We envision a resilient world dependent on the thoughtful cultivation of plants
Favorite Plants of

Pacific Plant People

Member Profile
Melinda Kralj began as a volunteer at the University of California and worked her way up to become curator of the Australian plant collection – the largest of any outside of Australia – where she designed and helped install its distinctive Australian Rock Garden.
Banksia_speciosa_3_Credit Australian Native Plants

Banksia "Ric Rack Banksia"

Correa reflexa ‘Cape Nelson’_Credit UCSC Botanic Garden

Correa reflexa ‘Cape Nelson’

Leptospermum scoparium ‘Star Carpet’ Credit UCSC Botanic Arboretum

Leptospermum scoparium ‘Star Carpet’

Banksia "Ric Rack Banksia"
Drought Resilient

Plant Family

Proteaceae
Species Icon

Genus

Banksia
Plant Species

Species

Banksia "Ric Rack Banksia"
This Banksia Brings Extravagant Flowers and Foliage. Spreading medium shrub to small ornamental tree 9-18'. Creamy-yellow long lasting flowers, with thin, silvery grey-green deeply toothed leaves. Flowers most of the year. Well-drained, light to heavy soils in open sunny position. Tolerant of alkaline soils. Drought and moderately frost tolerant. Grown commercially for cut flowers. Makes an attractive hedge or screen.

Water Use

Drought tolerant

Conditions When It Thrives

Well-drained soil, full sun

Ecosystem Services

Drought-loving once established

Native To

Western Australia

Geographic Range

Hardy to approximately 20-25 degrees Fahrenheit

Availability

Height & Habit

Can be grown as shrubs or small trees from 12-20’ tall.

Special Features

Did You Know Icon
First Banksia species specimens were collected in 1770, and the genus was named by Carl Linneus in honor of Joseph Banks.

Why They Love It

Zig-zag foliage looks like it was pruned with pinking shears, otherworldly 1’ tall creamy yellow inflorescences bloom most of the year in Berkeley. They make great dramatic additions for floral arrangements.

Seasonal Appearance/Dormancy

Advice

Can tolerate sandy soil, but avoid direct salt spray. Avoid winter rains.
Correa reflexa ‘Cape Nelson’
Drought Resilient

Plant Family

Rutaceae
Species Icon

Genus

Correa
Plant Species

Species

Correa reflexa ‘Cape Nelson’
A Standout Correa. An evergreen shrub to 4 feet tall and wide that has small dark glossy olive green elliptic leaves that clasp the stems and narrow tubular lipstick-red flowers from fall through spring. Best in cool coastal sun to partial shade with good drainage. Drought tolerant once established but performs best with summer irrigation. Hardy to the mid to low 20°s F. This long blooming shrub is attractive to hummingbirds and can be pruned to shape or to keep smaller and adds interest to the mixed flower border or woodland garden in mass or as a single specimen and is good for container gardening. This plant originated from Kangaroo Island, Australia's third largest island, that is located 70 miles southwest of Adelaide at the entrance of Gulf St Vincent.

Water Use

Low Water Needs

Conditions When It Thrives

Full sun, well-drained, fertile soil.

Ecosystem Services

Pollinator-attracting, particularly birds, drought-loving once established

Native To

Victoria state, Australia

Geographic Range

USDA Gardening Zone 9

Availability

Height & Habit

Although some reports say it can grow 10’ wide, Kralj says this shrub gets 2.5’ tall x 4’ wide.

Special Features

Flowers are dangling trumpets in cerise with flared lemon tips. Elliptical leaves are olive-green.
Did You Know Icon
Of all the Correas from the Cape Nelson are UC Santa Cruz Arboretum & Botanic Garden trialed, this showy performer won the right to be named as a cultivar. Also, Correas are in the citrus family, Rutaceae.

Why They Love It

Seasonal Appearance/Dormancy

Evergreen

Advice

Great for the front of the border, along paths, or in a pot where their foliage and flowers can be appreciated up close
Leptospermum scoparium ‘Star Carpet’
Drought Resilient

Plant Family

Myrtaceae
Species Icon

Genus

Leptospermum
Plant Species

Species

Leptospermum scoparium ‘Star Carpet’
Trailing Leptospermum Offers Summer fireworks Backed by Evergreen Foliage. A spreading evergreen groundcover that stays flat to the ground and grows to 6 to 8 feet wide but can be kept smaller with pruning. The stems are covered by quarter inch long sharp tipped sessile scale-like leaves that are bright green in new growth and darkening with age. In mid spring the plant is covered by the lightly fragrant single white flowers with greenish centers that present themselves well on the foliage, looking like stars against the dark sky.

Water Use

Medium

Conditions When It Thrives

Cold hardy to approximately 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Prefers slightly acidic, well-drained, fertile soil. Water well to establish while young, after which it is somewhat tolerant of drier conditions.

Ecosystem Services

Attractive to many pollinators, especially bees.

Native To

Australia and New Zealand

Geographic Range

Availability

Height & Habit

This evergreen groundcover creeps along the ground nearly flat, to about 7’ wide, with small glossy leaves making the perfect backdrop for the clouds of white single cupped flowers with lime green centers.

Special Features

The leaves are aromatic when crushed.
Did You Know Icon
Explorer Captain James Cook gave his crew a tea from Leptospermum species to combat scurvy in 1768, hence the common name of ‘Tea Tree’. Manuka honey is made from Leptospermum blossoms.

Why They Love It

Melinda adores its beautiful, graceful texture as it drapes over a wall, festooned with white flower fireworks in summer.

Seasonal Appearance/Dormancy

Evergreen

Advice

Banksia "Ric Rack Banksia"
Drought Resilient

Plant Family

Proteaceae
Species Icon

Genus

Banksia
Plant Species

Species

Banksia "Ric Rack Banksia"
This Banksia Brings Extravagant Flowers and Foliage. Spreading medium shrub to small ornamental tree 9-18'. Creamy-yellow long lasting flowers, with thin, silvery grey-green deeply toothed leaves. Flowers most of the year. Well-drained, light to heavy soils in open sunny position. Tolerant of alkaline soils. Drought and moderately frost tolerant. Grown commercially for cut flowers. Makes an attractive hedge or screen.

Water Use

Drought tolerant

Conditions When It Thrives

Well-drained soil, full sun

Ecosystem Services

Drought-loving once established

Native To

Western Australia

Geographic Range

Hardy to approximately 20-25 degrees Fahrenheit

Availability

Height & Habit

Can be grown as shrubs or small trees from 12-20’ tall.

Special Features

Did You Know Icon
First Banksia species specimens were collected in 1770, and the genus was named by Carl Linneus in honor of Joseph Banks.

Why They Love It

Zig-zag foliage looks like it was pruned with pinking shears, otherworldly 1’ tall creamy yellow inflorescences bloom most of the year in Berkeley. They make great dramatic additions for floral arrangements.

Seasonal Appearance/Dormancy

Advice

Can tolerate sandy soil, but avoid direct salt spray. Avoid winter rains.
Correa reflexa ‘Cape Nelson’
Drought Resilient

Plant Family

Rutaceae
Species Icon

Genus

Correa
Plant Species

Species

Correa reflexa ‘Cape Nelson’
A Standout Correa. An evergreen shrub to 4 feet tall and wide that has small dark glossy olive green elliptic leaves that clasp the stems and narrow tubular lipstick-red flowers from fall through spring. Best in cool coastal sun to partial shade with good drainage. Drought tolerant once established but performs best with summer irrigation. Hardy to the mid to low 20°s F. This long blooming shrub is attractive to hummingbirds and can be pruned to shape or to keep smaller and adds interest to the mixed flower border or woodland garden in mass or as a single specimen and is good for container gardening. This plant originated from Kangaroo Island, Australia's third largest island, that is located 70 miles southwest of Adelaide at the entrance of Gulf St Vincent.

Water Use

Low Water Needs

Conditions When It Thrives

Full sun, well-drained, fertile soil.

Ecosystem Services

Pollinator-attracting, particularly birds, drought-loving once established

Native To

Victoria state, Australia

Geographic Range

USDA Gardening Zone 9

Availability

Height & Habit

Although some reports say it can grow 10’ wide, Kralj says this shrub gets 2.5’ tall x 4’ wide.

Special Features

Flowers are dangling trumpets in cerise with flared lemon tips. Elliptical leaves are olive-green.
Did You Know Icon
Of all the Correas from the Cape Nelson are UC Santa Cruz Arboretum & Botanic Garden trialed, this showy performer won the right to be named as a cultivar. Also, Correas are in the citrus family, Rutaceae.

Why They Love It

Seasonal Appearance/Dormancy

Evergreen

Advice

Great for the front of the border, along paths, or in a pot where their foliage and flowers can be appreciated up close
Leptospermum scoparium ‘Star Carpet’
Drought Resilient

Plant Family

Myrtaceae
Species Icon

Genus

Leptospermum
Plant Species

Species

Leptospermum scoparium ‘Star Carpet’
Trailing Leptospermum Offers Summer fireworks Backed by Evergreen Foliage. A spreading evergreen groundcover that stays flat to the ground and grows to 6 to 8 feet wide but can be kept smaller with pruning. The stems are covered by quarter inch long sharp tipped sessile scale-like leaves that are bright green in new growth and darkening with age. In mid spring the plant is covered by the lightly fragrant single white flowers with greenish centers that present themselves well on the foliage, looking like stars against the dark sky.

Water Use

Medium

Conditions When It Thrives

Cold hardy to approximately 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Prefers slightly acidic, well-drained, fertile soil. Water well to establish while young, after which it is somewhat tolerant of drier conditions.

Ecosystem Services

Attractive to many pollinators, especially bees.

Native To

Australia and New Zealand

Geographic Range

Availability

Height & Habit

This evergreen groundcover creeps along the ground nearly flat, to about 7’ wide, with small glossy leaves making the perfect backdrop for the clouds of white single cupped flowers with lime green centers.

Special Features

The leaves are aromatic when crushed.
Did You Know Icon
Explorer Captain James Cook gave his crew a tea from Leptospermum species to combat scurvy in 1768, hence the common name of ‘Tea Tree’. Manuka honey is made from Leptospermum blossoms.

Why They Love It

Melinda adores its beautiful, graceful texture as it drapes over a wall, festooned with white flower fireworks in summer.

Seasonal Appearance/Dormancy

Evergreen

Advice

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