Arc Plants Micro-nursery

08/14/2026

Native to South America, Eryngium pandanifolium forms a huge fountain of long, strappy, spiny foliage that can eventually become an impressive architectural feature in the landscape. Then come the towering, branching flower stems, covered in masses of round-ish, maroon/purple flowers that absolutely buzz with bees and other pollinators.

Despite its subtropical appearance, it’s surprisingly hardy here and appreciates a sunny spot, especially with decent drainage. Once established, it can also handle periods of summer drought remarkably well.

Big, weird, dramatic and incredibly good for pollinators. Exactly the kind of plant we like @ Arc.

We’ll have a limited number of Eryngium pandanifolium available at the September 12th plant sale in Southlands, Vancouver. Follow along for details coming soon.

08/10/2026

Manzanita ‘Knobcone Point’
(Arctostaphylos auriculata ‘Knobcone Point’)

This unusual selection comes from a rare species native to a very limited area around Mount Diablo in California.

What makes ‘Knobcone Point’ so cool is its tightly packed, silvery, grey juvenile foliage, which it retains as it matures, creating an almost geometric, scale effect along the stems - eventually developing the glossy mahogany bark that makes manzanitas so beautiful.

It has proven remarkably well suited to this particular North Vancouver garden. Evergreen, extremely drought tolerant once established, and happiest in sunny spots with excellent drainage.

08/08/2026

This is one of favourite wild and wonderful Lobelias. Proven to be a tough perennial in our area, coming back every year with a bit of mulch. Lobelia ‘Bruce Wakefield.’ Topping 8-9 feet and blooming from early to mid-summer straight until frost hits it. Our September 12th sale is coming up soon with 8 other amazing growers. Details soon.

07/23/2026

This beautiful Manzanita is from San Luis Obispo mountains in California. Arctostaphylos luciana…

07/21/2026

If there were an award for the hardest-working shrub in the garden, Grevillea ‘Leanne’ would be near the top of the list—along with several other outstanding grevilleas.

This Australian evergreen blooms almost nonstop, producing clusters of intricate, golden, spider-like flowers through much of the year. Better yet, those blooms are absolute magnets for bees and hummingbirds, making it one of our favourite pollinator plants.

‘Leanne’ really shines in those hot, difficult spots where many other plants struggle. Once established, it’s remarkably drought tolerant, thrives in lean, well-drained soils, and generally seems happiest when you don’t fuss over it too much.

It’s an outstanding choice for dry hillsides, boulevard plantings, roadside medians, gravel gardens, and other challenging landscapes where low-maintenance plants are essential.

07/17/2026

This fuzzy, silvery white Manzanita cultivar is one of the best. Arctostaphylos silvicola ‘Ghostly’. And one of the best for our area given the right conditions. This one was planted in Abbotsford several years ago and brushes off the bitter cold winters out there in the . We often claim it looks like Leucadendron or Protea species (some of our other favourites)…

07/12/2026

Louis harvested some Acacia rubida seed today… This one has sailed through the last couple of winters. Look out for some plants next spring.

07/11/2026

Myrceugenia ovata var. nannophylla

Tangerine Myrtle 🍊. One of the lesser-known shrubs we’re growing is Myrceugenia ovata var. nannophylla, an interesting evergreen from the cool temperate forests of Chile.

In spring, it’s covered in delicate white flowers that are highly attractive to bees and other pollinators. Later in the season, those flowers give way to small, edible berries with a pleasant sweet-tart flavour and mild berry with subtle spice and resinous notes. Maybe some juniper or gin thrown in there.

One of its most interesting features is the foliage. Crush a leaf between your fingers and you’ll notice a wonderfully aromatic citrusy fragrance, a reminder that it’s a member of the myrtle family, alongside feijoas, guavas, and eucalyptus.

It should be reasonably hardy in the Pacific Northwest in average winters remaining evergreen and attractive throughout the year. Most sources say a zone 8 or 8a…

We’re keeping an eye on it and eating its fruit in the mean time…

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07/11/2026