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Products > Myoporum parvifolium 'Putah Creek'
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| Category: Shrub |
| Family: Myoporaceae (Now Scrophulariaceae) |
| Origin: Australia (Australasia) |
| Evergreen: Yes |
| Flower Color: White |
| Bloomtime: Summer |
| Height: <1 foot |
| Width: 10-15 feet |
| Exposure: Full Sun |
| Seaside: Yes |
| Summer Dry: Yes |
| Deer Tolerant: Yes |
| Irrigation (H2O Info): Low Water Needs |
| Winter Hardiness: 20-25° F |
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Myoporum parvifolium 'Putah Creek' (Creeping Myoporum) - This fast growing plant grows to 2 feet tall and will spread up to 15 feet but can be kept to less than 1 foot tall by shearing. It has bright green leaves held close to the stem and small white flowers in summer. Plant in full sun to light shade. Irrigate regularly to occasionally. Hardy to at least 18-20 degrees F. It has been reported that this plant is rabbit proof. A great plant for slope erosion control. This selection from the University of California Davis Arboretum is often listed as a Myoporum parvifolium selection but it is possibly a hybrid. 'Putah Creek' has leaves with minute dentations and are slightly larger than typical Myoporum parvifolium, grows taller and doesn't seem to bare its stems like Myoporum parvifolium sometimes does. Putah Creek is the creek that runs through the UC Davis Arboretum. Some suggest that the name Putah is a derivation of a Native California Indian word but in the 1916 UC Press publication California Place Names Of Indian Origin A. L. Kroeber it is noted that the word actually appears to be from the Spanish word 'puta' meaning "harlot". The Davis Wiki site explains the name as such "Putah" descends from "Puto", which is the name that the Spanish settlers gave to the local Native American tribe. The Spanish name for the creek was therefore "Rio de los Putos", meaning River of the Putos. Due to the fact that puta and puto in Spanish mean "female whore" and "male whore", there has been much speculation over whether or not these names were meant to be intentionally offensive. The Native American tribe in question referred to themselves using a word which sounded something like Puttoy to the European settlers' ears; therefore "Puto" may or may not have represented an honest but unfortunate attempt to transliterate the original term to Spanish. For some reason, the local people decided to shorten the name and change Puto to the feminine form of the noun around 1845. However, the United States Board on Geographic Names found Puta obscene, and therefore the "h" was placed at the end. In 2006 in southern California Myoporum laetum and Myoporum 'Pacificum' (AKA 'South Coast') came under attack by a newly describes thrips, Klambothrips myopori, that came from coastal Eastern Australia. While this pest plagued our crops of Myoporum laetum 'Carsonii', causing us to stop producing it, this pest has not affected Myoporum laetum 'Compacta', Myoporum 'Putah Creek' or Myoporum parvifolium. More information can also be found on our Myoporum Thrips Page.
This information about Myoporum parvifolium 'Putah Creek' displayed is based on research conducted in our horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also will relate observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments that we receive from others and we welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share any cultural information that would aid others in growing it.
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