Plant Reference

Mature size: 10–15 ft × 10–15 ft semi-dwarf (kept ~10 ft × 8 ft in BOC). Chill: 200–400 hr (varies by cultivar — multi-graft hedges against Lafayette's low-chill winters). Count in plan: 1 trunk, 4 cultivars.

A single semi-dwarf trunk with four cross-pollinating cultivars grafted on. Solves two problems at once for a small lot: (1) Lafayette's chill hours (200–400 hr) fall right at the edge of Pink Lady and Fuji's needs, so 'Anna' (200 hr) and 'Gala' (low chill) carry the crop in cold-short years; (2) apples are self-incompatible, so the four cultivars cross-pollinate each other on the same trunk. Harvest stretches from late summer (Anna, Gala) through fall (Fuji, Pink Lady). Order from Dave Wilson Nursery via a Bay Area retailer in their January catalog.

Lafayette notes: Buy on M111 or M7 semi-dwarf rootstock — both handle clay better than dwarf. Susceptible to fire blight and codling moth; manage with timing (sanitation in winter, pheromone traps in summer), not blanket sprays. If multi-graft is unavailable, a single 'Fuji' is the most reliable single-cultivar fallback in Lafayette.

Where to buy: Devil Mountain — 'Fuji' · 'Pink Lady' · 'Anna' · 'Gala'. Multi-graft trees themselves usually come from Dave Wilson Nursery via Bay Laurel Garden Center or local independents — ask your installer to order in January.

Mature size: 12–15 ft × 10–12 ft semi-dwarf. Chill: 250–400 hr depending on cultivar (multi-graft hedges Lafayette's chill range). Count in plan: 1 trunk, 3 cultivars.

Swapped from European 'Warren' because Asian pears are far more reliable in Lafayette's low-chill winters (250–400 hr) than European pears (400+ hr). All three cultivars cross-pollinate on the same trunk: 'Shinseiki' (250 hr, juicy yellow-skinned, July), '20th Century' / Nijisseiki (300 hr, golden, August), 'Hosui' (300 hr, russet-brown, August–September). Crunchy like an apple, sweet and juicy. Self-incompatible individually but the multi-graft solves that.

Lafayette notes: Pears tolerate clay better than most fruit trees but still want good drainage. Asian pears ripen ON the tree (unlike European pears, which ripen off-tree). Pick when they release with a gentle twist. Susceptible to fire blight in wet springs — sterilize pruning tools between cuts.

Where to buy: Devil Mountain — 'Shinseiki' · '20th Century'. 'Hosui' not carried at DMN — substitute another DMN Asian variety, or ask your installer to source a multi-graft from Dave Wilson Nursery via Bay Laurel.

Mature size: 15–20 ft × 12–15 ft (compact rounded form). Chill: low — no real requirement. Count in plan: 1.

A non-astringent persimmon you can eat firm like an apple, with a honey-sweet flavor that improves into November. The tree itself is a four-season ornamental: green leaves through summer, brilliant orange-red in fall, and bare branches studded with glowing fruit through December.

Lafayette notes: Essentially disease-free, requires almost no chemical inputs, drought-tolerant once established. Tucks beautifully into the diagonal-corner pocket of the lot. Self-fertile — no pollinator partner needed.

Where to buy: Devil Mountain — Persimmon 'Fuyu'

Mature size: 15–20 ft × 12–15 ft. Chill: low. Count in plan: 1 (NE diagonal pocket, paired with T3 Fuyu).

An astringent persimmon — must be fully soft-ripe before eating raw (otherwise it's mouth-puckering tannic) but it's the variety prized for drying into Japanese-style hoshigaki: peel the firm fruit, hang it for 6 weeks, and you get an intensely sweet, dried delicacy. Heart-shaped fruit, larger than Fuyu, ripening November–December. Long-hanging on the tree — leaves drop, fruit stays glowing through early winter. Self-fertile.

Lafayette notes: Pair with T3 'Fuyu' for two persimmon styles (eat-firm Fuyu vs dry-and-store Hachiya). Same care as Fuyu — almost no pests or disease. Plant in the NE half of the diagonal pocket where it gets morning sun and afternoon oak shade.

Where to buy: Devil Mountain — Persimmon 'Hachiya'

Mature size: 20–30 ft natural, kept ~12 ft in BOC. Chill: none required. Count in plan: 1.

Long, finger-sized red-to-black fruits with intense raspberry-like flavor — kid candy on a tree. Bears heavily from June through August. The dark fruit stains pavement and clothes (we placed it on the west, away from the lawn, for this reason).

Lafayette notes: Vigorous grower; commit to summer pruning if you want to keep it in BOC scale. Self-fertile. Birds love the fruit too — netting the lower branches in fruit season helps you get your share.

Where to buy: Devil Mountain doesn't carry 'Pakistan' — try DMN 'Shangri La' (similar long black fruit) as a substitute, or source 'Pakistan' from One Green World / Bay Laurel.

Mature size: 12–15 ft semi-dwarf. Chill: ~300 hr. Count in plan: 1.

The classic California plum, bred by Luther Burbank in (you guessed it) Santa Rosa. Self-fertile but more productive with a partner. Burgundy-red skin, amber flesh, ripens in mid-summer. Pollinates 'Beauty', 'Elephant Heart', and other Japanese plums.

Lafayette notes: Plums in the East Bay handle our climate beautifully. Watch for brown rot in wet springs — open the canopy with summer pruning to improve airflow.

Where to buy: Devil Mountain — Plum 'Santa Rosa'

Mature size: 12–15 ft semi-dwarf. Chill: 200–300 hr. Count in plan: 1.

Swapped from 'Frost' — 'Frost' is genuinely PLC-resistant but needs ~700 chill hours per Dave Wilson Nursery, well above Lafayette's 200–400 hr. 'Indian Free' is a heritage white-fleshed peach with red-streaked flesh, very intense flavor, partial PLC tolerance, and low chill (200–300 hr). The trade-off: 'Indian Free' is self-unfruitful — pollinated by the T5 'Santa Rosa' plum nearby (both are Prunus and bloom close in time) or set will be lower than with a dedicated peach pollinator.

Lafayette notes: Even with 'Indian Free's' partial PLC resistance, a single dormant copper spray in late January is good insurance in wet springs. If you'd prefer self-fertile, swap to 'Eva's Pride' (200 hr, no PLC resistance, two copper sprays per winter) — simpler pollination, higher disease maintenance.

Where to buy: 'Indian Free' not carried at Devil Mountain — try DMN 'O'Henry' as a low-chill DMN substitute, or source 'Indian Free' from Dave Wilson Nursery via Bay Laurel or local independents (bare-root in January).

Mature size: 12–15 ft semi-dwarf. Chill: ~400 hr. Count in plan: 1.

The classic California apricot — small, sweet, intense flavor, ripens late June. Once the workhorse of Santa Clara Valley orchards. Self-fertile. White-pink blossoms appear earlier than other stone fruit (sometimes February in Lafayette).

Lafayette notes: Early bloom = frost risk in cold winters. Site on the warmest, best-drained spot in the west band. Spring rain during bloom can knock fruit set — pick a south-facing micro-spot if you can.

Where to buy: Devil Mountain — Apricot 'Blenheim' · Alt: DMN 'Katy' (lower chill — better Lafayette match)

Mature size: 15–20 ft natural, kept smaller easily. Chill: low. Count in plan: 1.

If you want one truly bulletproof fruit tree, this is it. Crunchy apple-flavored fruit, eaten fresh or dried (becomes date-like). Tolerates drought, heat, cold, clay, neglect. Essentially zero pest or disease pressure in California. Self-fertile, fruits prolifically by year 4.

Lafayette notes: The most forgiving tree on the lot. Some varieties have thorns — 'Li' is largely thornless. Deer mostly ignore it.

Where to buy: Jujube not carried at Devil Mountain. Source from Dave Wilson Nursery via Bay Laurel, or Four Winds Growers.

Mature size: 15–25 ft natural, kept ~10 ft in BOC. Chill: none required. Count in plan: 1.

Two crops a year in Lafayette: a "breba" crop on last year's wood in June, and the main crop on this year's wood in August–September. Dark purple-black skin, jammy ruby interior. Loves heat; the east band's afternoon sun is ideal. Self-fertile (parthenocarpic — no pollinator required).

Lafayette notes: Bird pressure on figs is intense — netting or harvesting daily is the answer. Vigorous growth; commit to winter and summer pruning to keep it in scale.

Where to buy: Devil Mountain — Fig 'Black Mission'

Mature size: 12–18 ft as tree, smaller as shrub. Chill: none. Count in plan: 1.

Brilliant orange trumpet flowers in late spring (hummingbird magnet), heavy red fruit late fall. Drought-proof once established, fire-resistant, long-lived. Self-fertile. Trained as a tree on the east band; the shrub form also appears as a bridge-shrub option.

Lafayette notes: Don't water in fall (causes fruit to split). Light pruning in winter, removing crossing branches. Lives 100+ years.

Where to buy: Devil Mountain — Pomegranate 'Wonderful'

Mature size: 15–20 ft natural, kept smaller easily. Chill: low. Count in plan: 1.

Small Spanish olive, productive at a young age, suitable for both table cure and oil. Silvery-green evergreen foliage gives the lot year-round structure. Self-fertile but more productive with a second variety (e.g., 'Mission'). Truly drought-proof once established.

Lafayette notes: Mediterranean-perfect for our climate. The only real issue is olive fruit fly — manage with bait traps if you're going for oil-grade fruit. Sweep up dropped fruit if you don't want a free-seeding olive carpet.

Where to buy: Devil Mountain — Olive 'Arbequina'

Mature size: 8–12 ft. Chill: none — citrus needs heat, not chill. Count in plan: 1.

Sweeter, less acidic than a regular lemon, with thin skin you can zest unsparingly. Cold-hardier than other lemons (handles brief dips to mid-20s with frost cloth). Highly fragrant white-purple flowers; productive nearly year-round when established. Self-fertile.

Lafayette notes: Citrus on the east band gets full afternoon sun — ideal. Drape with frost cloth on the rare nights below 28°F. Buy "Improved Meyer" specifically — the older 'Meyer' carried tristeza virus and is regulated.

Where to buy: Devil Mountain — Lemon 'Improved Meyer'

Mature size: 8–12 ft. Chill: none. Count in plan: 1.

The most cold-hardy citrus you can grow — handles brief mid-20s without damage. Loose easy-peel skin, sweet and seedless. Bears in late fall/early winter. Self-fertile.

Lafayette notes: Satsuma is the citrus that will reliably ripen sweet fruit in our cooler late-season nights. Heavy crop years (alternate bearing tendency) — thin fruit in summer if you want larger size and consistent annual yield.

Where to buy: Devil Mountain — Mandarin 'Owari'

Mature size: 12–20 ft × 12 ft (smaller with pruning). Chill: none required. Count in plan: 1.

A subtropical evergreen with large architectural leaves, fragrant winter flower clusters (December–February — when nothing else is blooming), and tangy-sweet yellow fruit in April–May (before most fruit is ripe). Self-fertile. Pollinated by bees in mid-winter, providing a critical out-of-season nectar source. Acts as a four-season ornamental.

Lafayette notes: Loquat tolerates the NE corner pocket between the pear and east-band trees because it doesn't mind crowding and stays mid-sized with light pruning. Frost can knock the winter blossoms in cold years — drape with cloth on rare nights below 28°F. Birds love the ripe fruit; net the lower branches if you want to harvest meaningfully.

Where to buy: 'Champagne' cultivar not carried at DMN — they have the species: DMN — Eriobotrya japonica. Source 'Champagne' specifically from Four Winds Growers or Bay Laurel.

Mature size: 15–20 ft × 12–15 ft. Chill: moderate, fine for Lafayette. Count in plan: 2 (one 'Yellow' SW, one 'Red Star' SE — cross-pollination + extended harvest).

A small ornamental tree from the dogwood family with the earliest blooms of any tree on the lot — masses of small yellow flowers in February when honeybees and native bees are desperate for forage. Tart-sweet red fruit in summer that can be eaten fresh when fully ripe (soft, blood-red, falling color) or processed into jam, syrup, or fruit leather. Glossy green leaves through summer, burgundy fall color, exfoliating bark in winter. Slow-growing but extremely long-lived (100+ years).

Lafayette notes — placement is intentional: Both Cornelian cherries sit under the house's winter-noon shadow at the SW and SE south ends of the lot. Cornus mas is happiest in USDA zones 4–8, so part shade in Bay Area heat is genuinely beneficial — not a compromise. The shade keeps the trees cooler in summer (less heat stress, better fruit), and February bloom happens before leaves are even out so the shade doesn't matter then. Self-fertile but produces much more with a second variety nearby; 'Yellow' and 'Red Star' bloom at the same time and cross-pollinate beautifully. Birds love the fruit — harvest fast once color sets, or net. Of the two, the SW 'Yellow' is the more easily relocatable if you ever decide to swap it for a serviceberry or a second loquat.

Where to buy: Cornus mas not carried at Devil Mountain Nursery. Source from Burnt Ridge Nursery, One Green World, or Forestfarm (all mail-order).

Mature size: 6–8 ft tall × 6–8 ft wide (can be sheared smaller). Count in plan: 10.

The hidden gem of California edible landscaping. Silvery-green evergreen foliage. Striking spring flowers with edible petals (sweet, fruity, eat right off the plant). Fall fruit (October–November) with a flavor like pineapple-strawberry-mint. The whole plant is drought-tolerant and ignored by deer. Use 'Coolidge', 'Nazemetz', or 'Apollo' — all self-fertile.

Lafayette notes: Plant two varieties for heavier fruit set. Hand-pollinate by gently brushing flowers if you want guaranteed fruit set in cool springs.

Where to buy: Devil Mountain — Feijoa sellowiana

Mature size: 6–10 ft as shrub (coppice to keep smaller). Count in plan: 4.

Same species as the tree-form pomegranate, but kept multi-stemmed and bushy. Brilliant orange flowers in late spring, fruit in fall. Coppice (cut all stems to the ground) every 5–7 years to refresh. 'Wonderful' is classic; 'Eversweet' is sweeter and seedless.

Lafayette notes: Easier to keep in scale than the tree form. Works as a thorny bridge plant — the spiny twigs add real ball-stopping density.

Where to buy: DMN — Pomegranate 'Wonderful' (train as shrub by leaving multi-stemmed)

Mature size: 4–6 ft × 4 ft for upright varieties. Count in plan: 2.

Workhorse Mediterranean herb. Dense evergreen foliage, blue winter blossoms (a critical pollinator resource when little else is blooming). Culinary use year-round. Deer, gophers, and most pests avoid it. 'Tuscan Blue' is the tallest upright form; 'Arp' is the most cold-hardy.

Lafayette notes: Don't overwater — rosemary dies from wet feet, not drought. Plant high and let it dry between waterings once established.

Where to buy: Devil Mountain — Rosemary 'Tuscan Blue'

Mature size: 8–10 ft trailing canes, trained flat on wire. Count in plan: 1 (wall-trained along the existing west retaining wall).

A vigorous, productive, completely thornless blackberry — kid-safe and easy to manage. Heavy crops of large sweet-tart fruit in July–August. Self-fertile. White spring flowers feed bees. Tolerates Lafayette's afternoon oak shade well; actually prefers it (cool roots, less heat stress).

Lafayette notes: Train on a 2-wire trellis attached to the existing west retaining wall — no extra ground footprint. Annual cane management: floricanes (this year's fruit) get cut to the ground in fall, primocanes (next year's fruit) tied to the wire. Birds love the fruit — net the wall in June if you want to harvest meaningfully.

Where to buy: Devil Mountain — Blackberry 'Triple Crown' Thornless

Mature size: 3–4 ft × 3 ft. Count in plan: 2 (replacing 2 bridge shrubs on the west side — cool, oak-shaded zone).

Tart-sweet round berries (green-to-red when ripe) — fantastic for jam, pie, or pickling green. Compact rounded shrubs that fit perfectly between fruit trees on the west side. 'Pixwell' is nearly thornless (great for kid spaces); 'Hinnonmaki Red' has small thorns but sweeter dessert-quality berries. Plant one of each for variety.

Lafayette notes: Gooseberries appreciate Lafayette's afternoon oak shade — they're cool-climate plants that often struggle in full Bay Area sun. The west side under the late-afternoon oak shade is ideal microclimate. Mulch deeply to keep roots cool. Pick green for cooking, red-ripe for fresh eating.

Where to buy: Devil Mountain — Gooseberry 'Pixwell'. 'Hinnonmaki Red' not at DMN — source from Burnt Ridge or One Green World.

Mature size: 6–15 ft × 6–10 ft (controlled by pruning). Count in plan: 1 (NE corner, moved away from SE kid zone).

A California native that's the namesake of Hollywood. Dense evergreen foliage, masses of white flowers in summer, bright red berry clusters that hold through winter and feed local birds. Berries are edible cooked but raw berries contain cyanogenic glycosides — they can cause stomach upset and aren't kid-safe. Moved from the SE position (between T13 and T16, closest to the patio + play space) to the NE corner (between T2 and T14) where small kids are least likely to graze the berries.

Lafayette notes: Native to the East Bay hills. Establishes faster than most natives because it's adapted to exactly this climate. Almost no water needed after year 2. The SE position is now filled by pineapple guava 'Coolidge' — kid-safe edible flowers + fall fruit.

Where to buy: Devil Mountain — Heteromeles arbutifolia

Mature size: 2–3 ft tall × 3 ft wide, dies to the ground in winter. Count in plan: 16 (one per fruit tree).

The chop-and-drop powerhouse of permaculture. A deep taproot mines minerals (especially potassium) from subsoil that fruit trees can't reach, lifting them into leaves you cut down 4–6 times per year as in-place mulch. Pink/purple bell flowers feed bees. Medicinally famous for poultices.

Critical: only buy 'Bocking 14'. It's a sterile clone — sets no viable seed. The seeded form of comfrey is moderately invasive in California. Propagate by root cuttings only.

Where to buy: Comfrey 'Bocking 14' not carried at Devil Mountain (sterile cultivar — only sold as root crowns/cuttings). Order from Coe's Comfrey (mail-order, direct-source) or Strictly Medicinal Seeds.

Mature size: 6–8 ft × 8 ft if unpruned. Count in plan: 16 (doubled — one in every fruit-tree guild, after dropping goumi).

A California native nitrogen-fixer that doubles as one of the best pollinator plants in the state. Masses of cobalt-blue flowers in March–April host every bee within range. Evergreen foliage; drought-proof once established. Fixes atmospheric nitrogen into the soil for adjacent fruit trees. Doubled to 16 plants (one per fruit-tree guild) after dropping goumi (Elaeagnus multiflora) for invasive-spread concerns near East Bay oak woodland.

Lafayette notes: Don't water in summer — that's how you kill it. Let it stay tall (6+ ft) to act as a ball-catcher and to maximize bloom + N-fixing. 'Concha' is the workhorse cultivar but 'Yankee Point' (shorter), 'Dark Star' (deeper blue), and 'Ray Hartman' (small tree form) are all good substitutes if 'Concha' is unavailable.

Where to buy: Devil Mountain — Ceanothus 'Concha'

Status: Dropped from plan. Replaced by: doubled Ceanothus 'Concha' (now one per fruit tree, 16 total).

Originally included as the nitrogen-fixing alternate to Ceanothus, with the bonus of edible red vitamin-C berries. Removed because Elaeagnus species spread by bird-dispersed seed; with East Bay oak woodland nearby, this is a real invasive risk. Closely related E. umbellata (autumn olive) is on California invasive-plant watch lists. E. multiflora is less aggressive but still naturalizes.

What replaces it: Ceanothus 'Concha' (California native, also nitrogen-fixing, far better pollinator value, no invasive risk) is doubled from 8 to 16 plants — one in every fruit-tree guild. If you want edible berries in the guilds, gooseberries (already in the plan, west band) cover that.

Mature size: 2–3 ft tall, ~2 ft wide, annual but reseeds. Count in plan: 10.

One of the highest-yielding pollinator plants you can grow — bees prefer it over almost anything else. Star-shaped vivid-blue flowers with a cucumber-like flavor (edible, beautiful in salads or frozen into ice cubes). Accumulates calcium, potassium, and silica. Self-seeds gently.

Lafayette notes: Pull seedlings where you don't want them — borage stays put but reseeds enthusiastically. Reaches full size in 8 weeks from seed.

Where to buy: Annual herb — not carried at Devil Mountain. Seed packets from Botanical Interests or Annie's Annuals (Richmond) for starts.

Mature size: 1–2 ft tall × 1–2 ft wide, perennial. Count in plan: 6.

Perennial pollinator plant; the flat flower clusters serve as landing pads for beneficial insects (hoverflies, lacewings, parasitic wasps) that control pests. Drought-proof, deer-resistant, accumulates several minerals. White, gold, or pink/red varieties available; the native California form is white-flowered.

Lafayette notes: Spreads by rhizomes — divide every 3–4 years. The cultivar 'Moonshine' (sulfur-yellow) is a popular ornamental form.

Where to buy: Devil Mountain — Achillea millefolium

Mature size: 10–18 in tall, slowly clumping. Count in plan: ~48 (3 per tree × 16 trees).

Edible everything (leaves and flowers both), and the strong sulfur compounds in allium roots confuse pest insects targeting fruit trees. Purple pompom flowers in late spring are beloved by bees. Deer ignore them entirely.

Lafayette notes: Plant 3–4 in a partial ring at 1.5 ft from each fruit-tree trunk. Divide and replant every 3–4 years to keep clumps vigorous.

Where to buy: Not carried at Devil Mountain. Source from any herb nursery (Sloat, Annie's Annuals, grocery-store herb starts) or seed.

Mature size: 18–24 in tall, clumping. Count in plan: ~12 (alternates for chives at select trees).

A close cousin of chives with flat (not tubular) leaves and a clear garlic-onion flavor. White star-shaped flowers in late summer attract beneficial insects. Same pest-deterrent function as chives; pick whichever you'll cook with more.

Lafayette notes: Will self-seed if flowers go to seed — deadhead spent flowers if you don't want spread. Drought-tolerant once established.

Where to buy: Not carried at Devil Mountain. Source from any herb nursery or seed (Botanical Interests).

Mature size: 6–10 in tall, runners cover ground. Count in plan: ~80 starts (will spread to cover all 16 mulched circles).

Tiny intense-flavored strawberries (sweeter than commercial ones) all season long from June to frost. Forms a low-growing groundcover under fruit trees — closes the soil to weeds, holds moisture, looks beautiful. 'Mignonette' is the standard runnering cultivar; non-runnering forms also exist.

Lafayette notes: Tolerates part-shade well (good under tree canopies). Replace clumps every 3–4 years for best fruit production. Birds eat the berries — share the harvest.

Where to buy: 'Mignonette' not at DMN — they carry the native subspecies: DMN — Fragaria vesca ssp. californica (works ecologically). For 'Mignonette' specifically: Annie's Annuals or seed.