Carpenteria californica
( kar - pen - TER - ree - uh kal - ih - FOR - nik - uh )
At-A-Glance InformationAlso called Bush Anemone or Tree Anemone, this group 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 zones 5-9 and 14-24. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.
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The genus Carpenteria contains just one species, Carpenteria californica, and is a member of the Hydrangeaceae family. The genus was named to honor a famous botanist from Louisiana, Dr. William Marbury Carpenter. The genus is considered critically imperiled by NatureServe.
Caring for and pruning Carpenteria californica shrubs
Plant these shrubs in full sun to partial shade (it does best in an area that receives morning light and some dappled shade in the afternoons). Bush Anemone accepts regular garden conditions as long as the soil is well-draining. If pruning is needed, it should be done after the plant flowers. Simply remove dead, dying or damaged branches at this time. When left unpruned, these plants will take on a mounding shape. Plants can take garden water but are pretty drought tolerant once mature; adult plants really only need to be watered about three times a month during summertime weather. Water from the base of the plant, as overhead watering can cause mildew and mold issues on leaves. These shrubs actually thrive on neglect; they do not need fertilizing.
Propagation
The easiest way to propagate Carpenteria californica 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 californica by Cutting
Propagating Carpenteria californica by Seed
Propagating Carpenteria californica 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. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand.
- 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 californica 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. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand. You will also, after a few weeks, need individual 3-inch pots for each seedling that grows.
- 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.
Problems and Pests
Carpenteria californica can be susceptible to the following issues:
- Aphids
- Spider Mites
- Powdery Mildew
- Scale
Gallery
Videos
All about Carpenteria californica, including their rarity and culture.
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How to propagate Bush Anemone.
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Resources
The New Sunset Western Garden Book: The Ultimate Gardening Guide (2012) - Page 222, Carpenteria californica
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