The Arboretum at the University of California Santa Cruz has long been acknowledged as having one of the best Australian plant collections in the United States. They also have had the distinction of being one of the few USDA approved quarantine sites for importing plants in the Citrus family, Rutaceae. This is a particularly important aspect of the garden as there are many very attractive genera in this family in Australia.

In 1998, through a joint effort by Rodger Elliot, of Koala Blooms, Brett Hall of the UCSC and several California nurseries, a marketing group was formed with the purpose of bringing new Australian plants into the California nursery trade in such a way that it would benefit the UCSC Arboretum. The nurseries currently involved in this program are Astone's Protea, Crescent Hill Nursery, Monterey Bay Nursery, Protea USA, Rosendale Nursery/Sierra Azul, San Marcos Growers, Soquel Nursery Growers and Suncrest Nursery . Our goal is to introduce several worthy new Australian plants every year with royalties returned to the Arboretum. In fall of 2001 the first plants from the program were jointly introduced by the participating nurseries.

2001 UCSC Koala Blooms Plants

Banksia spinulosa 'Schnapper Point' - No longer being grown by San Marcos Growers

Correa pulchella 'Pink Flamingo'

Grevillea lanigera 'Coastal Gem'

2002 UCSC Koala Blooms Plants

Boronia crenulata 'Rosy Splendor' - No longer being grown by San Marcos Growers

Brachysema praemorsum 'Bronze Butterfly' - No longer being grown by San Marcos Growers

Callistemon 'Cane's Hybrid'

Chorizema 'Bush Flame'

Correa 'Ray's Tangerine'

Correa reflexa 'Carpenter Rocks' - No longer being grown by San Marcos Growers

Grevillea 'Granya Glory' - Plant Removed from Koala Blooms Program

2003 UCSC Koala Blooms Plants

Correa pulchella 'Pink Eyre'

Pandorea pandorana 'Golden Showers'

Philotheca myoporoides 'Galaxy' - No longer being grown by San Marcos Growers

Prostanthera 'Poorinda Bride' - No longer being grown by San Marcos Growers

Verticordia plumosa 'Pink Lace' - No longer being grown by San Marcos Growers

2004 UCSC Koala Blooms Plants

Boronia clavata 'Heather Wand'

Boronia megastigma 'Jack Maquire's Red' - No longer being grown by San Marcos Growers

Correa alba var. pannosa 'Western Pink Star' - Plant Removed from Koala Blooms Program

Nematolepis frondosum 'Elizabeth' - No longer being grown by San Marcos Growers

Philotheca verrucosa 'Starbright' - No longer being grown by San Marcos Growers

Tetratheca ericifolia 'Heathland Gem' - No longer being grown by San Marcos Growers

2005 UCSC Koala Blooms Plants

Correa reflexa 'Cape Carpet'

Darwinia citriodora 'Seaspray' 

Diplolaena angustifolia 'Orange Urchin' - No longer being grown by San Marcos Growers

2006 UCSC Koala Blooms Plants

Adenanthos detmoldii 'Metallica' - No longer being grown by San Marcos Growers

Chrysocephalum 'Silver and Gold' 

Tremandra stelligera 'Karri Violet' - No longer being grown by San Marcos Growers

2007 UCSC Koala Blooms Plants

Adenanthos cuneatus 'Coral Drift'

Crowea exalata 'Southern Stars' - No longer being grown by San Marcos Growers

Diplolaena dampieri 'Feather Duster' - No longer being grown by San Marcos Growers

Pimelea humilis 'Small Fry' - No longer being grown by San Marcos Growers

Pimelea ciliata 'Snow Clouds' - No longer being grown by San Marcos Growers

2008 UCSC Koala Blooms Plants

Aphanopetalum resinosum 'Gossamer Wings'

Chamelaucium ciliatum 'Scaddan'

Grevillea synapheae 'Picasso'

Thomasia solanacea 'Velvet Star'

2009 UCSC Koala Blooms Plants

Grevillea 'Poorinda Signet'

Grevillea nudiflora 'Medusa'

Hakea salicifolia 'Gold Medal' - Great plant for northern California - No longer being grown by San Marcos Growers

2010 UCSC Koala Blooms Plants

Hypocalymma angustifolia 'Powder Puff'

Philotheca salsolifolia 'Tutu' - No longer being grown by San Marcos Growers

Prostanthera baxteri 'Lavender Moon'

Thomasia grandiflora 'Mt Lesueur'

2011 UCSC Koala Blooms Plants

Boronia 'Carousel'

Correa glabra 'Coliban River'

Crowea 'Festival'

Kennedia beckxiana 'Flamboyant'

Correa reflexa 'Kangaroo Island'

2012 UCSC Koala Blooms Plants

Banksia ericifolia 'Fireworks'

Calothamnus gracilis 'Spring Torch'

Grevillea 'Cherry Royale'

Grevillea petrophiloides 'Big Bird'

Pultanea pedunculata 'Grampians Gold'

Tetratheca 'Amethyst Eyes'

2013 UCSC Koala Blooms Plants

Dampiera trigona 'Purple Wire'

Darwinia leiostyla 'Mt Trio'

2014 UCSC Koala Blooms Plants

Correa lawrenceana 'Eiffel Tower'

Telopea 'Fireball'

2015 UCSC Koala Blooms Plants

Hardenbergia violacea 'Mini Haha'

Adenanthos 'Silver Haze'

2016 UCSC Koala Blooms Plants

Grevillea tetragonoloba 'Ray's Red'

Olearia phlogopappa 'Dilly Dilly'

2017 UCSC Koala Blooms Plants

Leptospermum scoparium 'Star Carpet'

Possible Future UCSC Koala Blooms Plants

Acacia baileyana 'Winter Flame' 77.62

Backhousia citriodora 89.386

Baeckea camphorata 78.134

Banksia marginata 'Mini Marge'

Ceratopetalum gummiferum 'Fairley's Coral'

Crowea ''Pink Blush' 98.130

Dampiera purpurea 98.137

Kennedia retrorsa 98.23

Leptospermum polygalifolium 'Cardwell'

Zieria arborescens ''Nimbus''