gardens guide Sunnylands invites you to discover and experience the Annenberg legacy.
S UNNYL ANDS C E NT E R & G A R D E N S
Above Olive Trees (1889) by Vincent Van Gogh was part of the collection donated to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Right Sunnylands Center set against the San Jacinto mountains. Photograph by Ken Hayden. 2012.
The landscape at Sunnylands Center & Gardens was designed by The Office of James Burnett, with horticultural consultant Mary Irish. Inspired by the Annenberg collection of Impressionist and PostImpressionist paintings, the Gardens were designed to reflect the importance of these paintings to the Annenbergs. Bequeathed to New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1991, the collection is exhibited there today. Digital representations remain in the historic house. The Gardens are intended as mindful space, where visitors can wander along paths, watch wildlife, relax on benches, sit by reflecting pools, or walk the labyrinth. Plants are arranged in single-specimen beds, which are layered to create visual interest with color, texture, and light. The desert’s seasonal bloom cycle contributes to an ever-changing landscape, assuring new experiences on each visit. Sustainability was an important consideration in the design of the Center & Gardens. A solar field, low water irrigation, and native wildflower field are some of the features visitors can view. Sunnylands Center & Gardens participated in the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED construction process and was awarded a LEED Gold rating based on credits earned in five environmental categories.
www.sunnylands.org
concept
Sunnylands Green Vision Statement Environmental responsibility is a core value of the Annenberg Foundation Trust at Sunnylands. Embracing creative and innovative solutions is central to the Sunnylands culture. We strive to be a leader in implementing sustainable practices to meet our current needs without compromising the environment for future generations. Sharing our environmental experiences with the public broadens the impact of our actions.
Above A local jackrabbit enjoys its surroundings. Photograph by Michaeleen Gallagher. 2011. Below A monarch butterfly on desert milkweed. Photograph by Dillon Diers. 2012. Right Spring caterpillars reward visitors with an emergence of color and beauty. Photograph by Michaeleen Gallagher. 2011.
A variety of migratory and resident species of wildlife can be found at Sunnylands. Shrubs and desert succulents provide an attractive space for desert cottontails and jackrabbits. Tarantula hawk wasps and monarch butterflies are two of many species found feeding on desert milkweed. During the day, desert iguanas bask in the sun between agaves and, at night, coyotes use the Gardens as part of their evening travel. Bird enthusiasts will see a range of species, from hummingbirds to hawks. Vermillion flycatchers are common on the historic estate. Educational programming includes activities that encourage self-directed learning while guiding visitors in creative ways to explore the Center & Gardens. Seasonal, themed programs celebrate changes in exhibitions, community partnerships, and educational opportunities at the Center & Gardens.
www.sunnylands.org
wildlife
Front Cover The nine-acre Sunnylands Center features over 53,000 individual plants (over 70 species). Arid landscape plants, inspired by the Annenberg Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings, create a unique visual experience. Photograph by Mark Davidson. 2013. Back Cover Examples of coral aloe and golden barrel cactus at Sunnylands. Photograph by Mark Davidson. 2013.
Š 2013 The Annenberg Foundation Trust at Sunnylands. All rights reserved. Garden Walk
Great Lawn
Labyrinth
Specimen Garden
Reflecting Pool
Estate Tour Shuttle Station
Garden Walk
Solar Field Performance Circle
Specimen Garden Reflecting Pool Sunnylands Center
Parking
Garden Walk
Wildflower Field
Main Entrance
orientation
Garden Walk
Above The specimen garden is a short walk from the solar field. Photograph by Dillon Diers, The Office of James Burnett. 2011.
Over 70 species of native and arid-adapted plants from North and South America, Africa, and the Mediterranean are displayed in the nine-acre Gardens. More information on these plants is available on kiosk five in the Center, and on our website. In this Sunnylands Plant List the following symbols are used to denote:
Maximum size
Bloom color
Bloom season
Wildlife benefit
Human benefit
!
Awareness
Guests are reminded that they are visiting a desert environment that is home to a variety of plants and wildlife. They must be aware of their surroundings and ensure children explore safely.
www.sunnylands.org
Sweet Acacia
Acacia farnesiana
Ebenopsis ebano
Desert Museum Palo Verde
Parkinsonia x ‘Desert Museum’
Parkinsonia praecox
tree
20-30 feet high bright yellow early spring, summer bees, birds, butterflies, small mammals aromatic, perfume, ornamental, shade ! N/A
Mesquite
tree
15 feet high bright yellow spring, summer bees, birds, butterflies, small mammals aromatic, perfume, ornamental, shade ! N/A
Palo Brea
tree
25-30 feet high white, fuzzy spike summer bees, birds, butterflies, small mammals aromatic, ornamental ! thorns
Prosopis multi-species and hybrids
Century Plant
tree
20-40 feet high fuzzy spike summer bees, birds, butterflies, small mammals ornamental, thorn-less, shade, food ! N/A Agave americana
Variegated Caribbean Agave
Agave angustifolia var. variegata
Agave x ‘Blue Flame’
agave
2 feet high x spreading colonies yellow-green infrequent birds, bats, insects ornamental ! some toxic compounds, sharp foliage
Cow’s Horn Agave
agave
6.5 feet high × 8 wide green to yellow infrequent birds, bats, insects fiber, food ! some toxic compounds, sharp foliage
Blue Flame Agave
agave
10 feet high × 13 wide cream infrequent birds, bats ornamental ! some toxic compounds, sharp foliage
Agave bovicornuta
agave
2-3 feet high x 3-5 wide yellow-green infrequent birds, bats, insects ornamental ! some toxic compounds, sharp foliage
plant list
Texas Ebony
tree
15-25 feet high yellow-orange winter, spring bees, birds, small mammals aromatic, perfume, ornamental, shade ! thorns, some toxic compounds
gardens guide 37-977 Bob Hope Drive (Mail to PO Box 1770) Rancho Mirage CA 92270 760 202 2222 contact@sunnylands.org Thursday through Sunday September through June 9 am – 4 pm July & August: closed
S UNNYL ANDS C E NT E R & G A R D E N S
Desert Agave
Agave deserti
Smooth Agave
agave
19 inches high × 24 wide bright yellow infrequent birds, insects, mammals ornamental, food ! some toxic compounds, sharp foliage Agave desmettiana
Twin-Flowered Agave
agave
35 inches high pale yellow infrequent birds, insects, small mammals ornamental ! some toxic compounds, sharp foliage Agave geminiflora
2-3 feet high and wide greenish yellow tinged red infrequent birds, insects, mammals ornamental ! some toxic compounds, sharp foliage
agave
2-3 feet high x 3-5 wide yellow-green infrequent birds, bats, insects ornamental ! some toxic compounds, sharp foliage
agave
Agave guiengola
Thorn-Crested Agave
Agave lopantha ‘Quadricolor’
Black-Spined Agave
Agave macroacantha
Agave murpheyi
agave
3-4 feet high and 4-5 wide yellow infrequent birds, bats, insects ornamental ! some toxic compounds, sharp foliage
Parry’s Agave
agave
16 inches high and wide green tinged purple infrequent bats, insects, mammals ornamental ! some toxic compounds, sharp foliage
Murphey’s Agave
agave
1 foot high × 2 wide pale yellow infrequent bees, butterfies, mammals ornamental ! some toxic compounds, sharp foliage
Agave parryi
Artichoke Agave
agave
20 inches high × 29 wide yellow infrequent birds, insects, mammals ornamental, food ! some toxic compounds, sharp foliage Agave parryi var. truncata
agave
20 inches high × 29 wide golden yellow infrequent birds, insects, mammals ornamental ! some toxic compounds, sharp foliage
Green Giant Agave
Agave salmiana
Agave ‘Sharkskin’
Blue Agave
agave
2-3 feet high × 3-4 wide green infrequent bats, insects ornamental ! some toxic compounds, sharp foliage Agave tequilana
6 feet high × 6 wide green infrequent birds, insects food source, ornamental ! some toxic compounds, sharp foliage
agave
30 inches wide yellow tinged lavender infrequent birds, insects, mammals ornamental ! some toxic compounds, sharp foliage
agave
Agave titanota
Blue Elf Aloe
Aloe x ‘Blue Elf’
Bitter Aloe
Aloe ferox
aloe
8 feet high × 3 wide orange-red summer, fall, winter birds ornamental, medicinal ! some toxic compounds
Coral Aloe
aloe
3 feet high x 2 wide orange-red winter, spring birds, insects, small mammals ornamental ! some toxic compounds
Aloe striata
Medicinal Aloe
aloe
2 feet high × 2 wide red-orange winter, spring birds, insects ornamental ! some toxic compounds Aloe vera
Giant Hesperaloe
aloe
2 feet high × 2 wide yellow and orange winter, spring birds ornamental, medicinal ! N/A Hesperaloe funifera
hesperaloe
4 feet high × 4 wide creamy-white with pink-green blush spring, summer, fall birds ornamental, fiber ! sharp foliage
plant list
Sharkskin Agave
agave
6 feet high × 13 wide yellow infrequent birds, insects, mammals ornamental, food ! some toxic compounds, sharp foliage
Funifera Hybrid Hesperaloe
Hesperaloe funifera x H
Red Hesperaloe
hesperaloe
6 feet high × 6 wide pink summer, fall birds ornamental ! some toxic compounds, sharp foliage Hesperaloe parviflora
hesperaloe
3 feet high × 4 wide red to pink spring, summer birds ornamental, paper fibers ! sharp foliage
Red Hesperaloe ‘Brakelights’® Hesperaloe parviflora ‘Brakelights’® (‘Perpa’) PP21, 729
Pale-leaf Yucca
Yucca pallida
Yucca rostrata
Our Lord’s Candle
Yucca whipplei
Madagascar Ocotillo
yucca
3 feet high × 4 wide white infrequent moths, bats ornamental ! sharp foliage Alluaudia procera
other
30 feet high orange, gold, pale yellow late spring, summer insects, birds, mammals ornamental ! some toxic compounds, sharp foliage
Desert Milkweed
yucca
4–7 feet high white summer moths, bats ornamental ! sharp foliage
Asclepias subulata
other
4 feet high × 2 wide creamy-yellow spring, summer, fall pollinator insect species ornamental, attracts pollinators ! some toxic compounds, skin irritant
Damianita
yucca
1 foot high × 2 wide white summer moths, giant skipper butterfly larval host ornamental ! sharp foliage
Beaked Yucca
hesperaloe
2 feet high bright red spring, summer, fall hummingbirds ornamental ! sharp foliage
Chrysactinia mexicana
other
12 inches high × 24 wide bright yellow spring, summer, fall birds, insects fragrant ornamental, rabbit resistant ! N/A
Trailing Smokebush
Dalea greggii
Fouquieria splendens
Angelita Daisy
Tetraneuris acaulis
Night-blooming Cereus
Cereus hildemannianus ‘Mostrosa’
Cleistocactus strausii
Golden Barrel
cactus
10 feet high dark red winter, spring birds ornamental ! some toxic compounds, sharp spines Echinocactus grusonii
cactus
51 inches high × 31 diameter yellow spring, summer bees ornamental ! some toxic compounds, sharp spines Echinopsis pachanoi
Wooly Torch
cactus
20 feet high white, night-blooming mid summer bats, moths ornamental ! some toxic compounds Espostoa melanostele
cactus
6.5 feet high brown with a slight blush, hairy scales spring, summer bats, moths ornamental ! some toxic compounds
Blue Barrel
cactus
15 feet high white spring, fall mammals, insects, birds food source, ornamental ! sharp foliage
San Pedro
other
12 inches high x 18 wide yellow spring, summer, fall bees ornamental ! N/A
Silver Torch
other
20 feet high × 15 wide red spring birds, insects, small mammals ornamental ! thorny trunk
Ferocactus glaucescens
cactus
18 inches high × 20 wide yellow spring bees, butterflies ornamental ! some toxic compounds, spines
plant list
Ocotillo
other
1 foot high × 4 wide purple spring, summer bees, larval host of several butterfly species ornamental ! N/A
Red Barrel
Ferocactus pilosus
Golden Ball Cactus
Notocactus leninghausii
Bunny Ears Prickly Pear
Opuntia microdasys
cactus
3.3 feet high yellow-reddish tint spring, summer birds, insects, small mammals ornamental, food ! sharp, glochid-type spines
Mexican Fence Post
cactus
24 inches wide by 4 high yellow spring insects, birds ornamental ! sharp foliage
Pachycereus marginatus
cactus
16 feet high × 7.9 inches wide red spring, summer birds, insects boundary fence, ornamental ! some toxic compounds, spines
Cardón
cactus
12 inches high × 20 wide yellow to red spring insects, small mammals ornamental ! some toxic compounds, spines
Pachycereus pringlei
Blue Columnar Cactus
Pilosocereus pachycladus
Stenocereus thurberi
cactus
26 feet high × 9 inches wide white, night-blooming summer bats, moths ornamental, food, medicine ! some toxic compounds, spines
Candelilla
cactus
13 feet high white summer bats, birds, insects ornamental ! sharp foliage
Organ Pipe Cactus
cactus
36 feet high white late spring, summer birds, insects ornamental, medicinal, containers ! some toxic compounds, spines
Euphorbia antisyphillitica
Medusa Head
euphorbia
3 feet high × 4 wide pinkish to cream late winter birds, insects ornamental, wax ! some toxic compounds Euphorbia caput-medusae
euphorbia
39.3 inches high yellow spring, summer, fall insects ornamental ! some toxic compounds
Moroccan Mound
Euphorbia resinifera
Euphorbia rigida
Lady’s Slipper
Pedilanthus macrocarpus
Mexican Grass Tree
euphorbia
3-5 feet high × 3-5 wide red-orange fall, spring birds ornamental ! some toxic compounds Dasylirion quadrangulatum
Lindheimer’s Beargrass
grass
10 feet high cream late spring, summer birds, butterflies ornamental ! sharp foliage Nolina lindheimeriana
grass
12 feet (with stalk) high × 4-5 wide white spring, summer birds, insects ornamental ! sharp foliage
Blue Nolina
euphorbia
2 feet high × 3 wide yellow late winter, spring insects ornamental ! some toxic compounds
Nolina nelsoni
Leucophyllum frutescens ‘Green Cloud’
8 feet high × 8 wide rose-purple summer, fall, moisture triggered butterflies, bees, birds, small mammals ornamental ! N/A Leucophyllum x ‘Heavenly Cloud’
8 feet high × 6 wide lavender-purple summer, fall, moisture triggered butterflies, bees, birds, small mammals ornamental ! N/A Leucophyllum laevigatum
5 feet high × 3 wide violet summer, fall, moisture triggered butterflies, bees, birds, small mammals ornamental ! N/A
LEUCOPHYLLUM
Chihuahuan Sage
LEUCOPHYLLUM
Texas Ranger ‘Heavenly Cloud’
LEUCOPHYLLUM
Texas Ranger ‘Green Cloud’
grass
3-12 feet high cream summer birds, insects ornamental ! N/A
plant list
Gopher Plant
euphorbia
1-2 feet high × 6 wide yellow spring, summer bees ornamental, cosmetic industry, medicine ! some toxic compounds
Leucophyllum langmaniae
5 feet high × 5 wide lavender summer, fall, moisture triggered butterflies, bees, birds, small mammals ornamental ! N/A Leucophyllum langmaniae
5 feet high × 3 wide lavender to purple summer, fall, moisture triggered butterflies, bees, birds, small mammals ornamental ! N/A Leucophyllum pruinosum
6 feet high × 6 wide violet-blue summer, fall, moisture triggered butterflies, bees, birds, small mammals ornamental ! N/A
Sand Verbena
Abronia villosa
Indian Ricegrass
Achnatherum hymenoides
Purple Threeawn
Aristida purpurea WILDFLOWER
12-20 inches high and wide purple spring, summer, fall birds, butterflies ornamental, erosion control, root matrix ! N/A Baileya multiradiata
WILDFLOWER
18 inches high x 24 wide bright yellow spring, summer, fall insects ornamental, long blooming ! N/A Bouteloua gracilis
WILDFLOWER
14 inches yellow mid summer, fall birds, butterflies, grazing mammals ornamental, accent plant, turf use ! N/A
Brittlebush
WILDFLOWER
1-2 feet high and wide yellow, green summer, early fall birds, butterflies, grazing mammals ornamental, food ! N/A
Desert Marigold
WILDFLOWER
6 inches high × 20 wide lavender-purple spring, summer bees, butterflies fragrant ornamental ! N/A
Blue Grama
LEUCOPHYLLUM
Fragrant Sage ‘Sierra Bouquet’™
LEUCOPHYLLUM
Texas Ranger
LEUCOPHYLLUM
Texas Ranger ‘Lynn’s Legacy’
Encelia farinosa WILDFLOWER
3 feet high × 3 wide yellow spring, early summer birds, bees, butterflies, small mammals ornamental ! N/A
California Poppy
Eschscholzia californica
Larrea tridentata
Goldfields
Lasthenia californica
Desert Primrose
WILDFLOWER
6 inches high yellow spring, early summer bees, butterflies ornamental ! N/A Oenothera deltoidea
Desert Canterbury Bell
WILDFLOWER
10 inches high Ă— 24 long white to pinkish early spring bats, moths ornamental ! N/A Phacelia campanularia
WILDFLOWER
20 inches high Ă— 6 wide blue spring, summer insect, birds ornamental ! skin irritant
Chia
WILDFLOWER
5 feet high x 10 wide yellow spring, summer, fall birds, insects, small mammals medicinal, ornamental, fragrant, deer resistant ! N/A
Salvia columbariae
Tours and programs on subjects including art, history, architecture, and natural history are offered throughout the season. Details are available at www.sunnylands.org and in our Calendar Guide.
WILDFLOWER
20 inches high blue spring, summer butterflies, bees ornamental, food ! N/A
plant list
Creosote Bush
WILDFLOWER
2 feet high orange, yellow late winter, spring, summer, fall bees, butterflies ornamental ! some toxic compounds