Tips on Choosing Plants for Landscaping
Most of the landscaping plants we recommend are considered deer resistant. The starred plants for landscaping have the added advantages of being drought tolerant and fire resistant.
trees
- Acacia bailyana - Mimosa. 20-30 ft. high, 20-40 ft. wide. Yellow flowers in midwinter. Evergreen.
- Acer circiatum - Vine maple. 5-35 ft. high. Grows well in shade. Deciduous.
- Acer palmatum - Japanese maple. To 20 ft. high. Many varieties, some do well in shade. Deciduous.
- Albizia julibrissin - Silk tree. To 40 ft., about as wide. Pink flowers in summer. Deciduous.
- Arbutus unedo* - Strawberry tree. 8-35 ft. and as wide. Red bark, attractive fruit and flowers. Evergreen.
- Cercis occidentalis* - Western redbud. 20 ft. high, 15 ft. wide. Native, deciduous.
- Dodonea - Hopseed bush. 12-15 ft. tall. Effective when trained as tree. Evergreen.
- Sambucus* - Elderberry. To 30 ft. and as wide. Edible berries in summer. Deciduous.
- Ficus nitida - Indian laurel. To 40 ft. and as wide. Large glossy leaves. Evergreen.
- Gingko biloba - Gingko. To 50 ft. or more. Beautiful golden fall foliage. Deciduous.
- Maytenus boaria - Mayten tree. To 40 ft., 20 ft. wide. Like willow, but well mannered. Evergreen.
- Metrosideros - New Zealand Christmas Tree. To 30 ft.. Red flowers in early summer. Evergreen.
- Myoporum laetum* - To 30 ft. high, 20 ft. wide. Very fast growing. Evergreen.
- Olea* - Olive. To 25 ft. "Swan Hill" variety is non-fruiting. Evergreen.
- Podocarpus gracilior - Fern pine. To 50 ft. Evergreen.
- Schinus molle* - California pepper. 25-40 ft. high, dense foliage, aromatic leaves. Evergreen.
vines
- Bougainvillea - Landscaping plant needs support to climb, or use in covering slopes. Brilliant color in summer. Evergreen.
- Clematis - Beautiful flowers, lush foliage. Of the many varieties, texensis is most drought tolerant. Twining growth for arbors or trellis. Deciduous.
- Ficus repens - Creeping fig. Landscaping plant used to cover eastern or northern exposure walls. Evergreen.
- Gelsemiun sepmervirens - Carolina jessamine. Fragrant yellow flowers in late winter, early spring. Evergreen.
- Hardengergia comptoniana - Lilac vine. Purple blooms in early spring, airy growth pattern. Evergreen.
- Jasminum polyanthum - Jasmine. Fragrant blossoms, good choice for trellis in sunny area. Evergreen.
- Pandorea pandorana - Wonga wonga vine. Flowering vine that grows well in sun or shade. Evergreen.
- Solanum jasminoides - Potato vine. Fast growth, long blooming season. Evergreen.
- Solanum rantonnetii - Nightshade. Periwinkle blue flowers. Use as vine, groundcover, or train as standard. Evergreen.
- Trachelospermum jasminoides - Star jasmine. Fragrant, small white flowers. Needs support to climb, or let sprawl as groundcover. Evergreen.