Monochaetum tenellum--Melastomataceae Family

This plant is in the same family as Tibouchana, the Purple Princess Flower. If you look closely, the flowers are similar. I couldn't find much info on this plant and it is tucked away in a far corner of the UC Botanical Garden. Can you find it?

Ardisia japonica--Marlberry

This mat-forming groundcover produces red berries in fall which persist into winter. Several cultivars of this ornamental plant are available. It likes shade and water. It is one of the 50 fundamental Herbs in traditional Chinese medicine and has been used to treat bronchitis liver cancer. Can harm the kidneys. Like any medication, it is toxic in higher doses.

Comarostaphylis diversifolia--Island Summer Holly

This plant has the urn-shaped flowers of a manzanita (Arcotostaphylos genus) but it is not a manzanita. This plant has big red berries, like holly, but manzanita has fruit that looks like tiny apples. That makes sense because in Spanish, "apple" is 'manzana," and "ita" means small.

In bloom now at the UC Botanical Garden. I'm going to have to come back in summer and see how the berries look.

Trillium

With three leaves and three petals, no wonder this plant is called Trillium. This plant has a special arrangement with ants. The seeds have a fleshy attachment called an elaiosome that is essentially ant food. In exchange for a few calories, the ants plant the seeds. They take the ripe seeds from the ovary, carry them to their nest, eat the elaiosomes, then put the seeds in their garbage pile, where they sprout. As you might suspect, they are difficult to propagate, and they are rarely available for sale.

However, a few are now available at the UC Botanical Garden. A bit spendy, but they are so worth it!

Callicarpa mollis--Japanese Beautyberry

No wonder this plant is called Beautyberry! Those magenta berries are really something! Humans make them into wine or jelly, but birds eat them straight up, even though they are astringent. This species is from Japan, but C americana is from the Southeastern US. The USDA has proven that American Beautyberry leaves have insect-repellent properties and work just as well as DEET. Wow! Now they just have to figure out if it is toxic to people.

Rhododendron protistum--Big Tree Rhododendron

Huge pale pink flowers blooming now at the UC Botanical Garden. R. protistum grows into a tree-sized specimen, up to 75' tall. And the trunk can be 3' in diameter. That is not just a big Rhododendron, that is a big tree! I wonder how tall this cross will get...

Romneya coulteri--Matilija Poppy

The Romneya coulteri is in the middle of winter doldrums right now. The leaves are pale and frayed. The flowers have gone to seed. But not too many seeds. That is the thing with this plant. It produces very few seeds, and it is very hard to get those seeds to sprout. But come June, the big white crinkled flower with the deep yellow center will be so wonderful. Of course I want to propagate it. Some people have had luck with fire, so that is what I tried today. I planted seeds in a clay pot, watered them, then covered them with dry pine needles. Then I put the pot on concrete and set it on fire, keeping a hose nearby. Everything went smoothly, and now I just have to wait to see if it worked.