Plant Highlights By Date
Plectranthus argentatus
October 2018
Though it is native to a summer-rainfall area, Plectranthus argentatus grows quite well in The Ruth Bancroft Garden’s Mediterranean climate, needing only an occasional watering during the summer months to keep it happy.
Huernia thuretii var. primulina
September 2018
Stapeliads are succulent relatives of the milkweeds with striking 5-pointed flowers. Their flowers are beautiful, but in most cases they emit foul odors to attract pollinators.
Calibanus hookeri
August 2018
Calibanus hookeri is summer-flowering. The branched inflorescences are shorter than the leaves, and they arch to one side. The tiny off-white flowers, sometimes with a reddish or purplish tinge, are borne in small clusters along the main stalk and the side branches.
Cyrtanthus obliquus
July 2018
Cyrtanthus obliquus has teardrop-shaped bulbs to 4 inches in diameter (10 cm), and it typically produces a few offsets to form a small clump, though plants may sometimes be solitary. The top third of the bulb is normally visible above ground level.
Agave montana
June 2018
The floral branches and buds of Agave montana are a dark purplish-red color, but when the flowers open they show off their yellow interiors and stamens and pistils.
Doryanthes palmeri
May 2018
This Australian native begins life as a single large rosette, but when it comes into flower the growing tip elongates into a flower stalk, much like an Agave does.
Echeveria derenbergii
April 2018
Many species of Echeveria are notable for their highly ornamental tight rosettes of succulent leaves, and most of these come from Mexico.
Protea scolymocephala
March 2018
The Protea Family, Proteaceae, is primarily a Southern Hemisphere group, with most of the species found in Australia and South Africa.
Aloe africana
February 2018
South Africa has quite a few single-headed species of Aloe which develop a trunk and make dramatic focal points in the garden.
Cheiridopsis robusta
January 2018
This clump-forming succulent belongs to the Ice Plant Family and features showy yellow flowers.
