Best Time to Plant California Natives
Fall has arrived and so has the cooler temperatures, which translates to “the best season to plant”. I’d like to share with you some of the best variety of trees for the Sacramento Valley that can be planted now, and how to manage them.
My favorite California native trees are: the California Buckeye (Aesculus californica), the Madrone (Arbutus menziesee), and the Western Redbud (Cercis occidentalis). Each one of these varieties are drought tolerant (when mature) and easy to grow. All will take full sun.
The California Buckeye is usually multi-trunked and grows about 20 feet tall and just as wide. It has striking new foliage of apple green in the spring, along with fragrant, cream-colored flower plumes. Seeds drop from the split fruit and sprout freely.
The Madrone mature height ranges from 20 to 100 feet. Its main feature is smooth, reddish brown bark that peels in thin flakes. In the spring, large clusters of white/pinkish, bell-shaped flowers appear at the branch ends. These are followed in early fall by clusters of brilliant orange to red coated berries that remain on the tree most of the winter, if the birds don’t get them. This tree requires good drainage.
The Western Redbud is usually multi-trunked and matures to about 18 feet tall and wide. Magenta flowers bloom in the spring; and attractive blue-green leaves and seedpods appear in the summer months. This tree is highly drought tolerant when established.
These trees are fairly easy to grow, and are available at most local full-service nurseries.
Happy Planting,
Mindy Cecchettini