September 28, 2001
Contact: Stephen McCabe (831) 427-2998; smccabe@cats.ucsc.edu

UCSC Arboretum's Fall Plant Sale will Feature First Australian Plant introductions from "Koala Blooms" Partnership

SANTA CRUZ, CA--The UC Santa Cruz Arboretum is holding its annual Fall Plant Sale on Saturday, October 13, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. As in previous years, it is a joint sale with the California Native Plant Society (CNPS). For Arboretum and CNPS members only, the sale starts at 10 a.m. It will take place at the Arboretum Eucalyptus Grove, near the intersection of Western Drive and High Street.

This year's sale features the first three Australian plant introductions from a partnership between the Arboretum and "Koala Blooms," an association of Australian nursery growers. The partnership is designed to smooth the entry into California of new plants of horticultural interest developed by Australian growers. The Arboretum imports and tests the plants, and distributes them in conjunction with wholesale nurseries in California.

The first three plants from this partnership are Correa pulchella 'Pink Flamingo,' a fuchsia-like Australian native; Banksia spinulosa 'Schnapper Point,' a banksia with flowers arranged in a cylindrical spike; and Grevillea lanigera 'Coastal Gem,' a groundcover shrub. These new Australian plant introductions from the Arboretum and Koala Blooms will be available for the first time in the United States at the Arboretum's Fall Plant Sale, and shortly thereafter at nurseries throughout most of California.

Correa 'Pink Flamingo' is a compact evergreen shrub with shiny deep-green leaves and hanging, bell-shaped, deep salmon-pink flowers. This shrub looks like a fuchsia, but is a drought-tolerant citrus relative that flowers well through the winter. It requires little care and blooms well under oaks and eucalyptus.

Banksia spinulosa 'Schnapper Point' has dramatic four- to five-inch-long spikes of honey-yellow and red flowers. Banksias have been coveted and, until now, hard to find in California. Although many forms are too big for small gardens, this one is much smaller, reaching a height of two to four feet and a diameter of four to five feet.

Grevillea lanigera 'Coastal Gem' is a low, evergreen groundcover with a profuse flowering of pink-red and cream flowers. Plants grow a foot high by 3-5 feet wide with a long blooming season. This low plant makes an excellent low-maintenance groundcover for borders or mass plantings.

Several wholesale nurseries in California are participating in the Arboretum's partnership with Koala Blooms: Suncrest Nursery, Rosendale Nursery, Monterey Bay Nursery, San Marcos Growers, and Perry's Panorama. The partnership is structured to return some of the profits to the Australian nurseries that developed the plants, and some of the profits to the Arboretum for importing, testing, and distributing the plants. This is in keeping with the goal of "equitable sharing of the benefits" contained in the international Convention on Biological Diversity. Local growers also benefit by having new plants to sell, and gardeners can enjoy the results and add new color to their gardens.

The UCSC Arboretum is open for visitors from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day. Norrie's Gifts is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. The Jean and Bill Lane Horticultural Library is open Wednesday through Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. For more information, call (831) 427-2998.

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