Cactus Blog

Dudleya “Frank Reinelt”

California Native forming 1 foot mounds. As seen at the UC Botanical Garden.

Dudleya edulis
Fingertips

Clumping rosettes to 12″, green in shade, SoCal native

Hardy to 15F
Full Sun to Part Sun
Cactus Soil
Low Water

Asclepias tuberosa
Butterfly Milkweed
Native throughout the US
Herbaceous Perennial

Sun: Prefers Full Sun, Handles Light Shade
Water: Moderate, drought-tolerant
Size: 2 feet tall

Dies back in winter and re-sprouts from its underground tuber each spring. The brilliant orange or red flower clusters appear in midsummer followed by attractive green pods.

Fouquieria splendens in mid summer bloom!

From the Mojave and Colorado deserts; spiny stems. Hardy to 0F in very fast draining soil.

Abutilon palmeri – Indian Mallow

California Native/Southwestern US
Evergreen desert shrub

Sun: Full Sun
Water: Low
Size: 3 to 6 feet

Very heat-tolerant. Fuzzy gray leaves, orange poppy flowers. An astounding addition to any drought-tolerant or native-plant garden. Hardy to 25F.

Dudleya edulis

Clumping rosettes to 12″, green in shade, SoCal native

Hardy to 15F
Full Sun to Part Sun
Cactus Soil
Low Water

Mimulus “Georgie Tangerine” on 4th Street in Berkeley

I can’t actually confirm the ID of the cultivar, but I’m pretty sure. Embiggen the photo if you want to look a bit closer yourself and let me know what you think. Maybe it’s M. “Curious Orange”?

It’s Gaura lindheimeri on the streets of Sydney. Australia!

Gaura lindheimeri – Appleblossom Grass
Native to California
Perennial

Sun: Full Sun
Water: Low
Size: 2-3 feet

Wispy, upright perennial. The stalkless leaves and flowers grow directly on the stems. White flowers with a hint of pink bloom in the spring through fall. Cut back flower stalks for repeat bloom.

Coreopsis gigantea
California Native

Shrubby to 6ft.; summer deciduous. Yellow daisy flowers.

Hardy to 25F

Full Sun

Cactus Soil

Low water, moderate in winter

Dudleya farinosa is normally a pretty green California native succulent, coastal northern California the  best more interesting about it. But the Noyo River form is white white white. This is also northern California Coastal, but almost all the way to Fort Bragg.

 
Dudleya brittonii
Baja California
 
18″ rosettes on single stems with chalky leaves. Looks best if dry through the summer months – avoid overhead watering.
 
Hardy to 20F 
Full Sun to Part Sun
Cactus Soil
Low Water

Mimulus “Jelly Bean Terra Cotta”
 
California Hybrid
Evergreen Perennial

Sun: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Water: Low
Size: Shrub to 2ft.

Deep reddish-orange flowers will bloom year round.  Deer resistant.  Hardy to about 20°F.

Mimulus aurantiacus
 
California Native
Evergreen Perennial

Sun: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Water: Low
Size: Shrub to 3ft.

Commonly found growing wild on California hillsides. Orange flowers appear sporadically throughout the year. Much more drought tolerant than other mimulus. Deer resistant. Hardy to 25°F.

Fremontodendron “Ken Taylor” – Flannel Bush
Native to California
Evergreen shrub

Sun: Full Sun
Water: Summer-drought
Size: 6’ t. x 10’w.

Perfect for sunny dry areas. Blooms spring and summer – golden yellow/orange. Rich mass of thick thick green leaves.

Malacothamnus palmeri

California Native
Evergreen Shrub

Sun: Full to Part Sun
Water: Low once established
Size: Bushy, erect stems to 6 feet

Vibrant green foliage year-round gives to small bright pink flowers throughout the summer. Coastal native (Big Sur Area). Butterfly plant. Hardy to 10F.

Mimulus “Esselen” – Santa Lucia Monkeyflower

California Native
Evergreen Perennial

Sun: Full Sun to Part Shade
Water: Low
Size: 2ft.

Compact shrub with glossy green leaves and bright orange flowers in spring and summer. Great for coastal gardens. Attracts hummingbirds and is a host plant for the Checkerspot butterfly. Deer resistant. Hardy to 20F.

The Dudleyas are always a crowd-pleaser, what with the small chalky leaves and green leaves and long bloom spikes with pale small flowers too.

Dudleya anomala is our newest member of the California native Sea-Lettuce family. I wonder how it got a strange name like that? This one is pretty reliably green and doesn’t get too red in sun. Where in California is it from? Why its from Baja California.

Tight clusters of green rosettes with slightly red tips in full sun. White flowers on long bloom stalks.

• Hardy to 25F
• Full Sun to Part Shade
• Cactus Soil
• Low Water

Dudleya brittonii is the classic Giant Chalk Dudleya, also from Baja California.

18″ rosettes on single stems with chalky leaves. Looks best if dry through the summer months – avoid overhead watering.

• Hardy to 20F
• Full Sun to Part Sun
• Cactus Soil
• Low Water

Finally we have the very red Dudleya farinosa – Sea Lettuce, our own Northern California coastal succulent.

• Hardy to 20F
• Full Sun to Part Sun
• Cactus Soil
• Low Water

Achillea millefolium “Sunrise” – Yarrow

Hybrid from California Native
Herbaceous Perennial

Sun: Full Sun to Part Shade
Water: Low to Moderate
Size: Fern-like foliage to 2ft.

Golden yellow flowers with a touch of pink in Spring/Summer. Remove spent flowers for a late summer rebloom. Cut flowers last a long time, look great dried. Attracts Butterflies. Hardy to below 0°F.

Cercis occidentalis
Western Redbud

Southwestern US/California Native
Evergreen tree

Sun: Full to Partial
Water: Winter rain, summer drought
Size: 20ft.

Careful not to disturb roots when transplanting. Magenta flowers in Spring. From rocky soils at foothills. Bright green kidney-shaped leaves.

Dudleya brittonii, the Giant Chalk Dudleya from Baja California. Now don’t argue with me here – I have an answer for any objections you might have to my answer below.

Q: How do you differentiate between a dudleya and a echeveria?

-Mary
(via Instagram)

Mary-

They are very closely related! But Dudleyas are California native and summer dormant, while Echeverias are Mexican and winter dormant. Also Echeveria flowers are more brightly colored.

Peter