F

Fargesia   clumping bamboos of small to medium size, often with soft textured foliage and attractive culms. Many do well in cool summer climates, and  with at least a little shade, even along the coast. Graminae/Poaceae.  rev 12/2009 

apicirubens RED TIPPED FARGESIA  foliage  formerly sold as F. dracocephala, a larger, closely related species. this is a very cold hardy clumping bamboo with dense, dark green foliage that has the typically pendant, angular Fargesia/Borinda look. It is distinctive in being a very hardy, very small, evergreen clumping species. It usually seems to reach just 6-10' by most reports, usually with arching to semiweeping growth. Plants in 5g cans in our nursery struggle to reach 6' in height. It forms dense stands of 1/4" thick culms and makes a good screen if you trim up the sideways-arching branches. Supposedly it is more sun tolerant than most species of Fargesia but that probably won't get you very far if you don't have adequate humidity. Reportedly hardy to -15F, but not good in dry, hot zones without copious watering. It makes a good screening container plant. Sunset zones 4-9, 14-17, 22-24/USDA zone 6. rev 12/2009

Fatshedera lizei 'Annemieke'   splashed leaves   a scandent shrub, made desirable by its wonderfully variegated foliage, featuring soft jade green and chartreuse irregularly marbled in the center of the leaves. The leaves can get to 10" across and are nicely glossy and ivy-shaped. A hybrid of Fatsia japonica and Hedera helix, it scrambles yet doesn't cling. If you want it can cover ground. Does very well in a container and can make a spectacular specimen, and also does well in dark as well as dry shade. Also known as 'Media-Picta' and 'Aureo Maculata.' Sunset zones 5-9, 13-24/USDA zone 8. Araliaceae. rev 9/2010

Fatsia japonica     foliage    this evergreen foliage plant to 10' (20' with great age and perfect conditions) by about 6' across provides dramatic foliage displays, especially against walled backgrounds or as a backdrop for other plants with distinctive or colored foliage. It makes a durable container plant and has a well deserved reputation for holding up well in commercial applications. Sun to mostly shade, drought tolerant when established. Sunset zones 4-9, 13-24, USDA zone 8. Araliaceae, monotypic genus. Japan. rev 6/2005 

'Variegata'    nice mature plant, Westlake    foliage close up    Blue Bamboo Nursery   cut foliage at Hortifair  a nicely variegated form to 10' or more, with somewhat greyer leaves and margins splashed irregularly with creamy white. For shade to half sun,  average soils and relatively drought tolerant when established. Sunset zones 4-9, 13-24, USDA zone 8. rev 11/2009 

Faucaria tigrina  TIGER JAWS  at UCSC Arboretum    flowers   a Lithops relative that has triangular leaves with soft, fine teeth along the edges. It is relatively easy to grow for a "living stone," and blooms easily with large, very fine-textured, yellow iceplant-type flowers displayed singly in succession between the two jaws. Sun, sharp drainage, at its best in a small pot, as part of a larger pot landscape, or among rocks. It has some hardiness, and will probably take frost to around 25F, maybe lower. It will survive a reasonable number of years outside in succulent/rock garden landscapes if grown in mineral soils in Central California but eventually an El Niño year will do it in. They clump and increase in size nicely. Easy as a house or back porch container plant. Mesembryanthae/Aizoaceae. rev 4/2010

Festuca clumping perennial grasses ranging from inches to feet high. Most of the useful varieties are moderately to very drought tolerant. Can be used singly or massed as groundcovers. rev 8/2011

californica    at UCSC Arboretum    one of our nicest native grasses. Grows as an upright grey green clump of foliage to about 2' tall. Leaves are about 1/4" wide. Rather open flower/seed heads follow in summer. Tough, adaptable, drought tolerant. Definitely doesn't like poor drainage, though. Sun to part shade. Graminae/Poaceae.

'Phil's Silver'  majestic silvery clump  a cultivar found on the coast in Sonoma county, it is periphally named after Phil Silvers, a very funny guy from 1950's who apparently went on to become the Dalai Lama. It has stiff, grey green blades, a little purple at the base, and forms a majestic clump about 3' tall and wide. Flower stalks are seen in spring. Takes sun near the coast and some shade as you go inland. Little to average watering and well drained soil. Sunset zones 4-9, 14-24/USDA 7. rev 10/2011 *NEW for 2012!*

cinerea ‘Elijah Blue’    growing with Carex flagellifera    toupe-like planting    a dwarf, very glaucous variety, with almost white foliage. This seems to be the smallest variety out there among the blue fescues, and is best maintained as a small scale accent plant. The problem with allowing it to get large is that while it spreads out with time, it never gets any taller, so it just looks like a giant blue pancake. rev 7/2004

‘Siskiyou Blue’    long blue hair    this is a wonderful variety, probably the best of the Blue Fescues, with long, lush, blue blades reaching well over a foot in length and often laying horizontally to form broad blue masses of foliage. I think this would make a decent hanging basket. It is probably the bluest variety overall and therefore definitely my favorite. A neighbor up the street has it used simply but very effectively in front of a trellis of the dark green leaves of Star Jasmine and below the deep burgundy foliage of Berberis thunbergii ‘Crimson Pygmy.’ With the bright green lawn bordering the planting it looks colorful all year. Jeff Brooks says it did well in the northern Central Valley, with beautiful blue, arching flower stalks, very satisfying. rev 2/2010

idahoensis 'Tomales Bay' BUNCHGRASS   fine, blue foliage   a California native grass and a very nice blue one too! Small and dense, under a foot tall, it will grow in sun or part shade. This is a good choice for lawn substitutes and meadows, blending easily with other natives or drier growing perennials. Easy to edge a path, fill a small area as groundcover, dot about in the garden, and lovely in containers. Some watering in the summer to look its best. Sunset zones 8, 9, 14-24/USDA 9. rev 7/2011-Suzy Brooks

punctoria  HEDGEHOG GRASS   young clump   this is a very blue, very stiff, hard species you grow because you want it to be blue, stay small (under 8" tall and wide), and not die out in the middle. The leaves are quite firm and stiff, and have a sharp tip. They aren't as dangerous or troublesome as Australian Needlegrass, but they do need a little respect. This subject has a strong following in the PNW because of its resistance to wet weather and the previously mentioned tendency to not die out in the center with age. The older leaves will turn straw colored in fall and eventually drop out, but otherwise it survives with little or no care in well drained, preferably mineral soils.  Grow it in full to mostly full sun, give it little or regular summer watering. It can be mass planted for a very effective ground cover. Asia Minor. Sunset zones 5-9, 14-24, USDA 5.  rev 2/2010

Ficus carica  FIG  deciduous trees, usually to 10-20' in most gardens but occasionally larger in old landscapes. Foliage is large, coarse, deeply cut, somewhat ornamental when young. Hardy enough for almost any California climate, but will freeze to the ground and only bear late in the season on old growth in the coldest climates. I strongly recommend that you do not, under any circumstances, get any of the dripping white latex sap from underripe fruit in your mouth or you are going to be unhappy. Mediterranean. Moraceae. rev 9/2009

'Adriatic'  STRAWBERRY FIG    leaf and fruit   from Italy, an old variety with greenish white skin and a sweet pink interior. A good variety for cooler, coastal climates, that may not have the heat to ripen more heat-demanding varieties. Figs are very high in fiber and make a nutritional snack besides being a beautiful tree. Sun, regular watering. Sunset zones 8, 9, 14-24/USDA 8. rev 1/2011
‘Brown Turkey’  fruit   dark purple brown fruit, reddish interior, good for coastal or inland areas. A very good eating variety for cool areas because it will reliably ripen. It isn't as sweet and rich ‘Mission,’ but still very good when fully ripe and most importantly, it is dependable where more difficult varieties fail. rev 9/2009
‘Kadota’    leaves and fruit    perfectly ripe   sectioned   a "white" fig (very pale green to blond) of very high quality if you have the summer heat to ripen it, or even if you don't as long as you are patient. It is at its best in inland valleys or at least away from the immediate coast. The skin can be quite leathery, the interior is tan to pinkish and gooey. This variety is quite popular because the, flavor is excellent and very sweet, but doesn't have too much of that grassy, fresh-fig flavor. When fully ripe the fruit will droop at the neck, lighten in color, and exude clear droplets of pure sweetness from the distal end. In addition to blooming in late spring on new, green wood and producing fruit which ripen in fall like other varieties, this is one of the types which also bears a “breba” crop, which means it sets fruit in fall which pause their development until spring, then resume ripening and are ready in late spring or early summer. However if you don't have sufficient heat in those seasons then those fruits will languish and eventually abort. I have never failed to ripen a September-October crop in a moderately warm zone 17 but I do believe if you are on the bitter, outer, Western edge of a wind-blown, foggy, drizzly, miserable, bone-chilling, "refreshingly cool" zone 17 you may not be able to ripen this variety. rev 9/2009
‘Mission’    fruit  dark purple brown to purple black fruit, reddish interior, with an excellent, rich flavor. Will ripen (late!) in warmer coastal gardens many years if given a good, wind protected, heat accumulating situation, but overall this one is much more reliable away from the immediate coast and of much better quality. Trees in cold summer locations may fail to ripen fruit. rev 9/2009

pumila    CREEPING FIG    mature foliage    juvenile foliage texture    pattern    pattern    slow to moderate evergreen vine with dark green, oval leaves. Juvenile growth is characterized by small, thin leaves (to 1") with close internodes. Mature foliage is much larger (to 3"), somewhat glossy, much tougher, and with longer internodes. Foliage color will bleach out to yellow or almost white in full sunlight, especially in hot areas, but foliage rarely burns. Clings by adhesive roots, and can be problematic on some walls or structures because of this. It can also be quite useful for binding loose rock walls, etc. Best in at least part shade, little summer watering in most areas. Small fruits are usually not noticed. Eastern Asia, Japan.

'Quercifolia'    container    this is an extremely tight, dense grower, functioning mostly as a creeping, trailing groundcover. It seems clearly happier in at least 50% shade. I haven't been growing it long enough to know whether this very tiny foliage is a juvenile form only, or whether it even has some mature phase that is larger and coarser, like all the other varieties have. It will make a wonderful combo planter item.  rev 11/2007 
'Variegated'   juvenile foliage  leaves cleanly margined with ivory white. Very slow. Watch for reversions! rev 7/2009

Fragaria chiloensis 'Aulon'  WOOD STRAWBERRY   at UCSC   huge flowers   a very nice Northern California selection from Brett Hall that has tough, very shiny, vert dark green leaves against red runners, and huge, creamy white flowers to about an inch and a half across. This clone apparently forms almost exclusively male flowers, we are on the lookout for a female variant or similar counterpart because the species does bear tasty fruits. Runs quickly, tolerates sun along the coast or more shade inland, and needs little summer watering. This is a very nice native that deserves wide distribution and should have a nice niche in today's water-aware garden schemes. Sunset zones 5-9, 14-17, 21-24/USDA zone 8. Rosaceae. rev 2/2010

Fremontodendron ‘California Glory’    FLANNEL BUSH    Mission Hill    closeup    large, fast California native shrub to 15-20’ tall and wide, though often to only half that size. Bears 3-lobed, grainy leaves to 3" across, sweetly scented with a resinous fragrance much like that of Rainbow Popsicles, most evident on warm spring days. Masses of open, well displayed, bright yellow to yellow orange flowers to almost 4" across appear in spring and early summer. Hybrid varieties will bloom as long as they are pushing new growth. With a deep water supply, this can extend the bloom season into early summer, and plants can repeat bloom in fall. This variety seems almost indistinguishable from the next two, but has been in the trade longer and so is better known. It is definitely harder to propagate than either ‘Pacific Sunset’ or ‘San Gabriel’. Sun to part shade, little or no summer watering when established. Needs good drainage. Makes an excellent large espalier for a dry situation. Keep the grainy fuzz ("flannel") away from sensitive areas such as face, neck, or eyes. Sterculiaceae.

‘Ken Taylor’    closeup    habit    to 3-4’ tall, 6-12’ wide, with a horizontal to semipendant habit. Leaves are somewhat more grey green, flowers hang horizontally to pendantly and thus show their orange backs more than other hybrids. The flowers are also smaller by about an inch. A selection of, or hybrid involving  F. decumbens.
‘Pacific Sunset’    closeup    same parentage as ‘California Glory’ and ‘San Gabriel.’ Flowers are faintly oranger, supposedly larger.
‘San Gabriel’    flowers    very closeup    flowers like ‘California Glory,’ leaves are slightly more lobed.

Fuchsias    tender evergreen shrubs or scrambling vines, well known for their beautiful flowers. The majority of our varieties are sold as staked, including trailers, since they are much easier to merchandise at the retail level. Varieties range in growth from narrow upright growers, scandent vine-like shrubs, compact bushes, or trailing to mounding creepers. There are even some flat groundcover species available from specialists ( F. procumbens, for example). The genus is native to South America. Onagraceae. rev 9/2003

     Culture for Fuchsias is usually going to include mostly shade to part sun unless you are along the immediate coast, where they can take mostly sun at the expense of somewhat redder, sparser foliage. Flowering tends to be heavier the more light they have, but any direct sunlight can result in scorching and bleaching on the hottest days. Soil or container mixes should be rich, freely draining, and heavy on humus or organic material. They are going to need regular to copious watering. None would be considered drought tolerant except in the mildest of cool summer, near-coastal plantings. They are going to respond well to soluble fertilizers applied monthly or even semimonthly, and should be cut back (if needed) as they begin to break growth in spring.

     They are wonderful for attracting hummingbirds, but those, along with bees, can also spread the almost microscopic Fuchsia Mite, so they are a mixed blessing. Overall Fuchsia Mite has been a much less severe problem recently, and speculation is that they are now being fed upon by a predatory mite, though I haven't seen anything to confirm this.

Angel Earrings very compact, petite, heat tolerant series, quite little, that are superb for small containers, combinations, etc. They stay cute. Everything is small scale. rev 1/2011
Cascading PP 10,378  elegant bells    very cute flowers of dark pink and purple. Only 10-14" tall and trailing over the sides of pots or hanging baskets. rev 5/2011-SB
'Dainty'   flower  single red, long purple corolla. rev 1/2011
'Double Red'   flowers  double, but not double red, just a bicolor with red sepals and petite double white petals. rev 1/2011
'Mauve'   flowers   pale pink sepals, pale lavender petals, and striking red anthers emerging from the tube. rev 1/2011
'Preciosa'  flowers   like 'Mauve,' but a slightly bluer shade of lavender. Pink sepals, rose anthers. rev 1/2011
'Snowfire'  plant at Pack Trials   flower closeup single light pnk flowers slowly age to blush, against red sepals. rev 4/2011
'White'   flowers  actually very, very pale pink sepals and petals, with darker pink veins and carmine anthers. rev 1/2011
'Dollar Princess'    closeup    smaller, globose buds, light red, open to reveal chunky, double dark purple petals. Flowers only reach 1 1/2 to 2" across. Spreading rounded to semitrailing growth. rev 5/2005
‘Firecracker’ PP    foliage closeup    flower clusters    a variegated form of ‘Gartenmeister Bonstadt,’ this one bears very attractive cream-margined leaves with lighter jade green zones. Typical pendant red flowers.
fulgens 'Variegata'   leaves and flowers   a larger, softer alternative to 'Firecracker,' with large leaves margined ivory white, tinting pink in cool weather, and skeins of long, tubular coral pink flowers displayed against the foliage. To 3-4' tall in a reasonable amount of time, blooming from spring through early winter. A great foliage plant with flowers to complete the package. This species is hardier than most: Sunset zones 5-9, 14-24/USDA zone 7. Argentina. rev 1/2010
‘Gartenmeister Bonstadt’    flowers    upright shrub to 3-4’ tall and wide. Easily distinguished by foliage which emerges iridescent reddish purple, aging to dark green with dark red veins and burgundy undersides. Clusters of flowers are seen from late winter through late fall. Individual flowers are tubular, coral orange, to 2" long, flaring to four narrow sharp points at the mouths. Moderately resistant to Fuchsia Mite. I have seen this variety run extensively via underground stolons to cover a large area in a garden. rev 5/2005
glazioviana    flowers   typical plant  a bushy, very compact, spreading to mounding species with wonderful dark green, almost blue green, iridescent foliage. Small, tight, narrow leaves emerge flushed deep burgundy. Small teardrop flowers have pink sepals, single purple petals. This species is used probably more for foliage than flowers, and it is quite popular in mixed containers.
'Golden Gypsy'  flowers  big flowers have salmon pink sepals, rose pink petals, and are displayed against warm golden, almost orange leaves and coral veins. Trailing to mounding habit. Wonderful for foliage alone. rev 1/2010
‘Jingle Bells’    flowers    upright or trailing variety. Bears double white flowers with red sepals. 
‘Southgate’    closeup    upright or trailing variety. Large double light pink flowers have pale pink sepals. Heat tolerant.
'Sparkler'  sombre foliage   a variant of  'Firecracker,' with darker leaves and darker veins. Grows with an upright, arching habit to 24" tall. A nice choice for containers or any garden bed with morning sun or shade all day. Regular watering, attracts hummingbirds. rev 6/2011
‘Swingtime’    closeup    upright or trailing variety. Double ivory white flowers with bright red sepals.
'Tuaska'  flowers and foliage  golden margined leaves, intense rose pink flowers against clean, white sepals, compact,  narrow foliage, on a petite sized, cute little plant. Combines well with ferns or liriopes. Stays under a foot tall and not much more wide. Not sure of the origin of this one, it has been in production for a while. Doesn't even need flowers to be pretty. rev 8/2011-Suzy Brooks
Fuchsia 'Tuaska Gold'    flowers and leaves   a stunning foliage plant by itself, but also displays the same pretty, single rose pink flowers with white sepals of  'Tuaska.' The wonderul all-golden leaves practically lay flat, making it so good at cascading over pot edges. Nice in its own hanging pot or even better in combination with anything dark, with heucheras, or grasses, or use your imagination! rev 10/2011 MBN INTRODUCTION-2011 *NEW for 2012!*
‘Voodoo’    closeup    upright or trailing variety. Full double, dark purple flowers with red sepals.

Furcraea  Agave-like plants from the Americas. Some are gigantic and spiny, others are much easier to live around. Agavaceae. rev 8/2008

foetida    CUBA HEMP, MAURITIUS HEMP    large container plant    an evergreeen, agave-like plant to 4-5' tall by 12' across, with leaves to 6-8' when happy (warm and partly shaded with regular watering), with leaves that are softer, greener and more watery than an Agave, and unarmed. It is subtropical in origin and will start to show disfiguring damage below 25F. Use it when you want an Agave or Yucca form but don't want spines or teeth. It sends up a central stalk to about 25' when it blooms, which it will do after a few years, but the flowers are greenish and not particularly showy. A 25' spike can't be ignored, however, and it is dramatic due to its sheer size. In addition the flowers are highly fragrant. The plant is monocarpic, and will die after flowering, but bulblets on the flower spike will grow into new plants. For sun (coast) to part shade (hot inland) and infrequent to average watering. Very good in containers, of course. The leaf fibers are used in making bags, cloth, and twine. Sunset zones 8-9 (with protection), 14-17, 21-24/USDA zone 9. Northern South America. Agavaceae. rev 10/2005

'Mediopicta'    container    Wow! Hotel del Coronado   Sea World   an amazing variegated form, producing a broad (9" wide) ivory white leaf with a narrow green margin when at its best. Leaves can also be green striped white. Something like a variegated Phormium on andro and creatine. One of the most striking of all variegated plants, but needs protection from hard frost. rev 1/2010

roezlii   nice plant in front of Mobo Sushi   flower/plantlet spike this is what you use when you want a large, silvery grey yucca or agave-like thing but don't want the spines. This is a soft, unarmed, medium to large scale solitary rosette-forming plant to about 3-6' tall by about 6-9' wide, larger in shade. It will grow for 5-10 years then flower and die. It only produces a few flowers, and little seed, but will set hundreds of plantlets along its flower spike, any number of which will fall to the ground and attempt to grow. The flowers are small greenish tubular things that aren't the least bit showy. Still the spike is dramatic and the plant looks awesome when it goes off, since it reaches 15' in height or more. The leaves are grey green with a bluish white cast, rough, like sandpaper, but entirely lacking in spines or teeth. Use this when you want an Agave but you don't want the danger or hassle of being poked or cut. It will tolerate substantial shade but be quite large. In full sunlight with minimal watering plants are quite restrained in size. Plants in Santa Cruz survived the freeze of 2007 without damage (25F) but I don't know the ultimate hardiness yet.  Probably Sunset zones 8-9, 14-24/USDA zone 9. rev 8/2008