Talk with the pros about pruning, feeding and general plant care. Learn the secrets to thriving camellias!

From the land of kangaroos and koalas comes the long-leaf waxflower, (Eriostemon myoporoides). A hardy Australian shrub boasting a long flowering season, waxflower has small but showy flowers set amid soft green foliage. It is a hardy plant that will thrive through cold and drought. It grows 4-6 ft. high and retains its airy foliage right down to the ground level, making it an appealing candidate for hiding fences, used as a screen, a flowering hedge, or even a garden focal point.

The narrow pineapple-scented leaves have a slightly waxy appearance (hence the name). Hundreds of apple blossom pink buds open to flat, vanilla-scented, starry white flowers which show well against the foliage. Flowering begins in December, gradually increasing through February (when flowering is profuse down to ground level) and then slowly tapers off into April. The blooms make long-lasting cut flowers.

As if all that wasn't enough, waxflower is also easy to grow! Place it in sun or part shade, heavy or light soil, and it will be happy. Waxflower will respond even better with occasional feedings of good organic fertilizer such as Dr. Earth Organic #7 plant food. The long-leaf waxflower is just one of our many unique plant offerings. Once you see it you'll want to have it in your garden!

Why they appear and how to take care of them.

Yellowing leaves are a common sight on plants. They can be caused by a multitude of different problems which affect the production of chlorophyll, such as a pH imbalance in soil, hard tap water, toxic gas such as that from a stove, weed-killing chemicals, plant pests, an unhealthy amount of sunlight or water ("water stress"), or simply aging.

Some things to look for, outside of obvious things... like a broken limb:

• Where you are in the growing season—if the leaves are growing old and turn yellow, this is usually not a sign of a plant problem. This only means the leaves are done growing and new leaves will grow in soon.
• The pH level of your soil—if the pH level is more than 7.0, the plant most likely cannot take in iron, which is necessary in the process of photosynthesis. If the pH level is too low, the plant may not be able to take in magnesium. A high lime level in your water can cause soil to become too high in pH.
  We carry an excellent line of Gardner & Bloome potting soils and planting mixes with proper pH for your plant. We also carry soil-balancing amendments like E.B. Stone pH Adjuster Plus (Granulated Soil Sulfur), which lowers the pH level in your soil, and Dr. Iron, which corrects iron deficiency as well as lowering the pH level.
• The placement of your plant—if the plant receives too much or too little sunlight, the process of photosynthesis will malfunction and cause a loss in the green color of the leaves. Or if you have your plant near a stove with a gas range, this could be dangerous to the plant.
• Soil moisture - most gardeners recommend that when you water a plant, the soil should feel cool and moist to the touch without dampening your finger. Over-watering can rob the soil of oxygen and leach out nutrients; under-watering can damage the plant by impairing the distribution of nutrients and causing cell damage.
• Nutrients - Nutrient deficiency can cause yellowing. However, too much fertilizer can also cause leaf yellowing from salt damage. If you have been fertilizing heavily, cut back and see if that helps. If you haven't been fertilizing much at all, try fertilizing a bit more. Using the wrong fertilizer can also cause problems. Ask us which type of fertilizer is best for your plant.
  It is also important to remember that iron should only be applied after fertilizing, because it needs the nitrogen from fertilizer to activate it.
• Pests - They're reasonably easy to spot and we have pest-control methods available to get rid of them. Ask us which will do the best job for your pest problem.

Brian was born and raised in San Jose and currently is a student at Mission College, where he is studying to become a firefighter like his father and grandfather before him.

Ever the prankster, Brian was once suspended from high school for a week after setting off a stink bomb in his science class and causing the evacuation of the classroom.

Always interested in science, he once broke his hand punching the ground to see how “hard” it really was. Fortunately, the incident didn't cause any permanant injury.

Brian enjoys four-wheeling, sleeping, watching movies, sleeping, hanging out with his friends and . . . sleeping.

My Celebrity Service staff and I look forward to serving you this year. We'll go out of our way to make your day!

Eric Wilder - President