PLANT FORUM: At The June 2026 Meeting
- Jul 1
- 8 min read
Edited by Tony Gurnoe, for Let’s Talk Plants! July 2026.
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 https://sdhort.org/PlantForum. This is an alphabetical listing of the over 7500 plants which were displayed at meetings, including over 1600 detailed descriptions. Check it out when thinking about plants to add to your garden, and feel free to share this link with your friends.
After a few years on hiatus the Plant Forum is back, and we encourage all members to share some plants at the meetings. I can guarantee there will be members who will have not grown, and might not have ever seen, at least one plant from your garden.
All you have to do is:
1) Bring a cutting or potted plant to a meeting.
2) BEFORE you leave home, take a minute to fill out a slip of paper with the common and scientific name of the plant, where it is native to (if you know that), what city it is growing in, your name, and a couple of sentences about your experience with the plant.
Although I’m no expert I will do my best to talk about the plants I’m familiar with and will get help from other attendees. At the end of the meeting, we will gather up the printed information and include it in the next newsletter. If you have any questions, contact Susi Torre-Bueno at storrebueno@cox.net.
I want to thank the members who bring in plants for the Plant Forum and then donate these cuttings for other members to take home.
Lavandula x heterophylla SWEET LAVENDER
(Lamiaceae (Labiatae)) Mediterranean
From the San Marcos Growers website: “An upright-growing dense shrub that grows to 4 to 5+ feet tall by as wide or wider with olive green narrow 3/4 inch long leaves and with spikes that rise one to two feet above foliage of dark violet-blue flowers arranged in whorls on the slender peduncles. Flowers are aromatic as is the foliage, which is somewhat reminiscent of cedar pencil shavings. Plant in full sun in a well-drained soil and irrigate occasionally to very infrequently. This is a drought tolerant species that is hardy to at least 20° F. An extremely durable and drought tolerant shrub with flowers that attract bees and other pollinators but is not recommended for human consumption. While not as sweet a fragrance as other lavenders, we consider this variety to be the most durable lavender that we grow.”
(Karen England, Vista, 5/26) – S.T-B.
Prunus ilicifolia ssp. lyonii CATALINA CHERRY
(Roseaceae) California, Baja California
From the SDHS Plant Forum Compilation (https://sdhort.org/PlantForum), "California Native Plants for the Garden, notes that this evergreen tree is “found in chaparral and oak woodlands in Baja California and on four of California’s Channel Islands… It is considerably larger than hollyleaf cherry and often grows as a tree reaching 45 feet. The flat, shiny, 2- to 5-inch-long leaves often lack the serrated margins characteristic of hollyleaf cherry.” Although it is unlikely to attain 45 feet in garden situations, this handsome evergreen tree will often grow to 10-25ʹ′ tall and about 10-15ʹ′ wide, making it a nice choice for a native garden. In spring it bears clusters of creamy-white flowers, which are followed by edible blue-black cherries (once an important part of the Native American diet for local tribes) which are attractive to birds. Plant it in well-drained soil in full sun to light shade. Drought-tolerant once
established. (Sue Fouquette, El Cajon, 4/09) – S.T-B."
Sansevieria grandis GOOD LUCK PLANT
(Asparagaceae) Somalia
From San Marcos Growers (www.smgrowers.com), "An interesting succulent plant that has stout rhizomes from which arise open rosettes of two to five leathery broadly lanceolate leaves that are 5-6 inches wide in the middle by about 2 feet long and are held upright. The emerging leaves have attractive darker green bands initially but turn a uniform green with reddish margins with age. The white fragrant flowers are in dense racemes to 2 feet tall.
Plant is part to full shade in a well-drained soil. Requires little irrigation but grows much faster with it. This plant has proven to be fairly hardy and withstood short duration temperatures down to 25° F. This plant is a bit like a small Sansevieria masoniana. It apparently has long been grown in Somaliland where it gained such common names as Grand Somali Hemp and Somali Good Luck Plant.
The name for the genus was originally Sanseverinia as named by the Italian botanist Vincenzo Petagna in honor of his patron, Pietro Antonio Sanseverino, the Count of Chiaromonte (1724-1771), but the name was altered for unknown reasons by the Swedish naturalist Carl Peter Thunberg, possibly influenced by the name of Raimondo di Sangro (1710–1771), prince of San Severo in Italy. The spellings "Sanseveria" and "Sanseviera" are also commonly seen. The specific epithet refers to this plants large leaves. Long placed in the Agavaceae, the Dracaenaceae and by some in the Ruscaceae families, Sansevieria was most recently placed in the subfamily Nolinoideae within the Asparagaceae family. Molecular phylogenetic studies have persuaded some to include Sansevieria in the genus Dracaena, which would make this plants name Dracaena hyacinthoides. Because of considerable disagreement over this change, the long standing use of its old name, and so not to cause our own and customer confusion, we continue to list this plant as a Sansevieria."
Plumeria 'Aztec Gold' AZTEC GOLD PLUMERIA
(Apocynaceae) Mexico
Plumeria 'Aztec Gold', also marketed under the names Key West Yellow and South Florida Gold, is a cultivar originating from Mexico and registered as PSA #203. The flowers are a notable golden-yellow, approximately 4 inches in diameter, with a faint pink edge and a distinct orange center. Its fragrance is notably strong, characterized by a pronounced peach-like scent. The plant exhibits a medium-to-tall growth habit with average branching, and it is a prolific bloomer, producing flowers consistently throughout the growing season. Its adaptability to various garden settings—from confined spaces to broader landscapes—combined with its floral traits, makes it a cultivar of particular interest among Plumeria collectors and tropical plant specialists.
Chondropetalum elephantinum LARGE CAPE RUSH
(Restionaceae) South Africa
From San Marcos Growers (www.smgrowers.com), "This South African plant forms dense tufted clumps from which arise 5 to 8 foot tall dark green unbranched stems. The dark brown sheaths at the joints drop off in summer leaving a dark band at each node. Late in the season the stems arch over from the weight of clusters of small brown flowers at the tips. Male and female plants have remarkably similar flowers but the female flowers are held tighter and are clustered toward the tip of the stems.
Plant in full to part sun. It is a drought tolerant plant, but appreciates supplemental water in springtime during dry years. Cape Rush has proven hardy to around 20 degrees F and tolerates a wide soil pH range.
In its natural habitat Chondropetalum elephantinum grows from Elandsbay south to Blaauberg along the west coast of the Cape of South Africa, often preferring marshy habitat. It can be successfully planted in seaside gardens, used in relatively dry landscapes or used as a plant in the shallows of a water garden. For years this plant was sold in the US as Chondropetalum tectorum until being reclassified in 2003 as Chondropetalum elephantinum. The true Chondropetalum tectorum is a much smaller plant (about 3 feet tall) from a wider area around the southern Cape. The taxonomic work up on this was done by Dr. Hans Peter Linder who is a professor at the University of Zurich Institute for Systematical Botany and co-author of the "Restios of the Fynbos". Likely many of the plants in the nursery trade still sell plants as "Chondropetalum tectorum" that are from seed collected from the larger form."
Myrtus communis ‘Variegata’ VARIEGATED MYRTLE
(Myrtceae) Cultivar
From the SDHS Plant Forum Compilation (https://sdhort.org/PlantForum), "This very handsome shrub has spicy-scented 1” long leaves with creamy edges and markings; the species is native to the Mediterranean. The small white sweetly-scented flowers appear in winter to summer and are followed by brilliantly contrasting purple-black berries in the fall. It grows 5-15’ tall and wide, but is easily pruned to a smaller size. The foliage is excellent in flower arrangements, being very long-lasting when cut. If a stem reverts to solid green leaves cut it off to keep the variegation prominent.
Here’s part of Steve Brigham’s description from our book, Ornamental Trees for Mediterranean Climates: “The aromatic fragrance of the Common Myrtle is legendary, and it is a plant that has been used for centuries in Europe for scent-making, woodworking, leather tanning, and also medicinally. Although frequently thought of as a shrub, it can, with age, be trained as an attractive small multi-trunked tree… [It] grows easily in full sun or partial shade, and tolerates a wide variety of soils as long as drainage is good. It thrives with regular watering, but is also drought-tolerant, and is cold-hardy to around 15°F.” (Susi Torre-Bueno, Vista, 11/12) –
S.B. & S.T-B."
Eriogonum fasciculatum CALIFORNIA BUCKWHEAT, FLATTOP BUCKWHEAT (Polygonaceae) Arizona; California; Utah; Baja California
From the SDHS Plant Forum Compilation (https://sdhort.org/PlantForum), "A native evergreen shrub that grows to about 3’ tall x 6’ wide; it is extremely drought-tolerant. This open, loose shrub is part of the chaparral community, native to dry slopes and canyons. It has clustered bundles of ½” to ¾” needle-like leaves that “are felty white below, but the upper surface ranges from medium green to silvery gray, depending on the amount of pubescence. The leaf hairs play a role in cooling plants exposed to harsh sunlight and dry conditions…” (from California Native Plants for the Garden). The small white flowers have pink pollen and attract bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects by providing pollen and nectar. This shrub is a host plant for several small (but cute!) butterfly species. Grows best in
full sun with well-drained soil. (Pat Pawlowski, El Cajon, 4/12; 3/14) – P.P. & S-TB."
Baccharis pilularis COYOTE BRUSH, COYOTE BUSH
(Asteraceae) California, Oregon, Baja California
From the SDHS Plant Forum Compilation (https://sdhort.org/PlantForum), "A very drought-tolerant evergreen shrub to about 8’ tall and wide, this species ranges from Baja California north to the Oregon coast. Adaptable to many soil types, Coyote Brush is also a good source for nectar for insects and provides food and hiding places for a number of birds, mammals and insets. The thick leaves are about ¾” long, with coarsely serrated teeth. According to California Native Plants for the Garden, “Fall-blooming male or female flowers are borne on separate plants and cover the stems with an abundance of cream-colored ray-less flowers. The male flowers are quickly shed, but debris from the females plants’ fluffy fruits can be a nuisance.” There are a number of horticultural selections (‘Twin
Peaks #2’ and ‘Pigeon Point’ are most commonly seen in nurseries), and they tend to be male to avoid the messiness. Grows best with moderate summer watering and occasional pruning. The specimen displayed was interesting because the tips of the stems were covered with many small pale green insect galls, possibly from a midge (Rhopalomyia californica); for a fascinating article about this see www.carpwithoutcars.org/category/coyote-brush/page/2. (Sue Nelson, Encinitas, 5/14) – S.T-B."
Rosmarinus officinalis ROSEMARY
(Lamiaceae) Mediterranean
Rosemary is a semi-woody, evergreen shrub native to the Mediterranean region. Its narrow, needle-like leaves are dark green above with a distinctively pale, woolly underside, typically measuring 1 to 1.5 inches in length. The plant produces small, two-lipped flowers in shades of blue, violet, pink, or white, which appear in axillary clusters primarily in late winter through spring, with sporadic rebloom in favorable conditions. The foliage emits a strong, resinous, pine-like fragrance, characteristic of the species. Growth habits vary widely by cultivar, ranging from low-growing, prostrate forms reaching 6 to 12 inches in height to upright selections that can attain 4 to 6 feet, with moderate to vigorous branching. Rosemary is highly adaptable to well-drained, alkaline to neutral soils and requires full sun, exhibiting excellent drought tolerance once established. It performs well in both garden beds and containers. Its flowers are attractive to bees and other pollinators, and the plant is valued not only as a culinary and medicinal herb but also for its ornamental qualities in low-water landscaping. Numerous cultivars—such as 'Tuscan Blue' (upright, large flowers) and 'Prostratus' (trailing)—offer varied habit and hardiness, making rosemary highly versatile in sunny gardens.
