Common name:Artichoke
Botanical name:Cynara scolymus

This perennial will grow 4' tall and 6'-8' wide. It has silvery green leaves with bluish purple flowers that bloom in spring. Artichoke is a favorite fruit/vegetable of California kitchens but it is a great ornamental plant often overlooked for color contrast. It is very tolerant of little water when planted for ornamental purposes.

Common name:Red-Edged Chevron Plant
Botanical name:Dracaena marginata

This shrub will grow 6'-12' tall and has large, evergreen, leathery greenish red leaves.

Common name:French Marigold
Botanical name:Tagetes patula

This plant will grow 1'-3' tall and has small, dark green leaves with gold, orange, and yellow flowers that bloom in the summer and fall.

Common name:Avocado, Palta
Botanical name:Persea americana

This is a large tree that can grow as large as an oak. Its exotic, semi-tropical, drupe fruit is famous for making guacamole dip. Frost damages this plant.

Common name:Beach Strawberry, Coastal Strawberr
Botanical name:Fragaria chiloensis

This perennial grows 4"-8" high with tooth-edged leaves and ornamental strawberries during the fall. Cut back or mow in early spring to encourage new growth.

Maintenance Tips

Fragaria chiloensis is a lovely ground cover that is also known as Coastal Strawberry. It is a very well-behaved ground cover, requiring very little maintenance to keep it looking and performing its best. It is best known for its berries which are very attractive to birds and other wildlife. The plant rarely grows taller than 4-6" and spreads out through its root system, creating a dense mat. The plant is susceptible to many types of fungi because of the moisture and the lack of airflow in its dense environment. Treating the plant with a systemic or topical fungicide may be necessary if the infection is killing the plant. Thatching the ground cover and drying the area out can help control fungal issues as well.

Common name:Superba Fescue
Botanical name:Festuca amethystina 'Superba'

The Rainbow Fescue is a hardy fescue with fine, blue green foliage that grows 8" tall. It has spring flowers that are 12" above the foliage. This fescue is a very showy, neat grass for sunny spots during spring and fall. The Rainbow Fescue is drought tolerant. -Cornflower Farms