Sunday, November 6, 2011

California Fuchsias - Red Hot Hotties in the Fall Garden

No better harbinger of fall than the brilliant crimson flowers of Cal Fuchsias. These fantabulous natives were in peak bloom on our grounds in September. The hummingbirds were dive-bombing like there was no tomorrow...


9/5/11 Zauschneria (or Epilobium) californica 'UC Hybrid.'

9/5/11 Zauschneria (Epilobium) californica 'Ghostly Red.'

9/5/11 Catalina Island California Fuchsia (Zauschneria/Epilobium californica). A very tall (4-5'), upright Cal Fuchsia that is stunning in the landscape with it's greyish foliage and scarlet fall blooms. This one is 3 years old growing next to a 'Dr. Hurd' Manzanita (Arctostaphylos manzanita).

9/5/11 Catalina Island California Fuchsia (Zauschneria/Epilobium californica).

9/5/11 'Uvas Canyon' California Fuchsia (Zauschneria/Epilobium californica).

9/5/11 Rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus nauseosus) in full bloom, Konocti Manzanita (Arctostaphylos manzanita ssp. elegans), St. Catherine's Lace (Eriogonum giganteum), Woolly Blue Curls (Trichostema lanatum), and 'Route 66 California Fuchsia.

9/5/11 'Route 66' California Fuchsia (a Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden intro).

Now on to other fall beauties:

10/14/11 'Eve Case' Coffeeberry (Rhamnus californica).

10/14/11 'Aguirre' Turpentine Brush (Haplopappus laricifolia) and Deer Grass (Muhlenbergia rigens).

10/14/11 Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis). This one likes lots of water (so it's in my mountain meadow planter) & is very attractive to the hummers. 

10/14/11 'Sunset' Monkeyflower.

10/14/11 Island Bristleweed (Hazardia detonsa). Native to the Channel Islands.

10/14/11 Scarlet Monkeyflower (Mimulus cardinalis).

6 comments:

  1. I've got a Cal Fuchsia in bloom as we speak. Was photo #6 taken at your estate? Because it's beautiful.

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  2. Karin, yes all the photos were taken at our 'estate' - lol! I never ever thought of our property as such - it's more of a modest homestead with lots of gardening potential and a few acres of chaparral that we plan to maintain into perpetuity. Photo#6 was the first area I planted with natives back in 2006 and it's been doing swimmingly without any supplemental irrigation ever since.

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  3. It's so perfect as to almost look unreal -- like a movie set for a western musical (if there ever was such a thing).

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  4. Route 66 looks like it's the heaviest bloomer for you. I've only grown a couple cultivars, but that was definitely my experience. Of all your collection I'm relaly drawn to the Hazardia dentosa...something about those brilliant white leaves...

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  5. The Hazardia is a very unique-looking plant, James. I love the silvery-white foliage, which is reminiscent of many of the Artemisias and Mediterranean Santolinas, which I think are beautiful and indispensable in a xeric gardenscape.

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