1. Easy-to-Grow California Native Plants for Western L.A. County
I
Scientific Name
Common Name
Size
Flower/
season
Light**
Trees and Tree-like Large Shrubs
Soil
Any incl.
alkali,
salty
Water
Zone+
Availability
Notes
1, 2, 16
Maintain size
through pruning
X Atriplex lentiformis ssp.
Coast Quailbush/
Big Saltbush
To 8 ft tall
To 20 ft w
Green/Su
FS
X Baccharis salicifolia
Mule Fat
To 10 ft
Pinkwhite/ all
year
FS/PS
X *Fraxinus dipetala
California Ash
Crème/Sp
FS
Any welldrained
1-2
1, 13
Tolerates
seasonal
flooding
X Heteromeles arbutifolia
Toyon
6-10 ft +
4-6 ft w
White/Su
FS/PS/FS
H
Any welldrained
1-2
1, 3, 5, 7, 9,
10, 13, 14, 16,
18
Berries toxic in
lg. amounts
Lyonothamnus
X floribundus ssp.
Catalina Ironwood
To 50 ft t
15-30 ft w
Whiteyellow/
Sp-Su
FS/PS
Any welldrained
1-2
1, 3, 7, 9, 13,
14
Evergreen
X Malosma laurina
Laurel Sumac
1, 7, 8, 10, 12,
13, 14, 16
1, 3, 13, 14,
20
1, 7, 9, 12, 13,
14, 19
Pine scent
1, 2, 18
Long-lived
1-2
1, 2, 3, 7, 10,
12-14, 16, 19
Edible berries
1-2
1, 2, 3, 5, 10,
13, 14, 16, 18
breweri
aspleniifolius &
floribundus
< 25 ft tall
<18 ft tall
and wide
40-60 ft t
30-50 ft w
White/Sp
FS
Insignif/
Sp
FS/PS
PS
* Pinus torreyana
Torrey Pine
Prunus ilicifolia ssp.
ilicifolia & lyonii
Holly-leaf, Catalina
Island Cherries
< 50 ft
White/Su
X Quercus agrifolia
Coastal Live Oak
10-70 f tall
40-70 w.
Yellow/
W-Sp
White/
Sp-Su
X
Blue (Mexican)
Sambucus nigra ssp.
8-25+ ft
Elderberry
cerulea
Large Shrubs (> 6 ft tall; including those for screens and hedges)
X
X Baccharis pilularis
X
To 8 ft
** Baccharis pilularis
‘Pigeon Point’
Pigeon Point
Coyote Bush
6-12 ft T
to 10 ft W
Ceanothus megacarpus
X
Coyote Bush
Big-pod Ceanothus
To 12 ft tall
** Ceanothus
thyrsiflorus ‘Skylark’
‘Skylark’
Ceanothus
3-6 ft t
Cream/F
BuffWhite/
Su-F
Whitelavender/
Sp
Lt blue/Sp
FS/PS
FS/PS
Any
1-2
1-2 to 2-3
any
1 to 1-2
Welldrained
1 to 1-2
any
Coarsemed.
Welldrained
1-2
1
1, 2
FS/PS
any
FS/PS
any
FS/PS
Any welldrained
1
1, 3, 10, 13,
14, 16
FS/PS
Any incl
clay
2
1, 3, 6, 13
1 to 1-2
Winter
flooding
1, 2, 7, 8, 10,
13, 14, 16, 20
1

2. Size
Flower/
season
** Ceanothus
thyrsiflorus 'Snow Flurry'
‘Snowflurry’
Ceanothus
6-10 ft t
10 ft w
White/Sp
FS/PS
‘Frosty Blue’
Ceanothus
6-10 ft t
8 ft wide
Med blue/
W-Sp
FS/PS
Cleome isomeris
(Isomeris arborea)
Bladderpod
2-6+ ft
Yellow/
Sp+
Coastal Sage
Scrub Oak
* Rhamnus californica
X
Common Name
Quercus dumosa var.
elegantula
X
Scientific Name
** Ceanothus arboreus
x thrysiflorus ‘Frosty Blue’
I
California
Coffeeberry
3-10 ft tall
to 15 ft w
6-12 ft t &
wide; short
cultivars
3-6 ft tall
6 ft wide
12 ft tall
5-6 ft w
2-10 ft
3-20 ft w.
8-12 ft
6-15 ft w.
X * Rhamnus crocea
* Rhamnus ilicifolia
X Rhus integrifolia
Redberry
Buckthorn
Holly-leaf Redberry
Lemonadeberry
Rhus ovata
Ribes aureum var.
gracillimum
Golden Currant
* Romneya coulteri
X
Sugar Bush
Matilija Poppy
X Salix exigua
Narrow-leaf Willow
Smaller Shrubs ( < 6 ft. tall)
X * Abutilon palmeri
* Arctostaphylos
edmundsii
* Arctostaphylos
hookeri
Constancea
(Eriophyllum) nevinii
Diplacus aurantiacus
X
ssp. aurantiacus
X
To 10 ft
3-8 ft tall
spreading
6-15 ft
12-15 ft.w.
Light**
FS
Any welldrained
Welldrained,
sandy
Welldrained
Water
Zone+
Availability
Notes
2
1, 3, 6, 9, 13,
14
2
1, 3, 6, 13
1
1, 3, 7, 10, 12,
13, 16
Dense;
shrubby; fast
Dense;
evergreen;
prune or hedge
Unusual scent;
attractive
branch
Yellow/Sp
FS/PS
Sandy
best
Buff/Sp
FS/PS
Any
1-2 to 2-3
Any
1 to 1-2
Any
1-2 to 2
Yellow/Sp
Yellow/Sp
FS/PS/
FSH
FS/PS/
FSH
1 to 1-2
Pink/Sp
FS/PS
any
1-2
Pink/Sp
FS/PS
any
1-2
Yellow/
W-Sp
FS/PS/
FSH
Any
1-2 to 2-3
White/Su
FS
Yellow/Sp
FS/PS
Yellow to
Or/Sp-Su
FS
Pink/W-Sp
FS/PS
FS
Little Sur
Manzanita
2-6 ft tall &
wide
2-5 ft tall
4-6 ft w
Hooker’s
Manzanita
2-5 ft tall
4-6 ft w
Pink/W-Sp
Catalina Silverlace
3-4 ft tall
2-4 ft wide
Yellow/
Sp-Su
FS/PS
Bush
Monkeyflower
2-3 ft
Orange/
W-Sp
PS
Indian Mallow
Soil
1-2
any
Welldrained
welldrained
1-2; winter
flooding
1-2
7, 14
Evergreen
1, 5, 7, 9, 10,
13, 14, 16, 18
'Eve Case',
'Mound San
Bruno' smaller
1, 3, 8, 10, 12,
13, 14, 20
1, 10, 12-14,
20, 21
1, 3, 7, 9, 10,
12, 14, 16, 18
1, 3, 9, 10,
12-14, 16, 19
7, 12, 14
Pretty fruits; birds
Nice hedge plant’
holly-like leaves
Edible fruits
Edible fruits
Any welldrained; Birds
eat berries
1, 3, 7, 10, 13,
14, 16, 19
1, 2, 3, 14
Spreading via
roots
1, 8, 13, 14
1-2 to 2
1, 3, 8, 13, 14
Cultivars:
‘Greensphere’
welldrained
1-2 to 2
1, 3, 13
Cultivars ‘Sunset’,
‘Wayside’, ‘Ken
Taylor’
Any welldrained
1 to 2-3
1, 6, 7, 13, 14
‘Silver Canyon’
1-2
1, 3, 5, 10, 12,
13, 14, 16,
Sandy
2

3. I
Scientific Name
X Encelia californica
Epilobium canum
(Zauschneria californica)
* Eriodictyon
X
trichocalyx
X
X Eriogonum fasciculatum
Eriogonum giganteum
X vars. formosum,
giganteum
X Eriogonum parvifolium
Common Name
Size
Flower/
season
CA Bush Sunflower
2-5 ft
Yellow/
W-Sp
FS/PS
Any welldrained
CA Fuschia
1-3 ft
Orange/F
FS/PS
any
4-6 ft
Lilac/Su
FS
Lightsandy
1 to 1-2
10, 16
1-3 ft tall
3-6 ft wide
Pink/
Sp to F
FS
Any welldrained
1 to 1-2
1-3, 7, 10, 13,
14, 16, 18, 19
St. Catherine’s
Lace
3-6 ft
Pink-white
/ Su
FS/PS
Any welldrained
1 to 1-2
1, 3, 5, 8, 9,
13, 14, 16, 19
Coastal Buckwheat
2-4 ft
PinkCrème /Su
FS/PS/FS
H
FS/PS
Southern Yerba
Santa
California
Buckwheat
X
Gambelia (Galvezia)
speciosa
Catalina
Snapdragon
2-4 ft tall
Red/Sp +
X
Isocoma menziesii var.
menziesii
Coast Goldenbush
1-3 ft tall
and wide
Yellow/
Su-F
* Perityle incana
Guadalupe Island
Rock Daisy
2-3 ft tall
3-5 ft wide
Yellow/Sp
Sweetscent;
1-3 ft tall &
wide
Lavender/
Su-F
X
Pluchea odorata ssp.
odorata
Saltmarsh Fleabane
Light**
FS
1 to 1-2
1 to 1-2
Notes
Good winter
color
Tolerates winter
flooding
Aromatic leaves
Don’t plant near
native
buckwheats
1, 2, 3, 10, 13,
14, 16
1, 3, 7, 8, 9,
13, 14
FS coast
PS
Welldrained
1-2
1, 7, 13, 14,
19
FS
Sandy
incl. Alk
2-3
6, 10, 16
PS
any
1-2
Tolerates
seaside
conditions
Evergreen with
silvery foliage
Tolerates
seasonal
flooding
10, 13, 14, 16,
19
X Ribes indecorum
White Currant
To 6 ft
Red-flowering
Currant
4-10 ft
Pink/Sp
X Rosa californica
California Wild
Rose
3-4 ft tall
3-10 ft w
Pink/
Sp-Su
X * Salvia clevelandii
Fragrant
(Chaparral) Sage
2-5 ft
Purple/lav
Showy
Sp-Su
FS
X Symphoricarpos mollis
Snowberry
Pink/W-Sp
PS/FSH
X * Verbena lilacina
Cedros Island
Verbena
Lilac/Sp-F
FS/PS
2-4 ft tall &
wide
2-4 ft tall
3-5 ft wide
1-2 to 2-3
1, 2, 3, 7, 8,
10, 13, 14, 16,
19
1, 3, 9, 12, 13,
14, 19
1, 14
2-6 ft
* Ribes sanguineum
var. glutinosum
1 to 1-2
Availability
1-2
Basket Bush; Sour
Berry; Skunkbrush
X
Any welldrained
Welldrained
Water
Zone+
Any
X Rhus trilobata
Yellowgreen/Sp
White/
W-Sp
Soil
FS/PS
PS/FSH
FS/PS/FS
H
Welldrained
Welldrained
1-2 to 2
1, 3, 12, 14
2-3
Birds eat berries
3, 5, 13, 14,
19
Tolerates
seasonal
flooding
‘Compacta’,
‘Winifred
Gilman’
any
1-2;
3 (sun)
1, 2, 3, 7, 10,
12, 13, 14, 16
Welldrained
1 to 1-2
1, 3, 8, 9, 10,
13, 14, 16, 19
any
2-3 to 3
13, 14
mulch
1, 3, 8, 9, 13,
14
Lovely yearround; showy
Welldrained
1-2 to 2-3
3

4. I
Scientific Name
Common Name
Size
Flower/
season
Perennial Vines
PS/FSH
any
1-2 to 2-3
3, 7, 13, 19
> 20 ft
White/Sp
FS/PS
Any
1-2 to 2-3
1, 8, 13
Desert Grape
> 25 ft
White/Su
PS
any
2-3
1-2 ft
White/
Sp-Su
Little Sur
Manzanita
1-3 ft tall
6-20 ft wide
Pink/W-Sp
Bearberry;
Kinnickinnick
1 ft tall
spreading
** Arctostaphylos
’Emerald Carpet’
Emerald Carpet
Manzanita
** Arctostaphylos ‘John
Dourley’
2, 3, 10, 13,
20
FS/PS
Welldrained
1-2 to 2-3
most
Alkali soils fine
PS best
Any incl.
clays
1-2 to 2-3
1, 3, 6, 8, 13,
16
Red berries in
summer
Pink/Sp
FS/PS
Welldrained
2-3
< 1 ft tall
3-6 ft wide
White/
W-Sp
FS/PS
Rich, sl.
acid
1-2 to 2-3
John Dourly
Manzanita
2-3 ft tall
to 8 ft wide
Pink/Sp
FS/PS
Any
Mugwort
2-4+ ft tall &
wide
Crème/Su
PS
Welldrained
Joyce Coulter
Ceanothus
2-3 ft tall
10 ft wide
Blue/W-Sp
PS
Any
Dark Star
Ceanothus
To 6+ ft
To 6 ft
Dk. Blue/
W-Sp
FS
Yerba buena
< 6 in
spreading
White/
Sp-Su
PS/FSH
CA Fuschia
1-3 ft
3-5 ft wide
Orange/F
Seaside Daisy
1 ft tall
2 ft wide
Lavender/
Sp-F
including ‘Catalina’
** Erigeron glaucus
‘Sea Breeze’
Invasive; can
look weedy;
‘Anacapa Pink’;
Yellow/Su
* Arctostaphylos uvaursi (incl. ‘Point Reyes’,
‘Radiant’)
X
1, 8, 10, 13,
14, 16
3-5 ft
Yarrow
** Ceanothus ‘Dark
Star’
Clinopodium (Satureja)
X
douglasii
Epilobium canum
X (Zauschneria californica)
2-3
Twinberry
‘Roger’s Red’
California Grape
Perennial Groundcover Plants
* * Ceanothus “Joyce
Coulter’
Notes
Welldrained
X Vitis girdiana
X Artemisia douglasiana
Availability
PS
FS
coastal
X * Lonicera involucrata
** Vitis californica
X
‘Roger’s Red’
‘Carmel Sur & ‘Little Sur’)
Water
Zone+
White/
Sp-F
California Morning
Glory
* Arctostaphylos
edmundsii (incl. ‘Parvifolia’,
Soil
To 30+ ft
X Calystegia macrostegia
X Achillea millefolia
Light**
1,
1, 3, 8, 13
A. uva-ursi X A.
nummularia
hybrid
1-2
1, 3, 6, 8, 9,
11, 16, 19
1-2 to 2-3
3, 5, 10, 12,
14, 16, 18
1-2
1, 3, 7, 8, 13
Welldrained
- to +/-
1, 3, 7, 8, 13,
19
Welldrained
2-3 to 3
1, 3, 7, 13, 14
FS/PS
Any
1-2 to 2-3
1, 3, 9, 12, 13,
14, 19
Tolerates winter
flooding
FS/PS/
FSH
Welldrained
1-2 to 3
1, 3, 5, 6, 7,
8, 9, 13, 14
Attractive
flowers, foliage;
habitat
Tolerates
seasonal
flooding
C. impressus X
papillosus;
mounding
C. impressus X
papillosus
4

5. X
Scientific Name
Common Name
Size
Flower/
season
* Fragaria chiloensis
ssp. pacifica (& cultivars)
(Pacific) Coast
Strawberry
< 1 ft
spreading
White/SpSu
PS
* Fragaria vesca
(californica)
I
CA/Wood
Strawberry
< 2 ft
spreading
2-3 ft tall
3-5 ft wide
1 ft tall
3+ ft wide
White/Su
PS/FSH
X Grindelia camporum
X
X
X
* Grindelia stricta ssp.
venulosa
Heliotropum
curassivacum
* Heuchera maxima (
many cultivars & hybrids)
Large Gumplant
Spreading Gum
Plant
Seaside Heliotrope
Island Alumroot
< 2 ft
4-8 ft w.
1- 3 ft
Yellow/
Sp-F
Light**
FS
Soil
Sandy
best
any
Welldrained
Water
Zone+
1-2 to
2-3
1-2 to 3
1-2
Yellow/Su
FS/PS
sandy
1 to 1-2
Whitepurple/
Sp-F
FS/PS
Any;
alkali
best
2-3
White/Sp
PS/PS/
FSH
Any, incl.
clays
PS/PS/
FSH
FS/PS/
FSH
See note
1-2 to
2-3
Availability
Notes
1, 3, 8, 13
Let dry between
waterings;
edible fruit
1, 13, 20
Edible fruit
1, 2, 6, 12, 16
Spreading
5, 19
2, 10, 16
1, 3, 7, 8, 13,
14
Crevice Alumroot
1-3 ft
Pink/Sp
X * Iva hayesiana
San Diego Marsh
Elder
2-4 ft tall
4-6 ft wide
Yellow/Su
X Salvia spathacea
Hummingbird Sage
1-3 ft
X Stachys albens
Whitestem
Woodmint
1-3 ft
X Stachys bullata
California
Woodmint
1-4 ft
Pink/
Sp-Su
PS
Rigid Woodmint
1-2 ft
Pink/
Sp-Su
FS/PS
X Anemopsis californica
Yerba Mansa
1 ft tall &
wide
White/
Sp-Su
PS/FSH
Any incl
clay
2 to 3
3, 10, 14, 16
X Artemisia douglasiana
Mugwort
2-4+ ft tall &
wide
Crème/Su
PS
Welldrained
1-2 to 2-3
3, 5, 10, 12,
14, 16, 18
X * Coreopsis maritima
Sea Dahlia
1-2 ft tall &
wide
Yellow/Sp
FS/PS
Sandy
best
1-2
8, 13, 14
Red Buckwheat
1-2 ft tall
2-4 ft wide
Redpink/Su-F
FS/PS
Any
1-2
1, 5, 7, 8, 14
X * Heuchera micrantha
Stachys rigida var.
X rigida (Stachys
ajugoides)
Herbaceous Perennials
X
* Eriogonum grande
var. rubescens
Magenta/
Sp
White/
Sp-Su
Any, incl.
clays
PS/FSH
FS/PS
2-3 to 3
1 to 2-3
1-2
Any
Welldrained
Clay
1-2 to 2-3
2-3
2-3 to 3
1, 3, 8
Mat-like;
Coastal best
Butterfly nectar
plant; don’t eat
– toxic foliage
Nice massed
Well-drained
soil
1, 3, 8, 13
1, 3, 8, 9, 12,
13, 19
Cut back yearly
1, 3, 6, 12
1, 3, 7, 12, 14
Tolerates
seasonal
flooding
1, 13
Tolerates
flooding
Tolerates
seasonal
flooding
Tolerates
seaside
conditions
Tol. moderate
salt, alkali soils
5

6. Scientific Name
Flower/
season
Light**
Size
Eriophyllum
X confertiflorum var.
confertiflorum
Golden Yarrow
1-3 ft
X Euthamia occidentalis
Western Goldenrod
3-6 ft tall
X Grindelia camporum
Large Gumplant
2-3 ft tall
3-5 ft wide
Goldyellow/
Sp-Su
Yellow/
Su-F
Yellow/
Sp-F
To 3 ft
Red/Sp-F
FS/PS
< 1 ft tall
1-2 ft wide
White/Sp
FS
Welldrained
Showy Penstemon
3-4 ft
Lavenderpink/
Sp-Su
FS
Sandy or
rocky
1
Wooly Everlasting
1-2 ½ ft
White/
Sp-Su
FS/PS
Any, incl.
clay
1-2
Willow Dock
2-3 ft tall &
wide
Pink bract
/ Su
X Solidago californica
California
Goldenrod
2-4 ft tall
spreading
Yellow/
Su-F
FS/PS
Any
1-2 to 2-3
Solidago spectabilis
var. confinis
Southern
Goldenrod
3-6 ft tall
spreading
Yellow/
Su-F
FS/PS
Any
2-3
X Mimulus cardinalis
X * Oenothera cespitosa
X
Penstemon spectabilis
ssp. subviscosus
Pseudognaphalium
canescens ssp.
Scarlet
Monkeyflower
White (Tufted)
Evening Primrose
beneolens
X
Rumex salicifolius var.
salicifolius
California Sun Cup
< 1 ft tall
1-3 ft wide
X Clarkia purpurea
Purple Clarkia
2-3 ft tall
X Clarkia unguiculata
Elegant Clarkia
2-5 ft tall
Miner’s Lettuce
1 ft tall
Chinese Houses
1-2 ft tall
Globe Gilia
1-2+ ft
Claytonia perfoliata
ssp. perfoliata
Collinsia heterophylla
X
var. heterphylla
Gilia capitata ssp.
X
abrotanifolia
X
Yellow/
Sp-Su
Lavender/
Sp-Su
Pinkpurple
White/
Sp-Su
Purple
Purpleblue/ Sp
Sandy
best
FS/PS
FS
Any
FS
Welldrained
any
Welldrained
FS
Herbaceous Annuals & Biennials (also short-lived perennials usually grown as annuals)
are some of the easiest. For good seed-set, no water after plants finish blooming.
X Camissonia bistorta
Soil
Water
Zone+
Common Name
I
–
1-2
2 to 3
1-2
2-3 to 3
1 to 2-3
2 to 3
Availability
Notes
1, 3, 6, 10, 13,
14, 16, 18
Tol. moderate
salt, alkali soils
13, 16
Butterfly plant;
can be invasive
1, 2, 6, 12, 16
Spreading
3, 8, 10, 12,
13, 14, 16, 19
easy
?
Musty-sweet;
night-flowering
1, 3, 6, 10, 13,
14, 16
1, 16
10, 13 (? var.)
7, 10, 14
10
Spreads; gray
foliage
Seaside fine;
birds eat seed
Tolerates
seasonal
flooding
Tolerates
seasonal
flooding
most annuals are fairly easy to grow. Listed below
FS/PS
Any
1-2
FS/PS
any
1-2
FS/PS
any
1 to 2-3
PS/FSH
any
1-2
2, 5, 10
PS/FSH
any
1-2
1, 5, 10, 13,
16
Well-drained
soil
5, 13
easy
FS
Any welldrained
1 to 1-2
1, 10, 13, 16
‘Sun Flakes’
1, 2, 10, 13,
16
2, 5, 10, 13,
16
Needs drought
for seeds
6

7. I
Scientific Name
X Gilia tricolor
Common Name
Size
Bird’s Eye Gilia
1-2 ft tall
Rosilla;
Sneezeweed
Common (Annual)
Sunflower
1-5 ft tall
1 ft wide
Lasthenia californica
California Goldfields
< 1 ft tall
Lasthenia glabrata ssp.
coulteri
Coulter's Goldfields
< 1 ft tall
X Layia platyglossa
Coastal Tidy-Tips
1-2 ft tall
X Lupinus succulentus
Arroyo (Succulent)
Lupine
1-3 ft tall
Silver Puffs
1 ft tall
Hooker’s Evening
Primrose
X Phacelia tanacetifolia
Flower/
season
Yellow/
Blue / Sp
Yellowbrown/ Su
Light**
Soil
Water
Zone+
Availability
Notes
FS/PS
any
1 to 1-2
2, 5, 10, 13
Easy; fragrant
FS
any
2-3 to 3
2, 6, 13, 21
Edible;
pollinator plant;
FS
any
1-2
2, 10 (local
var.)
easy
FS
any
1 to 1-2
10, 13
Salt tolerant
FS
any
1 to 2-3
5, 10
Good for water
gardens; salt
tolerant
FS
any
1 to 2-3
5, 10, 13
easy
FS/PS
any
1 to 1-2
1, 2, 5, 8, 10,
13, 16, 18
Easy
Yellow/
Sp-Su
FS
Any
2-3
13
Showy seed
heads
5+ ft tall
Yellow/Su
FS
Welldrained
Purple fiddleneck
1-3 ft tall
Purple/
Sp-Su
FS/PS
X Phacelia viscida
Sticky Phacelia
1-2 ft tall
BlueWhite/Sp
X Plantago erecta
California (Dotseed)
Plantain
< 1 ft tall
Two-tone
Everlasting
1-3 ft tall
X Dudleya lanceolata
Lance-leaf Dudleya
1-2 ft tall &
wide
X Opuntia littoralis
Coastal Prickly Pear
To 3 ft
Red-skin Onion
1-1 ½ ft
Whitepink/Sp
FS/PS
Blue Dicks/Wild
Hyacinth
< 2 ft
Blue/Sp
FS/PS
X Helenium puberulum
X Helianthus annuus
X
Microseris (Uropappus)
lindleyi
Oenothera elata ssp.
X
hirsutissima & hookeri
X
Pseudognaphalium
X (Gnaphalium)
bioletta/bicolor
5-8 ft tall
Cacti and Succulents
Bulbs and Corms
X Allium haematochiton
X
Dichelostemma
capitatum
Yellow/
Su-F
Yellow/
W-Sp
Yellow
Yellow/
White / Sp
Bluepurple/Sp
1-2 to 2-3
2, 10, 16
Any welldrained
2-3 to 3
5, 10, 13,
FS/PS
any
1-2 to
2-3
2, 8, 19
White/Sp
FS/PS
any
2-3
White/ WSp
FS/PS
Any
1 to 1-2
1, 10, 12, 16
FS/PS
Welldrained
1 to 1-2
1, 7, 13, 14,
15
FS
Welldrained
1 to 1-2
Abundant
reseeders
Easy, pretty,
scent, cut
flower
YellowOrange/Sp
r-Su
Yellow/WSp
Welldrained
welldrained
1
1
Easy, pretty
2, 16
1, 3, 8, 10, 12,
13, 14
1, 8, 10, 13,
16
1, 2, 10, 13,
14, 16, 18
7

8. I
Scientific Name
X Iris douglasiana
Common Name
Douglas iris
Size
Flower/
season
Light**
Soil
Notes
1, 3, 5, 7, 10,
13, 14, 16
Drought
tolerant if
mulched
Purple/Sp
PS
1-2 ft
Purpleyellow/Sp
FS/PS
any
1-2 to 2-3
1, 3, 9, 10, 13,
14, 16, 18
1-2 ft tall
cool-season
perennial
bunchgrass
Can mow
FS/PS
Not alkali
1-2 to 2-3
4, 10, 13, 16
'Camp Pendleton'
Purple Three-awn
1-2 ft tall &
wide
Warm-seas.
perennial
bunchgrass
FS/PS
Welldrained;
sandy
1-2 to 2
1, 7, 8, 10,
13, 14 (1, 7, 8
var. purpurea)
Seeds stick to
pets
X * Bouteloua gracilis
Blue Gramma
1-2 ft tall
Warm-seas.
Perennial
bunch/sod
FS/PS
Any
1-2 to 2-3
2, 3, 4, 7, 8,
10, 13, 16
X Bromus carinatus
California Brome
2-3 ft tall &
wide
Perennial
bunchgrass
FS/PS
Any
1-2
5, 10, 13, 14,
16
X * Calamagrostis foliosa
Leafy (Mendocino)
Reed Grass
1-2 ft tall &
wide
cool-season
bunchgrass
FS/PS
Welldrained
2-3
1, 3, 8, 13
* Calamagrostis
nutkaensis
Pacific Reed Grass
3-4 ft tall &
wide
cool-season
bunchgrass
FS/PS
Welldrained
2-3 to 3
1, 4, 5, 8, 13
X Carex praegracilis
Clustered Field
Sedge/CA Meadow
Sedge
1-2 ft tall
Cool-season,
sod sedge
FS/PS
Clays
best
2-3
1, 2, 4, 7, 13
X * Carex spissa
San Diego Sedge
Clays
best
1 to 3
X Carex tumulicola
Berkeley Sedge
* Deschampsia
X holciformis (D. cespitosa
Pacific Hairgrass
1-3 ft tall
X Distichlis spicata
Saltgrass
1 ft tall
spreading
X Eleocharis palustris
Common Spikerush
1-2 ft tall
spreading
Warmseason, sod
grass
Cool-season,
sod sedge
Common Horsetail
2-4 ft tall
1-6 ft w
Perennial
rush
Western Blue-eyed
Grass
Grasses and Grass-like Plants (rushes, sedges)
Seashore
X Agrostis pallens
Bentgrass; Thin
Grass
X
X
* Aristida purpurea var.
parishii & purpurea
2-4 ft tall
2-3 ft wide
2 ft tall &
wide
ssp. hociformis)
X
Equisetum hyemale
subsp. affine
Cool-season,
sod sedge
Cool-season,
sod sedge
Cool-season
perennial
bunchgrass
FS/PS/F
SH
FS/PS/F
SH
1 to 2
Availability
1-2 ft
X Sisyrinchium bellum
See note
Water
Zone+
1, 7, 8, 9, 10,
13
1, 6, 7, 8, 9,
13
any
1-2 to 3
FS
any
2-3 to 3
5, 8, 10, 13,
16
FS
any
1 to 2-3
2, 3, 8, 10, 13,
14, 16
FS
Any
1-2 to 3
Any
2-3 to 3
2, 3, 4, 8
Can plant
densely
Substitute for
Pampas Grass
1, 2, 7, 10, 13,
16
FS/PS
Cover; cultivars
‘Deborah’; ‘Luval’
‘Cucamonga’ is annual
Nice foliage
color
Salt-tolerant
Can be mowed
Will grow in
standing water;
contain
8

9. I
Scientific Name
Common Name
Flower/
season
Size
X * Festuca idahoensis
Blue Bunchgrass
< 1 ft tall &
wide
Cool-season
bunchgrass
X * Festuca rubra
Red Fescue
1-2 ft tall
spreading
X Juncus mexicanus
Mexican Rush
< 1 ft tall &
wide
X Juncus patens
Common Rush
1-3 ft tall &
wide
Cool-season
bunch/sod;
can mow
Perennial
rhizome
rush
Spreading/
bunching
perennial
rush
X Juncus xiphioides
Iris-leaf rush
1 ½ ft tall
spreading
Spreading
rush
X Leymus condensatus
Giant Rye Grass
4-6 ft tall &
wide
X Leymus triticoides
Creeping Wild Rye
< 3 ft tall
spreading
X * Muhlenbergia rigens
Deergrass
Warm
season
perennial
Cool-season
perennial
sod-grass;
light mow
Perennial
bunchgrass
X Nassella cernua
Nodding
Needlegrass
X Nassella lepida
Foothill Needlegrass
X Sporobolus airoides
Alkali sacaton
2-4 ft tall &
wide
2-3 ft tall &
wide
2-3 ft tall &
wide
2-3 ft tall
2-4 ft wide
Light**
Soil
Water
Zone+
Availability
Notes
‘Warren Peak’,
‘Siskiyou Blue’
Easy; Bluegreen; ‘Molate’
FS/PS
any
2 to 3
1, 5, 7, 10, 13,
16, 19, 20
FS/PS
Any
1-2 to 3
3, 5, 8, 10, 13,
16
FS
Any incl.
salty
FS
1-2 to 2-3
3, 10, 14, 16
Any
2-3 to 3
1, 3, 8, 9, 12,
13, 19
‘Carmen’s Gray’
is blue-gray
FS/PS
Any
1-2 to 3
2, 3, 8, 13, 16
Best contained
places if
watered
FS/PS
Any
1-2
1, 3, 9, 10, 12,
16
‘Canyon Prince’
is low-growing
FS/PS
Any
1-2
1, 3, 5, 10, 14,
16
Great vernal swale;
cultivars ‘Yolo’, ‘Rio’,
‘Gray Dawn’
FS
Any
1-2
Tol. seasonal
flooding
Perennial
bunchgrass
FS/PS
any
1 to 1-2
Perennial
bunchgrass
FS/PS
any
1 to 1-2
3, 4, 5, 9, 10,
12, 13, 14, 16
5, 10, 13, 14,
16
3, 5, 10, 13,
14, 16
Warmseason
bunchgrass
FS/PS
welldrained
best
2 to 3
2, 3, 8, 13, 16
Salt-tolerant;
alkali fine
3/12/2011
I : X = Gardening Information Sheet :(http://nativeplantscsudh.blogspot.com/p/gallery-of-native-plants.html) or at the Madrona Marsh Nature Center
* may not be immediately local, but is a CA native plant
++
+
** horticultural cultivar
light: FS=full sun; PS=part shade; FSH=full shade
Water Zones: 1 = no summer water; 1-2 = very occasional summer water (several times per summer); 2 = let soil dry out between waterings;
2-3 some regular summer water (about once a week); 3 = regular watering/moist soil (like a conventional lawn)
Availability: numbers correspond to the Plant and Seed Sources List at: http://nativeplantscsudh.blogspot.com/p/where-to-purchase-native-plants.html
9