Coastal Southern California isn't known for fall color, and what little we get usually comes closer to winter than fall. We had a good stretch of cold weather this month until Monday, when summer paid us a return visit. Despite that blast of heat, yesterday I noticed that my coral bark maple (Acer palmatum 'Sango Kaku) had colored up nicely.
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| I have two other Japanese maples but this is the only one that's thrived probably because, planted against the garage, it's protected from the afternoon sun and the wind |
On the other side of the cutting garden, Persimmon 'Fuyu' had also suddenly turned orange when I wasn't paying attention.
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| I could swear this color change happened in the matter of a day or two. The leaves on my other persimmon ('Hachiya') never color up like this and most have already fallen. |
The ornamental pear in our front garden and a neighbor's noID maple and Gingko trees usually lead with their color displays but for some reason these two trees in my cutting garden are off to an early start this year.
Luckily, Monday's heat was short-lived. On Tuesday, I woke to the sound of fog horns in the Los Angeles harbor and knew it would be cooler even before weather forecasters confirmed that.
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| A thick blanket wrapped the harbor, leaving the shipping cranes jutting up above it like prehistoric creatures rising from the sea |
Yesterday was a good day for gardening and I hope that will remain true for the balance of the week. Whatever your weather, I hope you're able to get out and enjoy what nature has to offer.
For more Wednesday vignettes, visit Anna at Flutter & Hum.
All material © 2012-2020 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
So glad you're having some good gardening days! I'm taking the opportunity of a stretch of rainy days try to clean our house. At least, that's the intention, although I stray periodically from this noble pursuit. I love persimmon trees. I just specified Fuyu for a client's garden this past week.
ReplyDeleteI inherited both Persimmon 'Fuyu' and 'Hachiya' with the garden, Anna. The former reliably produces great fall color even in my climate whereas the latter never has. However, 'Hachiya' is better at producing edible fruit - 'Fuyu' seems to drop the bulk of its fruit before it matures.
DeleteIt sounds like a fun way to wake up, to the sound of fog horns, announcing good garden weather. It's a rare and gorgeous shot of your coral bark maple, mine have been bare for 2-3 weeks already. The persimmon is very pretty, but more importantly: did you score fruit?
ReplyDeleteThe fog horns took awhile to get used to but I've come to like the sound. Persimmon 'Fuyu' seems to drop a lot of its fruit before it matures - or the critters are just inclined to eat it in its immature state. Our 'Hachiya' persimmon, which does NOT produce good fall color, is far better as a fruit producer, although the critters still get the bulk of it.
DeleteThat persimmon tree is now on my wish list after seeing it a few weeks ago in a local garden. I didn't realize what a lovely tree it is. Of course I have no room for it. I wonder if it would be okay in a pot?
ReplyDeleteI've never seen a persimmon tree growing in a pot but, if the pot is big enough, it's certainly worth a try, Phillip. Our 'Fuyu' isn't a very large tree - it's probably 8-9 feet tall and 4-5 feet wide but then I can't tell you how old ours is. We've been here almost 10 years now and it seems to be a slow grower. It's smaller than the 'Hachiya' persimmon, at least thus far.
DeleteThe persimmon is gorgeous. Does it supply you with plenty of fruit? I have been looking for one for ages, but they are not easy to get here. I noticed you had received some hot weather it’s going to be hot here too: around 35 for the next few days and it’s still spring!
ReplyDeletePersimmon 'Fuyu' seems to drop most of its fruit before it matures, Jane, but for all I know that may be a response to inadequate or uneven soil moisture. Our 'Hachiya', only about 10 feet away on the other side of the fence, is a better fruit producer. As to heat, it seems that neither you or I are going to avoid frequent temperature spikes in our respective parts of the world.
DeleteWell, at least there is some nice fall color for you to enjoy. Your Japanese maple is beautiful. I had a similar one that I lost to canker that I absolutely adored. I still see photos of it in my files and sigh sadly, like I would losing a beloved pet.
ReplyDeleteIs shipping traffic still subdued or are things busy in the port once again?
The import shipping traffic into the Los Angeles harbor has reportedly rebounded, although the surge apparently hasn't fully compensated for the diminished traffic earlier in the year. The port is reporting record volume in September. However, the cruise ships still aren't traveling with passengers of course.
DeleteYour Japanese maple has a nice color. Ours (just the plain green species) simply goes brown.
ReplyDeleteI've another variety, a dwarf, that does the same thing, Gerhard.
DeleteYou have so much year round colour in your garden missing the few weeks of leaves turning is probably not much of an issue. Though pretty I would prefer to have flowers all year.
ReplyDeleteI'm a greedy gardener, Elaine - I'd like to grow everything!
DeleteBoth your ‘Sango Kaku’ and your Persimmon are beautiful autumnal trees! My small ‘Sango Kaku’ is in a pot and changed color and dropped its leaves during the summer. Yours with its shape, and current leaf colors is outstanding. Nevertheless, I still enjoy mine for its winter bark color. I hope you are enjoying the fall temp as much as I am!
ReplyDeleteMonday was uncomfortably hot and dry here, Kay, but I imagine your temperature didn't soar as high. I was pleased that those conditions didn't linger this time, though! Now if only we could get some rain...
DeleteWow, congrats on Acer foliage color! It glows.
ReplyDeleteThere's said to be a beautiful new bridge in the port area, can you see it from where you are? The fog blanket makes a wonderful effect in that photo.
That Japanese maple is putting on a particularly good show this year. If we can see the new bridge from our back garden, I haven't made it out. I'll have to ask my husband to see if it's visible with our telescope but I suspect it's located just too far into Long Beach to see from here.
DeleteThe coral bark maple and persimmon are beautiful, the former especially reminding me of a sugar maple.
ReplyDeleteI'm excited to have any fall color, sweetbay!
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