San Jose Curb check

[Silas_Sancona]

A quick look at a curbside landscape i did in front of the duplex my mom was living at, before we'd moved to FL. Initially, because there are no sprinklers, i decided on putting in stuff i knew could exist on very little water/care.  I also continued the same idea of drought tolerant plants in the curb area of our next door neighbors yard. When we left, most of the plants had just gone in on my neighbor's side.  Several things i added on his side came from Arizona that summer. The plants i put in on our side had been in the ground about a year extra. Anyhow, our neighbor sent some picture of how the area was looking now that spring has set in. Needless to say, i had to share the pictures.

I apologize that i couldn't pull some of the pictures in a little more, especially the picture containing both types of Pacific Coast Iris varieties i put in. Regardless, the blue and white one is one of the most exotic looking, non exotic plants i have ever come across. Enjoy.

#1: Larger of the two Pink Trumpet Trees i put in, finally starting to show off. Other one (Picture #3) is roughly a year away from starting to put out more than just a few flowers. The first tree looked about as wimpy as the second when it first went in the ground.

Less common to the area plants used: "Valentine" Emu Bush, Silvery Cassia ( Senna artemisioides), Baja Fairy Duster (Calliandra californica) and Leucophyllum zygophyllum "cimarron".. and those Tabebuias!!. ( Wasn't about to put in another Liquidamber) I might have to drop by to add in a couple surprises this summer, if we're in town. Don't like holes in my landscapes, lol

 

[Hillizard]

Here's my Cassia artemisioides (aka Senna artemisioides or Feathery/Silvery Cassia) in bloom right now in my backyard in interior NorCal. Flowers have a light scent. While the blooming period is short and intense, the evergreen leaves are attractive year-round in my opinion. This Australian endemic handles heat and cold and strong sun very well where I live. I've had it now for over two years and it's more than doubled in size.

[Darold Petty]

What is the cultivar name for the darker Iris ?  Thanks

[Josue Diaz]

Wow great space you created there. I am in the process of landscaping the parking strip so seeing your example is helpful. 

[Silas_Sancona]

Darold,

Not 100% but I'm thinking it is Pac. coast Iris Hyb. "Bright Lights"  At the time id put them in, I was buying for the native and exotic/uncommon plant section at my former work. While most of the Iris id order came in labeled, a few un / mis labeled plants would come in on an order from time to time.  

Hill,
C.artemisioides is indeed a great plant. At the time, id seen these planted along part of the 85 that runs between Almaden Expressway and Camden Ave back in San Jose but couldn't find them (or order them) from anyone locally. When id gone to Phoenix that year, I made a point of bring back a few, among other stuff in that planting.. and for myself to experiment with. I think this sp. and some of the other Aussie Cassia/Sennas are more available there now. Very common here and just started flowering over the last couple weeks. 

As much as I like them,  id like to see more of our regionally native species in local landscapes, and trialed more in CA.. Most should handle at least the high 20s, heat, and dry conditions well. 

Some Pictures of my top 3 favorite shrubby sp. 

Senna purpusii - Baja Senna. Kind of slow growing.. Bluish and Purplish, thick foliage / leaves. Evergreen. Winter flowering. Pictures from Desert Botanical, Phoenix.



Senna polyantha ..no common name that I could find. Taller, open shrub. Flowers mid/late summer( possibly earlier and/or into the fall). Partially deciduous in winter. Pictures taken at the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum, Tucson.



Senna wislizenii - Shrubby Senna. Texas/ N.E. Mexico native. Partially or wholly deciduous in winter. Flowers in Spring/Summer. Pictures taken at Tohono Chul Park, Tucson.

..Several other native sp. are also worth looking into as well. 

[Hillizard]

1 hour ago, Silas_Sancona said:

Darold,

Not 100% but I'm thinking it is Pac. coast Iris Hyb. "Bright Lights"  At the time id put them in, I was buying for the native and exotic/uncommon plant section at my former work. While most of the Iris id order came in labeled, a few un / mis labeled plants would come in on an order from time to time.  

Hill,
C.artemisioides is indeed a great plant. At the time, id seen these planted along part of the 85 that runs between Almaden Expressway and Camden Ave back in San Jose but couldn't find them (or order them) from anyone locally. When id gone to Phoenix that year, I made a point of bring back a few, among other stuff in that planting.. and for myself to experiment with. I think this sp. and some of the other Aussie Cassia/Sennas are more available there now. Very common here and just started flowering over the last couple weeks. 

As much as I like them,  id like to see more of our regionally native species in local landscapes, and trialed more in CA.. Most should handle at least the high 20s, heat, and dry conditions well. 

Some Pictures of my top 3 favorite shrubby sp. 

Senna purpusii - Baja Senna. Kind of slow growing.. Bluish and Purplish, thick foliage / leaves. Evergreen. Winter flowering. Pictures from Desert Botanical, Phoenix.



Senna polyantha ..no common name that I could find. Taller, open shrub. Flowers mid/late summer( possibly earlier and/or into the fall). Partially deciduous in winter. Pictures taken at the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum, Tucson.



Senna wislizenii - Shrubby Senna. Texas/ N.E. Mexico native. Partially or wholly deciduous in winter. Flowers in Spring/Summer. Pictures taken at Tohono Chul Park, Tucson.

..Several other native sp. are also worth looking into as well. 

Silas: Thanks for sharing those great pictures! I should plant at least one native Senna in my front yard (that's only native plants of California).