Plant Profile: Woolly Bluecurls (Trichostema lanatum)
Karen 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…
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…
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,…
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: Egyptian Balsam (Balanites aegyptiaca)
Egyptian balsam is a shrub or small tree native to much of Africa and parts of the the Middle East where it grows in arid and sub-arid tropics and subtropics…
Plant Profile: Christ’s Thorn Jujube (Zizphus spina-christi)
Christ’s thorn jujube is a shrub or small tree native to Africa, the Levant, and southern and western Asia where it grows in a variety of habitats including deserts, semi-desert…
Plants for a Plant Zoo: Parrot’s Beak (Clianthus puniceus)
Brighten up the garden in spring with the bright pink to red flowers of parrot’s beak, a bushy evergreen shrub endemic to New Zealand’s North Island. The waxy, 3″ long…
Plants for a Plant Zoo: Bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi)
Native Americans smoked it in ceremonial pipes, modern Americans use it for many things from treating urinary tract problems to skin lightening, but bearberry is most valued as an outstanding…
Plants for a Zoo Garden: Giraffe Thorn (Vachellia erioloba aka Acacia erioloba)
Armed with 3″ long thorns, this evergreen tree or shrub presents a great opportunity to introduce children to the unusual feeding habits of the giraffe. Yup, a giraffe can feed…
Plants of the Bible: Sage-leaved Rockrose (Cistus salviifolius)
Also known as salvia cistus and Gallipoli rose, this bushy evergreen shrub is native to the Mediterranean region, including southern Europe, parts of Western Asia and North Africa. It is…