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Desert Drama on the Coast
Jacaranda
Southern Magnolia, Bull Bay
Century Plant, Maguey
Our Lord's Candle
Olive
Kiwi Libertia
Gold Tooth Aloe
Purple Tree Aeonium
Rainbow Fescue
Jacaranda

Common name:Jacaranda
Botanical name:Jacaranda mimosifolia

This irregular to rounded deciduous tree will reach about 40' tall and has fine, compound green leaves with blue flowers. Jacaranda's main blooming season is in spring and summer, but it will often produce sporadic blooms in fall as well.

Southern Magnolia, Bull Bay

Common name:Southern Magnolia, Bull Bay
Botanical name:Magnolia grandiflora

Its large, simple, leathery appearance makes the pyramidal Magnolia grandiflora perfect for either a street or lawn tree. Its leaves are 4"-8" long, and its powerfully fragrant blooms are carried throughout the summer and fall. If these plants are grafted, they are more predictable (may take 15 years to bloom). Ungrafted trees will take only 2-3 years. Restricted root areas or heavy soils will slow the growth process.

Century Plant, Maguey

Common name:Century Plant, Maguey
Botanical name:Agave americana

This plant is fast growing to about 6'-10' tall and 8'-13' wide. Wide gray leaves have stiff terminal spines and recurved teeth on margins. It prefers full sun and well-drained situations. After blooming, which could take several years, it will die but will send up new pups from around the base. Some people are allergic to the sap. Removal is difficult if unwanted.

Our Lord's Candle

Common name:Our Lord's Candle
Botanical name:Hesperoyucca whipplei

Stemless, it produces dense clusters of rigid, gray green leaves 12"-18" long. Its drooping, bell-shaped flowers appear on large, branched spikes 3'-6' long. Plants die after blooming, much like Agaves, but only individual rosettes will die off; others in clump will continue to live and eventually bloom. Overall plant grows 3' tall and 6' wide. This CA native prefers well drained soil and is drought tolerant but will lose lower leaves with extended drought..

Olive

Common name:Olive
Botanical name:Olea europaea

This broad tree will grow to 40' tall and has small, gray green leaves with fleshy black fruit that appears in fall. Purchase fruitless varieties to avoid the mess.

Kiwi Libertia

Common name:Kiwi Libertia
Botanical name:Libertia peregrinans

Libertia peregrinans is a perennial. It grows to 2' high, and 1' wide. Narrow, stiffly erect, olive green leaves have an orange to brownish orange center stripe. There are branching clusters of inch-wide flowers on stems shorter than leaves.

Gold Tooth Aloe

Common name:Gold Tooth Aloe
Botanical name:Aloe X nobilis

This succulent perennial will only grow 1' tall and 1' wide. It has large, sharp, dark green leaves and clusters of red-orange flowers that bloom in summer.

Purple Tree Aeonium

Common name:Purple Tree Aeonium
Botanical name:Aeonium arboreum 'Zwartkop'

Aeonium arboreum 'Zwartkop' is a succulent perennial that is used for accenting effect. Aeonium arboreum grows 3' tall and wide. Each branch has a 6"-8 " wide rosette of dark green, fleshy leaves.The flowers are yellow in clusters.

Rainbow Fescue

Common name:Rainbow Fescue
Botanical name:Festuca amethystima 'Superba'

The Rainbow Fescue is a hardy fescue with fine, blue green foliage that grows 8" tall. It has spring flowers that are 12" above the foliage. This fescue is a very showy, neat grass for sunny spots during spring and fall. The Rainbow Fescue is drought tolerant.

Designer: Susanne Jett

Desert Drama on the Coast

Photographer: GardenSoft

Soils and Compost:

Maintain a two to four inch layer of mulch on the soil surface to reduce weeds, infiltrate rain water, and reduce compaction.

Integrated Pest Management:

Drip and other smart irrigation delivers water directly to roots, allowing no excess water for weeds.