bird of paradise (Strelitzia reginae)

coral tree (Erythrina caffra)

You may not know that the city of Los Angeles has an official flower and an official tree. See if you can guess what they are:
• Both are native to South Africa.
• Both are in full bloom at this time of year, as winter turns to spring.
• The flowers of both are orange in color, one a silky orange sorbet and the other a deeper, darker fiery orange.
I am referring to bird of paradise (Strelitzia reginae) and coral tree (Erythrina caffra).
Some people have argued that L.A.’s official flower and tree should be replaced with Los Angeles native plants. You could even keep the orange in the official city flower by selecting narrowleaf California fuchsia (Epilobium canum), which grows all over the Santa Monica Mountains and can be seen on the slopes on either side of roads that connect between Ventura Boulevard and Mulholland Drive, from Studio City to Woodland Hills.
Or you could name the orange monkey flower (Mimulus longiflorus var. rutilus), another denizen of the Santa Monica Mountains, as L.A.’s official flower.
As for native trees, you could select from coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia), California sycamore (Platanus racemosa) and California black walnut (Juglans californica), whose seedlings still sprout at random throughout this city, despite more than half a century of frenzied urbanization.
Yet, you could argue for the appropriateness of having imports for L.A.’s official flower and tree since nearly all the people living here, or at least their parents, came from somewhere else.
Coral trees are not often seen because of their sensitivity to frost, especially when young. Yet there is a magnificent specimen thriving on the north side of Chandler Boulevard in Valley Village, the largest coral tree I have ever seen, proof positive that it’s one of those subtropical trees that can flourish here after all. Just make sure you give your coral tree lots of room — as in the entirety of your front yard — to grow.
Coral trees have wood that is soft and brittle, so they will require annual pruning to prevent limb breakage and split trunks in stormy weather.
Dog Gone
In response to a recent column, in which I mentioned a strongly odoriferous ground cover (Plectranthus neochilus), commonly known as Dog Gone or Scaredy Cat for its ability to deter dogs and cats, several readers emailed to inquire about sources for it.
This plant is grown by San Marcos Growers and you can find a retail outlet near you on its website, www.smgrowers.com. Click on the “Retail Locator” tab and then “Southern California” to find nurseries in our area that are supplied by San Marcos Growers.
Incidentally, this grower has just published its 2014 catalog, which includes 84 new plant selections, nearly all of them succulents that are appropriate for gardeners with limited water budgets.
Also in reference to the powerfully pungent Dog Gone ground cover, I received this email:
Q I have squirrels that run along overhead TV cable wires, enter our property, and then eat a large percentage of our macadamia crop, in addition to making a constant mess. Is there any chance one of these pungent plants (Plectranthus neochilus), hung in the tree in baskets, might deter these fuzzy-tailed critters?
— Ron Woods, Long Beach
A I have no evidence that these plants would work in deterring squirrels, but the idea is worth a try. Mothballs are a popular household product utilized for squirrel deterrence, so you might consider hanging them in your tree as well.
Other fruit and nut growers cover their trees with netting to keep both squirrels and birds from munching on their crops. While plastic netting may be strong enough to keep birds from snatching your fruit and nuts, squirrels have been known to bite through it, so you may want to consider galvanized steel poultry netting to discourage these furry rodents.
Speaking of macadmia nuts, it may be news to readers here that macadamia trees can be grown in the more temperate parts of Los Angeles, zones 19-24, according to the Sunset Western Garden Book climatic zone determination.
Although I have never seen nuts on a San Fernando Valley macadamia tree, I think that experimentation with different varieties is warranted. The warm Valley corridor that stretches east from Burbank to Covina, including Glendale, Pasadena and Arcadia, should be hospitable to nut-yielding macadamia trees, as well as anywhere south of the Ventura Freeway and anywhere west of Woodland Hills.
White clover
I have also received several emails inquiring about sources for white clover, also known as Dutch white clover, which makes a water-thrifty, self-fertilizing lawn alternative or lawn companion with white flowers.
An Internet search will reveal a large number of seed companies that carry white clover seed. If you have a lawn with bare spots, just broadcast the white clover seeds into those areas and cover with compost. If you want nothing but clover, however, you will have to kill and cut out your exisiting lawn before sowing your clover seeds.