Comarostaphylis Diversifolia
( ko - mar - oh - STAF - ih - lis di - ver - si - FO - lee - uh )
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At-A-Glance InformationMore commonly known as Summer Holly, this formal evergreen shrub is native to coastal Southern California and Baja California. It can reach 6-18 feet tall and 4-8 feet wide. Leaves are leathery, shiny dark green on top and white and hairy underneath, and are 1-3 inches in length. Small, bell-shaped white flowers bloom in springtime, followed by bright red berries (which attract birds). Summer Holly grows well in zones 7-9 and 14-24 (to find your zone, click here: Zone Map). Comarostaphylis diversifolia is a member of the genus Comarostaphylis, which is in the family Ericaceae.
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Caring for and pruning Comarostaphylis diversifolia shrubs
Summer Holly prefers being planted in fall in well-draining soil and deep water 1-2 times per summer when established. Soil pH should be between 6.0 and 8.0. Younger plants prefer getting a bit more water as they are maturing and forming roots. These shrubs are slow growing (about 5-10 feet in 5 years), and therefore do not need much in the way of pruning.
Propagation
Comarostaphylis diversifolia can be propagated either by using cuttings or from seed. To ensure that your propagated plant will have the exact same qualities and characteristics as the parent plant, use the cutting method. If you would like to experiment and see what plant you can grow from seed, just keep in mind that it will not necessarily be the same as the parent plant. To propagate your shrub, follow the instructions below:
Propagating Comarostaphylis diversifolia by Cutting
Propagating Comarostaphylis diversifolia by Seed
Propagating Comarostaphylis diversifolia 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 spring or early summertime, choose the 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 inch portion(s) of the end of a non-blooming branch and strip the leaves off of the lower half. 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. Fill in soil around the cutting to support it, but do not pack it down too much.
- Moisten with water, and ensure that the pot has good drainage. Your pot should be kept in warm, 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 Summer Holly, 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 spring, when you can transplant it to its new home. Ensure that the last frost of the year has occurred before doing this, as it can seriously damage your new shrub.
Propagating Comarostaphylis diversifolia by Seed
- Keep in mind that the plant you get from seed will not necessarily mimic all of the characteristics of the parent plant. To propagate by seed, you will need a paper bag, 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. Soak seeds for 24 hours in lukewarm water (if they are not fresh), dry them, and then put them in an envelope in a sealable container for 90 days in the refrigerator. Both fresh seeds and stored seeds need to be cold-stratified.
- 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 about a quarter inch to a half-inch under the soil surface. Cover them with soil and 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. 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
Although Summer Holly is related to Toyon and Manzanita, these shrubs are not susceptible to the same diseases or pests, and are generally problem-free plantings.
Gallery
White, bell-shaped flowers of Comarostaphylis diversifolia.
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Comarostaphylis diversifolia planifolia
is very similar to the species, but with flatter leaves. |
Summer Holly can be used to cover bare walls.
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Videos
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Resources
The New Sunset Western Garden Book: The Ultimate Gardening Guide (2012) - Page 257, Comarostaphylis diversifolia
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