Shrubs evergreen or sometimes semievergreen; branchlets and pedicels not setose. Leaf blade adaxially glabrous; corolla creamy yellow, lined and flushed rose on outside. Fl. May–Jun.
The dominant plants are sages (Lamiaceae) and evergreen oaks and, in drier areas, chamise (Adenostoma fasciculatum), manzanita (Arctostaphylos pungens), and species of Ceanothus.
Large trees nourish smaller shaded ones until they are tall enough to reach sunlight, and trees that stay green all year round share nutrients with trees that lose their leaves in winter-helping them through the season.
On the other end of the spectrum are plants that don't shed their leaves — for example, the pines, spruces, cedars and firs that make up the conifers, or evergreens.
The split-rail fence around the kitchen garden had been demolished and the once orderly rows of green plants had suffered the same treatment as those at Tara.
Some trees, mostly evergreen conifers like pines or spruce, use solely this technique and keep their needle-like leaves unfrozen year-round with a super strong anti-freeze.