As advocate for climate-appropriate plants, she helped establish botanical treasures across the city, including Balboa Park By Helen Purcell Montag (This article originally appeared in the Nov 9, 2024 issue of the San Diego Union Tribune) A bronze statue at Balboa Park’s west entrance honors Kate O. Sessions (1857-1940), a pioneering figure in San Diego’s […]
by Robin Y Rivet Question: I’d really like to plant a red maple, but I couldn’t find any locally. I’d also like to plant a unique fruit tree. What species would grow best in this region? Answer: Unfortunately, red maples need more cold weather (often called chill hours) than typical San Diego winters provide, but […]
Beloved symbol of Southern California lifestyle also needs a plan for care and maintenance By Susan Baird (This article originally appeared in the July 13 edition of the San Diego Union-Tribune) It is estimated that there are over 2,500 species of palms, yet only one is native to California — Washingtonia filifera, or the California fan […]
By Leah Taylor The South American Palm Weevil (SAPW)(Rhynchophorus palmarum) continues to pester the Golden State and is posing a significant threat to California’s iconic palm tree population. Native to tropical regions of South and Central America, the SAPW has a particular affinity for palm species including the majestic Canary Islands date palm and edible […]
Nonnative plants rob native species of water, nutrients, space to grow BY LINDA JONES (This article originally appeared in the San Diego Union-Tribune on August 13, 2022) Have you noticed dead Canary Island palms (Phoenix canariensis)? Hills covered with bright yellow flowers in spring or with dried nonnative grasses in summer? Maybe you’ve seen waterways […]
