Re: Plants in sand?
- Subject: Re: Plants in sand?
- From: d* f*
- Date: Tue, 16 Oct 2001 00:00:15 -0700 (PDT)
--- Joe Seals <gardenguru@yahoo.com> wrote:
> 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
Joe,
I should probably correct the impression you may have
of Tibouchina urvilleana being a good plant for
similar dune conditions here in California. In Santa
Catarina it grows in a much more humid, year round
rain environment, in the low points of dunes protected
from direct salt air. If protected from winds and
given regular water, it will also do quite well in
almost pure sand here as well, my garden in San
Francisco next to Golden Gate Park was virtually pure
dune sand, and it thrived for me there, but with
regular water all during the dry season.
As to your request for plants which thrive in sandy
soils or pure dune sand, as you no doubt are aware,
almost all of Golden Gate Park was originally sand
dunes, and has not been unduly limited as to what can
be grown there, but again, mostly with supplemental
irrigation. If you are wanting info on plants which
are drought tolerant and thrive in sand, it would be a
much shorter list of plants!
I grow many bromeliads such as Aechmeas, Billbergias,
Puyas, Dyckias in very sandy soils without problems,
and many Proteas and Leucospermums, Leucodendrons,
Psoralea pinnata, Hebes spp, Leymus condensatus,
Calandrina grandiflora, Francoa ramosa all did very
well for me in pure sand. Most succulents such as
Echeveria, Sedums, Senecios, Aeoniums, Kalanchoes also
thrived in these same conditions, with approximately
weekly watering in summer. Most probably could have
survived with much less water if I would have
tolerated a less lush look.
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