Strutting their plumage each June, the jacaranda trees are stopping traffic in West Los Angeles with their iridescent lavender blue displays. When the jacarandas bloom, they can take over the landscape with their subtropical brilliance. Native to Brazil, the jacaranda mimosa has earned its status as a popular street tree and landscape ornament in Los Angeles. After its impressive June bloom, it keeps its delicate and shading leaves well into February.
Another showstopper is the silk tree mimosa (Albizia julibrissin) with its pink feathery plumage. Both these trees have delicate, lacy foliage, which responds to touch, hence the name mimosa coming from the Latin mime to mimic for their animal-like nature. The silk tree is a member of the bean family as evidenced by its bean shaped pods. The silk tree came through Asia, according to Sunset Magazine, having come from Iran to Japan. When this pink silky display hits, it’s another plumage delight in June and early summer.
The lacy quality of trees to filter sun and create beautiful landscape forms can be achieved in larger Malibu acreage through Shinus molle, the well adapted California pepper trees, members of the cashew family. Legend has it the pepper seeds were brought here by the Spanish missionaries and planted at the California missions. Shinus molle does well with little water when established. Its plumage is limited to small clusters of white flowers appearing in early summer, which mature to form pink clusters of peppers that hang from the female trees through the summer.
Achieving Color Contrasts Through Foliage
What are the colors that will inspire gardens in the next 10 years? Over the past few years, it’s not been enough that there are hundreds of shades and textures of green. Designers and gardeners have sought out the grays, the maroon and deep wine purples, and the lime, chartreuse-colored leaves, which add contrast and drama to outdoor settings. Leaf texture, how much light passes through, the seasonal and life cycles of the plant are all considerations in choosing plants.
Greys
Grey Artemisia has been popular as a shrub with a soft texture and a hearty gray color. The popularity of French, English and Spanish lavenders in Malibu gardens is no accident. The shrub lavendulas’ grey-colored foliage has gained popularity as nonthirsty, sun-loving and easy growing garden addition. Its fragrance when touched and its use as an infusion have added to the attraction in contemporary gardens. The Feijoa, or pineapple guava, is a subtropical fruiting shrub that grows well in Malibu and displays grey foliage. The licorice plant (Helichrysum petiolare) makes a silver mound and is generally hearty in Malibu.
In a flowerbed or border, Lychnis provides a grey-leafed, one- to two-foot tall flowering white, crimson or pink flower. Check the varieties to get the desired flower colors. Dusty Miller (Centaurea cineraria) is popular and grows well in Malibu’s cool winters and hot summers. Silver-grey ground covers include snow in summer or Cerastium tomentosum as well as lamb’s ear (Stachys byzantina). Grey festuca should not be overlooked, nor the vast grey family of succulent perennials, including Echeverias. There are probably as many gray-blue plants as there are shades of green foliage.
Wine Red Foliage
Deep wine reds of the flowering plum tree (Prunus purpurea) and the wonderful deep red tones of Japanese maples provide contrast in modern gardens. The Euphorbia cotinifolia, Caribbean copper plant, is another beautiful source of the wine red, almost purple leaves. This prolific deciduous shrub (or small tree) resembles the smoke bush and grows nicely in sun or partial shade. Purple hop bush (Dodonaea viscosa is a fast-growing, hearty sun-loving Australian native with bronze leaves. The growing popularity of Razzleberri (Loropetalum Chinese) is earned by its attractive purple foliage and its cooperative (easy to prune) shrub-like growing habits. Berberis thunbergii ‘Altopurpurea’ makes a nice wine maroon accent.
Canna’s and Phormium tenax, New Zealand flax, are available in a stunning variety of deep red, bronze or maroon colors and variegated combinations. Grasses also offer a spectrum of purples for a flowing texture in borders, beds and fields. Sedum varieties, including Sunset Cloud and ‘Altopurpureum,’ as well as the sprawling Vera Jameson, present the dark chocolate-colored leaves. The Purple Palace (Heuchera) or Coral Bells are popular bedding plants with deep maroon leaves.
Devotion Dahlia has almost black leaves and has performed successfully for this writer in containers for several years. In shade, coleus leaves cannot be topped for almost black purple colors, maroons, variegated purples and lime accents.
Experiment with color and watch the brilliance of pale colors in the overcast June lighting and the changing tones of leaves as they filter sunlight. Check out the plumage on the roses from early to later summer months. Remember, the cool June “gloom” weather can intensify the June bloom, and heighten the enjoyment of the June “plume.”
Peggy Harris can be contacted at or 310.581.7956.