P

Pachyphytum hookeri  plant   compact rosettes of chunky greyish leaves, flushed pink along the edges, to about 3" long, eventually forming a short, branched trunk. Upright to sprawling habit. Short spikes of pink and yellow flowers arise in spring. Wild forms range to red flower color. A relative of Sedum and Echeveria, this species is known from very few locations in Mexico. rev 4/2010 *NEW for 2010!*

Pachysandra terminalis ‘Variegata’  JAPANESE SPURGE  foliage closeup  also known as ‘Silver Edge,’ this is a tough, abuse-tolerant evergreen groundcover for part sun to deep shade. The green form is known to be able to compete with aggressive-rooted trees such as beeches and maples if watered sufficiently, this one should too. It only grows to about 8-12" high, and spreads slowly by underground runners. This variegated form is especially useful in dark situations. It is a slower grower than the regular green form. Small fragrant white flowers are produced in summer. Give it at least average drainage, and it can get by without too much watering if it has to. Frost hardy. Buxaceae. Japan. rev 10/2003

Pandorea jasminoides ‘Lady Di’  BOWER VINE  closeup  evergreen vine with coarsely divided, glossy leaves and clusters of white trumpet shaped flowers produced almost throughout the year. This is an improved white selection, with a much more vigorous, vining habit than the older ‘Alba.’ Sun to part shade, average to little summer watering. This is a good vine for containers, and will also take relatively exposed coastal sites. Takes 25°F without apparent damage, killed or severely damaged at 20°F. From southeastern Australia. Bignoniaceae.

‘Rosea’  closeup  vigorous vining selection with light, clear pink flowers and dark rose red throats. Probably synonymous with the variety ‘Rosea Superba.’
variegated  closeup  leaves splashed with creamy yellow. Pink flowers with rose throats. Possibly the same as ‘Charisma.’

Parthenocissus henryana  SILVERVEIN CREEPER  silver veined leaves  a formal looking, classy vine with dark velvety green palmate leaves. Each of the five serrated leaflets is neatly highlighted with silvery veins. New growth and leaf reverses are reddish purple. Slow to start, but moderately fast after a year or so. This one clings to walls by tendrils but is considerably less aggressive than other species of Parthenocissus and always remains manageable. Best in at least part shade. Deciduous, with velvety dark maroon to wine to hot glowing red fall color. Berries are blue and very ornamental but not heavily produced. Hardy to USDA zone 7, about 10°F. China. Vitaceae. rev 12/2003

tricuspidata  BOSTON IVY  Piazza Navonna, Roma   lush foliage   fall color   against a wall  a moderately fast deciduous vine, climbing by sucker discs at the tips of tendrils. Leaves are divided into three leaflets, turn dark maroon red and bronze in winter. May hold foliage until spring in mild winter areas. Sun to part shade, average to little summer watering when established, frost hardy. Central China, Japan. rev 1/2006

Passiflora vines. Passifloraceae.

‘Coral Seas’ (jamesonii)  CORAL PINK PASSIONFLOWER  closeup  typical habit  one of the showiest, most vigorous, fastest growing vines for California climates. I have seen it swallow an oak tree,m but it was probably put on this earth to cover chain link fences. Still, it can be restrained to reasonable size by annual or biannual pruning and is well worth the effort for the heavy and almost continuous display of bloom. Showy intricate flowers to 4" across are well displayed, covering the outside of the plant from spring through fall. It is damaged below 27°F, but it will resprouts from the roots at even colder temperatures and recovers extremely quickly, drawing from reserves stored in its roots. Still it will be unhappy if it is severely damaged every year, and it may eventually lose its crown. This plant is a five star hummingbird attractor. It also attracts humans, especially children (but me too), who have found they can bite a little hole in the bulb at the base of the flower tube and suck out the pool of nectar that collects there. Grow it in at least half a day of direct sun with average drainage or better, infrequent summer watering in cool summer climates, and sited where you can appreciate the flowers. There may be a couple of very similar cultivars in the trade going under the name ‘Coral Seas.’ rev 10/2005

'Dolores'  flower  typical fast, rampant growth, pointy, deeply devided leaves, and slightly fuzzy new growth. This is a new Rick McCain hybrid of P. pinnatistipula and what he says was probably the true, darker P. mollissima (not the lighter pink California trade form that is actually P. tarminiana). It bears fluorescent mauve pink flowers are pendant, feature a long tube and have attractive blue coronal filaments. This is an interesting hybrid because the flower color is so strong and it blooms much more heavily than the other available pendant varieties such as P. antioquiensis and P. x exoniensis, initiating a flower from each leaf node under long days. Hardiness unknown but almost certainly it is the same as the other Tacsonia section , meaning severly damaged below 28F and frozen to the ground at around 25F. rev 6/2007 

edulis ‘Nancy Garrison’  PASSIONFRUIT  ornate flowers  young fruit  ready to pick  slightly wrinkled, ready to eat  typical growth habit  very large, light green deeply lobed leaves usually hide the small, frilled greenish white and purple flowers. Oval to almost round green fruit to 3" long will turn dark purple black and fall at maturity. Best quality comes if fruit is allowed to mature, dry, and wrinkle a bit off the vine before eating. The fragrant orange pulp is quite fragrant and has a distinctive, pineapple-like flavor and the fruits are high quality. Passion fruits are notorious for being short lived on their own roots, so growers should be careful to plant their plants in well drained soils (with a gopher basket too, if those critters are a problem). This variety has proven to be daylength neutral, as far as I can tell, and is a consistent producer. It provides us with fruit all year here in our production blocks. Similar strains are ‘Frederick,’ ‘Black Knight’ and ‘Purple Possum,’ all of which vary in different details. In spite of claims by others to their superiority, I keep coming back to this variety as the most reliable producer of high quality fruit. This variety originated as a seedling I selected from seeds sent by Nancy Garrison from the Santa Clara UC Ag Extension Field Station to the California Rare Fruit Growers Seed Bank back in the early 1990's. It originated from cuttings taken from a very old, untended plant found in the yard of farm house donated to the city of San Jose. It will take 25°F without damage, and recovered and fruited quickly following the 20°F temperatures of December 1990, according to Nancy. Brazil. rev 3/2006 MBN INTRODUCTION-1994

‘Lavender Lady’  closeup  on a fence  as a groundcover  this evergreen vine bears dark green leaves, with three almost equal, rounded lobes, to 4" across. Light violet purple flowers to 3" have several very fine, delicate blue violet filaments, faintly banded with white. Petals reflex. Sun to part shade, probably damaged below 25°F. rev 10/2003

manicata 'Linda Escobar'   flowers   taking care of the competition at Buena Creek Gardens   arguably the showiest variety and nicest flower of any species of Passionflower. The intense orange red color, dark blue coronal filaments, excellent flower size and petal conformation, and nicely held flowers that face out and up on the outside of the foliage canopy make this one hard to beat if you have the climate to grow it. It is an improved version of the species, differing as far as I can tell only in that critical point that it is facultative or simple long day initiation whereas P.manicata itself seems to be long day or very long day initiation, restricting its flowering to three summer months. This selection can flower for 7-8 months. This is right up there with the finest Salvias and Grevilleas for attracting hummingbirds, with its easy-to-find and copious nectar supply and perfect color. It is a close partner to 'Coral Seas,' matching it in almost every way except tint, and that 'Coral Seas' may have a slight edge on it in the way of flower production. Expect the same unparalleled vigor and rampant growth (can cover a house or bring down a oak if not controlled) and essentially identical behavior in frosty conditions (severly damaged below 27F, and often killed to the ground or beyond at 25F). Sun, average soils, rather drought tolerant when established and much better controlled by restricted watering. Northern South America. rev 3/2008 

matthewsii  closeup   this was a gift from Rick McCain, and it seems to be an analogue of P. 'Coral Seas' except the flowers are about half the size, have a longer tube, and tend towards pendant. It has similar but smaller foliage, very dark green, typical vigorous habit, and I would guess the same frost (in)tolerance. Sunset zones 16-17, 21-24/USDA zone 9.rev 10/2008 

Patersonia occidentalis  PURPLE FLAGS  blooming  should probably be pronounced "Pay-ter-sonia." This evergreen iris relative, something like an Australian version of our native Pacific Coast iris, found growing in widely distributed regions across the continent. It bears showy medium purple flowers to about 2" across on stalks to about 12-18", just above the leaves. They are produced heavily in spring but also show color right through summer, fall and winter, unlike our native iris which are strictly spring blooming (except for one variety). This has been an extremely bulletproof grower for us, with no losses in production. This is rare for most of what we grow, you always expect to lose a few plants for one reason or another, but particularly so for Australian varieties. I think this plant deserves wider consideration and use, especially in commercial or large scale situations where our native iris or hybrids are desired but growing conditions aren't optimal. I have seen large, good looking permanent plantings in Santa Cruz growing in wet, perched soils, one near West Cliff Drive. Drought tolerant, probably frost tolerant to 20°F and probably more. Needs only average drainage and little summer watering but clearly will tolerate summer watering if applied. If plants look ratty, treat them like our own native iris and shear them to the ground around December. There is a yellow variant but I haven't seen it in the trade in the US. Australia. Iridaceae. rev 10/2005 

rotundifolia  BUTTON FERN  mature foliage and habit  small, low evergreen fern to 1’ tall, 2’ wide. Bipinnate fronds grow to 10" long, have small round pinnae closely held against the midribs. Great in containers or as a house plant. Shade, average watering. Deciduous below 25°F. New Zealand.

Pennisetum ‘Eaton Canyon’  nursery plants  a compact grower, to 18" tall, with dark red foliage. A probable hybrid of P. setaceum ‘Cupreum’ and P. setaceum. Graminae/Poaceae.

setaceum ‘Cupreum’  PURPLE FOUNTAIN GRASS  flowers closeup  Lake Merritt centerpiece  mixed  spreading growth to 3-6’ tall and wide if not restrained by yearly or seasonal pruning. Produces multitudes of softly fuzzy flower heads, emerging light burgundy and aging to tan, held above dark burgundy leaves and stems in summer. Partially winter deciduous. Supposedly not invasive in most areas.

'Fireworks' PP#18504   colored blades   new and very pretty, a variegated form of Red Fountain Grass with pink, white, and green. Graceful and arching, a stunner in the garden or in containers. About 24-30" tall, 24" wide. Sun to part shade. Average to little water. A worthwhile annual outside zones 8-24. rev 7/2010  *NEW for 2010!*

Penstemon Phoenix    this perennial strain grows to about 2' tall with an upright habit, and is closer to the P. gloxinioides bedding-types than to the landscape forms 'Midnight, 'Firebird,' etc. Long day flower initiation. Sun, rich soils, average watering. Frost hardy.   rev 5/2008 

'Appleblossom'   blooming  flowers  white, edged pink. rev 5/2008 
'Magenta'  flowers   deep violet red. rev 5/2008 
'Pink'   flowers   light rose red. rev 5/2008 
'Red'   blooming   deep red. rev 5/2008 
'Violet'  blooming  violet purple, large white centers. rev 7/2008 

Perovskia atriplicifolia  RUSSIAN SAGE  closeup  nice garden specimen  not a sage, and not from Russia. An extremely satisfying, very showy deciduous perennial to 3’ tall with very cut, lacy grey green leaves and tall massed spikes of fuzzy, light periwinkle blue flowers produced from spring through fall. It spreads by matting underground roots, and can actually be slightly invasive in well watered clay soils. The foliage has an attractively pungent sage-like fragrance. In warmer areas such as the Central Valley and back East this plant might get up to 4' tall but I have never seen it over 3' in Central California. Attracts hummingbirds. Sun, moderate to almost no summer watering, frost hardy. Sunset zones 2-24/USDA probably zone 4? or warmer. Pakistan. Labiatae/Lamiaceae. rev 10/2005

Petunia  new prostrate perennial hybrids that grow rampantly if given enough water and fertilizer. They can bloom almost all year if kept warm and actively growing. Flowers reach from 2-4" across, range from white through light pink, bright red, dark magenta rose and dark purple, often with a darker eye. Cut back when appearance suffers due to loose growth or when plants seem to be slowing down. The real secret is the continuous use of high nitrogen fertilizer at high rates. Excellent in hanging baskets. they can survive surprising amounts of frost. Solanaceae. South America. rev 5/2010

Phalaris arundinacea 'Feezey's'  edging  this is a soft textured, soft looking variegated grass with a soft habit and soft pink coloring with cool weather. There is nothing hard about this plant. It is deciduous with cold, briefly, but is very dense and tends to quickly overgrow any weeds that take advantage. I don't know what it is about this plant, perhaps that it is soft, but many women like the look, texture, and color and enough said. To just about 12" tall, spreading nicely. It is a nice combo/container item and fills in bare spots nicely. Frost hardy, regular watering. rev 9/2008

Philadelphus 'Belle Etoile'  MOCK ORANGE  flowering  this European garden hybrid of the late 1800's is my favorite Mock Orange (Philadelphus style). I like it because it is a reliable bloomer, even in mild winter/mild summer climates, it blooms heavily, it is very showy, both in mass and its individual flowers, it repeat blooms lightly most of the summer, and it is highly fragrant, with a sweet, spicy, cinnamon or clove-like fragrance. The RHS agrees, and gave it an Award of Garden Merit, and they don't give those out often. The single flowers reach a little over an inch and a half across and usually show a distinct maroon zone around the base of the petals. To about 8' in our climate, full sun to part shade, average watering, not fussy about conditions. Cut back mid-summer to shape and preserve flower buds for the following spring. Makes a rather nice cut flower too! We raised this for quite a while in the past but it wasn't well accepted. I am hoping with web info and pictures its great attributes will become more widely known and it will be more successful this time. Sunset zone 1-9, 14-17, 21-24/USDA zone 5. Hydrangeaceae. rev 6/2006

Philodendron  tropical-looking foliage plants with leaves that range from tiny to over 5' tall. Most are house plants, some are semihardy landscape foliage subjects for outdoor use. All make good container or house plants. Araceae.

'Atom'  brand new 1g can  a relative of the Xanadu/Showboat breeding, this is an ultracompact, very small landscape, container, or even houseplant variety that can be expected to possibly reach as much as 2' by 2' at full maturity. Cute, but tough!Best in mostly shade. Zones 8-9, 15-17 (all with protection), 21-24 outside/USDA zone 9. rev 2/2009  

'Evansii'  at Huntington Botanic Gardens   at Sea World   the most awesome, majestic, intimidating, righteously gigantic, tropical looking  Philodendron for outdoor landscape use in California or similar subtropical areas. It is very similar to P. selloum, the primary difference being that its huge leaves, to 5' tall on the blade alone, are essentially uncut. The result is that it appears to be much more massive and luxuriant than P. selloum. It is more tender by just a couple of degrees, and should be planted with overhead protection if possible, except perhaps in the warm areas of Southern California. Nevertheless, all the plants I know of in Santa Cruz survived the terrible 1990 and 1998 freezes (19F and 25F respectively), and also one utterly and completely exposed plant in Watsonville. This plant should be much more widely used except it has been essentially impossible to find in the past. It also makes a wonderful, if somewhat large, houseplant and is also outstanding in appropriate commercial applications. These seedlings of the original hybrid cross redone, and appear to be virtually uniform. rev 7/2009 

'Hope'  my front door  a compact P. selloum hybrid, probably the closest in leaf and growth habit to its parent, and the largest leaved of the dwarf hybrids and selections. Basal branching, non-climbing. The leaves are much broader and rounder than either ‘Showboat’ or ‘Xanadu.’ To about 3' tall at maturity by 3-4' across, this form makes a good dwarf landscape substitute for its giant cousin P. selloum except it is probably a little more tender. rev 12/2004 

selloum  at the Huntington   old Santa Cruz Beach Flats specimen   Jungle Cruise  a subtropical evergreen shrub grown for huge leaves and tropical appearance. Old plants can reach massive size, with huge, tall trunks to over 10' tall, arborescent, stilt like roots, and a total canopy spread of over 12'. It grows best in part sun, but easily survives full sun in coastal environments. It is drought tolerant when established but faster and with larger leaves with regular watering and feeding. It can be used in containers or even as a house plant. Damaged below 25°F, it has survived 15-20°F (USDA zone 8a/Sunset zone 15 and higher). One interesting fact is that the temperature of its flowers actually approaches that of the human body. It is one of the only thermoregulating plants known. The resulting fruits are edible and good. Southern Brazil. rev 8/2002

'Showboat'  on left, compared to Xanadu on right  a compact landscape type similar to P. selloum, it is a sport of ‘Xanadu.’ Grows to about 4' tall and handles sun better than its sport parent. It grows more upright and the leaves also get larger, to about 18" tall under favorable conditions (shade, moisture, fertilizer). Like its parent, it seems to handle frost about like P. selloum, around 20°F or USDA zone 9/Sunset zone 15 and higher. Best with shade to part sun, regular watering and feeding, and at least average drainage. It will tolerate some dryness when established and always makes a great, compact outdoor container alternative to P. selloum. rev 8/2002

‘Xanadu’  nice landscape plant    on right, compared to Showboat on left   to only about 3' tall, this variety is a dwarf landscape type similar to P. selloum, with deeply cut, lobed leaves, to just 12" long. It prefers shady conditions. It will form a small trunk over time but the plant overall is much lower and wider in proportion to P. selloum,with relatively longer petioles and smaller blades. Another great outdoor/indoor container plant. rev 12/2004

'Xanadu Gold'  first crop  a much slower, smaller growing golden variant of the original form, this one is rich golden yellow in medium shade, with warm coppery colored veins. It bleaches to white in strong light and becomes chartreuse green in deep shade. Against the right background it is very nice. Due to its less vigorous growth this form is probably best used in containers on patios or as a house plant. rev 10/2009 

Phlebodium aureum areolatum    BEAR’S FOOT FERN    fronds    more fronds    winter color    also classified as Polypodium mandianum ‘Aureum,’ or Phlebodium pseudareum, this semi-hardy, mostly deciduous fern bears large, coarsely divided, strikingly blue grey fronds to 2-3' tall. It spreads slowly by thick above-ground stolons which are densely covered with golden brown, fur-like hairs. In nature it is a semi-epiphyte, growing in the debris layer above the soil, on old logs, humus covered stones, and often on palmetto trunks. The leaves turn a very attractive purplish in cold weather and drop by early spring. It waits for warm spring temperatures before leafing out, but mine is in a particularly cool spot. Part to deep shade, regular watering, protect from hard freezes frost. Makes a great container plant and a fine hanging basket as well . Gulf Coast, Central America, Caribbean. Polypodiaceae. rev 7/2009

Phlomis fruticosa  JERUSALEM SAGE  closeup  nice plant  woody evergreen perennial to 4’ tall, 6’ wide. Large, soft green leaves have white tomentose undersides. Whorled clusters of deep yellow flowers are borne on upright stems above the foliage for most of the year. Luxuriant foliage makes it very attractive even when not in bloom. Sun to part shade, little summer watering when established. Mediterranean. Labiatae/Lamiaceae.

Phoenix  DATE PALMS  a genus characterized by feather (pinnate) fronds. A genus known mostly to Californians from the monster Canary Island Date Palms (P. canariensis) seen especially around older homes or parks, as well as the substantially more demure (and more tender) Pygmy Date Palm, P. roebellenii,which is used outdoors in Southern California and in protected, mostly commercial landscapes in Northern California. The genus has much more to offer than just those two species though, and most interesting are the smaller scale and more delicate species that we are concentrating on. Some are solitary, others clump. Palmae/Arecaceae. rev 10/2009

Phormium  NEW ZEALAND FLAX, MOUNTAIN FLAX  foliage closeup  habit  flowers (hybrid)  clumping evergreen grass-like plant bears dark green leaves to 3’ tall. Fills the niche for a reliably compact, broad-leaved green New Zealand Flax. Sun to part shade, average to little watering, very cold hardy. Good in containers, being very tolerant of inadequate or erratic watering. Will tolerate wet situations. All of the colored forms are nice when backlit, which highlights the glossy, tinted foliage and heightens their dramatic effect. New Zealand. Agavaceae. rev 11/2006

     Hybrids and selections from New Zealand began appearing in the trade in the 1980s. Their availability led to a dramatic increase in the use of Phormiums in landscapes. By that time most gardeners and designers had realized just how enormous the previously available seedling strains of  P. tenax could get. Most didn't have enough room for plants of that scale, and welcomed these newer, better behaved derivations. Our descriptions may be unpoetic, but hopefully they are realistic. I have revised them as of March, 2002 to reflect the considered opinions of Margaret Jones, a noted New Zealand Phormium hybridizer, who straightened us out on several we had suspected were confused, most notably ‘Sundowner,’ ‘Maori Chief,’ and ‘Maori Queen.’

     Customers should understand that all these selections have the potential to revert to vigorous standard green or bronze foliage, and with time most will if the wayward sprouts are not cut out with a shovel or pick. (Sad sight)  You can also cut out unwanted foliage with a sharp serrated knife, which will go through it like soft butter. For larger renewal projects, do what friend and customer Jeff Rosendale does and tie a rope around the top of the clump and chain saw the entire mass off at the base, then drag the carcass away. Many of the larger, greener varieties such as ‘Maori Queen’ and ‘Pink Stripe’ almost need to be cut down every couple of years as the mature foliage lacks almost all of the attractive color of the juvenile growth.

     Phormium flowers are not really showy but can be very interesting and a nice feature, as can the seed pods. The flowers of  P. tenax are orange to red, those of  cookianum are yellow to green. Hybrids can be expected to be close to those of their parents or somewhere in between.

     While apparently not as hardy as  P. cookianum, these hybrids are known to survive winters well in the Portland area (zone 8b)  as long as they are regularly watered through summer. Plants subjected to summer drought do not seem to recover well in spring.

'Allison Blackman'  first crop   leaf detail   chocolate brown leaves with creamy yellow margins on juvenile growth, lighter brown with less dramatic edge coloration when mature. Probably to the typical 5-6' by 6-7' across. rev 9/2009 *NEW for 2010!*
‘Amazing Red’  garden plant   at Sierra Azul  a fine textured reddish bronze, with a rather upright habit, to about 4'. Holds its color well with relatively little mature greening, especially with heat. Appears to be stable. A good performer in the Central Valley. rev 8/2006
‘Apricot Queen’  foliage closeup   habit  leaves emerge light yellow with green margins, age to faint apricot/peach. To 3’, with moderately wide leaves. With age this one will appear as a very warm golden yellow color, with the apricot tones appearing mostly in cool weather. Low reversion rate. Greenish yellow flowers. This is one of the best for the Central Valley, only occasionally showing a little leaf burn under the hottest and most intense conditions. rev 10/2005
'Black Rage'  nursery crop  another "black" foliaged cultivar, close to 'Platt's Black' but not as green. Compact.  rev 8/2008 
'Bronze Baby’  foliage closeup   habit, containers at Kelly's Bakery   nice planting  probably the best of the burgundy cultivars. A fast but compact grower to only 3' tall, it still has the broader leaves characteristic of the larger varieties and lacks the grassy look of ‘Jack Spratt.’ Leaves are medium coppery bronze. Doesn't seem to revert.
‘Chocolate Baby’  nursery crop    massed   very similar to ‘Surfer’ in size (3-4' eventually), but with a broader bronze edge and overall much darker. rev 1/2010
cookianum ‘UCSC Dwarf’  nice landscape specimen  a lower selection, to about 3' tall max. Leaves are stiffer and thinner, the habit a little grassier, but still a broad leaved selection unlike ‘Tom Thumb’ and even broader than ‘Surfer.’ The best dwarf green form, originating from the Edward Landels Garden at the UCSC Arboretum.
‘Cream Delight’  foliage closeup   habit   at Strybing  pale, creamy yellow leaves, becoming tinted apricot in cool weather, with green margins. A P. cookianum selection, it has slightly thinner, more gracile leaves than ‘Tricolor.’ To 3’. Low reversion rate. One of my favorites for color, stability, vigor, height, and habit.
‘Duet’  foliage closeup  dark green leaves with light yellow margins. Leaves are moderately wide, to 2’ long. Low reversion rate, a good one for flowers. This is a superior variety for the Central Valley. rev 10/2005
‘Dusky Chief’  landscape plant   nursery crop  reportedly a  P. tenax variety, this selection has dark wine red to blackish foliage, often with an ashy reverse, to 6', with a dense, upright habit and good vigor. Mature plants are substantially greener, hack 'em down once in a while to refresh them.
‘Gold Sword’  commercial landscape   different angle  medium yellow leaves with green margins, sometimes with a faint rosy streak in the center. Stiffer than ‘Yellow Wave’ and slightly darker yellow. Moderate leaf width. Low to moderate reversion rate.
'Green Baby'  nursery plants  looks so much like 'Tom Thumb' you would swear they are just renaming varieties. rev 10/2005
‘Guardsman’  foliage closeup   nice clump, Sea World   deep red leaves with bronzy stripes. One of the best red varieties, but very slow to divide. Limited quantities. Low reversion rate.
‘Jack Spratt’  perennial border   commercial planting  thin, curly, dark purple bronze foliage, a relatively grass-like clump. Fast growing, dense, to 18". Low reversion rate.
‘Jester’  see 'Red Heart.'
'Jubilee' PP19059  leaf detail   5g plants   a sport of 'Fiesta' ('Red Heart,' 'Jester'), in this variety the cherry red color has crawled off the center of the leaf and switched places with the green, so that it is red on the edges and green in the center. In addition a layer of red color covers the underside of the leaf as well, so it shows a rose pink reverse. The mature foliage is glossy green with cherry red edges. New, highly desired, very rare. Exclusive co-introduction by Monterey Bay Nursery! This was found by one of our former employees, Chris Chaney, (whom we still miss!) in one of his wholesale blocks. To about 3'.  rev 5/2009 
‘Lineata’  at Blue Bamboo Nursery   nice plant on Linden St.  another reported P. tenax selection, this one with broad, very stiff, vertical olive green leaves to 6' with yellow stripes. Its main distinguishing feature is its vigorous verticality. This is reportedly a very good variety for the Central Valley. rev 10/2005
‘Maori Chief’  landscape   nursery plant   closeup  similar to ‘Maori Queen,’ but a little larger and maybe better color. A result of P. ‘Maori Maiden’ x P. tenax Atropurpureum produced in 1981.
‘Maori Maiden’  foliage detail   nice clump   young plant   foliage colors  leaves are bronze, irregularly mixed with lighter coral pink to medium salmon red. Moderately thin leaves with pendant tips. To 3’. Pinkest of the Maori series. A low reversion rate when properly selected. The best variety? rev 10/2005
‘Maori Queen’  at India Joze  mature plant stiff, light bronze green leaves with broad coral pink margins streaks. One of the best for mature coloration. To 5’. Low reversion rate.
‘Maori Sunrise’  foliage closeup   more foliage   growth habit  leaves thinly striped bronzy green and salmon orange. Moderately narrow, gracile, erect leaves reach 3’. High reversion rate for us, reportedly not so for others though I am suspicious of those reports based on our experience. It may be possible to select out a more stable form with time. rev 4/2003
'Olive and Coral'  detail  'Pink Stripe' reversion, attractive in its own right for its subtle olive green to khaki green leaves and dark coral burgundy tones suffused throughout. Occasional bright pink pinstriping on the leaves. rev 1/2008 
‘Pink Stripe’  leaf detail   nice angle   stock plants  glaucous bronzy foliage with bright pink margins, strongest on new growth or at the base of old growth. Matures to mostly green foliage. See notes on renewing Phormium clumps. This is a good variety to use as a background plant in mixed containers, but it should be cut back hard every year or two to renew the wonderful pink new growth. It will get at least 5' tall. This is a good variety for the Central Valley, where it tolerates the heat well and retains its color better than along the cool coast. rev 10/2005
‘Platt’s Black’  nursery plants  new, a deep bronzy purple selection much like ‘Dark Delight,’ but lower and finer textured, to probably 3-4'. The leaves have smoky black green undersides, upper surfaces are dark black maroon. Should be very good. Appears to be very stable. A very good, reliable, tough variety that withstands Central Valley conditions well. rev 10/2005
‘Rainbow Warrior’  Mills Garden  the leaves may be thinner and darker in color than ‘Maori Maiden,’ but most of the time I think the difference is environmental in origin and that the varieties are identical. The plants are of similar habit and size anyway. Mature leaves fade to blonde jsut like ‘Maori Maiden.’ Both are outstanding varieties, very stable, not very tall, and with the best red color of any variety, especially when young.
‘Red Heart’  with Cerinthe   leaf detail  more leaves  appears identical with ‘Fiesta.’
'Rosie Chameleon'   5g cans   as far as I can tell this is a copy of 'Maori Sunrise' rev 6/2008 
‘Sea Jade’  foliage detail   young plant  green leaves with burgundy centers are held rather stiffly. Moderately wide leaves, to 4-5’.  Limited quantities. Low reversion rate.
‘Sundowner’  habit   shady clump  good color at maturity, and stable. Usually has bronzy centers with coral red margins and streaks. Coloration is less dramatic with age, but still noticeable and good. Moderately wide leaves are rather stiffly held. To 5’. Very low reversion rate. One of the industry standards. rev 3/2006
‘Surfer’  foliage closeup   at UC Santa Cruz   spiky habit, commercial planting  one of the best. Foliage is greener than ‘Jack Spratt,’ but still has bronzy margins, sometimes broadly so when young. Has a distinctive bright green stripe down the middle of the leaf and a characteristic spiky habit. Narrow leaves aren't anywhere near as grassy as ‘Tom Thumb’ or ‘Jack Spratt,’ and it doesn't tend to die out after long, wet winters like those two. To 3’. Low reversion rate. rev 3/2006
‘Tom Thumb’  thin grassy leaves to 18", green with a slightly darker margin. Fast growing. Low reversion rate.
‘Tricolor’  why I like it    foliage closeup    commercial, full shade    an outstanding variety. Dark green leaves have creamy white margins, then the edges become distinctly burgundy in cooler weather. Leaves are rather stiff at first, then pleasantly relaxed and broad and arching with maturity. To 3’. This straight  P. cookianum selection has an extremely low reversion rate. Still one of the very, very best, and popular worldwide, as well as with me. It is also very tolerant of more demanding Central Valley conditions. rev 1/2010
'Wildwood'  first crop   very dark cordovan, or burgundy maroon, in fact very much like 'Dark Delight,' in fact it may very well actually be 'Dark Delight' that has lost its name and resurfaced. Glossy, every bit as nice as the original, true 'Dark Delight.' To 5-7' tall and wide. rev 7/2009 
‘Yellow Wave’  foliage detail    mature commercial planting   younger plant   another nice plant  light, clear yellow leaves with thin green margins and streaks. To 3’. Moderately wide leaves have a pleasantly relaxed habit. Low reversion rate. The best yellow?

Photinia 'Fireball Red'  new growth   a dwarf form of 'Fraseri,' with leaves about 1/3 the size and topping out at around 5-6'. It has the same bright red new growth, and white flowers in smaller clusters, but it is obviously much finer in texture and easier to deal with in smaller spots. This should be a natural substitute for 'Fraseri' or other tough, utilitarian "cover" plants  for many situations involving low hedges or screens. Sunset zones 5, 8-9. 14-24/USDA zone 7. Rosaceae. rev 3/2008 

Phygelius  CAPE FUCHSIA  upright to sprawling evergreen perennial to 30-36" tall, 4' or more across. Plants spread initially from upright basal stems, eventually from short underground stolons or aerial roots on stems. Dark green leaves are relatively formal looking. Narrow, tubular  Fuchsia-like flowers are borne on tall, branched stalks. They produce copious amounts of nectar, to the point of being annoying if you brush by them and it sprinkles all over you, but this is what makes them such outstanding attractors of hummingbirds. Full sun to mostly shade, average to infrequent watering. Plants are apparently hardy to around 15-10°F, but go completely deciduous. South Africa. Scrophulariaceae. rev 6/2005

'Cherry Ripe'  cherry red. rev 3/2007 
‘Moonraker’  flowers   nice plant  pale creamy yellow to ivory. 
‘New Sensation’ (pat. pending)  nursery plants in bloom  flowers are a deep fuchsia violet. A better grower with deeper color than the original ‘Sensation,’ which for us lacked vigor and seemed to suffer from dieback.
'Purple Prince'   flowers   light magenta pink against dark red stems. A nice, bright color.  rev 3/2008 
'Snow Queen'  flowers  clean white, lighter green foliage. rev 5/2007 

Phyllitus scolopendrium  HART'S TONGUE FERN  at UC Berkeley Botanic Garden  in Marty's Paradise Park shade garden  syn. Asplenium scolopendrium, this is a fern I dismissed as a tender terrarium species until I saw charming, healthy stands scattered throughout the UC Berkeley Botanic Garden. It forms discrete clumps to about 12" tall and 16" across, and is rather drought tolerant (for a fern!) when established. This almost looks like a native when it is fully established, and is quite at home among redwoods in deep, cool, shade. It is rarely seen in California gardens and I think it is often just too dry for young plants. We have had troubel with it here at our nursery as well. The trick in growing this species seems to be nurturing it past the more delicate, tender juvenile phase. Once it starts to put on the more leathery mature leaves it toughens up considerably. Part sun to full shade, hardy to about 0F. Sunset zones 2-9, 14-24/USDA zone 4. North America, Europe. Polypodiaceae. rev 1/2010

Phyllostachys  running species, mostly fast growing, with a classic bamboo look. If you want something that looks like the bamboo forest in Hidden Tiger, Crouching Dragon, you will want one of the species listed below. Almost all form classic, open groves. They can be invasive where watered through summer, or if not confined in gardens. Graminae/Poaceae.

aurea  GOLDEN BAMBOO, HOTEICHIKU, REN MIAN ZHU  typical hedge    thinned to a partial screen    Huntington Botanic Gardens grove, lower branches pruned off    inside Huntington's grove  intriguing path, Huntington  a sometimes-despised running species (as are all Phyllostachys,running that is), this variety has its uses and can be quite beautiful in many situations. It is commonly used in small spaces in Japan, where it is easily kept under control by cutting out unwanted culms with a shovel when they first appear in early summer. It is highly valued there as a security/screening hedge, being almost impossible to pass through when mature and dense. When used in groves the lower branches can also be trimmed off to accent the warm yellow stems, which contrast nicely against the dark green leaves. It can range from 6-20' in height, depending on conditions, and stems can get to 2" thick. Mature groves of large scale plants can look significantly different from brushy young plantings, especially in warmer climates such as Southern California and the Central Valley. An exceptionally nice stand doing what it does best can be seen at Huntington Botanic Gardens, where the gardeners take care to prune off all the lower branches. Likes sun to mostly shade and will tolerate almost no watering to copious irrigation depending on your exact climate and the size and speed you want. Growth is greatly accelerated by the application of fertilizer. Young shoots are edible. Gophers will thank you for providing them with this special treat, especially when plants are young, but old, dry, toughened, established plants are very resistant. Good in containers, but prone to drying out in very sunny or windy situations, or if the leaf mass gets out of hand compared to the size of container. Hardy to around 0°F. China. Find more info on bamboo in general here. rev12/2009

'Holochrysa'   big containers   culms emerge light green but age to deep golden orange, especially in sun. Darker in color than the straight species, but otherwise the same. rev 10/2008
'Koi'  stems closeup  a variegated-stem clone, featuring typical golden yellow culms but with a contrasting green stripe where the sulcus (bud groove) is. The young culms emerge green, all color to bright golden yellow, almost orange, but the sulcus remains green. The coloring is best seen on established plants and young nursery grown plants often don't show the feature. Very occasionally a leaf or two will show a thin gold stripe as well. Same dimensions, same care as for regular species. Very good against a contrasting background where its decorated culms can be noticed and well displayed, and also very good and probably best used in a container, especially dark blue, dark red, brown/black, green, etc. rev 2/2006 

bambusoides  JAPANESE TIMBER BAMBOO, MADAKE   Strybing grove    leaf detail    culm detail   to 35' with 2" thick stems, though in more tropical and wet climates it can reach 75' and 6" (wow!) respectively. The leaves are very dark green, very shiny, and have parallel veins that add texture and interest. We find this species, and this selection, to be fast and easy, unlike some references that say it is slow in California. Though not as fast or large as some other running timber types (P. vivax, P. nigra 'Henon'), it is fast enough and very elegant. It often pushes new culms in very late spring, and these culms can grow 4' per day if it is happy, and live for 10-20 years each, which is highly unusual for a bamboo. This is one of the most sought after forms, both for gardens as well as construction. Its culms make great building material, being straight, long, hard, durable, with thick sidewalls, and long internodes. rev 6/2010 *NEW for 2010!*

'Castillion'  STRIPED JAPANESE TIMBER BAMBOO, MADAKE  Sol with a young clump  a tall timber type, grown for its wonderul large bright yellow culms that have a conspicuous, wide green stripe in the sulcus (bud groove). Very popular and usually in limited supply. China. rev 6/2010 

edulis (heterocycla pubescens)  MOSO, MAO ZHU  big stems    more stems   the American Bamboo Society, our chosen authority for bamboo identification and nomenclature, now lists plaint in this country identified as P. heterocycla pubescens as properly being referred to P. edulis. Highly sought after, this is the largest species of all the hardy types, the Big Mama of the bamboo world, surpassed in size only by some of the tropical clumping types. Culms reach 8" thick, height can be 100’ or more at maturity with enough watering and feeding. One of the most valuable varieties for edible shoots, it is considered the best ornamental timber species in Japan. Hardy to under 10°F. Needs deep, rich, moist soils, low pH (5 - 5.5), and shade when young. It grows nicely along the coast and watering needs are lower, but it really thrives in the hotter inland areas and Central Valley. It is challenged by Santa Ana winds and Colorado River water in Southern California. It also needs freedom from gophers until it starts rolling, then it will just outgrow them. But be forewarned: there are few foods as highly respected in the gopher world as young timber bamboo. China. rev 7/2005

nigra  BLACK BAMBOO, KUROCHIKU, ZI ZHU  culms    front yard full    medium sized stand, Goldsmith Seeds facility  one of the most highly desired ornamental bamboos. The “normal” wild form of this species is green, more robust, and is known as ‘Henon.’ This more familiar, widely distributed trade form is a smaller growing melanistic clone that only gets to about 15-18' tall with culms to about 1 1/2" across (‘Henon’ can get sixty feet with almost 4" thick culms). It is a slower grower, for a bamboo, but still vigorous compared to most plants. It is much less vigorous than the related Golden Bamboo, and somewhat taller. It is a species that definitely appreciates part sun or shade on the trunks and ground beneath, though you wouldn't know it by the way it is usually sited. The leaves tend to bleach in full sunlight if chlorotic from pH problems or lack of iron, and culms are prone to sunburn and unattractive blotchy scorching where exposed. In richer soils this isn't a problem. The culms will be green the first year, then age to black by the second. There may be variation in the trade as to how dark the stems can be, but most differences seem to be tied to culture and environment and there may be only one “black” form in the country. The foliage is darker than P. aurea, sparser and somewhat longer and more graceful. This is possibly the most striking bamboo commonly available, and one of the best overall, anywhere. The stems can be dramatically displayed in so many situations: by themselves, against walls or fences (especially bamboo or dark redwood), or with variously textured foliage or scandent stems reaching through them. Use your imagination! Small root divisions dug up from the ground often have blind eyes and never develop properly if they develop at all. This is an excellent container variety, with at least some shade, since it tends not to develop an overly dense mass of thirsty foliage. Like most bamboos, it needs at least some summer watering in California landscapes and is happiest with ample irrigation. It comes from a monsoonal pattern climate (heavy rains in late summer) so treat it accordingly. It can be invasive in hot, humid climates but I can't imagine it being so anywhere in California without constant watering. They like fertilizer but salt burn easily (leaf tips turn brown) so don't overdo it. Frost hardy. The young shoots are edible. China. rev 7/2005

‘Henon’  HENON BAMBOO, HACHIKU  grove, Blue Bamboo Nursery   beautiful plumose habit   foliage detail     culms   also classified by some as “v. henonis,” this is actually the common, widespread, wild form of P. nigra, which was first described from its more ornamental and now more familiar melanistic form. This is a more vigorous, robust grower of much greater height and girth (60' by 4") and rightfully qualifies as a timber bamboo. In fact it is of outstanding quality, being thick walled and resistant to splitting even when cut as first year culms. It is the third most important timber bamboo in Japan after P. heterocycla and P. bambusoides. It is very close in appearance to the majestic, sublime P. vivax, but is not quite as big, or shiny, or green. But it definitely deserves a better reputation than just “black bamboo that isn't black.” Besides its considerable stature as a timber type it is an open grove-forming giant of great character and graceful appearance. It also produces edible shoots of excellent quality, ranging from 40-80 lbs. per 1000 square feet of grove per year. Shoots develop best in warm soil under mulch. It is much more sun tolerant than black form as well a very good cool grower. rev 1/2010 

Physocarpus opulifolius 'Lady in Red' PP18660   foliage    flowers   a deciduous shrub grown for its strong, reliably colored foliage. New growth emerges rich coppery red and matures to almost black by the time the small balls of tiny pink flowers line the branches in late spring. Butterflies are particularly attracted to the flowers. This is finding application in California as a background canvas for other plants or for use against lighter walls and fences. It performs well in the coldest California climates (hardy to -30F!) as well as in Southern California, tolerating hot, dry conditions and mild winters rather well. It is respectably drought tolerant when fully established. To about 3-6' tall and wide, with an arching, spreading habit. Largest size comes with summer heat and winter cold. Best color is in full or almost full sun but it will tolerate considerable shade. Sunset zones 1-9, 12-24/ USDA zone 2. Rosaceae. rev 3/2010

Pinguicula  BUTTERWORT  carnivorous sundews, ranging from the Americas to Europe, Asia, and even North Africa. The easiest to grow are the Mexican species, all evergreen, which are the ones we offer. These plants attract insects that are then glued to its leaves by the wet, sticky hairs until they die and are washed off, to decompose at the base and provide nutrients for the plant. In our greenhouses they are more effective at attracting flying insects, principally fungus gnats, than yellow sticky cards. They like strong indirect light, or at least cool direct light, and damp conditions. Little else seems necessary. They have grown well for us in cool, unheated (but frost free) greenhouses over winter and the only problem I have had with the one I took home was when I partially burned it up by putting it on a window sill in full, direct, all-day winter sun. These happens to be the only plants in the Lentibulariaceae that we offer. Mexico. rev 8/2010

moctezumae  blooming plants   gory details   thin, somewhat snaky leaves, light green, with rather large pink flowers. Showy in bloom, relatively easy to grow once it has sufficient size.rev 8/2010 *NEW for 2010!*

moranensis  BUTTERWORT  closeup   broad, attractive, chartreuse to yellowish leaves are held in a compact basal rosette, and gorgeous, sharp magenta rose flowers to about 1" long, resembling little Streptocarpus flowers, are produced on tall, thin stalks seemingly at any time of year. Give it copious watering, it can probably even stand in a shallow dish of water. It shouldn't need almost any feeding, and if you do fertilize use something weak and organic like fish emulsion. It won't ever develop much of a root system. Supposedly this species is heterophyllus, and will develop more  fleshy, non-carnivorous leaves during the cool season, but we have only seen the carnivorous phase, even in winter. rev 8/2010

Piper  perennial herbaceous shrubs and vines, many of medicines, spices, or herbs. Includes pepper (P. nigrum), Hoja Santa (P. sanctum), Betel Nut (P. betle) and Kava Kava (P. methysticum). All need protection from frost, rich, moist soil, and usually shade, at least when young. All have heart shaped leaves with attractive parallel veining patterns, swollen, jointed stems, and minute, ornamental but non-showy flowers borne in funny, narrow, worm-like spikes. Piperaceae. rev 4/2004

Pistacia chinensis ‘Keith Davey’  PISTACHIO TREE  fall color  summer  a really good grafted strain selected for reliable, hot, fluorescent orange red fall color across a range of climates. Highly sought after and hard to produce. Needs at least half a day of direct sun, good drainage, and moderate to no summer watering when established depending on climate and site. China, Taiwan, Philippines. Anacardiaceae. rev 2/2003

Pittosporum crassifolium  KARO  evergreen shrub or small tree to 15’ with grey, tomentose leaves. Clusters of tiny dark maroon red flowers appear in spring. They emit a sweet fragrance at night. Will tolerate dry summers, but really looks its best when given regular watering. Will tolerate close coastal exposure and wind. Sun to part shade. New Zealand. Pittosporaceae.

‘Nana’  civic landscape  extremely dwarf version, with furry, tomentose leaves. To 2’ tall, 4’ wide. Doesn't flower.

eugenoides  LEMONWOOD  hedge  flowering branch  evergreen shrub or small tree to 15-25' tall. Leaves are light green, with wavy margins. Flowers are very small, yellowish, and not usually noticed. They have a light fragrance very much like privet - not great but not obnoxious. Leaves and twigs have a lemony scent. Can easily be trained into a tree. Unlike P. tenuifolium, this species appears to be almost uniform when grown from seed. Sun to mostly shade, average to little summer watering. New Zealand.

‘Lemon Lime’  foliage closeup  a reverse overlay chimeral branch sport of ‘Variegated,’ this cultivar bears brilliant chartreuse green to citron yellow foliage with a slightly darker margin. Green substantially in shade, give it full or almost full sun. Compact growth to 10-15' tall. rev 12/2004  MBN INTRODUCTION-2005
‘Variegated’  foliage closeup  shape, at the UCSC New Zealand Garden  planted at our nursery  to 10’ tall and wide. Leaves are irregularly edged with creamy white, becoming pale yellow in winter. Sun in cooler areas, otherwise part sun to prevent burning.

tenuifolium  clipped hedge  flowers  evergreen shrub or small tree to 15-20’. Leaves are smaller than the P eugenoides, not as wavy, darker green, and usually borne on black stems. Tiny reddish black flowers have bright yellow stamens and hang below the foliage. They are sweetly fragrant at night. This species is extremely variable from seed. The additional cutting grown selections listed below have the virtue of uniformity of appearance in mass plantings as well as retaining their lower foliage when mature, instead of revealing a bare trunk. New Zealand. Zones vary by variety, but all can be grown in Sunset 8-9, 14-17, 19-24/USDA zone 9. Some forms are hardier, and survive in Ireland or Portland. Those are noted. 

'Cape Susan'  new and older growth  a compact, dense grower that has a center-variegation pattern to the new growth. As the leaves age this fades to become just a conspicuous yellow midvein on the dark green leaf. Slow, growing just one or two feet per year. rev 1/2009
‘Garnet’  foliage detail  an old famous variegated form. Rounded grey green leaves are edged in ivory white, with rosy tints developing in cool weather. Twigs are a contrasting purple black. A slower, more compact grower to about 10'. Sunset zone 5/USDA zone 8b. rev 7/2009
'Gold Star'  foliage detail  tight, compact growth, with leaves featuring chartreuse to gold centers against darker green edges. Classy, charming. Ultimate size unknown but this is not going to be a large grower, probably to only 6-10' at full maturity. rev 10/2007 
'Harley Botanica'  foliage   shade color  the reverse of 'Silver Magic,' another variegated form of 'Silver Sheen.' This is a tighter, more compact strain that is elegant close up and provides a very shiny, ultra fine-textured, lime green color in the landscape. To at least 15' unpruned but shear it or prune it to easily keep it to 4-6'. rev 7/2009
'Irene Patterson'  foliage closeup  compact growth, with foliage that is splashed and speckled with white on the new growth, maturing to green. Sunset zone 5/USDA zone 8b. rev 7/2009
'Jessica's Golden'  new growth   new growth is pale green, ages to dark green. Compact, dense growth, height 5-10' unpruned with age. rev 1/2010
‘Kristi’  foliage, juvenile, closeup  unpruned six year old plants at our nursery  a very compact, neat, tight grower but with very large, glossy, dark green leaves that give it a very lush appearance. To about 4-6' with age and unpruned. Grows with a dome-shaped habit unless trained, and will naturally reach 6' or more across. rev 4/2004
‘Marjorie Channon’  foliage closeup  hedge  natural, unclipped shape  globe  to 6-8’ tall, with leaves edged creamy white. This is truly an elegant, formal foliage plant that is relaxed enough to find use in most foliage gardens as well. It looks great reaching through a wrought iron or dark picket fence. To Sunset zone 5/USDA zone 8b. rev 7/2009
'Silver Magic'  foliage  a variegated form of 'Silver Sheen,' with small, shiny round leaves edged in creamy white. Slightly slower growth and slightly smaller ultimate height, but ultimately to at least 15-20' and of course much lower with shearing or pruning. rev 7/2009
‘Silver Nugget’  at UCSC's New Zealand garden   tiny juvenile foliage, closeup   another plant at UCSC   also known as ‘Argentea Nana,’ this charming little plant forms a short, rounded, dense mass to about 4' tall by 3' wide. It is distinguished by its small, glittering, silvery jade leaves against black stems. A fine formal container plant, low edging plant or hedge, or foliage plant for use against dark backgrounds or contrasting foliage. Sunset zone 5/USDA zone 8b. rev 7/2009 
‘Silver Sheen’  backlit  clipped hedge  tiny, round, glossy, silvery green leaves against black stems, with very fine textured, relatively sparse on the branches and of open growth at first but later filling in to become very dense. In fact I would say this may be the best overall screening variety due to its fast growth, extremely full habit and tendency to quickly fill any holes in its outline. The foliage is highly reflective and quite impressive when lit from an angle. Fast, reaching quite quickly in spite of its demure scale, upright to rounded in shape, forming an almost impenetrable mass of foliage. One planting I know of looks almost like a vertical patch of Muhlenbeckia complexa, Mattress Vine. rev 4/2007
‘Theodore’  mature foliage closeup  young solitary commercial specimen  dwarf shrub to 3-6’ tall, 4-5’ wide. Tends to form a dome shaped shrub when mature. Juvenile growth has relatively large leaves and longer internodes. It will often produce this growth after a plant has been cut back hard. Mature (blooming) wood has much smaller leaves and a dense, tight, crowded growth habit. I originally selected this plant as a passed over runt in a block of five gallon seedlings in 1987. rev 4/2004
'Tom Thumb'  foliage closeup  probably ‘Tom Thumb,’ but we lost the label and it doesn't exactly match the description. Compact growth to 4’ tall, 6’ wide with leaves turn dark purple black in late fall, retaining that color until late spring. New growth emerges greener, but even then is still considerably darker than most forms of  P. tenuifolium. To Sunset zone 5/USDA zone 8b. rev 1/2010

Platycerium bifurcatum  STAGHORN FERN  nice plant, Sea World  the easiest of the Staghorns to grow, just water it every so often and keep it in full sun (lots of water) to bright shade (much less). It will freeze back below 25F but has survived outside to 20F if given some overhead protection. Polypodiaceae. Australia. rev 11/2007

Plectranthus forsteri 'Marginata'  clean marginal variegation  one of the best of the variegated foliage Plectranthus varieties, vigorous and not too prone to reversion. Mixes well with a wide variety of other foliage/blooming plants. Fast, easy, great in containers, mixed or as a focal point plant. Part sun to shade, average soil/watering. rev 5/2006 

Pleioblastus viridistriatus (Arundinaria viridistriata)  foliage  a relatively low, running bamboo of low to moderate vigor. No, really! Because it has limited green foliage, it only grows a fraction of the speed of other short, spreading species like A. disticha. Still, it will fill to the extent of watered areas if not contained. Grows to 3’ tall with bright yellow leaves boldly striped with green and chartreuse. Makes a stunning focal point when used as a large container plant (especially in blue containers). It is also nice contrasted against purplish or blue foliage, or other dark backgrounds, but needs yearly attention to contain its spread if a barrier isn't used. Sun (very yellow) to mostly shade (leaves turn almost all green), at least occasional watering and better with regular irrigation, very frost hardy. Find more info on bamboo in general here. Japan. Graminae/Poaceae. rev 1/2010

‘Akebono’  foliage  as in all other ‘Akebonos,’ this name indicates banded horizontal striping, in this case white variegation, most likely viral in nature. Mature leaves appear to be bleached white on the tips. This is a very dwarf variety, often less than 1' tall.  rev 5/2008 
‘Chrysophyllus’  foliage  an all golden sport of the species. Slower but still plenty fast. Even more luminous and choice! rev 3/2008

Plumbago auriculata ‘Imperial Blue’  BLUE PLUMBAGO   flowers   one of my favorite plants, it can be a spectacular sight in all its glory in late summer, covered in intense, dark sky blue flowers. It grows as an upright, sprawling, scandent to almost vining shrub or groundcover, reaching 4-6' tall by 10' or more across with age when growing as a free standing plant. It can reach much taller with support, much like Bougainvillea, with which it mixes particularly well. It does not ever seem to grow with great vigor until well established. The leaves can range from dark green to light yellowish green with bronzy tints, especially where soil fertility is low or it is struggling due to stress. It does best in parts sun, part shade, with good drainage. For faster growth give it regular watering for a couple to few years until it is well established. When fully and completely established it can take full sun conditions in most of California with no supplemental irrigation, but it always does best with at least occasional watering and at least some shade. I think it is wonderful draped and scrambling through plants, especially those with striking foliage such as the colored-leaf cannas, among Phormiums, against Agave attenuata ‘Nova,’ or simply against a dark stucco wall. Its color has a very cooling effect that is welcome in the oppresive heat of summer. I always thought of this as a Mediterranean-climate plant until I realized how good it looked on Kauai. It is really more of a subtropical. Sunset zones 8-9, 12-24. South Africa. Plumbaginaceae. rev 3/2010

henkelii  LONG LEAF YELLOW WOOD  Huntington Botanic Gardens   older rounded specimen, downtown Santa Cruz   classic shape, Post Office   Watsonville commercial landscape  a moderately fast, dense, broad, symmetrically cone shaped to spreading coniferous tree to about 30'. The needles, to 6" long, hang vertically off the branches, for a luxuriant effect. Wonderful rubbery new growth is glaucous bronze, turning to blue grey before maturing to dark green. Good in containers and especially nice against walls or as free standing specimens, where its shape can be appreciated. This one will tolerate full shade but is better with some light. Minimally damaged at 20°F, so it makes a great replacement for  P. gracilior in colder areas. South Africa.

latifolius  BLUE PODOCARPUS, REAL YELLOWWOOD, MOGOBAGOBA (Northern Sotho), UMSONTI (Zulu)  at Strybing Arboretum  foliage, closeup   espaliered, Strybing   big plant  this wonderful foliage plant is grown for its powdery blue, flattened needles, its compact, mostly narrow, often irregularly conical habit, and its slow growth. Like most Podocarpus its new growth is a wonderful, light bronze color and has a soft, rubbery texture. It makes a great subject for against a wall of the appropriate hue (grey, olive, red tones, etc.) or for mixing with other foliage plants (Colocasia esculenta 'Fontaneisii,' Phormium 'Maori Maiden,' Escallonia 'Golden Briant,' etc.). In nature it gets to be 100' tall but that takes quite a while and probably only under the most favorable conditions. If you get it there it will display wonderful peeling tan bark. In most situations expect it to stay under 25', and even that will take some time. To keep it happy grow it in part shade in acidic soils with moderate watering. If the needles show more yellow than blue treat the soil to acidify it, use iron treatments, fertilize with acid-forming high nitrogen fertilizers, or any combination thereof. It makes a wonderful, easily restrained container plant. Plants are dioecious, with separate male and female plants. The females bear attractive little powdery blue fruits on soft, fleshy receptacles, maturing to purple in winter. They are edible. This plant ranges throughout southern, eastern, and northern South Africa, even up in to Rhodesia, and can grow in dry, rocky, chapparal like habitats. It is a valuable timber tree, something like Ponderosa Pine, and the National Tree of South Africa!! Probably hardy for zones 8-9, 14-17, 21-24/USDA zone 9. rev 10/2005

Polemonium 'Brise d'Anjou'  VARIEGATED JACOB'S LADDER  flowers   typical plant   foliage closeup   a clumping perennial with rosettes of finely cut, compoundly pinnate, dark green leaves, each one edged with white. Foliage color ranges from mostly green to about half white depending on exposure, with more variegation in higher light. A large, well displayed clump can be almost hypnotizing to look at. The light blue flowers are just slightly tinged with lavender, and when in bloom the plant can reach about 12-16" in height. It spreads slowly. This plant is best used against dark backgrounds and dark foliaged plants or in combination with other leaf/texture plants in mixed containers. Frost hardy, average watering. Either evergreen or deciduous, depending on the amount of cold. Polemoniaceae. rev 6/2005

Polygala x dalmaisiana  SWEET PEA SHRUB  flowers   habit   nice planting at Sierra Azul  evergreen shrub to 3-4’ tall, with dense, spreading shape. Flowers are a medium violet purple, and are produced most of the year. Florists like the color for use in arrangements, and it lasts quite well when cut. This variety, as well as the other Polygalas we offer, looks quite good next to or mingled with the compact form Coleonema pulchrum, where the violet and light pink flowers complement each other quite well. Sun, average to little watering, hardy to around 15°F. Polygalaceae. rev 4/2006

Polypodium creeping, rhizomatous, evergreen ferns, often epiphytes or lithophytes. Polypodiaceae.

formosum  closeup of foliage   creepy caterpillars  CATERPILLAR FERN  it's green, it's soft, it's a little fuzzy, it crawls slowly, and it's cute. Plus the rhizomes do look like caterpillars, being thick, succulent, light green, spotted, and cute. It also has a very nice texture and a somewhat herringbone pattern to the leaflets. This has grown well at Merritt College in Oakland outdoors in a protected area for a few years. It should be fine away from direct frost in gardens in the milder parts of Northern California as well as making a nice container plant, or a house plant for a cool and humid location like a bathroom. Its most common use is in a hanging basket, where you can really see those cute caterpillars. Give it rich, peaty soils, a protected, shady spot, water as needed, and avoid messing with it once established. Some populations can take some frost, to about 25F, but it will go deciduous much below 40F and begin to suffer damage to roots below freezing. Sunset zones 8-9, 14-16 (protected), 17, 21-24/USDA zone 9. Japan, Southern China, Taiwan. rev 3/2009 

Polystichum  evergreen (usually) ferns, forming rosettes. Polypodiaceae. rev 3/2008

braunii   nursery plant  forms tidy, perfect rosettes of erect, glossy, dark green fronds, to about 1-3' wide by 12-18" tall. Stipes and frond undersides are nicely scaly. Widely distributed in the Northern Hemisphere. Very frost hardy, likes cool, moist, acid conditions like you would find in a forest but will accept infrequent watering if well established. rev 3/2008 

makinoi  young plants   this is like a compact Japanese Lace Fern, P. polyblepharum (setosum), almost identical in color, conformation, and presentation except it is glossier and less scaly/furry. It will grow to about the same size, 2' tall and wide. Features even, perfect rosettes, and a clean and somewhat formal habit. It is evergreen in our state though it can take temperatures well below 0F. Sunset zones 3-9, 14-17, 21-24/USDA zone 5. Widely distributed through Eastern Asia.  rev 3/2008 

munitum  WESTERN SWORD FERN   wild, Santa Lucia Mountains    wild, Mystery Spot    garden landscape   another formal specimen  this evergreen fern produces neat upright pinnate fronds, reaching 4-5’ tall in the moist, cool forests of northern California but usually lower, to around 2', especially in hotter areas without summer watering. Great in dry shade landscapes, especially to give the illusion of a lush, moist garden where little water is actually being used. Also looks great used with other native shade plants like Asarum, Woodwardia,or when planted among redwoods. Needs part sun to dense shade and is best with some summer watering. Use peat moss for soil prep when planting, mulch around the crowns to keep the soil moist and cool. To groom wait for the new croziers to swell in late winter before cutting last year's fronds off close to the crown. Frost hardy for all of California but the High Sierras and east of the Cascades. Polypodiaceae. rev 1/2010

polyblepharum (setosum)  JAPANESE LACE FERN  new frond   habit  a charming fern, with glossy, dark green, slightly hairy pinnate fronds forming symmetrical rosettes. To 30" tall, 3’ wide. Old fronds lay flat on the ground when new fronds, pushing out from crown, form a narrow circle of bronzy tomentose leaves with pendant tips in late winter. Very nice when used with early blooming azaleas, such as Kurumes, which bloom when the new fronds are produced. Also good in containers. One of the most formal ferns. Part shade to shade, average watering, frost hardy.

setiferum  ENGLISH FERN, ALASKAN FERN  garden setting   plantlets   new fronds  an evergreen, rosette-forming sword fern. Delicately cut fronds bear "babies" along the midribs, stems are covered with fuzzy, golden brown hairs. To 2’ tall, 3’ wide, the fronds often laying rather horizontally. Part shade to shade, average watering, frost hardy. Good in containers. Europe.

'Congestum Cristata'  foliage   mostly simple, slightly plumose. rev 1/2010
'Divisilobum'  fronds on nursery plants  large, light green fronds are very frilly.
'Herrenhausen'   plants   named after the famous German school of horticulture, this variety has rather simple, clean fronds.  rev 10/2008
'Rotundum Cristatum'  young plants  a rotund crested form, with relatively short fronds that are extremely lacy in appearance and bright, bright green. Selected form #2594 of P. setiferum. rev 8/2007 

tsus-simense  KOREAN ROCK FERN  small container  a small scale, very dark green, finely textured, glossy, cute little specimen for container gardens, small spaces, or as a house plant. It needs regular watering, humusy soils, and shade. rev 10/200

Portulaca molokiniensis  foliage   native habitat   a critically endangered species, mostly because its miniscule remnant native habitat, the rim of an extinct volcano, is just the little arc-sliver of Molokini Island (just south of Maui) that hasn't yet sunk slowly into the ocean. I haven't seen this bloom, but it is an awesome foliage plant, being a densely clustered nest of neatly stacked, plump green leaves. Sunset zones 9 (full shade), 17 (keep dry in winter), 21-24/USDA zone 10. Portulacariaceae. rev 8/2010 *NEW for 2010!*

Portulacaria afra  SPIKEBOOM, ELEPHANT BUSH, PORKBUSH, MINATURE JADE  closeup  a vertical succulent shrub to 6-8' in nature, almost always seen as a small scale subject in gardens or containers here. It is characteristic of a South African biome known as "spekboom," roughly equivalent to our chapparal but subtropical, and featuring more succulent plant types such as this plant, aloes, iceplants, etc. It slowly can grow to form an upright shrub and has been used for short hedges, but that takes a long time. It really shines when kept petite enough that you can get close and appreciate the glossy green leaves against the burgundy stems. It really does look like a minature Jade Plant except it shows more stem and grows with an arching to semihorizontal habit. It was made for containers, combo or solitary specimen type, and also looks awesome against red or black lava rock in dry gardens. It makes a relatively good bonsai subject but first rate subjects are only derived from old garden plants lifted. It can grow in full to half-say sun, can take very little or very regular watering, and is frost hardy to around 25F. Sunset zones 9, 15-17, 21-24/USDA zone 9 or anywhere as a container/house plant. rev 9/2009 *NEW for 2010!*

'Variegata'   at the Huntington   very cool when it gets older and all weepy, especially against blue, reddish, or dark colored rocks or plants. rev 4/2010 *NEW for 2010!*

Pritchardia hillebrandii  nursery, young plant  at Quail Botanic Gardens  this subtropical fan palm is the easiest to grow of a famous genus. It has big, glossy, luxuriant, very round, very perfect fronds and looks at first glance like just another Washingtonia. But the fronds aren't quite as round and the tips hang down luxuriantly like Livistonia, and the clean trunk is very thin and gracile compared to the rather robust, thatched trunks of either of the Washingtonias. In addition the fronds often retain a whitish or blue grey cast. Unlike almost all other Pritchardias this species from dryland Molokai in Hawaii has been fast and dark green even under our cool coastal conditions. It will take some frost but expect burn between 28-25°F and death below25°F - no direct experience here, just my inferred opinion based on others' experience and how it has behaved for us. Luckily it grows fast enough to quickly grow out of any winter frost damage, and I would rate it at least as fast as a Washingtonia. It makes a great indoor palm specimen. If you have the right conditions it can make it to 15-20'. USDA zone 9b/ Sunset zone 16-17, 21-24. Palmae/Arecaceae. rev 4/2005

Protea 'Pink Ice'  incredible flower  this is a hybrid variety, P. neriifolia x susannae, and produces deep rose pink bracts with a silvery sheen that enclose the white flowers. The tips of the central filaments are tipped black and form a nice contrasting dark eye at the center. Like all Proteas, this is a spectacular plant that can be a problem child. It wants as much sun as possible, as good drainage as you can provide, as mineral soil as is available (moderately acidic, of course), and as little summer watering (especially under warm conditions) as you can get away with without watching it shrivel up and die. The farther away from those conditions it is, the shorter its time on this earth. Do not fertilize except perhaps to treat with trace element foliage sprays, as needed. It is going to be short-lived anyway, like almost all Mediterranean-climate shrubs, but is as spectacular as any plant in cultivation in return. Its primary Achilles' Heel is that it is on the "highly susceptible" list for Phytophtora, of any kind, and seems to show almost no natural resistance. If you plant it, and you have it, you will find out in short order. It can be grown as a container plant quite successfully, but does best where the container is at least partly shaded to keep roots cool. Superb cut, of course. Frost hardy to 25-20F. Sunset zones 8-9, 14-17, 21-24/USDA zone 9. Proteacea. South Africa.  rev 11/2007 

Prunella grandiflora ‘Loveliness’  flowers  habit  an evergreen perennial to about 6" tall, spreading at a moderate pace by underground stolons. Dark green leaves are coarsely cut. You grow it for the very long display (mid spring through fall) of rose pink flowers held on short spikes as well as its neat, compact habit.  Sun to part shade, regular watering. Europe. Scrophulariaceae. rev 10/2005

Pseudosasa japonica  YADAKE, JAPANESE ARROW BAMBOO  at Strybing Arboretum  nice screen  a tall, elegant, graceful, narrow-culmed species with glossy, long, dark, somewhat olive green leaves that hang from the stems and an ultimate height of about 15'. A moderate grower (for a runner) that should be contained or attended to in most gardens, it is a very attractive specimen, screen, or container plant with a distinctive texture. It has a much more relaxed presentation than either Black or Golden Bamboo. The single branch from each node keeps it more open than many other runners. It is also very shade tolerant. Sunset zones 4-9, 14-24, hardy to parts of USDA zone 7. Needs at least occasional watering. Supposedly this is slow in areas with severe winters and faster under subtropical or mild temperate conditions. Find more info on bamboo in general here. Japan. Graminae/Poaceae. rev 12/02

Psidium cattleianum  STRAWBERRY GUAVA  fruit  as hedge  a shrub or very small tree, usually to about 8' tall, often seen as an informal or clipped hedge. It has rather formal, glossy green leaves, small whitish flowers, and dark red fruit to about an inch across. The fruits have a sweet to strongly resinous flavor reminiscent of strawberry. There is a yellow fruiting clone with the same flavor (but not as intense) known as Lemon Guava or Lemon Strawberry Guava. This plant is a cumulative short day bloomer, and can bear from September through June depending on the year. Usually it starts producing edible fruit in December. I like the fruits of this plant very much as long as they are fully ripened. If the fruit is underripe it tends to be astringent, and acidic enough to make the salivary glands at the back of your jaw ache when you bite into it. The best fruit come off in your hand when you touch them on the branch, then are left to ripen a day or two longer. They make an excellent jam. The bark is highly ornamental, mottled green and brown like Crepe Myrtle or Eucalyptus, often displayed on picturesque, gnarly trunks. It is almost impossible from cuttings in my experience and so raised from seed. I am aware of no exceptional clones that can truly be shown to be better than average. One problem is that I have encountered a relatively large number of sterile individuals in plantings, even with cross pollinators adjacent, perhaps as high as 10%. For good results plant at least two and if a plant is a shy or non-bearer, give it the axe, the axe, the axe. Show no pity. They should start to bear almost immediately, and they even fruit in 1g cans here at the nursery. Expect top damage any time temperatures drop below 28F. It is somewhat frost tender, and a number of plants around Santa Cruz were severely damaged or even frozen to the ground at 19F in 1990. Sun, average soils, quite drought tolerant when established (at the expense of fruit production).  rev 1/2007

Pteris  evergreen ferns, subtropical to warm temperate in hardiness. Polypidiaceae 

dentata 'Stramina'   young plants  fronds look somewhat like a congested Asparagus setaceus (plumosus). Initially short, compact,but eventually tall, with bright, deep green foliage. This is a more finely dissected form of the species that is popular in Europe. It takes drier soils well and is fast growing. Very nice in containers. Tom Ballinger of San Francisco says his plant is over 4' tall, lush, dense, vigorous, and "a great success in its own right." I wouldn't expect it to be hardy beyond 25F. Sunset zones 8-9, 14-16 (all with protection), 17, 21-24/USDA zone 9. Indian Ocean periphery. rev 2/2010

ensiformis ‘Evergemiensis’  foliage, young nursery plants  a small scale evergreen fern with dark green leaves highlighted with white stripes in the centers of the leaves and leaflets. Probably not hardy. Southeast Asia, Australia. Polypodiaceae. rev 10/2008

faueri   foliage   a slower, more compact variety with glossy, neat fronds that are roughly triangular in shape, medium sea green in color. It grows in shaded forest areas and should be hardy to at least 15-20F. Makes a nice container or combo element plant. East Asia.rev 10/2008

‘Flame’  foliage  sometimes listed as a separate species,  P. tricolor, this evergreen fern is easily distinguished by broad, very glossy triangular fronds divided into long, finger-like sections. The foliage emerges brilliant red, ages to copper or bronze, finally becoming dark green. The stems are dark mahogany. This is a rather durable landscape variety that is deciduous below 25°F. Mostly shade, regular watering, great in containers. rev 3/2009

tremula  AUSTRALIAN BRAKE  a tall, tough, durable fern to 6' with lacy, broadly triangular dark green fronds and wiry stems. This is a good one for dry shade, needing only infrequent watering to maintain it until winter. It has enough substance to stand out noticeably in the landscape and will tolerate dark situations at the expense of rapid growth. Its only fault is that below about 25° expect it to be at least deciduous and below 20°F expect it to be dead. Australia, New Zealand, Southwest Pacific. rev 1/2003