Few perennials save their best performance for so late in the year as Zauschneria californica. From midsummer until the first frosts it throws out slender, scarlet trumpet flowers above grey-green, softly downy foliage — an electric shock of colour just as the rest of the border begins to fade. In its native California it is pollinated by hummingbirds, which explains the long, tubular blooms and the plant’s alternative name of hummingbird trumpet.
Growing conditions
Give Zauschneria the sunniest, most baked position you have. It flowers freely only where it receives at least six hours of direct sun, and in shade the stems flop and the display is thin. A south- or west-facing spot at the foot of a warm wall is close to ideal, as the reflected heat both ripens the growth and keeps winter damp away.
Drainage matters far more than fertility. Light, sandy, stony or chalky soils suit it perfectly, and it is genuinely happy in the poor rubble of a gravel garden or the crevices of a dry-stone wall. Aim for a neutral to alkaline pH; on heavy clay, raise the planting area or add generous grit, because cold, wet soil in winter kills more plants than frost ever does.
In the UK and northern Europe it is reliably perennial in southern and coastal gardens, and more of a gamble in cold, wet inland districts. Gardeners in Mediterranean and Californian climates can treat it as an unkillable, drought-proof groundcover.
How to plant Zauschneria
Spring is by far the best planting season, from April to early June, once the soil has warmed. This gives the roots a full growing season to establish before facing their first winter — autumn planting often ends in rot.
Spacing: Allow 45–60 cm between plants; they knit together quickly by underground runners and quickly fill gaps.
Depth: Set the crown level with, or 1–2 cm above, the surrounding soil so water drains away from the base of the stems.
Soil preparation: Fork in horticultural grit or coarse sand at roughly one bucket per square metre on any soil that stays damp; skip the manure and rich compost entirely.
Watering in: Water thoroughly once at planting, then again weekly for the first six to eight weeks only during dry spells — after that, leave it be.
Propagation: Take soft-tip cuttings in late spring, or lift and separate rooted runners from the edge of a clump in April; division is easier and quicker than seed.
Zauschneria californica growing in a naturalistic garden border
Care through the seasons
Spring: Zauschneria breaks dormancy late, often not showing above ground until May, so mark its position to avoid hoeing it out. Cut any remaining old stems back to 5 cm as new shoots appear. Do not feed with nitrogen-rich fertiliser — lush growth means fewer flowers and floppier stems.
Summer: Established plants need virtually no watering; a deep soak once a month in prolonged drought is ample. Pinch out the growing tips in early June to produce bushier, self-supporting plants and a heavier crop of blooms. Keep an eye on the spread and slice off any runners straying into neighbouring plants with a spade.
Autumn: Resist the urge to tidy — leave the top growth intact over winter, as it shelters the crown and traps insulating air. Deadheading is unnecessary; the flowers simply keep coming until frost stops them. If you must divide, wait until spring instead.
Winter: The plant dies back to a woody base and is entirely dormant. In cold or wet gardens, tuck a 5 cm mulch of grit or gravel around the crown — never leafy compost, which holds moisture against the stems.
Best varieties to grow
Most garden plants sold as Zauschneria californica are selected forms chosen for hardiness, flower size or restrained habit.
‘Dublin’ (syn. ‘Glasnevin’) — the benchmark cultivar and holder of an RHS Award of Garden Merit, compact at 25–30 cm with a dense mass of vivid orange-scarlet trumpets.
‘Western Hills’ — taller and more vigorous at around 60 cm, with larger orange-red flowers; excellent for the back of a gravel bed.
‘Albiflora’ — an unusual creamy-white flowered form, quieter in effect and lovely beside blue salvias.
‘Ghostly Red’ — grown as much for its almost silver-white woolly foliage as for the scarlet blooms, and superb in a hot, dry scree.
Pests, diseases and common problems
Root and crown rot: Blackened stem bases and failure to reappear in spring point to winter waterlogging. The only cure is prevention — replant on a raised mound or in a gravel bed with sharp drainage.
Slugs and snails: The tender emerging shoots in May are very vulnerable and a clump can be grazed to nothing. Scatter a wide mulch of sharp grit around the crown and hand-pick after dusk on damp evenings.
Excessive spread: Runners can travel 30 cm or more a season and swamp smaller alpines. Push a spade vertically around the clump each spring, or grow it in a bottomless container or a wall crevice to confine the roots.
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