Banksia marginata - SILVER BANKSIA

$14

I guarantee this Banksia is made of pure silver! Well, not quite, but it's almost as good. This species is usually a shrub to about 5 - 8' tall, but it may attain the stature of a small tree. The green leaves are comparatively small (under 2") with light serrations, and silvery underneath. Yellow flowers may appear on tall cylindrical "cones" in winter. Silver Banksia is very easy to grow. It will be happiest in full sun on sandy or silty soil, and does not like clay or very rich soils. It is quite drought tolerant but will also not object to moderate summer irrigation. It can also be grown in a large container for many years. This plant was shared with us by Brian Brown from his garden in Bremerton, Washington, where it has remained unscathed by the severe cold events of November 2006, December 2008 and December 2009 - it's now about 10' tall. We also know that this plant is originally of Tasmanian origin, suggesting it is well adapted to a cool climate. Hardiness once established is certainly somewhere below 20°F; hopefully, further testing will enable us to figure out just how much lower.

Banksia serrata - SAW BANKSIA NEW Spring 2010!

$14

Running low on saw blades? Each leaf of this Banksia (aptly named 'Saw Banksia' but also called 'Old Man Banksia') is like a little double sided saw. These are green above and silvery underneath, with attractive pinkish new growth. Add to that the silvery grey cone-like flowers with yellow or golden stamens, and you have a spectacular plant! Often a shrub in cultivation, if it is happy it may grow into a large tree to 30' or more! Hardy to at least 20°F, it will be happiest in a well drained, sunny situation, or it can make a fabulous potted patio plant for the foliage alone, to be brought into a cool greenhouse in winter. It may be hardier in climates with hot summers, and will regrow from the base if it freezes.

Grevillea 'Ivanhoe'

$16

This very cool, but (alas!) not very hardy Grevillea belongs in the "toothbrush flowered" group. It has deeply lobed leaves and bright red flowers and may eventually reach 8' tall and wide or larger. The foliage is a favorite among growers of Proteaceae for the floral industry. Although not difficult to grow in well drained soil, it cannot be considered hardy below about 22°F in the Pacific Northwest. Perhaps in a climate with more summer heat it would display better frost-hardiness.

Grevillea 'Poorinda Leane' NEW Spring 2010!

$12

This Grevillea, incorrectly sold by nurseries for many years as 'Poorinda Queen', is truly one of the easiest, most rewarding, and least demanding plants in the whole Proteaceae family. A vigorous grower to about 5' tall and 8' wide, it has small, silver-backed leaves and produces tawny yellow-orange flowers for much of the year. It is suitable for sun or part shade and will even tolerate heavy clay soil as long as drainage isn't too bad. It also tolerates heat, and cold down to at least 5°F, perhaps lower for brief periods.

Grevillea victoriae 'Marshall's Seedling' NEW Spring 2010!

$12

This outstanding and hardy plant originated as a chance seedling at the former Western Hills Nursery in Occidental, California. Named for the late owner Marshall Ulbrecht, it is listed as a form of G. victoriae but is obviously a hybrid of this species and something with narrower leaves. It is a very vigorous shrub to 10' or more with orange flowers which appear over a long period, and narrow grey leaves to about 2" long. It has the general aspect of Grevillea 'Poorinda Constance' but with larger flowers and leaves. Very hardy and adaptable, it ought to endure 5°F without harm, will tolerate most soils and even a little shade.

Grevillea victoriae 'Murray Valley Queen'

$14

This very showy cultivar differs from the basic form of this species in having rusty orange flowers in more prolific, large, compound racemes, thus covering the plant much more throughly than the regular form (though the new growth still sticks up above the flowers). Also, the leaves are rounder and a little bit less silvery and the plant (in my garden anyways) has a more open, spreading habit to about 6' tall by 9' wide. Like the regular form, it has done well in my garden with no care, though it does seem to be just a touch less hardy. Hardy to about 10°F and possibly lower.

Hakea salicifolia - WILLOW-LEAF HAKEA

$14

The quest for hardy Hakeas has uncovered a few that aren't prickly, including this species from the mountains of New South Wales and Queensland. As the name suggests, the leaves are larger and willow-like with bronzy new growth maturing to deep green. White flowers appear in the leaf axils on mature plants. A vigorous, hardy, very adaptable and easily grown shrub, this species adapts easily to a variety of sites. Hardy to at least 10°F.

Leucadendron laureolum - GOLDEN CONEBUSH

$14

This South African shrub to 6' is the parent of many attractive Leucadendron hybrids, including some of the hardier ones. With soft, somewhat silky foliage and appealing bracts, it looks great all year and is generally one of the easiest Leucadendrons to grow. It could be used in a container where it can spend most of the time outdoors to be brought in during periods of heavy frost. Hardy to about 25°F.

Lomatia tinctoria - GUITAR PLANT NEW Spring 2010!

$14

Who draws the crowd and plays so loud, baby? It's the guitar plant! Actually, the soft, fernlike foliage alone - deep green, very finely dissected leaves with bronze new growth - could draw a crowd. But it also produces showy spikes of white or cream flowers in summer, which someone apparently thinks look like little guitars up close (but much quieter). This Tasmania endemic has been in cultivation for a while, though still very rare, and it's much hardier and easier to grow than given credit for, thriving easily on any reasonably well-drained soil in sun or part shade. Hardy to about 5 - 10°F.

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