skip to main content

California Gardening

november blooms

12 years ago

I have been enjoying our continued mild and sunny weather here in the East Bay, and wanted to share my enjoyment of some of the best performing plants, in case you're searching for some color in the late fall/winter garden. Of course the tree dahlias and tree daisies are looking good now(Montanoa grandiflora), and the perennial Marigold, Tagetes lemmonii is a blaze of yellow right now. The first of the Aloes are doing their thing, with the red or yellow Aloe arborescens, Aloe rubroviolacea, Aloe thraskii, Aloe africana, Aloe humilis all in full bloom right now. I've also got several Poker plants,Kniphofias uvaria 'Winter Cheer' and K. thompsonii looking great. Abutilons in all colors look stunning, and Leucadendrons such as Safari Sunset, Summer Red , Winter Red, and Blush,(all L. salignum cultivars or hybrids), are looking good. Some shrubs with vivid orange color might include Abutilon Victor Reiterate, Tecoma x smithii or T. Jubilee, and Streptosolen jamesonii. The genus Plectranthus is always good for color this season; with pink or purple P. ecklonii, Soft lavender P. zuluensis, P. Mona Lavender, and P. neochilus. I've also been enjoying the luscious pink/lavenders of some of my species Epidendrum orchids, such as E. porphyreum and E. capricornu, both so much snowier than the more common hybrids,and more easily grown here in Berkeley without full sun and summer heat. I've also got several Heliconias coming into winter bloom, such as H. matthiasae and H. schiedeana. Not to forget the grasses and grassy foliage plants, Pink Muhly,Muhlenbergia capillaries and the Burgundy foliage of Cordyline Design a line Burgundy are looking gorgeous right now.

What are some of your favorites for an end of the year color pick me up? More orange blooms from Deppea splendens or Bomarea are my last suggestions.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (7)

hoovb zone 9 sunset 23
12 years ago
Yes Tagetes lemoniii is a blaze of color here, too.

{{gwi:495738}}
hosenemesis
12 years ago
YOWZA! That looks like it gets pretty big. What a cascade of color. To heck with forsythia- we don't need no dang forsythia!

Thanks for the list, Bahia. My main flowering plants right now are reblooming irises, some roses, ivy geranium, viola, flax lily, brugmansia, Diamond Frost Euphorbia, Echeverria, and daylilies. The pyracanthas are gorgeous right now. I couldn't decide on singulars or plurals in that sentence.

Renee
Related Discussions
November blooms.
Q
Comments (44)
Yep, it's GG! I wonder how she's doing? All of my new plant children are doing very well! I'm trying not to mind them too much since Hoyas do best when slightly ignored, but since they are jut cuttings, one does have to keep a closer eye on them than established plants. Brad AKA Moonwolf
...See More
November blooms - 2015
Q
Comments (29)
escolat, I use to travel to Puerto Rico 3 times a year for business and I saw that Hibiscus growing on abandon property climbing up the top of the trees like our kudzu weed. Sorry I cannot help you with a name because when I asked them for a name they would say weed. So you are right it probably was from PR. I kept saying I was going to get a piece and bring it home but I never remembered.
...See More
Mid-November blooms from N. Calif
Q
Comments (9)
'Mercury Rising' looks just like Gemini! Very handsome sculptural form. Good to know 'Happy Child' has new foliage that's not red!! What a floriferous one. 'Munstead Wood' is fantastic looking. Very deep red on my monitor. My garden visitor is Bob. Big grey male and loves being scratched. And rolls over for a belly rub. I think he took care of the gopher so he may sleep anywhere he pleases.
...See More
November Blooms=Let's See Yours Too!
Q
Comments (102)
Patty, it's almost as bad here, plus the awful deer infestation we have had since early September have made things worse. As of Dec, the only good looking blooms I have are on my two big Julia Child roses. Even the little baby Julia in back has a bud, though the deer stole the rest. All my other roses have quit blooming, or have frozen blooms. We will have lows in the teens in a few days, and that's got to finish off Julia. Diane Julia in December Evelyn in late November, eaten the day after this photo was taken Evelyn late November Augusta Luise in late November Boscobel in November Jude the Obscure in November Munstead Wood in November I think that's enough for now. But the only one standing in December is Julia Child. Diane
...See More
bahia
Original Author
12 years ago
Has the Diamond Frost Euphorbia acted more as a reliable perennial or an annual for you? I can't quite figure out which it is here in Berkeley. I'm surprised the Tagetes lemmonii isn't already familiar to you, as we see it a lot here in the East Bay Area. There are some newer dwarfed cultivars, but it still gets at least 4feeet across. It can keep that much color for up to 9 months locally. As do the Tecoma x smithii and T. Orange Jubilee.
jakkom
12 years ago
Wow, that tagetes was at least three times the size my biggest one ever got. What a show!

Here in the lower Oakland hills I've got the ever-reliable (somewhat boring) euryops, along with limonium, plectranthus ciliatus, tons of roses, (even more boring) lantana, pelargoniums, evergreen iberis, passiflora, eryismum, and another almost perpetual bloomer, pink cestrum.

The cool weather and intermittent rains have even brought the nasturtiums into bloom again.
dicot
12 years ago
My favorite flowers right now are on the Gold Nugget tangerine tree, so sweet smelling at moments! The T. lemonii is great for winter color & pollinators, but not my favorite smell. The Salvia elegans and microphylla bring the hummers and the tea trees are just opening their blooms now.
hosenemesis
12 years ago
Diamond Frost Euphorbia is an unreliable perennial for me, Bahia. I have it in a few spots where it has flourished for three years now, but some have disappeared. It blooms best in fall.

I am loathe to sacrifice more than a few feet to each plant, so I have never grown tagetes lemmonii. I am stingy with space. That will change as I mature as a gardener, I imagine.
bahia
Original Author
12 years ago
I'd call your plant choices a case of being pragmatic! No point trying to cram large plants into too small a space. Thanks for the feedback on the euphorbia, I bought two a year ago, and still have one surviving, which I hadn't expected to go a second season.

Related Stories

GREAT LAKES GARDENING Great Lakes Gardener's November Checklist

By Barbara Pintozzi

So many seed heads and berries to admire as you prepare for winter and prep bulbs for forced indoor blooming

0

GARDENING GUIDES Northeast Gardener's November Checklist

By Paintbox Garden

Let titian foliage and berries, silky milkweed, late-blooming asters and more lure you out into the autumn garden

CALIFORNIA GARDENING Southern California Gardener's November Checklist

By Margie Grace - Grace Design Associates

Sow wildflower seeds while ye may, give berries some love and pay attention to produce for garden veggies all winter long

0

CALIFORNIA GARDENING California Gardener's November Checklist

In a season of traditions, let's take advantage of California's familiar — as well as quirky — planting opportunities

MONTHLY HOME CHECKLISTS To-Dos: Your November Home Checklist

By Laura Gaskill

Give your home a festive holiday air without running out of steam, and stay safe and snug as temperatures drop

GARDENING GUIDES Southeast Gardener's November Checklist

By Gardening with Confidence®

You're probably on top of planting bulbs, but don't forget to keep an eye on frost and drain your mower's gas tank

GARDENING GUIDES Your November Garden Checklist

By Annie Thornton

What to do around the U.S. this month to help your garden thrive — when you're not admiring fall's brilliant colors, that is

GARDENING GUIDES Mid-Atlantic Gardener's November Checklist

Winding down for winter means prepping, potting, piling and picking an indoor solution for daily compost

0

GARDENING GUIDES Texas Gardener's November Checklist

By J. Peterson Garden Design

Planting and protecting are top priorities in the garden this month, so master the mulch and get those trees and shrubs in the ground

0

GARDENING GUIDES Central Plains Gardener's November Checklist

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Mulching, seeding, feeding — several small tasks to ensure a winter of activity, and a good spring start.

Sponsored

Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery

233 Reviews

Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery

More Discussions

suburban raccoon - should I do anything?

1

pruning fig tree

2

Do you defoliate your roses?

18

Cercis occidentalis from seed collected today 2/14/24

5

My California Rose Garden 2024

71