Fire-wise Plant: Western redbud

Plant Name: Cercis occidentalis
Common name: Western redbud
Plant type: Deciduous Tree or Shrub
Height: 10’ – 20’
Spread:  10’ – 15’
Bloom Time:  February – April
Flower Color:  Magenta or Bright Pink; Fall Color
Exposure:  Full Sun to Part Shade
Soil Requirements:  Drainage Fast to Slow; Clay, Loam, Sand
Water Needs:  Low; Drought Tolerant
Attributes:  Very Showy Flowering; Deer Resistant; Attracts Bees, Butterflies, Hummingbirds, Moths, Native Pollinators; Four Season Interest; Pest & Disease Resistant;
Note: Flowers are popular with a variety of native bees, including leafcutter bees; Responds well to Pruning including occasional hard pruning
Uses: Bank Stabilization; Beds & Borders; Small Gardens
Firewise: YES
Native To:  California, Southwest, Arizona, Rocky Mountains, Utah
Oregon Native: NO
USDA Hardiness Zone:  6 – 9

Article by: Viki Ashford, AGC Member

Photo Credit: LaurentianShield, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Horticulture Report: Hesperantha Coccinea

Plant Name: Hesperantha Coccinea
(Previously known as Schizostylis Coccinea)
Common Name: Kaffir Lily, River Lily
Plant Type: Herbaceous Perennial
Flower Color: Pale Pink, Dark Pink, Crimson, White, Orange, Red, Pale Purple
Bloom Time: Late Summer to Early Winter
Foliage Color: Blue-Green, semi-evergreen
Sun Exposure: Full Sun – Part Sun
Water Requirements: Evenly moist soil; do not let dry out
Height: 24-36 in
Spacing: 9-12 in
Hardiness: 7a to 9b
Uses: Cut flowers, Along stream beds, By Ponds & Creeks, Perennial flowerbeds, Borders, Mediterranean Gardens
Attributes: Gladiolus-like flowers appear on spikes; Likes moisture; Tolerates poor soil; Grows in clumps
Native to: South Africa