Reference: Las Pilitas Nursery, with permission of Bert Wilson. Edited by Al Naydol and members of the San Luis Obispo Chapter of the California Native Plant Society.
The shrub is known by the common names Catalina Perfume, Island Gooseberry and Evergreen Currant. It is found in southern California in the United States, especially on Santa Catalina Island, and into northern Baja California in Mexico. It is a rare member of the chaparral plant community, and more common in landscaped drought-tolerant gardens. There are only a handful of locations on the mainland U.S. and some of these may be escapees from the shrub grows low to the ground, extending long reddish stems horizontally where the tips may root and establish new growth centers. The leaves are dark green and shiny on their top surfaces, and lighter green or yellowish and leathery on the undersides. The leaves have glands which exude a sticky, citrus-scented sap. Clusters of deep red flowers bloom in late winter and into early spring. The plant yields small red fruits later in the spring that attract birds.
Landscaping Information:
Sun: Part Shade
Moisture: Very Low
Summer Irrigation: Max 1x / month once established
Ease of Care: Very Easy
Cold Tolerance: Tolerates cold to 15° F
Soil Drainage: Medium
Soil Description: Tolerates a variety of soils as long as adequate drainage is provided. Soil PH: 5.0 – 7.0
Common uses: Bank Stabilization, Groundcovers, Deer Resistant, Bird Gardens, Hummingbird Gardens, Butterfly Gardens, Bee Gardens
Companion Plants: Santa Cruz Island Buckwheat, St. Catherine’s Lace, Redflower Buckwheat, Island Cherry, Island Hazardia and Island Bristleweed, Island Ironwood
Maintenance: May be pruned to restrain its sprawling tendencies
Sunset Zones: 5, 7, 8, 9, 14*, 15*, 16*, 17*, 19*, 20*, 21*, 22*, 23*, 24
Natural Setting:
Site Type: Dry shady areas such as under oaks or large chaparral shrubs
Climate: Annual Precipitation: 10.0″ – 17.9″
The shrub is known by the common names Catalina Perfume, Island Gooseberry and Evergreen Currant. It is found in southern California in the United States, especially on Santa Catalina Island, and into northern Baja California in Mexico. It is a rare member of the chaparral plant community, and more common in landscaped drought-tolerant gardens. There are only a handful of locations on the mainland U.S. and some of these may be escapees from the shrub grows low to the ground, extending long reddish stems horizontally where the tips may root and establish new growth centers. The leaves are dark green and shiny on their top surfaces, and lighter green or yellowish and leathery on the undersides. The leaves have glands which exude a sticky, citrus-scented sap. Clusters of deep red flowers bloom in late winter and into early spring. The plant yields small red fruits later in the spring that attract birds.
Landscaping Information:
Sun: Part Shade
Moisture: Very Low
Summer Irrigation: Max 1x / month once established
Ease of Care: Very Easy
Cold Tolerance: Tolerates cold to 15° F
Soil Drainage: Medium
Soil Description: Tolerates a variety of soils as long as adequate drainage is provided. Soil PH: 5.0 – 7.0
Common uses: Bank Stabilization, Groundcovers, Deer Resistant, Bird Gardens, Hummingbird Gardens, Butterfly Gardens, Bee Gardens
Companion Plants: Santa Cruz Island Buckwheat, St. Catherine’s Lace, Redflower Buckwheat, Island Cherry, Island Hazardia and Island Bristleweed, Island Ironwood
Maintenance: May be pruned to restrain its sprawling tendencies
Sunset Zones: 5, 7, 8, 9, 14*, 15*, 16*, 17*, 19*, 20*, 21*, 22*, 23*, 24
Natural Setting:
Site Type: Dry shady areas such as under oaks or large chaparral shrubs
Climate: Annual Precipitation: 10.0″ – 17.9″
Flowering Currant or Red-flowering Currant is a species in the Grossulariaceae (Currants and Gooseberries) family that is native to western coastal North America from central British Columbia south to central California. It is a deciduous shrub growing up to 13 feet tall. The bark is dark brownish-grey and the leaves are 1-3 inches long and broad. When young in spring, they have a strong resinous scent. The flowers are produced in early spring at the same time as the leaves emerge, on racemes of 5-30 flowers; each flower is 5-10 millimeters in diameter, with five red or pink petals. The fruit is a dark purple oval berry 1 centimeter long, edible but with an insipid taste, best left for the birds. Near the coast it is flexible as to water and exposure. Inland it prefers more water and shade.
Landscaping Information:
Sun: Part Shade
Moisture: Low
Summer Irrigation: Max 3x / month once established
Ease of Care: Very Easy
Cold Tolerance: Tolerates cold to 5° F
Soil Drainage: Medium
Soil Description: Tolerates a variety of soils. Soil PH: 5.5 – 7.0
Common uses: Deer Resistant, Bird Gardens, Hummingbird Gardens, Butterfly Gardens, Bee Gardens
Companion Plants: Trees: Maples (Acer sp.), Alders (Alnus sp.), Giant Chinquapin (Chrysolepis chrysophylla), Ash (Fraxinus sp.), Coast Silktassel (Garry elliptica), Pines (Pinus sp.), Cottonwood (Populus sp.), Oaks (Quercus sp.), and Bay Laurel (Umbellularia californica)
Natural Setting:
Site Type: Found along the coast and in the Coast Ranges, often on north facing slopes. It occurs in several habitats including chaparral, forest and woodland.
Climate: Annual Precipitation: 2.7″ – 154.7″
Bladder Pod is a species of the Caper family also known by the common names burrofat, and California Cleome. It is native to California (primarily southern) and Baja California where it grows in a variety of habitats from coastal bluffs to desert arroyos. It is a densely branching shrub reaching one half to two meters in height. Its leaves are made up of three equal leaf-like leaflets, each a long, pointed oval one to four centimeters long. The plant produces abundant flower clusters at the ends of the stem branches, each a cluster of bright yellow flowers. Each flower has usually four petals and six whiskery protruding stamens with curling tips holding the anthers. At the middle is a long, protruding style which holds the developing fruit at its tip. The fruit is an inflated capsule about 4 centimeters long. It is edible. It is smooth and green when new, aging to light brown. A typical flower cluster bears a number of unopened flower buds at its tip, open flowers proximal to the buds, and maturing fruits which have shed their flowers below these.
Bladderpod is one of the easiest California natives to grow in landscape applications. It tolerates weekly summer water but can also get by with only natural rainfall. They are easy to grow from seeds, usually growing in a year to 3 feet tall. The readily self seed, and once you have a few mature plants in your garden, expect new seedlings to pop up each winter. This tough plant grows well even on south-facing slopes, alkaline soils and salty conditions. The flowers are beautiful, bright yellow, and stay on the plant most of the year, and attract bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. It is highly fragrant, though the public is divided on whether it is pleasant or unpleasant.
Landscaping Information:
Sun: Full Sun
Moisture: Very Low, Low
Summer Irrigation: Max 1x / month once established
Ease of Care: Very Easy
Soil Drainage: Fast
Soil Description: Prefers well drained soils such as sand or decomposed granite. Tolerates Saline Soil. Soil PH: 7.0 – 9.0
Common uses: Bank Stabilization, Deer Resistant, Bird Gardens, Hummingbird Gardens, Butterfly Gardens
Companion Plants: A huge range of potential companions including Sand Verbena (Abronia species), California Sea Lavender (Limonium californicum), California Sagebrush (Artemisia californica), Chamise (Adenostema fasciculatum), Brittlebush (Encelia species), Joshua Tree (Yucca brevifolia), Indian Mallow (Abutilon palmeri), Rush Milkweed (Asclepias subulata), Buckwheat (Eriogonum species), Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens), Chuparosa (Justicia californica), Apricot Mallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua), Yucca species, numerous cactus species
Maintenance: If harlequin beetles become a problem they can be removed by hand or sprayed off with a garden hose. It is usually not possible to eliminate them entirely.
Sunset Zones: 8, 9, 12, 13, 14*, 15, 16, 17, 19*, 20*, 21*, 22*, 23*, 24*
Natural Setting:
Site Type: This plant is unique in occurring in the immediate vicinity of the seashore, inland valleys and foothills, as well as in high desert and low desert. Near the coast it is typically found on dry slopes in coastal sage scrub. In the high desert – Joshua Tree woodland. In the low desert – Creosote Bush scrub
Climate: Annual Precipitation: 3.0″ – 37.4″
Horticultural selection from Ceanothus thyrsiflorus from Big sur in the central California coast. This large lilac has brilliant clusters of white flowers that appear profusely in spring. It is fast growing, with long arching branches. Although it is a selection from the Central Coast we have been observing its performance in an Escondido garden with a harsh inland climate and it has done extremely well. This lilac will tolerate heavy soil and some summer water. We recommend part shade in inland areas. This lilac is well suited as a pretty, natural screen. It will tolerate some pruning. You will enjoy the flowers in spring and songbirds will find it to be an attractive home!
‘Snow flurry’ is a horticultural selection from Big sur, central coast, Monterey Co. and was introduced by Joe Solomone 1975. Grows best in sandy, coarse-grained or other fast draining soil. Prefers sun in coastal sites, and part shade in inland sites. Collected by Joseph Solomone in 1975 on Big sur Coast.
Landscaping Information:
Sun: Full Sun, Part Shade
Moisture: Low
Ease of Care: Moderately Easy
Cold Tolerance: Tolerates cold to 15°F
Soil Drainage: Fast
Soil Description: Sandy, coarse-grained or other fast draining soils. Soil PH: 5.0 – 7.0
Common uses: Groundcovers, Hedges, Bank Stabilization, Bird Gardens, Butterfly Gardens, Bee Gardens
Companion plants: Flannelbush (Fremontodendron spp.), Bush Poppy (Dendromecon rigida), Manzanitas (Arctostaphylos spp.), Coast Buckwheat (Eriogonum latifolium), Golden Yarrow (Eriophyllum confertiflorum), Sticky Monkeyflower (Mimulus aurantiacus), and various Rhus and Ribes species
Maintenance: Tip pruning helps maintain a compact shape. Larger shrubs benefit from removal of leafless interior branches to open up structure and encourage new growth. Pruning is best done in dry season to prevent infection.
Sunset Zones: 6*, 7*, 8*, 9*, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19*, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Horticultural selection from Ceanothus thyrsiflorus from Big sur in the central California coast. This large lilac has brilliant clusters of white flowers that appear profusely in spring. It is fast growing, with long arching branches. Although it is a selection from the Central Coast we have been observing its performance in an Escondido garden with a harsh inland climate and it has done extremely well. This lilac will tolerate heavy soil and some summer water. We recommend part shade in inland areas. This lilac is well suited as a pretty, natural screen. It will tolerate some pruning. You will enjoy the flowers in spring and songbirds will find it to be an attractive home!
‘Snow flurry’ is a horticultural selection from Big sur, central coast, Monterey Co. and was introduced by Joe Solomone 1975. Grows best in sandy, coarse-grained or other fast draining soil. Prefers sun in coastal sites, and part shade in inland sites. Collected by Joseph Solomone in 1975 on Big sur Coast.
Landscaping Information:
Sun: Full Sun, Part Shade
Moisture: Low
Ease of Care: Moderately Easy
Cold Tolerance: Tolerates cold to 15°F
Soil Drainage: Fast
Soil Description: Sandy, coarse-grained or other fast draining soils. Soil PH: 5.0 – 7.0
Common uses: Groundcovers, Hedges, Bank Stabilization, Bird Gardens, Butterfly Gardens, Bee Gardens
Companion plants: Flannelbush (Fremontodendron spp.), Bush Poppy (Dendromecon rigida), Manzanitas (Arctostaphylos spp.), Coast Buckwheat (Eriogonum latifolium), Golden Yarrow (Eriophyllum confertiflorum), Sticky Monkeyflower (Mimulus aurantiacus), and various Rhus and Ribes species
Maintenance: Tip pruning helps maintain a compact shape. Larger shrubs benefit from removal of leafless interior branches to open up structure and encourage new growth. Pruning is best done in dry season to prevent infection.
Sunset Zones: 6*, 7*, 8*, 9*, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19*, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Salvia Bee’s Bliss is an excellent ground cover and habitat plant. It grows around 2 feet high and 6 to 8 feet wide. The leaves are grey-green with lavender flowers in the spring. It is drought tolerant after it is established but is tolerant of a wide range of garden conditions. Hummingbirds and bees are attracted to the flowers.
It was selected by Roger Raiche at the University of California Botanic Garden in 1989. The name was chosen by Marcia Donahue. It is a hybrid of Salvia leucophylla and Salvia sonomensis or Salvia clevelandii.
Landscaping Information
Sun: Full Sun, Part Shade
Moisture: Very Low
Summer Irrigation: Max 1x / month once established
Ease of Care: Very Easy
Cold Tolerance: 20-25º F
Soil Drainage: Fast, Medium, Slow
Soil Description: Adaptable
Common uses: Bank Stabilization, Bee Gardens, Butterfly Gardens, Deer Resistant, Groundcovers, Hummingbird Gardens
Companion Plants: Other salvias, Ceanothus, toyon, buckwheat, manzanita
Maintenance: Can be pinched back to maintain size and shape.
Sunset Zones: 7*, 7, 8*, 8, 9, 9*, 14*, 14, 15, 15*, 16*, 16, 17, 17*, 18, 18*, 19, 19*, 20*, 20, 21*, 21, 22*, 22, 23*, 23, 24*, 24
Hollyleaf cherry or Evergreen cherry is a species in the Rosaceae (Rose) family that is native to coastal California and northern Baja California. It is an evergreen shrub or small tree up to 15 meters tall, with dense, sclerophyllous foliage. The leaves are 1.6-12 centimeter long with a 4-25 millimeter petiole and spiny margins, somewhat resembling those of the holly, hence its English name; they are dark green when mature and generally shiny on top, and have a smell resembling almonds when crushed. The flowers are small (1-5 millimeters), white, produced on racemes in the spring. The fruit is a cherry 12-25 millimeter diameter, edible and sweet, but contains little flesh surrounding the smooth seed. Great for birds.
There are two recognized subspecies; ssp. lyonii (commonly known as Catalina Island Cherry) is native to the Channel Islands. It was formerly considered a separate species, and it is very similar in appearance and genetics to other P. ilicifolia. They hybridize readily, and many plants sold in nurseries may be unintentional hybrids.
Landscaping Information: Sun: Full Sun, Part Shade
Moisture: Very Low
Summer Irrigation: Max 1x / month once established
Ease of Care: Very Easy
Cold Tolerance: Tolerates cold to 15° F
Soil Drainage: Fast, Medium
Soil Description: Tolerant of a variety of soils but will grow largest and fastest in coarse, fast draining, relatively fertile garden soil. Soil PH: 5.0 – 8.0
Common uses: Bank Stabilization, Hedges, Deer Resistant, Bird Gardens, Butterfly Gardens, Bee Gardens
Companion Plants: Works with a wide variety of other trees and plants, including Manzanita (Arctostaphylos sp.), Coyotebrush (Baccharis pilularis), Barberry (Berberis sp.), Ceanothus sp., Redbud (Cercis occidentalis), Tree Poppy (Dendromecon rigida), Toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia), Bushmallow (Malacothamnus fasciculatus), Pines (Pinus sp.), Oak (Quercus sp.), Flannelbush (Fremontodendron sp.), Currant (Ribes sp.), and many others.
Natural Setting: Site Type: Slopes of the coast-facing mountains, extending inland to the desert transition and 1,600 m elevation
Climate: Annual Precipitation: 4.6″ – 52.9″
Blueblossom or Blue blossom Ceanothus is one of the most popular species of Ceanothus in landscaping applications. It varies dramatically in form and size over its natural range, with some plants growing fairly upright to 30 feet and others growing in a mounding form to only 2-3 feet tall. Blueblossom Ceanothus is evergreen, with leaves range from bright green to dark green. It has small flowers that are produced in a dense, puff-shaped clusters, that are white, light blue, dark blue or purple. They bloom in the winter or spring, and then mature into a dry, three-lobed seed capsule. Its flowers are important for bees and butterflies, and its seed pods are an important food source for birds and small mammals. Blueblossom grows in full sun or part shade. In the hotter, inland part of its range, it does better with more shade, on northern slopes, and if closer to an irrigated or a naturally moister area. In the cooler coastal part of its range, it prefers more sun and can tolerate drier locations. In general, if you water mature Ceanothus in the summer, they will usually be short-lived. Best to choose a Ceanothus native to your location, and stop direct watering after 1-2 years. There are two recognized varieties in the wild, Ceanothus thyrsiflorus var. thyrsiflorus and Ceanothus thyrsiflorus var. griseus (formerly considered a separate species).
Popular nursery varietals of Ceanothus thyroflorus are:
– Arroyo de la Cruz, which grows to 4 feet tall and 8 feet wide in a dense form, has small leaves, blue flowers and grows fast. It was taken from cuttings from a plant in San Luis Obispo
– Skylark, which grows to 5 feet tall and 5 feet wide in a compact form, has dark green leaves, profuse dark blue flowers, and has a long flowering season. It was cloned from cuttings from a plant in Mendecino.
– Snow Flurry, which can reach huge sizes, grows quickly up to 30 feet tall and 30 feet wide, with shiny dark green leaves and profuse white flowers. It was cloned from cuttings from a plant in Monterey
– Creeping Blueblossom, which grows slowly to 2-3 feet high, and up to 15 feet in diameter. It has a dense, mounding form, small, glossy, dark green leaves and light blue flowers. It is native in northern and central California, and southern California down to Santa Barbara.
Landscaping Information: Sun: Part Shade
Moisture: Low
Summer Irrigation: Max 1x / month once established
Ease of Care: Moderately Easy
Cold Tolerance: Tolerates cold to 15°F
Soil Drainage: Fast, medium, slow
Soil Description: Reported to tolerate clay and sand, but Ceanothus generally do best in well drained soil. Do not fertilize or amend.. Soil PH: 5.0 – 7.0
Common uses: Groundcovers, Hedges, Bank Stabilization, Bird Gardens, Butterfly Gardens, Bee Gardens
Companion plants: Flannelbush (Fremontodendron spp.), Bush Poppy (Dendromecon rigida), Manzanitas (Arctostaphylos spp.), Coast Buckwheat (Eriogonum latifolium), Golden Yarrow (Eriophyllum confertiflorum), Sticky Monkeyflower (Mimulus aurantiacus), and various Rhus and Ribes species
Maintenance: Tip pruning helps maintain a compact shape. Larger shrubs benefit from removal of leafless interior branches to open up structure and encourage new growth. Pruning is best done in dry season to prevent infection.
Natural Setting Site Type: Chaparral, redwood forest, and mixed woodland slopes and canyons below 2,000 ft. primarily along the coast and foothills of the Coast Ranges from Del Norte County to Monterey County, with scattered locations south and inland
Climate: Annual Precipitation: 6.3″ – 123.6
