Solitary globular species, smooth green skin, to 10″d.; spineless areoles; Flowers yellow/red.
Cactus and Succulents
Astrophytum myriostigma v. nudum f. variegatum
Rare form – smooth variegated skin with shades of green, yellow, or orange.
Astrophytum niveum
Small, slow-grower, deeply grooved
Astrophytum ornatum
Dark green, red in sun; can grow columnar to 4ft.
Astrophytum ornatum v. mirbelii
Stout short spines. Stems are speckled white.
Austrocylindropuntia cylindrica
Opuntia cylindrica
Shrubby 5-8ft. tall, will grow wide; small red blooms
Austrocylindropuntia floccosa
Austrocylindropuntia shaferi
Opuntia shaferi
Small South American cholla, to 24″h.
Austrocylindropuntia subulata
Opuntia subulata
Andean tree cholla gets 12 feet tall in habitat but can reach 25 feet in Bay Area, tubular leaves, long spines. Creates a very effective living fence. The fruit often drop and root in place.
Austrocylindropuntia subulata fa. monstrose
Opuntia “Monstrose”
Monstrose cholla to 3ft.; dense branches, small spines from A. subulata
Austrocylindropuntia verschaffeltii
Opuntia verschaffeltii
Shrubby to 12″; purple in full sun; small red blooms. Many low-growing wide-spreading green stems with purple leaves on new growth. Will form large clumps.
Austrocylindropuntia vestita
Shrubby, branches grow vertically. Tubular leaves are persistent. Hairy stems, red flowers. Slender stems 2-3ft tall.
Austrocylindropuntia vestita fa. cristata
Avonia buderiana
Thin papery scales over tiny leaves; 2″l. stems; white flowers; dry, fast-draining soil
Avonia herreana
Anacampseros herreana
Tiny caudiciform, many branches covered practically solid in white “leaves”. Rare and hard to grow. Light roots, water lightly. Small yellow flowers. Keep dry in winter.
Avonia lanigera
Branches 1 1/2″ across, 2-3″ h. with hairy rosettes
Avonia quinaria ssp. alstonii
Small caudex with finger-like branches, white blooms on tips
Beaucarnea gracilis
Large swollen caudex-forming branched tree, to 20 feet tall.
Beaucarnea guatemalensis
Large swollen caudex-forming branched tree, to 15ft.
Beaucarnea recurvata
Large swollen caudex to 6+ft., 10-15ft. tall.
A stunning slow-growing specimen plant with long thin arching leaves atop thick branches and a swollen trunk. Mature branches send out cream-colored bloom stalks in Spring.
Begonia carolinifolia
Subtropical tuberous succulent, forms caudex; rich soil, regular water
Begonia dregei
Easy to grow natural bonsai with small succulent caudex.
Bergerocactus emoryi
SoCal coastal native. Rare, yellow flowers, shrubby stems to 3ft
Beschorneria “Flamingo Glow”
Gorgeous variegation with cream stripe down the center of narrow green leaves. Flamingo-pink 6ft bloom stalks with pendant flowers in summer.
Beschorneria albiflora
Billbergia “Blondie”
Terrestrial bromeliad to 10″t. w/arcing yellow and green leaves
Billbergia nutans
Terrestrial bromeliad to 12″t. w/pendulous blooms
Bombax ellipticum
Pseudobombax ellipticum
Deciduous tree with succulent stems and large green/brown caudex, can form a tree over 10ft. tall. Large green leaves are smaller and red in full sun.
Boophone disticha
Boophane disticha
South African bulbs spherical to 20″, rippling leaves in a fan, red flowers. Poisonous.
Boophone haemanthoides
Boophane haemanthoides
Winter-growing geophytic bulb to 20″. Large strappy green leaves with wavy edges. Amaryllis family. New leaves appear in fall and die back in spring. Summer dormant.