(Barney Turkish Fir, Turkish Fir)

The Turkish fir is every bit like a Nordman fir except it doesn't mature nearly as large and has a greater tolerance to alkaline soils. Turkish fir grows naturally at high elevations in the mountains from roughly Athens, Greece to Istanbul, Turkey and the adjacent Bithynia region. Turkish fir essentially is an isolated population of Nordman firs that evolved and survived on cooler, northern-facing slopes in the region.

Turkish fir has an upright, narrow and columnar form with a partially rounded...

(Franke Turkish Fir, Turkish Fir)

The Turkish fir is every bit like a Nordman fir except it doesn't mature nearly as large and has a greater tolerance to alkaline soils. Turkish fir grows naturally at high elevations in the mountains from roughly Athens, Greece to Istanbul, Turkey and the adjacent Bithynia region. Turkish fir essentially is an isolated population of Nordman firs that evolved and survived on cooler, northern-facing slopes in the region.

Turkish fir has an upright, narrow and columnar form with a partially rounded...

(Christmastree, Veitch Fir)

A handsome evergreen with deep green needles that curved upwards to reveal the silvery undersides, veitch fir also produces purplish cones. A tall conifer evergreen that is relatively fast-growing, it is native to central and southern Japan. Its smooth bark is sandy brown to gray in hue.

The non-prickly needles are short and glossy, dark green with silver to blue-green undersides. Needles densely line the branches' end twigs. Male and female cones are borne in late spring; the female cones become...

(Bank Catclaw, Trailing Acacia)

This groundcover acacia has proven its value time and again as a first class slope coverage for hot dry banks. In the western United States it is commonly planted in tough locations adjacent to commercial sites and freeways.

Trailing acacia is a native of eastern Australia and is the most widely used prostrate species around the world. Plants bloom in spring with pea-sized yellow puff balls that are concentrated at the base of the leaves along the stems. Its leaves are blue-green, long and densely...

(Trailing Acacia)

Truly uniform growth make this low-growing, uniform clone far more reliable than standard Acacia redolens. In the western United States it is commonly planted in tough locations adjacent to commercial sites and freeways.

Trailing acacia is a native of eastern Australia and is the most widely used prostrate species around the world. Plants bloom in spring with pea-sized yellow puff balls that are concentrated at the base of the leaves along the stems. Its leaves are blue-green, long and...

(Bear's Breeches, Summer Beauty Bear's Breeches)

The tall and stately Acanthus ‘Summer Beauty’ is a hybrid bear’s breeches that is tolerant of summer heat, if given regular moisture. Huge, glossy, semi-evergreen, lobed leaves with spines on the margins form a large, mounded rosette. Its tall flower stalks appear in late spring through midsummer with an abundance of widely-spaced, snapdragon-like blooms that are white with purple calyces (outer flower cover). The blooms are highly attractive to bees.

Acanthus prefers full to partial...

(Bank Ursine, Bear's Breeches, Oyster Plant)

This interesting Old World perennial has a coarse upright habit that adds texture to sunny gardens. Bear's breeches is quite hardy and summer-blooming. It is native to regions in southwestern Europe, though it has been in cultivation for a long time.

The long, sharply lobed, coarse leaves of bear’s breeches are deep green and form large, showy rosettes. In summer, tall, upright spikes of two-lipped, tubular maroon and white flowers are produced. Once spent, the old blooms should be cut back to...

(Bank Ursine, Bear's Breeches, Hollard's Gold Bear's Breeches)

This interesting Old World perennial has a coarse upright habit that adds texture to sunny gardens. Bear's breeches is quite hardy and summer-blooming. It is native to regions in southwestern Europe, though it has been in cultivation for a long time.

The long, sharply lobed, coarse leaves of bear’s breeches are deep green and form large, showy rosettes. In summer, tall, upright spikes of two-lipped, tubular maroon and white flowers are produced. Once spent, the old blooms should be cut back to...

(Armed Bear's Breeches, Spiny Bear's Breeches)

Spiny acanthus is a clump-forming, evergreen to semi-evergreen perennial native to southern Europe. It is a bold, old-fashioned perennial that offers tall spikes of interesting flowers of maroon and ivory as well as interesting rosettes of deeply lobed, coarsely edged, dark green leaves that look good through the season.

From late spring to midsummer it becomes topped with spikes of bicolored white and maroon-purple flowers subtended by dark green bracts. The flowers are very attractive to bees....

(Spiny Bear's Breeches)

Spiny acanthus is a clump-forming, evergreen to semi-evergreen perennial native to southern Europe. It is a bold, old-fashioned perennial that offers tall spikes of interesting flowers of maroon and ivory as well as interesting rosettes of deeply lobed, coarsely edged, dark green leaves that look good through the season.

From late spring to midsummer it becomes topped with spikes of bicolored white and maroon-purple flowers subtended by dark green bracts. The flowers are very attractive to bees....