The Best-Selling Plants of 2023

by Robert Leekley, Capitol Wholesale Nursery

I’m pleased to present our 2023 top-selling plants in ten categories: trees, shrubs, perennials, grasses, groundcovers, vines, succulents, fruit, ferns, and roses.

The 103 plants on this list are popular, tried-and-true landscaping standbys that have been consistently strong sellers for many years now among landscapers and retail clients alike. They are robust, attractive on installation, and exhibit qualities such as versatility, durability, and ease of care. If you’re working to create more eco-friendly landscapes in 2024, these are tough plants that in many cases have been approved by municipalities for drought-tolerant and lawn-replacement use. The plants marked *California native are a great place to start.

I wish to express my gratitude to all who purchased plants with us this past year. It is a pleasure doing business with you, and we look forward to working with you in 2024.

Robert

#1 tree: Podocarpus (Afrocarpus) gracilior

Top 10 Trees

1. Podocarpus (Afrocarpus) gracilior

2. Quercus agrifolia *California native

3. Prunus cerasifera ‘Krauter Vesuvius’

4. Podocarpus macrophyllus var. maki

5. Pistacia chinensis ‘Keith Davey’

6. Prunus caroliniana

7. Prunus laurocerasus

8. Acer palmatum ‘Bloodgood’

9. Acer palmatum ‘Sango Kaku’ (‘Senkaki’)

10. Cupressus sempervirens ‘Glauca’

#1 shrub: Buxus sempervirens ‘Suffruticosa’

Top 10 Shrubs

1. Buxus sempervirens ‘Suffruticosa’

2. Acacia cognata ‘Cousin It’

3. Verbena lilacina ‘De La Mina’ *California native

4. Teucrium x lucdrys (camaedrys)

5. Epilobium (Zauschneria) canum/californica *California native

6. Buxus microphylla ‘Green Beauty’

7. Coleonema ‘Golden Sunset’ (‘Sunset Gold’)

8. Lavandula angustifolia ‘Hidcote’

9. Ceanothus x ‘Ray Hartman’ *California native

10. Pittosporum tenuifolium (P. nigricans)

#1 perennial: Erigeron karvinskianus

Top 10 Perennials

1. Erigeron karvinskianus

2. Eriogonum grande var. rubescens *California native

3. Nepeta ‘Walker’s Low’

4. Geranium x cantabrigiense ‘Biokovo’

5. Limonium perezii (Statice perezii)

6. Erigeron glaucus ‘Wayne Roderick’ *California native

7. Heuchera maxima *California native

8. Iris Pacific Coast Hybrids *California native

9. Gazania

10. Achillea x taygetea ‘Moonshine’

#1 grass: Carex divulsa (image via www.anniesannuals.com/plants/view/?id=208)

Top 10 Grasses

1. Carex divulsa (formerly C. tumulicola)

2. Lomandra longifolia ‘Breeze’ (‘Tanika’)

3. Carex pansa *California native

4. Lomandra longifolia ‘Platinum Beauty’ (‘Roma13’)

5. Festuca x ‘Siskiyou Blue’ *California native

6. Muhlenbergia rigens *California native

7. Muhlenbergia dubia

8. Festuca mairei

9. Sesleria autumnalis

10. Festuca californica *California native

#10 groundcover: Myoporum parvifolium ‘Pink’

Top 10 Groundcovers

1. Myoporum parvifolium ‘White’

2. Dymondia margaretae

3. Arctostaphylos ‘Emerald Carpet’ *California native

4. Lantana montavidensis (sellowiana)

5. Juniperus horizontalis ‘Blue Chip’

6. Thymus pseudolanuginosus

7. Rosmarinus ‘Huntington Carpet’

8. Trachelospermum jasminoides

9. Ceanothus thyrsiflorus var. griseus ‘Yankee Point’ *California native

10. Myoporum parvifolium ‘Pink’

#1 vine: Jasminum polyanthum

Top 10 Vines

1. Jasminum polyanthum

2. Bougainvillea ‘Barbara Karst’

3. Gelsemium sempervirens

4. Bougainvillea ‘Orange King’

5. Trachelospermum jasminoides

6. Ficus pumila (F. Repens)

7. Pandorea jasminoides ‘Variegata’ (‘Charisma’)

8. Clytopstoma callistegiodes (Bignonia violacea)

9. Distictis buccinitoria

10. Solanum jasminoides (S. laxum)

#1 succulent: Senecio mandraliscae

Top 10 Succulents

1. Senecio mandraliscae

2. Calandrinia spectabilis (Cistanthe grandiflora)

3. Senecio serpens (Kleinia repens)

4. Agave ‘Blue Glow’

5. Delosperma cooperi

6. Agave attenuata

7. Aeonium canariense

8. Agave shawii x attenuata ‘Blue Flame’

9. Bulbine frutescens ‘Hallmark Orange’

10. Aeonium canariense

#1 fruit: Lemon ‘Meyer’

Top 10 Fruit

1. Lemon ‘Meyer’ (Citrus limon)

2. Persimmon ‘Fuyu’ (Diospyros kaki)

3. Strawberry assorted (Fragaria x ananassa)

4. Orange ‘Washington Navel’ (Citrus sinensis)

5. Blueberry ‘Bountiful Blue’ (Vaccinium corymbosum)

6. Avocado ‘Hass’ (Persea americana)

7. Blueberry ‘Sunshine Blue’ (Vaccinium corymbosum)

8. Blueberry ‘Misty’ (Vaccinium darrowii)

9. Pomegranate ‘Wonderful’ (Punica granatum)

10. Grapes ‘Thompson Seedless’ (Vitis vinifera)

#1 fern: Asparagus d. ‘Myers’

Top 10 Ferns

1. Asparagus d. ‘Myers’ (A. myersii)

2. Polystichym munitum *California native

3. Woodwardia fimbriata *California native

4. Asplenium bulbiferum

5. Blechnum spicant *California native

6. Aspidium capense (Rumohra adiantiformis)

7. Nephrolesis cordifolia

8. Adiantum ‘Mairisii’

9. Cyrtomium falcatum

10. Dryopteris erythrosora ‘Brilliance’

#1 rose: Rosa Flower Carpet ‘White’ (more info: tesselaar.com/plants/flower-carpet-roses/)

Top 10 Roses

1. Rosa x ‘Noaschnee’ Flower Carpet ‘White’

2. Rosa floribunda ‘Iceberg’

3. Rosa x ‘NOA250092’ Flower Carpet ‘Pink Supreme’; Rosa x Flower Carpet ‘Amber’; Rosa x ‘Noamel’ Flower Carpet ‘Apple Blossom’

4. Rosa ‘White Meidiland’

5. Rosa ‘Mr. Lincoln’

6. Rosa x Flower Carpet ‘Cherry’; Rosa x ‘NOA831100B’ Flower Carpet ‘Scarlet’

7. Rosa ‘Oklahoma’

8. Rosa ‘Double Delight’

9. Rosa ‘Pope John Paul’

10. Rosa f. ‘Europeana’

Learn more about what our nursery can do for you.