Words and pictures by Jim Bishop, for Let's Talk Plants! September 2026. Garden Photo From March 31, 2022 I was sorting through photos and came across this gem from March 31, 2022. Much of our garden is now over 25 years old, so I consider the area at the bottom of the hill, 100 feet lower than the house, the “new garden” since everything in it was planted after 2017. I was super impressed with how quickly everything grew, considering almost everything was planted as a one-g

Robert Kopfstein working with Tony Gurnoe to hand pollinate Encephalartos natalesis. Photo: Tony Gurnoe. Registration for members to open soon: https://sdhort.org/FeaturedGarden Sunday, September 27, 2026, Group 1 - 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM Group 2 - 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM Group 3 - 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM Cycads and bromeliads and succulents – oh my! Robert Kopfstein is a past president of the San Diego Bromeliad Society (and also of the Palomar Cactus and Succulent Society),

By Karen England, for Let's Talk Plants! September 2026. WiX stock photo. There is no September SDHBC meeting. Please join us on Zoom for a discussion of -- Outsider Animals: How the Creatures at the Margins of Our Lives Have the Most to Teach Us by Marlene Zuk on October 5, 2026 Tiny Gardens Everywhere: The Past, Present, and Future of the Self-Provisioning City by Kate Brown on November 2, 2026 Mini-Forest Revolution: Using the Miyawaki Method to Rapidly Rewild the World b

By Laura McCullough, for Let’s Talk Plants! September 2026 Greetings fellow garden enthusiasts! As the new volunteer coordinator, I am calling for volunteers for our Sharing Gardens tour to assist with check in, parking, and garden info. You can now select a volunteer ticket when registering for the Sharing Garden event if interested. I have also enabled the 'Add Guest' if you know someone that is curious about the SDHS and our events. Laura showing off her Phaelenopsis pin

By Tim Clancy, for Let’s Talk Plants! September 2026. Washingtonia filifera proving their resilience, even to wildfires, within their natural habitat in Anza Borrego. Photo: Tony Gurnoe. An Update, a Suggestion and a Request Several years ago, in “Diamonds Are Not a Palm’s Best Friend,” (SDHS Newsletter of November 2021) I wrote about California fan palms (Washingtonia filifera) suffering from diamond scale in coastal San Diego County. The palms pictured with that article p

By Susan Lewitt, for Let’s Talk Plants! September 2026. Sikes Adobe Historic Farmstead. Photo courtesy of the San Dieguito River Park Staff. California Native Plant Society’s Fall Plant Sale Coming Next Month! Meanwhile, Want succulents? How About Native Succulents! Our Native Plant Sale is back this fall with a new format. Choose from more than 350 California native plant species and cultivars from local nurseries and CNPS growers. Pre-order September 1–15. Plant orders are

By Eric Middleton PhD, IPM Advisor, University of California Statewide IPM Program and Cooperative Extension, San Diego, Orange, and Los Angeles Counties, for Let’s Talk Plants! September 2026. Adult aloe thrips. https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/plant/ppd/PDF/Hercinothrips_dimidiatus.pdf. Watch Out for Aloe Thrips If you live in Southern California and your aloes are darkening and starting to die back, it could be caused by a new invasive pest called aloe thrips (Hercinothrips dimidia

By Susi Torre-Bueno, for Let’s Talk Plants! September 2026. In July 2025 Anne Murphy brought in a delightful bouquet of nine species of flowering California native plants for the Plant Forum. Graphic made by Karen England on Canva. For over two decades a meeting highlight was the Plant Forum, where a horticultural expert spoke about plants brought in by members. These descriptions appeared in the newsletter and are available free to the public on our website at...

Edited by Cathy Tylka, for Let's Talk Plants! September 2026. Sharing Secrets graphic made by Karen England using Canva. Question of the month – What are you doing to conserve plants? In July, we heard from the most knowledgeable Kevin Alison, who serves as the Native Plant Manager for the Catalina Island Conservancy, where he leverages his expertise in conservation, restoration, and horticulture to prevent extinction. I was wondering if you have done or are doing or plan t

By Francesca Filanc, for Let’s Talk Plants! September 2026. 'Sentimental' floribunda rose in the author's garden. Photo credit: Francesca Filanc. Gardens and Nature Through our Lives Petrea volubilis grows repeatedly in this garden. I moved to this property in 2015 and started preparing right away to make changes and to put my own mark on the Garden. (https://francescafilanc.com/garden-surroundings-in-the-garden/) Petrea in the author's garden. Photo credit: Francesca Filanc.

Holly McMullen is a tenured professor of plant science at Southwestern College and a field biologist with nearly a decade of experience working at the intersection of ecological research, habitat restoration, and higher education. Her expertise centers on the interactions between plants and animals, particularly within Southern California's diverse ecosystems, and she has conducted botanical and wildlife field surveys, managed large-scale restoration projects, and mentored st

Presented by Cathy Tylka, for Let's Talk Plants! September 2026. This article was written by Linda Johnson and first appeared in September 2011 edition of Let's Talk Plants! If you are a gardener AND a pet-lover, see tips below to enhance your garden for the mutual enjoyment of pets and humans. It is easy to combine the love of gardening with the love of pets, and to create a fun and harmonious environment for both to enjoy! Pet-Friendly Plants Prior to adding any plants to y

By Tony Gurnoe, for Let's Talk Plants September 2026 Sacred datura in bloom. Photo: Tony Gurnoe. A Global Land Ethic Comes Home at Dr. Bronner's Headquarters Since my team started to collaborate with Dr. Bronner’s there has been one pattern in conversations with other people about that company. Some kind of quizzical mention of their far out labeling followed by an expression of how much they like the soap! If Dr. Bronner’s is known for anything beyond their suds, it would ha

Driven by a passion for discovering exceptional, rare, and new agave species, Jeremy Spath has spent the past 20 years exploring the natural habitats of agaves across the Americas. His journey began with a deep fascination for seeing these remarkable plants in their native environments, inspiring countless expeditions to uncover the beauty of agave habitats. His expertise extends to cultivating these plants, with a particular focus on selecting and growing exceptional clones.

Photos courtesy of Randy Laurie. Registration for members only: https://www.sdhort.org/event-6744549 Saturday, August 8, 2026, 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM What a treat! It’s rare to find a 2-acre garden in Mission Hills, and the owners of this beautiful property have been very generous in opening their garden to us. We had a sharing garden here in July 2013, when the garden was just 4 years old, and seeing it now you can understand how the original vision has matured and filled in. La

By Karen England, for Let's Talk Plants! August 2026. Join us on Zoom for a discussion of August 3, 2026 - Note: The Zoom SDHBC meeting link is not published, instead it is emailed to discussion participants. If you would like to receive the link, please email info@sdhort.org with “book club” in the subject line. Looking Ahead: Aug 3, 2026 - Literary Gardens by Sandra Lawrence Have you heard how much fun the SD Hort Book Club is? It's amazing, and I'm not just saying that bec

Words and pictures by Ida K. Rigby, for Let’s Talk Plants! August 2026. The Eye Dazzling Atacama Superbloom What more can we say? Once again the photos will tell it all. On another late September day in 2011 we headed out for more visual overload and fascinating minutia. Within the profusion there even were a few familiar plants from our gardens (calandrinias, cisthantes, encelias and alstroemerias) in unexpected places and unimaginable numbers. Just feast your eyes, as we di

By Robin Y Rivet, for Let’s Talk Plants! August 2026. Banana Flower Close-up - Musa paradisiaca (Musa acuminata x balbisiana). Ruestz, CC BY-SA 3.0 <http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/>, via Wikimedia Commons. Are bananas as we know them doomed? Probably yes. Considering it’s the most popular and widely distributed fruit in the world, that ought to be a scary thought. Wild vs. Commercial Bananas. Composite image by ryrivet for SDHS 2026. What’s up? Bananas use

By Sommer Cartier, for Lets Talk Plants! August 2026 Eggplant photo by PhotographyCourse. Growing Eggplants in San Diego - A Beautiful and Bountiful Summer Crop If you've never grown eggplant before, this might be the year to give it a try. Eggplants and San Diego are a perfect match. They love our long, warm summers and, once they get going, can produce fruit for months. If you've never grown one before, don't let them intimidate you. They're surprisingly easy to grow and ha

By Vince McGrath, UCCE Master Gardener of San Diego County, for Let’s Talk Plants! August 2026. “Kurapia ground cover makes an excellent low-water turf.” – Photo Credit – Susan Nichols. Low Water Turf Alternatives for Our Climate Several years ago, the mantra for San Diego homeowners was “Toss the Turf!” The reason was to stop wasting water that we did not have on water-guzzling lawns. Water agencies were asking their customers to restrict water usage. The newer catch phrase

By Susan Lewitt, for Let’s Talk Plants! August 2026. Yerba buena has many culinary uses including the usual mojito, plus these three ideas. Left photo: "Cranberry Mojito" by esimpraim is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0. Middle photo: "yerba buena perry pisco mojito" by goodiesfirst is licensed under CC BY 2.0. Right photo: "Mini cupcakes de mojito / Mojito mini cupcakes" by www.littlewonderland.es is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0. Going Wild with Natives: Native Plants in Fav

By Susi Torre-Bueno, for Let’s Talk Plants! August 2026. In July 2025 Anne Murphy brought in a delightful bouquet of nine species of flowering California native plants for the Plant Forum. Graphic made by Karen England on Canva. For over two decades a meeting highlight was the Plant Forum, where a horticultural expert spoke about plants brought in by members. These descriptions appeared in the newsletter and are available free to the public on our website at...

Presented by Cathy Tylka, for Let's Talk Plants! August 2026. This article was written by Jim Bishop and first appeared in June 2019 edition of Let's Talk Plants! Borrego Bonanza, Part II We made a visit to Borrego in February and another in March to check out this year’s super-bloom. Part I, which appeared in the April issue, described our findings along County Road S22 and in Hellhole Canyon. The day after visiting Hellhole Canyon, we got a relatively early start and headed

By Tony Gurnoe, for Let's Talk Plants August 2026 Tony Gurnoe and the corpse flower Amorphophallus titanum. Introduction and New Article Format A couple of months ago I had the pleasure of giving my first presentation to the San Diego Horticultural Society (SDHS). Some in the audience were already familiar with my horticultural history but I was also afforded the opportunity to meet many new fellow gardeners. This is one of the beautiful and valuable aspects of our gatherings

By Francesca Filanc, for Let’s Talk Plants! August 2026. 'Beverly Hills' apples in Francesca's beautiful home garden. Photo credit: Francesca Filanc. Gardens and Nature Through our Lives Gardens and nature are woven through the fabric of our lives and experiences. Being exposed to gardens and nature from the time a baby is born gives the human being a lifelong love of the outdoors and peace and tranquility in difficult and sad times as well as happy ones. Garden designed by F

Holly McMullen Holly McMullen is a tenured professor of plant science at Southwestern College and a field biologist with nearly a decade of experience working at the intersection of ecological research, habitat restoration, and higher education. Her expertise centers on the interactions between plants and animals, particularly within Southern California's diverse ecosystems, and she has conducted botanical and wildlife field surveys, managed large-scale restoration projects,

The first half of our Western Australia trip was from Perth south to Albany. The second half was from Perth up to Geraldton. When we visited Western Australia in 2017, we didn’t have enough time to venture north of Perth. We’d wanted to see the famous Geraldton Waxflowers, Chamelaucium uncinatum and maybe even find the […]

Photos courtesy of Randy Laurie. Registration will open soon for members only - 200 spots available. Saturday, August 8, 2026, 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM What a treat! It’s rare to find a 2-acre garden in Mission Hills, and the owners of this beautiful property have been very generous in opening their garden to us. We had a sharing garden here in July 2013, when the garden was just 4 years old, and seeing it now you can understand how the original vision has matured and filled in. La

By Karen England, for Let's Talk Plants! July 2026. Join us on Zoom for a discussion of July 6, 2026 - Wilding by Isabella Tree Note: The Zoom SDHBC meeting link is not published, instead it is emailed to discussion participants. If you would like to receive the link, please email info@sdhort.org with “book club” in the subject line. Looking Ahead: July 6, 2026 - Wilding by Isabella Tree Aug 3, 2026 - Literary Gardens by Sandra Lawrence Have you heard how much fun the SD Hort

By Susan Lewitt, for Let’s Talk Plants! July 2026. Bordered Patch butterfly. Photos by Christopher Christie, used with permission. What you might find with your Great Valley Gumweed and Milkweed plants Native plants support more than pollinators such as Monarch butterflies and their caterpillars. Here is another part of this web of life: On Tuesday May 5, I rolled out my recycling container, as usual. A few minutes later, when I came back to add to it, I was astonished to f

By Tim Clancy, for Let’s Talk Plants! July 2026. Oakcrest Park entrance, February 2009. Image snipped from Google Maps by the Chartreuse Appreciation Society. America's First Urban Forest Xylarium Proposal Summary Encinitas has the opportunity to create what is likely be the first Urban Forest Xylarium in the United States—a permanent collection of wood specimens, tree cross-sections, photographs, and historical records documenting the trees that have shaped our community

Edited by Tony Gurnoe, for Let’s Talk Plants! July 2026. In July 2025 Anne Murphy brought in a delightful bouquet of nine species of flowering California native plants for the Plant Forum. Graphic made by Karen England on Canva. For over two decades a meeting highlight was the Plant Forum, where a horticultural expert spoke about plants brought in by members. These descriptions appeared in the newsletter and are available free to the public on our website at...

Presented by Cathy Tylka, for Let's Talk Plants! July 2026. This article first appeared in June 2008, edition No. 165 of Let's Talk Plants! Wix stock photo of caprese salad. Tomatoes Here they come - large and small, round and oval, red and yellow and orange and green - ripe, freshly-picked tomatoes, grown with lots of sun and heat (my favorites come from a generous friend in Lakeside), and, whenever possible, eaten within minutes of picking. Those of us who can’t grow our ow

Edited by Cathy Tylka, for Let's Talk Plants! July 2026. Sharing Secrets graphic made by Karen England using Canva. Question of the month – What is growing in your garden, or what do you plant in your garden, to attract natural bees? We learned much from the May Speaker, Dr. Molly Rightmeyer, about the need for natural habitat. Let’s see if we can use this important information. Honeybee on California Buckwheat. Photo provided by Cathy Tylka. Insects foraging nectar fro

By Francesca Filanc, for Let’s Talk Plants! July 2026. Enchanting Beach Access Brimming with Color! Photo credit: Francesca Filanc. Enchanting Beach Access Brimming with Color! Recently, I had the pleasure to take a trip up to the Bay Area to be with my daughter, Erica and her kids for a long weekend. We rented an Airbnb. We have rented this beautiful home before. The home is just a stone’s throw from having your feet in the sand. Photo credit: Francesca Filanc. As one approa

Words and pictures by Jim Bishop, for Let's Talk Plants! September 2026. Garden Photo From March 31, 2022. I was sorting through photos and came across this gem from March 31, 2022. Much of our garden is now over 25 years old, so I consider the area at the bottom of the hill, 100 feet lower than the house, the “new garden” since everything in it was planted after 2017. I was super impressed with how quickly everything grew, considering almost everything was planted as a one-g