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Taciveria 'Victor Reitor'    incredible flowers    rosette   this mild mannered, very simple, classy green rosette with burgundy tipped leaves turns into a bouquet of big pink starry flowers! Dark pink buds open to light pink flowers on strong, short stalks in summer. An uncommon gem, it is a cross between Echeveria and Tacitus bellus. Stays low, forming a clump under 12". Great in a container where it can be brought in during winter and moved to prominent place when in bloom. Sun or part shade, well drained soil, water spring through fall, much less in winter if possible. Sunset zones 16-24/USDA 9. rev 9/2011

Tagetes lemmonii    MEXICAN BUSH MARIGOLD, COPPER CANYON MARIGOLD     closeup    habit    famous for its absolutely spectacular display of deep golden yellow flowers that absolutely cover the plant from late summer or early fall through late spring. This grows as a shrubby evergreen perennial, to 4-5’ tall, 6-8’ wide at maturity. The strongly fragrant, wispy foliage is completely covered by the dense terminal sprays heaviest under short day conditions, but can bloom lightly through summer, especially in cool areas. Attracts clouds of butterflies. Damaged below 25°F, but will come back quickly from the roots from temps as low as 20°F. At least half sun, average to little watering. Northern Mexico, southern Arizona. Compositae/Asteraceae. rev 7/2017

This plant looks great when planted with anything dark purple, especially Tibouchina (if both are planted in part sun, or the sun/shade siting difference can be reconciled) Salvia leucantha ‘Midnight,’ or Verbenas ‘Homestead’ or ‘Tapien Blue Violet.’ It also looks good next to blue flowering shrubs and groundcovers, especially Rosmarinus officinalis ‘Benenden Blue,’ which in addition to matching for color also matches for bloom initiation, both being short day bloomers. Foliage plants such as Calocephalus brownii, Helichrysum petiolatum or H. petiolatum ‘Limelight’ help compliment the color, as do blue-grey plants with strong architectural shapes such as Agave weberii, A. colorata, Yucca rostrata or Y. whipplei. For a real interesting combination, try situating it near Berberis thunbergii varieties, which will offer dark purple foliage for a short time when the Tagetes comes into bloom, then change to lurid pink, orange, red, and salmon tones with the onset of cool temperatures and decreasing daylength. rev 11/2011

'Compacta'    Huntington Botanic Gardens   closeup   Berkeley Way, Eastside Santa Cruz     all the goodness of the regular sized version, starting with a spectacular, heavy show of deep golden yellow flowers absolutely covering the plant starting in late summer, plus strong marigold fragrance, wispy texture, and drought tolerance, but all on less than half the plant. The flowers initiate faster the shorter the days, so the show runs mostly from late summer through late spring, but light bloom can even occur in summer. This form grows as a recumbent shrublet to about 2' tall by 3-4' wide, filling in with age. It will be cut to the ground by frost below about 25F. This is one of the best plants you can site in your garden for butterflies and beneficial predators/parasitoids. It is by far the best form if you intend to use it in container, or you can't give it the 6' tall by 10' wide spot the regular form can monopolize. Mostly sun, little watering once established. Sunset zones 8, 9, 12-24/USDA 9. rev 11/2011

'Gold Medal' (not currently in production)  flowers    variously thrown into T. lucida (Mexican Tarragon), or T. patula (French Marigold), ignore those ignorami and rest assured this is a lower, much better compact version of T. lemmonii. It closely resembles 'Compacta' but is certainly cleaned up, likely missing some low-grade, latent virus or viroid that probably makes 'Compacta' stay even lower but at the cost of vegetative and bloom vigor, also reduced flower size. Same sharpy scented foliage, same flower size and intense gold color, same facultative-short-day-plus-some-level-of-chill initiation (absolutely solid, massed bloom starting about October and lasting right through until early summer). To 24-30" tall, 4-5' wide, full sun, little watering required when established. Usually cut to the ground at 25-28F, resprouting from the roots down to 20F, maybe lower. rev 8/2018

Tecoma stans 'Lydia' PP24169 PP24169  YELLOW ELDER, YELLOW BELLS   flowers   an upright shrub to about 6' tall and wide, this very showy relative of Jacaranda and Red Trumpet Vine displays clusters of bright yellow trumpet flowers against lush, soft, bright green leaves from spring through fall. It provides food for hummingbirds, bees, butterflies and even Sphinx/Hawk moths on warm evenings. Native from Argentina through the West Indies, southern Texas and into Arizona near Phoenix it is very heat resistant and quite drought tolerant when established. Deciduous with cold weather, goes to the ground in a really hard freeze but comes back quickly and vigorously from the roots. This form and its Sunset/Southern Living Plant Program sister 'Bells of Fire' are dwarf, mostly seedless and drop their spent flowers cleanly. Both like full sun and will tolerate almost any soil. USDA zone 8/ Sunset zones 12-13, 16, 18-24. rev 8/2018

'Bells of Fire' PP24170   flowers   more flowers   display at Pacific Plug and Liner   somewhat tubular trumpet flowers, fiery orange red in color, with narrow, partially clasped leaflets. Scandent, mounding growth habit to 3-6' tall by 4-6' wide, even bigger if there's more to lean on. This appears to be derived from the hardier northwestern race or subspecies but possibly has some heritage from one of the orange South American species. It should act like a deciduous shrub down to about 20-25F, below which it will certainly sprout reliably from the roots. USDA zone 8/Sunset zones 12-13, 16, 18-24. rev 8/2018

Tecomaria capensis   CAPE HONEYSUCKLE   a moderate to fast-growing scandent, scrambling shrub treated as vine, free standing subject or wall shrub, reaching to 15' or more with something to lean on or weave its branches through. Smallish pinnate leaves are very glossy, medium to dark green, purplish on new growth and held in pairs along the stems. Flowers are curved tubular trumpets to about 3" long, with flared mouths, produced terminal clusters of 20-40 and well-displayed above the foliage. This can grow into a very large "twig fountain," or even a small tree if trained, in areas with little or no frost below 28-25°F or so. In colder areas it will freeze to the ground occasionally then regrow dramatically and spectacularly the following season. This is a great color shrub cooler coastal climates where it often blooms all year, initiating on any new growth that experiences modest morning chill. Bloom is always heaviest and showiest from mid-fall through mid-spring due to more regular chill conditions plus plants producing much shorter internodes then. This is also an All-Star at attracting hummingbirds, and should be on the A-list for anyone trying to attract them. Give it as much sun as possible, average soils and drainage, modest watering or less or you'll be rewarded with rampant growth. South Africa. Bignoniaceae. USDA zone 9. rev 4/2021

'Cape Town' series    Pink   Orange    Red   Yellow   really compact habits, interesting new colors, slow growing, seedless! Use as container plants or low shrubs, these are just begging to be featured somewhere. A really interesting new development from Sunset Plants. rev 4/2021

Teucrium   GERMANDERS   a cosmopolitan genus containing a few hundred species of herbaceous and woody perennials and woody shrubs, mostly native to Mediterranean-climate regions. Their flowers are distinguished by their lack of a lip on the upper petals. Many are valuable sources of pollen for beneficial insects. Labiatae/Lamiaceae. rev 5/2020

x ackermanii   flowers and leaves  a low growing "alpine" (likes mineral soils) shrublet with bright, silvery, soft leaves and clusters of purple flowers in late spring and early summer. This is much like T. cossonii but smaller, even more silvery white and with paler flowers. As with most Teucriums, pollinators find them irresistible. Besides obvious garden applications, this is a choice groundcover for under plants in containers, growing only 4-6" tall and spilling down 12-18". Full sun or some shade, average watering, good drainage. USDA zone 7/Sunset zones 8, 9, 14-24. As nothing close to this "species" name has ever been published I've included the "x," assuming it is a human hybrid invention. rev 6/2020

chamaedryas    WALL GERMANDER    young plant    another    flowers    a spreading, trailing or mounding, semiwoody, evergreen perennial with small, dark green leaves and a long show of small, rose pink flowers strung along the upper sections of the new stems. Grows to 18" tall, 3’ wide, spreading larger by rooting in stems if allowed. The showy, rose pink, sage-like flowers are small but produced in mass from late winter through early summer, transforming plants into mounds of color, usually humming frantically with bees. This is a very valuable source of pollen for honeybees and other beneficials. Overall this is an excellent, durable, tough, resilient, reasonably fast semi-woody perennial or groundcover that works well even in tough commercial situations. It can withstand some physical damage (occasional customer foot traffic, shopping carts), can tolerate most pre-emergents, is almost always thick and dense enough to exclude weeds, is relatively formal in appearance with its glossy green leaves, blooms for a respectable amount of time, seems resistant to many of the root pathogens affecting touchier Mediterraneans, and is forgiving of a range of soil types. It can be used as a solid groundcover, even on a large scale. It also has the most wonderful trait of being highly gopher resistant when established, almost completely so if any irrigation is applied away from the crown and at the periphery of the foliage line on mature plants. It is happiest best in full sun with good drainage and infrequent watering, but will tolerate half-shade, especially if grown drier, and can survive on little or not summer watering in most of the cooler, populated areas of California. Frost hardy to USDA zone 5. Mediterranean region, Asia Minor. rev 6/2017

'Alba'   white flowers. rev 4/5021

cossonii ("majoricum")   FRUITY GERMANDER    closeup    Jeff Anderson's epic shot   a prostrate perennial to about 8" tall and 2-3’ wide. Bears soft, narrow, grey tomentose leaves to 1" long with a smell when crushed somewhere between pineapple and rosemary. Tiny rose pink flowers appear in rounded terminal clusters from late spring until fall, in a heavy display. They give off the pleasant scent of purple jelly beans. According to IPNI there is no valid published  name for this species that includes "majoricum" in any iteration. Sun, little or no summer watering, good drainage. USDA zone 9 (8?)/Sunset zones  Balearic Islands. rev 6/2020

fruticans ‘Azurea’    BUSH GERMANDER    closeup    habit    young bush, mixed Mediterranean landscape   occasionally clipped   an upright to rounded evergreen shrub to 6’ tall, 8’ wide, with grey green leaves, white/woolly underneath and on the stems. This is the true dark blue flower form, which is hard to find. Most of what is sold under this name is quite pale. The heavy show of flowers appears along the branches in spring, with occasional bloom the rest of the year. The overall effect is of a large, silvery shrub in the landscape, though this special form is quite showy and noticeably blue when in bloom. Sun, little or no summer watering. Hardy to around 10°F, USDA zone 7. Western and central Mediterranean. rev 6/2020

‘Compacta’    flowers  stiffly upright, compact, to 3’ tall and wide. Flowers are darker blue, close to ‘Azurea’ but not quite as deep. The habit is narrower and more vertical than ‘Azurea’ and it has shorter leaf internodes. rev 6/2020

scorodonia 'Crispum' WOODLAND GERMANDER primary feature   a fast, easy to use foliage perennial for drier shade or full sun. It grows to about 18" tall by a couple of feet across and combines well with other plants in containers, baskets, or borders. The chartreuse to lime green color really catches your eye and lends itself to any color. The flowers are buff yellow and are held in upright stalks in summer. This is hardy enough to be grown in Europe and Portland so I would guess USDA zone 8/Sunset zones 6-9, 14-17, 21-24. Western Europe, North Africa. rev 6/2020

Thamnochortus    an extremely useful and attractive genus of rush-like plants from South Africa. Restionaceae. rev 6/2020

insignis    THATCHING REED    at UCSC    male, Strybing    female flowers    young male flowers    an evergreen, clumping grass-like plant to about 7' tall and wide, with typical jointed stems and showy flower/seed heads. Overall, it is very similar to  Chondropetalum tectorum, but stiffer. The flower/seed heads are an attractive reddish color, with male and female flowers on separate plants. Juvenile foliage is feathery and low, mature stems are smooth and upright. Prefers average to well-drained soils, and also makes a striking container subject. Drought tolerant, being native to alkaline coastal areas with a Mediterranean rainfall pattern. The only commercially used Restio, it is harvested for thatching. Probably hardy to 15-20°F or lower. rev 11/2012

Thunbergia alata    BLACK EYED SUSAN VINE    closeup    nice plant    a fast evergreen to root-hardy deciduous vine with coarse dark green leaves and characteristic winged petioles. Bright true orange flowers (usually) have dark centers (usually). About as root hardy as  T. gibsonii/gregorii, it is a faster grower but the tops are probably a little more frost tender, making it a deciduous vine in colder areas. It deserves to be more widely used in Northern California and shed its reputation as an obligate annual. For sun (will tolerate considerable heat), average watering, and relatively frost protected locations. Acanthaceae. Africa. rev 6/2020

'African Sunset' (not currently in production)   closeup    a seed strain, with flowers emerging light apricot and aging to deep coral orange red, with dark eyes. Stunning! rev 7/2004

'Arizona Dark Red'   peer into my eyes!  new flowers are velvety, dark red and age to dark salmon and they always have that wonderful, defining black eye. rev 7/2013
'Arizona Glow' (not currently in production)  flowers   glowing, intense orange red, velvety black eye. rev 6/2019
'Arizona Pink Beauty'   flowers   medium pink maturing to light pink, dark burgundy rose throat. rev 6/2019
'Arizona Rose Sensation'  flowers dark coral red flowers mature to light coral pink. What will they think of next??  rev 6/2019  
'Arizona Terra Cotta'  flowers  warm butterscotch flowers deepen to burnt umber mouths then black centers. rev 6/2019

'Charles Star' (not currently in production)  flowers     iridescent golden yellow, dark center. rev 7/2004
'Lemon Star'  (not currently in production)  closeup    bright lemon yellow, black center. rev 7/2004

'Raspberry Smoothie'  (not currently in production)  luscious flowers   all the cheerful little dark eyed flowers of the Black Eyed Susan vine only this one has shades of purple to light pink. Climbs or scrambles quickly to 6-8' or more and can be grown as a vine, groundcover, or hanging basket subject. Sun, part shade, average watering. Annual outside of USDA zone 9/Sunset 17, 21-24. rev 6/2019

'Sunny Orange Wonder' PP14767  flower   very fast, very large flowers, eye-numbing orange with a jet-black center. rev 2/2021
'Sunny Susy Brownie'  newest flowers are almost black-bronze, maturing to sultry, velvety deep red-burnt umber. What will they come up with next? rev 9/2020
'Sunny Susy Orange'     watch out, intense color may damage eyes   dazzling orange flowers with a dark eye on a twining vine that scrambles up a fence, hangs from a basket, or covers the ground. Each one a smile and wink! How could one not want this cheerful thing in their sight every day? Grows fast and easy, sun or part shade. rev 5/2013-Suzy Brooks
'Sunny Susy Pink Beauty'  flowers   medium pink maturing to light pink, dark burgundy rose throat. rev 6/2019   
'Sunny Susy Yellow Dark Eye'  flowers  intense yellow, black eye. rev 6/2019

Thymus   THYME  woody to softer perennials and sub-shrubs. All horticultural forms are excellent plants for your garden. Besides their ornamental qualities they are some of the best for supporting beneficial insects such as hover (serfid) flies, which produce voracious worm-like predatory young, and various miniscule parasitoid wasp species, which lay eggs in their particular target species and use them as incubators for their young. Think Alien, and I mean that first, best movie. Both these groups feast on the nectar found in the tiny flowers. All need at least half sun, average or better drainage, and modest to little summer watering. Excellent in containers or as small garden plants. All Sunset zones/USDA 5. Native to temperate climates of Europe, Asia and North Africa. Labiatae/Lamiaceae. rev 4/2020

x citriodorus    LEMON THYME    flowers & foliage    a creeping evergreen perennial with neat, tight, bright lime green foliage edged with bright gold. Gives off a strong lemony scent when crushed. Small clusters of tiny pink flowers are seen in late spring. Couldn't find a reference to it's native range but DNA analysis has verified this is a good species, not a hybrid, and someday we'll find out where in Europe, Asia Minor or North Africa it grows in the wild. rev 4/202

‘Archer’s Gold’ (not currently in production)   planting    chartreuse foliage flecked with a few golden leaves. Tighter, lower than the common ‘Aurea.’ rev 6/2005
'Aureus'  closeup, blooming   leaves margined light yellow. rev 4/2020
‘Doone Valley’    small plant    green leaves with a heavy showing of golden speckled foliage. Also tighter and lower than ‘Aurea.’ rev 5/2014
'Lime'     Woodrow St.    leaves very, very close    tiny, chartreuse leaves make a low mound of spreading color and fragrance. Great between stepping stones, spilling out of pots, or just a groundcover softening the edges of rocks or cement. Pinkish lavender flowers in the summer attract bees and butterflies. Fresh leaves are pungent. Plant in a well-drained soil in sun, accepts average to little watering. rev 5/2014-Suzy Brooks 
'Orange Scented' leaves   (not currently in production)   low, upright twigs, grey green leaves, orange fragrance instead of the usual lemony. rev 4/2020

'Foxley'    foliage closeup   if you've ever had trouble with thymes drying up from poor drainage or too much water, I've found this one very forgiving and a lot more vigorous. Big (as far as thyme leaves go), dark green, glossy leaves, spotted with creamy white on red stems, it is certainly a 'dishy' specimen and is also useful in the kitchen. Pink flowers in summer, 6-8" tall, twice as wide, lovely in containers or the herb garden. rev 5/2014-Suzy Brooks 

pseudolanuginosus  WOOLLY THYME  with flowers  teeny and tiny and oh so fuzzy are these greenish grey leaves! Less than an inch tall and spreading. Cascades over stone walls or pot edges, fills in between stepping stones. Pink flowers in summer will bring the bees and butterflies. Give it a sunny spot with well-drained soil and average to little watering once established. Not one for use in the kitchen.- Suzy Brooks rev 6/2014 USDA zone 5/Sunset 2-24. Southern Europe. rev 4/2020

‘Rose Williams’  (not currenetly in production)   flowers    in a border    dense, low growing woody perennial to 12" tall by 2' across. Hard, grey green leaves form a beautiful backdrop for the heavy show of tiny light lavender pink flowers which appear in summer. Classic thyme scent to foliage. Sun, good drainage, little summer watering when established. rev 4/2020

serpyllum 'Pink Chintz' CREEPING THYME   tiny, pink and grey green   tiny, grey green leaves creep along, filling spaces between stepping stones or crawling over rocks or the edge of a pot. Pretty pink equally small flowers in early summer. Takes some traffic as groundcover, for sun or part shade. Likes well-drained soil, little watering once established. All Sunset zones/USDA 5. Southern Europe. rev 4/2020

vulgaris  COMMON THYME  the beloved and extremely useful culinary species. A fine-textured woody subshrub that grows as a compact dome of foliage 6-10" tall by 12" or more across. Pink flowers. Southern Europe, Spain, France, Italy. rev 4/2020

'Dot Wells'  dark green leaves   an excellent variety for culinary use, classed with the French Thymes. Deep green leaves. rev 4/2020
'Highland Cream'  nice example   very low, dense, creeping, green with lots of creamy white edging. rev 4/2020
'Silver Posie'    leaves and reddish stems   variegated, clean ivory white marginal variegation looks great against the reddish, more upright stems. To 8" or so tall by 12-18" across. rev 4/2020
'Wedgewood' (not currently in production)  flowering   an English Thyme, with chartreuse-margined leaves and light pink flower heads. A little taller, to 18" tall. rev 4/2020

Thysanolaena maxima    TIGER GRASS    at my house    tropical leaves   loose flower spike    I've always liked this plant, in fact it is one of my favorites, but I used to think it was too tropical for Northern California. Then I discovered it is raised as far north as South Carolina, and that it just goes deciduous with hard frost, and I watched it show minimal damage from a true 25F freeze. In fact, it has survived repeated 15°F frosts back East as a deciduous perennial, resprouting vigorously in spring. It is a very bold, large textured grass of striking appearance, with a dramatic bamboo-like habit of jointed culms to 6' tall, and broad, lush leaves to about 3" across and over 12" long. Its foliage can be almost as large as that of Indocalamus tesselatus, the largest leaved bamboo. You get the same look but taller, and with an evergreen to deciduous clumping plant instead of a hyperenergetic, aggressive runner. Plus it has nicer stems, powdery white new culms. In warmer, hotter, more humid areas (tropics, Gulf Coast) it can get closer to 10' tall. Leaf and plant size increase readily with heat, humidity, watering, and fertilizing in all areas. Flower spikes are very sparse, loosely constructed and not ornamental, they appear in late spring. Use it for its luxuriant, semiweeping leaves, and jungle-like presence, with other foliage or subtropical plants, or even as a very striking, large container plant. Its leaves are used to wrap cooked rice. Sunset zones 8-9, 14-24/ USDA zone 8. Southeast Asia. rev 2/201

Tiarella  (not currently in production)   evergreen to deciduous perennials related to Heuchera, with a very soft, natural, woodsy look. Part to mostly shade, rich, moist, humusy soils, average watering. rev 5/2013

'Heronswood Mist'   (not currently in production)   finely speckled foliage   a pretty little woodland flower for shade or morning sun, related to Coral Bells (Heuchera). Green and white speckled leaves pick up pink color in the cool of spring and fall. A dependable rebloomer, it likes rich, moist soil and adds some light texture to dark azalea or wide hosta leaves. Foliage grows to 6," forming a clump, and flowers add 6-8". Won't tolerate poor drainage or winter wet feet. All Sunset zones/USDA 4. rev 6/2011-Suzy Brooks

Tibouchina urvilleana   (not currently in production)   PRINCESS FLOWER    closeup    habit    more flowers    extra bonus    easily the best of the genus, at least as far as California is concerned. The biggest, darkest purple, longest blooming, most easily grown species. Grows as a reliably showy, tender subtropical shrub or small tree, to 10’ tall and wide. Very attractive, heavily veined, densely tomentose dark green leaves grow to 4" long and old leaves color chrome orange and yellow. Branched terminal clusters of rich royal purple flowers to 4" across appear sporadically in waves throughout the year, depending on watering and fertilizing, heaviest summer through late winter or early spring. There are always new species and varieties of Tibouchina cropping up or being reintroduced, such as T. heteromala, T. semidecandra, and T. granulosa. All so far have shown much more restricted flowering periods and more frost sensitivity as well as either smaller flowers or less attractive color. The search for the best Princess Flower starts and ends right here, as T. urvilleana reigns supreme! Best in part shade with regular watering, but can take substantial drought when established. Good in containers if reliably watered. Damaged below 28°F but has survived temperatures around 20°F, resprouting from roots. Brazil. Melastomataceae. rev 5/2013

'Peace Baby'   (not currently in production)   wow! it's really white!   I'm losing the 'Hippie Dippie Tibbie' prefix because these have also been sold abroad under a 'Fantasy Flowers' trademark. Genus name plus species name plus trademark name plus three more specific variety names jus' don' fit! This is a compact Princess Flower with a new color and a wild name. Wonderfully textured green leaves and maroon buds like usual, but this one is covered with big white flowers most of the season and only grows 2-3' tall, 18-24" wide. Just right for containers. We'll see if it initiates under a broad range of our local conditions like the so-far-unbeatable T. urvilleana. We've always been disappointed in the past by new species or selections that bloom just once in California, always August-Sept. Sun or part shade, regular watering. USDA 9/Sunset zones 16-24. rev 8/2014

Tillandsia  AIR PLANTS  epiphytic and lithophytic (grows on rocks) evergreen perennial bromeliads ranging from green-foliaged species with central cup-forming leaves through long strings of grey or silvery colored, wiry or hair-like pendant stems. Many of the grey-white colored species can take frost, some to ~15 F, such as the higher-latitude populations of T. usneoides, or Spanish Moss. The greyish species can directly absorb any fog droplets or overnight condensation. My personal best with this group has been to leave them outside on a mesh flat exposed to full sunlight and rain, wet fog and/or morning condensation on clear nights. As indoor plants one longtime enthusiast relates the best way to keep them happy is a weekly soak in a bowl of water. Bromeliaceae. rev 3/2020

leiboldiana 'Mora'   flower spike   first 4" crop   a snazzy, eye-catching, compact, medium-sized species with olive green to burgundy-tinted foliage. It produces a brilliant coral red flower column with sprays of brilliant blue purple tubular flowers. To about 1' across by 18" high when blooming. It did well over a cold winter with overhead protection on my front porch in the Santa Cruz Mountains above Soquel, California. No frost. Mexico, Central America. rev 3/2021

usneoides  see Spanish Moss

Tolmeia menziesii 'Taff's Gold'  speckled foliage   you've seen this native plant during hikes in the spring, growing near running water in foothill environments. This version is splashed with creamy yellow. Likes all the conditions the green foliaged version does, including moist soil and bright, indirect light. An easy houseplant, just don't forget to water it. About 12" tall and 15" wide. New plants are produced on the leaf. Sunset zones 3, 4-9, 20-24/USDA 7. California. Saxifragaceae. rev 5/2011

Trachelospermum asiaticum   ASIAN JASMINE   (not currently in production)  similar to the familiar Star Jasmine (T. jasminoides) but with longer internodes, narrower and more pointed leaves, marginally greyer green, with more purplish or rosy highlights and lighter veins. The similarly-scented flowers are pale pastel yellow to creamy white, with deeper, yellowish centers, and appear in summer. It is generally more adaptable to groundcover applications than Star Jasmine, and used less as a vine, as it tends to send non-twining, long-internode, juvenile stems sideways first, often vigorously, before it decides to climb. Eventually stems will twine as they mature, but it is almost always at least a little slower and more spreading overall than its cousin. Some of the dwarf or variegated collector's selections can be quite compact and very slow moving. This species was given an Award of Garden Merit by the RHS. USDA zone 7/Sunset 5-24. Apocynaceae. Korea, Japan. rev 10/2015

'All Gold'  GOLDEN ASIATIC JASMINE   (not currently in production)  shy flowers    heavenly fragrant summer flowers of pale golden yellow try to hide against the tiny, shiny, warm golden foliage. Young stems are fuzzy and warm golden bronze.You'll usually see this as a compact, dense groundcover but mature, flowering stems are more inclined to reach upwards. This is a great color/texture/fragrance element for patio or entry containers, alone or in combo. Sun or part shade.  rev 10/2015

'Kiifu Chirimen' (not currently in production)  up close   ultra-tiny leaves, wonderful golden green against twining coral to burgundy stems, are the distinguishing feature of this unique variety. Makes a wonderful color/texture foliage item, groundcover, container plant or use your imagination!. Full sun to almost full shade (leaves turn greener), very drought tolerant when established, frost hardy to the teens or lower. USDA zone 8/Sunset 5-24. rev 10/2015

'Summer Sunset' (not currently in production) leaves  originally known as 'Torafu.' This is a mostly mounding variety that features outrageous yellow new growth becoming hot orange. Colors intensify under cold weather to orange and red. It is reasonably fast for a highly variegated plant, and looks great against darker backgrounds. Full sun to almost all shade, very drought tolerant when established, frost hardy to the teens or lower. USDA zone 7/Sunset 5-24/. rev 10/2015

'Susan' (not currently in production)   new plus old     mature leaf color a moderately vigorous form, quite a good grower actually considering it's variegated. Close to 'Wide Leaf' but differs slightly in coloration and pattern: smaller leaves are edged and sometimes splashed with creamy white, but don't show the marbled veins of 'Wide Leaf.' Also new growth is not reddish, but clear, warm, light yellow against a reddish stem. USDA zone 7/Sunset 5-24/. rev 3/2016

'Wide Leaf' (not currently in production)  new growth, strongest color     nice shade container, Portland     broad, green to grey green leaves are edged, veined and marbled in cream to white. New leaves emerge hot coral, then age from salmon through pale yellow to creamy white. Older leaves can show purplish tones as they age. Generally slow, very choice, and a great combination of colors that looks good in against any background or with any other plant. Really good as a container plant, being tough and not needing constant attention. Full sun to almost full, dark shade, very drought tolerant when established. USDA zone 7/Sunset 5-24/. rev 10/2015

jasminoides    STAR JASMINE    flowers    as a clipped vine/shrub    another    foliage effects, winter   a well known evergreen groundcover and vine, and still one of my favorite plants, in spite of its heavy use, because of its wonderful. tropical fragrance, dark, dark green, glossy leaves, complete sterility (no seeds!) and adaptability of planting position and application. It can be used as a fence or trellis cover, groundcover, or for its flower show or fragrance, and is especially effective used near a window, doorway or entry. It can be used in a container and even makes an outstanding, long lived bonsai. Gnarly old stumps of patriarch landscape plants that are being torn out and are on their way to the dump can be very effective for such use, since it seems tolerant of extreme root disturbance. It flowers heavily in mid spring then lightly until late summer, and grows rapidly under long day conditions. It is best in hot summer climates but tolerates coastal conditions as well except it is slower. It is one of several plants whose dried flowers are used to flavor Jasmine Tea. Clip any time after its main spring bloom, up to frost, to shape or control. Sun or mostly shade. Sunset zones 8-24. China.rev 10/2015

Trachycarpus    WINDMILL PALMS    fan palms from Continental to tropical climates, usually medium scale and of moderate growth rate. The most commonly seen species is T. fortunei, the Windmill Palm, from China, distinguished by its compact crown and densely fibrous trunk. There are many better species and forms, we offer only those improved varieties. These improvements usually mean bigger, glossier, darker green, nicer looking leaves and/or faster growth. Palmae/Arecaceae. rev 3/2019

latisectus   (not currently in production)   WINDAMERE PALM    this is a fast, vigorous fan palm similar to the true T. takil in that it features a very slender, bare grey trunk and is generally much nicer looking than the ever-present, dusty, yellowed out T. fortunei. It also has large, glossy, dark green fronds, more like Livistona fronds in size, which are almost completely circular in outline and are chlorosis-resistant even under cold, wet Northern California soil conditions. Its leaflets are held more vertically and are noticeably wider than other Trachycarpus. It will withstand snow and deep frost but also tolerate hot summer conditions. Flower clusters are dense and deep yellow, hang down from the crown near the trunk and are quite showy. This species has been sold in the past as T. "sikkimensis." Wild populations are endangered. USDA zone 8b/Sunset zones 5, 8-24. Sikkim, Himalayas. rev 3/2019

martianus  HIMALAYAN FAN PALM  probably the Khasia Hills Form at the Huntington    leaf silhouette  this fast species has a clean, gracile trunk, large, very glossy leaves, and long petioles. The fronds are cut into very fine segments and they hang languidly from the trunk. The overall effect is closer to one of those nameless, beautiful, more tropical-looking fan palms you might notice at a resort in Hawaii, with a looser, lusher, happier feeling than you get from the normally repressed, hung-up looking T. fortuneis we all see. They make great container plants of course. When mature they can get to 40' tall but even though they are "fast" for a palm you are still talking about years, so plan on using this as an eye-level foliage plant for a years. It is represented by two forms in the trade. rev 9/2009

Khasia Hills Form  KHASIA HILLS FAN PALM    shiny, broad, perfect fronds  probably the Khasia Hills Form, at the Huntington  young plant, Santa Cruz   young plant, full shade   this strain is from the foothills of the Himalayas and is faster and slightly shinier than its cousin from Nepal. It will take extreme heat, some drought, and cold to below 25F but no one seems to know how much. Anthony Garza of the UC Berkeley Botanic Garden reports their specimens of this form survived the 1998 freeze without damage, with temperatures below 25F. So we know it will take more cold but not how much. This should be a safe choice for USDA zone 9/Sunset zones 8-9, 14-24. rev 6/2021

Nepal Form  NEPAL FAN PALM   this higher elevation strain will take even more cold. It is a little more compact and bears slightly smaller fronds though you won't notice this until the plant is mature. It is just as fast as the Khasia Hills Form but should easily go to 20F and will take drier conditions. USDA zone 9/Sunset zones 8-9, 14-24. rev 3/2019

fortunei 'Nanai Tal'   (not currently in production)   HIMALAYAN CHUSAN WINDMILL PALM   Portland, Oregon  a very cold hardy Himalayan population of the Windmill Palm, originally received as the very rare and simultaneously-occuring T. takil but now finally straightened out. This is probably THE cold hardiest race of Windmill Palm, faster and greener than the usually sorry looking, uninspiring, yellow-leaved, tired-out, dusty, cold-looking T. fortunei seedlings seen all over Northern California. In fact "fortunei on steroids" is a comment often heard. It features the same fibrous trunk. Sun to half sun, average drainage, drought tolerant of course and good in containers of course also. Probably hardy to 15-10F. USDA zone 7/Sunset zones 4-24. Himalayas. 3/2019

Tradescantia   SPIDERWORT   clumping, scandent and sometimes fast-spreading perennials, some deciduous, grown for their foliage and flower displays in gardens, containers, hanging baskets, and as houseplants and succulents. Native from Canada to northern Argentina and east to the Caribbea, most forms are tender but a few are cold hardy and either evergreen or deciduous.. Commelinaceae. rev 8/2019

andersoniana    (not currently in production) VIRGINIA SPIDERWORT   clumping deciduous perennial related to the common houseplant Tradescantia, with long, narrow slightly hairy leaves and clusters of flowers held at the apex of the stems throughout the growing season. To 18" tall. Spreads by underground stolons. Sun to part shade, frequent to average watering. Will tolerate wet conditions. Frost hardy. Eastern U.S.rev 9/200

‘Blue & Gold’   (not currently in production)   closeup    border perennial    with bronze Pennisetum    yellow leaves and clusters of blue flowers. A striking color combination. rev 8/2019
'Zwanenberg Blue'   (not currently in production)   flowers  clear, rich, medium violet blue flowers with green leaves. rev 4/2010

spathacea (Rhoeo) MOSES IN THE BOAT    nursery plants    a low growing foliage plant widely used in tropical, subtropical, and warmer temperate regions grown for its spectacular green and white striped leaves, with purple reverses. The foliage becomes flushed with pinkish tones as the purple leaf undersides show through from above. This plant is seen widely used in drifts in warmer regions but it is relatively root hardy and can be successfully grown in Northern California as well as long as it receives some overhead protection. Which means you can walk out of your house and think you are in Hawaii! In the coldest years it will burn back to the ground and (hopefully) recover from the roots. It propagates rosettes basally, and only gets about a foot tall while spreading at a moderate pace. Flowers are small and displayed in the middle of a surrounding leaf. Sun to part shade, average watering. Carribean, Central America. rev 11/2006

'Compacta'    at Tulum ruins, Yucatan    an all green form of the above, with the reverse but lacking the stripes. Compact yet vigorous. rev 4/2007
 
'Sitara Gold'   new leaf color   containers, Hortifair '06   a lower growing selection featuring a glowing golden leaf with a green stripe, and dark pink underneath. Give it enough sun to keep the colors rich and will take some shade. Great colors to mix and match in containers or the landscape. Regular water. Zones 12-24, USDA 9-10. rev 7/2010

'Tricolor'    striped leaves    ivory white stripes with pink showing through from the brilliant violet purple reverse. rev 5/2020

'Vittata'    foliage color    on the bench    Moses, right there in his boat   a much larger, lusher, more tropical looking form, with leaves to over a foot long, deep green striped with light golden yellow and the same wonderful burgundy purple reverses. Much faster and larger than 'Compacta.' Rare and not often found in retail stores - except from people who buy from us! rev 8/2009

zebrina   SPIDERWORT, WANDERING JEW  the most commonly recognized houseplant? Bright indirect light, let dry somewhat between waterings. Fast, easy. rev 10/2017

'Greenlee'  PALE PUMA SPIDERWORT  compact grower    an evergreen landscape variety as well as indoor plant subject. Large, leathery, slightly fuzzy grey green leaves face mostly upward and are flushed rich violet purple on new growth, especially on the reverse. Leaf color tends to remain strong with exposure to sun but will fade slowly in full shade situations. It grows densely enough to exclude weeds and needs just moderate to occasional summer watering due to its semisucculent nature. Light pinkish flowers are produced in summer. Evergreen in frost-free climates and planting locations, expect it to burn back progressively with harder freezes but it should survive a 20F freeze by regrowing from the roots. rev 2/2018

Trichostema lanatum   WOOLY BLUE CURLS   my favorite native plant, because of the flowers and the outrageously strong, attractive fragrance of the foliage. It will initiate flowers on any new, mature shoots which experience a moderate amount of chill. In coastal areas this means it can be in bloom almost any time of year. When crushed, bruised or even just moved around a little bit the leaves give off a strong, sweet smell much like turpentine, spar varnish, diethyl ether, or maybe a Beefeater gin Mojito. (Sure, I'll have either of the last two, and thanks for asking!) Likes full to no less than 1/2 day of sunlight though in very dry conditions it can tolerate more shade. Needs good drainage for most of the root zone, and anything less means it may survive but with a shorter to extremely brief lifespan. Good as a container plant for a year or two but use a very mineral mix and let it dry down at least a little between waterings but no to the point of wilting, that's inviting root fungus. This is a strain which shows at least partial domestication, sourced through Danny Takao's propagation nurseryNative to the Coast and Transverse Ranges from the southern Santa Cruz Mountains through the western Mojave Desert and south into Baja California. USDA zone 8?/Sunset zones 7-9, 13-24. rev 12/2019

Trochetiopsis   one recently extinct species (T melanoxylon, Dwarf Ebony), one species remaining only in cultivation (T. erythroxylon, St. Helena Redwood) and one left surviving in the wild but extremely rare (T. ebenus, St. Helena Ebony). All are or were native to remote St. Helena Island in the middle of the South Atlantic Ocean. All produce(d) large, funnel-shaped white flowers against dark green foliage. The two remaining species have dense coating of attractively ornamental, copper-colored, hairy/granular indumentum coating the leaf undersides, petioles and young stems. The white flowers can reach 3" across and seem to be produced continuously from new leaf nodes. All species or their found remains have very attractively colored wood and are still used for detailed inlay work, turning, carving and other specialty uses requiring hard, dense, high-quality wood. Malvaceae, formerly Sterculiaceae. rev 12/201

ebenus   flowers    against the wonderful foliage, petioles and stems   a gift to us from Tom Ballard, who insisted we grow it because he liked its performance in his SF Bay Area garden so much. This is a broad, flat to rounded shrub, usually twice as wide as high, with an open, spreading, upright branch structure that historically reached 15' but has been more like 6' in cultivated plants I've seen (gardens, Strybing). The canopy of dark olive green leaves is nicely distinguished by that amazing dense coppery coating all over the leaf undersides, petioles and stems. The 3" wide, creamy white, funnel-shaped flowers have contrasting blackish tidbits in the center and are produced all year. This species was distributed at 600-1500' on the drier, partly rain-shadowed northern and western slopes of the island and can take quite dry conditions in cool areas like ours once established. In my limited experience it looks significantly better in California landscapes and gardens with at least some shade though. I'm also guessing it probably gets at least occasional summer rain in nature as well because it also definitely responds to occasional dry season irrigation. Not sure yet about soil type but St. Helena Island being almost entirely rocky and mountainous, with few areas of rich, moist soils, mineral soils and good drainage are a good guess as to where to start for siting. Will tolerate a very few degrees of freezing temps if sited completely in the open but probably not much beyond - when possible give it at least some reflected and re-radiated IR radiation from overhead trees, roofs, etc. We owe this species' continued existence to just two gnarly, short, aged specimens found in 1980, clinging to a steep cliff juuuuuust out of reach of the wild goats which had eaten every one of the wild individuals of its two sister species. Ha ha ha ha ha, oh those crazy, gosh-darned goats. They crack me up!! USDA zone 9a (9b?)/Sunset zones 9 (even more shade and water), 16-17, 21-24. rev 12/201

Tricyrtus hirta 'Miyazaki'  BLUE GOLD TOADFLAX  captivating foliage  selected for its glowing lime yellow leaves barely edged in green, in very late summer it will produce small, orchid-like, spotted blue flowers at the ends of its monopodal, short (12-16"), upright stems and in the upper leaf nodes. I could show you a picture but my hard drive is in recovery. Maybe next week. They really are nice! Our variety was received under this name but does not match the description in Sunset, nor that of 'Miyazaki Gold.' Part sun to shade, at least average watering in amended soils, very frost hardy. Very nice to keep in a small container and examine lovingly up close. Sunset zones 2-9, 14-17/USDA zone 6. Japan. Liliaceae. rev 8/2012

coddii   (not currently in production) flowers closeup    a wonderful clumping, deciduous species received from British Tulbaghia collector and bulb expert Dave Fenwick, with glossy, dark green, chive-like foliage to about 12" tall that is winter deciduous. Tall, elegant, very gracile flower stalks arise with the foliage in spring and then lightly throughout the growing season. Its small (1/2") mauve pink flowers have nicely defining minute yellow centers and emit a wonderful fragrance somewhere between cloyingly sweet vanilla and baby powder. The foliage is garlic scented but not quite as strongly as that of T. violacea, and only when bruised. If it isn't recently bruised it won't impinge on the natural odor from the flowers, which can be detected quite a ways from the plants when they are in bloom. The scent can become almost overwhelming after dark. This is a very attractive, neat, well behaved new introduction that offers a much greater flower/foliage ratio than T. violacea. Should be frost hardy for most of California. Full sun to part shade. I don't think this species has been sold in this country before. rev 6/2005

Fairy Stars    (not currently in production)   asstd.   Diana   Luella    Oberon    Puck   Silvermist   Silverstar     Titania   all names of celebrity fairies, selected first generation seedlings from 'Fairy Star' itself, a hybrid of Tulbaghia comminsii x violacea. Some day I'm going to select one to call 'Tooth.' And another one to call 'Crate and Barrel,' after the creature my wife says is responsible for the large packages that show up on our front porch. All have garlic scented foliage when brushed, but produce very pleasant and strong scents in late afternoon and evening, ranging from typical, heavy, sweet, Tulbaghiaperfume through spicy carnation-clove and vanilla. When I say fragrant I mean you don't have to stick your nose in the flower, you will smell it many yards away.These are mixed second generation seedlings from the above seed parents. All are nice for flowers and evening fragrance. These are really good for container use on a patio or deck, or near any entryway, where they draw attention to the garden with their heavy flower displays during the day plus their light colors and heavy fragrance in the afternoon and evening. Or put it in your garden with succulents, or small rock garden subjects. Some are large, almost as big as regular Society Garlic, some are quite petite, but all are relatively gracile and elegant. Full sun, at least average drainage, almost no summer watering required but they will bloom repeatedly through the growing season if irrigated. Winter deciduous with hard freeze, and at least partially deciduous even with mild winters. Sunset zones 5 (?) -24/USDA zone 8 (7? 6?). rev 4/2012

natalensis   (not currently in production)  stunning bloom    another outstanding species received from Dave Fenwick, this is the nicest smelling and showiest Tulbaghia I have encountered. The profuse flowers are borne on stalks that rise to just above the foliage and bear small clusters of the palest pastel pink flowers, tinted lavender pink at the base and with perky dark yellow centers. The tiny blossoms (1/2") appear in overwhelming, massed clouds. It has the strong fragrance of like vanilla allspice, and its fragrance is quite strong, easily detected well downwind from a clump when in bloom. It becomes even more intense when the sun goes down. It is mostly evergreen, with thin, glossy, chive-like dark green foliage that is strongly garlic scented and "fragrant" when bruised. Should be frost hardy for most of California. Full sun to part shade. I don't think this species has been sold in this country before. rev 5/2005

violacea    SOCIETY GARLIC    flowers    near the Circles    sidewalk planting    an evergreen bulb, with thin grey green leaves to 12-18" tall. The leaves, roots, and flower stalks exude a fragrance that is pleasantly garlic like in small quantities or at a distance, but somewhere closer to either fresh skunk or burning rubber when encountered right up close and personal. Since most encounters are of the first type, it is used to great effect as a tough, drought tolerant, showy grass-like landscape or garden plant. It is used for its long, showy display of mauve flowers. These are held in rounded clusters on 24-30" tall stalks, well above the foliage. This plant makes a substantial clump when mature, and shows flowers most of the year. I have seen it used nicely as a large scale groundcover. It doesn't seem plagued by either bugs or gophers (wonder why). Sun to part shade, little or no watering, dormant with hard frost. Actually it lasts well when cut, but unfortunately it also exudes the same distinctive odor, especially when brought inside into warm rooms. Simply great in containers. Survives true desert conditions if watered. Sunset zones 5-24/USDA zone 7. rev 4/2012