Our Plants

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Z

Pages

More information »	Sambucus mexicana (nigra ssp. caerulea) (blue elderberry, Mexican elderberry) Our native blue elderberry, often seen on banks above rivers and streams, or even on somewhat drier slopes. A fast growing deciduous shrub or small tree 8 to 25 ft. tall with pinnately divided leaves. Creamy yellow flowers appear in late spring in flat-topped clusters, followed by blue berries. High on the birds’ favorite list! Ripe berries feed many species of birds. Moderate to infrequent summer water.
More information »	Sambucus nigra 'Black Lace' (cut-leaf black elderberry) Intense purple-black, finely cut foliage adorn this beautiful and easy to grow shrub. Growing 8 ft. by 8 ft. in full sun to light shade with regular to moderate water. A great landscape shrub, striking specimen, screen or border plant as well as a good container subject. Summer brings soft-pink flowers in flat topped sprays that contrast beautifully with the gorgeous foliage. The clusters of small purple fruits that follow are attractive to birds. Amenable to artistic pruning or annual shearing to keep in scale, best done after bloom so not to lose next years flowers.
More information »	Sambucus nigra 'Laciniata' (cut leaf elderberry) A beautiful cut leaf elderberry. Graceful, airy and finely dissected deep green foliage. Large flat topped sprays of white flowers become black shiny berries. Will grow easily to 10 ft. or more. Prune to desired height. Plant in sun to light shade with moderate to occasional watering. Flowers enjoyed by pollinators, berries relished by birds.
More information »	Sambucus racemosa (red elderberry) Red elderberry is native to moist areas along the coast. Shrub or small tree 6 - 18 ft. tall. Bright green foliage and pretty white flowers in pyramidal clusters followed by bright red berries. The fruits are relished by birds but are reputed to be POISONOUS to humans. Cool sun, light shade and moisture. High on the birds’ favorite list! Ripe berries feed many species of birds.
More information »	Sambucus racemosa 'Alamere Lavender' (red elderberry) Plant description coming soon.
More information »	Satureja (Clinopodium) douglasii (yerba buena) Wonderfully fragrant native perennial with trailing stems about 6 inches tall and spreading. Roundish, scallop-edged, deliciously minty leaves have a long history of herbal uses. Tiny white flowers are borne in axils of leaves in the spring. A sweet small scale groundcover for the woodland garden with light shade and moderate to a little summer water.
More information »	Satureja (Clinopodium) mimuloides (monkeyflower savory) Native to creeksides in the mountains of southern California, this clump forming perennial is rarely seen in cultivation. Growing 2 - 3 ft. tall and wide with soft, fragrant foliage. Orangy-red tubular flowers bloom late spring to early summer and are hummingbird favorites. Plant in sun to light shade with regular moisture.
More information »	Scirpus (Schoenplectus) acutus var. occidentalis (common tule, giant bulrush) Also called giant bulrush, this large bold plant can form massive colonies on the edges of wet areas. Native to freshwater marshes, lakes and stream banks throughout lower elevations in California and much of North America. Vertical, thick, round, leafless stems grow 12 to 15 ft. tall and spread underground. In large landscapes it can be used as a pond or riparian plant where it will form dense thickets. Can be grown in containers for smaller gardens, set just below water level for a dramatic vertical accent. Plant in full sun with regular water. Provides good habitat for wildlife.
More information »	Scrophularia californica (beeplant or figwort) Native to open places of the coastal scrub and woodlands where it can form large colonies in moist areas. Grows 2 to 3 1/2 ft. tall and wide in cool full sun to light shade. Pretty purplish-red new growth matures to deep green. The flower spikes carry many small open-mouthed maroon-red flowers followed by attractive seed stalks which are nice in dried flower arrangements. This prolific nectar producer attracts all sorts of pollinators including bees and hummingbirds. Larval food source for the Chalcedon Checkerspot and Common Buckeye butterfly. Birds relish seeds.
More information »	Scrophularia californica green-flowered form (green-flowered beeplant or figwort) An interesting color form of the normally maroon flowered figwort. Seed was collected from a site in northern Santa Cruz county that has wonderful yellow-green flowers. The open-mouthed flowers are small but profuse. Native to open places of the coastal scrub and woodland where it can form large colonies in moist areas. Grows 2 to 3 1/2 ft. tall and wide in cool full sun to light shade. Larval food source for the common checkerspot butterfly.
More information »	Scutellaria 'Violet Cloud' (skullcap) Plant description coming soon.
More information »	Scutellaria californica (California skullcap) A charming perennial native to gravelly soils of low and mid elevation mountains of Northern California where it grows on the edge of woodlands and chaparral communities. Leaves are arranged oppositely on erect stems less than one foot tall. The very sweet, small, creamy-white snapdragon-like flowers occur in pairs at the leaf axils. Spreads by underground rootstocks to form colonies. In our nutritious water retentive soils has spread quite vigorously, in dryer leaner soils less so. Plant in full sun to light shade. Drought tolerant but would appreciate a little summer water.
More information »	Scutellaria suffrutescens (pink Texas skullcap) Sturdy, compact, long blooming perennial growing less than 6 inches tall by 15 inches wide. Deep green foliage and dense growth habit make a tidy foil for the profusion of small rosy- pink snapdragon-like flowers over a long period spring-summer. Highly attractive to pollinators and hummingbirds. Plant in full sun to light shade with occasional water. Drought and heat tolerant. Deer tolerant too.
More information »	Sedum divergens (Pacific stonecrop) This is a little beauty. Mat-forming and evergreen, this succulent is native to California north to Alaska. Tolerant of wet winters, the shiny round bead-like leaves turn a dark red in full sun. Stays compact and slowly spreads, 2 - 4 inches tall, reaching about 18 inches in diameter. Blooms starry yellow flowers in summer. Great in rock gardens, planters, useful as an edge plant. Adapts to many soil types. Fully hardy and drought tolerant once established. We have this planted in our trough in front of the greenhouse.
More information »	Sedum spathulifolium (Pacific stonecrop) A mat forming native succulent often seen on rocky cliffs and shady banks in California’s Coast Ranges and Sierra Nevada north to British Columbia. Small, spoon-shaped leaves form flat rosettes where bright yellow star-like flowers appear in late spring and early summer. A natural for the rock garden or container plantings where they are best with part shade. Very drought tolerant.
More information »	Sedum spathulifolium 'Cape Blanco' (common stonecrop) A mat forming, western native succulent, often seen on rocky cliffs and shady banks in California’s Coast Ranges and Sierra Nevada north to British Columbia. Small, spoon-shaped leaves form flat rosettes where bright yellow star-like flowers appear in late spring and early summer. The cultivar 'Cape Blanco' was selected along the Oregon coast, for its chalky-white foliage. A natural for the rock garden or container plantings where they are best with part shade. Very drought tolerant.
More information »	Sedum spathulifolium 'Elephant Rock' (Pacific stonecrop) This distinctive form of our native stonecrop was discovered on Elephant Rock near Dylan Beach and introduced by Mostly Natives Nursery.Especially large grey-green spoon shaped leaves form luscious mats of flat rosettes.Jewel-like yellow flowers arise in the spring on stalks reaching about 6 inches tall.Excellent small scale ground cover for the well-drained garden in partial shade.Water occasionally once established.Good container subject too.
More information »	Sedum spathulifolium 'Purpureum' (Pacific stonecrop) This distinctive form of the Pacific stonecrop features purple leaves which turn particularly dark in the winter. Bright yellow flowers are produced in late spring and early summer on short stems up to 4 inches high. This mat forming succulent grows in rocky crevices and shady banks in California’s Coast Ranges and Sierra Nevada north to British Columbia. The small, spoon-shaped leaves form flat rosettes. Needs excellent drainage and some shade, especially in the afternoon. A natural for the rock garden or container plantings where its diminutive nature can be appreciated. Very drought tolerant.
More information »	Sedum spurium 'John Creech' (stonecrop) A durable semi-evergreen, hardy groundcover, suitable for pathways, rock gardens, and as a bank cover. ‘John Creech’ is a particulary low and tight form of S. spurium that grows 2 inches tall and spreads to a foot wide, then slowly creeps in a noninvasive manner. Its dense habit tends to keep weeds from poking through. Topped by purplish-pink flowers in summer that attract butterflies. Plant in well drained soil. Looks best with occasional summer water. Somewhat drought tolerant. Named for Dr. John Creech, of the U.S. National Arboretum, who discovered the plant in Siberia. Supposedly deer resistant.
More information »	Sedum telephium 'Autumn Joy' (sedum) Introduced to the U.S. in 1955, this dependable, late flowering, easy to grow perennial will except a wide range of conditions. Fleshy blue-green leaves with large dusty rose-pink flower heads in summer turn a wonderful rust color with age. Sun, light shade, moderate to little water. About 2 - 2 1/2 ft tall. A bee and butterfly favorite.
More information »	Sequoia sempervirens (coast redwood) A beautiful and fast growing conifer, famous, as it is the world’s tallest tree. Provides a symmetrical pyramid of soft fragrant foliage 70 to 100 ft. or more tall. Outside its native range it will be shorter, topping out at around 50 ft. The columnar trunks are covered with thick fibrous red-brown bark. Small one inch cones form in clusters at the branch tips. Grows easily in areas with coastal influence and fog but will grow in drier interior sites with regular summer water. Performs well in the regular watering regimes of many urban gardens and lawns. Can be planted as a specimen, in groves, or even pruned as a hedge. As long as its watering requirements are met it has very few pest or disease problems.
More information »	Sequoia sempervirens 'Kelly's Prostrate' (Kelly's prostrate coast redwood) A low growing form of the coast redwood with a flat, spreading habit. Exceptionally low growing, we have never seen any upright growth in this form. The flat sprays of foliage are deep green with light green new growth and spreading to five foot wide or more. Best in moist, well drained soils with light shade. Use where the unique form can be shown off. Makes an excellent container subject.
More information »	Sequoia sempervirens 'Nana Pendula' (prostrate coast redwood) An intriguing prostrate form of the coast redwood. Bluish-green leaves on pendulous branches spread out in a circular form usually under 1 ft. tall. May mound up taller over time, trim out any tall leaders that may occur. An interesting specimen or container subject for lightly shaded areas with regular water. Grows much slower than the upright tree form of coast redwood, with the branches achieving a spread of around 6 to 12 ft. in ten years.
More information »	Sequoiadendron giganteum (giant Sequoia, Sierra redwood) This iconic Californian giant hales from the west side of the Sierra Nevada where it forms dramatic cathedrals with its massive, cinnamon-colored trunks. The leaves are gray-green and scale-like, hugging the billowing stems. In nature, this close relative of the coast redwood can be over 3,000 years old and reach over 300 ft. tall with trunks bulging to 56 ft. in diameter. In a garden setting you can expect a more reasonable height of 60 – 90 ft. with a canopy spread of around 40 ft. A stunning specimen tree for a large garden. Needs decent drainage and occasional irrigation when young, though it will become quite drought tolerant once established. Full sun to light shade. More cold hardy and drought tolerant than the coast redwood. Reported to be deer resistant.
More information »	Sidalcea calycosa ssp. rhizomata (Point Reyes checkerbloom) Plant description coming soon.