Hard to believe that such a beautiful genus like manzanita is still so rarely planted in California gardens.
About a week ago, nomatterwhereyougo posted photos of his stunning 30+ year old Arctostaphylos glauca (Bigberry manzanita), which inspired me to share mine—much younger, but already one of my favorite plants.
I planted this one about 3 years ago from a very short (lol) 15-gallon plant, and it has grown surprisingly fast here in Mt. Washington (NE Los Angeles)—roughly 1½ feet per year. It’s now about 5½ feet tall.
I haven’t seen a single bloom yet, but honestly, the foliage alone takes my breath away nearly every day. The silvery blue leaves are reason enough to grow this species.
Manzanitas really deserve more love in CA landscapes.
I wholeheartedly agree- wish I could fit in all the manzanitas and ceanothus’s I love as well!
The plant you asked about in pictures is my super plump ‘Montara’ sagebrush- fluffed out by the rains! It lives on rainfall and this year it looks like it’s on steroids!
I just picked up a Montara a few weeks back, I had no idea they got this "plump".
Mine has been in the ground 3 weeks. Looking forward to seeing what it looks like in a few months.
https://preview.redd.it/b3wtk66nya7g1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9815765a2b5a58d6f45b68a1ef82fd4641b1c69c
I think you’ll love it! As I’ve observed, Artemisia gets two sets of leaves a year- here it is in November just starting to fatten up after dry summer….
https://preview.redd.it/6kwbgmj90b7g1.jpeg?width=4284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1ca0a3fd9454a52cf98cb5ca008e76f8c065161b
This from AI explains it:
Artemisia californica (California Sagebrush) produces two sets of leaves each year, a strategy known as seasonal dimorphism. These two leaf types allow the plant to thrive in the fluctuating moisture levels of its native Mediterranean climate.
Winter-Spring Leaves: These are long (1.5 to 2.5 inches), soft, and feathery. They are designed for rapid growth and high rates of photosynthesis while water is abundant during the rainy season. Summer Leaves: As temperatures rise and water becomes scarce, the larger spring leaves wilt or fall off. They are replaced by a second set of smaller, thicker, and tougher leaves. These summer leaves are much more efficient at retaining water, though they grow more slowly.
Nice, that looks way better than my monkey flower does in the middle of summer.
That's cool, I have a few of the "standard" sagebrush in my front yard. It's a favorite for people to run their hands through as they walk by, and I encourage it! Please smell my garden!
Love your glauca and it's pet rock. Mine is 1.5 years old from a skinny 1ft tall 1 gallon. Now it's 3 feet and putting on new growth as we speak.
Thank you- the “pet rock” idea is from the late, great Bert Wilson of Las Pilitas! I can’t plant without finding a “nurse” rock in my garden and nestling it near the plant.
That’s awesome yours is already 3 feet from a 1 gallon. Have you seen any blooms yet?
No blooms. Not expecting any for a while. Recently saw someone post their glauca with blooms at 5 years old so theres hope
I agree, manzanitas and ceanothus are my favorites. Too bad I don't have more room!
What's the crazy bottle brush looking one to the right of the manzanita in the first pic?
Wow your garden is flourishing and beautiful! And the glauca looks really happy where it is and has so much new growth I bet it will be 8-10 feet and blooming before you know it. Great penstemons too yours are blooming so early.
Awww- thank you so much- it’s a work in progress for sure: ) And fingers crossed my Bigberry blooms this year! All my other manzanitas have bloomed within a year or so but this one is truly taking its sweet time!
Those penstemon are the ‘Firecracker’ variety- and they volunteer everywhere, and are usually early bloomers. Left over from when I had a ‘Desert Museum’ Palo verde that I’ve since taken out and replaced with a California buckeye.
Can i ask why you removed the Desert Museum? I just planted one a few months back, which is why I was curious.
Sure, of course, you can ask why- this is where we learn about California native plants from our collective experience!
My ‘Desert Museum’ was a beauty! It was moved three times- third time it was incredibly happy and grew quickly to a specimen about 20-25 feet- covered in yellow blooms seasonally. Then, last few years, it would get powdery mildew every season and hardly bloom at all. An arborist I met with said that it was very common in she was seeing of late on the Palo verdes in Los Angeles- powdery mildew.
Since I had recently planted a Coast live oak tree, I decided to go the oak woodland /riparian woodland route and the buckeye fit that palette better. Still it was very hard to take out that beautiful tree.
Anyone know if deer like to browse this after it is established? Beautiful garden OP!
Thank you- very kind of you! Las Pilitas website often has information on plants that deer browse- try looking there and good luck : )