Aesculus californica - CALIFORNIA BUCKEYE

$14

This California native has come up with a rather interesting way of adapting to drought. It is one of the first hardy shrubs to leaf out in the spring, but when summer drought gets severe the leaves can just drop off without any harm to the plant. So it is not strictly winter deciduous or summer deciduous, but in most gardens it behaves more like a winter deciduous tree. The large palmately compound leaves resemble those of Horsechestnut, but slightly smaller; and showy white flowers appear on mature plants. These are followed by huge seeds in cool spiny husks in late fall. It is a vigorous grower without getting too tall - 15' being a common mature height - and tends to be multi-stemmed if not trained to a single trunk. It can handle sun or part shade, and dry or irrigated garden conditions. Our collection shared with us by George Guthrie from the Medford, Oregon area (the northern extent of its range) should be hardy to at least -15°F.

Agave

See under Succulents.

Arctostaphylos andersonii - SANTA CRUZ MANZANITA New Fall 2011!

$10

This rare manzanita is a vigorous, attractive shrub that may reach 6 - 8' tall or more. The coarse, long (for manzanita), closely set leaves that stick straight out remind of certain Protea species, and terminal clusters of white flowers appear in spring. It is endangered in the wild, but easily cultivated under the same care as all Arctostaphylos. Although it originates at low altitudes in the Santa Cruz Mountains of coastal California, it seems to be easily hardy west of the Cascades, tolerating temperatures in the 0 - 5°F range without significant harm.

Arctostaphylos x 'Austin Griffiths' - AUSTIN GRIFFITHS MANZANITA New Fall 2011!

$12

I went to school with a guy named Austin Griffith, but apparently that is not who this excellent hybrid is named after (even if I can't help but think of him every time I see the name of this plant). (By the way, he should grow it.) Combining the best features of both parents, A. manzanita and A. densiflora, this hybrid forms a broad, vigorous, spreading shrub to 6 - 8' tall and wider. Excellent for bank cover although you might just as well want to give it a prominent spot in the garden. The red bark and stems are always attractive, and the profuse pink flowers in late winter are an added bonus. Reportedly this species has the distinction of being an excellent nectar source for butterflies and hummingbirds, one reference calling this feature "superior to any other plant." This begs the question, have they really tried all the other plants? Anyway, this is a good one, and it does great in the Pacific Northwest. 5°F or better.

Arctostaphylos bakeri 'Louis Edmonds'

$12

You've always wanted a shrub with a purple trunk, and now, at last, your dreams can come true! That's right, this manzanita has smooth bark with a distinct purple coloration. But wait; there's more! It also has dusky green-grey leaves, and pink flowers followed by reddish berries! And, if you call right now, we'll throw in a rugged, contorted growth habit. Like most manzanitas, this will appreciate a mostly sunny site with excellent drainage and no summer irrigation once established. Hardy to about 5°F.

Arctostaphylos densiflora 'Howard McMinn'

$10

An attractive plant, it has a generous covering of white spring bell flowers, and the usual red fruits and smooth red bark characteristic of manzanita. Leaves are a rich, deep green with red highlights. It is usually purported to reach 3 - 6' tall, but I've seen it reach at least 12' tall and wider in Seattle. This is perhaps the most commonly available manzanita in nurseries, being considered "one of the most dependable and adaptable" of the bunch. What that really means is that people managing nurseries and gardens with heavy watering regimes and less than adequate drainage are less likely to kill it than other species - not that there's any thing wrong with the other species. It prefers full sun and tolerates a wide range of soil types as long as drainage is decent. Hardy to about 0 - 5°F.

Arctostaphylos densiflora 'Sentinel' - SENTINEL MANZANITA

$12

This popular selection of a northern California native forms an upright shrub to 6' tall and as wide. Dark leaves and smooth red-brown bark are offset by generous clusters of pink flowers that cover the plant in spring. Relatively easy to grow, it is not afflicted with leaf spots or other ailments, but it does require perfect drainage and no summer water except in the hottest climates. For full sun; hardy to 5°F.

Arctostaphylos x 'Emerald Carpet'

$9

A low growing, slightly mounding plant with glossy, small, deep green leaves and white flowers. It might be the same as Arctostaphylos x 'Emerald Carpet', a hybrid of A. uva-ursi and A. nummularifolia; however, it's mounding up a little more than 'Emerald Carpet' is supposed to, so I can't be certain. Whatever it is, it's very easy to please and seems to be very much at home in our climate.

Arctostaphylos glandulosa [upright form]

$12

Eastwood's manzanita is one of the most variable and difficult manzanitas to define, so here I''m going by the name that came with my original plant. This form appears to be a vigorous upright grower with deep green leaves, rather like some forms of A. manzanita. Try it out and find out, I guess! Perhaps it may turn out to be a hardier substitute for A. manzanita, as A. glandulosa often occurs in colder areas.

Arctostaphylos hookeri [UCSC form] - MONTEREY MANZANITA

$12

Coming from the central California coast near Monterey, this attractive species combines the smooth red-brown bark for which manzanitas are revered with very fine textured foliage (as manzanitas go). The leaves of this form are green with a grayish cast, and in spring the plant is covered in little white bell-shaped flowers. Vigorous and easy to grow, it will form a low shrub to 2' or 3' tall and at perhaps 5' wide. This one can even tolerate a little shade provided it has good drainage. An excellent choice for the Puget Sound area (but then, most manzanitas are!). Hardy to around 5°F.

Arctostaphylos hookeri 'Wayside' - WAYSIDE MANZANITA

$10

This selection of Monterey Manzanita is very vigorous, quickly forming a spreading mound of foliage to 2' tall and 10' wide. It also fills in nicely and rewards you with an impressive flower show in spring. The leaves are small and green on reddish stems. Use it to cover a dry sunny bank, or as a no-water groundcover in a roadside planting strip. It also tolerates a little shade, in fact preferring it in hot climates. Hardy to at least 5°F.

Arctostaphylos manzanita 'Dr. Hurd'

$12

Big, fast, and green pretty much sums up the distinguishing features of this manzanita from just north of the Bay Area in California. The glossy green leaves are larger than usual for manzanita, and the red bark is especially stunning once the plants reaches its full size of 15 - 20' tall. And of course, you get large clusters of white bell flowers too in spring. Some references mention that it may be a hybrid with A. stanfordiana - we sure don't know. Tolerating temperatures in the 0 - 5°F range at least, it ought to be hardy for most gardens west of the Cascades, and adapts easily in the garden.

Arctostaphylos manzanita 'Hood Mountain'

$12

One of the nicest larger manzanitas, this one tends to max out around 10' or so with rather soft green leaves and an impressive show of white early spring flowers. It was introduced by Nevin Smith from Sonoma County, California and has proven very easy to cultivate. Not quite as upright and green as A. manzanita usually is, it is listed by one reference as a possible hybrid with A. canescens. Easily hardy in most gardens west of the Cascades, it can handle at least 0 - 5°F.

Arctostaphylos x media 'Martha Ewan'

$10

This superior form of our native hybrid manzanita was selected from the north Oregon Coast by Xera Plants. Its main features are a neat and compact appearance, exceptionally large fruit, and (apparently in our experience) excellent resistance to leaf spot. Dimensions listed by Xera are 30" tall by 5' wide, but it is likely to be slow-growing. It should handle a little shade and temperatures to at least 0°F.

Arctostaphylos x media [Seqium]

$10

Another excellent form, this one is very vigorous, and it is much greyer than average, with seductive dusky pink flowers. In fact, this one looks the least like the other forms, almost causing us to suspect it may be another non-native species or hybrid - but nothing else fits either idea, so we'll go with this for now. It forms a low, dense mound to about 2" high and spreading 8' across. It's (I suppose) not actually native to Sequim; I surreptitiously pilfered these cuttings from a Sequim park. But I promise never to do it again. Probably. Unless I need more cuttings. Hardy to at least -15°F.

Arctostaphylos x 'Pacific Mist' - PACIFIC MIST MANZANITA

$12

No, contrary to popular belief, Pacific Mist is not what falls out of the Seattle sky eleven months out of the year. It is the name for this wonderful manzanita hybrid, the silvery-grey leaves of which, when you desperately desire relief from the heat and drought as you long for those rainy winter days to hydrate your garden, will recall those nice drizzly winter afternoons. This cultivar has less conspicuous flowers than some, but the leaves, red stems and pink new growth are very attractive, and of course, the smooth red bark is too. This plant might be classed as a tall groundcover, forming a broad, low mound to about 2' high and 10' wide, and growing much more quickly than most manzanitas. One of the easiest Arctostaphylos to grow, it will readily adapt to most soils and tolerate a little summer water, but not too much. It will even handle a little bit of shade, especially in hot climates. Hardy to about 5°F.

Arctostaphylos pajaroensis 'Brett's Beauty' - PAJARO MANZANITA

$14

Pajaro Manzanita comes from coastal California in the Santa Cruz and Watsonville area. This recent selection by Brett Hall of the highly esteemed UCSC Arboretum features blue-green leaves with jaw-dropping deep red new growth on an irregular shrub to 6' tall with equal spread. Like most manzanitas it will appreciate a mostly sunny position with excellent drainage, and little or no summer water. This cultivar is still extremely rare - stay tuned for more information about this exciting new selection. Its hardiness has been impressive as well; it's certainly safe to at least 5°F and perhaps lower.

Arctostaphylos x 'Sunset' - SUNSET MANZANITA

$10

This selection of a natural hybrid of A. pajaroensis and A. hookeri has proven to be one of the most reliable and easily grown manzanitas in cultivation. As such, it seems to be one of the most common in Northwest cultivation along with A. densiflora 'Howard McMinn'. Growing vigorously to 6' (taller after many years) with equal spread, it has smooth red bark, apple-green leaves on white stems, and amazing bronzy new growth. It is at home in any sunny garden with well drained soil, and while it prefers a period of summer drought, it can handle a little bit of occasional irrigation. Hardy to around 5°F.

Arctostaphylos tomentosa x A. andersonii New Fall 2011!

$12

This large and vigorous shrub may reach 12' or more over time, and tends to be very upright. It may be one of the easiest manzanitas to train into a small tree shape, highlighting the smooth bark. The leaves are quite large like those of A. andersonii, and prolific white flowers appear in early spring. This super-rare hybrid of a rare species was kindly shared with us by Mark and Lila Muller at Fairmeadow Nursery, Olympia; who originally got it from the UCSC collection. Very hardy, it can easily handle at least 5°F.

Baccharis piularis - COYOTE BRUSH New Fall 2011!

$12

If you're one of those people who demands instant gratification, this is the plant for you - it grows FAST. A popular wildlife shrub in California, this evergreen with silvery-green little leaves will tolerate any well drained soil in sun or part shade (though you'll get the best leaf color in sun). It is so tough, you can pretty much plant it, water it in, and forget about it. It's more of a foliage plant; the flowers are not very exciting and result in fluffy little seed pods. This collection from its northernmost point of origin in western Oregon was generously shared with us by Sean Hogan at Cistus Nursery, and grows as large and treelike as this species ever gets, to 15'. If that's too big, it can handle being cut back hard for more foliage. And did we mention it's FAST? Oh yes, we did. Hardy to at least -10°F, I would think.

Ceanothus x 'Blue Jeans'

$9

So you want a Ceanothus, but you want to be sure you have something hardy that won't get too big. Well do we have just the plant for you! 'Blue Jeans' is an attractive cultivar with small shallowly lobed leaves resembling those of C. gloriosus, but smaller. Unlike most forms of C. gloriosus it is an upright grower reaching about 4' tall and wide. The flower color is a wonderful deep blue! Like all Ceanothus it prefers a dry and sunny location in the garden (partial shade is tolerated but flowering will be greatly reduced). A little hardier than most of the common Ceanothus hybrids grown in the Northwest, it can handle about 0 - 5°F once established.

Ceanothus thrysiflorus

$9

Native to the coast of Oregon and California, this very hardy and adaptable "wild lilac" is the parent of many popular hybrids including 'Victoria'. It will make a large shrub or small tree to about 14' with glossy evergreen leaves. When I drove the Oregon Coast in May 2002, this plant lit up the hillsides with its explosion of clear blue flowers. It is one of the most adaptable Ceanothus when it comes to tolerating heat and some summer moisture. Hardy to 0°F.

Chamaecyparis

See under Conifers (if available).

Juniperus

See under Conifers.

Myrica californica - PACIFIC WAX MYRTLE

$8

This broadleaf evergreen is one of the Northwest's most valuable native plants for the garden. It is native along the immediate Pacific Coast from California up to Vancouver Island, where it grows as a low shrub in exposed areas right at the beach, to a small tree to 25' in coastal forests. In gardens it makes an excellent screen for shelter or specimen tree for a native planting, and it is always in high demand in Northwest nurseries. It also has value as wildlife habitat, since it produces little black berries that the birds like. Although it will tolerate both drought and poor drainage, it looks a lot better on decent soil with at least a little irrigation. Hardy to about -5°F.

Opuntia

See under Cacti.

Quercus

See under Oaks and Friends.

Umbellularia californica - OREGON MYRTLE

$9

One of those special plants from the Siskyou-Klamath bio-region, this avocado relative is a most unique member of our West Coast flora. A slow-growing evergreen tree with tough, very dark green leaves; it can also be compared to Laurus nobilis (bay laurel) from the Mediterranean region in habit and uses, though it is hardier and may eventually grow much larger in the Northwest. All parts of the plant have an exceptionally strong aroma which is pleasing in small doses but can be overpowering if you aren't prepared for it! And it even makes fruit that look like little avocados - don't try eating them, though - yuck! It also posesses excellent quality wood that is strong, smooth-grained, pleasingly fragrant, and prized by woodworkers. A moderate grower (slow on dry sites), in Seattle it eventually grows as tall as 60-90' and often reseeds itself: it could easily be native here if time and chance had allowed. If 90' seems a bit much, it can also be clipped into a low maintenance hedge. Although perfectly drought tolerant, access to moisture will encourage much faster growth. It's generally easy to grow and I think deserves more experimentation in other parts of the USA. Not a good permanent outdoor container specimen, despite its impressive top-hardiness, if the roots are subject to a hard freeze it's dead. Hardy to -10°F.

Vaccinium ovatum - EVERGREEN HUCKLEBERRY

$8

This Northwest native broadleaf evergreen has been a popular garden plant for many years. We like its tough little leaves, bronzy or bright red new growth, and showy spring bell-like flowers. These are followed by little dark blue fruits in autumn that birds also appreciate. It may eventually reach 6' tall or more, but it usually slow growing and easy to keep smaller if needed. Its ecology is not always well understood by gardeners: although it sometimes grows on dry, poor sites in the wild; it does not like dry, exposed sites, compacted soil, or poor drainage in cultivation. Grown in full sun, it requires moist, well amended soil; in shade, it is less particular. Hardy to at least -10°F once established, but new growth may be damaged by frost if not hardened off.

Yucca

See under Succulents.

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