Acnistus australis

The infamous “Blue Brug!”

Perhaps one of the most beautiful small trees for the San Francisco Bay Area, this in-demand (yest elusive) and truly gorgeous plant is also easy to grow once acquired! In early Spring, just as it begins to leaf out from its semi-deciduous Winter dormancy, hundreds upon hundreds of small, blue purple bells appear. The effect is stunning! Blooming continues off and on sporadically throughout the rest of the growing season (through Summer at least) and few who see it can resist the desire to have one for their very own. From Argentina (not Australia – the Latin name “australis” means “southern”), Acnistus is fully hardy in USDA zones 9 and up and elsewhere needs to be protected. Plants in colder zones will often freeze to the ground and return from roots, but older growth produces more abundant blooms and specimens in colder areas never quite reach their full potential. Eager gardeners can get good results from putting the plant in a large pot and bringing it inside during cold months if they are outside of its hardiness range. Propagator Anni Jensen has had an Acnistus in her garden for over ten years, and though it initially got a bit of water from her grey water system, it's long since been cut off. Though I'm sure the high water table in our area is having a positive effect, I would still describe this plant as being very tolerant of drought – an important and desireable quantity in these times! Hummingbirds are frequent visitors of this plant, as are bees. Expect your plant to produce a lot of lanky growth at first. Eventually, it can be trained into whatever shape pleases you. Large specimens can exceed 8' in height and spread, but they can be kept smaller with judicious pruning. Best and bloomiest in full sun, but equally happy in a shadier spot.

Full/Part Sun. Low/Reg water. Shrub.
USDA Zones 8b-11

Abutilon striatum

Without a doubt, the strongest, toughest Abutilon I've ever seen! Beautiful as well – the fiery orange blooms have prominent deep red veining and appear throughout the year in frost free zones. Each 2" brightly colored flower is held away from the stem on an extra long, springy (to 5”) penduncle. Quite interesting and makes for a prominent display! Hummingbirds, not notable for their group behavior, flock to this plant. This is not a named variety but (so far as we know), a seedling very close to the naturally occuring species. The Maple-like leaves are 5” across, healthy and shiny emerald green. This “Flowering Maple” is also more tree-like than the hybrids that abound – the first plant I saw was growing almost 20' tall in a Berkeley sideyard! Though we've hacked back our mother plants time and time again, they continue to produce staunchly vertical shoots. This plant wants to be tall! It can be kept smaller with regular pruning, but I am going the opposite route, and planting it adjacent to a tree where it can clamber through the branches and achieve maximum height!

Sun/Part Sun. Avg water. Shrub.
USDA zones 8b-11

Eriogonum giganteum “St.Catherine's Lace”

A magnificent native from the Channel Islands, Eriogonum giganteum is our largest buckwheat and an indispensable habitat plant. Drought tolerant, hardy to 15 degrees F, it easily accomodates salt-spray, clay soil and is even somewhat deer resistant. The plant produces giant cream-pink umbles of flowers that form an umbrella over the grey foliage starting in May. Flowering continues for a few months, during which time the plant will be a hot spot for butterflies, bees and the like. Afterwards, the giant umbels fade to a rust color, and seeds form, supplying local birds with food. Flowers make very nice cut material in both dried and fresh arrangements as our propagator Anni Jensen can attest – Eriogonums were one of the primary flowers featured in her wedding this Summer. Plants can be variable, but generally speaking will grow to 5' tall and about as wide.

Sun. Low/Avg water. Shrub.
USDA zones 8b-11

Moraea polystachya

We've been enjoying this easy to grow Moraea for many years, where it has returned without fail and increased its numbers annually in our South African display garden. Now we are finally able to offer it to you! 3” simple and elegant iris-like lavender flowers with yellow nectar guides appear atop 2' stems. Each bloom is ephemeral but successive flowers appear over a long period – 6 to 8 weeks. When not in bloom, the grass like leaves are pretty inconspicuous and will disappear under conditions of drought. Ordinarily, this species is only supposed to be Fall blooming, but for us it blooms twice – once in late Spring and again in October. Widespread in both Summer & Winter rainfall areas of South Africa, it can thrive in both dry gardens and with irrigation. Grow in pots or in the ground and keep away from cattle! Not that many of us have grazing animals to worry about, but this plant is poisonous to livestock – just so you know. Rich soil would be good, but it's not required.

Sun. Low/Avg water. Bulb.
USDA Zones 9-11

Primula auricula 'Abuelita'

One of our new, totally exclusive Auriculas – selected for its lovely fragrant double blooms in an antique bronzey-rose color. If you haven't
heard yet about our select Auriculas yet, listen up! A few years ago we were lucky enough to get our hands on some choice seed from show-quality Primroses bred in England. From this crop we selected the best plants and were lucky to find some real treasures in the mix! The double flowered plants are probably our favorites. Since then, we've named and propagated them in limited quantity, offering the plants exclusively to our mail order customers! 'Abuelita' is Spanish for “little grandmother” and was named by retail gal Patty, who thinks it looks extra sweet and old fashioned. Auricula Primroses have been grown for hundreds of years - and for good reason. They're sturdy little plants – easy to grow in pots and deliciously fragrant. They are very long lived if cared for properly and older established plants end up feeling a bit more like pets than potted plants – they're so easy to love! With the cool Summers of the SF Bay Area they are particularly long-blooming, too. If deadheaded, they produce flowers almost year-round, whereas in hotter and colder areas the primary blooming season is in Spring. Feed regularly and pot in rich soil for best results. To just 1' tall and about as wide.

Pt.Sun/Shade. Reg/Avg water. Perennial.
USDA zones 3-9