california native flora

What’s Blooming? June 2010

We are still getting a little “June Gloom” in the early part of the day but for the most part the sun is out and the temperatures are climbing. We are probably 10-15°F short of the average midsummer high so some of the spring bloomers are maintaining a late season show while some of the plants that thrive in the summer heat are starting to come to life.

The hummingbirds are happy to see the California Fuchsia (Epilobium Canum) flowering now. The scarlet trumpet-shaped flowers should be with us right the way into fall. Other summer blooming plants here include Indian Mallow (Abutilon Palmeri) and Red or San Miguel Island Buckwheat (Eriogonum Grande var. Rubescens). Some of the flowers that we normally only see blooming in Spring are making the most of the higher precipitation this year along with the lower than normal temperatures. These include Island Bush Poppy (Dendromecon Harfordii), Red Fairyduster (Calliandra Californica) and the Foothill Penstemon (Penstemon Heterophyllus ‘Margarita BOP’).

Two new plants in the garden are flowering right now. A hybrid Penstemon x mexicali named ‘Sweet Joanne’ has pretty deep pink to lavender flowers that the hummingbirds have been checking out. I’m happiest to report that I now have a Trichostema Lanatum specimen (Woolly Blue Curls). It seems pretty hard to get a hold of this plant and so far attempts to propagate from seed have failed. I have not given up on the seeds though, I consider it a challenge!