Blooming natives

For some reason many people think that California native plants are dull and without lovely blossoms. Here are several natives blooming in our garden right now.

Above is a spike of blossoms on one of our Lupinus arboreus "Yellow Coastal Bush Lupine" plants. I have learned to give these plants very little water so that they don't develop mildew.

We planted these lupines in the late winter so that their roots would benefit from the winter and early spring rains. The lupines we planted last year lasted for the season and then developed a lot of mildew after the constant onslaught of fat green aphids. I had to eventually dig the lupines out and toss them in the green bin.

Lupines attract butterflies and bees, and are beautiful shrubs, and can do well for up to five years.

The first bloom on our Mimulus 'Jelly Bean Red' "Sticky Monkey" plant!

I haven't had much luck growing Sticky Monkey plants, but maybe this plant will thrive.

The shrub is a California evergreen, and should bloom throughout the year, providing nectar for and attracting native hummingbirds, bees and butterflies.

The Sticky Monkey thrives in dry shade, is drought tolerant and fire resistant.

Apparently they do best if they aren't watered often or given fertilizer. No fuss is said to be the key to success for these plants. So let's see how this goes...

The Scrophularia californica California bee plant has shot up and is blooming again after it was severely pruned for its winter dormancy.

This shrub grows very quickly, producing very tall spikes of flowers. In our garden bed, these spikes are growing to three to four feet. It needs little water and does well in dry shade.

All day long bees visit the blossoms for nectar and pollen. This is a host plant for the Chalcedon Checkerspot butterfly, but I haven't noticed any larva yet.