Plants

Acer circinatum, vine maple

California Native, Pacific Northwest south to Northern California. Found in moist places often under larger trees. Deciduous large shrub to small tree, often multi branched 6 to 30ft tall and wide.
Sprawling and vine-like in deep shade and more compact given more sun. Flowers in small clusters in Spring. Brilliant Fall color.
Full shade to Partial shade, will burn in hot afternoon sun.
Moderate water until established. Well-drained fairly moist soil.
Well suited for small gardens and does well under a canopy of tall conifers.

Achillea millefolium, Yarrow

California Native, Semi-evergreen herbaceous perennial with aromatic narrow feather-like leaves. Plants vary in height from a few inches to over a foot. Foliage can be dark green to silvery gray.
Bloom late Spring to Summer.
Small white to pinkish flowers in 3 to 5in wide flattened heads, held 6in to 3ft above foliage.
Full sun to partial shade. Soil adaptable. Occasional water.
Use as perennial border plant, mix with other perennials in a meadow garden or habitat garden.
Flowers attract butterflies and bees also the foliage provides winter forage for birds.
Use cut flowers in fresh and dried arrangements. It is a tough plant requiring little maintenance.
Deadhead to increase bloom time.

Aesculus californica, California Buckeye

California Native, endemic, dry slopes, woodlands and canyons <4000ft.
Large shrub or tree, often multi-trunked 10 to 20 ft+ tall spreading 30 ft+ broad, rounded in form.
Wider than tall. Rapid growth.
Drought deciduous (July to Feb.) in the wild, will hold leaves longer with irrigation. Attractive silvery smooth bark creates an interesting silhouette. One of the first to leaf out in early spring.
Blooms May to June; cream colored fragrant flowers in panicles 6-10 in. long at the ends of branches. Full sun; soil adaptable, drought resistant. Tolerates wind.
Use alone as a specimen tree or summer shade; several may be used to form an informal hedge; when planted in a close mixture of other trees or small shrubs the leafless branching pattern is beautiful against evergreen foliage.

Aquilegia formosa, Western Columbine

California Native, Herbaceous tap rooted perennial up to 3ft.; with fern-like foliage.
Bloom late spring to late summer, long bloom time; flowers are pendant red and yellow with nectar producing spurs. Full sun to partial shade, morning sun and afternoon filtered sun is ideal, will do well in full sun with ample water, will grow in shade but tends to get spindly. Prune flower stalks to the ground once a year in early spring. Moderate water; tolerates clay and serpentine soil, prefers moist well drained soil. Flowers attract hummingbirds and butterflies also seeds attract many other birds; great for pond edge, sunny stream bank or wild life garden.

Armeria maritime ssp. californica, California Sea Pink or Thrift

California Native, Evergreen perennial, 4in high by 6in spread forming a mound of grass-like foliage. Pink or white round flower heads are held up to 6in to 1ft above foliage; long bloom time. Spring through summer. Partial shade to full sun. Can take almost any climate with regular water; Tolerates clay, sand and alkaline soils. May be used as an edge plant in a mixed bed does well as a rock garden plant or it may even be used between stones of a pathway.

Asarum caudatum, Wild Ginger

California Native, Evergreen herbaceous perennial groundcover, spreading by rhizomes to form a lush carpet of shiny dark green heart-shaped leaves. Gives off a spicy pungent scent when crushed. Bloom Spring to Summer, unique maroon flowers with three long flared sepals, held singly and are often hidden under the leaves.
Part to Full Shade. Occasional to regular water. Prefers moist acidic soil with high organic content. Use in formal gardens or naturalistic plantings; plant beneath large shrubs or trees; plant near a garden path; edge a shady perennial bed; or use to carpet a woodland garden.

Asclepias fascicularis, NarrowLeaf Milkweed

California Native. Deciduous rhizomatous perennial. Winter dormant. Comes back in Spring has a fast growth rate to 4ft tall and spreading. Forms small colonies. Has narrow linear leaves. Bloom Summer. White Pink star-shaped flowers arranged in in umbels. Full sun to partial shade. Adaptable to soil types but prefer well-drained. Occasional to moderate water. Adaptable to most conditions. Forage source for Monarch butterflies. Beautiful plants for sunny butterfly garden, wild flower meadow, mixed borders or habitat gardens. Winter dormant.

Asclepias speciosa, showy milkweed

California Native. Deciduous rhizomatous perennial. Winter dormant. Comes back in Spring has a fast growth rate to 3ft tall erect and spreading. With opposite ovate leaves generally covered with woolly hair. Bloom Late Spring to Mid Summer. Pink star-shaped flowers arranged in umbels. Winter dormant. Performs well in most gardens. Long lived. Full sun to partial shade. Adaptable to most soil types. Drought tolerant to occasional water. Adult Monarchs like nectar. Beautiful plants for sunny butterfly garden, habitat garden, wild flower meadow, mixed borders or habitat gardens

Calycanthus occidentalis, Spice Bush

California Native, Deciduous shrub up to 8ft tall and as wide.
Native to the mountains of central and northern California. Bloom April to Aug., 1 to 2in diameter fragrant maroon flowers. Foliage is bright green in Spring turning pale golden in Fall.
Full sun to Partial shade. Tolerant to clay and sandy soils.
Occasional water; will get leaf burn if it gets too dry. Once established it is fast growing and will begin to spread by layering it is therefore good for erosion control. Provides cover for wildlife, use in woodland garden. Deer don’t like the aromatic foliage. Pest and disease free.

Calystegia macrostegia, Island Morning Glory

California Native. Perennial Evergreen Vine. Fast grower climbing by twining its bright green pliable stems around anything it finds. Vigorous vine can be aggressive. Heart shaped bright green leaves.
Large 2+in creamy white to light pink flowers in abundance starting in Late Spring continuing into Fall. held above the leaves.
Full Sun. Adaptable to most soils. Infrequent to moderate water.
Drought tolerant. Easy to grow low maintenance. Prune in late winter to keep under control and encourage new growth and blooms.
Use to cover a chain link fence, gazebo or other garden structure, can also be planted as a ground cover. Wildlife garden, attracts native bees

Carpenteria californica, Bush Anemone

California Native, Evergreen shrub, 5 to 10ft tall with an open form, upright stems rise from a multi-branched crown. Slow growing. Leathery dark green leaves 2 to 5in long are held opposite along the stems. Bloom late Spring has very showy 2-3in. across yellow-centered white flowers at branch ends in terminal clusters. Flowers are lightly fragrant. Full Sun to Partial Shade need protection in hotter climates from afternoon sun. Little to moderate water. Accepts ordinary garden conditions. Cut off dead flowers and cut back to encourage new growth. Can be used to light up a shady corner with white flowers. Use as a specimen shrub, plant in a woodland garden, coastal scrub garden or massed along a wall or as a screen for a dramatic spring display of white flowers.

Cercis occidentalis, western redbud

California Native, Deciduous shrub to small tree up to 20 tall 15ft wide at largest.
Bloom Feb. to April, pea shaped magenta flowers before it leafs out in spring. Needs winter chill to set flower properly.
Full sun (tolerates summer afternoon sun)
Drought tolerant but benefits from some summer water, tolerates clay and alkaline soil, prefers well-drained soil. Makes a nice specimen, great for a bird garden also good on a slope or hillside.

Clematis lasiantha, chaparral clematis

California Native, Delicate woody deciduous vine, with long-petioled pinnately compound leaves forming in early spring. Vining stems climb up to 18ft. with tips often curving back down to the ground.
Remain green until losing their leaves in October.
Bloom in Spring, open clusters of 1in. wide creamy white flowers with a profusion of long white stamens. Attractive silky haired round fruits ripen after bloom in summer.
Full sun to part shade. Soil adaptable, well drained preferred. Drought tolerant to occasional water.
Prune back once a year in early spring to increase bloom. Thin out old stems and shorten long stems.
Use as a backdrop covering a wall or fence; accent structures or arbors; allow it to weave through and decorate shrubs or trees.

Cornus nuttallii, Pacific dogwood

California Native, Southern California north to British Columbia.
Open to dense forests often near streams at low to mid elevations. Deciduous tree up to 50ft but often shorter with an angular branching pattern and 20ft wide. Attractive gray bark.
Opposite leaves are elliptic to ovate turning red, pink and yellow in Fall. Inflorescence of small flowers in dense head surrounded by large showy white bracts up to 3in. Bloom Spring to early Summer starting before it leafs out. Fruits are bright red drupes.
Part shade or dappled light, will sunburn. Very well-drained soil. Once established prefers little to no Summer water. Plant under high branching trees. Good addition to wildlife garden.

Datura wrightii, sacred datura

California Native, Herbaceous tap rooted perennial up to 3ft tall by 5ft wide. Spreading vine-like. Huge grey-green leaves with many glands.
Bloom April to Oct. large showy white trumpet flowers with a sweet smell especially at night.
Full sun to partial shade. Prefer well-drained soil but are adaptable to many types. Drought tolerant to occasional water. Short-lived but grow vigorously in the heat of Summer. Cut back hard in Winter new shoots appear in Spring. Great for neglected dry spot. All parts deadly poisonous.

Dicentra formosa, Pacific bleedinghearts

California Native, Herbaceous perennial, spreading by slender rhizomes. Leaves are basal, finely divided and fernlike. Bloom Plants up to 1 ft tall with leafless stems up to 16 in tall producing 5to15 flowers. Nodding flowers purplish pink with heart-shaped spurs at the base. Bloom Early Spring to Mid Summer.
Part to Full Shade or dappled light. Prefer moist to rather wet soil with a good organic content. Plant along path of woodland garden or with other shade-loving plants. Can make a lovely carpet under trees, shrubs and taller perennials. Once established can spread aggressively.

Diplacus aurantiacus, sticky monkey flower

Formerly Mimulus aurantiacus.
California Native, Woody based perennial up to 4.5ft tall and as wide.
Bloom spring to summer; funnel-shaped two-lipped orange to red flowers are held at the ends of branches, variation in color is common. Full sun to partial shade, will grow in shade but will not bloom as well. Cut back after bloom to prolong bloom time. Drought tolerant, given moderate water and good drainage may flower through summer into fall. Tolerates most soil types, prefers moist well drained soil. Cut back in winter for a compact bushy plant the next year. Flowers attract hummingbirds and butterflies, great for wildlife habitat garden. Readily hybridize.

Drymocallis glandulosa, sticky cinquefoil

California Native, Herbaceous Perennial with pinnately compound basal leaves and 1to3ft tall flowering stalks bearing strawberry-like creamy yellow flowers in loose branching clusters held above the basal leaves. Blooming early Spring into Summer. Long bloom time when spent flower stalks are cut back.
Highly variable and adaptable plant. Tolerates many soil types. Re-seeds readily.
Prefer Partial Shade but will tolerate Full Sun with regular water. Dies back in Winter.

Epilobium canum 'Marin Pink', California fuchsia

It is a subshrub growing to 2ft tall. Native populations of these plants exhibit considerable variation in appearance and habit. The small leaves may be opposite or alternate, lance-shaped or ovate, with short to nonexistent stalks, and range in color from green to nearly white. Overall shape may be matting or mounding, the plants commonly spreading via rhizomes. The racemes of tubular or funnel-shaped flowers are terminal and usually are orange to red this unusual variety has pink flowers.

Epilobium canum, California fuchsia (Red)

It is a subshrub growing to 2ft tall. Native populations of these plants exhibit considerable variation in appearance and habit. The small leaves may be opposite or alternate, lance-shaped or ovate, with short to nonexistent stalks, and range in color from green to nearly white. Overall shape may be matting or mounding, the plants commonly spreading via rhizomes. The racemes of tubular or funnel-shaped flowers are terminal, and colors are mostly reddish, ranging from fuchsia to pink to red-orange.

Epilobium septentrionale, Humboldt County fuchsia

California Native, Mendocino, Humboldt, Trinity and Siskiyou counties up to 7000ft. California Endemic. (Not a true Fuchsia) Semi-evergreen mat forming perennial. Foliage is a matte silver which adds a nice contrast within a mixed landscape. Spread by underground rhizomes. Bloom late Summer through Fall. Flowers are orange-red tubular and terminal at tips of the branches. Full sun to partial shade, more shade tolerant than other CA fuchsias and require more water. Cut back to a few inches in Fall. Tubular flowers attract hummingbirds.

Erigeron glaucus, seaside daisy

California Native, Evergreen perennial herb, forms a clump to 1 to 2ft high and 1 to 3ft wide with blue green foliage. Purple daisy-like flowers with yellow center about 2in wide at the tips of leafy stalks, late spring through summer.
Full sun to light shade. Moist to rather dry soil, likes some summer water. Adaptable to many soil types. Doesn’t like extreme heat or cold.
Does well in mixed border plantings, edging, rock gardens, butterfly garden, sunny perennial garden or as a container plant.

Eriogonum arborescens, Santa Cruz Island buckwheat

California Native. Coastal bluffs, rocky slopes, grassy hillsides and floodplains on Santa Cruz, Anacopa and Santa Rosa Islands. Evergreen shrub. Dense mounded shrub varying in size from prostrate mounds under 2ft tall to individuals up to 6ft tall and 3to5ft wide.
With age the trunk and branches have gray to reddish peeling bark.
Bifacial leaves held erect and clustered at the tips of branches give it a grayish color. Low maintenance long-lived shrub.Long stalked flat clusters of pale pink to rose-colored flowers.
Bloom late spring through summer. Full sun to partial shade.
Drought tolerant to moderate water. Well-drained soil.

Eriogonum giganteum, St. Catherine’s Lace

California Native, Southern California Islands including Catalina, San Clemente and Santa Barbara Islands. Largest of the buckwheats. Evergreen shrub rounded in form eventually growing to 4-8ft tall and 6-10ft wide openly branched with stout grey branches. Grey white foliage.
Bloom in Summer.Large intricately branched flat-topped inflorescence are held above foliage and are up to 2ft in diameter. Made up of white flowers.
Full sun, grow best in well-drained soil and is drought tolerant. Once established does best with deep watering twice monthly during summer. Flowers attract butterflies and birds are attracted to the seed; great for wild life garden, rock garden, focal point, dry banks or effective informal screen or backdrop for a mixed border.

Eriogonum grande var. rubescens, Red-Flowered buckwheat

California Native, evergreen subshrub 1 to 3ft tall and as wide.
Leaves basal or sheathing along stems, green above woolly white beneath.
Bloom late spring through summer, long bloom time; many small flowers are held above foliage in spherical heads, pink to reddish.
Full sun, grow best in well-drained soil in a semi dry location, tolerates moderate water. Once established occasional deep water. Drought tolerant.
Flowers attract butterflies and birds are attracted to the seed; great for wild life garden, rock garden, terrace, mixed border or ground cover. Have a thick woody root system. If get leggy prune back to lateral buds.