Update: Star Jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides)

 exerpt from the Photo/History Page for Star Jasmine

April 10

The Jasmine is in full-bloom. Not bad for an $8.00 plant from Walmart! My first (successful) "Blooming Tree", but not to be the last. This may even encourage me enough to try (another) Azealea.

Update: Hibiscus (Rosa sinensis) 'Brilliant'

 (excerpt from Photo/History page for Tropical Hibiscus project: 

April 10

April 2026

Removed the "sacrificial" branch & the Hibiscus immediately rewarded me with new growth from the stump left behind. I took the branch because it was foliating, instead of back-budding on the trunk & branches...as you can see now, that problem is solved. There is new growth from both branches & the main trunk. 

    

If you've followed this project, you know that it's one-big crapshoot, starting with my predilection for      "projects" & cheap raw material. Quite frankly, I'm more than a little surprised that this strategy is working out better than I expected. 

He's only been in this pot for 2 months, but I would like to downsize again, however, I don't want to interfere or inhibit the foliage..I've been hearing about using growboxes & that may be the solution for this tree.. I need to do some research.

Update: Cape Honeysuckle (tecomaria capensis)

 (excerpt from Photo/History page: Cape Honeysuckle 

April 10, 2026

April 10, 2026

Just 3 months in the training pot, but Honeysuckle II(a) slipped right into a tray without a problem. Minor pruning on both ends, top & bottom & it looks like he was born to it.

Honeysuckle II(a)

One could never guess that this specimen had major surgery less than 6 months ago..I probably could have skipped the plastic tray & gone directly to a ceramic container, but I want the trunk & base (nebari) to mature & to "put some age" on this tree before we go any further.

Introduction: Dwarf Pomegranate (Punica Granatum 'nana')

This showy, dense, dwarf tree displays attractive orange-red single flowers at an early age, followed by bright orange-red ornamental fruit. Excellent for containers or for use in the garden. A very effective bonsai specimen. Thrives in hot, dry summer areas. Deciduous.

Acquired: April 2026 ; Source: grower/breeder (commercial) ; 

This tree tolerates full sun & will thrive in a Mediterranean climate (such as so. Cal) & is frost hardy to some degree & drought tolerant, once established. 

Our tree arrived after 5 days "on the road", but a little frazzled around the edges.

A good drink of water & a few minutes to recover was all that was needed for this resilient plant to look like he hadn't just completed  a cross-country trip.

I'll let him rest now, for a couple of days & allow the plant to acclimate to his new home, before re-potting.

April 8, 2026

After a rest & some minor pruning to clean him up, I re-potted the 'nana' in a small tray. Root pruning is always "dicey" & I had to do some hard pruning on the roots & root ball. This plant had surprisingly well developed roots, in addition to the tap root..I removed the tap root & 2-3 woody roots, but kept all of the feeder roots intact. (feeder roots are small, white & usually surround the root ball like a skirt)

(a Photo/History page has been created for this tree & added to the Tree Inventory menu)

Update: Japanese Maple

 (except from Photo/History page : Japanese Maple (Acer Palmatum)

The JM is "leafing-out", replacing the leaves that survived the die-off before dormancy & back-budding on the remaining lower branching & trunk. 

Now I can start thinking about how to take care of this little tree & shaping, pruning & styling him over the next few weeks, while doing my best to keep him healthy & alive in our semi-desert environment. Some plants just refuse to die, even though in similar circumstances, the Acer's are known as tender plants, our Acer continues to surprise me.

April 5, 2026

Update: Laurel Sumac

(excerpt taken from Photo/History page for Laurel Sumac (Malosma Laurina )                                 

Dec 3, 2025

March 5, 2026

  April 4, 2026

Along with the other trees, the Laurel Sumac is throwing new leaves & possibly growing, although it's hard to tell. You can identify the new leaves by their color, for the most part, being lighter green or yellow turning to green as they mature. 

This photo is after minor pruning to shorten-up mostly secondary-branches..he has a tendency to become "leggy" & I'm trying to maintain his proportions, although he has become heavier on one side, which I will try to correct, as time goes on, however I am very pleased with how he has adjusted to what I call "patio life", containerized, root reduction surgery & the hot dry winds that can absolutely decimate a young plant..I do protect him from the wind, when I can, but he is hardy for such a fragile looking plant & soldiers-on

April Showers bring Flowers

(excerpt from Photo/History page: Star Jasmine

After our "heat wave" in March, this guy is ready for summer..to heck with spring! Seriously, the warm weather capped-off with an overnight rain brought out the blooms..just opening now, but you get the idea. I have not pruned him, nor will I until he is done blooming, but he easily doubled the size of his canopy..this is the best he has ever looked. Sometimes benign neglect is the most effective course of action

Dormant No More - Desert Rose

(excerpt from Desert Rose Photo/History page

The Desert Rose has been dormant for several months now, but he's waking-up from hibernation. Over the winter, I continued to water him, but sparsely, when I thought it was appropriate & he looks like he had a good sleep & is ready for the new growing season.

Japanese Maple : 1st Leaves of the Season

(excerpt from Photo/History: https://www.jerryspatio.com/p/photoshistory-japanese-maple-acer.html

Mar 2026

These are the first "true" leaves on the Acer; what you cannot see well from the photo are the buds populating both of the 2 main branches & sub-branches.

 I am trying to keep him out of direct sun, at least during the hottest hours, keeping in-mind, the JM is an understory tree in the best of circumstances, but I'm also aware that many people have them in their yards in this semi-arid environment.

 

Gardening with AI?

 Although I am in my 80's, I have never shied away from technology..quite the opposite, I tend to embrace it, nose around it, try it out, break it and, if at all possible, see if it makes my life  easier, better or more interesting. And, this mindset has served me well, allowing me to change careers mid-life (55) & supported me until I finally did retire at 79.

And when I retired, I wanted a clean break with the past..having lived on or near the coast for 40-some years, I moved inland..I gave up a predilection for "dive bars"..(still love them, but there comes a time)..took up patio gardening, fully confident that "playing in the dirt" was about as low-tech as you can get...and then along came AI.

At first, I approached it as a novelty..how close have we come to the Star Trek computer? Does AI really have the ability to encompass all of the derived knowledge of mankind? Does it really make most technical/computer training & knowledge irrelevant?  The answer??? maybe.

The second question was, could it be helpful in real-world tasks, such as gardening? One day, out of frustration more than anything else, I asked Gemini (Google AI) about the "white stuff" on both of my recently acquired Pine trees; in 8-9 seconds, it correctly diagnosed the "white stuff" as pine scale, explained what pine scale was, it's origin, cause, characteristics & outlined a number of options for treating it. Further, it broke down the types of remedies available (both chemical & organic), by name, composition & price & a detailed treatment plan for remediation..I was sold.

Since then, I have used AI to answer questions, diagnose problems & research topics such as soil composition, cultivar characteristics, plant nutrition, & recommended practices for a variety of plants; additionally, I have sought information on multiple diverse subjects besides gardening, such as diagnosing ailments, evaluating healthcare choices, repairing my car, even to the extent of evaluating cat food & defining percieved &/or observed phenomena in nature, explaining scientific terms & developments...to the extent that I now use AI on a daily basis.

Do you use AI as part of your repertoire? I'd be curious to hear from others who have utilized this new technology while practicing one of the oldest, if not the oldest technology, cultivation. Post your comments below & share your experience with the rest of us.

Star Jasmine Wakes-Up

(excerpt from Photo/History: Star Jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides)

Mar 10, 2026

I was greeted this morning & pleasantly surprised at seeing many (if not most) of the Star Jasmine branches with new green shoots. (see pic) I have not seen any shoots or  budding since last fall, even though he is an evergreen, he has been semi-dormant.

I suspect he is getting ready to bloom in the not-too-distant-future; I have seen this specimen "in bloom" once before..shortly after I potted him last spring. Despite being something of a "pedestrian" plant, in that the Star Jasmine is not exotic or particularly interesting, this plant can be a prolific bloomer. I am looking forward to seeing him in full bloom, again.

Experiment: Propagate Dracaena Marginata via Cuttings

(excerpt from Photo/History: Madagascar Dragon Tree (Dracaena Marginata)

Mar 9, 2026

I've been thinking about propagating this plant for some time, but hadn't a clue about how to go about it..recently, I've had some success with succulent cuttings, taken from a friends yard (see current logo background pic) & the Dracaena is, after all, a succulent & so I chose a "stalk" & pruned it & potted the cutting..now it's "wait & see" if it takes or whether I've ruined one of my better specimens

About an hour or so later, I began to experience itching on the back of both hands..the itching grew more severe & was accompanied with severe inflammation. As I was washing & treating both hands (soap/warm water & 1% Hydrocortisone cream) I remember reading something about Dracaena being toxic to cats & dogs..sure enough, this is what I found:

The sap of the Dracaena marginata contains saponins and calcium oxalate crystals, making it toxic to both humans and pets. 

In Pets: Ingestion can cause vomiting (sometimes with blood), diarrhea, drooling, and dilated pupils in cats.

In Humans: Contact with the sap can cause skin irritation or swelling of the mouth and throat if ingested. It is recommended to wear gloves when pruning and to keep the plant out of reach of children and animals

If you have plant allergies (such as I have had my entire life), take note when working with these plants.

EOL(end of life): Monterey Pine (pinus radiata)

 Today I declared EOL(end of life) for this specimen; complete photo/history below

Pine (Pinus Radiata) is a coniferous evergreen tree with upward-pointing branches and a rounded top. It is native to the Central Coast of California(Santa Cruz, Monterey & San Luis Obispo counties), as well as Guadalupe & Cedros islands in Mexico.

It typically grows 50-100 ft.; lifespan is 80-90 years. The cones are serotinuous, meaning that they remain closed until they are opened by the heat of a forest fire; seed are then discharged to regenerate on the burned-over forest floor. 

Acquired: Aug, 2025 - $8.00

This tree was acquired, along with a Mexican Weeping Pine, directly from the breeder, located in northern California. Ordered via the internet, delivered via USPS in a cardboard tube, it was identified as a "seedling" even though it was 30-33 inches tall. The roots were protected by a sheer mesh "sock" that contained some of the soil mix that the tree was grown-in & a plastlc bag that also served to preserve whatever moisture the root "plug" contained. 

I put the seedling in a jar of water & let him soak overnight, before I potted him & crossed my fingers. Since then, I have purposely let the plant alone & he has rewarded my patience by growing 2-3 inches & is starting to develop "candles".

I think that the next step for this plant is some kind of effort toward height reduction & from the research I've done on pines, candles are the key to this. I will continue my research on the subject, looking towards mid-winter before I take any further action.

Dec 18, 2025

The Monterey Pine has continued to grow & I finally decided that I had to do something to control the height. Some sources advise against pruning ANY young pine, while others say "no big deal'... I have decided to join the "no big deal" folks.

My understanding is that candles are the key to controlling both branch length, as well as height..that by pruning or removing candles on the growing tip, one not merely is controlling upward growth, but re-directing the energy of the plant downward, making for a thicker trunk & increased branch length.

I removed the growing tip about 1/2 way down to the next developing candles, which will become the top-most branches.

This photo (right) shows the area where the grow tip used to be & the next set of developing candles. As usual, I will now let the tree rest & recuperate for a few days, before any further work is done.

Feb 20, 2026

I don't know how I let this much time pass before I noticed that this tree was not doing well..I have to admit that the Monterey Pine is not the sexiest specimen on the patio, but I should have noticed the browning needles sooner.

After another week's worth of rain, this tree, like all of the trees on the patio, is super-saturated & will need to dry out for a day or two before I can start to diagnose what is wrong.

Feb 21                                                                                                                                           De-potted & took a look at the roots..it seems like the lowest-most roots are "greasy" looking & are black, not tan or white, so I'd say that's probably where the problem lies..I pruned the worst offenders & re-potted in fresh soil..now all we can do is wait & see if he recovers.

Feb 25

Re-potting has not made any appreciable difference so far..I am really kicking myself for not noticing his deterioration sooner when I might have been able to make a difference, but I think it is too late..at this point, I don't think he's going to make it..the reference information I've been able to find on the subject (not much) advises not feeding during this crisis, but I don't think I've got a choice now, I have to try SOMETHING,so I am going to give him a shot of fertilizer in hopes that I can turn this around.

Feb 28

This photo is probably the last we'll see of the Monterey Pine. The best that can be said now is that "this plant died well". I will do an "autopsy"..pull the plant from it's pot & examine the roots, but I don't think I'll see anything particularly enlightening or instructional, but I will go through the steps to conclude this history & end this story of a failed sapling.

EOL: 

Coprosma 'Karo Red' (aka Mirror Plant) Gets a New Home

 excerpt from Coprosma Photo/History page

Feb 2026

'Karo Red' is almost fully recovered from the chemical burns & is slowly "filling-in" the areas that were defoliated. This little tree has truly met the test of time & the ability to recover from what might have been fatal to others.

Decided he was worthy & due for a permanent home other than the plastic training tray he has been in for the last year. I had purchased this tray specifically for the Coprosma, because the ceramic body color matches the mature foliage & seems to be complimentary, I think.

Mr. Squirrel Came for a Visit

This morning during breakfast, I happened to look outside to see that Mr. Squirrel had come to visit. Mr. Squirrel is the patriarch of our neighborhood squirrels, at home in the trees, or scaling the 3-story apartment building atop which he raises his family, all the while, dedicated to making fools of the local cats.  

 I don't know how many generations of cats he has antagonized & humiliated, but he is clearly not intimidated by any of them, being faster, more agile & with the ability to go straight-up or down a sheer stucco building at will. Mr. Squirrel & I have had a relationship up until now, with him showing no fear & willing to approach me within 2-3 feet. When I talk to him, he makes eye contact with me & shows no fear.

chew marks - bark stripped

So I was more than a little upset & disappointed when I saw him happily chewing on the sole remaining branch & the new, green shoots that I have been counting on to keep the Hibiscus alive until he recovers from being severely cut-back. 

While my breakfast got cold, I went to rescue my plant. As I came out onto the patio, Mr. Squirrel greeted me & acted surprised that I would interrupt him..more handclapping, Mr. Squirrel retreated & hasn't returned today, but as you can see from the photo, he did strip some bark in an attempt to get at the green wood underneath & he ate about half of the new green shoots on the branch.

I don't think the minor damage done will kill the plant. 

Photo/History for Channel Island Barberry Published

 The Channel Island Barberry now has a Photo/History page accessible via this link:

Channel Island Barberry (Berberis pinnata ssp. insularis )

Spring is Sprung..I Think..

It's raining (again) but no wind..in fact, it feels more like a spring rain than the winter storm that's been forecast for the last several days..but, we'll have to wait & see how it develops. Meanwhile, all of my trees are huddled-up, under cover & cozy, for the moment.

This morning I was pleasantly surprised to see the Island Barberry & a brand new leaf(first of the season) that formed overnight. I am more than pleasantly surprised, as I had sort-of written this dude off..last fall, he had succumbed to the same virus that de-foliated the Japanese Maple & caused the leaves of the Fremont Cottonwood to blacken & die. (you can read more about this in either photo/history page)

And looking at the Japanese Maple, I was pleased to see that it has also produced the first new leaf of the season, in addition to dozens of buds.

Checking further, I was gobsmacked to see back-budding has begun on the Creeping Fig although it is only 36 hrs. or so since being hard pruned. Additionally, the Pacific Crabapple has finally awakened from his winter "snooze" & threw a bud, this morning So, in spite of what may become the worst storm of the season, it feels like Spring on the Patio.

Another tool in the toolkit - Lightbox

 Originally, this blog was a photo album..or a photo gallery..I had started snapping shots with my cell-phone camera to share with friends I no longer see on a daily basis, since I retired & relocated some 40 miles away. 

In short order, my cell was running out of storage space & I discovered Google Photos..free (1 GB) storage, instant access..& did I mention, FREE? Google Photos is great & does support the ability for a simple narrative, but not much control over layout or presentation.

As my collection grew, I also realized that what I needed was some sort of database, that could store information about different cultivars, and to document the stages that different trees displayed, as time went on & a way to display the chronology of their growth, over time.

A simple blog was the easy & obvious solution  & has served my purpose well. But, sometimes you don't want to wade through a narrative, loaded down with detail & simply see the visual  

screenshot

Try this now..click on any photo on any page; you should see something like this screenshot. In the center is the photo you clicked-on

Across the bottom of the screen are thumbnails of all of the photos on that page, in chronological order so you can easily see a visual record of changes over time. Click-on any photo to see full size.

So now, if you simply want to "cut to the chase" when viewing a page or article, or want to directly compare photos taken at different times & stages of development without reading the entire article, you know how to do so.

I particularly like this feature & use it almost every day.

Another Reclamation Project: Hibiscus (Rosa sinensis) 'Brilliant'

Unpruned - as purchased

There's nothing I like better than the "50% off table"  at the nursery..that & the challenge of taking-on a reclamation project for a specimen that has been overlooked, ignored or  badly served.

I was, sort-of, considering an Azealea to replace the Azealea that I managed to kill, last year. I didn't know how finicky they can be, but then happened to see this "Franken-plant" with the orange splotch on it's pot.(signifies 50% Off).

Rosa sinensis is also called Tropical Hibiscus, Chinese Hibiscus or Chinese Rose; this particular cultivar "Brilliant" has bright red blooms(supposedly). 

This plant is an evergreen & blooms year round (if kept outdoors). It is not hardy. He can be kept as either a shrub or tree, according to how it is pruned.

As you can see from the photos, the lower half of the plant was obscured by a "helter-skelter" of unpruned foliage & was testament to how long this plant has been untended to the extent that there was no choice but to "clean house" & be ruthless with the shears.

1st Pruning - Feb. 4, 2026

Once I cleared away some of the overgrowth & opened up the trunk & pruned dead, near-dead & cross-branches, we can start to see what this tree looks like..

Now that I can see what I've got to work with, I need some time to evaluate & research what I might do with this specimen, & that's going to take some time..in the meantime...

Potted 3 cuttings from the Hibiscus & there will be more, as time goes on. 

(Photo/History: Hibiscus (rosa sinensis) 'Brilliant' live now; click-here or use Tree Inventory Menu to access)

Another California-Native Tree: Manzanita

Howard McMinn Manzanita

 I visited the nursery at the CBG(California Botanic            Garden) yesterday & brought home a new candidate for my    collection..a very young Manzanita..about 4"- 6" tall, a healthy, seemingly happy plant.

CBG is the largest botanic garden dedicated to California    native plants, promoting botany, conservation and                  horticulture to inspire, inform and educate the public and    scientific community about California's native flora. 

And the garden maintains a nursery, open to the public, making many of those same native plants available to the public.

This will be the 4th specimen in my collection acquired from CBG. 

Click-here to access the photo/history page or use the Tree Inventory list on the right-hand side of the page.

Having 2nd Thoughts..

Jan 2026

  I am having 2nd thoughts about the Kaleidoscope       (Abelia Grandiflora).After 8 months of feeding,        watering, pruning, re-potting & daily observation & attention paid to this specimen, I had an epiphany..in his current configuration, this plant is not a good candidate..I think I was "blinded" by the foliage, to a large degree & way too timid in my approach to styling this little tree.

BUT, the Kaleidoscope has proven himself to be a healthy, willing plant that handled root pruning/reduction & re-potting, as well as adjusting to his environment & mini-climate of the patio. So I took my trusty pruning shears in hand in an  attempt to reveal the tree that I know is hidden.

Like most commercially available plants, he is too"leggy"; I make that generalization based on my experience with specimens purchased from retail garden centers & nurseries. The growers are simply trying to produce sellable plants of a given size instead of taking the time to let nature take it's course.

Next step will be to eliminate cross-branching, redundant(over-lapping or encroaching) branches & any branches growing down or from the underside of main branches.

This is enough for now..I left a set of leaves or a bud on each remaining branch & one long "sacrificial" limb (on the right) with an adult set of leaves to help feed the plant until he regrows foliage on the pruned, shortened branches. The "sacrificial" branch, left in place for now, will help to increase the girth of the trunk & base & can be pruned or removed at a later date.

I really think I've improved this plant, if he lives & I feel fairly confident that he will..I didn't do anything that would put his life in danger.."hard" pruning? yes, but this guy has been pruned before & I've reduced the load on the roots by getting rid of so much foliage.

To see the complete history of this tree, click here or use the Tree Inventory list