I'm a gardener in the humid midwest, so I know nothing about this topic.
I'm in So Calif visiting family.
My sister has ripped out all of her grass lawn and has installed a thriving xeriscape yard.
But she finds this time of year to look pretty bleak, as many of the summer flowering plants no longer bloom in winter.
Are there xeriscape plants which bloom in winter to fill in the gap?
Property is in the hills of orange county south of Los Angeles - zone 9B.
Any help will be appreciated.
Winter-flowering xeriscape plants for So Calif
Manzanita. Some species bloom as early as Christmas/early January.
Christmas cactus. My parents (live in San Diego) have some.
Aloes.
Aloes, yes . . . most of them are winter or spring flowering. However, if temps get too low, flowers will freeze even when leaves don't. So, planting them on the south side of a solid fence or wall, or, under an evergreen tree that gives mottled shade, to protect flowers from the cold is good. Mine will re-flower if the first ones freeze, but it is depressing each time some freeze.
"Potentially Cold Hardy Aloes"
http://www.oasisdesigns.co.uk/hardy_aloes.htm
"Brian Kimble's List of Hardy Aloes"
http://smgrowers.com/info/brian_aloe.pdf
My hardier early-blooming Aloes are Saponaria / Maculata (& its hybrid); & striata (& its hybrid). The ones that are protected don't have to regrow their blooms, as they don't freeze. (Zone 9a)
Tecoma Capensis is not quite xeriscapable, the Cape Honeysuckle gives a *magnificent* flower show through the cold winter, as long as it isn't TOO cold! (If it is, though, the leaves & flowers --and sometimes stems-- freeze to death.)
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jvpy0FQCS1o
Hummingbird eating its nectar: http://www.redbubble.com/people/darrinswork/works/6283486-hummingbird-feeding-on-honeysuckle?c=23721-hummingbirds&ref=work_carousel_work_collection_2
Growing Cape Honeysuckle - Tecomaria Capensis (1 close pic in bloom) http://treesandshrubs.about.com/od/commonshrubs/p/Growing-Cape-Honeysuckle-Tecomaria-capensis.htm