Baeckia gunniana New Fall 2011!

$12

Here's a plant that's cool enough for us yet cute enough for normal people. Very tiny leaves and a cascading habit distinguish this attractive low shrub from southeast Australia and Tasmania. In late spring it is covered with little 5-petaled white flowers. The foliage is sometimes used as a filler in floral arrangements. The only way it could get any cuter is if it were aromatic - oh, wait, it is! Like the closely related Leptospermum, it is very easy to grow about anywhere in sun or part shade, and in any soil. It has been recommended for spilling over a rockery. On the driest sites a little water will be appreciated. Very hardy, it can handle at least 5°F, perhaps lower.

Banksia

See under Proteaceae.

Callistemon x 'Eleanor'

$12

The purplest flowers on any hardy bottlebrush! This selection from a Portland, Oregon plant belonging to someone named Eleanor, endured a hard freeze in December 1998 that killed all of its friends and left it all alone. You can help it by adopting it and planting it alongside the other Callistemon species I offer. It is a semi-pendulous plant growing to about 4', and the purple flowers appear around late June in my garden. Although it has been sold as a form of C. pallidus in the past, and some nurseries seem to think it has white flowers, I can assure you the flowers are quite purple (mine is from the original source) and the plant is much less upright than the usual C. pallidus. Probably it is a hybrid with one parent as C. pallidus and the other some red-flowered thing. This is the bottlebrush the Turltes were singing about when they said, Eleanor, gee, I think you're swell, and you'd really do me well, you're my pride and joy, etc. It can handle temperatures down to about 10 - 15°F, possibly somewhat lower in climates with hot summers. Thanks to Paul Bonine at Xera Plants for sharing this outstanding selection.

Callistemon linearis var. pumila New Fall 2011!

$10

We're almost certain this is not the correct name for this plant, but we suppose we're stuck with it until we figure out what it really is. Its leaves are too short to be C. linearis, and are rather soft textured. One of several similar looking Callistemons that we have grown, it is a well-behaved shrub growing to an eventual 4' tall and 6' across for us, and is covered with showy, bright red bottlebrushes in late spring or early summer - really a nice ornamental overall. Hardy to about 10°F in the Northwest, lower in hot climates.

Callistemon pallidus [UW form] - RIVER BOTTLEBRUSH

$10

The river bottlebrush is one of the hardiest species in the genus; in fact it has lived at the Washington Park Arboretum in Seattle for many years without being harmed by cold. It has slightly more bluish leaves than many, long spikes of showy cream flowers, and can get rather large (to 8'+) - which is cool because then you can see the attractive peeling bark. Hardy to about 10°F.

Callistemon pityoides [small hairy] - PRICKLY BOTTLEBRUSH

$12

We have a special interest in Prickly Bottlebrush as it is one of the hardiest, if not THE hardiest Callistemon species. They tend to be low-growing shrubs with short, stiff, narrow, green leaves which may be slightly prickly or even very prickly to the touch. One of the best features is the scales on the new growth buds, which are often pink and look showy when the buds begin expanding. Once the plant has been established for a couple years, cream flowers appear in late spring. This form represents perhaps the most compact and dense growing of any Callistemon - remaining under 3' tall and wide with tiny leaves and beautiful silky new growth. Yellow flowers are produced on mature plants. If you are one of those people with high standards for cuteness, this is the Callistemon for you. Hardy to at least 0 - 5°F.

Callistemon pityoides [Xera form] - PRICKLY BOTTLEBRUSH

$10

We have a special interest in Prickly Bottlebrush as it is one of the hardiest, if not THE hardiest Callistemon species. They tend to be low-growing shrubs with short, stiff, narrow, green leaves which may be slightly prickly or even very prickly to the touch. One of the best features is the scales on the new growth buds, which are often pink and look showy when the buds begin expanding. Once the plant has been established for a couple years, cream flowers appear in late spring. This form shared with us by Paul Bonine at Xera Plants is more open than some, and may reach 4' tall with an irregular growth habit. It has never been damaged by cold for us, and ought to handle at least 0°F.

Callistemon sp. aff. sieberi [WCM]

$10

This is a slightly mysterious, yet quite spectacular plant. Long ago I ordered a packet of Callistemon salignus seeds, and many different plants grew out of it, none of which exactly looked like C. salignus. This one seems relatively more like C. salignus than the rest of them, but it still doesn't quite fit the bill since it's too rigidly upright, and too cold-hardy, for C. salignus. A really wild guess might be that it is a hybrid of C. salignus and C. sieberi - but I just don't know. I have also sold it in the past as Callistemon sp. 'Wetlands Challenged Mutant' (after one of my favorite Far Side cartoons) but I might drop that name because it is so long. In any case, it's still a splendid plant. Cream colored brushes cover the whole plant in early summer, and it has papery peeling bark. It is a slow grower to about 6 - 8' tall spreading to 4'. It tolerates poor drainage and temperatures to at least 5 - 10°F, perhaps much lower.

Callistemon sp. 'Hot Pink' New Fall 2011!

$12

This is one of several bottlebrushes we grow that looks a lot like C. subulatus, but we thought we should separate it out for its unique ornamental qualities. It produces flowers in late spring of a jaw-dropping deep pink rather than the usual crimson-red, which are displayed on a plant of upright habit that may reach 5 - 6' tall and wide. We have Brian Brown to thank for sharing this plant with us, which has survived everything winters have dished out in his Bremerton, Washington garden. It should be hardy to at least 10°F, perhaps lower.

Callistemon sp. 'Ken's Favorite' New Fall 2011!

$12

One of three distinct plants I grew from a seed packet that was supposed to be C. salignus (but none of them are), this is a small spreading plant with an airy yet very symmetrical and rounded growth habit (to 4' tall after 10 years), and widely spaced very dark green leaves. In late spring, showy cream brushes cover the plant. Unfazed by our winters so far, it is certainly hardy to at least 10°F.

Callistemon sp. 'Not Brachyandrus'

$16 (1 gallon)

Sometimes I get a plant and it doesn't match its description. Here is one such case: purchased as Callistemon brachyandrus, it has grown into something with much broader leaves and paler flowers than "the real C. brachyandrus" is supposed to have. Oh well. What is, I'm not sure - but I thought it was interesting enough to be worth propagating, since the flower color is unique, and young plants have spectacular bronze new growth. Cream flowers in late spring or early summer are barely tinged with pink. It has a spreading habit and is very vigorous and easy to grow in full sun on any soil. It may benefit from the occasional haircut to keep it from getting rangy. Hardy to about 10 - 15°F for us, perhaps lower in hot climates.

Callistemon sp. 'Red Giant'

$12

Since Callistemon taxonomy is difficult, we haven't exactly figured out what this is, so 'Red Giant' will have to do for now. As Callistemons go, this one has about the largest leaves and flowers of anything we have yet found that is hardy for sheltered Northwest gardens. It grows large indeed, to 10' x 10' or greater, with a rather open habit and grey-green leaves. The flowers, which appear in late spring, are huge, numerous, and deep red. The plant rather closely resembles the cultivar 'Clemson' but it cannot be exactly the same since we originally raised it from seed from a British seed company. In the Northwest this seems to remain undamaged to about 15°F or brief dips to lower temperatures. In climates with hotter summers it ought to be hardy to at least the single digits, and it could grow even larger.

Callistemon sp. 'Waldport Hardy'

$10

Since you don't already have enough plants that look like Callistemon subulatus, we offer this selection (which may, indeed, be a form of C. subulatus) from Waldport, Oregon, where it endured the legendary December 1990 freeze without significant harm. In late spring, bright red brushes cover the plant. We thank the late Jim Gerdemann for sharing this plant with us, in whose garden it grew to about 7' tall with an upright habit and weeping branches. So far for us it is growing much more like C. subulatus with a spreading habit. Hardy to at least 10°F, lower in hot climates.

Callistemon sp. 'Woodlander's Hardy'

$12

This well-known Callistemon cultivar was selected by Woodlander's Nursery for its excellent hardiness and performance in the Deep South, but it also performs well here in the Pacific Northwest. For us it gets about 3' tall and 5' wide and is very showy in late spring when it is covered in crimson bottlebrushes. For a long time I had thought this must be a form of C. subulatus since the leaves and flower color are so similar. However, it differs from all forms of C. subulatus I have seen in that the "bottlebrushes" of flowers have leaves intermixed with them. So, who knows? It may be a form of C. rigidus. It does not grow quite as large as most forms of C. subulatus, making it a better choice where space is limited. While this has been tested down to -4°F in the Southeast without damage, we have found that in the Northwest it is just about equally as hardy as most forms of C. subulatus, and not definitively superior to the other hardiest red flowered Callistemons: in other words, to about 10 - 12°F, or perhaps a little lower very briefly.

Callistemon subulatus

$10 (standard) $16 (1 gallon)

If you've been fooled before, we offer the real subulatus, a plant with a long history of cultivation in the Seattle area. It has a semi-weeping, spreading habit, reaching perhaps 4' tall by 7' across if left to itself. The profusion of showy crimson brushes that appear in late spring make it very showy! It will flower best in full sun with not too much irrigation and is generally cold hardy to about 10°F.

Callistemon viridiflorus - GREEN BOTTLEBRUSH

$10

From the windswept heaths of Tasmania (sounds dramatic, doesn't it?) comes this outstanding bottlebrush species with many ornamental virtues: a generous show of creamy brushes in spring, a strongly upright growth habit, soft felty new growth produced from conspicuous and outstandingly showy cone-like branch buds, and attractive vertically striped white bark. It adapts well to cultivation even in hot climates, and can be grown on wet or dry soil, preferably in sun but it will take a little shade. One Seattle gardener has made it into a spectacular hedge! It handles about 10°F in the Pacific Northwest, lower temperatures in hot climates.

Cassinia x Ozothamnus

See under More New Zealand Plants (if available).

Eucalyptus

See under Eucalyptus.

Grevillea

See under Proteaceae.

Hakea

See under Proteaceae.

Kunzea ericoides

See under More New Zealand Plants (if available).

Lagarostrobos

See under Conifers (if available).

Leptospermum cunninghamii [Ben Gardener] New Fall 2011!

$10

A favorite species of mine, this irregular, sometimes contorted, semi-weeping shrub has grey leaves with pink highlights. In late spring it is covered in masses of showy flowers which are followed by knobby seed capsules. It may reach about 5' tall and 7' wide bit is easily kept smaller by pruning. This plant is sometimes known as L. lanigerum var. cunninghamii and is more or less the same thing as L. lanigerum 'Weeping Form.' It is generally hardy for sheltered Northwest gardens, tolerating about 10°F. This clone was shared with us by renowned plantsman Ben Gardener in Pistol River, Oregon. So far it looks quite similar to the other form we grow.

Leptospermum grandiflorum [T. Galloway] - SHOWY TEA TREE New Fall 2011!

$10

From southeast Australia's highlands comes this attractive and versatile evergreen shrub with relatively large leaves and flowers for a Leptospermum. This form seems typical of L. grandiflorum in that it produces showy white flowers in the fall; and will make a nice, rounded yet open-branched shrub reaching 8' tall and wide. It might be one of the best Leptospermums for hedge potential as it is vigorous and would grow more densely if sheared. We haven't seen damage on it yet and expect hardiness to at least 5 - 10°F. We thank Tory Galloway for sharing this from her collection of rarely encountered drought tolerant plants.

Leptospermum grandiflorum 'Eugene Hardy' - SHOWY TEA TREE

$12 (smaller size) $18 (1 gallon)

This exciting tea tree from the mountains of southeast Australia grows into like a robust, pyramidal tall shrub (to 8 - 12' and half as wide) with large leaves compared to the other species, and large flowers as well. Unlike most forms of L. grandiflorum which bloom in the fall, this one blooms in late spring. The flowers are showy up close but somewhat tucked into the foliage - but this plant looks great all the time and should be grown for its foliage, form and versatility. It is also a seriously super-hardy Leptospermum, since they all survived being frozen solid for days and down to 13°F in their pots during the big December 2008 freeze (they lost a few leaves but didn't die back!). I'd guess this ought to handle at least 5°F in the ground and perhaps lower. The name 'Eugene Hardy' probably refers to it being hardy in Eugene, Oregon; although it could just be named after a guy named Eugene Hardy. (I'm not sure if that's supposed to be a bad joke or not.) Thanks to Jim Gerdemann for sharing this plant from his amazing collection.

Leptospermum humifusum [prostrate form]

$10

This robust and vigorous low shrub makes an excellent groundcover for spilling down banks and over rockeries. Tiny evergreen leaves are a glossy deep green, highlighted further by reddish-brown stems; and little white flowers cover the plant in late spring. It will grow on any soil and even tolerates poor drainage. Use it in the garden for something to offset bold-foliaged plants without looking mundane. Hardy to 5°F.

Leptospermum humifusum [upright form]

$16 (1 gallon)

This species is distinctive for having a very dark green look overall, though the stems and bark are an appealing red-brown. It also has small white flowers in spring. It is one of the more compact-growing species, usually maxing out around 4 - 6' tall. An extremely hardy species, it ought to handle 5°F and perhaps 0°F.

Leptospermum juniperinum

$10

As the name would suggest this vigorous shrub has rather prickly leaves. We haven't seen the flowers yet but we expect that they will be white. This collection from Mt. Imlay, NSW was shared with us by our friends Graham and Heather Milligan of Milligan Seeds. This is a new plant for us but we think it might be hardy to about 10 - 15°F.

Leptospermum lanigerum - WOOLLY TEA TREE

$16 (1 gallon)

Here's a plant for those of you who like your tea woolly. This small tree (eventually to 15') has small woolly leaves and showy white late spring flowers, and an appealing, upright but somewhat irregular growth habit. We have been calling this the "regular form" of the variable L. lanigerum, originally from Tasmanian seed. Vigorous and easy to grow, it will handle temperatures down to about 12 - 15°F, lower in hot climates.

Leptospermum lanigerum [purple leaf form] - PURPLE WOOLLY TEA TREE

$12 (standard) $18 (1 gallon)

Here's a plant for those of you who like purple woolly tea. Sounds great, doesn't it? But actually, this species is quite a bit less woolly than the regular form. The best part is the purple leaf coloration, which tends to vary according to the season. The purple coloration is at its best in fall and winter - plant it in front of something silvery or golden for a dramatic effect. Mature plants will produce white flowers in late spring, but hey, with the foliage being so awesome, who really cares? This plant is also very vigorous (to 10') with a pyramidal to rounded habit - stand back! Hardy to around 12 - 15°F.

Leptospermum lanigerum [spreading form] - WOOLLY TEA TREE

$10 (standard) $16 (1 gallon)

We had offered this in the past as L. sp. aff. macrocarpum for a brief time but we now think it is more likely a form of L. lanigerum. Growing vigorously into an open, irregular shrub to about 6' tall and wide, it is always appealing and trouble free. White flowers with just a touch of pink appear in the spring. The really special part is that is form is markedly hardier than the others; in fact, it was completely unfazed by a dip to 6°F in December 2009 (which, in fact, occurred just days BEFORE I was given the cuttings from which our stock was originally propagated) - so it's super cold hardy! Thanks to Mark and Lila Muller at Fairmeadow Nursery for sharing this plant with us.

Leptospermum lanigerum [T. Galloway] - WOOLLY TEA TREE New Fall 2011!

$10

This form is not as woolly as the other L. lanigerum we have grown, but still appears to be this species. Growing to about 8' tall and wide with a rather open and airy habit, it is hardy to around 10°F. We thank Tory Galloway for sharing this with us.

Leptospermum minutifolium New Fall 2011!

$18 (1 gallon)

Here's a plant with leaves so small you'll be running for your magnifying glass to be sure they are really there. Doesn't that sound like fun? This airy shrub is a little less tolerant of difficult conditions than most other Leptospermums and should be given a special place in the garden where it can be appreciated up close. On mature plants the branches are decorated with white flowers in late spring. Apparently it gets to be the size of a small tree in San Francisco, although our plants show no indication of wanting to grow more than a couple feet tall. It ought to be hardy in the 10 - 15°F range once established.

Leptospermum nitidum [green form]

$10

This species is very vigorous and has almost a rocket-like habit of growth. Although eventually tree-like in habit (perhaps to 15'? we don't know yet), it remains rather pyramidal and doesn't take up too much space. It can also be cut back to make a more rounded shrub. Leaves are small and green, and white spring flowers occur among the leaves. Best in sheltered gardens in the Pacific Northwest, it is hardy to around 12 - 15°F.

Leptospermum riparium

$9

There's not a lot of information out there on this rare species from the interior of Tasmania (and possibly mainland Australia?); in fact, this may be its first introduction to cultivation in the US. It has white flowers of average size for the genus, and so far (for us) the leaves, which are normally a dark glossy green, assume an appealing burgundy color during winter. It certainly tolerates, and may prefer, moist conditions; and should probably be hardy to at least 10°F once established.

Leptospermum scoparium (and selections)

See under More New Zealand Plants.

Lomatia

See under Proteaceae.

Ozothamnus hookeri 'Sussex Silver' New Fall 2011!

$12

Reaching a height of 4 - 6' over time, this textural evergreen shrub has a beautiful silvery appearance resulting from the white stems and leaf undersides. The top surfaces of the leaves are green but they are so tiny that one hardly notices. Although we think of this mostly as a foliage plant its attractive clusters of pink buds are also cool, though they open to not-that-exciting little white flowers. Vaguely resembling a desert shrub from the interior West, it incorporates equally well with either a desert-themed garden or with other Southern Hemisphere plants, and it does great in containers as well. We thank Tory Galloway for sharing this with us from her garden full of water-wise plants in Indianola. Hardy to at least 10°F.

Ozothamnus rosmarinifolius

$16 (1 gallon)

Beautiful, hardy, and easy to grow, this Australian member of the Asteraceae family sports narrow silvery leaves that fade to green-grey in rainy weather and closely packed heads of white flowers that emerge from showy deep pink buds. It develops into an upright shrub with beautiful dense growth and upswept branches, ultimately reaching about 4 - 6' depending on the site. Best cultivated in full sun, it can handle any amount of wind and exposure, and drought, and temperatures to around 10°F.

Podocarpus

See under Conifers.

Tasmannia (Drimys) lanceolata

$12

Everyone who sees the irresistable red stems and deep green leaves of this pyramidal broadleaf evergreen shrub from Tasmania is drawn to it. The leaves have been used in seasoning for their peppery taste, and on mature plants inconspicuous yellow flowers are followed by berries that the birds like. It will be happy in any moist to average soil and will handle frost down to about 12 - 15°F.

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