Carpenteria

( kar - pen - TER - ree - uh )

At-A-Glance Information

Commonly called Bush Anemone or Tree Anemone, this genus of evergreen shrubs needs little to moderate water. Partial shade is recommended in hot climates. This shrub is attractive and formal, a native of California. It grows slowly to 4-8 feet tall and wide and many stems rise from the base of the plant. Older bark is light in color and peels, newer growth is colored purple. Leaves are green on top and white underneath. In late spring and summer, sweetly fragrant flowers appear in clusters of white. Bush Anemone grows best in USDA hardiness zones 8-10 or Sunset growing zones 5-9 and 14-24. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map. The genus Carpenteria contains just one species, Carpenteria californica, and is in the Hydrangeaceae plant family.

Caring for Carpenteria

Plant Carpenteria in a space in the landscape that receives full sun to partial shade; ideally, they appreciate between 6 and 8 hours of sun each day for the best blooms. They appreciate some late afternoon shelter from direct sun when temperatures are at their peak. Ensure that soil is well-draining, rich in nutrients, and has a pH of between 6.0 and 8.0 (slightly acidic to slightly alkaline). If local soils are particularly poor in nutrients or do not drain well, make sure to amend the planting area with plenty of organic compost before installing. Apply a layer of mulch around the planting area to suppress weed growth, maintain consistent soil temperatures, and to increase soil moisture retention. Water new plantings regularly as they establish a strong root system in their new home. At maturity, Bush Anemone plants are considered drought-tolerant, needing to be watered about three times a month during the summertime. Otherwise, they can survive off of precipitation.

Fertilize yearly in early springtime with an application of 2 inches of compost around the base of plants. Pull mulch back before applying, work the compost gently into the soil a bit, water it in, and then replace mulch. Pruning is simple; remove any damaged, diseased, or dead foliage at any time during the growing season, and remove spent flower spikes to neaten up the appearance of plants and encourage reblooms. To shape, wait until after plants have finished flowering. When left unpruned, these plants will take on a mounding shape. Carpenteria shrubs are long-lived woody perennials in the garden, typically surviving for between 5 and 10 years before needing to be replaced.

Propagation

The easiest way to propagate Carpenteria shrubs is via semi-hardwood cuttings in fall. Your propagated plant will have the exact same qualities and characteristics as the parent plant, and it is a relatively simple process. Bush Anemone may also be propagated through seed. Follow the steps listed below to propagate your Bush Anemone.

Propagating Carpenteria by Cutting

Gather your materials. You'll need a clean, sanitized, sharp pair of garden shears, rooting hormone, a pencil, and a 3-inch pot filled with well-draining compost or other organic material. A good substrate for propagation of cuttings is a light blend of 1/3 pasteurized soil or compost, 1/3 sand, vermiculite or perlite, and 1/3 coconut coir or peat moss.
In fall choose your plant that you'd like to propagate. Ensure that this plant has had a good watering the night before, as this will improve the chances your cutting will take root. Cut one or more 6-8 inch portion(s) of the end of a non-blooming branch and strip off all of the lower leaves, leaving the top two on the cutting. Make a hole in your planting medium by pushing your pencil into the soil. Dip the end of the stem in rooting hormone, and plant it in your pot.
Moisten with water, and ensure that the pot has good drainage. Your pot should be kept in cool, sunny conditions indoors (and not in direct sunlight). Water whenever your soil is dry under the top layer. After about four to six weeks have passed, your cutting should be rooted. When you notice new growth on your propagated plant, you'll know you have roots.
Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next fall.

Propagating Carpenteria by Seed

Keep in mind that the Bush Anemone you get from seed will not necessarily mimic all of the characteristics of the parent plant. To propagate by seed, you will need a pot or tray filled with well-draining compost or other organic material, a spray bottle and a fork. The best potting medium for seed germination is a light blend of 1/3 pasteurized soil or compost, 1/3 sand, vermiculite or perlite, and 1/3 coconut coir or peat moss.
Harvest your seeds. The seed pods on Bush Anemone plants are left behind once flowers have faded. See the photographs following these instructions for help on identifying ripe seed pods. Once they have dried out and begun to split open, you can harvest the seeds inside. Harvest as many as you can, as not all will germinate successfully.
Water your prepared seed tray or pot filled with soil, and ensure that good drainage is occurring. Place your seeds in your prepared pot or seed tray and cover them with a dusting of more potting soil. Water with your spray bottle. Place your tray of seeds in a warm area that receives bright, indirect light. A greenhouse is the most ideal climate, but a planting tray inside a window will do as well. Germination usually takes 7-30 days from sowing. Once you begin to see seedlings sprout and they are able to be handled, transplant them to their own individual 3-inch pots, filled with the same potting medium as described in Step 1. Loosen the seedlings from the potting medium by digging down with the tines of your fork about an inch and a half, gently working the seedling up until it is out. Then, replant the seedling in its individual pot.
Keep the seedling's potting medium moist, but not wet, by spraying the soil with your spray bottle. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring (after the danger of frost has passed), when you can transplant it to its new home.