05/22/2026
Carpenteria californica - Bush Anemone 🌳💛
A rare and elegant evergreen shrub native to California, bush anemone is prized for its large, fragrant white flowers that resemble single roses or anemones. It’s drought-tolerant once established and well-suited to Mediterranean-style gardens.
✨Plant Profile:
Common Name: Bush Anemone
Family Name: Hydrangeaceae
Botanical Name: Carpenteria californica
Geographic Origin: California
Ecozone Origin:
Plant type: Evergreen shrub
✨Growth & Appearance:
Height: 6–12 ft
Width: 4–8 ft
Form/Habit: Upright, loosely rounded, somewhat open branching
Bark & Stems: Smooth gray bark; young stems green and flexible
Leaves: Glossy, dark green, lance-shaped, leathery; pale underside
Flowers: Large, pure white petals with yellow stamens; lightly fragrant; bloom late spring to early summer
Fruit: Small, dry capsules
✨Adaptations:
Soil: Well-drained, sandy or loamy soils; tolerates poor soils
Water Needs: Low once established; moderate during establishment
Sunlight: Full sun to partial shade (prefers some afternoon shade inland)
Heat & Salt Tolerance: Moderate heat tolerance; low salt tolerance
Hardiness: 10 degrees
✨Uses:
Landscape/Function: Accent shrub, informal hedge, native plant gardens, drought-tolerant landscapes, woodland edge planting
Ethnobotany: No widely documented traditional uses
Propagation:.Semi-hardwood cuttings, seeds (slow and less reliable)
Additional Notes: Best performance with good drainage and minimal summer irrigation.
Can become leggy; light pruning after flowering helps maintain shape.
Considered rare in the wild—planting it supports conservation of a California native species.
📸: Come spot a Bush Anemone at The Garden and tag us!
