Magnificent Manzanitas

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Big Berry Manzanita (Arctosaphylos glauca) PC: Public Domain

By Teresa Everett, Native Garden Educator and CNPS-SD Native Garden Committee member

This past week I took a virtual garden tour by going through photos from past CNPS Garden Tours. The gardens were just beautiful, and a common thread throughout was the use of manzanitas as the backbone of their designs. With their sculptural form, mahogany-colored bark, thick evergreen leaves, abundant pink and white flowers, and red berries, the manzanitas made superb foundation plants in every area of these gardens. When one adds the advantages of easy care, drought tolerance, and habitat value to their season-round beauty, isn’t it obvious that manzanitas should be the Number 1 pick in every California garden?

California is home to most of the world’s 100-plus manzanita species. There are more than 40 species native to California, along with dozens of subspecies, cultivars, and hybrids, ranging from tree forms reaching 25 feet tall to ground-hugging forms rising only a few inches off the ground.

Manzanitas are well adapted to our hot, dry summers and cooler, wetter winters. Most tolerate clay soils very well, with the exceptions being the more coastal species. Manzanitas are highly dependent on mycorrhizae, a symbiotic fungus that works with the roots to pull nutrients and moisture from the soil, thus allowing the plants to survive in very poor and dry soil. However, it makes manzanitas very susceptible to overwatering and fertilizing: they do not like being deeply watered in the summer or fertilized at any time. They do, however, enjoy an occasional brief shower—just enough to rinse off their leaves—during our long, hot summers.

Manzanitas bloom in winter, and their flowers contain a high-quality nectar, a very important food source for hummingbirds, butterflies, and insect pollinators when not much else is blooming in the landscape. Manzanita (Spanish for “little apple”) is named for the beautiful little berries that grace the plants in spring and early summer. The berries are an important food source for birds, bears, coyotes, and gray fox. The scientific name of the manzanita genus, Arctostaphylos, is based on the Greek words for “bear” and “grape.” Indigenous Californians ground the berries to make a coarse meal and soaked the berries and branch tips to make a delicious cider. The cider tastes great on a warm spring day!

Even when manzanitas are not bearing fruits or flowers, they maintain their beauty through their sturdy evergreen leaves and their lustrous bark that, depending on the variety, can be mahogany, deep brown, purple, pink, or tan. Their bark has the mysterious capability of staying cool to the touch even in the heat of summer, just like their close relative, the madrone (Arbutus menziesii). I have heard some people refer to both as “refrigerator trees.” Manzanita leaves tend to hold themselves perpendicular to the sun during the hottest time of the day. This minimizes the surface area exposed to the sun, thus conserving moisture in the leathery, waxy leaf.

In the garden, most manzanitas prefer full sun, although some do prefer partial shade. The tree and bush forms do very well in full sun in both coastal and inland gardens. The low, ground-hugging forms tend to prefer partial shade when being used in inland areas. Most are good on slopes. Manzanitas like their space and do not like being crowded by faster-growing plants. Provide them good air circulation by giving them space to grow to their mature size. Most manzanitas are drought tolerant, accepting occasional water, but no standing water. When first establishing your manzanitas, you will need to water them every 7-14 days throughout their first 2 years or so. Once they are established (having doubled or tripled in size), you will need to cut back their watering to once a month or less. Remember only to rinse off the leaves of an established plant in the summer. When researching which variety to choose for your garden, do pay close attention to its mature size, as well as sun and water requirements.

With proper placement, manzanitas require little maintenance. You may selectively prune to reveal the plant’s beautiful structure or to remove dead branches. Be sure to cut back to the collar on the main stem or to a strong side shoot of the branch, avoiding stubs of bare wood that will fail to sprout and may ultimately die. Pruning is best done during the summer when cuts will dry and heal quickly and before dormant buds form. Manzanitas are prone to branch dieback, caused by a naturally occurring fungal pathogen. When removing dead branches or pruning for shape, sterilize pruning shears with alcohol between cuts to prevent the spread of disease. You can also pinch back the tips of branches after the blossoms fade to encourage branching below the flower clusters.

So, now that you’re sold on manzanitas, how do you select which ones to grace your garden? When looking at nursery plant lists, you may find that there are 25 or more varieties of manzanita offered. Pretty overwhelming, no? Well, here is a quick rundown of some of the most garden-worthy manzanitas listed by size in descending order.

TREE FORMS

Dr. Hurd Manzanita (Arctostaphylos ‘Dr. Hurd’)

One of the biggest of the manzanitas with a beautiful multibranched form.

• 15’ tall, 10’ wide

• Tree-like, multi-trunked growth habit

• Full sun

• Slow growth rate

• Does well in clay, adaptable to other soils

• Light green foliage, mahogany bark, white flowers

Austin Griffiths Manzanita (Arctostaphylos densiflora ‘Austin Griffiths’)

Very early blooming, Can be used as a large hedge or as a tree specimen.

• 10’ tall, 6’ wide

• Multibranched, upright growth habit

• Full to part sun

• Moderate growth rate

• Prefers well-draining soil but can tolerate clay

• Glossy gray-green foliage, cherry-red bark, pink flowers

SHRUBS

Louis Edmunds Baker’s Manzanita (Arctostaphylos bakeri ‘Louis Edmunds’)

Blooms very heavily, a show-stopper in winter. Can be shaped into a small tree.

• 6’-8’ tall, 6’ wide

• Shrub, upright growth habit

• Full sun to part shade

• Slow growth rate

• Good in heavy clay, adaptable to other soils

• Grayish-green leaves, purple bark, pink flowers

Lester Rowntree Manzanita (Arctostaphylos ‘Lester Rowntree’)

Leaf shape and color make it stand out from the other manzanitas.

• 6’ tall, 8’ wide

• Mounding shrub

• Full sun

• Slow growth rate

• Prefers well-draining soil

• Blue-green triangular leaves, red-brown bark, dark pink flowers

Del Mar Manzanita (Arctostaphylos glandulosa ssp. crassifolia)

Endangered and threatened in the wild. Likes to scramble over and around rocks and walls.

• 6’ tall, 6’-8’ wide

• Shrub with scrambling growth habit

• Full sun to part sun

• Slow growth rate

• Prefers well-draining soil

• Gray leaves, red bark, whitish pink flowers

• We are currently beginning propagation of a low-growing variety, ‘deLux’, that was selected by Greg Rubin

Ian Bush Manzanita (Arctostaphylos densiflora ‘Ian Bush’)

This plant’s naturally upright, open form and gorgeous bark make it everything to love in a manzanita in a miniature form for a small garden.

• 4’-6’ tall, 3’-6’ wide

• Open, upright form

• Full to part sun

• Moderate to fast growth rate

• Does well in clay, adaptable to other soils

• Green foliage, smooth dark red bark, light pink flowers

Howard McMinn Manzanita (Arctostaphylos densiflora ‘Howard McMinn’)

Easy and reliable, tolerates garden conditions. A mainstay of native landscapers for years. Perfect manzanita for beginners. Can be grown as a hedge, bush, laced out as a mini-tree, or topiary

• 4’-6’ tall, 6’ wide

• Dense and upright, but spreading growth habit

• Full sun

• Slow growth rate

• Does well in clay, adaptable to other soils

• Light green leaves, reddish-brown bark, whitish-pink flowers

LOW SHRUBS

Sunset Manzanita (Arctostaphylos ‘Sunset’)

Tough and very reliable. Very malleable, makes an exuberant subshrub when unpruned. Shear the sides and you can get a 5’-tall hedge; open it up to expose the beautiful red bark and you get a micro-specimen tree. If you shear the top you can keep it at 2’ as a low and wide groundcover.

• 4’-5’ tall, 4’-6’ wide

• Dense, upright, and rounded growth habit

• Full to part sun

• Slow growth rate

• Good in clay, adaptable to other soils

• Bright green leaves (new growth coppery-red), red bark, white flowers

John Dourley Manzanita (Arctostaphylos ‘John Dourley’)

Lovely low-growing hedge or groundcover. Pink flowers contrast beautifully with its soft gray-green foliage. More tolerant of water than many other manzanitas; can use near lawns.

• 2’-4’ tall, 5’-6’ wide

• Low, compact, and dense growth habit

• Full to part sun

• Moderate growth rate

• Good in heavy clay, adaptable to other soils

• Gray-green foliage (new foliage coppery-green), red-brown bark, pink flowers

Fransiscan Manzanita (Arctostaphylos franciscana)

Rock solid and tough as nails from the coast to interior valleys. Great groundcover in the sunny interior where other low-growing manzanitas may not do well. Severely endangered, with possibly only one plant left in the wild.

• 2’-3’ tall, 6’-8’ wide

• Low shrub

• Full to part shade, can take the sun inland

• Slow growth rate

• Good in heavy clay, adaptable to other soils

• Reddish green leaves, red-brown bark, pink flowers

GROUNDCOVERS

Carmel Sur Manzanita (Arctostaphylos edmundsii ‘Carmel Sur’)

Beautiful and refined with a soft texture. More tolerant of water than other manzanitas. Good for transition areas between traditional and water-wise gardens. Recommended for erosion control.

• 1’-2’ tall, 6’ wide

• Mounding groundcover

• Full sun on coast, part shade inland

• Fast growth rate

• Good in clay, adaptable to other soils

• Green leaves (reddish-green new growth), light pink flowers

Wood’s Compact Manzanita (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi ‘Wood's Compact’)

Tolerates more shade than most manzanitas, great under oaks. Dense, dark green with large red berries.

• 1’ tall, 3’-6’ wide

• Low, compact, and dense growth habit

• Full to part sun on coast, part shade to shade inland

• Fast growth rate

• Prefers well-draining soil

• Dark green foliage, pink flowers

Point Reyes Manzanita (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi ‘Point Reyes’)

Great groundcover for the coast, takes more water than other manzanitas.

• 1’ tall, 12’ wide

• Lush, low, and creeping growth habit

• Full to part sun on coast, part shade inland

• Slow growth rate

• Needs well-draining soil

• Some green leaves, some gray leaves, pink flowers

Monterey Carpet Manzanita (Arctostaphylos hookeri ‘Monterey Carpet’)

Best on the coast with well-draining soil, great under pines.

• 1’ tall, 4’ wide

• Low, trailing growth habit

• Full to part shade on coast, part shade inland

• Slow growth rate

• Needs well-draining soil, prefers acidic soil

• Deep green leaves, red stems, white flowers

Please search www.calscape.org for additional manzanita ideas. With all of this variety, there is bound to be a manzanita (or two, or three, or ...!) that is perfect for your garden.

Teresa Everett is a native garden educator and native plant enthusiast. She is a member of the Native Garden Committee, and her home was on the 2018 CNPS-SD Garden Tour. Teresa has worked for Moosa Creek Nursery as a retail sales and gardening specialist and wrote for their blog “Creekside Chat” until 2018. She has also given many presentations on native gardening at nurseries, gardening clubs and conservation organizations.

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What to Prune in Winter

Before pruning Photo: Tish Berge

After hard pruning Photo: Tish Berge

By Tish Berge, CNPS Garden Ambassador

Many native plant gardeners are attracted to the low maintenance of native plants, or at least I was. While low maintenance is definitely an advantage of native plants, there are several types of natives that benefit from pruning. By pruning, we encourage growth, especially of flowers, which translates to nectar, seeds, and berries—all things that your local critters need for survival. More of these means a richer, more robust habitat in your garden.

As our gardens start to take advantage of the little bit of rain we got recently, we can see growth in many of our plants. Depending on your plant makeup, you may also be noticing that some plants are slowing down and ending their bloom cycle.

Every plant has a different rhythm with regard to when it experiences growth. In California, we are blessed with plant diversity and generally milder seasons compared to the rest of the country. This diversity is wonderful and beautiful. As a gardener, though, you may find some decisions more confusing, such as if and when to prune a plant. This article covers pruning for deciduous, woody, and flowering or fast-growing plants during this time of year.

Deciduous Prune plants that have dropped their leaves or that benefit from a hard pruning. Plants likely to have dropped their leaves this time of year include California Wild gRape (Vitis californica), Snowberry (Symphoricarpos spp.), Rose (Rosa spp.), Elderberry (Sambucus spp.), and Redbud (Cercis spp.) (list courtesy of California Native Gardening: A Month-by-Month Guide by Helen Popper). Also, deciduous oaks can be added to this list.

Woody At this time, do not prune woody chaparral plants, suchas ceanothus, manzanita, or evergreen oaks. I don’t like to touch these plants at all, but if yours need shaping, save that for summer.

Flowering and Fast Growing Some plants benefit from a hard pruning or shearing and will reward you and your habitat with robust growth afterwards. Examples include California Fuchsia (Epilobium spp.), Matilija Poppy (Romneya coulteri), and Poverty Weed (Iva spp.). My California Fuchsia has provided the hummingbirds with nectar for months now and is reaching the end of its flowering phase. As a side benefit, I’ve been raking the spent flowers that drop on the ground onto the mulch.

Above right is a photo of the California Fuchsia before the hard pruning. I purchased these plants at the CNPS plant sale, and they are located in very well-draining soil in this raised bed garden. They do receive supplemental water here as well, which simply makes them more prolific. They have seeded volunteers throughout the garden, and those volunteers have remained small or have died out due to lack of water. In November 2019, I did a hard pruning of this plant, so you are looking at just over 13 months of growth in this before photo.

In early January 2021, I did a hard pruning of my California Fuchsia again, as shown in the above right photo. With this hard pruning, the remaining plants are just inches high, and now you can clearly see the garden obelisk that helped provide a structure for the fuchsia to gain more height. Given the location of the garden path, I did not use the chop-and-drop method for the cuttings, but did distribute some of the leaf and flower litter to other parts of the garden. While I was a little sad seeing my resident hummingbird show up with just a few flowers left, I look forward to the fuchsia coming back again even stronger and providing valuable nectar for the birds.

Tish Berge has been a CNPS member since the early 2000’s when she got her very first native plant, a Catalina Cherry. She likes natives because they are drought tolerant and attract wildlife. She recommends workshops, tours, and patience to new gardeners.

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A Salvo of Salvia

Salvia 'Dara's Choice' © Margaret L. Fillius

Salvia leucophylla 'Amethyst Bluff' © Christine Hoey

Salvia munzii © Dick Culbert [CC BY 2.0]

Salvia leucophylla © John Rusk [CC BY 2.0]

Salvia 'Pozo Blue' © Margaret L. Fillius

Salvia leucophylla 'Point Sal' © Joseph Sochor

Salvia pachyphylla © Dick Culbert [CC BY 2.0]

By Teresa Everett, California Native Plant Garden Educator

If you have been on any of our CNPS native garden tours or have hiked through our local hills, mesas, or valleys, you have no doubt seen (and smelled) California’s magnificent blooming sages. If you have visited any nurseries, you have also noticed the wide variety of sages on the display tables—so many, in fact, that it can be overwhelming. How do you choose which sage is best for your garden? The following is a quick primer on the sages of California. California is home to 17 of the world’s 800-plus sage species. Because several of our California species will naturally hybridize, horticulturalists have used this reproductive malleability to create dozens of cultivars and hybrids for garden use. These horticultural varieties range from 7-foot-tall shrubs to ground-hugging forms only a few inches high. The silvers, grays, and greens of their foliage, plus the long-running show of flowers that come in a spectrum from white to pink to mauve to scarlet to purple to indigo to sky blue, make the California sages a must-have in your garden palette.

California sages are lovers of dry areas and thus thrive in low-water landscapes. They are found along our coasts, across our inland valleys, up into the Sierra Nevada foothills, and out into parts of our deserts. Most sages tolerate clay soils very well, the exceptions being the desert species. The vast majority of sages thrive in full sun, but there is a species, the hummingbird sage (Salvia spathacea), that will light up the shadiest section of your garden with beautiful hot pink flower spikes. Sages do very wel lin some of a garden’s most difficult areas, such as dry, sunny slopes or rocky, clay soil.

All sage species are in the mint family (Lamiaceae). The scientific name of the sage genus, Salvia, is based on the Latinword meaning “to heal” or “to save.” Sages are treasured by cultures worldwide for their medicinal and culinary uses. The common culinary sage seen in grocery stores is the Mediterranean species, Salvia officinalis, but all of our California sages can be used in cooking as well. Each species has its own flavor profile, with some much stronger than others. Most people like to cook with either black sage (Salvia mellifera) or Cleveland sage (Salvia clevelandii). The mild hummingbird sage adds a delicate sweetness to food or drink recipes. White sage (Salvia apiana) has been quite important in indigenous Californians’ blessing and cleansing ceremonies. California’s native peoples have also made tea from sage leaves to cure illness and have toasted and ground seeds to make gruel. The“rediscovery” of the health benefits of chia (Salvia columbariae) seed has led to a recent resurgence in the popularity of incorporating this seed into a well-balanced diet. Honey harvested from beehives situated near areas covered with white, black, or purple sage is particularly delicate and flavorful.

Sages are also a very important food source for California wildlife. Sages bloom from late winter until late spring and into the summer, depending on the species. The flowers contain high-quality nectar and therefore are absolute magnets for hummingbirds, butterflies, bees, and other pollinators. After the blossoms set seed, they are also a feast for seed-loving birds, such as goldfinches, quail, sparrows, juncos, and towhees. Just remember to not deadhead all of the dried flower stalks so the birds can eat their share of seed! While sages are very attractive to birds and insects, deer and rabbits fortunately find them unappealing; the pungent odor of the leaves, which we and the birds and bees find so inviting, acts as a repellent to mammalian browsers.

In the garden, sages prefer full sun and good drainage, although hummingbird sage prefers partial to full shade. When first establishing your sages, you will need to water them every 7 to 14 days throughout their first year or so, to keep their root ball slightly moist but not wet or soggy. Once they are established (having doubled in size), you will need to ease back their watering to about once a month. If you are growing straight species, use the drier side of these suggestions and give them a break from watering in July, August, and September. The hybrids and cultivars have been developed for more refined garden tastes, and established plants can tolerate a watering every 2 to 4 weeks to keep them looking fresh. Also give the hybrids and cultivars a summer break, with sparser watering in the dormant months. Sages do not appreciate any fertilizers or soil amendments; they like our native soils just the way they are and rely on their relationship with the fungal friends on their roots and in our soils to extract all of the nutrients they require.

When researching varieties to use in your garden, pay close attention to mature size, as you should not prune more than one-third of your plant back at a time. Dead-heading sages after they flower will keep them looking neat but generally does not encourage a re-bloom. They can also be tip-pruned to keep them dense and pruned around the perimeter to limit their spread. Pruning back the plant by one-third in the plant’s quiettime (late summer) before they start pushing new growth in the fall works quite nicely as long as you do not cut into the thicker, woodier stems. Sometimes you can prune back almost 50% of the plant if it has exuberant growth from the previous spring. If you have a many-year-old sage with a nice, established root system, but it looks like it could do with a complete makeover or be replaced with a younger, denser plant, you can try a makeover first by cutting it back to just 6 to 10 inches off the ground and letting it re-sprout. One of my favorite blogs—Weeding Wild Suburbia—has nice articles on pruning young sages and pruning older sages to learn more.

So, now that you’re ready to plant some sage, how do you select which ones to bring home from the nursery? Here is a quick rundown of some favorite sages that you will find in nurseries, along with links to plant descriptions.

But first some quick definitions:

Straight species: those found naturally growing in the wild.

Horticultural selections: naturally occurring variation of individual plants within a species that are brought into cultivation.

Hybrid: a natural or cultivated cross between two or more species.

STRAIGHT SPECIES AND THEIR HORTICULTURAL SELECTIONS

WHITE SAGE

White Sage (Salvia apiana)

• Beautiful silver-blue foliage, white flowers on tall flower stalks. Local to San Diego County

•  4′-8′ high, 6′ wide

Compact White Sage (Salvia apiana var. compacta)

• 3′ high, 3′ wide

• Smaller, more compact form that fits well into a home garden

BLACK SAGE

Our most common salvia in the coastal sage shrub community. Highly aromatic and shiny dark green leaves and very pale blue flowers.

Black Sage (Salvia mellifera) Local to San Diego County

• 5′ high, 5′ wide

• Light blue to white flowers

Terra Seca Black Sage (Salvia mellifera ‘Terra Seca’)

• 1′ high, 6′ wide

• White flowers

Jade Carpet Black Sage (Salvia mellifera ‘Jade Carpet’)

• 1′ high, 5′ wide

• Lavender flowers

PURPLE SAGE

Fuzzy gray-green leaves with light purple to lavender flowers. All are excellent on slopes.

Purple Sage (Salvia leucophylla) - Local to San Diego County.

• 5′ high, 7′ wide

• Light pink to lavender flowers

Amethyst Bluff Purple Sage (Salvia leucophylla ‘Amethyst Bluff’)

•    10′ high, 15′ wide

•    Lavender flowers

Figueroa Purple Sage (Salvia leucophylla ‘Figueroa’’)

•    4′ high, 6′ wide

•    Lavender to pink flowers

Point Sal Purple Sage (Salvia leucophylla ‘Point Sal’)

•    2′ tall, 8′ wide

•     Pinkish purple flowers

CLEVELAND SAGE

Most aromatic of all the sages. Gray-green leaves with newer growth having reddish stems. Lilac-blue to blue-violet flowers.

Cleveland Sage (Salvia clevelandii) - local to San Diego County

•    4′-5′ high, 5′-6′ wide

•    Light purple to lavender flowers

Aromas Sage (Salvia clevelandii ‘Aromas’)

•    4′ high, 4′ wide

•    Lavender flowers

•    Highly aromatic

Winnifred Gilman Cleveland Sage (Salvia clevelandii ‘Winnifred Gilman’)

•    3′ high, 3′ wide

•    Electric bluish-purple flowers

Alpine Cleveland Sage (Salvia clevelandii ‘Alpine’)

•    3′ high, 5′ wide

•    Blue flowers

SAN MIGUEL MOUNTAIN OR MUNZ’S SAGE

Small, rare sage found only in south San Diego County. Petite dark green leaves and pretty blue flowers. Looks dainty but is as tough as nails. Good on slopes.

San Miguel Mountain Sage (Salvia munzii) - local to San Diego County

•    3′ high, 3′ wide

•    Crystal blue flowers

Emerald Cascade Munz’s Sage (Salvia munzii ‘Emerald Cascade’)

•    1′-2′ high, 2′-3′ wide

•    Blue flowers

CREEPING SAGE

Flat, spreading sage found on dry slopes in the understory of larger chaparral shrubs, oaks, pines, or other trees. Does best with some light shade. Gray-green foliage. 

Creeping Sage (Salvia sonomensis) - local to San Diego County

•    1′ high, 5′ wide

•    Periwinkle blue to almost white flowers

HUMMINGBIRD SAGE

Shade lover that will slowly spread to form a colony.Large arrow-shaped leaves are fuzzy and have a wonderful fruity smell. Flowers appear on stalks that rise up well beyond the foliage. A perfect plant for the dry shade conditions under oaks.

Hummingbird Sage (Salvia spathacea) - local to northern coastal San Diego County

•    1′ high, 3′ wide

•    Magenta flowers

Powerline Pink or Giant Hummingbird Sage (Salvia spathacea ‘Powerline Pink’)

•    3′ high, 6′ wide

•    Dark pink flowers

THE DESERT SAGES

The desert sages of California are very tough and can take extreme drought, heat, and freezing temperatures. Their feet, however, cannot handle anything but well-drained soils.

Desert Purple Sage (Salvia dorrii)

•    3′ high, 3′ wide

•    Deep blue flowers

Mojave Sage (Salvia mohavensis)

•    2′-3′ high, 2′-3′ wide

•    Sky blue flowers

Mountain Desert Sage (Salvia pachyphylla) - local to San Diego County

•    2′ high, 3′ wide

•    Two-toned deep rose and blue flowers

HYBRIDS

GROUNDCOVERS

Bee’s Bliss Sage (Salvia ‘Bee’s Bliss’)

•    1′-2′ high, 6′ wide

•    Lavender-pink flowers

•    Cross of Cleveland Sage and Purple Sage (S. clevelandiix S.leucophylla)

Dara’s Choice Sage (Salvia ‘Dara’s Choice’)

•    1′-2′ high, 4′ wide

•    Lavender flowers

•    Cross of Black Sage and Creeping Sage (S. melliferax S.sonomensis)

Rubin’s Baby Sage (Salvia ‘Rubin’s Baby’)

•    1′high, 3′ wide

•    Lavender flowers

•    More compact than Dara’s Choice

•    Cross of Black Sage and Creeping Sage (S. melliferax S. sonomensis)

Gracias Sage (Salvia ‘Gracias’)

•    1′ high, 6′ wide

•    Lavender flowers

•    Cross of Cleveland Sage and Creeping Sage (S. clevelandiix S. sonomensis)

SUB-SHRUBS

Allen Chickering Sage (Salvia ‘Allen Chickering’)

•    5′-6′ high, 5′-6′ wide

•    Lavender flowers, gray-green foliage

•    Prolific bloomer

•    Cross of Cleveland Sage and Purple Sage (S. clevelandiix S. leucophylla)

Whirly Blue Sage (Salvia ‘Whirly Blue’)

•    5′ high, 5′ wide

•    Large, deep violet flowers

•    Flowers are larger and a deeper shade of purple than Aromas and Allen Chickering

•    Cross of Cleveland Sage and Purple Sage (S. clevelandiix S. leucophylla)

Pozo Blue Sage (Salvia ‘Pozo Blue’)

•    4′ high, 4′ wide

•    Violet-blue flowers

•    One of the most adaptable of sages

•    Cross of Cleveland Sage and Purple Sage (S. clevelandiix S. leucophylla)

Celestial Blue Sage (Salvia ‘Celestial Blue’)

•    4′-5′ high, 4′-5′ wide

•    Two-toned intense blue and pink flowers

•    Cross of Cleveland Sage and Mountain Desert Sage (S. clevelandiix S. pachyphylla)

Calamity Jane Mounding Sage (Salvia ‘Calamity Jane’)

•    3′ high, 4′ wide

•    Light blue flowers

•    Cross of Black Sage and Purple Sage (S. melliferax S. leucophylla)

Hybrid Desert Sage (Salvia mohavensis hybrid)

•    3′ high, 3′ wide

•    Cobalt blue flowers

•     Cross of Desert Purple Sage, Mojave Sage, and Cleveland Sage (S. dorriix S. mohavensisx S. clevelandii)

Vicki Romo Sage (Salvia ‘Vicki Romo’)

•    3′ high, 3′ wide

•    Light lavender flowers

•    Cross of White Sage and Cleveland Sage (S. apianax S. clevelandii)

As you can see, there is a salvia for every gardener’s taste and every garden condition in a water-wise landscape. Take this list along with you when you next visit a nursery or CNPS plant sale to select the right sage for your garden. Then plant, water, and wait for the birds and pollinators to arrive!

Teresa Everett is a native garden educator and native plant enthusiast. She has been a CNPS member since 2012, a member of the Gardening Committee and her home was on the CNPS-SD 2018 Garden Tour. Teresa has worked for Moosa Creek as a retail sales and gardening specialist and wrote for their blog “Creekside Chat” until 2018. She has also given many presentations on native gardening at nurseries, gardening clubs and conservation organizations.

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California Natives for Flower Bouquets by Season

By Christine Hoey, Garden Committee Co-Chair

TO READ HOW TO CREATE FLORAL BOUQUETS, VISIT THIS COMPANION ARTICLE: “Cut & Go” Floral and Plant Arrangements Using San Diego Native Vegetation by Caroline Harrod

Plant now for next year’s bouquets! Below are a few California native plant/tree favorites for creating unique flower bouquets by season. “Foundation” natives can be used year-round and will provide structure as well as color and texture to your arrangements. 

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Lemonade Berry (Rhus integrifolia)

Winter: Toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia), Lemonade Berry (Rhus integrifolia), Ceanothus, Manzanita (Arctostaphylos), Snowberry (Symphoricarpos), Golden Currant (Ribes aureum), Elderberry (Sambucus), Gooseberry (Ribes), Baja Fairy Duster (Calliandra californica), Blue Field Gilla, (Gilia capitata), Bush Sunflower (Encelia californica)

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Showy Penstemon (Penstemon spectabilis)

Summer: Buckwheats (Eriogonum spp.), Island Snapdragon (Gambelia speciosa), Coyote Mint (Monardella villosa), Matilija Poppy (Romneya coulteri), summer-blooming sages (Salvia spp.), Golden Yarrow (Eriophyllum confertiflorum), Beach Aster (Erigeron glaucus), Chuparosa (Justicia californica), Wood Fern (Dryopteris arguta), Red Monardella (Monardella macrantha), and Monkeyflower (Diplacus/Mimulus spp.)



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St. Catherine's Lace (Eriogonum giganteum)

“Foundation” Natives: Coast Live Oak (Quercus agrifolia), Wood Fern (Dryopteris arguta), Torrey Pine (Pinus torreyana), Toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia), Lemonade Berry (Rhus integrifolia), Big Basin Sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata), ‘Canyon Prince’ Wild Rye (Elymus condensatus ‘Canyon Prince’)

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Toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia) & Bush Sunflower (Encelia californica)

Spring: Spring-blooming sages (Salvia spp.), Penstemon, San Diego Sunflower (Bahiopsis laciniata), Bush Sunflower (Encelia californica), lupine species (Lupinus), iris species, Clarkia species, Phacelia species, Bush Mallow (Malacothamnus), Sugar Bush (Rhus ovata), Chinese Houses (Collinsia heterophylla), Golden Yarrow (Eriophyllum confertiflorum), California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica)

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Matilija Poppy (Romneya coulteri) & California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica)

Fall: Fuchsia (Epilobium spp.), California Buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum; dried rust-colored flower heads), Single-leaved Skunkbrush (Rhus trilobata, now Rhus aromatica var. simplicifolia), Roger’s Red Grape (Vitis ‘Roger’s Red’), Coyote Bush (Baccharis), Coast Goldenbush (Isocoma menziesii), and Monkeyflower (Diplacus/Mimulus spp.)

Invite nature inside and happy flower arranging!

Photos, flower bouquets and artwork by Caroline Harrod

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“Cut & Go” Floral and Plant Arrangements Using San Diego Native Vegetation

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Ceanothus 'Ray Hartman’

By Caroline Harrod, CNPS member and volunteer with Mt. Helix Park’s Habitat Restoration Team

Follow Caroline at her YouTube Channel, Growing San Diego

TO SEE MORE FLORAL BOUQUETS & DISCOVER SEASONAL NATIVE PLANT SUGGESTIONS VISIT THIS COMPANION ARTICLE: California Natives for Flower Bouquets by Season by Christine Hoey

Need to brighten anyone’s day or make a friend? It’s always easy to do with a bunch of fresh flowers! You might be thinking, why would I not use the more common term bouquet? According to MerriamWebster.com, bouquet is just the French word for bunch. On a side note, my husband calls floral arranging “fiddling with flowers.”

To keep floral and plant arranging fun, let’s use the “cut & go”method. Everyone is busy these days, so make this event as effortless as possible and just have fun with the process. Keep yourself moving and creating to complete your task, and to ward off over-thinking. Following are three things to consider:

How to begin

• Walk the yard and select what catches your eye.

• Cut in the morning.

• Cut with a sharp tool.

• Place cuttings in water immediately (consider taking a

  pail of water with you).

• Select a decorative container for your arrangement,

  such as a vase, mason jar, pickle jar, beer bottle, pitcher, bucket, drinking glass, etc.

Things to consider when choosing your cuttings

• What evergreen cuttings from bushes or trees would fill out the arrangement?

• What colorful long-stemmed flowers, berries, fruits, or dried foliage do you want to showcase?

• What is thriving in your yard and will last a few days or a week in an arrangement?

• What do you want your arrangement to accomplish?

• What container are you going to place the foliage in?

How to make an arrangement or floral design in less than 5 minutes

• Well....it always takes a bit longer, but can beaccomplished! Just have fun!

• Is the arrangement going to be placed inside or outside? Cut long stems and think big for the outside; inside has lots of sizes to choose from, so keep your arrangement in proportion to the space you want to fill.

• Cut the branch or stem on a slant; the plant will absorb water better that way.

• Start at the center and work outward from your container. Just make it as quickly as you can—there are no mistakes!

• From ikebana to the grocery store bouquet, there are all sorts of styles and recommended ways to design—I prefer the bunch from a child’s hand.

Photo, flower bouquet and artwork by Caroline Harrod

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Easy-to-Grow Natives to Plant This Fall: Purple Chinese Houses and Blue-Eyed Grass

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© 2010 Calscape

By Susan Lewitt, CNPS-SD Garden Committee member

Did you by chance sow any annual native flower seeds this fall, and were any of them Purple Chinese Houses (Collinsia heterophylla)? You still have time here in our area. It is recommended to sow Purple Chinese Houses seeds in late fall directly on the surface of finely raked, medium-to-rich, moist soil. Space seeds 12-18 inches apart and expect germination within 10-30 days. You can also start seeds in peat pots in a sunny area and transplant them when they are 6 inches tall.

Purple Chinese houses are in the genus Collinsia (Family: Plantaginaceae), which has 30 species and varieties native to California, two of which are indigenous to my Clairemont and Mira Mesa neighborhoods: Collinsia heterophylla and White Collinsia (C. concolor), which is a rare variety attractive to native bees growing to 1 1/2-feet tall with bluish-purple and white flowers in spring.

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© 2010 Calscape

Purple Chinese Houses can easily be found at native plant nurseries and CNPS native plant sales. It also grows to around 1 1⁄2-feet tall, with blue, purple and lavender flowers appearing in winter and continuing into early summer. This species does well in shade or sun, and its habitat includes meadows, disturbed places, seeps and ponds, and it is also a fire follower. Although any type of sandy, loamy, or clay soil will work, this native plant does best in rich loamy soil. It is perfect for butterfly and bee gardens and thrives under oaks and with native ferns, as well as with Clarkia spp., Sisyrinchium spp., and other native annuals. It is found in areas below 1,000 meters throughout California, except in the deserts. Purple Chinese houses require minimal water once established and will easily reseed, giving you many seasons of beauty.

An easy-to-grow perennial to consider is Blue-eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium bellum), which occurs in California in meadows, moist grass-covered areas, woodlands up to 8,000 feet in elevation; in chaparral and coastal sage scrub communities and the margins of wetland/riparian areas; and on forest floors of yellow pine forests and foothill woodlands.

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© 2010 Calscape

Blue-eyed Grass may look like a grass, but it is actually an iris (Family: Iridaceae). Growing usually 1 foot tall, it may reach as high as 2 feet. The small purplish to bluish, and occasionally white, flowers bloom from January to July. This perennial goes dormant in the summer to prepare for the next growing season.

Blue-eyed Grass grows best in level places with loamy, moisture-holding soil, topped with deep organic mulch. It may need some watering in dryer summers, even though it is dormant. Blue-eyed Grass multiplies through self-sown seeds and can also be propagated by dividing its rhizomes.

This deer-resistant groundcover works well in butterfly gardens, but not in mass plantings by itself. Use this plant for borders, rock gardens, and wildflower meadows. Companion native plants that work well with blue-eyed grass include California Buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum), Lemonade Berry (Rhus integrifolia), Blue Wild Rye (Elymus glaucus), California Brome Grass (Bromus carinatus), Deergrass (Muhlenbergia rigens), Junegrass (Koeleria macrantha), Meadow Barley (Hordeum brachyantherum), Purple Needlegrass (Stipa pulchra, aka Nassella p.), Thingrass (Agrostis pallens), Douglas’ Sagewort (Artemisia douglasiana), California Sagebrush (Artemisia californica), Spiny Rush (Juncus acutus), and Soft Rush (Juncus effusus).

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Late Bloomers

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Epilobium canum Photo: Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File/Epilobium_canum_%27Everett%27s_Choice%27_kz3

By Don Rideout, Gardener

Although spring is peak bloom time, both in gardens and in the wild, it’s good to have some later bloomers to feed pollinators and delight plant lovers. Here are just a few to consider if you are starting a new garden or adding to an existing one.

California Fuchsia (Epilobium canum), pictured above : This is a very popular garden plant that is readily available and easy to grow. There are a number of varieties, and the choice is mostly a matter of personal preference. The flowers are red and tubular, which hummingbirds love. It begins blooming in late July or August, then goes dormant when colder weather arrives. Cut it back hard at that time and it will regrow from the rhizome in spring. It spreads readily by the rhizome and also by seed, so give it room and be prepared to control it if needed.

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Salvia clevelandii Photo: Public domain

Cleveland Sage (Salvia clevelandii): Both beautiful and fragrant, this one can’t be beat, and there are numerous cultivars and hybrids to choose from. Blue flowers appear in May and last through
August. It is highly drought tolerant and requires well-drained soil; water no more than once a month in summer. Hummingbirds and insects love it. Give it plenty of room to reach its full size. It can be deadheaded or cut back as desired.

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San Diego County Viguiera Photo: Laura Camp https///www.flickr.com/photos/24284031@N00/8502864142

San Diego County Viguiera (Bahiopsis laciniata): This member of the sunflower family generally starts blooming in spring and continues into September, providing lots of nectar for butterflies, native bees, and other pollinators. It is highly drought tolerant and typically needs watering no more than once a month in summer. It can be deadheaded or cut back as desired.

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Eriogonum fasciculatum Photo: Jonathan Coffin https///www.flickr.com/photos/73431753@N00/14292028904

The Buckwheats (Eriogonum spp.): With many species to choose from, there is a buckwheat for every garden. All are consistent late-season bloomers that attract numerous pollinators. California Buckwheat (E. fasciculatum) is the most common in our local wildlands. Ashyleaf Buckwheat (E. cinereum, a Channel Islands native) and Sea Cliff Buckwheat (E. parvifolium) can bloom from late spring into fall near the coast. Other Channel Islands natives include Santa Cruz Island Buckwheat (E. arborescens) and St. Catherine’sLace (E. giganteum). Sulphur Buckwheat (E. umbellatum), the most colorful of all buckwheats, isn’t a true San Diego native, but it grows well here and features vibrant yellow flowers. All these buckwheats are highly drought tolerant but can handle once-a-month summer watering.

For more information on growing these plants and others, see Calscape.org or Calflora.org .

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