Common name:Kurrajong
Botanical name:Brachychiton populneus

Bottle Tree Kurrajong (Brachychiton populneus) is a large, evergreen tree native to Australia. It can reach 50’ tall and 30’ wide but has been planted and maintained in residential gardens to stay in the 20-30' height range. It is a very ornamental tree that has interestingly shaped leaves and clusters of white flowers that develop into seed pots that rattle in the wind. If this tree is selected for a small garden, it will require regular pruning and shaping to keep it to a desired size. The seed pots can also create a mess under the tree, so it is best to plant this tree in a location that can absorb the droppings. Once this tree is established, it requires very little water, so it is a great choice for drought-tolerant gardens. When it reaches a more mature size, leave the pruning to a licensed arborist to keep it looking and performing at its best. This tree should be planted at least five feet away from any hardscape areas, 10 feet from structures such as houses and buildings, and not near any powerlines. Shrubs and perennials should be planted about three feet away from this tree. It should be irrigated for about 45 minutes once a week when using most in-line drip irrigation systems.

Common name:Freeway Daisy
Botanical name:Osteospermum fruticosum

This ground cover will grow 1'-3' tall and has medium-sized, green leaves with purple or blue flowers that can bloom all year.

Common name:Daylily (hybrid selection)
Botanical name:Hemerocallis hybrids

These summer-blooming perennials form clumps with large, grass-like leaves. Its showy flowers, resembling lilies, are borne in clusters on stems held well above the foliage. Daylilies can be found in many colors: yellow, orange, red, purple, pink or multi-colored. Hemerocallis does better in well-draining soil and with extra summer water. Hemerocallis are very hardy,with few or none pests/problems.

Common name:Lavender Cotton
Botanical name:Santolina chamaecyparissus

This ground cover/small shrub will grow to 2' tall and has small, grayish silver leaves with yellow flowers that bloom in the summer.

Maintenance Tips

Santolina chamaecyparissus is a Mediterranean native that can be found in many California gardens. It is very drought tolerant and is very low maintenance if it is planted in a location where it can reach its full mature size of 2’ tall to 3’ wide. This plant is susceptible to root rot or fungal diseases if the soil is too wet or doesn’t drain easily. If the plant develops fungal issues, allow the soil to dry out and treat with a systemic fungicide. This plant usually blooms in the summer, and the plant will continue to bloom if you deadhead the spent flowers. In the late winter or early spring, you can cut back the foliage by one-third of the current size to maintain the size and encourage new growth.