Favorite Plants of
Pacific Plant People
Member Profile
Janet Sluis
Sunset Plants
Janet Sluis is an experienced horticulturist with a demonstrated history of new plant introductions and plant programs within the Horticultural industry. Specializing in low water, regionally appropriate, easy maintenance landscape plants. Manages trial and test gardens for Sunset Plants.
Lavender x allardii ‘Meerlo’
Tecomaria ‘Cape Town’
Cistus ‘Little Miss Sunshine’
Drought Resilient
Plant Family
Cistaceae
Genus
Cistus
Species
Cistus ‘Little Miss Sunshine’
This groundcover Cistus has variegated leaves of green and yellow plus incredible abundant white flowers. Good in poor soil, drought, salt, wind, heat...They take it all! Add deer, pest, and fire resistance, what's not to love? This new charmer stays compact without pruning, and even looks great when not in bloom. Works well as a border plant, or in containers.
Water Use
Once established, low depending upon conditions
Conditions When It Thrives
Ecosystem Services
Uses for pollinators, nitrogen-fixing, etc.
Native To
Cultivar of a plant native to Mediterranean regions
Geographic Range
Hardy to Zones 8-10, to 10 degrees Farenheit
Availability
Height & Habit
Mounded trailing, 1.5-2’ x 1-1.5’
Special Features
Why They Love It
Cream-edged foliage accents white flowers with a yellow eye, on an easy-care, tough-as-nails edger
Seasonal Appearance/Dormancy
Spring bloom, evergreen foliage
Advice
Lavender x allardii ‘Meerlo’
Natives for Habitat
Plant Family
Lamiaceae
Genus
Lavandula
Species
Lavender x allardii ‘Meerlo’
The best lavender for California: long-lasting, waterwise, with knockout fragrant foliage. This resilient lavender can take some of the toughest conditions in the garden: heat, humidity, and low-water conditions once established. In addition, ‘Meerlo’ sports dramatically variegated foliage that holds its good looks all season. Grown more for foliage than its single crop of blooms, its summer flowers are a lighter blue.
Water Use
Once established, low to moderate depending upon conditions.
Conditions When It Thrives
Ecosystem Services
Uses for pollinators, nitrogen-fixing, etc.
Native To
Mediterranean
Geographic Range
USDA Zones 9-10, hardy to 23 degrees Farenheit
Availability
Height & Habit
Upright mounded, 2-3’ x 2-2.5’
Special Features
Highly fragrant, variegated foliage. Stands up to heat, drought, and humidity. Deer-resistant. Leaves can be used in sachets and as moth repellent.
‘Meerlo’ is a cross between Lavandula dentata (French lavender) and Lavandula latifolia (Spike lavender)
Why They Love It
Seasonal Appearance/Dormancy
Bloom times, Deciduous/Evergreen
Advice
Tecomaria ‘Cape Town’
Biodiversity Boosters
Plant Family
Bignoniaceae
Genus
Tecoma
Species
Tecomaria ‘Cape Town’
Compact, Nearly-Perpetually Blooming Tecomaria Delights Early Pollinators. A compact, drought-loving shrub-form of long-blooming Tecomaria humans and pollinators can enjoy most of the year.
Water Use
Once established, low to moderate depending upon conditions.
Conditions When It Thrives
Full sun, partial shade, well-drained soils
Ecosystem Services
Uses for pollinators, nitrogen-fixing, etc.
Native To
Geographic Range
USDA Zones 9a-11b
Availability
Height & Habit
4-5’ x 3’
Special Features
Why They Love It
The compact size of this cape honeysuckle easily earns as spot in a sunny garden – a heavy bloomer that feeds pollinators most of the year, including early in the season when they need it most.
Seasonal Appearance/Dormancy
Bloom times, Deciduous/Evergreen
Advice
Cistus ‘Little Miss Sunshine’
Drought Resilient
Plant Family
Cistaceae
Genus
Cistus
Species
Cistus ‘Little Miss Sunshine’
This groundcover Cistus has variegated leaves of green and yellow plus incredible abundant white flowers. Good in poor soil, drought, salt, wind, heat...They take it all! Add deer, pest, and fire resistance, what's not to love? This new charmer stays compact without pruning, and even looks great when not in bloom. Works well as a border plant, or in containers.
Water Use
Once established, low depending upon conditions
Conditions When It Thrives
Ecosystem Services
Uses for pollinators, nitrogen-fixing, etc.
Native To
Cultivar of a plant native to Mediterranean regions
Geographic Range
Hardy to Zones 8-10, to 10 degrees Farenheit
Availability
Height & Habit
Mounded trailing, 1.5-2’ x 1-1.5’
Special Features
Why They Love It
Cream-edged foliage accents white flowers with a yellow eye, on an easy-care, tough-as-nails edger
Seasonal Appearance/Dormancy
Spring bloom, evergreen foliage
Advice
Lavender x allardii ‘Meerlo’
Natives for Habitat
Plant Family
Lamiaceae
Genus
Lavandula
Species
Lavender x allardii ‘Meerlo’
The best lavender for California: long-lasting, waterwise, with knockout fragrant foliage. This resilient lavender can take some of the toughest conditions in the garden: heat, humidity, and low-water conditions once established. In addition, ‘Meerlo’ sports dramatically variegated foliage that holds its good looks all season. Grown more for foliage than its single crop of blooms, its summer flowers are a lighter blue.
Water Use
Once established, low to moderate depending upon conditions.
Conditions When It Thrives
Ecosystem Services
Uses for pollinators, nitrogen-fixing, etc.
Native To
Mediterranean
Geographic Range
USDA Zones 9-10, hardy to 23 degrees Farenheit
Availability
Height & Habit
Upright mounded, 2-3’ x 2-2.5’
Special Features
Highly fragrant, variegated foliage. Stands up to heat, drought, and humidity. Deer-resistant. Leaves can be used in sachets and as moth repellent.
‘Meerlo’ is a cross between Lavandula dentata (French lavender) and Lavandula latifolia (Spike lavender)
Why They Love It
Seasonal Appearance/Dormancy
Bloom times, Deciduous/Evergreen
Advice
Tecomaria ‘Cape Town’
Biodiversity Boosters
Plant Family
Bignoniaceae
Genus
Tecoma
Species
Tecomaria ‘Cape Town’
Compact, Nearly-Perpetually Blooming Tecomaria Delights Early Pollinators. A compact, drought-loving shrub-form of long-blooming Tecomaria humans and pollinators can enjoy most of the year.
Water Use
Once established, low to moderate depending upon conditions.
Conditions When It Thrives
Full sun, partial shade, well-drained soils
Ecosystem Services
Uses for pollinators, nitrogen-fixing, etc.
Native To
Geographic Range
USDA Zones 9a-11b
Availability
Height & Habit
4-5’ x 3’
Special Features
Why They Love It
The compact size of this cape honeysuckle easily earns as spot in a sunny garden – a heavy bloomer that feeds pollinators most of the year, including early in the season when they need it most.
Seasonal Appearance/Dormancy
Bloom times, Deciduous/Evergreen