When you visit Disneyland¨, you can’t help but notice the landscaping. The flora of each theme area lends more than beauty, it enhances the believability of the experience — you feel as if you are in a magical place. Next time you’re there, keep this in mind: Many of the plant materials that make Disneyland special come from Miramar Wholesale Nurseries (MWN).

For the last several years MWN has grown plants for Disney®, providing everything from one-gallon perennials to 72” Podocarpus trees. “Most of what we deliver is part of a contract grow,” said Bob Everett, a salea representative who is also the resident tree expert at the Lake Forest site. “Two projects we’ve been involved in are the new Disney’s California Adventure® Park and the Downtown Disney® areas scheduled to open next year.”

The California Adventure area highlights the uniqueness of California, and includes a reproduction of a Hollywood backlot, mountainous terrain, and a beach scene. “We delivered many big Tabebuia trees, otherwise called a ‘Pink Trumpet’ tree, for the ocean park area. It’s a flowering tree from our Vista Hill collection. We also provided some large trees for the mountain area.”

Coral trees, or Erythrina sykesii, line the entryway to Downtown Disney, a street scene of shops and restaurants. Some plants go directly to Disney, while others are routed through intermediary landscape architecture firms. “Miramar Wholesale Nurseries has been wonderful, providing us rare and unique plant materials for our contract with Disney,” said Al Miller, Purchasing Manager for Valley Crest Landscape, Inc.

Whether delivered through a contractor or directly to Disney, ultimately the plants end up in the hands of Disney horticulturists, also known as “imagineers.” These imagineers are responsible for transforming everyday materials into the paradise that is Disneyland. For a peek at the new theme park, log on to Disneyland.com. For a peek at some of the plants you’ll find there, stop by any of the MWN locations.


MWN's Tree of the Season
A selection from the many distinctive trees within MWN’s Vista Hill Collection

BOTANICAL NAME:
Erythrina lysistemon

COMMON NAME:
Kaffirboom

Description:
This beautiful, slow-growing coral is native to South Africa. It is nearly evergreen but much easier to maintain than the more common E. caffra. Erythrina lysistemon produces a heavy bloom of orange-red flowers which fold back against the stem from late winter to spring.

Cultural Requirements:

Size: Ten years 15 - 18 ft. height
15 - 18 ft. spread
Mature 40 ft. height
40 ft. spread

Exposure:
Sun — Full sun
Wind — Moderately tolerant
Salt — Second zone coastal

Hardiness: 26°F (hardier than E. caffra)

Moisture: Deep, infrequent; avoid planting in lawn

Pests and diseases: Mites, not as bad as E. corralloides

Soil: Deep, well-drained

Growth rate: Moderate

Landscape uses: Specimen, accent, multi-stemmed shade tree

Cautions: Do not overwater, has thorns

MWN is a proud supporting member of the following:
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Look for plant materials from MWN at these locations:

Mission City Apartments — this new luxury apartment complex by Archstone Communities is using 15 gallon Phormium ‘Yellow Wave’ extensively in their landscape design. From the entry to the decorative planters throughout the complex, more than 400 of the bright yellow and green flax accent this site.

Street of Dreams — this Roy Dunning Landscape project in Poway is using 24” Magnolia, 15 gallon Citrus, five gallon Azaleas, and one gallon Hemerocallis.

Street of Dreams — Valley Coast Landscape is using 24” Pittosporum eugenioides, 15 gallon Buxux japonica, 15 gallon Photinia fraseri, and 15 gallon Philodendron selloum.

Italian Villa Estate — this 4,600 square-foot, $1.7 million estate built by Tom Carney Construction and Custom Homes, is located at the Hunt Club in San Juan Capistrano. Our San Juan Capistrano facility supplied the project with trees, shrubs, and annuals.

Sand Canyon Parkway — this Irvine street is now lined with nearly 200 36” boxed specimen Quercus agrifolia grown at our Lake Forest facility. The trees were grown from acorns collected from existing Oaks planted by Myford Irvine in the late 1800s.

Four Seasons Resort and Country Club — various 15 gallon espaliers, five gallon shrubs, and one gallon perennials are foundation plantings around the Carlsbad hotel and club house.

Cottonwood Middle School — large 36” and 60” box trees provide shade to this Lake Elsinore School. Species include Ulmus parvifolia, Cupanioupsis anacardioides, Pinus canariensis, Laurus nobilis, Cinnamomum camphora, and Schinus terebithifolius. The trees came from our Lake Forest and San Diego sites.

La Jolla Country Club — in preparation for both the Men’s and Women’s Members and Guests Golf Tournament, the club purchased all annual color from Miramar Wholesale Nurseries.


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