And you are...?

Recently, I have been trying to learn the names of the commonly seen plants around San Diego such as in landscaping. Though I would also love to learn the name of native wild plants as well, I just do not know where to find their names. I am horrible at learning from print. Where is a botanist professor when you need one? Anyway, so far, I have been learning by trying to pay attention to them while in nurseries. Such as...


Agapanthus/lily-of-the-nile. Not particularly pretty flowers I think and I don't know if they are water-wise plants, but I suppose there is something to be said about the overall effect of a row of them planted together as they provide depth to the landscape. Their branches of blue or white flowers looks like they are floating above the sprouting green leaves as if tethered to them like balloons. Not fragrant. (Image)

Speaking of fragrance, Luis was complaining about a smelly plant by the entrance of the apartment complex that he cannot stand. Found out that it is society garlic, no relation to edible garlic bulbs. Some people describe the smell as sweet, I do not find it to be sweet at all, just pungent, like BO. Not necessarily bad, but not distinctly pleasant either. (Image)


Oh yes, and one more note on fragrant flowers. I love the smell of gardenias. However, they are such needy plants. Not only are they acid loving (meaning I can't just plop you down in any soil for you to grow beautiful), but they also attract many persistent little bugs. My mom finally found a way to keep the leaves glossy by spraying the plant with water everyday. And by spraying, she means blasting, blasting hard enough to knock the lot of little buggers off the leaves. Talk about too much work. (Image)

And on with the brain dump.


I think Kat has a sweetgum tree in her front yard. I think the burrs as well as the beautiful foliage colors come fall make them rather distinct . (Image)


Jacarandas are beautiful except when the flowers drop. They form sticky, gummy messes on the sidewalk.


Japanese flowering plums (Prunus cerasifera) are really pretty plants. I love waiting for their flowers in spring. Their dark purple leaves are quite striking amidst general greenery. It is quite a mystery to me that some people's tree are naked with only blooms in spring, whereas others grow both leaves and flowers at the same time. What is controlling that? (Image)