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CamelliaS
“I love the Live Oak because it’s a tree that lives for many,
many generations,” McCullen says. “Hundreds of years from
now, people will still be benefiting from and enjoying the
tons of Live Oaks that I plant each year. I just think that’s
incredible,” he says.
McCullen says he loves the way Weeping Willows “dance
in the breeze and provide such a soft, wispy texture to a
garden. I also like that they retain some of their foliage until
December and are then the first to bud out with new foliage
in late February.”
David Erwin of North State Gardens loves Live Oaks, as
well.
“I have many favorite plants but if I had to choose one,
it would be the Southern Live Oak,” he says. “It is a very
strong, long-lived evergreen with a dramatically sculptural
structure. Its magnificent branches often form arches which
invite you to walk or drive under. Its acorns provide food
for much wildlife. When I plant a Live Oak, I feel like I am
doing something good for the present as well as for generations
to come.”
Erwin is a big fan of the spring-flowering Camellia
(Camellia japonica), too.
“Its handsome form and broad dark leaves make it a plant
I would use even if it did not bloom. Camellias have a great
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