Re: planting under Calif. live oak

Kay,
Berkeley has more of a coastal influence than where I live (the Sierra
foothills just east of you), so my experiences may differ from yours.
Salvia greggi, Iris douglasiana, and heuchera species all need some
supplemental summer water where I am.
The Ceanothus species do great, but need at least morning sun to flower
well.  The narcissus is a sure bet. Centranthus is tough and will do fine
as long as you live somewhere it won't escape and naturalize.
My Rosemary never seems to bloom unless it gets quite a bit of sun.
Hypericum is dull and overdone.  You can do better.
Erigeron karvinskianus is tough and blooms well most of the year as long as
it gets some sun.

I have had a real hard time finding plants that can take the shade that oak
trees bring, and not need the water that is so detrimental to our native
oaks. Live Oaks are especially tough as they are evergreen.
 I am so glad you are considering the needs of this tree.  Many people do
not and blindly plant dollar a pack impatiens under their priceless and
irreplaceable trees. This makes me want to either cry or strangle,
depending on my mood at the time.

You might try Carpenteria, Ribes species. Berberis species.

Rebecca Lance
White Mountain Tree Care
Sonora CA


>Here's a list of plants for growing under oaks (should need no supplemental
>summer water) published by Sunset Magazine in its Nov. 1999 issue:
>
>Salvia greggii
>Iris douglasiana
>Nepeta faassenii
>Ceanothus griseus horizontalis
>Ceanothus rigidus
>Heuchera
>Narcissus
>Centranthus ruber
>Rosmarinus officinalis
>Erigeron karvinskianus
>Sasa veitchii
>Festuca ovina
>Senecio cineraria
>Pennisetum alopecuroides
>Hypericum calycinum
>
>Anyone have comments on this list? I too have a live oak that takes up most of
>my back yard, quite beautifully, but it seems to provide more shade than I
>would
>guess some of the above plants would need. Of course, the two story tall
>apartment building just over the property line to the south could have
>something
>to do with the shadiness....
>
>Kay Dreher
>Berkeley, California
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