Spring in South Africa, courtesy of UC Santa Cruz Arboretum
In my previous post I showed you a selection of seasonal standouts in the Australian Garden at the University of California Santa Cruz Arboretum—plants that looked particularly good when I was there on April 13, 2019.
This post essentially does the same for the South African Garden. While most conebushes (genus Leucadendron) and sugarbushes (genus Protea) were a few months past their prime, many pincushions (genus Leucospermum) were in full flower.
It's easy to fall in love with pincushions, but unless you have the right environment, they're not easy to grow—at least in my experience (current kill count: 4). I think Davis is just a tad too hot in the summer for their liking. In contrast, leucadendrons have an easier time here.
Fortunately, I can always drive to Santa Cruz to get my Leucospermum fill. It's a little over two hours by car if the traffic gods are in a good mood—so a quick one-day outing is doable. A weekend getaway would be even better, of course, except I never manage to plan that far ahead.
But enough yakking already. Time to let the plants shine!
Most pincushions used in landscaping seem to be hybrids, no doubt because of the wider range of flower sizes and colors available. In contrast, most leucospermums at the UCSC Arboretum are species, some of which quite rare in cultivation.
While conebushes (genus Leucadendron) are typically at their most colorful in the winter, I found some that were peaking now.
A few more bloomers of note:
If you're ever in the San Francisco/San Jose/Monterey area, the UCSC Arboretum should be at the very top of your must-see list. It really is that special.
RELATED POSTS
© Gerhard Bock, 2019. All rights reserved. No part of the materials available through www.succulentsandmore.com may be copied, photocopied, reproduced, translated or reduced to any electronic medium or machine-readable form, in whole or in part, without prior written consent of Gerhard Bock. All materials contained on this site are protected by United States and international copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Gerhard Bock.
If you are reading this post on a website other than www.succulentsandmore.com, please be advised that that site is using my content without my permission. Please report such unlawful use to me at gerhard[AT]succulentsandmore[DOT]com. Thank you!
This post essentially does the same for the South African Garden. While most conebushes (genus Leucadendron) and sugarbushes (genus Protea) were a few months past their prime, many pincushions (genus Leucospermum) were in full flower.
It's easy to fall in love with pincushions, but unless you have the right environment, they're not easy to grow—at least in my experience (current kill count: 4). I think Davis is just a tad too hot in the summer for their liking. In contrast, leucadendrons have an easier time here.
Fortunately, I can always drive to Santa Cruz to get my Leucospermum fill. It's a little over two hours by car if the traffic gods are in a good mood—so a quick one-day outing is doable. A weekend getaway would be even better, of course, except I never manage to plan that far ahead.
But enough yakking already. Time to let the plants shine!
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| Leucospermum gueinzii |
Most pincushions used in landscaping seem to be hybrids, no doubt because of the wider range of flower sizes and colors available. In contrast, most leucospermums at the UCSC Arboretum are species, some of which quite rare in cultivation.
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| Leucospermum gueinzii |
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| Leucospermum gueinzii |
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| Leucospermum gueinzii |
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| Leucospermum grandiflorum |
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| Leucospermum conocarpodendron |
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| Leucospermum conocarpodendron |
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| Leucospermum glabrum next to Jason Fann's Spirit Nest |
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| Leucospermum glabrum |
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| Leucospermum glabrum |
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| Leucospermum glabrum |
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| Leucospermum glabrum |
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| Leucospermum reflexum var. luteum |
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| Leucospermum reflexum var. luteum |
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| Leucospermum reflexum var. luteum |
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| Leucospermum reflexum var. luteum |
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| Leucospermum 'Tango' (L. lineare × L. glabrum) |
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| Leucospermum 'Tango' (L. lineare × L. glabrum) |
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| Leucospermum cordifolium |
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| Leucospermum cordifolium |
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| Leucospermum cordifolium |
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| Leucospermum 'Spider' (L. tottum × L. formosum) |
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| Leucospermum 'Spider' (L. tottum × L. formosum) |
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| Leucospermum 'Spider' (L. tottum × L. formosum) |
While conebushes (genus Leucadendron) are typically at their most colorful in the winter, I found some that were peaking now.
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| Leucadendron discolor |
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| Leucadendron discolor |
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| Leucadendron discolor |
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| Leucadendron discolor |
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| Leucadendron discolor |
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| Leucadendron discolor |
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| Leucadendron discolor |
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| Leucadendron discolor |
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| Leucadendron discolor |
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| Leucadendron strobilinum |
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| Leucadendron strobilinum |
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| Leucadendron strobilinum |
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| Leucadendron strobilinum |
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| Leucadendron strobilinum |
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| Leucadendron tinctum, actually nowhere near its peak but looking cool already |
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| I don't know what species of Leucadendron this is, but it contrasts beautifully with a large clump of Rhodocoma gigantea |
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| Leucadendron 'Jester', one of my favorite conebushes because it looks great all year round |
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| Protea obtusifolia |
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| Protea obtusifolia |
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| Greyia sutherlandii, a deciduous shrub rarely seen in Northern California |
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| The flowers of Greyia sutherlandii are outlandishly bright |
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| Greyia sutherlandii |
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| Erica cerinthoides 'Scarlet Santa Cruz', one of literally dozens of Cape heath species at the Arboretum |
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| Erica baueri. This Pacific Horticulture article from July 2000 describes the major species growing at the UCSC Arboretum. |
If you're ever in the San Francisco/San Jose/Monterey area, the UCSC Arboretum should be at the very top of your must-see list. It really is that special.
RELATED POSTS
© Gerhard Bock, 2019. All rights reserved. No part of the materials available through www.succulentsandmore.com may be copied, photocopied, reproduced, translated or reduced to any electronic medium or machine-readable form, in whole or in part, without prior written consent of Gerhard Bock. All materials contained on this site are protected by United States and international copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Gerhard Bock.
If you are reading this post on a website other than www.succulentsandmore.com, please be advised that that site is using my content without my permission. Please report such unlawful use to me at gerhard[AT]succulentsandmore[DOT]com. Thank you!
Someday I hope to visit...
ReplyDeleteDon't give up on growing Leucospermums, Gerhard. I'd also killed at least 3 but the fact that there were a couple growing in my own neighborhood, one of which is easily 8 feet tall and 10 feet wide, proved they could survive here. I've got 5 now 2 of these in large pots.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting to see the species, as for sale here all are hybrids or selections. The white P. obtusifolia is very striking.
ReplyDeleteThe Leucadendrons are better the closer to the coast they get (cool, moist air?), and in the soil here they are not at all xeric. Ditto for Leucospermums.
Normally I prefer the saturated colour of the Greyia (fabulous plant) but the creamy white of the Leucadendron discolor is something very special. If hardy I would grow both of them in a heartbeat.
ReplyDeleteI always love your visits here! Your Leucadendron discolor photos are gorgeous! BTW, I think your photos of Leucospermum glabrum are really Leucospermum 'Veldfire.'
ReplyDeleteThank you! I always appreciate correct IDs. You may very well be right. I could have read the wrong label.
Delete