By Leah Taylor, UC Master Gardener of San Diego County (This article originally appeared in the Jan / Feb 2026 edition of Cal Gardens magazine.) San Diego’s diverse coastal ecosystem is home to an extraordinary array of plant species, but few are as rare and captivating as Shaw’s Agave (Agave shawii). This striking succulent, […]
By VALORIE SHATYNSKI Answer: Euphorbia tirucalli, (also called Firesticks, Sticks on Fire, or Pencil Bush), is a visually striking and hardy drought-tolerant landscaping plant that is readily available in nurseries and is easily propagated. Firesticks, and all Euphorbias, produce a toxic white sap (latex) if their leaves or stems are cut or broken. The […]
By SHARON REEVE While everyone is aware of, and recognizes, a common European honeybee, most people wouldn’t be able to recognize a native bee. A good reason for this is because they come in a large variety of shapes and sizes, ranging from barely visible to large glossy black carpenter bees. It is very likely […]
Pay attention now to what works well with low water, low effort BY LYNLEE AUSTELL (This article originally appeared in the June 9, 2022 edition of the San Diego Union-Tribune) It is customary for us to think of drought and climate change as being the same. They are not. Climate change requires us to change our […]
They’re hardy, but they still need love By Wendy Van Diver (This article originally appeared in About Town Magazine) For the past decade, succulents have become increasingly popular and prevalent in San Diego’s gardens. Forgiving and fascinating, their thick, sap-filled leaves provide nourishment through long spells of dry, warm weather and they require little […]
