There are many species of Ribes, both evergreen and deciduous. A very nice evergreen species is Ribes viburnifolium with roundish, dark green leaves and dark red stems. It needs no irrigation, making it ideal for planting under oaks. It grows three to six feet tall and can spread to twelve feet.
A lovely deciduous species is Ribes sanguineum. It has dark green maple-like leaves and clusters of white, pink or red flowers in spring. It requires little water.
Fremontodendron is also known as flannel bush because the back of the leaves are fuzzy and soft. Showy yellow flowers appear in spring. This shrub takes full sun and is drought tolerant once established, requiring no irrigation at all. Its primary drawback is that it tends to be short lived, but it is fabulous while…
Trichostema lanatum (woolly blue curls) grows to three to five feet high and four to eight feet wide. The dark green leaves are pungent when bruised. The purple flowers are fuzzy and appear in spring. The plant will continue to bloom during summer and autumn if it is deadheaded. Trichostema takes full sun and needs…
![Catalina Cherry Flowers [Prunus ilicifolia]](https://baylaurelgardencenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Catalina-Cherry-Flowers-Prunus-ilicifolia.jpg)
Zauschneria, or California fuschia, is a low spreading plant with green, grey or silvery foliage and orange to scarlet flowers. Bloom occurs in late summer or autumn and the flowers are very attractive to hummingbirds. The plant is fast growing and drought tolerant, but as with most plants, it looks better with occasional water. It…