What are some nice year round outdoor plants for CA?
Question:I live in San Diego, CA and am looking for flowering plants that will bloom year round. They will be planted in an area that is mosty sunny, about 70% of the day the area is direct sunlight. I would prefer plants/flowers that do not take much care, just a bit of water and they'll be good! Thanks!!
Answers:
The following flowering plants flourish in dry conditions once established. Latin/botanical name given first, then the common name. Varieties are in single quote marks. X marks a hybrid. If the botanical name has been changed, the original is given in italics.
Blues/Purples
Agapanthus africanus - Lily of the Nile
Andropogon gerardii - Big Bluestem, Turkeyfoot
Campanula poscharskyana - Serbian Bellflower
Echium species (no common name)
Eremophila decipiens - Emu Bush
Jacaranda mimosifolia - Jacaranda tree
Lavandula species - Lavender
Rosemarinus officinalis - Rosemary
Salvia leucantha - Mexican Bush Sage
Westringia fruticosa - Coast Rosemary (not a true rosemary)
Pinks/Reds
Arctostaphylos species - Manzanita
Amaryllis belladonna - Belladonna Lily, Naked Lady (Brunsvigia rosea)
Anisodontea x hypomandarum - Cape Mallow
Aptenia cordifolia - Red Apple
Cistus species - Rockrose
Galvezia speciosa - Island Bush Snapdragon
Leptospermum scoparium 'Ruby Glow' - New Zealand Tea Tree 'Ruby Glow'
Raphiolepis umbellata - Yeddo Hawthorn
Salvia greggii - Autumn Sage
Yellows
Cercidium species - Palo Verde
(Cercidium 'Desert Museum' is a thornless cultivar)
Fremontodendron species - Flannel Bush (Fremontia)
Genista species - Broom (some are like weeds; choose carefully)
(Cytisus, Spartium)
Parkinsonia aculeata - Mexican Palo Verde
Whites
Cercis occidentalis 'Alba' - Western Redbud 'Alba'
Myrtus communis 'Compacta' - True Myrtle 'Compacta'
Multi-Colored Blooms
Dietes iridioides - African Iris, Fortnight Lily
(white with yellow & purple)
Feijoa sellowiana - Pineapple Guava
(white with pink/red)
Colored leaves
Phormium tenax - New Zealand Flax (wide variety of colors available)
Ornamental flowering garlic, marigolds, four o'clocks, lilies, pansies, lantana. There's so many. If you live near a garden center, or Home Depot, they will have a huge selection.
Marijuana would be great.
Lantana would be ideal. You could also try any of the species of ice plants.
Hibiscus are great in ground or in pots.
I live on the central coast, and my hibiscus bloom 11 months of the year (they like a warm wall/fence, little wind, and moderate water)
With those hibiscus, you can underplant with african daisies (lemon yellow, orange orange, purple, white/blue); it's been my experience that they bloom year-round if you keep them dead headed.
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