RE: anyone grow Ceanothus x pallidus 'Marie Simon?'

Hi Nan:
This one is currently in my irrigation trials field at UC Davis on four
levels of summer irrigation, so at the end of the summer, I will be able to
give you the definitive answer as to how much water it prefers!  Having said
that, let me give you a bunch more info: it appears delicate because it is a
hybrid between a deciduous eastern Ceanothus and one of our tougher western
ones.  It is still quite drought tolerant however - ONCE ESTABLISHED.  This
is always the key with any good, water-efficient garden plant, with few
exceptions.  If your temperatures get that low each winter, expect it to be
fully deciduous.  By March, however, it will have leafed back out, and the
lovely red stems will be set off by the beautiful pink fluffy flower heads a
little later.  The seed heads are quite attractive as well, being the same
dark red as the stems.  Those in my trials field were planted a year ago
last fall, and those which have received no supplemental water yet are still
very lush and lovely despite that drastic heat wave we had last week.  We
will see how they look as summer progresses.  One important note: they are
irresistible to rabbits.  The first winter, I came into the field in
January, after a Christmas break, and every one of them looked as though it
had been hard pruned to about 6 inches above the ground!  I practically
cried - not one of 24 had been missed by the browsing Peters and Benjamins.
I left them alone, however, and by March, they had all heroically recovered
and were pushing leaves from below each munch.  You have to love a plant
with that kind of resiliency.  So far, not a single pest, and as of today,
when my grad student assistant helped me take measurements, they are all
quite lovely, with a handful still pushing a few flower buds.  A little
extra information, in case you don't know Davis, it gets well over 100 F for
many days each summer, and freezes mildly almost every year, certainly this
year it did.  The field is in full blazing sun, and unprotected from winds
that whip in and can really dry things out.  All the plants are mulched with
2-3 inches of bark.  These plants are also currently being trialed by my
Master Gardener cooperators in 11 demonstration gardens in a wide variety of
climate zones (north to south):Redding, Grass Valley, Plymouth, Livermore,
Stockton, Palo Alto, Mariposa, Fresno, Riverside, Irvine, El Cajon, and
Point Loma in S.D.  By this fall, we will also know how they have performed
for their first year in these gardens.
My advice then, is to water regularly this first year, especially since you
are planting now, and plant it in as full sun as you like.

Karrie Reid
Folsom Foothill Gardener (but also UC Junior Research Specialist)

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-medit-plants@ucdavis.edu [o*@ucdavis.edu]
On Behalf Of N Sterman
Sent: Thursday, July 02, 2009 2:42 PM
To: MeditPlants Plants
Subject: anyone grow Ceanothus x pallidus 'Marie Simon?'

I brought this plant home from Suncrest Nursery up in Watsonville in  
the fall and have been trying to figure out where to put it.  It is  
much much more delicate looking than the standard ceanothus and the  
leaves are very soft and flexible as compared to those I know.  my  
intuition says to plant this one in part shade and give it more water  
than I would any native.

Any suggestions?  My summers often get into the 90s and winters down  
into the upper 20s (F).  I'm worried this ceanothus will fry in my  
summer heat.

Thanks

Nan
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