Plant of the Month: September 2010

Agave shawii  The Coastal Century Plant is a large sized perennial succulent with a rosette of sharply pointed leaves. Sends up a tall yellow flower spike, annually. Fire-retardant, drought-resistant, tolerates poor soil but requires excellent drainage. 1 ft. to 3 ft. high, 5 ft. wide. 

To see more suggestions for drought resistant landscape plants, 

visit stevensmithlandscape.com

Plant of the Month: August 2010

Salvia greggii ,  Autumn Sage or Cherry Sage is a 3-4' tall shrub with 1/2"-1" leaves and 1" rosy red spikelike flower clusters in late spring and summer (fall through spring in the desert).  Drought tolerant near the coast.  Can be sheared into a hedge. Also in pink and salmon varieties.

To see more suggestions for drought resistant landscape plants, 

visit stevensmithlandscape.com

Plant of the Month: July 2010

Salvia leucantha, Mexican Brush Sage

• Blooms summer and fall with velvety purple spikes and small white flowers.
• Drought tolerant. 3-4 ft. tall and wide.
• Fast growing, full sun or light shade. 
• This plant is attractive to bees, butterflies and hummingbirds.

To see more suggestions for drought resistant landscape plants, 

visit stevensmithlandscape.com

Plant of the Month: June 2010

Echium candicans (Echium fastuosum) 'Pride of Madeira' is a shrubby perennial, very drought resistant with dramatic spike-like bluish purple flower clusters blooming May-June. Effective on slopes for erosion control or at back of a flower border or against walls. 6 ft. high.

To see more suggestions for drought resistant landscape plants, visit stevensmithlandscape.com

Plant of the Month: May 2010

Cercis occidentalis Western Redbud is a shrub or small tree with 10-18 ft. height and spread. Visually interesting all year long, displaying magenta flowers for a 3 week period in the spring, blue-green foliage in summer, light yellow or red foliage in the fall and red-brown seed pods in winter.  This variety of Cercis is drought tolerant and can work well on dry, seldom watered banks.



To see more suggestions for drought resistant landscape plants, visit stevensmithlandscape.com

Landscape in Transition Garden Tour

A Garden Tour hosted by the American Society of Landscape Architects is scheduled for May 1, 2010.

" A Landscape in Transition" is a guided Bus Tour of private residential gardens and public projects designed by professional Landscape Architects. The tour will highlight the professional work of Landscape Architects and will showcase ways to make existing landscapes drought tolerant. The tour includes a residential landscape installed by and currently maintained by Steven Smith Landscape, Inc.  Please visit the residential installation and maintenance galleries on our website for photos for this and other projects.

Palm Removal and Installation

Steven Smith Landscape was contacted recently by an Association that had a sick Phoenix canariensis palm tree.  We determined that the tree died from a Fusarium infection. Fusarium 'wilt' is caused by a soil fungus Fusarium oxysporum and is the most common infection affecting palm trees.This causes older, lower fronds to turn yellow, wilt and die followed by the upper leaves. The die off of fronds is very rapid and eventually the entire plant dies. There is no cure for this disease and trees must be removed.  It can be spread by contaminated pruning tools.  New tools or disinfected tools need to be used to curb the spread of the disease.

   We removed the tree and replaced it with a

36" box Chamaerops humilis which is resistant to infection.
Chris Cutler, Maintenance Superintendent - Steven Smith Landscape, Inc.