From time to time, I find myself in San Jose, visiting my sister. What always catches my attention is the uncanny similarity between plants in Cincinnati’s moist, Zone 6 environment and those in San Jose’s drier, Zone 9. For instance, the resilient Ginkgo trees in her neighborhood rarely receive any watering, thriving despite months without rain. While I was familiar with the Ginkgo’s hardiness, it surprised me to see the Honeylocust tree, native to where I live, flourishing under the same conditions. After some research, I learned about the vast native range of the Honeylocust, which made its presence in San Jose seem more plausible.

In my sister’s backyard stands a lilac, possibly Syringa vulgaris. While in Ohio they’re susceptible to diseases, in California, they appear healthy and unaffected. This observation made me reconsider the need to water lilacs during droughts. Moreover, her roses, which receive far less rainfall than in Cincinnati, are thriving in San Jose’s dry climate. It reminded me of a crabapple in Utah that, in the absence of humidity, looked remarkably different and disease-free.

Later, during my trip, I visited iconic places like Hearst Castle, the Getty Museum, and the L.A. Arboretum. Although many plants there wouldn’t thrive in Ohio, I did spot familiar species. For instance, Abelia, likely A. chinensis, which is borderline hardy in Ohio. At the L.A. Arboretum, I saw a majestic version of the Vitex agnus-castus, which back home is just a recurrent shrub.

Last winter in Ohio, we experienced a drastic temperature drop a few days before Christmas. Though I feared for the plants, the damage come spring wasn’t as extensive as I’d anticipated. However, I was intrigued by the death of certain Chinese fringetrees (Chionanthus retusus), especially since these trees are generally resilient. It seems there’s a distinction between southern and northern varieties of this tree, with the southern ones having smaller leaves. It was the southern varieties that didn’t survive the cold.

In essence, familiarity with local plants provides insights when traveling. Even in unfamiliar terrains, like the mountains of Utah, I could identify many plant genera. However, the cactus and Australia/New Zealand sections at the L.A. Arboretum proved challenging, and I felt out of depth. Yet, these experiences remind me that there’s always more to learn in the vast realm of botany.