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Koala Blooms

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NEW AUSTRALIAN PLANTS FOR CALIFORNIA GARDENS

The Koala Blooms plant introduction program is a joint venture between the Arboretum & Botanic Garden at UC Santa Cruz, nursery growers here in California and growers in Australia.

Plants are initially imported to the Garden from Australia and are trialed in the garden. Selections are made and these plants undergo trials by the wholesale nurseries participating in the program. In this collaborative effort, many impressive Australian plants are evaluated for their beauty, durability in landscape situations and sturdiness with regards to drought, weather extremes and variations in soil types. Out of this trialing process new plants are selected and offered for sale to the public.

When you purchase a Koala Blooms plant, a portion of the profit comes back to the Garden to help support our gardens. Another portion of the profits go back to the growers in Australia who selected or developed the plants originally.

You can purchase Koala Blooms plants at:
Norries Gifts and Garden Shop or by contacting Linda McNally at lmmcnall@ucsc.edu phone: 831-502-2998.

Sierra Azul Nursery in Watsonville.

Ask for them at your local retail nursery

Our wholesale nursery partners and growers participating in this program are:
Astone's Protea
Crescent Hill Nursery
Gondwanaflora
Monterey Bay Nursery
Protea USA
Rosendale Nursery/Sierra Azul
San Marcos Growers
Soquel Nursery Growers
Suncrest Nursery

KOALA BLOOMS: SOME NEW RELEASES FOR 2013

This is a striking Banksia with large showy flowering cones and dark green needlelike leaves. Great cut flower. If you apply fertilizer or soil amendments, use those with little or no phosphorous.
Banksia ericifolia 'Fireworks'
	Plant Family:	Proteaceae
	Type of Plant:	Large evergreen shrub
	Size:	8 ft tall X 6 ft wide
	Exposure:	Full sun
	Flower:	Golden cones with red styles
	Bloom time:	Winter through summer
	Irrigation requirements:	Drought tolerant once established
	Soil Type:	Good drainage
	Winter Hardiness:	Frost tolerant
	Uses:	Specimen plant

Calothamus gracilis 'Spring Torch"
	Plant Family:	Myrtaceae (Myrtles)
	Type of Plant:	Evergreen dwarf shrub
	Size:	2 ft tall X 3 ft wide
	Exposure:	Sun or shade
	Flower:	Brushy red flowers
	Bloom time:	Year round
	Irrigation requirements:	Drought tolerant once established
	Soil Type:	Good drainage
	Winter Hardiness:	25-30 degrees F
	Uses:	Accent in garden

The small evergreen shrubs have needle like foliage and showy red new growth. Brushy red flowers. Drought tolerant once established. It is a recent Koala Blooms introduction.

Dampiera trigona 'Purple Wire'
	Plant Family:	Goodeniaceae
	Type of Plant:	Evergreen perennial
	Size:	2 ft tall X 2 ft wide
	Exposure:	Full sun
	Flower:	Blue violet
	Bloom time:	Spring and summer
	Irrigation requirements:	Medium water needs
	Soil Type:	Good drainage
	Winter Hardiness:	25-30 degrees F
	Uses:	Accent in garden

A dwarf tufting slender perennial to 2 feet tall with bright green angular wiry stems and narrow lance shaped leaves. The blue-violet flowers, nearly 1 inch wide with yellow centers, are held singly or in pairs on long peduncles at the stem tips from spring through summer. Plant in full to part sun in a reasonably well-draining soil and irrigate regularly to occasionally.

This is a dramatic and unusual specimen plant. Flower wands extend up 8 or 9 feet from the ground. If you apply fertilizer or soil amendments, use those with little or no phosphorous.
Grevillea petrophiloides 'Big Bird'
	Plant Family:	Proteaceae
	Type of Plant:	Evergreen shrub
	Size:	4 ft tall X 6 ft wide
	Exposure:	Full sun
	Flower:	Violet pink "bottlebrush" with blue pollen on slender wands
	Bloom time:	Fall through spring
	Irrigation requirements:	Drought tolerant once established.
	Soil Type:	Good drainage
	Winter Hardiness:	Upper 20°, low 30°
	Uses:	Specimen plant

Other new releases include:
Dampiera purpurea 'Royal Ruffle'
Dampiera trigona

PREVIOUSLY RELEASED KOALA BLOOMS PLANTS

The unusual leaves of this plant will grab your attention. The triangular leaves are dark bronze nearly black with chartreuse margins. The large flowers are pale orange red when young and mature to a deep red. This shrub has a creeping habit.
Brachysema praemorsa 'Bronze Butterfly'
	Plant Family:	Fabaceae (pea family)
	Type of Plant:	Small evergreen shrub
	Size:	1-2 ft tall X spreading to 4 ft
	Exposure:	Full sun along the coast, shade inland
	Flower:	Red
	Bloom time:	Late fall through spring with sporadic bloom year round
	Irrigation requirements:	Regular water
	Soil Type:	Average to good drainage
	Winter Hardiness:	mid 20°F
	Uses:	Ground cover, specimen plant

This plant flowers profusely and is attractive to pollinators. It is an attractive plant that is extremely drought tolerant, deer resistant and tough. It can be pruned to keep the size down.
Callistemon 'Cane's Hybrid'
	Plant Family:	Myrtaceae
	Type of Plant:	Large evergreen shrub
	Size:	10 ft tall and 15 ft wide
	Exposure:	Full sun
	Flower:	Light pink bottlebrush type
	Bloom time:	Spring and summer
	Irrigation requirements:	Drought tolerant once established
	Soil Type:	Will grow in poor soils
	Winter Hardiness:	15°- 20° F
	Uses:	Screen, windbreak, hedge

This little showy shrub has aromatic foliage and during its long bloom time, it is full of small 5 petaled flowers that start out being white and then darken to rose pink as they age.
Chamelaucium ciliatum 'Scaddan'
	Plant Family:	Myrtaceae
	Type of Plant:	Small shrub
	Size:	2-3 ft tall X 3-4 ft wide
	Exposure:	Full sun
	Flower:	White
	Bloom time:	Year round with heaviest bloom time in winter
	Irrigation requirements:	Drought tolerant once established
	Soil Type:	Good drainage
	Winter Hardiness:	20-25°F
	Uses:	Specimen plant

The dark green oval leaves of this Correa contrast well with its showy rosy pink tubular flowers. This is a good plant selection for growing under oak trees.
Correa pulchella 'Pink Eyre'
	Plant Family:	Rutaceae (citrus)
	Type of Plant:	Compact evergreen shrub
	Size:	3 ft tall X 3 ft wide
	Exposure:	Partial sun/dappled shade
	Flower:	Pink bells
	Bloom time:	Fall through springtime
	Irrigation requirements:	Drought tolerant once established
	Soil Type:	Average to good drainage
	Winter Hardiness:	20-25°F
	Uses:	Mixed flower border, woodland garden, single specimen, container

This is a hybrid correa made by Ray Collett, the founding director of the Arboretum. It is a cross between **Correa pulchella** and **Correa reflexa**. It grows very slowly and is often found in full bloom with its pendant vibrant bells in time for Halloween!
Correa 'Ray's Tangerine'
	Plant Family:	Rutaceae (citrus)
	Type of Plant:	Small evergreen shrub
	Size:	3 ft tall X 3 ft wide
	Exposure:	Partial sun/dappled shade
	Flower:	orange
	Bloom time:	Fall through winter
	Irrigation requirements:	Does best with regular deep watering during summer
	Soil Type:	Good drainage
	Winter Hardiness:	20-25°F
	Uses:	Mixed flower border, woodland garden, single specimen, container

Shiny deep green oval leaves contrast well with the numerous dangling blooms of this correa.
Correa reflexa 'Kangaroo Island'
	Plant Family:	Rutaceae (citrus)
	Type of Plant:	Small evergreen shrub
	Size:	3-4 ft tall X 3-4 ft wide
	Exposure:	Partial sun/dappled shade
	Flower:	lipstick red tubular with yellow tips
	Bloom time:	Fall through spring
	Irrigation requirements:	Does best with regular deep watering during summer
	Soil Type:	Good drainage
	Winter Hardiness:	20-25°F
	Uses:	Mixed flower border, woodland garden, single specimen, container

One of our most popular introductions, this grevillea makes a tough drought tolerant groundcover with a long bloom time. If you apply fertilizer or soil amendments, use those with little or no phosphorous.
Grevillea lanigera 'Coastal Gem'
	Plant Family:	Proteaceae
	Type of Plant:	Evergreen ground cover
	Size:	1 ft tall X 4-5 ft wide
	Exposure:	Full sun
	Flower:	Profuse rosy red and cream spider-like
	Bloom time:	Early fall to spring
	Irrigation requirements:	Drought tolerant once established
	Soil Type:	Good drainage, neutral to slightly acidic
	Winter Hardiness:	20°F
	Uses:	Rock garden, border, groundcover, container

Spectacular 2 inch long orange-red colored flowers with a lime green spot. Attractive to nectar feeding birds. Foliage may suffer damage at low temperatures.
Kennedia beckxiana 'Flamboyant'
	Plant Family:	Fabaceae
	Type of Plant:	Evergreen vine
	Size:	8-10 ft tall and wide
	Exposure:	Sun or shade
	Flower:	Brick red pea type
	Bloom time:	Early spring to early summer
	Irrigation requirements:	Drought tolerant once established
	Soil Type:	Good drainage
	Winter Hardiness:	20-25°F
	Uses:	Specimen plant, fence line or groundcover

This is a bright little shrub with small dark green leaves and vibrant magenta flowers with dark purple centers.
Tetratheca 'Amethyst Eyes'
	Plant Family:	Elaeocarpaceae
	Type of Plant:	Small evergreen perennial
	Size:	1 ft tall X 1-2 ft wide
	Exposure:	Light shade, partial sun
	Flower:	Magenta
	Bloom time:	Winter through spring
	Irrigation requirements:	Drought tolerant once established but best with some summer water
	Soil Type:	Good drainage
	Winter Hardiness:	25°F
	Uses:	Specimen plant, good in containers

Other Koala Blooms Introductions include:
Aphanopetalum resinosum 'Gossamer Wings'
Banksia spinulosa 'Schnapper Point'
Bauera rubioides 'Kuranga Pink'
Boronia 'Carousel'
Boronia clavata 'Heather Wand'
Boronia crenulata 'Rosy Splendor'
Boronia megastigma 'Jack Maguire's Red'
Chamelaucium ciliatum 'Scaddan'
Chorizema 'Bush Flame'
Chrysocephalum 'Silver & Gold'
Correa baeuerlenii 'Lemon Cap'
Correa glabra 'Coliban River'
Correa pulchella 'Pink Flamingo'
Correa reflexa 'Carpenter Rocks'
Crowea exalata 'Morning Light'
Crowea exalata 'Southern Stars'
Crowea 'Festival'
Darwinia citriodora 'Seaspray'
Grevillea 'Cherry Royal'
Grevillea nudiflora 'Medusa'
Grevillea 'Poorinda Signet'
Grevillea synapheae 'Picasso'
Hakea salicifolia 'Gold Medal'
Hypocalymma angustifolia 'Powder Puff'
Kennedia beckxiana 'Flamboyant'
Philotheca myoporoides 'Galaxy'
Prostanthera baxteri 'Lavender Moon'
Prostanthera 'Poorinda Bride'
Pultenea pedunculata 'Grampians Gold'
Pultenaea villosa 'Butterscotch'
Thomasia grandiflora 'Mt Lesueur'
Thomasia solanacea 'Velvet Star'
Verticordia plumosa 'Pink Lace'