Mahonia nervosa

Mahonia nervosa
“Dull oregon grape”
BERBERIDACEAE

Evergreen Shrub

Zone: 6-9
Native habitat: Pacific Northwest into California

Conditions

Soil: any, prefers slightly acidic, rich soil high in organic matter
Moisture: well-drained, even moisture, drought tolerant
Light: full sun to full shade
Exposure: general
Plant size (h x w): 2′-4′ x 2′-4′
Other: tough, can take dry shade, will need more moisture if grown in the sun
(if grown in the sun without adaquet water colour can be wine red)

Aesthetic
Shape/stem: oval,  multi-stemmed, orange bark in center (like the rest of the Berberis family), bark green when young, brown to grey with age; spreading by suckers to from loose ground cover
Leaf: Compound leaves, lustrous emerald green, glossy but duller than tall Oregon grape, 9-19 leaflets; each leaflet is strongly toothed,
Flower: panicles of canary flowers, dense above foliage 
Bloom: spring
Other: Fruit, waxy blue steel berries, 1/4″, (mid to late summer); spreads by stolons to form loose ground cover

Treatment (how to…)
Plant:  sow seeds in fall 1/4″ deep,
Maintain: no maintenance, can prune down to a node as needed, water after
Propagate: seed: collect August to September (30-50% germination), stratification (cold- 90 days), cutting: soft wood or root (root hormone, 2:1 sand to vermiculite)

Uses
Landscape: native garden, chorus plant, form to a garden in the winter, ground cover, woodland margin, wildlife garden, erosion control
Companion planting:  would look great as a groundcover for Red stemmed dogwoods, Corylopsis pauciflora, Betula albosinensis var. septentrionalis and all witchhazels.
Medicinal: roots, berries, leaves
antimicrobial, hepatic, bitter, cooling > act on infection and liver
Internal (tea, tincture): heal liver stagnation, cool heat in digestion, mouth infection, eye infection, UTI, sore throat, acne, etc.
External (oil, sav): Inflammation in skin, eczema, psoriasis
Other:
Stem and root: yellow dye
Berries: edible, sour, tart, used to make jelly, sweeten with other berries in a pie, ferment into wine, purple dye
Berries attract wild birds; attracts the amara hummingbird

Vulnerabilities
Pests and disease: rust, scale, white fly (more stressed it is more susceptible will be)
Deer resistant: yes
Other animals: rabbit resistant, birds eat berries, flowers attract pollinators

Interest
Local info,: native, very common in Victoria, often found in the understory of Douglas-fir forests
Pot size (to purchase):  1-2 gallon
Nature: tough native; Suckering spreading  shrub forms a loose groundcover
Identification (key features): broken bark exposes orange inner bark
number and height of stems, length and ; very similar to M. aquifolium , which is taller more glossy leaves and less leaflets per leaf; Also similar is creeping Oregon grape (M. repens).Interesting facts:  Mahonia is named after the botanist who identified it from samples retrieved by the Lewis and Clark expedition, Bernard McMahon;
Comments: not a true grape, slow growing in shade, helps restore soil, brings in local wildlife

Parahebe lyallii

Parahebe lyallii
Syn. veronica lyallii
“Lyle’s Speedwell”
PLANTAGINACEAE

Evergreen Sub-Shrub

Zone: 8 – 11
Native habitat (range): New Zealand

Conditions
Soil: average
Moisture: Well-drained, drought tolerant once established
Light: full sun to part shade
Exposure: general
Plant size (h x w): 12″ – 18″ x 12″ – 24″
Other::  hardier than what listed

Aesthetic
Shape/stem: mounding, low-growing dwarf evergreen sub-shrub,Stems brown, red-brown or grey; branches prostrate to erect
Leaf: glossy green leaves
Flower: dainty white to pink racemes with darker throats(phlomis-like)
Bloom: spring
Other:

Treatment (how to…)
Plant: general; not drought tolerant till established
Maintain: easy care; remove the oldest of stems to base every few years or sheer back periodically to maintain good form
Propagate: cutting, seed

Use
Landscape: best planted to tumble over a wall or in container, edging, rock wall
Companion planting: look to purples, silvers and blue perennials to compliment this; can look good with bulbs and other low growing shrubs
Medicinal:  unknown
Other:

Vulnerabilities
Pests and disease: none significant
Deer resistant: no
Other animals:

Interest
Local info,: not native
Pot size (to purchase): can be hard to find at nurseries (take what you can get)
Nature:  ornamental evergreen sub-shrub
Identification (key features):   mat-like growth, oval leaves dull green with white flower with purple throat
Interesting facts: Named after David Lyall (1817-1895) Scottish naturalist and surgeon who explored Antarctica and New Zealand,
Cultivars/ other spp.:

Ballota pseudodictamnus

Ballota pseudodictamnus
“False Dittany”
LAMIACEAE

Evergreen Sub-Shrub

Zone: 7 – 10
Native habitat (range): S Aegean

Conditions
Soil: any, can take poor, rocky soils
Moisture: Well-drained, drought tolerant
Light: full sun
Exposure: seaside
Plant size (h x w): 12″ – 24″ x 12″ – 18″
Other: tough (bad bone dry spots it survives)

Aesthetic
Shape/stem: mounding, low-growing dwarf evergreen sub-shrub, square stem
Leaf: soft foliage, rounded, white-hairy leaves and stems, grey-green
Flower: small pink flowers in whorls toward the stem tips, with large calyces (phlomis-like)
Bloom: summer
Other: foliage plant

Treatment (how to…)
Plant: general; not drought tolerant till established
Maintain: easy care; remove the oldest of stems to base every year to few years; can also hard prune to base to renew; deadhead flower stems
Propagate: cutting

Use
Landscape: sunny front of house, mixed boarder, herb garden, seaside, Mediterranean garden, edging, to add texture, rock garden, container, memory garden (texture), children garden
Companion planting: other drought tolerant shrubs and perennials; pastel colours of silver, purple, pink and light green are nice (see photos for idea of the look I refer too)
Medicinal:  unknown
Other:

Vulnerabilities
Pests and disease: none significant; may see leafhoppers
Deer resistant: yes
Other animals:

Interest
Local info,: not native
Pot size (to purchase): can be hard to find at nurseries (take what you can get)
Nature:  foliage sub-shrub; ornamental tough as ever evergreen shrub
Identification (key features):  soft dwarf evergreen shrub with contained mounding form; foliage moss-green, simple ovate leaves with denticulate margin opposite off square stem; flower phlomis-like erect above foliage in whorled bunches
Interesting facts: AGM winner
Cultivars/ other spp.:

Carex morrow ‘Ice Dance’

Cares morrow ‘Ice Dance’
“Sedge”
CYPERACEAE

Evergreen Perennial Grass

Zone: 5 – 9
Range:

Conditions
Soil: tolerates most soils including clay
Moisture: medium to wet
Light: part shade to full shade
Exposure: general
Plant size (h x w): 9″ – 12″ x 12″ – 24″
Other: needs moisture to looks good, the more the sun is on it the more moisture it will need 

Aesthetic
Shape/stem: clump forming, spreads by rhizomes to form a thick mass
Leaf: grass-like, simple,narrow arching leaves, green with strong creamy-white leaf margins, blades to 1′
Flower: spike, cream, bottle-brush like, generally seen as insignificant
Bloom: spring

Treatment (how to…)
Plant: general; be sure it has proper moisture and is planted in an area its fine to spread out in
Maintenance: high maintenance as it spreads quickly (you will end up having to dig it up yearly if desire it in a set space); comb out old leaves or when they brown pull them out from the base or cut to the base 
Propagation: division, doesn’t set viable seed in Victoria but still manages to spread prevalently via rhizomes

Us
Use: rain garden, erosion control, container, holding in a river bank, shade garden, accent against darker foliage, taller ground cover, woodland margin
Companion:  nice mixed with hosts and fern, dark hellebores (nigra) 
Other:

Vulnerabilities
Pests and disease: none significant; 
Deer resistant: yes
Other animals: 

Interest
Local info,: not native;
Nature: spreading evergreen wetland grass; shade grass
Identification (key features): scrappy leaves dark green with bright white variegated edges up to 1′ tall; spreads rapidly by rhizomes (even in shady areas)
.Interesting facts:
Cultivars:  
Comments: gets brown tips earlier on leaves; evergreen in Victoria but not always other places in Canada; dense growth will prevent weeds in the area it is allowed to spread to

Around donax

Around donax
“Giant Reed grass”
POACEAE

Decidious Rhizomatous Perennial Grass

Zone: 6 – 11
Range: Mediterranean

Conditions
Soil: any including clay
Moisture: medium to wet, can take standing water
Light: full sun to part shade Exposure: general
Plant size (h x w): 8′ – 12′ x 5′ – 8′
Other:

Aesthetic
Shape/stem: clump forming, spreading,  bamboo-like stems to 5m
Leaf: arching, strap-shaped blue-green leaves, sheathing off stem, looks similar to corn
Flower: large terminal purple flower panicles
Bloom: late summer
Other:

Treatment (how to…)
Plant: don’t plant near water or open systems (invasive and don’t want in spreading this way)
Maintenance: low maintenance; cut back in the spring or fall (choose based on aesthetics) 
Propagation: spreads by stem pieces or rhizomes (does not go to seed here but can be invasive still)

Use
Use: seasonal fence, screening, sound garden, wetter area in back of mixed boarder or yard
Companion:  a large grass that pairs well with medium sized perennials or shrubs that balance its dominating shape; be cautious about planting it with sensitive plants as it may just move into their area (native ephemeral not good with) 
Other: be cautious about where to be sure it won’t escape your garden beds

Vulnerabilities
Pests and disease: none significant; 
Deer resistant: yes
Other animals:

Interest

Local info,: not native; does not go to seed in Victoria and isn’t a problem here, but be cautious, it is invasive in other areas
Nature:  invasive ornamental deciduous grass 
Identification (key features): can tell it differs from miscanthus app. because  stalks look like corn stalks (sheathing) and stems are this (size of a quarter) and panicles are different
.Interesting facts: originally planted for fuel and ruffle (but isn’t used for this anymore)
Cultivars: A. d. ‘Variegata’ – white strips leaves, very pretty, 6’x24″

Comments: invasive in southern USA

Anemanthele lessoniana

Anemanthele lessoniana
(was Stipa arundinacea)
“New Zealand wind grass” “Pheasant’s tall grass”
POACEAE

Evergreen Perennial Grass

Zone: 8 – 10
Range: New Zealand

Conditions
Soil: moderately fertile; tolerant of many soils including clay
Moisture: well drained is essential, drought tolerant once established
Light: full sun to part shade
Exposure: general
Plant size (h x w): 3′ x 3′ – 4′
Other: winters here well

Aesthetic
Shape/stem: clump forming
Leaf: grass-like, simple,narrow arching leaves, becoming tinged with red or orange in summer to autumn
Flower: airy arching sprays of red-brown flowers
Bloom: late summer
Other:

Treatment (how to…)
Plant: general; easily grown by seed
Maintenance: low maintenance; if don’t want it to go to see, cut off seed heads; hard rake out in fall to tidy; can fade with age so just allow a seedling to take its place; can cut down to 4″ to renew but don’t cut into the crown (after 7 years or so you do this)
Propagation: seed (does seed itself a bit), does not divide well (if you have to do it only do so early spring and you will need a saw; cut it hard back after and refurbish the soil before planting -takes a bit to recover too)

Use
Use: pattern plantings, container, accent, mass planting, nice to create a river of it through a space, mixed boarder, architectural
Companion:  a great accent in many different settings such as with mixed boarder perennials; dramatic en mass
Other:

Vulnerabilities
Pests and disease: none significant; gets rust but tends to blend in unnoticed 
Deer resistant: yes
Other animals: rabbits can eat this

Interest
Local info,: not native; will go to seed in this area but not a problem; handles our winters well
Nature: gorgeous, low maintain,  ornamental grass; reliable; archtectural 
Identification (key features): evergreen perennial grass; narrow leathery dark green arching leaves (colder months the leaves become bronzed and streaked turning orange-red in late summer); late summer open, airy panicles of purple-green flowers that that hang down, almost touching the ground
.Interesting facts: Anemanthele is a monotypic genus of grass and the only species is Anemanthele lessoniana – naturally rare declining grass in the wild
Cultivars:   now widely cultivated for use as an ornamental garden plant around the world
Comments:

Sciadopitys verticillata

Sciadopitys verticillata
“Japanese umbrella pine”
SCIADOPITYACEAE

Evergreen Conifer Tree

Zone: 5 – 9
Native habitat : Japan’s cloud forest

Condition
Soil: moderately fertile, neutral to slightly acidic
Moisture: well drained, moist
Light: full sun to part shade (no hot sun)
Exposure: average
Plant size (h x w): typically 20′ – 30 x 15′ – 20′ (slow to 30′-70’x20′-25′) (age 10: 4′-7’x3′)
Other: cool summer climates are ideal 


Aesthetic
Shape/stem: upright, conical, opens with age , not so symmetrical, peeling red-brown bark hidden by foliage
Leaf: glossy, dark green, linear “leaves”, 2″-5″ long, in terminal whorls of 15-25 needles; true leaves are randomly scattered scales on twigs
Flower:inconspicuous flowers followed by ovoid cones 8cm in length
Bloom: insignificant
Other: needles die and reform every 3-4 years

Treatment (how to…)
Plant: general; plant in an area that will allow adequate space
Maintain: low maintenance; no pruning
Propagate: cutting, seed

Uses
Landscape: a true specimen tree, woodland main, estate, screening
Companion planting: 
Medicinal: unknown

Vulnerabilities
Pests and disease: none significant;
Deer resistant: unknown

Interest
Local info,: not native, often seem to be chlorotic in Victoria (maybe look to part shade locations for more healthy specimen)
Pot size (to purchase): 5 g (slow growing so the bigger you can find the better)
Nature: sacred specimen tree
Identification (key features): scales on twigs (leaves); needles whorl around stem tips, needles long, bundles of needles alternate

Interesting facts: very sacred (spiritual) plant in Japan;
Cultivars:
Comments:

Pinus mugo var. mugo

Pinus mugo var. mugo
(was P. mugo mughus)
“Mugo” “Swiss mountain pine”
PINACEAE

Evergreen Conifer Shrub

Zone: 3 – 7
Native habitat : Europe

Conditions
Soil:  average
Moisture: well drained, average to drought tolerant;
Light: full sun
Exposure: average
Plant size (h x w): 8′ – 10′ x 15′
Other: Aesthetic
Shape/stem: dense, rounded form, branches spreading and ascending
Leaf: needles dark green (1.25-3″ long) in pairs (2 per bundle) whorles, needle growth directed up and relatively soft
Flower:
Bloom: brown ovoid female cones, tall, symmetrical
Other: highly variable if grown from seed

Treatment (how to…)
Plant: general; prefers ball and burlap
Maintain: low maintenance; can shorten candles or even sheer “candles” in march or remove candles in July
Propagate: seed, grafting

Uses
Landscape: specimen, backyard shrub, screen, informal thick hedge
Companion planting: nice contrast to bright green foliage and purple blooms 
Medicinal: unknown

Vulnerabilities
Pests and disease: none significant; may see spider mite
Deer resistant: yes

Interest
Local info,: not native
Pot size (to purchase): 1 g +
Nature: thick handsome conifer shrub
Identification (key features): id by 2 needles (true pine squeeze needles together and they make a perfect circle), growth direct up in “candles”
Interesting facts: not a strong scent to them
Cultivars: over 28 forms of pinus mugo; grafted of predictable size but more expensive
P. m. ‘Mops’
P.m (straight species) – 10′-16 x 10′-13 – irregular habit
Comments:

 

Pinus aristata

Pinus aristata
“Bristlecone Pine”
PINACEAE

Evergreen Conifer Tree

Zone: 4 – 8
Native habitat : USA (Colorado rocky mountains to Mexico)

Conditions
Soil: deep, rich to average
Moisture: well drained, average to drought tolerant; prefers drier conditions
Light: full sun
Exposure: average
Plant size (h x w): 15′ – 30′ x 20” – 13′ (age 10: 5-6.5′)
Other: 

Aesthetic
Shape/stem: dense, tear drop shape, lowest branches can sweep the ground, upturned branch tips,  bark is grey-brown, thin and scaly at the base
Leaf: needles dark green with distinct specks of white resin, in bundles of 5
Flower:
Bloom: cones ovoid-cylindrical, 5–10 cm long and 3–4 cm broad, purple at first, ripening yellow at 16 months old, with numerous thin, fragile scales
Other:

Treatment (how to…)
Plant: general;
Maintain: low maintenance; does not need major pruning; remove dead, clean out needles as needed
Propagate: seed, grafting

Uses
Landscape: specimen, park, estate, back of property densely wide screen, backyard tree
Companion planting: nice contrast to bright green foliage and purple blooms 
Medicinal: unknown

Vulnerabilities
Pests and disease: none significant; may see spider mite
Deer resistant: yes

Interest
Local info,: not native
Pot size (to purchase): 1 g +
Nature: thick handsome conifer shrub
Identification (key features): id by 5 needles (true pine squeeze needles together and they make a perfect circle) and resin (white spots on needles)

Interesting facts: can live for 2000 years
Cultivars:
Comments:  dense forest Colorado mountains 

 

Picea pungens ‘Globosa’

Picea pungens ‘Globosa’
(was P. p.  ‘Glauca Globosa’)
“Dwarf Colorado Blue Spruce”
PINACEAE

Evergreen Conifer Shrub

Zone: 3 – 8
Native habitat : Bosnia and Siberia

Conditions
Soil: deep, rich
Moisture: well drained, average (adequate to good moisture is best especially in Victoria summers)
Light: full sun
Exposure: average
Plant size (h x w): age 10: 20″ x 28″ age 25: 5-6′ x 5′
Other: more drought tolerant than other spruces

Aesthetic
Shape/stem: mounded, round to triangular
Leaf: blue-grey needles radially arranged around twigs on stiffly horizontal branches, needles can be sharp, thick, bluer at tips
Flower:
Bloom: insignificant
Other: slow growing

Treatment (how to…)
Plant: general; spruces don’t transplant well; Plant slightly above soil grade and mulch top of soil in a 2 -3 foot diameter circle. Water regularly until established
Maintain: low maintenance; does not need major pruning; remove dead, clean out needles as needed; water in dry summer to reduce risk of spider mites; wash out or spray out to reduce as well
Propagate: cutting, graft
Uses
Landscape: mixed shrub boarder, winter interest, townhouse garden
Companion planting: nice contrast to dark green, gold
Medicinal: unknown

Vulnerabilities
Pests and disease: conifer red spider mite
Deer resistant: yes

Interest
Local info,: not native, spider mites problem here
Pot size (to purchase): 1 g +
Nature evergreen dwarf shrub
Identification (key features): id spruces by each fallen leaf leaving a peg (indent off branch) and cones hang down
Interesting facts:
Cultivars: P. glauca var. albertiana ‘Conica’ – “Dwarf alberta spruce” – 5′-10’x3.5′-5′ in Victoria – hates dry wind – prone to defoliation by insects
Comments: