The Arboretum at the University of California Santa Cruz has long been acknowledged as having one of the best Australian plant collections in the United States. They also have had the distinction of being one of the few USDA approved quarantine sites for importing plants in the Citrus family, Rutaceae. This is a particularly important aspect of the garden as there are many very attractive genera in this family in Australia.

In 1998, through a joint effort by Rodger Elliot, of Koala Blooms, Brett Hall of the UCSC and several California nurseries, a marketing group was formed with the purpose of bringing new Australian plants into the California nursery trade in such a way that it would benefit the UCSC Arboretum. The nurseries currently involved in this program are San Marcos Growers, Rosendale Nursery, Suncrest Nursery, Monterey Bay Nursery, Perry's Panorama and Native Sons Nursery. Our goal is to introduce several worthy new Australian plants every year with royalties returned to the Arboretum. In fall of 2001 the first plants from the program were jointly introduced by the participating nurseries.

2001 UCSC Koala Blooms Plants

Banksia spinulosa 'Schnapper Point'

Correa pulchella 'Pink Flamingo'

Grevillea lanigera 'Coastal Gem'

2002 UCSC Koala Blooms Plants

Boronia crenulata 'Rosy Splendor'

Brachysema praemorsum 'Bronze Butterfly'

Callistemon 'Cane's Hybrid'

Chorizema 'Bush Flame'

Correa 'Ray's Tangerine'

Correa reflexa 'Carpenter Rocks'

Grevillea 'Granya Glory' - removed from the program

2003 UCSC Koala Blooms Plants

Correa pulchella 'Pink Eyre'

Pandorea pandorana 'Golden Showers'

Philotheca myoporoides 'Galaxy'

Prostanthera 'Poorinda Bride'

Verticordia plumosa 'Pink Lace'

2004 UCSC Koala Blooms Plants

Boronia clavata 'Heather Wand'

Boronia megastigma 'Jack Maquire's Red'

Correa alba var. pannosa 'Western Pink Star'

Nematolepis frondosum 'Elizabeth'

Philotheca verrucosa 'Starbright'

Tetratheca ericifolia 'Heathland Gem'

2005 UCSC Koala Blooms Plants

Correa reflexa 'Cape Carpet'

Darwinia citriodora 'Seaspray' 

Diplolaena angustifolia 'Orange Urchin' - this plant has proven problematic and has been disontinued

2006 UCSC Koala Blooms Plants

Adenanthos detmoldii 'Metallica' 

Chrysocephalum 'Silver and Gold' 

Tremandra stelligera 'Karri Violet' 

2007 UCSC Koala Blooms Plants

Adenanthos cuneatus 'Coral Drift'

Crowea exalata 'Southern Stars'

Diplolaena dampieri 'Feather Duster' 

Pimelea humilis

Pimelea ciliata 'Snow Clouds'

2008 UCSC Koala Blooms Plants

Aphanopetalum resinosum 'Gossamer Wings'

Chamelaucium ciliatum 'Scaddan'

Thomasia solanacea 'Velvet Star'

Future UCSC Koala Blooms Plants

Baeckea ramosissima 'Pink Gem'

Banksia marginata 'Mini Marge'

Boronia megastigman 'Harlequin'(Spring 2008)

Grevillea synaphaea

Hakea salicifolia 'Gold Medal'

Phebalium squamulosum ssp. argenteum

Pultanaea villosa