: Syrian Thistle (Notobasis syriaca)
Also known as horse thistle, this annual plant is native to the semi-desert areas of the Mediterranean region and the Middle East. It is a member of the aster family,…