Ornamental Shrubs. List #

Ornamental Shrubs

List #9 160 -178

Dusty miller is most commonly used as a contrast border

against a brightly colored

Centaurea cineraria

– Dusty miller

• Native to Italy. Compact grower 1’ to 18” Tall and as wide.

• Grown and known mostly for its velvety

white strap like deeply lobed foliage rather than for its sulfur yellow single flowers that are sent up on stalks above the plant in

Spring

• Excellent plant for contrast and for borders

Most common usage of Dymondia is in between pathway stones in a

sunny area or as a small lawn replacement

Dymondia margaretae - Dymondia

• Ground cover native to South Africa forms a very tight may 2-3” h. spreading slowly by offsets to 20”

• Narrow 1/8” leaves are 2-3” long deep grayish green above and rolled in at the edges to chow cottony white undersides

• Summer yellow daisy flowers partly buried in the foliage

• Drought tolerant once established. Good in between pavers. Can handle light foot traffic

Arctotis hybrids ‘Pink Sugar’

• An evergreen perennial with a compact habit to 10 to 14 inches tall with velvety silver-gray foliage and pink flowers that have an orange-yellow eye and appear nearly

continuously from April through November.

• Plant in full to part sun and irrigate only occasionally to

infrequently. Hardy to 20-25 degrees F (Zone 9). A great new color selection for perennial beds, accent planting, as a

groundcover or in containers. Flowers are attractive to

butterflies and the fuzzy gray foliage seems resistant to deer predation. Trim spent flowers (deadhead) to encourage

prolonged rebloom.

• Work well mixed into California friendly or succulent landscape design.

Drosanthemum floribundum – Rosea ice plant

• S. African native to 6” tall with stems that trail quite a distance or drape over wall; Can root from stem which helps with

erosion control on steep slopes

• Leaves small, rounded and covered with dots that look like tiny ice crystals

• Pale to bright pink ¾” wide flowers bloom in late Spring to early Summer profusely • Can endure poor soil

Mahonia aquifolium

– Oregon grape

• Tall erect growth habit to 6’ or more

• Leaves 4-10” with 5-9 very spiny–toothed leaflets that are glossy green

• Young growth ruddy or bronze in color • Flowers in 2-3” long clusters

• Edible blue-black fruit (makes good jelly) • Great fall color to foliage in colder climates

Rhaphiolepis umbellata – Yedda hawthorn

• Native to China to 4-5’ Tall and 5-6’ Wide and sometimes up to 10’distinguished

from R. indica by its leathery dark green roundish leaves 1-3” long.

• Flowers white about ¾” wide • Thick and bushy in full sun

Dianella revoluta ‘Little Rev’

• Dianella’s are grown more for their interesting

strap-like leaves but unlike New Zealand flax the flowers are also attractive and worth mention

• ‘Little Rev’ grows 2-3’ High with leaves that are yellowish green on the upper surface and a

bluish green on the more visible lower surface. • The flowers are held 12” above the clumping

plant and are yellow and violet-blue producing a small bluish fruit. This Variety rarely flowers.

Canna species - Canna

American tropics and subtropics 4-6’ tall

• Large lance-shaped leaves, good used in flower arrangements

• Spikes of large showy irregularly shaped flowers reminiscent of ginger lilies

• Best in single colors against plain backgrounds, around pools, in large pots or tubs

Carex ‘Banana boat’ Carex ‘The Beatles’

Carex species - Sedge

• Large group of grass-like, clumping plants found world wide and grown for foliage effect in

borders, rock gardens, containers, water

gardens. Some are used as lawn substitutes, as large scale ground covers and or erosion control • Long narrow evergreen leaves are often striped

or oddly colored

• Though most grow near water Many can handle relatively dry conditions.

• Flowers are generally insignificant

Oenothera speciosa – Mexican evening primrose

• Perennial

• During summer bloom period profuse

rose-pink 1 1/2” flowers carried on stems 10-12” high

• Once establish can be invasive if not controlled

One of several large 50-year-old Staghorn Fern “Balls” hanging from a chain in the Horticulture Department

Platycerium bifurcatum – Staghorn fern

Limonium perezii

– Statice

• Native to the Canary Islands. Grows to 3’ Tall with flower clusters spreading nearly as wide

• Calyx of the flower is deep rich purple while the corolla is white. Long Spring and Summer bloom • Leaves up to a foot long including stalks, Grey

green

• Great near the coast often naturalizes in coastal California

Bergenia along driveway and fern /camellia

planting bed. Hort. Department

Bergenia cordifolia

–

Heartleaf bergenia

• Native to Himalayas and mountains of China

• Thick rootstocks produce rosettes of large, ornamental, glossy green leaves that are evergreen except in the coldest climates

• Foliage clumps when established and can reach 1 1/2’ high

• Flowers in Spring producing clusters of nodding pink flowers on stalks to 1 1/2’ tall

• Shade loving but can handle some sun in cooler summer areas

• Strong textural quality can be used in drifts under trees or as interesting border

Brunfelsia pauciflora

‘Floribunda’ –

Yesterday–today–and-tomorrow

• Tropical American native grown for showy clusters of white-throated, rich dark purple flowers that fade to

lavender and eventually to white. Blooms Spring to early Summer

• Plant can reach 10’ and as wide, branching at base with several stems; Can easily be kept smaller

• Leaves oval and 3-4” long

• Flowers 2” across and clustered

• Handsome plants deserve extra attention and rich well-drained soil or be sure to fertilize in alkaline soils

Camellia japonica

– Common camellia

• Camellias are native to Eastern and

Southeastern Asia with over 3,000 named kinds

• C. japonica is most often thought of a

Camellia and is typically 6-10’ High and as wide, but older ones can get larger to 20’ • Well drained acid soils are the best

• Many different varieties with different colors flower sizes, and types

Camellia sasanqua – Sasanqua camellia

• Most rugged of the 3 species presented can handle more sun and less water than others

• Many different forms, generally smaller with toothed leaves, bushier to 3-6’

Horticulture Dept.’s Camellia reticulata Febuary

Horticulture’s

Camellia reticulata in April without

blooms

Notice the open growth habit of this species compared to the others

Camellia reticulata – Reticulata camellia

• Largest Camellia shrub to tree 50’ • Lankier foliage but larger and more

spectacular flowers than other camellias • Leaves narrower and spread out along

Camellia Leaf Comparison

japonica

reticulata

Ternstroemia gymnanthera - Ternstroemia

• Camellia relative from China and Japan grown for

foliage, not flowers reaches height of 8’ but usually seen as a shrub 3-4’

• Glossy, leathery foliage

• Red stalked leaves are rounded oval 11/2” to 3” long, bronzy red when new

• Flowers fragrant but insignificant turning to small yellow to orange-red berries (non existent on younger plants) or cherries that split to reveal black seed

• Likes similar growing conditions as Camellias • Shade background shrub, good next to pool

Top of leaf

Alpinia zerumbet

– Shell ginger

• Tall tropical plant 8-9’

• Shiny 2’ long 5” wide leaves with distinct parallel veins

• Stems are maroon in color at maturity

• Waxy white or pinkish shell-like fragrant flowers marked red, purple, brown in

pendant clusters on arching stems in late summer