Laurus nobilis ‘Aureus’ Zn7b (5º to 10ºF) Lauraceae
The gold leaved form of Sweet Bay is difficult to find but has been grown in PNW gardens for many years. Conical shaped evergreen with gold leaves are powerfully aromatic. Classic culinary herb. To 12' tall and spreading over time to 8' wide. Tip prune for a dense form. Takes full sun to part shade. Leaves may be damaged in a colder than normal winter (10∞F), recovers quickly in spring. Protected location, well drained soil.
Laurus nobilis ‘Crispa’ Zn7b (5º to 10ºF) Lauraceae
Wavy Bay, or Pie Crust Bay, 'Crispa' is the official name of this form of Bay Laurel with finely undulated leaf margins and red stems. Large evergreen shrub to 12' tall and 6' wide over time. Easy to grow. Leaves may burn in colder than normal winters (below 10∞F) but recovery is extremely fast. Full sun, well drained soil. Classic topiary plant. Harvest sweetly scented leaves for cooking, Christmas wreaths. Drought adapted.
Leptospermum grandiflorum Zn7b (5º to 10ºF) Myrtaceae
A very pretty Tea Tree that has been hardy in PNW gardens down to 10∞F with no damage in the last 10 years. Tall and columnar to 9', but only 3' wide, silvery evergreen leaves and in summer 1" wide white flowers on the wood of the previous season. Full sun, occasional summer water in well drained soil. Aromatic foliage (myrtle family), good to try where deer are a problem. Handsome with grasses and in the back of large borders.
Leptospermum humifusum (rupestre) Zn7a (0º to 5ºF) Myrtaceae
A tough spreading evergreen shrub with light olive leaves and great mahogany stems. Small white flowers open from pink buds in late spring into summer. Interesting woody seed capsules remain for years. To 1' tall and 4' wide. Full sun. Stems follow contours as they grow, good surrounding rocks and down walls. Regular soil, very tolerant of drought. Mtns. Tasmania. AKA Leptospermum rupestre. Deerproof. Aromatic myrtle relative.
Leptospermum humifusum ‘Upright Form’ Zn7a (0º to 5ºF) Myrtaceae
A cold hardy evergreen shrub with a very modern feel. Mahogany brown, wiry stems are clad with small olive green-gray leaves. In early summer profuse small white flowers open from pink buds. Twisting habit to 3' tall and 5' wide over time. Good looking year round in full sun and well drained soil. LOVE it with ornamental grasses and big bolders. Perfectly hardy to cold. Myrtle family, from Tasmania. aka. L. rupestre. Occasional summer water.
Leptospermum lanigerum Zn7b (5º to 10ºF) Myrtaceae
COLD HARDY FORM of the "Wooly Tea Tree" from Australia. Fast growing evergreen shrub to 10' tall and 6' wide it is excellent as a sheared hedge or specimen. Silver leaves are aromatic when bruised. Showy 1" white flowers in June followed by interesting woody seed capsules. Full sun and occasional summer water. Deerproof. Plant 2' apart for a thick hedge.Sweet smelling leaves make pruning a pleasure. Tip prune to encourage density.
Leptospermum lanigerum ‘Silver Form’ Zn7b (5º to 10ºF) Myrtaceae
COLD HARDY FORM of the silver leaved 'Wooly Tea Tree' native
to the mountains of Tasmania. Fast growing to 6' and 3' wide; one of
the best silver leaved evergreens for our climate. Sparkling 1" white
flowers in earlysummer and sporadically through the year. Full
sun, well drained soil. Aromatic foliage when crushed. May be pruned quite hard to shape. Occasional summer water. Informal shape works in borders. LOVELY garden plant.
Leptospermum namadgiensis Zn7b (5º to 10ºF) Myrtaceae
A mouthful to say this rounded shrubby 'Tea Tree' is native to cold alpine regions in Australia. Billowy gray-green foliage and in summer 1" white flowers borne on the previous year's wood. To 4' tall and spreading as wide for full sun and well drained soil. Nice informal hedge. Native habitat is with Snow Gums. Good plant to try in deer country. Same hardiness as Escallonia. Bark peels over time to reveal a handsome shiny interior.
Leptospermum scoparium ‘Kiwi’ Zn8a (10º to 15ºF) Myrtaceae
A great dwarf Tea Tree that has been cold hardy around warm gardens in the Puget Sound and other protected locations. To 3' tall and as wide. Deep pink single flowers appear in mid spring and sporadically throughout the year. Great container plant. Full sun and average, but well drained soil. Blooms on the previous year's wood. Very good against a warm south facing wall. Deep red foliage and stems are good looking year round.
Leptospermum scoparium ‘Nanum Ruru’ Zn8a (10º to 15ºF) Myrtaceae
Reports of this dwarf red flowering Tea Tree being hardy in the PNW led us to try it. To only 2' tall and as wide in 5 years it has tiny, fine red tinted foliage and relatively large red/dark pink flowers over a long period in early spring to early summer. Full sun and a protected location in well drained soil with occasional summer water. Excellent container subject. A good plant to test in gardens. Undamaged at 17∞F, in a container (outside).
Leptospermum scoparium ‘Washington Park’ Zn8a (10º to 15ºF) Myrtaceae
Cold-hardy form of a notably tender shrub that was found on the South Island of New Zealand at 4000'. It has thrived at Washington Park Arboretum in Seattle many years. Full sun and well drained soil. To 8' tall and 4' wide with small leaves and large (1") soft white/pink flowers in May/June. Best in southern or western exposure. Occasional summer water. Blooms on wood from the previous year, prune lightly after flowering.
Leucopogon parviflora ‘UBC Form’ Zn7b (5º to 10ºF) Epacridaceae
An extremely graceful EVERGREEN shrub from New Zealand with fine willowy leaves and tiny flowers that give way to pink currant-sized fruits. Coldy hardy form from the UBC arboretum in Victoria. To 5' tall and 3'-4' wide over time in well drained soil and full sun to light shade. Occasional summer water, though drought tolerant when established. Very pretty shrub that looks great year round. Berries appear in fall and last until spring.
Leycesteria formosa Zn7a (0º to 5ºF) Caprifoliaceae
The Himalayan Honeysuckle is a large arching shrub to 8' tall and as wide. Green canes support beautiful frilled foliage and in late summer panicles of white flowers are produced from red calyxes that appear in layered tiers. The flowers are followed by berries that are brown and taste faintly of carmel. Full sun to part shade and average soil. Prune in early spring- blooms on new wood. Deciduous-but green canes.
Lomatia myricoides Zn7a (5º to 10ºF) Proteaceae
Long grown in the PNW this evergreen shrub from Australia has attractive, thin blue-green leaves with fascinatingly toothed edges. In mid summer exotic white flowers appear with the sweet scent of cloves. To 10' tall and forming a vase
shape. Graceful and very unusual. Excellent as cut foliage for arrangements. Full sun and well drained soil. Proteaceae- dislikes all fertilizer- but is easy to grow in unammended native soil. Graceful. Cold hardy.
Lomatia tinctoria Zn7a (5º to 10ºF) Proteaceae
An elegant cold hardy evergreen shrub from Tasmania with unusual, finely dissected foliage and exotic flowers. To only 5' tall and not quite as wide "Guitar Plant" is best grown in full sun, well drained soil with no ammendments or fertilizer. One foot tall creamy white flowers appear from the tips of the branches in early summer. Rare, but has weathered 0ºF winters in the PNW with no harm. Proteaceous. Lovely fine textured shrub.
Lonicera nitida ‘Baggesens’ Gold’ Zn7a (0º to 5ºF) Caprifoliaceae
An excellent small textured evergreen shrub selected for its brilliant golden leaves. To 4' tall and as wide, light shade. Too much shade results in a plant that we call L.n. 'Baggesen's Green'. Fertile soil. Very striking in the winter and may be sheared like Boxwood into a hedge. Drought tolerant when established. Excellent container plant. Very graceful in a woodland. Best in dappled shade. Best time to prune is fall-winter.
Lonicera nitida ‘Lemon Beauty’ Zn7b (5º to 10ºF) Caprifoliaceae
Zippy, zappy variegated Box Honeysuckle that adds pizzaz to perennial or shrub borders. Small evergreen leaves outlined in lemon yellow with an interior of dark green. To 4' tall and as wide very quickly. Part shade to full sun in AVERAGE well drained soil. Can be pruned to any shape desired. Light tip pruning produces a denser plant that still has a graceful outline. Regular water in summer. Inconspicuous flowers.
Lonicera nitida ‘Twiggy’ Zn7a (0º to 5ºF) Caprifoliaceae
Fantastic, slower growing, compact form of gold leaved Box Honeysuckle. Much, much slower than 'Baggesens Gold'. New stems emerge with tiny leaves that slowly grow larger. Full sun (but not reflected heat) to light shade in good soil with regular water during the summer. Excellent low clipped hedge. Space plants 2' apart. Very good evergreen for containers as well. Grows about 3" a year. YAY.
Mahonia nervosa var. mendocinoensis Zn7a (0º to 5ºF) Berberidaceae
A little known but fantastic form of our native Mahonia that is found deep in the redwoods of northern California and S.W. Oregon. Unlike its low growing cousin this varietoffers spires of foliage up to 14’ tall. In winter the foliage takes on maroon tints which is a wonderful contrast with blue undersides of the leaves. Fragrant gold flowers appear in early spring followed by dusty blue berries. Shade, in woodland conditions. Tolerates considerable dryness when established. Very rare, but excellent native plant.
Myrica quercifolia Zn8a (10º to 15ºF) Myricaceae
Excellent and rare shrub that we consider one of the very best foliage plants. It’s also hardier to cold than we suspected, easily handling 10ºF with no damage. A close relative to our native Pacific Waxmyrtle, this small, rounded spreading shrub to only 2’ tall and as wide. Amazing leaves like a miniature oak. A fantastic evergreen shrub for a container or protected location in full sun in average well drained soil. Aromatic, beautiful plant.
Myrsine africana Zn8a (10º to 15ºF) Myrsinaceae
African Boxwood. An extraordinarily handsome evergreen shrub that is often listed as not hardy though we have had ours for over ten years in the garden with nary a scratch. Rounded shiny leaves and red stems on an oval shrub to 3' tall and as wide in 5 years. Full sun to light shade, too shade if not too dense. Well drained average soil. Very tolerant of dry conditions when established. Great as cut foliage- lasts for weeks in a vase.
Myrteola nummularia Zn7a (0º to 5ºF) Myrtaceae
A delicate cold hardy creeping evergreen myrtle from the far tip of South America. Fine, wiry stems and aromatic small leaves. Sparkling white flowers in Summer followed by beautiful pearl-like pink/white edible berries that persist through spring. Berries are quite a bit larger than the leaves ADORABLE! Light shade in rich humusy soil with regular summer water. To 6" tall and 3' wide. A self fertile myrtle. Self layers. Rare little gem.
Myrtus communis ‘Boetica’ Zn8a (10º to 15ºF) Myrtaceae
One of the cold-hardiest varieties of true Myrtle with exceptional deep green leaves packed closely together on the stem. Upright to 4' tall and 3' wide in 5 years. Full sun and well drained soil in a shelterd location. Foliage is powerfully aromatic. Works well in containers (protected from temps. below 20∞F). Winter damage is usually limited to tips. Easy to grow, tolerates drought ang blasting reflected heat. Slow grower.
Myrtus communis ‘Tarentina’ Zn7b (5º to 10ºF) Myrtaceae
'Tarentina' is a form of Myrtle that is very hardy to cold- surviving 10ºF with only slight damage and recovering from much lower temperatures. Shiny small leaves are tightly arranged on a compact evergreen shrub to 3' tall and as wide. Full sun and well drained soil. Small but showy white flowers in summer followed by white berries. Deliciously aromatic foliage. Warm location with good air circulation. Little water in summer.
Nandina domestica ‘Filamentosa’ Zn7b (5º to 10ºF) Berberidaceae
Delicate and elegant selection of Heavenly Bamboo from Japan. Thin evergreen fernlike foliage turns vivid red and maroon in fall and winter. Full sun for vertical growth, plants in part shade will lean towards the sun. Excellent container plant or planted en masse. To 3' tall, slowly forming a clump. Best with regular water but tolerant dry conditions. AKA 'Chirmen', 'San Gabriel'. Semi-deciduous below 10ºF. Leaves regrow quickly in spring.
Lomatia myricoides
Lomatia tinctoria
Myrica quercifolia
Myrtus communis var. ‘Tarentina’
Myrteola nummularia
Shrubs play a vital role as the backbone of Pacific Northwest gardens. Our winters are mild enough to enjoy a multitude of choices. Evergreen to deciduous they offer so much from profuse bloom to handsome structure.
Leptospermum lanigerum ‘Silver Form’
Shrubs
All contents copyright 2007 Xera TM Plants Inc. All rights reserved. No content or images may be reproduced in any form (including electronically) without prior written permission. All photographs and graphics are copyright Xera TM Plants Inc.
