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shrubs for summer & autumn coursework

As with trees, shrubs for summer & autumn highlight notable seasonal features such as changing leaf color, blooms, or fruit.  This does not mean that many of the species listed here are unremarkable during winter and spring. Instead, they may provide additional benefits in more than one or two seasons.  Their categorization by season is intended to be helpful to students to remember their unique qualities. 

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Shrubs, like trees, are woody plants.  They typically last for years, although there are exceptions when, for example, shrubs from mild or tropical climates are planted in areas subject to freeze.  In these areas, regional designers, gardeners, horticulturalists, and even nurseries, might categorize such shrubs as perennials, because they may experience dieback of foliage, from the tips to all the way to the ground.  They may regrow in the spring, or they could completely die if winter conditions were severe.  For California landscape designers, it is critical to reference their cold hardiness and micro climate zones to verify species performance in a given area.  When researching plant hardiness, make sure you cross reference with California-based sources for survivability in your area.

The following list is fluid, meaning it will change as new information is made available, including new species and status on campus.  We welcome any updates, corrections, or comments to continue to make this page useful to students at West Valley College.

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If a scientific name is linked, please feel free to find additional information via this website.

scientific name

Abelia x grandiflora

Abutilon hybrids

Alyogyne huegelii

Anisodontea x hypomadara

Aucuba japonica

Brugmansia x candida

Buddleja davidii

Callicarpa dichotoma

Calluna vulgaris

Calycanthus occidentalis

Camellia japonica

Camellia sasanqua

Carissa macrocarpa

Carpenteria californica 'Elizabeth'

Ceanothus x pallidus 'Marie Simon'

Convolvulus cneorum

Corylus cornuta californica

Dodonaea viscosa 'Purpurea'

Eriogonum fasciculatum

Escallonia 'Newport Dwarf'

Escallonia rubra

Euryops pectinatus

Fatsia japonica

Feijoa sellowiana

Frangula californica

Fuchsia x hybrida

Gardenia jasminoides

Hakea suaveolens

Hebe x andersonii 'Variegata'

Helianthemum nummularium

Heteromeles arbutifolia

Hibiscus rosa-sinensis

Hydrangea macrophylla

Hypericum 'Hidcote'

Lantana hybrids

Lantana montevidensis

Lavandula angustifolia

Lavatera maritima

Leonotis leonurus

Leptospermum scoparium

Leucadendron hybrids

Leucophyllum frutescens

Ligustrum japonicum 'Texanum'

Lycianthes rantonnetii (Solanum rantonnetii)

Myoporum parvifolium

Mytrus communis

Nandina domestica

Nandina domestica 'Harbor Dwarf'

Nerium oleander

Nerium oleancer 'Petite Pink'

Phlomis fruticosa

Plumbago auriculata

Potentilla fruticosa

Protea compacta

Punica granatum 'Nana'

Quercus vacciniifolia

Rosa californica

Rosa ("carpet" varieties)

Rosa (hybrid tea)

Rosa rugosa

Rubus rolfei 'Emerald Carpet'

Salix purpurea 'Gracilis'

Salvia greggii

Santolina chamaecyparissus

Sollya heterophylla

Spiraea japonica

Teucrium fruticans

Teucrium x lucidrys

Tibouchina urvilleana

Ugni molinae

Xylosma congestum

common name

glossy abelia

flowering maple

blue hibiscus

cape mallow

Japanese aucuba

angel's trumpet

butterfly bush

purple beautyberry

Scotch heather

spice bush

Japanese camellia

sasanqua camellia

natal plum

bush anemone

Marie Simon lilac

bush morning glory

filbert; hazelnut

hop bush

California buckwheat

Newport Dwarf escallonia

red escallonia

golden euryops

Japanese aralia

pineapple guava

coffeeberry

fuchsia

gardenia

sweet hakea

variegated hebe

sunrose

toyon

Chinese hibiscus

big leaf hydrangea

St. Johnswort

lantana

lantana

English lavender

tree mallow

lion's tail

New Zealand tea tree; manuka

[name of cultivar] leucadendron

Texas ranger

Texas privet

blue potato bush

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ground cover myoporum

myrtle

heavenly bamboo

Harbor Dwarf heavenly bamboo

oleander

Petite Pink oleander

Jeruselum sage

Cape plumbago

cinquefoil

pink protea

dwarf pomegranate

huckleberry oak

California wild rose

carpet rose

[hybrid tea name] rose

Ramanas rose

Emerald Carpet creeping bramble

Alaska blue willow

autumn sage

lavender cotton

Australian bluebell creeper

Japanese meadowsweet

bush germander

wall germander

princess flower

Chilean quava

shiny xylosma

campus location

 

 

 

 

Writing Center

 

 

 

 

Vasona Creek

Community Education

 

 

Student Services

 

 

 

 

 

Off campus: Campbell Community Center

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Science and Math; Vasona Creek

 

Administration

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Physical Education; Administration

 

 

Community Education

North Walk

Off Campus; Fruitvale Avenue median

 

Off Campus; Fruitvale Avenue median

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Community Education; Administration; Campus Center

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Parking Lot 4; Campus Perimeter

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