Common name:Coast Live Oak
Botanical name:Quercus agrifolia
The Coast Live Oak is an evergreen, round-headed tree. It can reach 20'-70' high and 20' wide or more and grows very well from the coastal areas to the interior valleys. It is native to CA, is drought tolerant, and attracts butterflies and birds. Foliage is dark green and shaped like hollies. It is stress deciduous (leaves fall if stressed by lack of water). It prefers full sun and no fertilizer.
Common name:Eulalia Grass, Japanese Silver Gras
Botanical name:Miscanthus sinensis
Miscanthus sinensis is popular ornamental grass. Red flowers are held well above foliage clumps, appearing in summer, and may be cut for fresh or dry arrangements. Miscanthus needs full sun and watering at least once a week and more during hot summers. Foliage is variegated, with a thin white band down the center. This grass does great in coastal as well as warm inland valleys.
Common name:Oriental Fountain Grass
Botanical name:Pennisetum orientale
Oriental Fountain Grass is a clumping, warm-season grass with spectacular pinkish white flowers in summer and sometimes fall. Flower plumes change to light brown. Foliage is a bright green that changes to straw color as winter approaches. This grass is 1'-2.5' tall and wide. It usually does not reseed. This grass is striking if backlit to show off flower plumes.
Common name:Purple Smoke Tree
Botanical name:Cotinus coggygria 'Purpureus'
A deciduous shrub or small tree that grows up to 10' tall, the "Purpureus" is grown for its wispy, thread-like flower clusters in summer. Its green foliage turns a brilliant purple and then yellow to red in the fall. This shrub is a show stopper! It prefers full sun but will do better with afternoon shade in hot inland areas. This attractive shrub is drought tolerant once it's established.
Common name:Blue Atlas Cedar
Botanical name:Cedrus atlantica 'Glauca'
As a large, slow-growing conifer, this tree requires ample room for growth. Its needles are 1" long, and its foliage (needles) is a beautiful shade of silvery blue. In order to develop its best color, the tree needs to be exposed to full sun. It can reach up to 40' tall.
Common name:Shademaster Honey Locust
Botanical name:Gleditsia triacanthos inermis 'Shademast
This beautiful deciduous tree has no thorns or pods. It grows quickly to 50' tall and 25' wide. The black bark rises up to horizontal spreading branches. Leaves are tiny and made up of many oval leaflets, which turn yellow in the fall and then drop. Green yellow, fragrant, almost inconspicuous flowers appear in spring or summer. This is a great urban tree as it tolerates heat and smog.
Common name:Bitsy Daylily
Botanical name:Hemerocallis 'Bitsy'
This dependable perennial has thin, strap-like, grass-like leaves reaching 12"-18" tall. Bright yellow flowers, resembling lilies, are high above the foliage, making the overall height of this plant at 24" tall. Blooms appear in spring through fall, thus making this Hemerocallis variety very popular. It needs regular watering and more during hot summer months. It prefers full sun or light shade and will tolerate seaside conditions.
Designer: Jody Palmer | Perennial Beds |
Photographer: GardenSoft |
Maintain a two to four inch layer of mulch on the soil surface to reduce weeds, infiltrate rain water, and reduce compaction.
Replace turf with groundcovers, trees, and shrubs. If you have areas where no one uses the grass, patches that do not grow well, or a turf area too small to water without runoff, consider replacing the turf with water-efficient landscaping.
Remove irrigation water and fertilizer from areas where you don't want weeds to grow.