Plant Notes

 February 2007 Plant Notes

Chasmanthe floribunda (Iridaceae).
Grown by Patricia Knight in Los Altos Hills.
These are cormous perennials for sun or part shade. Fall rains break their summer dormancy and they send up narrow, 2 inch long leaves and 3 feet tall flower stems that may branch into 2 spikes, each carrying up to 28 bright orange-red tubular flowers with very prominent, dark purple pollen sacs. The flowers grow along both sides of the stem and open from bottom to top. The buds can be damaged by hard frost, otherwise they are hardy in our area. They tolerate water during their summer dormancy but do not need it. They multiply rapidly and should be divided in the fall every 2-3 years. C. f. duckittii is the yellow-flowered form. Native to South Africa.

Coleonema pulchellum ,Compactum, (Rutaceae). Compact breath of heaven.
Grown by Kerry Barrs in Woodside.
Another South Africa native. Kerry's plant is a dwarf form that grows to 2-3 feet tall and wide while the species is typically 6 feet and can sometimes reach 10 feet. The flowers are small, light pink stars that bloom winter into spring. It has a light, billowy look with small, heath-like foliage on slender stems. The foliage is aromatic when brushed or bruised making it a good choice for planting near paths. It is deer resistant, hardy to 20F and wants full sun or part shade, fast drainage, and regular irrigation though it can tolerate considerable drought once it is established. Pinkie, Sunset Gold , Nanum, and Rubum are other dwarf forms.

Correa spp. (Rutaceae). Australian fuchsia.
Grown by Patricia Knight in Los Altos Hills.
Correas are small, evergreen shrubs native to Australia. In general, they are cold hardy for us, bloom from fall into spring, prefer part shade, and will accept any soil as long as it has very good drainage. They are best with moderate water but will tolerate extended dry periods. Hummingbirds love them and deer do not eat them, but they are very susceptible to oak root fungus. Patricia showed three Correas from her garden.
C. Carmine Bells or Dusky Bells is probabably a hybrid between C. reflexa and C. pulchella. It is a compact, 2 feet high shrub that can spread up to 8 feet wide to make an attractive ground cover. It has reddish-brown stems, deep green leaves, and loads of dusky, deep pink, tubular bells. Pat finds that it will take full sun as long as she gives it more water. C. Ivory Bells actually originated in San Francisco and is thought to be a hybrid between C. alba and C. bankhousiana. It grows as a rounded shrub to about 5 feet x 5 feet. It has tan, wooly stems; mid green leaves with white, wooly undersides; yellow-tan buds; and ivory-white tubular flowers that turn a little tan with age. The flowers are not nearly as showy as other Correa's but the overall appearance of this shrub is very attractive and it seems to bloom almost all year.
C. reflexa Upright Orange is the creative name given this cultivar by UCSC Arboretum. It is a 2-3 feet tall, upright growing shrub with dark brown stems and small, dark green leaves. Its blooms are pinkish orange, narrowly tubular bells. Pat finds this one the most tolerant of full sun and drought.

Crassula Morgan's Pink (Crassulaceae).
Grown by Bill Kurtz in Santa Clara.
Yet another South Africa native. Bill brought this beautiful little succulent which was covered in salmon pink blooms. Only about 3 inches tall, it has wide, fleshy, silvery-green leaves stacked along the stems. It is reported to be a hybrid of C. falcata and C. mesembryanthemopsis. Bill carried it through our cold winter by keeping it close to his house on a covered patio rather than in his greenhouse.

Bill Kurtz leading the discussion.

Grevillea lavandulacea Penola (Proteaceae). Lavender grevillea.
Grown by Patricia Knight in Los Altos Hills.
This is a very showy, fine textured, evergreen shrub native to Southern Australia. Its small flowers are deep rose-red with cream petal tips and long exerted styles that hold the stigmas where they will be brushed by pollinators. The stems and the undersides of the small, linear leaves are covered with soft, white fuzz so that the entire plant appears gray-green, the perfect backdrop for the flowers. Pat says this is a very floriferous plant. It is covered with flowers from winter through early spring. It prefers sandy soil and full sun, is drought tolerant and hardy into the low 20's. It can grow to 5 feet x 8 feet with arching branches. If you do not have a well-drained slope like Pat's or sandy soil, it is said to be an excellent and long-lived container plant.

Lachenalia spp. (Hyacinthaceae). Cape cowslip.
Grown by Bill Kurtz in Santa Clara.
Two more of Bill's Lachenalia species have come into full, gorgeous bloom. L. aroides var. quadricolor has pendant, tubular flowers on 10-12 inch stems. The buds are reddish-orange; the flowers are bright red at the base shading to yellow with green tips on the outer petals, and the inner petals are yellow with a broad burgundy band at the tips.
L. Rupert has purple blotched leaves and flower stems. Its flowers are soft lilac with purple corolla tips. Of the 3 Rupert bulbs in this pot, one was distinctly different. The leaves and stem were not blotched and the flowers were rosy pink with some lilac shadings. Handsome, but probably not Rupert. Lachenalia is a large genus of winter-flowering, summer-dormant bulbs native to (where else) South Africa. Bill finds them to be short lived. They are marginally hardy here so he has grown these in his green house.

Leucadendron Wilson's Wonder . (Proteaceae).
Grown by Patricia Knight in Los Altos Hills.
Leucadendrons are native to South Africa and, because they are long lasting and their colors hold well in arrangements, many hybrids have been developed by the cut flower trade. They are dioecious, evergreen, sprawly shrubs with upward facing foliage. Pat has sited hers on a slope where it can be viewed from above. Wilson's Wonder will grow to 5 feet x 6 feet and has leathery, medium green leaves and bronzy-red stems that terminate in bright yellow bracts surrounding small, cone-like flower heads. The bract color is brightest when the flowers are maturing in mid to late winter and takes on orange-red tones as the bracts age. It prefers well-drained soil in sun or part shade, and is hardy to 20 F.

Murraya koenigii (Rutaceae). Curry leaf tree.
Grown by Lee Read in Los Altos.
Lee grew this interesting plant from seeds he collected (with permission) from plants being offered at premium prices by Los Altos Nursery. It is a little over a year old now. Native to India, this is the authentic curry spice. The yellow powder that we think of as curry is a spice blend that attempts to mimic the flavor of curry leaf. The leaves are used fresh since they lose most of their flavor when dried. It is a small, evergreen tree or large shrub to about 20 feet, though probably much smaller in our climate. It grows in sun or part shade and will tolerate only brief, light frosts. Long, compound leaves give it a delicate, airy look. Terminal clusters of 60 to 90 white, 1/2-inch, star-shaped flowers bloom in mid spring and are sweetly scented. Nearly equal numbers of shiny black fruit resembling ripe olives ripen in fall. The sweet fruits are eaten raw and are high in vitamin C. The leaves, bark, and roots have been used medicinally to treat a wide range of ailments and the stems for cleaning teeth and strengthening gums. Lee generously donated it to our raffle table. We will surely recognize the winner by his/her robust health, sparkling teeth, and strong gums.

Jackie N. Doda

REFERENCES: Am. Hort. Soc. A-Z Encyclopedia, Botanica, Flora, Sunset Western Garden Book, and various websites.