The Arboretum has something for every garden
at the annual Spring Plant Sale on Saturday, April 16
By Tim Stephens
The UCSC Arboretum will hold its annual Spring Plant Sale on
Saturday, April 16, from noon to 4 p.m. Spring is always a great
time to visit the Arboretum, now celebrating its 40th anniversary,
and pick out some favorite plants while the gardens are in full
bloom. The plant sale will take place at the Arboretum's Eucalyptus
Grove on High Street near the intersection with Western Drive.
Among the plants for sale at the
Arboretum is Boronia crenulata 'Rosy Splendor.'
|
A wide variety of native and exotic plants will be available
at the sale, including attractive selections of Grevillea,
manzanita, pincushion protea, Salvia, succulents, and
tea tree. Knowledgeable Arboretum staff and volunteers will
be on hand to answer questions.
The Arboretum's sale is held in conjunction with the spring
plant sale of the California Native Plant Society. Both sales
are open early (from 10 a.m. to noon) to members of the Arboretum
Associates and the California Native Plant Society, and to the
general public from noon to 4 p.m.
Boronia heterophylla, an
Australian member of the citrus family, has fragrant flowers
and will also be available at the sale.
|
A complete list of the plants available at the Arboretum sale
is posted on the group's web site, arboretum.ucsc.edu.
A few of the many plants that will be available are described
below.
Banksia spinulosa 'Red Rock' is a selection with exceptionally
large, golden 6- to 8-inch long flowerheads that are well displayed
among the linear serrated leaves. This shrub grows 8 feet tall
and about as wide. It is best grown in well-drained acidic soils
in partial or full sun. There will also be other banksias for
sale, including Banksia baxteri.
No garden is complete without Leptospermum 'Queen of
Hearts', a hybrid created by the Arboretum's founding director,
Ray Collett. This is a low-growing, spreading plant with profuse
1-inch open white flowers with reddish sepals. The flowers smell
like butter and cinnamon. Leptospermum turbinatum, the
Grampians tea tree, is a larger shrub with shiny elliptical
leaves and white-to-cream blossoms.
Leucospermum cordifolium
'Yellow Bird,' a yellow form of the pincushion protea,
is rarely available to the public.
|
Other plants from the Australian collection include many different
flower colors of Anigozanthus flavidus (kangaroo paws),
Patersonia glabrata, and Adenanthos sericea. From
the South African collection, look for Leucospermum cordifolium
'Yellow Bird' and others.
California natives available from the Arboretum will include
Romneya coulteri, the Matilija poppy, with its gigantic
white flowers with yellow centers. Two low ground covers, Arctostaphylos
edmundsii 'Little Sur' and Ceanothus hearstiorum
will be available. For a large shrub, try Malosma laurina
(laurel sumac) and enjoy its aromatic leaves and clouds of tiny
white flowers in early summer. The Arboretum will also be selling
Dudleya viscida, a native succulent that makes a nice
addition to a rock garden. This plant is rarely for sale, except
at the Arboretum and one or two specialty nurseries. Dudleya
viscida is a narrow endemic from southern California that
has open pink flowers on compact inflorescences and fragrant,
shiny lime-green leaves.
For more information about the sale, contact the UCSC Arboretum
at (831) 427-2998. The Arboretum is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
every day. Norrie's Gifts is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Email this story
Printer-friendly version
Return to Front Page