A Surprise in the Book “Tough Plants for California Gardens”

Have you heard of Felder Rushing? He is an extremely entertaining, "un-stuffy". thoroughly knowledgeable garden writer/lecturer, garden guru…Well, the list goes on and on because he really doesn't fit into any one category. In fact, he would probably be insulted if you did label him in a restricting way. He is a free spirit who uses his garden wit and humor to get people excited about gardening.

He has written many books and I was thumbing through his Tough Plants for California Gardens over the weekend. I was looking for a tough, drought tolerant tree for a friend. I didn't know Felder beyond the fact that he wrote the book I was looking at. Ten minutes into reading the chapter called "Stouthearted Trees", I not only knew I liked Felder, I went on line to learn more about him…

No, I am not a stalker!

What caught my interest was the fact that his book was the first "garden book" I ever read that had a hidden joke in it. What was the joke?

The last tree in the chapter was called: Cell Tower Tree – Communicanna species.

Yes, he has an official listing on one of those fake (and ugly) cell tower trees we see "hidden" in the landscape all around California! Talk about a tough, low maintenance tree!

He goes on to describe it in detail with the same official categories as the other trees in his book. I was laughing so hard I had to call some of my garden friends to read it to them.

He says that the Cell Tower Tree needs "no care other than occasional upgrades or wiring done by professionals". He lists different cultivars including the "rare variegated from called C. vulgaris Camouflage". I knew instantly that I liked this guy. Buy his books. He is knowledgeable and he is a hoot.