This is Toyon, also called California Christmas Berry or Christmas Holly or Heteromeles arbutifolia. These beautiful shrubs are prized for their bright red berries and deep green leaves. This is a fan-tab-ulous alternative to regular Holly (Ilex) when you need something drought-tolerant for your garden AND a little something for the birds and the bees Read More…
Category: plant profiles
Plant Profile: Crassula Portulacea or Spoon Jade or ET Fingers or Gollum Jade
Any more names for this jade species? I’ve always appreciated it for the way it looks like coral, sea grass or some exotic undersea plant you’d find waving with the currents in Ariel’s Secret Grotto. Horseshoe or Spoon Jade is also called Gollum Fingers or ET fingers. These plants can take full sun to light Read More…
Delicate Flowering Crape Myrtle Lagerstroemia for Hot Weather Gardens
Here in Los Angeles, the Crape Myrtle Trees begin blooming around April and are still in bloom now in July, despite the 100 degree heat wave. These perennials are known for their beautiful clusters of flowers that look like crinkles of crepe paper. Colors come in bright white, dusty pinks, neon reds onto pink and Read More…
How to Grow and Care for Healing Aloe Vera Plants
Aloe Vera, known as the healing plant, is easy to care for indoors or in the garden. It is a drought tolerant succulent plant which grows well in dry shade to part sun. Aloes have bright green stalks that grow up to 1 foot long and up to 2 inches thick They usually have creamy Read More…
Euryops: Drought Tolerant, Fast Growing Winter Flowering Shrubs For Southern California
If you are looking for a nice drought tolerant shrub that flowers almost year-round try Euryops. I planted these as a quick fix for a bare bed about four years ago. I knew they were fairly fast growing and flowered in winter. The plan was to get something started quick and fill in the blank Read More…
Plant Profile: Crassula Ovata or Jade Plant, great succulent plants for dry gardens.
Right now is a perfect time to plant your succulent garden! It’s still cool and we have rain so you don’t have to water! Jades are in bloom right now. Crassula ovata or Jade plants are shrubby succulent plants that make excellent choices for dry gardens and container plants. Xeriscaping with drought tolerant cactus and Read More…
Fall Planting Tips: 3 Flowering Herbs to Plant Now In Southern California Gardens
It is a lucky cook who is able to pluck a few fresh sprouts from a nearby herb plant to spice up a dish on the stove. Here are a few fabulous herbs that do well in drought tolerant gardens, and Fall is a perfect time to plant them, so get out there already! Here Read More…
Leyland Cypress Fast-Growing Drought Tolerant Landscape Screen Plants
Leyland cypress (Cupressocyparis leylandii) is a very fast growing tree that grows tall and thin, making them perfect for privacy screen plants in the landscape. These shrubs can grow four to five feet in one season! Their columnar shape helps them fit in along the back of the border or between houses. The top is a Read More…
Wednesday Plant Profile: Optuna Cactus and How to Eat Prickly Pears
It’s almost time for prickly pears! I grow a prickly pear cactus (Opuntia ficus-indica) in my back yard and it has great pears. Opuntia cactus also have edible pads, the younger ones are more tender. This cactus variety grows wild in the southwestern United States and Mexico. Prickly pear cactus have deep green branching pads, Read More…
Flowering Thyme, Drought Tolerant Herb With Elvin Blooms For #FloralFriday
I have a new addition to my drought tolerant herb collection; thyme. Common Thyme or English Thyme (Latin name Thymus vulgaris) is another Mediterranean native, so it’s perfect for my dry garden too. These herbs grow as small shrubs or shrublets with tiny, oval leaves measuring just 1/4 inch long. They are perennial and flower Read More…