A hillside of native oaks or a redwood grove connotes “California,” but for a smaller suburban garden, a smaller native tree can serve as a focal point, lend a sculptural quality, or provide structure.
Many of these plants are commonly grown as large shrubs (10 to 20 feet tall and wide), with foliage down to the ground and occasional tip-pruning to shape the silhouette. With careful selection and expert pruning when the plant is young, and careful annual follow-up, you can develop a more open framework, usually with multiple trunks.
To successfully prune most natives, remove only current-year growth rather than cutting into woodier tissue. When plants are actively growing, from summer to early fall, cuts heal faster. Finally, sterilize pruners between cuts.
Choose the location carefully. Natives require well-drained soil, so planting on a slope or adding a small mound or berm can ensure that water drains away from the base of the tree.
If you have a lawn, spread mulch under the expected mature canopy of the tree, or surround it with compatible native plants, instead of letting grass grow close. These natives cannot tolerate the amount of water needed to keep lawns green, and they can die from fungal diseases fostered by overspray.
For the best display, flowering trees require at least six hours of direct sun. In a hot location, some afternoon shade is ideal. These trees tolerate heat and drought once established, though most can also tolerate occasional summer water and the dappled shade cast by native oaks.
In early spring, smothered in blue flowers, Ray Hartman ceanothus can stop traffic. It grows fast, is easily adapted to gardens, and stays green year-round. Plan for a tree up to 18 feet high and wide within three to five years.
Irresistibly touchable smooth red-brown bark and dense evergreen foliage make Dr. Hurd manzanita and bigberry manzanita stand out. Both sport white to pinkish flowers in late winter to early spring followed by red to brown fruits and can grow to 18 feet. Bigberry manzanita, named for its half-inch fruits, can easily grow from seed and has cool blue-gray to white-gray foliage. Dr. Hurd has green leaves.
Magenta flowers clothe the branches of western redbud in early spring before new leaves appear. Dangling purple-brown seed pods follow, and in the fall, the distinctive kidney-shaped leaves turn yellow. Redbuds can reach 6 to 18 feet.
Toyon, featuring large clusters of red berries against the green leaves in winter, needs regular thinning in summer to stay healthy. Best with multiple trunks, toyons eventually reach 8 to 15 feet.
Mountain mahogany glows in late summer when its frothy masses of plumed fruits are backlit by the sun. This fast-growing tree usually reaches 10 to 15 feet, and for a narrow spot it can be pruned to 6 feet wide every fall. Lovely textured dark green leaves last all year.
Next month: small understory trees for a shady location.
© 2006 Tanya Kucak