Sprawling oaks and sycamores aren’t suited for small urban lots, but several other native trees are good candidates. Some to consider for patio and street trees are the heat-loving desert willow (Chilopsis linearis) with its rosy-pink blooms; shiny-leaved Catalina cherry (Prunus ilicifolia ssp lyonii) with white flowers followed by red berries; western redbud (Cercis occidentalis) with deep […]
By Joan Herskowitz Creating a garden hospitable to birds is not only a personally gratifying connection with nature and opportunity to beautify the home environment, it is also important for sustaining resident and migratory bird populations. Due to habitat loss, native plant gardening is important for maintaining biodiversity. Doug Tallamy, ecologist and author, writes that […]
With a focus on conservation, zoo’s vast plant collections featuring rare and unusual specimens are a whole other animal BY HELEN PURCELL MONTAG (This article originally appeared in the May 13, 2023 edition of the San Diego Union-Tribune) Waiting to greet you at the San Diego Zoo’s entrance plaza in Balboa Park is a 27-foot […]
And we could use more — planting one in the yard might help reverse state’s 30 percent drop in tree density BY KATHY MCKEE (This article originally appeared in the APRIL 8, 2023 edition of the San Diego Union-Tribune) In a corner of our backyard patio, we enjoy a strawberry arbutus tree (Arbutus unedo) with a canopy […]
Mary James A landscape icon in San Diego and throughout Southern California, the ubiquitous oleander (Nerium oleander), is falling victim to an incurable disease. Native to the Mediterranean region, these versatile shrubs with slender leaves and azalea-like flowers are often planted a carefree screen, defining property lines, and providing privacy or, as one gardener admitted, “separating […]
