Working in horticulture for years, I am always looking for new varieties either in nurseries or out in nature etc. Wherever I am I keep an eye for variations in habit and foliage. Two years ago, while in hiking Griffith Park I noticed a strange stem on an Encelia californica, our beautiful and abundant brittlebush. I snapped a little yellowy stem off of the plant and crammed it into a plastic water bottle.
Fortunately the cutting struck, and after several months I took many more cuttings from that new plant. This spring I planted several in the ground to see how they would perform. Below are some photos that I took this morning. I think 'Gimbel's Gold' is a winner, what do you think? I can't wait for the plant to be covered in those yellow daisies! The only drawback is that the variegation only shows on the new growth.
It's awesome to have a new look to the leaves -- and I assume it will like our climate like a native, so when will you be sharing her?
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