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Masses of Grasses
California Fescue
Toyon
Hall's Japanese Honeysuckle
Buffalo Grass
California Fescue

Common name:California Fescue
Botanical name:Festuca californica

The California Fescue is a cool season bunchgrass with blue green blades that reach 2'-5' high and 3' wide. Foliage arches gracefully upwards and outwards. Flower spikes reach 3' above the leaves. Plant in full sun or partial shade. It makes a great companion plant to oak trees and is handsome as a backdrop behind lower growing grasses for a meadow look. The California fescue is native to California and is a beneficial insect plant.

Toyon

Common name:Toyon
Botanical name:Heteromeles arbutifolia

Toyon is a California native evergreen shrub that grows 8'-15' high and spreading 2'-3'. It has leathery toothed leaves, white summer flowers and clusters of red winter berries. It tolerates full sun or partial shade, heat, smog, wind and heavy or light soils. It is drought tolerant, attracts beneficial insects and hummingbirds.

Hall's Japanese Honeysuckle

Common name:Hall's Japanese Honeysuckle
Botanical name:Lonicera japonica 'Halliana'

The 'Halliana' is a vigorous, hardy, climbing vine with deep green, oval leaves and fragrant white flowers that change their color to yellow. It is good as a groundcover or for covering fences. This is a highly combustible plant.

Buffalo Grass

Common name:Buffalo Grass
Botanical name:Buchloe dactyloides

This perennial shortgrass grows 2"-5" high and 6'-12' wide. The rounded, hollow stems have gray green curly leaves that are 1/10" wide and 2" long. This grass is very drought-resistant and turns tan in winter and lavender in autumn. It is slow to establish, but extra summer water helps. This grass is low maintenance and needs full sun.

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Masses of Grasses

Photographer: GardenSoft

Soils and Compost:

Practice grass-cycling by leaving short grass clippings on lawns after mowing, so that nutrients and organic matter are returned to the soil.

Water Saving Tip:

Mulching around plants helps retain water and improves the soil.

Integrated Pest Management:

Develop healthy soil for plants that are vigorous and naturally pest-resistant.