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Perennial Beds
Coast  Live Oak
Eulalia Grass, Japanese Silver Gras
Oriental Fountain Grass
Purple Smoke Tree
Blue Atlas Cedar
Shademaster Honey Locust
Bitsy Daylily
Coast  Live Oak

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.

Eulalia Grass, Japanese Silver Gras

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.

Oriental Fountain Grass

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.

Purple Smoke Tree

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.

Blue Atlas Cedar

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.

Shademaster Honey Locust

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.

Bitsy Daylily

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

Soils and Compost:

Maintain a two to four inch layer of mulch on the soil surface to reduce weeds, infiltrate rain water, and reduce compaction.

Water Saving Tip:

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.

Integrated Pest Management:

Remove irrigation water and fertilizer from areas where you don't want weeds to grow.