by Melody Kendall
This is the first of four articles describing plants and their care featured in the UC Master Gardeners of Napa County's low water, low maintenance area of Las Flores Learning Garden.
This little gem is a miniature fruitless olive variety whose Latin name is Olea europaea. Olives are native to the lands around the Mediterranean Sea and olive leaves are considered the enduring symbol of peace. The ‘Little Ollie' variety is evergreen and fruitless with small, insignificant flowers that still attract birds and bees in the spring. Planted in loose well-draining soil, this small olive displays dense green leaves with silver undersides. When the wind blows its leaves, shiny when new and fading into matte when mature, their silver undersides flutter and the plant appears to shimmer.
Perfectly happy in containers as patio specimen plants, trimmed and formed in hedges or just allowed to thrive “as is,” this plant needs full sun and enjoys the heat. Once established, the ‘Little Ollie' Olive needs little water, requiring only regular water during extremely dry conditions. Though virtually pest free these plants can get root rot if overwatered and sometimes suffer scale insect infestations. If these plants are left “as is” they only need occasional pruning to keep the desired 4 foot by 6 foot wide and tall globular shape. They can be trained into one or multiple trunks and as a hedge by shearing rather than hand pruning for shape. While not needing any regular amendments or fertilizers, compost added to the soil is always well received.
This plant's Latin name is Trachelosperum jasminoides and it is a member of the Dogbane or Apocynaceae family. The family name Dogbane comes from the Greek word apocynum meaning "dog-away" a reference to the fact that some taxa were used as dog poison. Also, the plants in this family, when cut, have a white milky sap that can be a skin irritant, gum up tools and stain clothing. Star jasmine is native to eastern and southeastern Asia. With bright shiny leaves, sweet smelling white flowers in spring and a vining growth habit, these plants lend themselves well to arbors and can grow to 20-30 feet when supported. They also do well as a ground covering plant growing to 3 feet tall with a 3-6 foot spread. Do be aware of the star jasmine's tendency to climb and invade surrounding plants. Plant in well-draining soil 5 feet apart in full sun. Once established, plants tolerate drought conditions with additional water during extreme heat. star jasmine is virtually pest free with only mealy bugs, sooty mold and scale a slight possibility. Fertilizing isn't recommended as application tends to reduce production of its sweet-smelling flowers, though compost is well received at any time. Pruning this plant depends on how it is displayed. If it is flowing up a fence or trellis, keep the wild shoots trimmed back to keep the form and to help reduce the weight on the structure. As a ground cover, contain the total size of the plant to keep the vines from overwhelming neighboring plants. A hedge trimmer works well to maintain both the vertical and horizontal growing methods.
Latin name Muhlenbergia capillaris, pink muhly grass is a member of the grass plant family and native to Florida and Eastern U.S. This plant is evergreen in temperate areas and deciduous in colder climates. The pink muhly grass's long narrow upright leaves and stems lend vertical interest to the garden and in containers when mixed with other plants. In the late fall this grass plant grows stems 12 inches tall that sport fluffy, feathery pink blooms. When planted singly, in clumps in the garden or on hillsides to prevent erosion, this display of pink cotton candy like blooms is quite spectacular. Pink muhly grass doesn't like wet feet so plant in well-draining soil in full sun. Once established, water sparingly but remember to water more regularly in very dry conditions. This grass plant has few pests, is deer resistant and attracts ladybugs. Seeming to thrive on neglect, the management of pink muhly grass is very easy. As with the other two plants, fertilizer isn't needed. If the grass goes dormant in the late winter, they can be cut to within 6 inches from the ground. In different climate zones of Napa Valley some go dormant and others remain green all year. This grass can be divided into smaller clumps and replanted if they get too large in late winter. If they remain green the removal of spent blooms is all that is required, though the spent blooms provide late winter seeds for the birds.
In conclusion, once established, these three plants require little water and maintenance. In addition, the plants can be counted on to demonstrate visual interest sometime throughout the year.
The UC Master Gardeners and the City of Napa have joined in a partnership at the Las Flores Community Center where instructional events are planned for the last Saturday of the month through 2022. Topics will center on research-based horticultural and climate change issues by featuring water saving plants and soil care.
The first event of 2022 will be held January 29th. showcasing the low-water, low maintenance area of the garden. Next week we will talk about the trees in the garden. The Raywood Ash Fraxinus oxycarpa 'Raywood', Crape Myrtle Lagerstroemia indica and the Strawberry Madrone Arbutus unedo.
Napa Master Gardeners are available to answer garden questions by email: mastergardeners@countyofnapa.org. or phone at 707-253-4143. Volunteers will get back to you after they research answers to your questions.
Visit our website: napamg.ucanr.edu to find answers to all of your horticultural questions.
Photo credits: Olga Morham
Information links:
Shrub pruning UC ANR blog https://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=42943
Little ollie olive https://sonomamg.ucanr.edu/Plant_of_the_Month/Olea_europea/
Star Jasmine https://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/GARDEN/PLANTS/starjasmine.html
Pink Muhly grass https://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=45732
UC IPM Mealybugs http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn74174.html
Scale http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7408.html
Sooty mold http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn74108.html