What's Blooming

   There are literally thousands of interesting individual plants in the Arboretum's collections.  At any time of the year there's something blooming, and there's always plenty to see. Our very wet winter has produced an unusual abundance of varied blooms in the gardens. Well worth a visit!

   To help you decide where to start, below we present a sample of some of the specimens that are currently worth seeking out in our gardens. To aid in your quest a map of the Arboretum can be found here. Follow the World Tour signs to view many of these blooms. You may access a larger selection of what's currently blooming in our gardens by checking out the photo gallery on the Arboretum Snapshots page.

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California Natives, the entrance garden
   The California Garden, on the right as you enter the Arboretum, boasts many special plants of interest to gardeners. Many of these were originally selected in the wild by Arboretum staff, and have since been propagated and released to the horticultural trade.
    Highlights this June include the Romneya coulteri (Matilija Poppy) and Malacothamnus densiflorus var. viscidus (Yellowstem Bush Mallow). Other natives include the Lepechinia calycina (Pitcher Sage), an aromatic shrub, and the unusual Trichostema lanatum (Woolly Blue Curls), that has aromatic leaves and clusters of furry blue flowers.
Romneya coulteri (Matilija Poppy)

Malacothamnus densiflorus var. viscidus (Yellowstem Bush Mallow)

Lepechinia calycina (Pitcher Sage)

Trichostema lanatum (Woolly Blue Curls)

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South African Garden
   Many brilliant colors and fascinating plants can be found throughout the South African garden. There is a wide variety of colorful Leucospermums and Ericas currently in bloom. Among them are the Leucospermum grandiflorum and the Erica glomiflora (Lantern Heath).
   Among the other plants on display are the colorful, eye catching Mimetes cucullatus and Dodonaea viscosa ssp. angustifolia (Hop Bush), an attractive shrub.
Leucospermum grandiflorum

Erica glomiflora (Lantern Heath)

Mimetes cucullatus

Dodonaea viscosa ssp. angustifolia (Hop Bush)

New Zealand Garden
Many New Zealand plants and trees have become familiar to California gardeners and many special forms of these plants are on display. There are a number of Hebes currently in bloom, including the delicate Hebe bollonsii.
   Among the varitety of other plants currently in bloom are the Metrosideros kermadecensis ‘Radiant’, that displays a profusion of red bristly flowers, Pachystegia insignis (Marlborough Rock Daisy), a hardy evergreen that produces large white daisy-like flowers,  and the Phormium tenax, a flax plant with tall flower stems.

Hebe bollonsii

Metrosideros kermadecensis 'Radiant'

Pachystegia insignis (Marlborough Rock Daisy)

Phormium tenax

Australian Garden
   A stroll through the Australian Gardens is always a feast for the senses. There is a wide variety of banksias and grevilleas in bloom of every form and hue. Both are great favorites of the hummingbirds that zip around the garden. Current examples of these are the Banksia grandis and Grevillea ‘Robyn Gordon’.
   This spring also offers variety of colorful Callistemons and Leptospermums in bloom, including the Callistemon pityoides (Alpine Bottlebrush), that produces attractive dense cream colored brushes on the ends of its branches, and the Leptospermum rotundifolium, that displays delicate petals that surround a round green eye in the center.

Banksia grandis

Grevillea ‘Robyn Gordon’

Callistemon pityoides (Alpine Bottlebrush)

Leptospermum rotundifolium

Learn more about the fascinating Banksias from Australian Garden curator Melinda Kralj and the Outback Howlers.

The Aroma and Succulent Gardens
   The Aroma Garden contains salvias of all shapes and sizes, lavenders, oreganos, thymes, and many other drought-tolerant perennials and shrubs can be seen. You will see many plants that produce their aroma from their flowers, and many which produce their aroma from their leaves.
   Current examples in bloom include Salvia ‘Hot Lips’ and Salvia x jamensis ‘Sierra San Antonio’. Other attractive blooms include a very attractive English lavender, Lavandula angustifolia 'Royal Velvet', and Jasminum tortuosum (Twisted Jasmine), a fragrant, vigorous grower.
Salvia ‘Hot Lips’

Salvia x jamensis ‘Sierra San Antonio’

Lavandula angustifolia 'Royal Velvet'

Jasminum tortuosum (Twisted Jasmine)