Plants in sand?

Thanks for that info David.  I didn't realize that
this particular Tibouchina grows on the beach dunes in
South America.

Coincidently, I'm looking for any and all ornamental
plants that will do well on beach sand or seashore
dune sand.  If you, or anyone else in this forum,
happens to have some favorites for planting in such
conditions, I'd like to hear about them.  

Keep in mind that I'm in Santa Maria -- our climate is
definitely not tropical (occasional winters of 25° F
and little summer heat).  I do think that the
Tibouchina survives here, though.

Joe Seals
Santa Maria, California

--- david feix <davidfeix@yahoo.com> wrote:
> --- Doxiadis/Malefakis <gastouri@ker.forthnet.gr>
> wrote:
> > Since we're all sort of off medit-plants these
> days,
> > I might as well get my questions in:
> 
> I like to think that all plants being grown in
> mediterannean climates are also on topic for this
> group :).  You might try posing this question to the
> Gardenweb.com forum on tropicals, and get more info
> from people in Florida or along the east coast who
> grow some of these particular plants, and just how
> hardy they are.
> 
> > 1. Brunfelsia nitida.  I smuggled a small Logee
> > plant to Greece in my carry-on last Spring.  Since
> > then it has quadrupled in size and been promoted
> to
> > larger pots twice.  It flowered in early October
> and
> > smells heavenly.  Question:  can I risk letting it
> > overwinter outdoors in a sheltered courtyard?  We 
>  
> > only have a couple or so frosts on a normal
> winter, 
> > and they don't penetrate to this area.
> 
> This Brunfelsia originates in Cuba, I haven't grown
> this one myself.  I would think it safe to locate as
> you propose.  B. pauciflora 'Floribunda'/'Floribunda
> Compacta' and my personal favorite B. pauciflora
> 'Macrantha' all do well here in Berkeley, if
> regularly
> fed and watered.  My B. 'Macrantha' is in full bloom
> right now, and I love the large, (3" dia.) purplish
> blue flowers, but no scent.  B. americana, a very
> fragrant white blooming species which can get small
> tree sized, can also be grown outdoors here.  All
> would probably appreciate some protection from
> winter
> frost and winds and summer drying winds to do well,
> and a humus rich soil on the acidic side.
> 
> > 2. Aglaia odorata and Cestrum diurnum. (Also
> > transported here in my carry-on at the same time).
> 
> > Did very well all summer, thrived and flowered. 
> > Should I plant them in the ground now, or wait
> till
> > Spring, or not at all? 
> 
> I couldn't find a reference to Aglaia, and am not
> familiar with it.  What does it look like?  You
> don't
> by chance mean an Aglaonema?
>  
> > Cestrum nocturnum does very well in the ground
> here,
>  > but diurnum is unheard of.
> 
> I also am not familiar with this species of Cestrum,
> but all of the other species seem to handle the
> occasional frosts of our USDA zone 9/10 climate just
> fine. Cestrum aurantiacum and C. nocturnum are the
> most common here.  I prefer C. elegans, with its 4
> different color forms, (dark red/dark orange-red,
> dark
> pink and light pink), and followed by showy
> ornamental
> fruit, and C. newellii, also deep red flowers, with
> red tinged foliage and showy purplish berries, are
> all
> great shrubs here in the bay area, almost never
> without bloom.  They are unfortunately not fragrant,
> but very attractive to hummingbirds.  All will
> survive
> low temperatures down to 20F, but may lose top
> growth
> below 25F.
> 
> > 3.Tibouchina urvilleana 'Edwards'.  Also from
> Logee,
> > also transported here in the same manner,  two
> > Springs ago.  It survived one winter outdoors but
> > hasn't prospered...grown in size but losing its
> > leaves to a drying-out from the periphery inwards.
> 
> > No flowers.  I've had it in a shady spot through
> the
> > summer heat.  Is there anything I can do to help
> it
> > ? or should I give up and leave it to its doom.
> 
> Tibouchina urvilleana comes from the coastal sand
> dunes and mountains of south east Brazil, in the
> states of Rio de Janeiro and Santa Catarina.  It
> prefers coastal conditions with humidity, and
> greatly
> resents too much heat and drying winds, and as
> planted
> in south Florida, blooms better in the cooler winter
> than hot humid summers.  It thrives in California
> all
> along the coast where it stays above freezing in
> winter, and is often in bloom all year long.  Where
> it
> doesn't get too hot or windy, it is best located in
> full sun, in hotter drier areas, it will probably
> need
> some shade.  It prefers regular watering and
> feeding,
> and if grown as a container plant, may be drying out
> too quickly to sustain flower bud formation, and is
> also better in slightly acid soils.  Avoid locating
> where subject to hot drying winds, a dappled shaded
> courtyard with morning sun would suit it better in
> hot
> dry environments.  It will bloom in a fair amount of
> shade, but is a much leggier plant in such
> conditions.
>  It greatly benefits from regular pinching back to
> promote bushiness, and protect from frosts.  It
> doesn't seem to mind our cool winters at all, still
> flowering when night time lows drop down into the
> high
> 30's~low 40'sF.  (If you ever saw how this plant
> looks
> after an attack of Santa Ana winds, hot and very dry
> fall winds from the interior deserts, in Los
> Angeles,
> as compared to plants in cool foggy San Francisco
> neighborhoods, you would understand immediately). 
> Its
> native coastal range in Santa Catarina is very
> similar
> in temperatures to the San Francisco Bay Area,
> (perhaps slightly warmer in winter and more year
> round
> rain), many of my favorite bromeliads also come from
> this same habitat.
> 
> Sorry I wasn't directly familiar with many of your
> plants, we tend to only grow those which thrive here
> in California, where we don't get sufficient summer
> heat  to get many subtropicals to bloom well. 
> (Although this past week of 85~90F weather, our
> typical last hurrah of Indian Summer weather could
> fool you, as it is the exception to the rule).
> 
> 
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