Post Archive February 2010
Rosa Californica – California Wild Rose
Like roses in your garden? Consider one native to California. Rosa Californica is a moderately fast grower that is drought tolerant and can handle conditions that many exotic roses cannot. Pretty pink flowers in late spring to summer and hips in the autumn that are good for tea.
Category: California Wild Rose
Romneya Coulteri – Matilija Poppy
Spectacular flowering plant with large summer blooms that look like fried eggs. Grows fast and can spread aggressively so it might not be an idea candidate for our patio garden.
Category: Matilija Poppy
Ribes Speciosum – Fuchsia-flowering Gooseberry
Ribes Speciosum is a very spikey California native shrub that makes a great barrier if you want to keep animals and people out of your yard. Bright red fuchsia type flowers in the winter and spring.
Category: Fuchsia-flowering Gooseberry
Ribes Sanguineum var. Glutinosum – Pink-flowering Currant
Great plant for a wildlife garden, this shade lover produces pretty pink flowers and clusters of dark berries. Expect to see hummingbirds, butterflies and songbirds all enjoying Pink-flowering Currant.
Category: Pink-flowering Currant
Rhus Ovata – Sugarbush (or Sugar Sumac)
Sugarbush is a slow starter among California native shrubs. This one can get to 8′ high but don’t expect to see any mad growing action until it is well settled in it’s new environment. Produces berries that birds and people can enjoy (depends who gets there first).
Category: Sugarbush
Ceanothus ‘Ray Hartman’ – Ray Hartman Mountain Lilac
A faster growing native California Mountain Lilac that has the potential to get very big very fast. Makes a good screen and can be trained as a small tree.
Category: Ray Hartman Mountain Lilac
Rhamnus Californica ‘Bonita Linda’ – Bonita Linda Coffeeberry
A drought tolerant California native plant great for providing shelter to frightened little critters and also for keeping your neighbors from seeing what you are up to. Lovely looking berries but don’t be eating them.
Category: Coffeeberry Bonita Linda
Mimulus Aurantiacus – Sticky Monkeyflower
Cheerful yellow to orange flowering California native with a happy name to match. Grows near me in Ventura County but local plants don’t automatically make successful garden specimens.
