We don't get much in the way of a seasonal foliage color change in Southern California, at least not by comparison to the northeastern parts of the United States. The only plant in my garden that's showing a definite color shift right now is the coral-bark Japanese maple planted in the vegetable garden alongside our garage. Its tips tend to burn when the temperatures soar but, in its current placement, it gets full sun only in the morning, which helps to reduce the leaf scorch.
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| Acer palmatum 'Sango Kaku' in the morning sunlight |
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| Close-up of the Japanese maple's leaves, now shifting from light green to an apricot color |
Other plants showing similar coloration unrelated to the seasonal changes in temperature and day length include:
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| Agonis flexuosa 'Nana,' with new growth in an orangey pink |
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| Euphorbia tirucalli 'Sticks on Fire,' which develops a bright salmon-pink color in full sun |
The gray-leaved plants look good regardless of the season.
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| The artichoke in the half-barrel in my vegetable garden is finally gaining size |
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| I still have some reservations about this combination of Helichrysum petiolare 'White Licorice' and Festuca glauca 'Elijah Blue' - the Helichrysum constantly threatens to overwhelm the grass and other nearby plants |
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| I have no reservations about Stachys byzantina 'Helen Von Stein,' my favorite form of lamb's ear |
Other foliage that caught my eye during my garden rounds included:
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| Coprosma repens 'Plum Hussey,' which is at risk of being swallowed up by the rampant growth of the Pelargonium tomentosum (aka peppermint geranium). I think the latter is enjoying the extra water I've been giving the new plants nearby a little too much. |
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| Pseuderanthemum 'Texas Tri-star,' in the border along our living room windows - this slow-growing plant looks identical to a plant I saw labeled as a Strobilanthus at a nearby nursery |
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| Schlumbergera x buckleyi (aka Christmas Cactus), showing the beginnings of tiny flower buds |
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| Solenostemon scutellariodes 'Electric Lime Coleus' and 'Mocha Mint Coleus,' which made it through the summer heat relatively unscathed |
That's it for this month's foliage round-up. Please
visit Pam at Digging to view her foliage picks for the month and to find links to other gardeners' selections.
