Community and Resources for Home Gardens
RETAIL NURSERY VARIETY LIST
Kniffing's Discount Nursery
14940 Oak Creek Road
El Cajon, California 92021
619.561.0611
Plant varieties ordered from Dave Wilson Nursery for 2021:
Anna Apple
Remarkable fruit for mild winter climates in So. Calif., So. Ariz. Heavy crops of sweet, crisp, flavorful apples even in low desert. Fresh/cooked. Keeps 2 months in refrigerator. 200 hours. Self-fruitful or pollenized by Dorsett Golden or Einshemer. USDA Zones 5-10.
Dorsett Golden Apple
Outstanding sweet apple for warm winter areas. Firm, very flavorful, sweet like Golden Delicious. Productive throughout So.CA and Phoenix, AZ. Good early season sweet apple for Central CA. 100 hours. Self-fruitful. USDA Zones 5-10.
Fuji Apple
Introduction from Japan that quickly became California's favorite apple. Sweet, very crisp and flavorful, excellent keeper. Dull reddish orange skin, sometimes russeted. Ripe mid-September. Excellent pollenizer for other apple varieties. Low chilling requirement - less than 500 hours. Self-fruitful. USDA Zones 6-9.
Gala Apple
Wonderful dessert apple from New Zealand. Crisp, nice blend of sweetness and tartness, rich flavor. Skin reddish orange over yellow. Early harvest, 2 - 3 weeks before Red Delicious. Good pollenizer for other varieties. Adapted to cold- and warm-winter climates. Chilling requirement less than 500 hours. Self-fruitful. USDA Zones 4-10.
Granny Smith Apple
From New Zealand. Large, late, green, all-purpose. Crisp, tart, excellent keeper. Requires long summer. Thrives in hot climates. 400 hours. Prolonged bloom: good pollenizer for other apples. Self-fruitful. USDA Zones 6-9.
Multi-Bud Apple Low-Chill, Anna-Fuji-Dorsett Gldn-Gordon
Anna, Fuji, Dorsett Golden and Gordon budded onto M-111 rootstock. Finished trees include 4n1's plus assorted 3n1's and 2n1's.
Pink Lady® Apple
Hot climate apple from Western Australia. Very crisp, sweet tart, distinct flavor, good keeper. Skin reddish pink over green when ripe. White flesh resists browning. Harvest begins late October in Central CA, about three weeks after Fuji. Self-fruitful in many western U.S. climates; pollenizer recommended for best production. 300-400 hours. USDA Zones 6-9.
Gold Kist Apricot
Excellent backyard apricot for warm winter climates. Freestone, very good quality. Heavy bearing. Early harvest, 3-4 weeks before Blenheim (Royal). 300 hours. Self-fruitful. USDA Zones 7-9. (Zaiger)
Katy Apricot
Large, all-purpose, flavorful freestone. Tree ripe fruit is subacid (not tart). A favorite apricot for warm-winter climates. Early harvest, 3-4 weeks before Blenheim (Royal). 200 to 300 hours. Self-fruitful. USDA Zones 7-9. (Zaiger)
Cot-N-Candy White Aprium® Interspecific Apricot
Wonderful new fruit from Zaiger Hybrids. White flesh apricot-plum hybrid. Medium-sized with incredible flavor, very sweet and juicy. Ripens early- to mid-July. Self-fruitful. 400 hours or less. USDA Zones 7-10. (Pat. No. 17827) (Zaiger)
Flavor Delight Aprium® Interspecific Apricot
Apricot-plum hybrid. Resembles an apricot but with a distinctive flavor and texture all its own. High taste-test scores, one of the most flavorful early season fruits. Early June. Very low chilling requirement, less than 300 hours. Self-fruitful, but largest crops when pollenized by another apricot. (Zaiger)
Hosui Asian Pear
Consistently rated the best-tasting Asian pear at Dave Wilson Nursery fruit tastings. Large, juicy, sweet, flavorful, refreshing, crisp like an apple. Brownish-orange russeted skin. Harvest early to mid-August in Central CA. 300-400 hours. Pollenized by Shinko, Chojuro, Bartlett, or 20th Century.
Shinseiki Asian Pear
Juicy, sweet, refreshing, crisp like an apple. Easy to grow. Keeps well. Harvest late July/early August in Central CA. Bright yellow skin. Vigorous, heavy bearing (usually by 2nd year). 250-300 hours. Self-fruitful.
Bing Cherry
Large, firm, juicy, sweet, nearly black when ripe. Superb flavor, the No. 1 cherry. Midseason. Large vigorous tree. Pollenized by Black Tart, Van, Rainier and Lapins. Also Stella in colder climates. 700 hours. USDA Zones 5-9.
Black Tartarian Cherry
Medium-sized, nearly black, sprightly flavor, early season. Vigorous, productive tree. 700 hours. Pollenizer required - interfruitful with all popular sweet cherries. USDA Zones 5-7.
Lapins Cherry
Self-fruitful, dark red sweet cherry from Canada. Large, firm, good flavor. Similar to Van in color, Bing in shape. Sometimes sold as 'Self-fertile Bing.' Ripens 4 days after Bing. 400 hours or less. USDA Zones 5-9.
Minnie Royal Cherry
Medium-sized red cherry, firm with good flavor. Ripens 11-14 days ahead of Bing, tree is very productive with a low chill requirement. Pollenized by Royal Lee. 200-300 hours or less. (Pat. No. 12942) (Zaiger)
Royal Crimson Cherry
The long-awaited low-chill self-fruitful sweet cherry from Zaiger Genetics, Royal Crimson is a consistent producer of large, tasty, crimson-red fruit. Harvest is early to mid May. This important new variety is also an excellent pollenizer for Minnie Royal and Royal Lee. Estimated chill requirement 200-300 hours. Patent applied for. (Zaiger)
Royal Lee Cherry
Medium-sized red cherry, very firm with excellent flavor. Ripens 11-14 days ahead of Bing, Very low chilling requirement, excellent pollenizer for Minnie Royal. Pollenized by Minnie Royal. 200 to 300 hours. (Pat. No.12417) (Zaiger)
Royal Rainier Cherry
Large yellow cherry with slightly more red blush than Rainier. Excellent flavor, taste test winner. Ripens early, about 3-5 days ahead of Rainier. Chill requirement 500 hours. Pollenized by Bing, Black Tartarian and Lapins. USDA Zones 5-9. (Zaiger)
Stella Cherry
Self-fruitful - no pollenizer needed. Large, nearly black, richly flavored sweet cherry similar to its parent, Lambert. Late harvest. 400 hours. Pollinates Bing, except in mild winter climates. USDA Zones 5-9.
Black Mission Fig
The industry standard. Purplish-black skin, strawberry-colored flesh, rich flavor. Heavy bearing, long-lived, large tree. Coast or inland. Two crops per year. Fresh/dry/can. 100 hours. Self-fruitful. USDA Zones 7-9.
Janice Seed-Less Kadota Fig
A 'white' fig. Large, sweet, delicious, light greenish-yellow fruit with practically no seeds. Prolonged harvest, August through November at Fremont, CA. Suited to coastal and inland climates. Prune to any shape. 100 hours. Self-fruitful. USDA Zones 8-9. (Pat. No. 08254)
Panache Fig
Especially fine flavor! Small to medium-sized fruit with green color and yellow Tiger stripes. Strawberry pulp is blood-red in color. 100 hours. Self-fruitful.
Multi-Bud Fruit Salad, JulElb-Fantasia-Babcock-SRosa-Blenh
July Elberta Peach, Fantasia Nectarine, Babcock White Peach, Santa Rosa Plum and Blenheim Apricot budded onto Nemaguard rootstock. Finished trees include 5n1's plus assorted 4n1's and 3n1's.
Li Jujube
Round shaped fruits are larger than Lang. Reddish brown, dry and wrinkled, sweet and chewy (like dates) when fully ripe in early Fall. Attractive, easy to grow tree: hardy, drought resistant, virtually pest and disease free. Requires long, hot summer. Very low chilling requirement. Self-fruitful. USDA Zones 5-10.
Pakistan Fruiting Mulberry
Morus alba 'Pakistan'
Long (3 inches), firm, red to black, sweet fruit. Non-staining juice. Month-long early summer harvest. Fruit used fresh and for pies, jams and jellies. Large, vigorous, disease-resistant tree.
White Fruiting Mulberry
Morus alba (selection)
Medium-sized, sweet, white fruit shaped like blackberries. Grows at a moderate rate to 20-60 ft. depending on soil quality and depth. Drought tolerant once established. Grows larger and more rapidly with irrigation.
Spice Zee NectaPlum™ Interspecific Nectarine
The first NectaPlum™ from Zaiger Genetics: a white-fleshed, nectarine-peach-plum hybrid. Skin is dark maroon at fruit set, and turns pale pink when ripe. Fully ripe fruit is unparalleled in flavor, and both nectarine and plum traits are easily detectable. Tree is quite ornamental. Tremendous purplish pink bloom in the spring, followed by a flourish of red leaves which mature into lush green in late summer. Self-fruitful. Very productive. 200-300 hours. High chill adaptable. (Pat. No. 13503) (Zaiger)
Arctic Star White Nectarine
Earliest to ripen of the low acid, super-sweet white nectarines. Rave reviews in trial tastings. Beautiful dark red skin, snow white semi-freestone flesh. Ripens mid-June in Central CA, 4-5 weeks ahead of Arctic Rose. Low winter chilling requirement, about 300 hours. Self-fruitful. (Pat. No. 9332) (Zaiger)
Desert Delight Nectarine
Proven producer in warm winter climates and highly recommended as an early season nectarine elsewhere. Large fruit with bright red skin, yellow flesh and delicious, rich, nectarine flavor. Harvest mid-June in Central CA. 100-200 hours. Self-fruitful. (Zaiger)
Panamint Nectarine
Attractive red-skinned yellow freestone. Aromatic and intensely flavored with nice acid sugar balance. Dependable, long time favorite in warm winter Southern California climates. Late July/early August. 250 hours. Self-fruitful
August Pride Peach
Large, all-purpose yellow freestone for mild-winter climates. Sweet, aromatic, rich flavor, one of the very best. Ripens 3-4 weeks after Mid-Pride. Chilling requirement less than 300 hours. Self-fruitful. (Zaiger)
Babcock White Peach
Long-time favorite white-fleshed freestone. Sweet and juicy, aromatic, low in acid. High scoring in taste tests. Ripens mid-July in Central CA. Widely adapted (low chill requirement, yet not early blooming). 250-300 hours. Self-fruitful.
Desert Gold Peach
Very early ripening: May in Southern Calif./Arizona. Tree-ripened fruit has good flavor and sweetness for such an early variety. Yellow clingstone. Heavy bearing. 200 hours or less. Self-fruitful.
Eva's Pride Peach
Delicious, fine flavored peach with very low chilling requirement ripens 2-3 weeks before Mid-Pride. Medium to large-sized yellow freestone - also recommended as early season peach for moderate climates - harvest 3 weeks before July Elberta. 100-200 hours. Self- fruitful. (Zaiger)
July (Kim) Elberta Peach
Reliable heavy crops. Juicy, sweet, very flavorful yellow freestone fruit for canning, freezing, or fresh use. 400-500 hours. Self-fruitful.
Mid-Pride Peach
Best yellow freestone for warm winter climates of So. Calif., Phoenix, Houston, S.F. Bay Area. Also recommended for Central CA for its exceptional flavor and dessert quality. Midseason. 250 hours. Self-fruitful. (Zaiger)
Multi-Bud Peach Low-Chill, MayPr-DGold-MidPr-Flpr-EPr
May Pride, Desert Gold, Mid-Pride, Flordaprince and Eva's Pride budded onto Nemaguard rootstock. Finished trees include 5n1's plus assorted 4n1's and 3n1's.
Octoberfest Peach
Large, yellow-orange, firm, freestone peach with blushed red interior. Excellent true peach flavor with a sweet balanced taste. Ripens late season, September through October. Chilling requirement preliminary estimate 500-700 hours. Self-fruitful. USDA Zones 7-9. Patent pending. (Zaiger)
Red Baron Peach
Flowering/fruiting. Large, juicy, firm, richly flavored yellow freestone fruit. Highly rated in taste tests. Showy double red blossoms. Mid-July. Long-time favorite in Southern CA and Texas. Low chilling requirement, 250-300 hours. Self-fruitful.
Flordahome Pear
Low-chill pear from Florida. Very nice quality: sweet, smooth-textured, juicy, flavorful. Harvest July/August in So. Calif. Early bloom. Chilling requirement less than 400 hours. Partly self-fruitful.
Hood Pear
Very low chilling requirement, interfruitful with Flordahome. Large, early season fruit has yellow-green skin and sweet, mild-flavored flesh. Reported to be highly resistant to fire blight. 100-200 hours.
Chocolate Persimmon
Small to medium size, oblong, bright red skin. Sweet, spicy, firm, brown flesh, superb flavor the choice of connoisseurs. Astringent until ripe. 200 hours. Self-fruitful.
Coffeecake Persimmon
Unique spicy sweet flavor that instantly evokes images of cinnamon pastry, hot coffee and morning sunshine. Coffeecake ripens about the same time as Chocolate and about three weeks to one month earlier than Fuyu. Coffeecake Persimmon is non-astringent and can be eaten while still firm. Hardy, attractive tree, practically free of pests and disease. Estimated chilling requirement: 200 hours or less. Another persimmon variety required as a pollenizer. Gosho or Chocolate are the best pollenizers for Coffeecake.
Fuyu (Jiro) Persimmon
Medium size, flat shape, still crunchy when ripe, non-astringent. Cool or hot climate. Hardy, attractive tree, practically pest free. Fall harvest. 200 hours. Self-fruitful.
Hachiya Persimmon
Large, deep orange-red, acorn-shaped. Hot summer required to mature the fruit. Sweet, flavorful, astringent until soft ripe. Mature fruit can be frozen and thawed to ripen. Productive, ornamental tree. 200 hours. Self-fruitful.
Maru Persimmon
Medium size, orange-red, round fruit. Beautiful glossy skin. If cross pollenized, flesh is dark cinnamon color and seeded. Very sweet, rich flavor, excellent quality. 200 hours. Self-fruitful.
Flavor Punch Pluerry™ Interspecific Plum
Small to medium (golf ball size) fruit with orange-red exterior and bright orange interior. Firm texture with unique sweet tropical punch flavor. Late season harvest, September into October. Requires another Pluerry™, Plum or Pluot® as pollenizer. Chilling requirement preliminary estimate 500 hours. USDA Zones 6-9. Patent pending. (Zaiger)
Sweet Treat Pluerry™ Interspecific Plum
Sweet Treat is the first of its kind, the Pluerry™: a new fruit type from the genius of Floyd Zaiger. This taste-test favorite is a complex interspecific hybrid, predominantly of plum and cherry, combining the sweetness of a cherry with that summer fresh plum zing. Much larger than a cherry, this precocious and prolific variety will hang on the tree for over a month, and the colorful fruit make Sweet Treat a true ornamental. Tested as 46MB583. Harvest late June through July. Estimated chilling requirement 450 hours. Pollenizer required: Burgundy or Santa Rosa plum, or Flavor King Pluot® recommended. Patent Pending (Zaiger)
Burgundy Plum
Maroon colored skin and semi-freestone flesh. Sweet, with little or no tartness and a very pleasing, mild flavor. High taste test scores. Prolonged harvest, mid-July to mid-August in Central CA. Very productive tree with narrow, upright habit. 300 hours. Self-fruitful.
Late Santa Rosa Plum
Medium to large, reddish-purple skin, red-streaked amber flesh. Tart-sweet with rich flavor when fully ripe. Harvest about one month after Santa Rosa. 400 hours or less. Self-fruitful.
Santa Rosa Plum
Most popular plum in California & Arizona. Juicy, tangy and flavorful. Reddish purple skin, amber flesh tinged red. Late June in Central CA. 300 hours. Self-fruitful.
Satsuma Plum
Long-time favorite plum in California. Mottled maroon over green skin, dark red meaty flesh. Sweet, mild, not tart. Excellent for jam. Harvest late July. 300 hours. Pollenized by Santa Rosa or Beauty.
Emerald Drop Pluot® Interspecific Plum
Medium to large fruit with green skin and yellow-orange flesh. Prolonged harvest: early picked fruit is firm, yet juicy and sweet. Left to hang, fruit turns greenish-yellow with honey-like orange flesh. Upright tree sets heavy crops once established. Harvest mid-July to late August. Originally tasted tested as 7HC165. 400 hours or less. Pollenized by Flavor Grenade Pluot® or Santa Rosa plum. (Pat. No. 14599) (Zaiger)
Flavor Grenade Pluot® Interspecific Plum
Elongated green fruit with red blush. Crisp texture, explosive flavor. Taste test winner. Hangs on the tree for 4-6 weeks. Pollenized by Flavor King Pluot®, Dapple Dandy Pluot®, Emerald Drop Pluot® or Santa Rosa plum. 300-400 hours. (Pat. No. 12097) (Zaiger)
Flavor King Pluot® Interspecific Plum
Taste test winner. Unique plum-apricot hybrid with sensational bouquet and sweet, spicy flavor. Reddish-purple skin, crimson flesh. Harvest mid-August in Central CA. Naturally small tree. 400 hours or less. Pollenized by Flavor Supreme Pluot® or Dapple Dandy Pluot® and Santa Rosa or Late Santa Rosa plum. (Zaiger)
Flavorosa Pluot® Interspecific Plum
Deep purple-skinned fruit with red flesh. Mild, sweet flavor. Ripens at the end of May. Pollenized by Emerald Drop Pluot® or Mariposa plum. 250 hours chill required. (Pat No. 10285) (Zaiger)
Splash Pluot® Interspecific Plum
Small to medium-sized red-orange colored fruit, with very sweet orange flesh. Consistently among the highest scoring varieties at Dave Wilson formal fruit tastings. Round to heart-shaped fruit is excellent eaten fresh, dried or in desserts. Upright tree sets large crops once established. 400 hours or less. Pollenized by Santa Rosa plum or Flavor Grenade Pluot®. (Pat No. 14583) (Zaiger).
Eversweet Pomegranate
Very sweet, virtually seedless fruit. (Even immature fruits are sweet.) Red skin, clear (non-staining) juice. Harvest late summer through fall. Coast or inland. 8-10 ft. arching shrub, or train as tree or espalier. Large, showy, orange-red flowers. 150 hours. Self fruitful.
Grenada Pomegranate
A darker, less tart bud sport of Wonderful. Can be grown as a bush or in tree form. Harvest 30 days before Wonderful. Long-lived, any soil. 150 hours. Self-fruitful. (Pat. No. 2618)
Parfianka Pomegranate
Large size red fruit is sweet with a hint of acidity. Arils are red with very small edible seeds. Vigorous upright plant sets a heavy crop dependably. Maintain at any height with summer pruning. Consistently receives the highest praise for overall flavor. Great for juice or fresh eating. A Dr. Gregory Levin introduction through U.C. Davis. Very highly rated in U.C.Davis taste tests. Some rate Parfianka as the best tasting pomegranate. Required chill hours 100-200. Self-fruitful, best in zones 7-10.
Wonderful Pomegranate
Large, purple-red fruit with delicious, tangy flavor. Best quality in hot inland climate. Gaudy red orange bloom, ornamental foliage. Long-lived, any soil. 150 hours. Self-fruitful.
Emerald Southern Highbush Blueberry
Produces abundant clusters of large to very large berries with tasty, balanced sweet flavor. Very productive and highly rated. Zones 7-10. Self-fruitful. Estimated at 250 hours chill or less. (U.S. Plant Patent #12165)
Jubilee Southern Highbush Blueberry
Southern Highbush. Midseason, sweet, firm berry. Upright and quite compact bush, with fruit borne on the outer periphery. Chilling requirement is estimated at 400-500 hours.
Misty Southern Highbush Blueberry
Southern Highbush. Early season. In the West Misty is quite vigorous, growing very well on the coast and in the inland heat. This especially flavorful fruit does well in areas with chilling as low as 150 hours and all areas with mild winters and hot summers.
O'Neal Southern Highbush Blueberry
Southern Highbush. Large fruit is especially sweet and flavorful. Early season. 5-6 ft. bush. 200 hours. Self-fruitful, but plant two varieties for largest crops.
Sharpblue Southern Highbush Blueberry
Southern highbush. Excellent flavor. Nearly evergreen in mild winter climates. Bears fruit nearly year-round. Vigorous plant to 6 ft. Dime-sized dark blue fruit. 200 hours.
Southmoon Southern Highbush Blueberry
Southern highbush. Exceptional berries with superb flavor. Florida native with vigorous, upright character. Performs well in California, both inland and coastal. Prefers light sandy soils. 200-300 hours. (Pat No. 9834)
Baba Red Raspberry
Everbearing Red Raspberry - Extra large berries up to 1 1/2" long. Wonderful warm weather variety particularly well suited to southern California's coastal and inland valleys. Fine flavor and good for all uses. Bears heavy crop May-July with a smaller late summer crop through fall. Hardy to zero degrees. Self-fruitful. Best in zones 4-11.
Boysenberry Thornless
Rubus ursinus var. loganobaccus, a hybrid of blackberry, raspberry, dewberry and loganberry. Very large berry up to 2.5", dark maroon in color with an intense, tangy, sweet flavor. Excellent quality with few seeds and a pleasant aroma. Vine-like trailing growth habit. Harvest through summer. Self-fruitful, best in zones 5-10.
Triple Crown Blackberry
Semi-trailing, thornless. Medium to large flavorful berries. Dense foliage prevents sunscald. Vigorous vines to 15’ require support. Very productive, reliable harvests. Widely adapted, excellent home garden variety. USDA Zones 5-12.
Black Monukka Seedless Grape
Large, purplish-black, sweet, crisp. Does not require as much summer heat as Thompson. Use fresh or for raisins. Early midseason. 100 hours. Self-fruitful. Cane or spur prune.
Cabernet Sauvignon Grape
Late season red wine grape with small, black, strongly flavored berry. Vigorous, upright vine. 100 hours. Self-fruitful. Cane prune.
Crimson Seedless Grape
Newer late season seedless grape, ripens early October in Fresno, CA. Medium size, firm, very sweet, excellent quality. Cane prune. 100 hours. Self-fruitful.
Flame Seedless Grape
Medium-sized, light red. Crisp, sweet, excellent flavor. For fresh use or raisins. Needs hot summer. Ripens before Thompson. Vigorous. 100 hours. Self-fruitful. Cane or spur prune.
Merlot Grape
Black berry, used for distinctive red wines. Best quality in cooler regions. 100 hours. Self-fruitful. Cane or spur prune.
Thompson Seedless Grape
Most popular grape in CA, AZ. Fresh and raisins. Pale green, very sweet. Thin the clusters for larger berries. Needs plenty of heat. 100 hours. Self-fruitful. Cane prune.
Tomuri Male Kiwi
Actinidia chinensis, aka A. deliciosa. Pollenizer for Vincent female. Does not bear fruit. One male can pollenize up to eight Vincent females.
Vincent Female Kiwi
Actinidia chinesis, aka A. deliciousa. Low chilling requirement, adapted to Southern CA. Tasty, well-regarded fuzzy-skinned fruit. Pollenized by Tomuri Male.
Dwarf Everbearing Mulberry
Morus sp. 'Dwarf Everbearing'
This bush form of mulberry continuously produces sweet blackberry-like fruit throughout the season. A great choice for container gardening, minor pruning will keep the plant compact. Mature height 6'-8' if grown in the ground. Widely adapted, self-fruitful.
All-in-One Genetic Semi-Dwarf Almond
No. 1 almond for home orchards. Heavy crops of soft shell nuts with sweet, flavorful kernels. Hot summer required to ripen. 15 ft. tree, very winter and frost hardy. 300-400 hrs. Self-fruitful. (Zaiger)
Mahan Pecan
Largest pecan. Thin shell, fine quality. Old variety, a parent of most of the newer varieties. Very late maturing, does best in low desert climates. 250 hours. Self-fruitful.
Western Schley Pecan
Easy to grow, hardy tree. Less fussy about soil and nutrition. Long, tapered, medium-sized, thin-shelled nuts. Fine quality, midseason. 250 hours. Self-fruitful
Placentia Walnut
Best of the Santa Barbara-types, selected in the early 1900s. Adapted to mild-winter coastal climates of Southern California. Medium-sized nuts with fairly well-sealed thin shells. Light-colored plump kernel, mild flavor. Est. chilling requirement: less than 300 hours. Self-fruitful. (Rootstock: NCB walnut or Paradox.)
Krauter Vesuvius Flowering Plum, low head
Dark purple leaves, light pink blossoms, little or no fruit. Relatively small tree, 18 ft. high by 12 ft. wide. Favorite purple leaf plum for California. Foliage of newly planted trees sometimes greenish until vigorous growth begins. Low head form: 18" trunk.
Common Lilac
Syringa vulgaris
Large showy clusters of pink to purplish-blue flowers, wonderful fragrance. Full sun (light shade in hottest areas), alkaline soil. Grows to 20 by 20 ft. Best in Sunset zones 1-12. Less dependable in zones 14-16, 18-22. USDA zones 5-9.
Pink Wisteria
(Rosea floribunda) Long cascading flowers, pale lavender to pink.
Purple No. 1 Wisteria
Early bloomer, usually flowers the first season. Long clusters of dark purple flowers.
Venusta White Wisteria
Highly fragrant white flowers that open all at once during leafout. Clusters are coarse and short 4-6. Has a larger, more attractive leaf and is more attractive after bloom than other wisteria cultivars.
California White Alder
Alnus rhombifolia
Fast-growing, very tolerant of heat and wind. Dark green foliage. Prefers plenty of water. Deep watering recommended. Seeds attract birds. 50-80 by 40 ft. Sunset Zones 1-9, 14-21. USDA zones 6-9.
Raywood Ash
Fraxinus oxycarpa 'Raywoodi'
Fast growing, tolerates heat, cold, alkaline soil. Compact, round-headed. Small, delicate leaves, lacy appearance. Purplish-red fall color. No seeds. 25-35 ft.
Shamel Ash
Fraxinus uhdei
Evergreen in low desert, semi-deciduous in colder climates. Very attractive foliage. Fast-growing, spreading with age, may eventually reach 60 ft. Not hardy below 20 degrees. Deep watering recommended.
Western Cottonless (Cottonless)
Populus fremontii
Fast-growing to 60 ft. or more, by 30 ft. wide. Shimmering leaves are especially distinctive, ornamental. Widely adapted, including desert. Yellow fall color. Invasive roots. Sunset Zones 7-24.
Chinese Fringe Tree
Chionanthus retusus
Magnificent in bloom. Moderate grower to 20 ft. Flowers in clusters to 4 inches in length.
Wilson Mimosa, clump
Albizia julibrissin 'Wilson'
Rapid growth to 35 ft. high by 50 ft. wide. Fernlike branches, pink pompon flowers. Tolerates hot summer, desert conditions. Drought tolerant, but best with ample water. Selection 'Ernest Wilson': pink and white flowers, more winter hardy than the species. Sunset Zones 2-23. Clump form is a multi-stemmed tree.
Fruitless Mulberry
Morus alba 'Fruitless'
Fast-growing, to 40 by 50 ft., dense shade. Tolerates summer heat, alkaline soil. Drought tolerant, but best with ample water and feeding. Not necessary to prune back to trunk each winter. All zones.
Forest Pansy Redbud
Cercis canadensis 'Forest Pansy'
Striking scarlet-colored new foliage turning maroon then green as the leaves mature. Highly valued as a landscape accent. Swelling buds break pinkish-red along the bare branches, similar to Eastern redbud. Moderate grower to 20 ft. with a spreading habit. Sunset Zones 1-3, 7-20.
Mexican Redbud
Cercis canadensis mexicana 'Wilson'
Profuse pinkish-purple flowers in spring. Glossy, scalloped, blue-green leaves. Tolerates hot summers. Smaller than other redbuds, to 15-20 ft. Sunset Zones 4-24.
Western Redbud
Cercis occidentalis
Single or multi-trunked tree to 15 by 15 ft. Spectacular, bright purplish-pink sweet-pea-shaped flowers. Yellow to red fall color. Drought tolerant, resistant to oak root fungus. Sunset Zones 2-24.