PLANT FORUM: July 2025 Meeting
- k-england
- Aug 1
- 20 min read
Updated: Aug 2
By Susi Torre-Bueno, for Let’s Talk Plants! August 2025.
For over two decades a meeting highlight was the Plant Forum, where an horticultural expert spoke about plants brought in by members. These descriptions were printed in the newsletter and were also compiled, and are available free on our website at https://sdhort.org/PlantForum. This is an alphabetical listing of over 7500 plants, 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 returned as of our May, 2025 meeting, and we encourage all members to share some of your plants at the meetings you attend. I can guarantee that there will be many people who will have not grown, and might not have ever seen, the plants from your garden.
All you have to do is:
1) Bring a cutting or a potted plant to a meeting.
2) BEFORE you leave home, take a minute to print 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.
Plants displayed at the July 2025 meeting:
Abutilon palmeri INDIAN MALLOW
(Malvaceae) S. California, Arizona, Mexico
From the SDHS Plant Forum Compilation (https://sdhort.org/PlantForum) - Description by Steve Brigham: “There are approximately 150 species of "Flowering Maples" native to the tropics and subtropics throughout the world – but only one that's native to San Diego County. But we certainly have the right to be proud of our one, for it's not only a very beautiful plant but a first-class landscape plant as well. Abutilon palmeri is native to rocky slopes above the desert in our county, and is extremely drought tolerant. It's a 3–5 foot shrub (depending on how much summer water it gets) with large velvety gray leaves and 1inch yellow-orange flowers in spring and also at other times throughout the year. This evergreen can be successfully grown in wet or dry sites as long as drainage is good. In the dry garden, it can even go most of the summer without irrigation, but looks best with monthly watering.”
(Anne Murphy, Vista, 7/25)
Aechmea blanchetina 'Orange Fire'
Bromeliaceae Brazil
What an eye-catching plant to add to your garden! This Brazilian bromeliad grows to 3.5 feet tall and wide, and I purchased it at a SDHS meeting in 2018 from plant vendor William Smimmina (his nursery is in Fallbrook: https://www.multifloraplants.com) as a 1-gallon plant. It has proved to be an excellent investment, having produced several dozen pups since then. When the pups get to at least 1’ tall I separate them carefully and plant them in other parts of my garden. Unlike many other tropical bromeliads, this one thrives in full sun (which produces richer colored leaves) to light shade. The large leaves glow orange with full sun. Mine has not yet bloomed. From https://bromeliadparadise.com/products/aechmea-blanchetiana:
“…very attractive yellow-orange foliage with red tips and upright form. This very hardy bromeliad is perfect for the landscape where full sun is the rule. Huge brilliant red flower stalks emerge from the tight center rosette of leaves in the springtime. The flower stalk is very long-lasting. The large size 50" high by 40" wide require lots of room. A very prolific plant which can produce as many as a 6 offsets from one plant.”
Another excellent local source for buying bromeliads is Bird Rock Tropicals (https://www.birdrocktropicals.com). The San Diego Bromeliad Society meets in Balboa Park the 2nd Saturday of each month, and they have exceptional plant sales (http://www.sandiegobromeliadsociety.org).
(Susi Torre-Bueno, Vista, 7/25) – S.T-B.
Albuca bracteata Pregnant Onion, False Sea Onion, Sea Onion
(Asparagaceae) South Africa, tropical East Africa
It was known as Ornithogalum longibracteatum until 2009 (when a number of Ornithogalum species were moved to the Albuca genus), this is a curious plant indeed. Unlike the onions that we eat (which are in the Alliaceae family), this plant produces a baseball-size bulb which grows mostly on top of the soil. A good houseplant for a partly sunny window (too much sun will burn the leaves), the long strappy leaves hang down below the level of the pot. You can also grow it outdoors in the soil but beware – it can easily become a pest due to its production of many bulbils from the base of the plant and also from copious seeds. The leaves can die back during drought, so keep it watered to keep it happiest. The white flowers appear from spring to summer in our area. I grow mine in mostly shade in a pot outdoors. From the South African Biodiversity Institute (https://pza.sanbi.org/albuca-bracteata):
“A clump-forming bulbous geophyte with green and white flowers on tall stems during summer, the common name pregnant onion is derived from the onion-like appearance of the bulbs and the way they form many small bulblets on the side of the mother bulb…. A bulbous plant with arching, lanceolate strap-shaped leaves up to 600 mm (2 feet) long and 25 mm (1 inch) wide, reaching up to 1.5 m (59 inches) tall when in flower. The bulb is very large, up to about 80 mm (3.15 inches) in diameter, growing above ground, often becoming green, with long, branching, fleshy, white roots. The bulb produces a tall inflorescence with many small flowers in a dense raceme 700-900 mm (27 – 35 inches) tall, made up of 50 up to about 300 closely arranged flowers per stalk. The flowers are scented but with an unpleasant smell, white with a broad green central brand (midvein), and a long tapered bract up to 40 mm (1.6 inches) long with a diameter of about 5 mm (0.2 inches).”
It is eaten by baboons in So. Africa, but don’t try eating it yourself.
(Susi Torre-Bueno, Vista, 7/25) – S.T-B.
Araujia sericifera bladderflower, white bladderflower, bladder vine, cruel vine, cruel plant, moth plant, moth vine, common moth vine, and false choko
(Apocynaceae) Peru, Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay
Sue Mansour brought in a generous quantity of cuttings of an interesting twining vine with sweetly scented white flowers, which she said was very easy to propagate. She says hers grows with pretty much no attention and not much water, and several meeting attendees took pieces home to propagate. If you were one of those folks, please read the description carefully before planting it in the ground, as you might want to confine it to a container.
According to www.calflora.org, this plant is an escaped cultivar in Southern California, so be a good steward and cut off seed pods so it doesn’t become a pest in your neighborhood.
From Wikipedia:
“Araujia sericifera is a perennial vining plant … first described in 1817 by the Portuguese botanist Félix de Avelar Brotero. It was introduced to Europe and other areas as an ornamental plant, but it is now considered a noxious weed. In some countries, such as France, the attractive and abundant fragrant flowering make it a specimen considered worth cultivating. However its strong robustness combined with high seed production can make it invasive in most environments, but not in France due to its sensitivity to frost… is a creeping vine that can climb up to 16–33 feet high. When broken it releases a milky, smelly exudate. Leaves are opposite, dark green, glossy and quite fleshy, almost triangular, with entire margins, about 3.9–4.7 inches long and 0.39–2.36 inches wide with an intact leaf margin. The upper side is dark green, bare and shiny, the underside is grey-green with felt-like hairs. When a stem, leaf or unripe fruit is broken, a white milky juice is produced at the breaking point. It is slightly toxic and can cause an allergic skin reaction when touched. The stems are thin and right-winding. They branch strongly and can lignify [become woody] at the base. The plant usually wraps itself around other plants or around a post or the bars of a fence. The root system consists of a short taproot with superficial lateral roots. The plant's stems and leaves may senesce in late summer or early autumn, but new shoots will grow on the old stems as climbing support. The twining stems feature scented, cup-shaped bisexual flowers, around 0.79 inch in width, with five white, cream-coloured, violet or pale pink petals. The flowers are generally pollinated by moths (hence the name 'moth plant'), butterflies and bees, but they can self-pollinate. The flowering period extends from late spring to summer… The pear-shaped fruits are large pods, about 3.1–3.9 inches long. They contain many black seeds attached to silky hairs that enable them to be distributed by the wind… Moth plant is toxic for some people. Skin contact with its sap can cause rashes. Contact with the eyes, in particular, can cause severe discomfort.”
(Sue Mansour, Rancho Bernardo, 7/25) – S.T-B.
Crassula falcata (green form) Propeller Plant, Scarlet Paintbrush
(Crassulaceae) So. Africa
The plant displayed is the less commonly seen form with green leaves (instead of gray foliage). It is very drought-tolerant in my garden, and easy to propagate from cuttings. My original cuttings came from SDHS member Patrick Anderson in 2011, and it has provided a great many cuttings since then. I’m growing it in both full sun and light shade,
From the SDHS Plant Forum Compilation (https://sdhort.org/PlantForum):
“In mid-summer, showy, frothy masses of small red flowers sit on top of long stems on this sun-loving succulent species and contrast well with the sickle-shaped gray-green foliage. The mostly unbranched stems eventually form a prostrate spreading clump. New shoots then grow from the plant base and the stem tips; use these shoots as cuttings. Grows to 2-3ʹ′ tall and wide; needs good drainage and low-water in full sun to light shade. The common epithet 'propeller plant' refers to the thick, tapering leaves that, “twist slightly like a propeller.” Hardy to 20°F. [Quote from Succulents for the contemporary garden by Yvonne Cave.]”
(Susi Torre-Bueno, Vista, 7/25) – S.T-B.
Cyrtanthus brachyscyphus Dobo Lily
(Amaryllidaceae [Liliaceae s.l.]) So. Africa
From the SDHS Plant Forum Compilation (https://sdhort.org/PlantForum):
"The genus Cyrtanthus is found only in Africa and contains about fifty species which tend to prefer moist places. This evergreen bulb (sometimes referred to as C. parviflorus) is quite easy to grow, sending up its bright green foliage to form a clump up to about a foot tall. The 12 inch long flower stalks bear bright orange 1. inch long tubular flowers almost all year. Shiny, papery black seeds are freely produced and if planted near the mother plant soon produce plenty of new bulbs, which will bloom in a year or two. Like most bulbs it prefers good drainage. This species should be planted with the neck of the bulb at the soil surface. Hardy to about 25°F, it does best in part shade."
[Note: the bulbs displayed 7/25 are offspring from bulbs that I first brought to the plant forum in 1999! This bulb produces a number of offsets each year, but won’t become a pest in your garden.]
(Susi Torre-Bueno, Vista, 7/25) – S.T-B.
Dodonaea viscosa ‘Purpurea’ PURPLE HOP BUSH
(Sapindaceae) Horticultural Sport
This lovely small tree with bronzy colored foliage originated from plants from Mexico and the southwestern U.S. Starting in 2007 I have planted over 22 of these drought-tolerant beauties, which are excellent for giving privacy along our property line and adding evergreen color to the garden. In my garden it has re-seeded gently, and I either discard unwanted seedlings or pot them up, grow them to about 2’ tall, and transplant elsewhere in my garden.
From San Marcos Growers (https://www.smgrowers.com):
“This rapid growing, evergreen shrub reaches 12 to 20+ feet tall and about as wide - more upright when young - spreading out with age. Narrow bronzy-green 4 inch long leaves turn purple with cooler weather. Tiny green flowers in clusters mid-summer followed by brown maple-like seed capsules in late summer. Tolerates some shade but color is better if grown in full sun. Provide a well-draining soil where it is drought tolerant once established but looks best with occasional deep water. We have listed this plant as cold hardy to about 10-15° F but were recently notified of a young planting that succumbed after temperatures reached 16° F in Los Alamos, California during the January 2007 freeze. It is an ideal plant for use as a specimen or as an informal hedge or screen. Prune for structure in fall and winter and is also tolerant of lighter shearing during the growing season. This species has an incredibly wide cosmopolitan distribution - it is considered native throughout the southwest US and northern Mexico but varieties and subspecies are found throughout the tropics and sub-tropics including Hawaii, New Zealand and all of Australian states and territories, where it grows in a wide range of habitats. The name of the genus honors Rembert Dodoens, a 16th Century Flemish botanist and the specific epithet is from the Latin word 'viscosus' meaning sticky in reference to the sometimes sticky leaves. According to Lawrence Metcalf in his The Cultivation of New Zealand Trees and Shrubs (Reed Methuen Publishers, 1987), this 'Purpurea' selection was discovered in the early 1890s by Mrs Thomas Wilkins, a keen eyed gardener who found it growing along the Wairau River near Marlborough, located near the northern tip of the South Island of New Zealand. She collected seeds of the plant and grew it in her garden until a Christchurch nurseryman acquired seed and introduced it into the New Zealand nursery trade where it was called Purple Ake Ake. It is considered a color-sport that sporadically occurs in wild populations and can also revert to green. Dodonaea viscosa 'Purpurea' is still often produced from seed in the nursery trade but resulting plants progeny often range in color from greenish bronze, through red and purple to dark purple.”
(Susi Torre-Bueno, Vista, 7/25) – S.T-B.
Dudleya pulverulenta CHALK DUDLEYA, CHALK LETTUCE, CHALK LIVEFOREVER
(Crassulaceae) California, Baja California (Mexico)
While we often don’t consider the flowers where thinking about succulents, some of them have lovely blooms, and the flowers of this plant that were displayed at the July, 2025 meeting were charming. Bonus – the flowers attract hummingbirds! When adding this plant to your garden be aware that it goes partially dormant in summer, and loses most of its leaves. From www.Calscape.org:
“Chalk dudleya (Dudleya pulverulenta) is a perennial succulent that grows from southern Monterey County to Baja California. Its leaves are wide, flat, and pale-green, and they form a rosette. In winter and spring, chalky, waxy stems emerge and give rise to flower clusters. The clusters open into many pointy, rosy-red flowers that hummingbirds love. Chalk dudleya needs well-draining soil and looks great in containers, on rocky slopes, or in rock walls. Its rosette doesn't like pooling water, so plant it at an angle. This plant goes partially dormant in summer, with only a tiny area in its middle that appears alive. Chalk dudleya is susceptible to aphid infestations, which can cause flower and rosette deformities. It openly hybridizes with several other species.”
(Anne Murphy, Vista, 7/25) —S.T-B.
Elaeagnus ×ebbingei 'Gilt Edge' Gilt Edge Silverberry
Elaeagnaceae Horticultural Hybrid
In my Vista garden this thornless evergreen shrub gets very little water and grows beautifully in full sun to very light shade. The variegated foliage makes a great background for other plants. I planted a 5-gallon plant (from Walter Andersen Nursery) in 2016 and it is now about 5’ tall and wide. Internet sources say it should get to about 6’ tall and wide.
From the SDHS Plant Forum Compilation (https://sdhort.org/PlantForum) – description by Steve Brigham:
“This is an easily-grown evergreen shrub that is valuable for its bright yellow and green foliage color. Its green parent is a Dutch hybrid between the Asian E. macrophylla and E. pungens; this variegated form has large 4-inch shiny green leaves (silvery when young) with striking yellow margins. Tiny but fragrant silvery flowers are followed by red berries which make good jelly, and the branches are thornless. A large shrub in time and reputed to be fast-growing, but I have found it rather slow. Sun to light shade; regular watering; very cold hardy.”
(Susi Torre-Bueno, Vista, 7/25) —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) – description by Pat Pawlowski:
“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 pubescense. 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.”
(Anne Murphy, Vista, 7/25) – P.P.
Eriogonum grande var. rubescens RED-FLOWERED BUCKWHEAT
(Polygonaceae) California
From Calscape (https://calscape.org):
“This petite, attractive buckwheat originated on California's Channel Islands, but has become a popular landscape plant throughout the state. Its rosy-colored flower clusters rise above low-growing foliage and bloom from spring to fall. The flowers attract a variety of pollinators, especially butterflies. After blooming, the seeds provide food for birds. This plant spreads moderately but stays compact, making it a good choice for small spaces. It does best in full sun with a small amount of supplemental summer water. Combined with other drought-adapted plants, it does well in rock and pollinator gardens, along borders, and on slopes.”
The Tree of Life Nursery in San Juan Capistrano, long a mecca for native plant enthusiasts, has an excellent description of many Eriogonum species at https://californianativeplants.com/blog/garden-planning-tools/eriogonum/. For more info on native buckwheats visit https://www.laspilitas.com/groups/buckwheat/california_buckwheat.html.
(Anne Murphy, Vista, 7/25) – S.T-B.
Eschscholzia californica CALIFORNIA POPPY
(Papaveraceae) California, Oregon
From the SDHS Plant Forum Compilation (https://sdhort.org/PlantForum) - Description by Steve Brigham:
“This is our state flower, and is certainly the most famous worldwide of all of our native wildflowers. Its botanical genus name is remarkable too, being one of those spellings that to this writer, at least, always seems to have too many letters (it was named for a German fellow, and that was how he spelled his name). The species is widespread and highly variable in our state, but most famous for the extremely bright orange forms found in southern California (which may have inspired the name of our state by the vision of coastal hillsides 'on fire' with color as seen from ancient sailing ships). The California Poppy has been cultivated horticulturally for many years, and exists in a number of named colors, but there are few flowers in the world that can provide the intense orange of the most popular form. Plants are easily grown from seed and are perennial. They love the sun and clay soil, blooming all spring and into the summer if irrigation is provided. In the garden, plants may be cut back after bloom to force new growth and flowers, and will also reseed freely -- but its best to leave seedlings where they sprout, since they don't transplant well. Like the iceplants and many other flowers, California Poppies only open their flowers when insect pollinators are most active – flowers may remain closed on cloudy or very windy days, and also close at night."
(Anne Murphy, Vista, 7/25) —S.B.
Grevillea ‘Moonlight’ Moonlight Grevillea
(Proteacea) Australia
What a joy this plant has been in my garden! I was inspired to plant it after seeing it growing lustily in Poway in Jo & Paul Casterline’s fabulous garden, a feature of many garden tours. Paul and Jo, longtime SDHS members, are both sadly gone now, but I believe their garden will remain in their family. The last time I saw their tree it was about 10’ tall and wide, covered with hundreds of large white flowers about 10” tall and 4-5” wide. I planted mine from a 5-gallon pot in 2022 and it has been in bloom almost non-stop ever since. It is now about 8’ tall and nearly as wide, and gets a little water 2-3 times a week. I can’t imagine my garden without this beauty.
From San Marcos Growers (https://www.smgrowers.com):
“A large fast-growing upright shrub or small tree up to 12 feet tall by 8 feet wide with fine textured foliage and large ivory-colored spidery toothbrush-like flowers at the branch tips nearly year-round. The green leaves (gray on the underside) are 6 to 8 inches long, so large in profile but finely dissected and fern-like. Plant in a well-drained soil in full or part sun and irrigate only occasionally as this plant is tolerant of extended dry periods once established. Although considered a more tropical Grevillea, this plant is frost hardy and likely to tolerate temperatures to at least the mid 20's F. It can be kept a more manageable size by regularly shearing or occasionally hard pruning, which it tolerates well. Great for attracting birds and bees into the garden and is a beautiful garden shrub whose flowers are useful in bouquets - stick stems immediately into warm water or recut before putting into the vase.”
(Susi Torre-Bueno, Vista, 7/25) – S.T-B.
Mentha spicata 'Mint the Best' Mint the Best Spearmint, The Best Spearmint
(Lamiaceae) Horticultural Cultivar
The plant displayed is a cultivar of Mentha spicata, native to Europe and Asia. Although a pervasive herb when grown in the ground, so grower beware(!), this is a proven winner in the book of mints, whether you're looking to flavor iced or hot teas and other refreshing drinks, or flavoring salads, sauces, chicken or lamb dishes, it doesn't get better than The Best Spearmint, also called Mint the Best Spearmint. It has less menthol in the foliage than do the peppermint varieties and has a nice, classic spearmint taste and aroma, which makes it the best choice for using fresh, but can also be dried and stored for use in winter drinks and dishes. The young leaves and stems are quite tender, which is a plus for cooking. Cold and heat hardy, it grows to about 2 feet tall and spreads relentlessly when growing in the ground, or will quickly fill a planting pot of 12-inch diameter or more. The aromatic bright green foliage brings a look and feel of the Mediterranean to the patio or garden, and its lilac-colored flowers at the tips of the stems during spring and summer are a bonus for the eyes and the butterflies. Always pick from the top down to the next growing shoot when harvesting fresh mint leaves for cooking as the older bottom leaves are tough. Top tip: Avoid growing different varieties of mint close together, whether in pots or the ground, as they can lose their individual scent and flavor.
(Karen England, Vista, 7/25) – K.E.
Penstemon heterophyllus 'Blue Springs' BLUE SPRINGS FOOTHILL PENSTEMON
(Scrophulariaceae) Horticultural Hybrid
This evergreen perennial is a hummingbird magnet! From Calscape (https://calscape.org): “Grows best in sandy, coarse-grained or other fast draining soil. Prefers sun in coastal sites, and sun or part shade in inland sites.” California Flora Nursery notes that this is: “[a] seed strain of a highly variable native penstemon. Attractive narrow, shiny, bluish-green leaves topped with dense spikes of narrow bell-shaped blossoms of bright blue. Flowers late spring to early summer, growing to around 1 to 1 1/2 ft. tall and wide. The spent flower spikes should be cut off to encourage more blooming, better form, and longer life. Best in full sun with good drainage and moderate to little summer water.” A number of other native penstemons do well in San Diego County; you can find good descriptions of these versatile plants at the website for Neel’s Nursery (in Encinitas): https://neelsnursery.com/.
(Anne Murphy, Vista, 7/25) – S.T-B.
Penstemon spectabilis ROYAL BEARD TONGUE
(Scrophulariaceae) So. California, Baja California (Mexico)
From Calscape (https://calscape.org): “Showy penstemon (Penstemon spectabilis) lives up to its name, being the showiest of the penstemons. It grows fast, reaching 2 to 4 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide. This perennial bears spectacular wide-mouthed, tubular violet or purple-blue flowers from its first year on. In good conditions it may flower late winter into summer. Showy penstemon is beautiful and easy to grow. It likes full sun and tolerates a variety of soils, including clay. If planted in an area that holds water better, it usually doesn't need supplementary summer water. The plant will flower more abundantly with occasional summer water (once per month) but may be shorter lived. It is fairly short lived even under the best of circumstances, typically lasting 5 to 10 years. However, it often self seeds. This deer-resistant plant is great for wildlife, attracting a variety of native bees and hummingbirds for nectar. It is a larval host for a likely total of 13 butterfly and moth species.”
(Anne Murphy, Vista, 7/25) – S.T-B.
Salvia greggii AUTUMN SAGE
(Lamiaceae) California
[SAL-vee-uh GREGG-ee-eye Salvia is derived from the Latin salvus, which means heathy or sound, referring to the supposed medicinal value of some sages; greggii honors a person named Gregg.]
From the SDHS Plant Forum Compilation (https://sdhort.org/PlantForum) – description Pat Hilty:
“…Betsy Clebsch, in A Book of Salvias, notes that S. greggii occurs “in rocky soil at elevations of 5000-9000 ft…from southwest Texas throughout the Chichuahuan deserts into the province of San Luis Potosi, Mexico.” From Wikipedia: “[a] herbaceous perennial plant native … typically growing in rocky soils at elevations from 5,000 to 9,000 ft. It was named and described in 1870 by botanist Asa Gray after Josiah Gregg (1806–1850), a merchant, explorer, naturalist, and author from the American Southwest and Northern Mexico, who found and collected the plant in Texas. It is closely related to, and frequently hybridizes with, Salvia microphylla. Despite the common name "autumn sage", it blooms throughout the summer and autumn… Salvia greggii is a highly variable plant, with numerous named cultivars, reaching anywhere from 1 to 4 feet in height and less in width. It can be either upright or mounding. The leaves are typically mid-green and glabrous, tending to be less than 1” long, and with a spicy fragrance. Flower size and color are extremely variable. Flowers reach from .25” to 1” in length, and include many shades of scarlet and red (most common in the wild), along with rose, white, pink, lavender, apricot, and violet.” The plant displayed at the July, 2025 meeting had red flowers."
(Anne Murphy, Vista, 7/25) – S.T-B. & P.H.
Salvia ‘Indigo Spires’
(Lamiaceae) Horticultural Selection
From the SDHS Plant Forum Compilation (https://sdhort.org/PlantForum) – description by Judy Wigand:
“Discovered as a chance seedling at the Huntington Botanical Gardens, this salvia was introduced in 1979 and has been favored in gardens throughout Southern California ever since. Growing to an average height of 4 feet (and as wide), the size varies with the amount of water it receives. Its medium green ovate leaves are 3–4 inches long. As with most salvias, ‘Indigo Spires’ enjoys full sun and can become rangy if grown in too much shade. Its deep indigo flower spikes are very showy and hold their vivid blue color even through the blasting summer sun. Cut back to the crown during late winter to enjoy it at its best throughout the rest of the year. Beautiful when mixed with dwarf goldenrod or perennial asters, which complement each other summer through fall.”
(Anne Murphy, Vista, 7/25) —J.W.
Vitex agnus-castus CHASTE TREE, Chasteberry, Lilac chastetree, Monk's Pepper, Texas lilac
(Lamiaceae) So. Europe
The herb commonly known as Chaste Tree is a shrub or tree native to Europe that does best in hot weather. It is a member of the mint family (Lamiaceae). Native to the Mediterranean, Vitex agnus-castus now grows in temperate regions throughout the world.The specific epithet repeats words for "chaste, pure" in two languages, first in Greek and then in Latin, taking its name from Greek legends associating the tree with chastity and faithfulness. This tree is resistant to damage by deer and is moderately salt tolerant. It has good drought tolerance once established. It freely reseeds and can become weedy. Bees and many other pollinators are attracted to its flowers and foliage. Vitex berry has been used in traditional European herbalism for reproductive support for thousands of years. The dried fruit, also called chasteberry, can be brewed as an herbal tea, tinctured, or cracked and sprinkled over food for a peppery spice. In summer, Karen England makes a cold brew (infusion) of the fresh blossoms in filtered water and sips the resulting tisane iced as a refreshing beverage to counteract the seasonal internal and external heat. Medicinally it is said that Vitex supports physical and emotional health during a woman's menstrual cycle and in the transition into menopause. The chaste tree is a shrub with lance shaped leaves and purple flowers and can reach 25-30 feet tall. Its peppery fruit has been used for over two thousand years; at least since the time of the Greek physician Dioscorides who recommended it to help the wives of soldiers remain chaste while their husbands were in battle. The vitex berry was used by both men and women in ancient Greece and Rome, and by monks during the Middle Ages in order to suppress sexual desire. Pliny the Elder noted that Athenian maidens would put the leaves under their beds during the festival of Thesmophoria to help preserve their chastity. Precautions: Vitex berry is not recommended for use with hormonal contraceptives. It is recommended that you consult with a qualified healthcare practitioner before using vitex herbal products, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing, or on any medications.
(Karen England, Vista, 7/25) – K.E.
