GREAT IDEAS AT CSUN GARDENS.

Byline: Joshua Siskin

Plant lovers, take note: There is an extraordinary horticultural haven right in the middle of the San Fernando Valley that you might not know about but will definitely want to visit. It is a place where you can view dozens of plant species that you have probably never seen before and where you will discover new landscaping ideas as well.

The CSUN botanical gardens, located on the campus of California State University, Northridge, have something for everyone. Even if you grow plants exclusively in containers on the patio, balcony or indoors, you will find the CSUN botanical gardens a valuable resource for new ideas.

Among the species on display are several representatives of the Acanthus family. Most gardeners have probably made acquaintance with bear's breech (Acanthus mollis), that shade-loving plant with sea green, oversize, sharply lobed leaves. The ever-popular Justicias, including shrimp plant and Brazilian plume flower, grow best in partial shade and are famous for their tight clusters of colorful bracts and tubular flowers.

Indoor plant enthusiasts are certainly familiar with the polka dot plant (Hypoestes phyllostachya), yet another member of the Acanthus family, whose leaves are covered with white, pink or red dots.

In CSUN's temperature-controlled greenhouses, you will also be introduced to lesser-known, if equally illustrious, members of the Acanthus family. Firecracker flower (Crossandra infundibuliformis) has fiery, palm-shaped, five-petal flowers. Barlerias have delicate flowers that bloom for months and will do well indoors or out. Sanchezia odontonema has shimmering, deep green leaves highlighted with bright yellow venation.

In the CSUN gardens, the violet-flowered perennial Ruellia has sprouted up in various locations, exhibiting a gregarious spirit. The key to growing Ruellia is to stop worrying about it. It grows fine under trees and in containers and, in time, will prove itself an unspoiled, drought-tolerant friend.

Two members of the butterfly-attracting milkweed family are currently blooming at the CSUN gardens. The vibrant orange-flowered butterfly weed Asclepias tuberosa can be seen with monarchs and morning cloaks fluttering around it. The other CSUN milkweed, Tweedia caerulea, is a soft baby blue that will vine its way upward for several feet and self-sows in the garden. Passion vines (Passiflora species) in the CSUN gardens also attract butterflies.

Perhaps the most delightful surprises encountered at the gardens are mature plumeria trees, which are nearly 8 feet tall, planted after the Northridge Earthquake by Brian Houck, the supervising horticulturist at the CSUN gardens. Plumerias have creamy pink, yellow or white pinwheel flowers with a rich, tropical fragrance. They are quintessential Hawaiian flora and generally not thought of as Valley plants. However, in protected locations against a wall or under tall trees, plumerias can obviously succeed in our area.

Houck, together with his associate Brenda Kanno, are enthusiastic about making the CSUN gardens a botanical center for Valley gardeners. They will happily give visitors a tour of the gardens, which are located on the east side of Lindley Avenue, just north of Nordhoff Street. The gardens, which include a New Zealand garden and an elaborate water garden, are open free to the public from 8 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Garden Wonders

GARDENER: Charlie Bruno

RESIDENCE: Sun Valley

PLANT OF INTEREST: Haemanthus katherinae

WHAT MAKES THIS PLANT AMAZING: Charlie Bruno has always had a way with plants.

In his life, Bruno has grown an 80-pound pumpkin, cultivated a dwarf cherry tree to produce 15 pounds of fruit, grafted five kinds of apples onto an apple tree, and was once head gardener at Pierce Junior College (now Los Angeles Pierce College).

Bruno also has a plant that, by his calculations, he's had since 1938, brought in from England through a now-defunct nursery in Sherman Oaks.

The plant, a Haemanthus, grows leaves about 6 to 8 inches wide and 2 feet long, which are lost when the flower blooms. The stems grow to 1 foot long, with red spots on the stem. The blossom itself is orange, and full of stamens.

``The flowers don't last long - maybe a week or two,'' he says. ``I don't know of anywhere else in California where you can find this plant.''

MAINTENANCE: ``The dogs dig around it and sleep on it, but that's all. It's fine by itself very much.''

WHAT JOSHUA SISKIN SAYS: ``The bloom is related to the Amaryllis, those little pink trumpets with no leaves - sometimes called 'naked ladies' - that bloom this time of year. The Haemanthus is also called a blood lily, because of the red spots on the bulbs. It's from South Africa, and it should do well in Southern California because of the similar climate. I've seen only one of these before, and it was a different species.''

- Mike Chmielecki

CAPTION(S):

photo, box

Photo:

no caption (Haemanthus katherinae)

Box: Garden Wonders (see text)