Soquel Nursery Growers
September 2009 Newsletter
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Soquel Nursery Growers 3645 North Main Street Soquel, CA 95073
(831) 475-3533 (800) 552-0802 (831) 475-1608 fax
We are not open to the public.
We sell to wholesale and retail nurseries, landscape contractors,
and landscaping professionals.
Philotheca myoporoides

Philotheca myoporoides or Long-Leaf Wax Flower is a
handsome Australian shrub with smooth, olive-green
narrow leaves. In the winter and spring it is covered with
small starry white flowers. It has a dense, mounding habit
to about 3’ – 4’ tall and wide.  Its flexible stems make it
wind resistant. When established it will tolerate drought
and frost. It likes dappled shade or sun, well-drained soil
and moderate water. Philotheca responds well to pruning
and shaping.
Camelot Series Digitalis

New for us this year is the Camelot Series of Digitalis or Foxgloves. These are the first F1 hybrid
Digitalis, having superior vigor, sturdy stems, and a very long bloom season. The flowers are held horizontally
all around the stem, showing their spotted throats.  The flower spikes are huge and well branching to 4’ tall.
The Camelot Series blooms profusely the first year in spring and fall. The plants will live 3-4 years and
achieve full glory in their second year. All Digitalis grow well in light shade, but Camelot is one of the most
sun and heat tolerant varieties. We have Rose, Lavender, White, and Cream. Sorry we don't have photos yet!
Fancy
Sierra
Jardino
Cyclamen

Fall and winter are Cyclamen time, and some of ours are ready. We have the classic Sierra series in red, white,
lilac, and pink.  The Fancy varieties are a mix with stripes and fringed petals. New for us this year is the
fragrant, vigorous Jardino series in red and white. Jardinos are larger than miniatures and smaller than
intermediate types. They grow to about 10”-12” tall. You can keep cyclamen alive in the garden if they have dry
shade in the summer for their dormant time. All three series are available in 4”.
Ceanothus 'Ray Hartman'
Ceanothus light up the hills of California in springtime with
clouds of flowers in unforgettably vibrant shades of blue. The genus
Ceanothus has a wide diversity of forms, ranging from small trees to
groundcover types, native to many habitats. They are often called
California Wild Lilac or Mountain Lilac. The flowers are important
for bees and other beneficial insects. The seeds are beloved by quail
and songbirds. The roots fix nitrogen in the soil. Ceanothus have a
reputation for being short lived, but this is usually caused by
excessive water and fertilizer.  Deer will prune the larger leafed
varieties a little bit for you. They usually don’t like to eat the ones
with tiny leaves.
Concha




Dense shrub with arching branches to about 6’x 6’.  Can be
trained up as a small tree. Narrow ½” long dark green leaves.
Large, profuse clusters of deep blue flowers. Concha is more
cold hardy than other Ceanothus. It is also more tolerant of
alkaline soil and clay.
Julia Phelps





Shrub with mounding habit to 6’x 8’. Tiny ¼” long leaves. Deep
indigo flowers like electric sparks. Julia Phelps enjoys
coastal conditions, but will do well inland. The foliage is
fragrant after rain. Tolerates summer water and clay soil.
Ray Hartman






Fast growing shrub or small tree to 15’ x 15’. Large
rounded leaves. Medium-blue flowers. Deer like the new
growth. If you cage it for the first year or two, it will
grow up out of the reach of deer.
Yankee Point





Fast growing groundcover to 2’ x 10’. Thrives in full sun on the
coast, preferring a little shade inland. Medium-blue flowers and
large leaves. Excellent for covering slopes.
Echium handiense





If you crave Echium fastuosum (Pride of Madiera) but you
don’t have enough room, Echium handiense is the plant for
you. The electric blue flower heads are more rounded than
those of E. fastuosum. Its eventual size is only about 2’ x 2’.
Say “handy-en-see”.
Salvia brandegi

The foliage of Salvia brandegi or Brandegee’s Sage has a wonderfully aromatic sweet resinous smell, evocative
of wild California chaparral. It is native to Baja California and the Channel Islands. The leaves are dark green,
long and narrow, with a shiny wrinkled upper surface and a white felted underside. In spring the shrub is
covered with stately whorls of pale lavender flowers with contrasting dark calyxes. It loves coastal conditions
and sunny, exposed areas, thriving in sandy or clay soils. It needs no additional water once established. Too much
water will make it sprawly and leggy. Salvia brandegi grows to about 3’-4’ tall and wide. The dark green foliage
makes a nice contrast with silvery foliage such as lavenders, Artemesia, Perovskia and
Teucrium fruticans azureum. Salvia brandegi is a durable and long-lived shrub and is deer resistant.
Asclepias currassavica
Rejoice if you see big, brightly striped yellow,
black and white caterpillars on your Asclepias.
Have the pixies lost their socks? No, these are the
larvae of the Monarch Butterfly. We have
Asclepias currassavica ‘Silky Gold’, and ‘Silky
Deep Red’, aka Milkweed or Blood Flower. The
flowers and foliage are very attractive even
without caterpillars.