A Realtor s Guide to California Native Plants. California Native Plants for Curb Appeal and Ecosystem Support

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1 A Realtor s Guide to California Native Plants California Native Plants for Curb Appeal and Ecosystem Support

2 Need to know: Once established, all plants are drought-tolerant, unless otherwise noted. All plants grow in both slow- and well-draining soils, unless otherwise noted. All plants grow in full or sun or half-day sun, unless other noted. Consult Planting Guide of under Nursery, Plant Guides

3 Large shrubs for privacy or hedging: Can be used as screens or informal hedges Less maintenance to match plant s width-at-maturity to the size of the space (less pruning) Toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia) Catalina Cherry (Prunus ilicifolia ssp. lyonii) Sugarbush (Rhus ovata) Ray Hartman California Lilac (Ceanothus 'Ray Hartman')

4 Toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia) Large evergreen shrub or small tree Major friend to birds and pollinators Fast grower White flowers 15 H x 15 W

5 Catalina Cherry (Prunus ilicifolia ssp. lyonii) Evergreen large shrub or small tree Fast grower Great for birds and butterflies White flowers 15 H x 15 W

6 Sugarbush (Rhus ovata) Evergreen, nearly indestructible Great for birds Slower to establish White flowers Needs well-draining soil 10 x 10

7 Ray Hartman California Lilac (Ceanothus 'Ray Hartman') Evergreen Fast grower Blue flowers 15 H x 15 W

8 Mountain Mahogany (Cercocarpus betuloides) Evergreen Easily kept narrow White flowers 10 x 10

9 Accent trees: Western Redbud (Cercis occidentalis) Desert Willow (Chilopsis linearis) Santa Cruz Island Ironwood (Lyonothamnus floribundus ssp. asplenifolius) Desert Museum Palo Verde (Parkinsonia Desert Museum ).

10 Western Redbud (Cercis occidentalis) Needs some protection from blazing afternoon sun Winter deciduous Magenta flowers 15 H x 10 W

11 Desert Willow (Chilopsis linearis) Winter deciduous Large pink orchid-like flowers 20 H x 15 W

12 Santa Cruz Island Ironwood (Lyonothamnus floribundus ssp. asplenifolius) Fernlike evergreen foliage Cream-colored flowers Beautiful bark 25 H x 15 W

13 Desert Museum Palo Verde (Parkinsonia Desert Museum ) Beautiful green bark Yellow flowers Evergreen 20 x 20

14 Plants for lining paths and clustering near boulders: Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) Juncus (Juncus patens and other Juncus species) Sedges (Carex pansa or C. praegracilis) Margarita BOP Penstemon (Penstemon heterophyllus Margarita BOP). California Fuchsia (Epilobium canum) De La Mina Lilac Verbena (Verbena lilacina De La Mina ) Deer grass (Muhlenbergia rigens)

15 Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) White flowers Evergreen Moderate water 1 H x 2 W

16 Juncus (Juncus patens and other Juncus species) Architectural upright reed Gray or green Moderate water 2 H x spreading

17 Sedges (Carex pansa or C. praegracilis) Short tufty evergreen Moderate water

18 Margarita BOP Penstemon (Penstemon heterophyllus) Purple flowers Evergreen Needs protection from blazing afternoon sun 2 H x 3 W

19 California Fuchsia (Epilobium canum) Orange flowers Fall bloomer for hummingbirds Shear back to 1 inch above ground in December Either Low 'Everett's Choice (1 H x 3 W) Or Catalina (3 H x 3 W)

20 De La Mina Lilac Verbena (Verbena lilacina De La Mina ) Year-round lavender flowers Deep soak once per month, once established Straight species (Verbena lilacina) needs well-draining soil 3 H x 3 W

21 Deer grass (Muhlenbergia rigens) Architectural arching grass Beautiful Moderate water 4 x 4

22 Ground covers, but not for foot traffic: Pigeon Point Coyote Brush (Baccharis pilularis Pigeon Point ) Twin Peaks #2 Coyote Brush (B. p. Twin Peaks #2) Dara s Choice Sage (Salvia Dara s Choice ) Bee s Bliss Purple Sage (Salvia leucophylla Bee s Bliss ) Point Sal Purple Sage (S. l. Point Sal ) Mrs. Beard Creeping Sage (Salvia sonomensis Mrs. Beard ) Bruce Dickinson Buckwheat (Eriogonum Bruce Dickinson ) Yankee Point California Lilac (Ceanothus Yankee Point )

23 Pigeon Point Coyote Brush (Baccharis pilularis Pigeon Point ) Evergreen Small yellow flowers in autumn Important for wildlife 2 H x 6-8 W

24 Twin Peaks #2 Coyote Brush (Baccaris pilularis Twin Peaks #2) 1 H x 3-5 W

25 Dara s Choice Sage (Salvia Dara s Choice ) Lavender flowers Semi-evergreen 1-2 H x 3 W

26 Bee s Bliss Purple Sage (Salvia leucophylla Bee s Bliss ) Semi-evergreen Lavender flowers Needs well-draining soil 1-2 H x 2-5 W

27 Point Sal Purple Sage (Salvia luciana Point Sal ) Semi-evergreen Lavender flowers 2 H x 8 W

28 Mrs. Beard Creeping Sage (Salvia sonomensis Mrs. Beard ) Evergreen Purple flowers 2 H x 6-8 W

29 Bruce Dickinson Buckwheat (Eriogonum Bruce Dickinson ) White flowers Great for pollinators, then seeds for birds Super for erosion control 2 H x 10 W

30 Yankee Point California Lilac (Ceanothus Yankee Point ) Blue flowers 3-4 H x 10 W

31 Shrubs for accent: White Sage (Salvia apiana) Black Sage (Salvia mellifera) Allen Chickering Sage (Salvia clevelandii Allen Chickering ) Palmer s Indian Mallow (Abutilon palmeri) St. Catherine s Lace Buckwheat (Eriogonum giganteum) Santa Cruz Island Buckwheat (Eriogonum arborescens) Concha CA Lilac (Ceanothus Concha )

32 White Sage (Salvia apiana) Tall wands of white flowers Aromatic 6 H x 6 W

33 Black Sage (Salvia mellifera) Lavender flowers Semi-evergreen 4 H x 4 W

34 Allen Chickering Sage (Salvia clevelandii Allen Chickering ) Purple flowers Semi-evergreen 5 H x 5 W

35 Palmer s Indian Mallow (Abutilon palmeri) Golden flowers Large felty leaves Evergreen 4 H x 4 W

36 St. Catherine s Lace Buckwheat (Eriogonum giganteum) Large clusters of white flowers, then seeds for birds Evergreen 5 H x 6 W

37 Santa Cruz Island Buckwheat (Eriogonum arborescens) White flowers Evergreen 3-4 H x 5

38 Concha CA Lilac (Ceanothus Concha ) Cobalt blue flowers Evergreen 5-6 H x 6 W

39 Plants for Dry Shade: Oregon Grape (Berberis aquifolium) Island Bush Snapdragon (Gambelia speciosa) Island Alumroot (Heuchera maxima) Foothill Sedge (Carex tumulicola) Catalina Currant (Ribes viburnifolium)

40 Oregon Grape (Berberis aquifolium) Evergreen Yellow flowers 6 H x 6 W

41 Island Bush Snapdragon (Gambelia speciosa) Evergreen Red flowers 5 H x 5 W

42 Island Alumroot (Heuchera maxima) White flowers Evergreen 2 H x 2 W

43 Foothill Sedge (Carex tumulicola) Evergreen Arching 1 H x 3 W

44 Catalina Currant (Ribes viburnifolium) Evergreen Small pink flowers 2 H x 6 W

45 Final Tips: To replace a thirsty lawn, you can recommend sedges to your client; sedges use 40% less water and are lovely. They can be left to grow tall and lush, or mowed several times a year: Carex pansa or C. praegracilis. Mulch with shredded plant material 3-4 inches deep. Do not mulch with gravel because it increases the heatisland effect and increases water needs of plants. We also recommend mixing a few groups of Aloes and Agave attenuata not native but they are architectural and a great food source for hummingbirds when in bloom. If you want to stay native, you could replace the ubiquitous Agave attenuata with Yucca whipplei.