In and around San Francisco

[SummaScriptura]

I'll post some pics of stuff I see while walking the dog.

I saw this for the first time a few days ago and went back today to snap some pics. (I eliminated the address from the mailbox).

Here's the context:



Here's the closeup:



Here's a medium shot:



Here's a medium shot with a 12" ruler for scale:



I don't know what it is. I know I like it. It is a perfectly beautiful plant.

[SummaScriptura]

Can anyone tell me the variety of Cotyledon? I want one. :-)

[SummaScriptura]

Taken this evening. Sorry, it was overcast so the colors are muted. What is this? They stand about 2' to 3' tall and all have rolled up centers like an army of miniature "Little Shop of Horrors" clones!



Closer, but don't get too close, they bite!:



Couldn't resist:

[mvbronzeart]

Hello Bob Burns!
The first four pictures are of Dudleya Brittonii ,below the mailbox is a small clustering Dudleya Farinosa (found along your S.F. coastline) I see D. Brittonii seedlings and hybrids between the two species. The cotyledon is C. Macrantha I believe. I haven't seen one with such tapered leaves before. The last two pictures are of Greenovias or Greenovia hybrids. Very close kin to Aeoniums. Hope that was helpful.
Mike

[SummaScriptura]

Originally Posted by mvbronzeart

Hello Bob Burns!
The first four pictures are of Dudleya Brittonii ,below the mailbox is a small clustering Dudleya Farinosa (found along your S.F. coastline) I see D. Brittonii seedlings and hybrids between the two species. The cotyledon is C. Macrantha I believe. I haven't seen one with such tapered leaves before. The last two pictures are of Greenovias or Greenovia hybrids. Very close kin to Aeoniums. Hope that was helpful.
Mike

Wow Mike! That was very helpful! Do you think the D. Brittoni was planted there? It seems so natural, but I'm surmising that one is not a native. Do you think D. Brittonii is difficult to grow in one's garden? I have found Dudleyas a bit finicky for me.

Well, with out knowing it, I've been a Greenovia fan! I thought Greenovias were ground cover only; I did not realize they can stalk like that! Don't you think these look like the villain in "Little Shop of Horrors"?

Cotyledon Macrantha is pretty common around these parts. What is throwing me off is the growing pattern of this one. But I guess you're probably right. Its elongation is probably due to its growing conditions. One of the things that has fascinated me about succulents is the variability that can be found within a single species...

Take care, and thank you for taking the time to supply the information!

By the way, how'd you know my name!? (I probably posted it elsewhere and forgot... LOL)

[agavemonger]

FEED ME!! Enjoyed a good laugh on your take on the Greenovias! Your real "biter", though, is the Agave americana variegata marginata (or possibly A. americana variegata striata) in the photo! It's "horror show" will show up later, when it's six-foot pups will start devouring your little garden delicacies. A beautiful plant when well grown (but kept permanently in chains)! The Monger

P.S. Click on your moniker, then click on "about me".

Also, you can "thank" someone by clicking on the red "thanks" box in the lower right-hand corner of their post...

[SummaScriptura]

Here are a couple of examples of the branching form of A. Nobile which are starting to show up in shops and gardens. These two are from the Sunset disctrict of San Francisco. "Sunset" in this case is a misnomer, as this part of the city remains in fog most of the year and one is not going to see many sunsets there...

[SummaScriptura]

I have dubbed this vertical rock surface in San Francisco, "Crassula Cliff". There are at least a dozen succulent varieties thriving on it...

[SummaScriptura]

I have a yard which I cannot keep wild animals from. Over the past year I have discovered I cannot plant anything Graptoveria or of similar succulence becasue the skunks, yes the skunks, eat them.

I also cannot have much success with echeverias, at least in this plot, becasue of the overabundance of water. My yard has a similar microclimate to the Washington State rain forest.

The good news is, I have a very difficult time killing any Aeoniums!

One year ago today, my garden:


Today:



Another view:



My planting of the front section is a bit unimaginative due to the fact when I put all (except the large Swarktopf in front) of these Aeoniums in they were a single rosette which I'd not labled for their growing habits. Once I've figured out the "behavior" of each variety I will be able to stage them better.

[SummaScriptura]

[SummaScriptura]

Tonight while walking the dog we came across this splendiferous specimen. For scale, my dog sits about 22" tall.





I think its spectacular!

[SummaScriptura]

Here's another one from tonight. The leaves are absolutely fuzzy/furry to the touch more so than the Kalanchoe tomentosa. The large rosette is about 20" across.

[Stan]

San Franciso's z17 has a serious lack of warm weather..not people weather friendly. BUT,the almost total lack of frost (even in '07 Ab. banana's were evergreen in Golden Gate Park,Brugs stayed in bloom-in my part of the eastbay's z17,20 miles east, my Brugs were frosted back to the framework of the branches)..creates some fantasticaly perfect looking subtropicals. Many have that soucal look of never ever having to recover from cold. And plants that i thought were too tender for the bay area-like Coffee,can grow in protected outdoor areas..same for those tender neoregalia's. Plants si,people weather? not so good-lol.

[SummaScriptura]

In my travels last night I found this one growing in someone's yard. The owner was not able to tell me where it came from or how old it is.

I am resisting the temptation to call this a new A.Nubile hybrid.

It was growing in his yard right next to an actual A.Nubile specimen. As far as I can tell this only differs from A.Nubile in that the leaves are a slight bit thinner, the rosette centers tightly pucker like a Greenovia, as you can see, and the edges of each leave have the purple coloration, also as you can see.

Your thoughts are appreciated...