Greetings,
What vines would you recommend for fall color in so Cal? I really like the colors of the cousins Parthenocissus tricuspidata/quinquefolia (Boston Ivy/virginia creeper) and also Vitis Coignetiae, but I'm not sure they'd do well here in zone 10 (sunset z24)?
Thanks for any suggestions!
I'm not sure anything's going to get really good fall color in zone 10--if you look at trees as an example, even ones that get gorgeous fall color in other parts of the country tend to be pale in comparison in warmer climates (they grow fine, but they just don't color up as nicely). I imagine it'll be similar with the vines--I suspect they'll grow fine for you but won't get the gorgeous color you're hoping for (at least not reliably)
Ok, I'm definitely depressed now! lol!
Can't have Hostas...
Can't have fall color....
Why on earth does everybody like the california weather anyway??
Also no lilacs & peonies, no tulips unless you take the time to pre-chill them, no fruits that need lots of chill hours, probably a few other things too! But in exchange you get to garden year-round, you can have things blooming in January when everyone else is buried under a foot of snow, and you can grow things that most people can only dream of!
Vitis californica "Roger's Red" http://wildscaping.com/plants/plantprofiles/Vitis_calif_RogerRed.htm
I know nothing about hostas, but have a friend in San Marcos who grows a few.
Have you visited any of the big nurseries that have demonstration gardens? Use the Go Gardening feature and find what's available. You will probably have to drive a little - Orange Co., Riverside Co. for instance - but you'll get a better idea of what might grow in your situation.
What do we like about the weather? Having been born here, it's a no-brainer for me, but the lack of tornadoes, hurricanes, and shoveling snow on a regular basis would be a start. :-)
Yes, I know I know....we're spoiled here. I guess I was taking it for granted that we can garden all year! I would go crazy if I couln't ! : )
It seems so far my best shot would be some variety of Vitis Californica...
Yes, Roger's Red is good. My parthenocissus on the wall of our house up in front did well...doubt if the color was as vibrant as in cold climates, but it's still one of my favorites. I've read that some of the early flowering varieties of peony will flower here. Not impressed with the Descanso hybrids of lilac, but that may be just my experience. I actually have one small pot of tulips given to me 3 years ago that I've not taken out of the pot. They flowered first year, second year and now they're coming up again...name written down somewhere, but where? Lovely shade of peach. Good color here from the usual....liquidamber, crepe myrtle, oakleaf hydrangea (maybe others, haven't checked). We have to search for the fall colors, and it's true, I really miss the brilliance of parthenocissus. When I spent some time in Iowa I missed all year green and growing in Ca., then when came back to Ca. I missed the lilacs, peonies, etc. As is said (or sung), we want it all ...and we want it now!
Contrary to what was posted earlier, Liquidambars DO put on a BEAUTIFUL color display in zone 10...I see them all over the place here. Some years the color is better than other years, just like it is on the east coast. One block south of me has them as street trees and they are incredible in the fall. (That's 3 blocks from the ocean.)
Gingko biloba's also do extremely well as far as fall color is concerned for zone 10.
Japanese maples will, too.
Certain Crepe Myrtles also put on a very nice color display in fall.
Pyrus kawakamii (Evergreen Pear) does the same, as will Birches, Cercis, Koelreuteria, Liriodendron, and even certain Persimmons.
Ditto for both species of Parthenocissus as well. MANY older homes here have it and it's breathtaking in the fall.
Pre-chilling tulips is no big deal, and yes they will bloom in zone 10. I've done it for years. If you're careful, you can lift the bulbs and save them for the next year.
We may not be able to grow vines with brilliant fall color other than Parthenocissus, but to say we can't get trees to produce fall color is out and out WRONG.
There are also many spring bulbs which do amazingly well here and can be left in the ground all year: Narcissus, freesias, tritonia, hyacinthoides, spiraxis, ixia, liatris, dutch iris, chasmanthe, watsonia, crinum, allium, babiana, leucojum, to name a few.
MANY things can be grown successfully here if you want to do the research and the work. You just don't see a lot of what is possible due to the fact that a majority of people here tend to get their plants at HD or Lowes and don't take the time to investigate the better nurseries which ARE out there.
I forgot, we have a liquidambar, too. It's on a part of the lot we don't see often, so I forget about it, but it does put on a color show.
True!
I have about 10 Liquidamber trees (I had to look at plant id to find out, I only new them by "sweet gum"), and they are beautiful in fall!
Now is it true that the parthenocissus (and the vitis?) have better fall color if in full sun? The fence I want to cover is in dappled shade under those sweetgums I mention above.
For the vitis, full sun to part shade.
http://treeoflifenursery.com/main/information/profiles.html
Our parthenocissus covered (still does, it's been there about 25 years now) the north side of a 7' tall stucco wall and has good color. It does not have much in the way of overhanging trees to block light from the south side, so may get more ambient light than your dappled shade area. Our liquidambers vary in color from year to year. I also like the yellows of poplars and pecan and ash. Pomegranate has color also and the wonderful Chinese pistache. We may not have the exact answer for your parthenocissus, but we have a ton of other things we think you should plant...LOL...
...and I want them all! lol!
I bought an oakleaf hydrangea too...it's just a baby now but I hope it also gives me some fall color!
I wanted to do a bank of oakleaf hydrangeas, but can't figure out where to fit it in. I really, really want to start collecting hydrangeas, so it's good that I can't figure out where to squeeze them in. I did buy one 5 gallon oakleaf and let the darn thing die in the pot because I couldn't figure out where to put it and that baby was $40, too!! So, I'm not bringing anymore home until I can get them into the ground. Well, I do have some variegateds and then there was one beauty that I brought home some months ago...I think I'd better see about ground space....hmmm....
I have the same problem. Planted 2 hydrangeas on front flower bed totally ignoring their mature size....(I'll think of a solution later right?) Then I got two lacecaps and had to pot them up since I ran out of space!
Time to level the garage to make more garden space ! LOL
My uncle and his wife actually knocked down the small bedroom of a house they once owned to make more gardening room. It had been added on by the previous owners and wasn't "right" from the get go.
Ha! I'm going to bring my excess stuff to your place, J.D. and visit it on weekends.......
I planted a Boston Ivy today! It's going to be so beautiful!
pyracantha would offer some interest year round with berries/flowers..etc. has tons of thorns though.
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/search.php?q=pyracantha
If you like birds, though, the cedar waxwings will visit.
