Agapanthus

Agapanthus is sometimes called Lily of the Nile, African Blue Lily, or similar names. There are several species of this South African native, but most sold in nurseries here are agapanthus praecox or its subspecies agapanthus orientalis, even though they are sometimes mislabeled as agapanthus africanus. Once established, they are drought tolerant, and do well in almost any area with well-drained soil. They like full or part sun, and bloom during spring and summer. Some produce white flowers, others are light blue or lavender. Hummingbirds love them!

Agapanthus has rhizomatic roots, and can be propagated by division. The best time to do this is in the fall when blooming is over. You can simply dig up a clump, divide it into a few sections, and plant each one separately. They will also sometimes spread on their own. When you are working with this plant, be aware that its sap can be extremely irritating, causing a poison-ivy like rash on the skin, and severe ulceration of the mouth and mucous membranes. I wear long sleeves and/or elbow-length gloves when I cut or replant them.

Cactus in Bloom

Opuntia lindheimeri, known as Texas prickly pear, is a cactus originating in Texas that grows throughout the American southwest. It blooms in spring and early summer, with flowers that range from pale yellow to red. The fruit is edible, but I haven't tried it. The spines can be burned off so that the plant can be fed to cattle as a source of water.

The plants can grow ten feet high, but I haven't seen any beyond three or four feet. Drought tolerant and good-looking, they make sense in our water-rationed gardens.

Coral Aloe

Coral striata, known as coral aloe, comes from South Africa. This drought-tolerant plant does very well in South California, and is popular in low-water landscaping. The grayish-green leaves develop a pink tinge on the edges in cold weather, and the plant blooms in winter or early spring. A mature plant can grow to as much as two feet wide and three feet tall.

Springtime

Winter in South California is a lot like spring in other parts of the country, so flowers have been blooming for months. Now that spring is really here, there is even more garden action. These photos were taken in my back yard.