1. California Native Plants for Hedges, Hedgerows & Screens: Suitable for Western L.A. County
Size
Flower/
season
CA Buckeye
12-30+ ft
tall & w
White/
Sp-Su
‘Dr. Hurd’
Manzanita
To 15 ft t
10 ft wide
Pink/W-Sp
FS
X Baccharis salicifolia
Mule Fat
To 10 ft
Pinkwhite/ all
year
FS/PS
Cercocarpus montanus
X var. blancheae/ C. alnifolius/
C. betuloides var. blancheae
Birchleaf Mountain
Mahogany
6-12 ft tall
4 ft. wide
Yellowwhite/Sp
* Chilopsis linearis ssp.
X
arcuata
Desert Willow
5-25 ft tall
and wide
Pink/ Sp
to F
Comarostaphylis
X diversifolia ssp.
planifolia
Summer Holly
< 18 ft tall
X Cornus glabrata
Brown Dogwood
I
Scientific Name
Common Name
Trees and Tree-like Large Shrubs
X Aesculus californica
** Arctostaphylos
manzanita ‘Dr Hurd’
‘Howard McMinn’
Light**
FS/PS
FS
Soil
Any welldrained
Welldrained
Any
Welldrained
Water
Zone+
1
1 to 1-2
1-2 to 2-3
1-2
Availability
Notes
1, 3, 7, 8, 13,
14
Alone or with
other shrubs
13
Evergreen;
good in gardens
1, 2
Nice informal
hedge; good
habitat plant
1, 7, 13
Hedge;
evergreen;
upright form
1, 7, 10, 13,
14, 16, 18
Showy flowers;
winter decid.;
informal or with
other species
FS/PS
Any welldrained
1 to 1-2
White/Sp
FS/PS
Any welldrained
1
< 18 ft tall
to 10 ft wd
White/Sp
FS/PS/
FSH
Clay best
2-3
Arizona Cypress
30-40 ft t
15-25 ft w
Insig
FS
Any welldrained
1 to 2
Tecate Cypress
20-30 ft tall
6-8 ft wide
Insig
FS
Any welldrained
1 to 1-2
6, 8, 14, 24
Desert Olive
8-15 ft t
8 ft wide
Yellow/Sp
FS
Any welldrained
1-2 to 2
6, 8
X * Garrya elliptica
Coastal Silktassel
12 ft tall &
wide
Cream/W
FS/PS
Any welldrained
1 to 1-2
X * Garrya veatchii
Canyon Silk Tassel
6-15 ft tall
6-8 ft wide
Cream/
W-Sp
FS/PS
Any
* Cupressus arizonica
X * Cupressus forbesii
X
* Forestiera
neomexicana (pubescens)
1-2 to 2
10, 14, 16
1, 13
1, 13, 14
3, 8, 14
1, 13
Great hedge
plant w/ other
shrubs
Winter
deciduous. Use
w/ other shrubs
Evergreen
Cypress; heat
fine; windbreak
Hedge (to 12
ft); fast growth;
neat-looking
Berries for
birds; graygreen foliage
Good under
oaks; 'Evie',
‘James Roof’
Evergreen;
silvery
1

2. Common Name
Size
Flower/
season
X Heteromeles arbutifolia
Toyon
6-10 ft +
4-6 ft w
White/Su
FS/PS/
FSH
Any welldrained
1-2
X * Holodiscus discolor
Creambush; Ocean
Spray
10-20 ft tall
White/SuF
FS/PS
Any, incl.
clays
1-2 to 2-3
Island (Rose)
Mallow
8-12 ft tall &
wide
Magenta/y
r round
FS/PS
Welldrained
Catalina Ironwood
To 50 ft t
15-30 ft w
Whiteyellow/
Spr-Su
FS/PS
Any welldrained
I
Scientific Name
Lavatera
X assurgentiflora ssp.
glabrata & assurgentiflora
Lyonothamnus
X floribundus ssp. aspleniifolius
& floribundus
1-2
Notes
1, 3, 5, 7, 9,
10, 13, 14, 16,
18
Hedge; berries
toxic in lg.
amounts
Fragrant at a
distance
1, 5, 13, 14
1, 2, 13
Hedge;
1, 3, 7, 9, 13,
14
Evergreen
Good large
hedge
Evergreen; good for
hedges; purple berries
FS/PS/
FSH
Any; well
drained
2-3 to 3
Cream/Sp
FS/PS
Any
2 to 2-3
6, 13
Hedgefruits for
jelly, birds
< 50 ft
White/Su
PS
any
1-2
1, 7, 9, 12, 13,
14, 19
Hedge
Coastal Live Oak
10-70 f tall
40-70 w.
1, 2, 18
Hedge; Longlived
Blue (Mexican)
Elderberry
8-25+ ft
Yellow/WSp
White/SpSu
1, 2, 3, 7, 10,
12-14, 16, 19
Edible berries
California Wax
Myrtle
Western
Chokecherry
Holly-leaf, Catalina
Island Cherries
X Quercus agrifolia
Sambucus nigra ssp.
cerulea
1
Availability
1, 7, 8, 10, 12,
13, 14, 16
3, 5, 7, 9, 13,
14, 19
* Morella (Myrica)
californica
* Prunus virginiana var.
demissa
Prunus ilicifolia ssp.
X
ilicifolia & lyonii
X
Water
Zone+
1 to 1-2
Laurel Sumac
X
Soil
any
X Malosma laurina
<18 ft tall
and wide
6-30 ft t
10-20 ft w
Light**
White/Sp
FS
Yellowwhite/Sp
6-25 ft tall
6-15 ft w
FS/PS
FS/PS
Coarsemed.
Welldrained
1
1-2
Large Shrubs (> 6 ft tall; including those for informal screens/hedges as well as clipped hedges)
** Arctostaphylos
bakeri ssp. bakeri
'Louis Edmunds'
** Arctostaphylos
densiflora
'Sentinel'
** Arctostaphylos
densiflora x bakeri 'Baby
Bear' & 'Mama Bear'
** Arctostaphylos
'Austin Griffith'
X Atriplex lentiformis ssp.
breweri
‘Louis Edmunds’
(Sepentine)
Manzanita
5-8 ft tall
8 ft wide
Pink/Sp
‘Sentinel’ (Vine
Hill) Manzanita
5-8 ft tall
3-7 ft wide
‘Baby Bear’ &
‘Mama Bear’
Manzanitas
‘Austin Griffith’
Manzanita
Coast Quailbush/
Big Saltbush
FS
Clay fine
1-2 to 2
6, 13, 24
Nice flowers;
maroon
branches
Pink/WSp
FS/PS
Welldrained
incl sand
1-2
6, 8, 13,
Good for birds,
butterflies;
open growth
5-8 ft tall
3-8 ft wide
Pink/WSp
FS
1-2 to 2
6
Showy flowers,
foliage
6-10 ft tall
4-8 ft wide
Pink/WSp
FS/PS
1-2 to 2
6, 13,
Rel. fast grow;
open habit
To 8 ft tall
To 20 ft w
Green/Su
1, 2, 16
Hedge; large &
dense
FS
Welldrained
Drained;
sandy
Any incl.
alkali,
salty
1-2
2

3. Common Name
Size
Flower/
season
X Baccharis pilularis
Coyote Bush
To 8 ft
Cream/F
FS/PS
any
X ** B. pilularis ‘Pigeon Point’
Pigeon Point Coyote Bush
6-12 ft T
to 10 ft W
BuffWhte/Su-F
FS/PS
any
X * Calycanthus occidentalis
Western Spicebush
6-12 ft tall
4-6 ft wide
Purplebronze/
Sp-Su
FS/PS
Prefers
light,
rich soils
* Carpenteria
californica
Bush aneneme
6-8 ft tall
6-12 ft W
WhiteYellow/ Sp
PS/FSH
** Ceanothus arboreus
x thrysiflorus ‘Frosty Blue’
‘Frosty Blue’
Ceanothus
6-10 ft t
8 ft wide
Med blue/
W-Sp
FS/PS
** Ceanothus cyanus
‘Sierra Blue’
Sierra Blue
Ceanothus
To 15 ft t. &
wide
Dk blue/
Sp
FS
Any welldrained
**Ceanothus impressus
x papillosus ‘Dark Star’
* Ceanothus
integerrimus
* Ceanothus
leucodermis
** Ceanothus ‘Concha’
Ceanothus papillosus var.
roweanus X C. impressus
‘Dark Star’
Ceanothus
6-8 ft high
5-8 ft wide
Dk blue/
W-Sp
FS
Any
1-2
Deerbrush
3-6+ ft t
White/Sp
FS/PS
Any
1 to 2
Chaparral
Whitethorn
8-12 ft t
10 ft wide
Lt. bluewhite/Sp
FS
‘Concha’
Ceanothus
4-6 ft. tall &
wide
Dark Blue/
Sp
** Ceanothus
thyrsiflorus ‘Skylark’
‘Skylark’
Ceanothus
3-6 ft t
** Ceanothus
thyrsiflorus 'Snow Flurry'
* Ceanothus
tomentosus var.
olivaceus
‘Snowflurry’
Ceanothus
I
X
+
+
Scientific Name
Light**
Soil
Welldrained
Welldrained,
sandy
Water
Zone+
1-2
1 to 1-2
2-3
1-2 to 2-3
2
1-2 to 2
Availability
1, 2, 3, 5, 10,
13, 14, 16, 18
1, 2, 7, 8, 10,
13, 14, 16, 20
1, 13, 14
1, 3, 7, 13, 14,
19
1, 3, 6, 13
Notes
Hedge
Hedge; Winter
flooding OK
Hedge; Spicy;
wine-like
fragrance
Showy, fragrant
flowers
Dense;
evergreen;
prune or hedge
3, 6, 8
Fast; easy;
showy
1, 3, 9, 13, 14,
24
Hedge; best
nearer coast
3, 13, 16
Drought decid;
glossy leaves
Sandy/
rocky
1 to 1-2
1, 3, 8, 10, 13,
14, 20
Very showy;
open growth
FS/PS
Most
1-2 to 2
3, 6, 8, 9, 14,
24,
Alkali & garden
tolerant
Lt blue/
Sp
FS/PS
Any incl
clay
2
1, 3, 6, 13
6-10 ft t
10 ft w
White/Sp
FS/PS
Any welldrained
2
1, 3, 6, 9, 13,
14
Dense;
shrubby; fast
Wooly-leaf
Ceanothus
6-12 ft t
4-8 ft w
Blues/Sp
FS
Sandy or
rocky
1-2
1, 13, 14
Upright;
evergreen;
heavy bloomer
5-8 ft tall
4-6 ft wide
White/
FS
1-2
3, 6, 14, 20
Dense foliage
** Ceanothus ‘Blue
Window’
White Coast (Wartstemmed) Ceanothus
‘Blue Window’
Ceanothus
10-15 ft t
8-10 ft w
Med Blue/
FS
Sandy
best
1-2
1, 13
** Ceanothus ‘Ray
Hartman’
‘Ray Hartman’
Ceanothus
To 20 ft t
10-15 w
Lt. blue/
Sp
FS
Any
* Ceanothus verrucosus
1-2 to 2-3
1, 6, 9, 13
Dense;
evergreen
Spreading;
evergreen;
good for garden
3

4. Scientific Name
Common Name
Size
Flower/
season
Light**
** Ceanothus
‘Tassajara Blue’
I
‘Tassajara’
Ceanothus
White Coast (Wartstemmed) Ceanothus
To 8 ft t
5-8 ft w
Lt. blue/
Sp
FS/PS
5-8 ft tall
4-6 ft wide
White/
FS
Bladderpod
2-6+ ft
Yellow/Sp
+
FS
Welldrained
Channel Island
Tree Poppy
8 ft tall
4 ft wide
6-12 ft t &
wide; short
cultivars
4-12 ft tall
4-10 ft w
Yellow/WSp
FS
Any welldrained
* Ceanothus verrucosus
X
Cleome isomeris
(Isomeris arborea)
X Dendromecon harfordii
California
Coffeeberry
California Boxthorn
Mahonia (Berberis)
nevinii
Nevin’s Barberry
Malacothamnus
fasciculatus
X
* Frangula (Rhamnus)
californica
Lycium californicum
X
Chaparral Mallow
3-8+ ft tall
6-12 ft w
To 12 ft t
4-6 ft wide
Soil
Welldrained
Water
Zone+
1-2 to 2
1-2
1
1-2
Availability
Notes
1, 6, 13
Can be hedged
3, 6, 14, 20
Dense foliage
1, 3, 7, 10, 12,
13, 16
1, 9, 13, 14,
19
1, 5, 7, 9, 10,
13, 14, 16, 18
Buff/Sp
FS/PS
Any
Wht-purp/
Sp-Su
FS/PS
Sandy/
rocky
1 to 1-2
1, 6, 13, 14
Yellow/Sp
FS/PS
Welldrained
1-2
1, 7, 13, 14
Pink/
Sp-Su
FS/PS
any
1-2 to 2-3
1 to 1-2
Unusual scent;
attractive
branch
Showy; bluegreen foliage
'Eve Case',
'Mound San
Bruno' smaller
Good on seabluffs
Hedge; Edible
berries; good
bird habitat
1, 3, 5, 10, 13,
19
‘Casitas’ good
for gardens
CA Mock Orange
4-10 ft tall &
wide
White/
Sp-Su
FS/PS
Any, incl
clays
2-3
1, 7, 13, 14,
19
Very fragrant
Quercus berberidifolia (Q.
dumosa)
Scrub Oak
10-20 ft tall
& wide
Yellow/
W-Sp
FS/PS
Welldrained
1 to 1-2
7, 13, 14, 19
Evergreen;
small leaves;
slow growth
Quercus dumosa
Coastal Sage
Scrub Oak
3-10 ft tall
to 15 ft w
Yellow/Sp
FS/PS
Sandy
best
1 to 1-2
3, 6, 7, 8, 13,
14, 20, 21, 24
Evergreen; slow
growth
X * Rhamnus crocea
Redberry
Buckthorn
3-6 ft tall
6 ft wide
Yellow/Sp
FS/PS/
FSH
Any
1 to 1-2
1, 3, 8, 10, 12,
13, 14, 20
Hedge; Pretty
fruits; birds
X * Rhamnus ilicifolia
Holly-leaf Redberry
12 ft tall
5-6 ft w
Yellow/Sp
FS/PS/
FSH
Any
1-2 to 2
1, 10, 12-14,
20, 21
Nice hedge plant;
holly-like leaves
X Rhus integrifolia
Lemonadeberry
2-10 ft
3-20 ft w.
Pink/Sp
FS/PS
any
1-2
1, 3, 7, 9, 10,
12, 14, 16, 18
Edible fruits;
can be sheared
X Rhus ovata
Sugar Bush
Pink/Sp
FS/PS
any
1-2
Edible fruits;
can be sheared
X * Simmondsia chinensis
Jojoba
Welldrained
1-2
1, 3, 9, 10,
12-14, 16, 19
1, 8, 14, 16,
20
X * Philadelphus lewisii
8-12 ft
6-15 ft w.
5-12 ft tall &
wide
Yellow/Sp
FS
berries; grey-green;
evergreen
4

5. I
Scientific Name
Common Name
Size
Flower/
season
Light**
Soil
Smaller Shrubs ( < 6 ft. tall) (use as short hedges or combined with taller species in hedgerows)
Adenostoma
3-10 ft tall
White/SpFS
any
Chamise
3-6 ft wide
Su
fasciculatum
* Arctostaphylos
2-5 ft tall
wellPink/W-Sp
FS/PS
Little Sur Manzanita
4-6 ft w
drained
edmundsii
* Arctostaphylos
2-5 ft tall
wellPink/W-Sp
FS
Hooker’s Manzanita
hookeri
4-6 ft w
drained
X Artemisia californica
X
* Berberis (Mahonia)
aquifolium
Coastal Sagebrush
3-6 ft tall
Oregon Grape
< 6 ft
X Brickellia californica
California
Bricklebush
X Dendromecon rigida
Bush Poppy
< 4 ft tall
to 4 ft w
4-8 ft tall
4-6 ft wide
X
Diplacus aurantiacus
ssp. aurantiacus
X Ericameria ericoides
Gold/Su
FS
Welldrained
Yellow/Sp
PS
Buff/Su-F
FS/PS
Yellow/
Sp-Su
FS
1, 3, 8, 13, 14
Cultivars:
‘Greensphere’
1-2 to 2
1, 3, 13
1
1, 7-10, 12,
13, 14, 16, 18
any
2-3 to 3
1, 7, 9, 13, 14
any
1 to 1-2
Welldrained
1 to 1-2
1, 3, 10, 12,
16
3, 7, 10, 13,
14, 16
1-2
Mock Heather
1-4 ft tall &
wide
Yellow/
Su-F
FS
Any;
sandy
best
1 to 1-2
1, 6, 10, 16
Welldrained
1 to 1-2
1, 3, 7, 8, 9,
13, 14
X
Isocoma menziesii var.
menziesii
Coast Goldenbush
1-3 ft tall
and wide
Yellow/
Su-F
FS
Twinberry
4-6 ft tall
to 10 ft w
Yellow/
Sp-Su
FS/PS
San Clemente Is.
Bush Mallow
2-4 ft tall
to 8 ft wide
Light pink/
Sp
Basket Bush; Sour
Berry; Skunkbrush
2-6 ft
Yellowgreen/Sp
Hillside Gooseberry
To 3 ft
Red-whte/
W-Sp
Ribes californicum var.
hesperium
1-2 to 2
Sandy
Red/Sp +
X
Can be hedged;
FS/PS
2-4 ft tall
X * Rhus trilobata
1, 7, 10, 13,
14, 16, 18
1-2
Orange/
W-Spr
Catalina
Snapdragon
Malacothamnus
clementinus
Notes
2-3 ft
Gambelia (Galvezia)
speciosa
X
Availability
Bush Monkeyflower
X
X * Lonicera involucrata
Water
Zone+
FS/PS
1-2
1, 14
Welldrained
2-3 to 3
7, 18
FS
Any
1 to 1-2
1, 13
PS
any
1-2
PS/FSH
Any
1, 3, 5, 10, 12,
13, 14, 16,
Welldrained
1-2 to 2-3
10, 13, 14, 16,
19
10, 12, 13
(var.
californicum)
Cultivars ‘Sunset’,
‘Wayside’, ‘Ken
Taylor’
'Canyon Gray';
use with open
foliage shrubs
‘Golden
Abundance’,
‘Skylark’
Fragrant flowers
Takes hedging
Use w/ other
shrubs
Good for
seaside; low
hedges
Hedge; use
alone or w/
other shrubs
Tolerates
seaside
conditions
Mulch soil
Use with other
shrubs
Attractive
foliage; winter
deciduous
Birds eat berries
winter deciduous
5

6. I
Scientific Name
Common Name
Flower/
season
Size
Light**
Soil
Water
Zone+
Availability
Notes
1, 3, 12, 14
Birds eat berries
winter deciduous
X Ribes indecorum
White Currant
To 6 ft
White/
W-Sp
FS/PS
Welldrained
1-2 to 2
X Ribes malvaceum
Chaparral Currant
5-8 ft
Pink/W-Sp
FS/PS
Welldrained
1-2
3, 13, 14, 19
Birds eat berries
winter deciduous
Fuschia-flowered
Gooseberry
Red-flowering
Currant
3-6+ ft tall
and wide
Dark pink/
W-Sp
FS/PS/FS
H
Welldrained
2-3;
3 in sun
1, 3, 10, 1214, 19
Hedge; prickly
4-10 ft
Pink/Sp
PS/FSH
Welldrained
2-3
3, 5, 13, 14,
19
3-4 ft tall
3-10 ft w
2-4 ft tall &
wide
Pink/
Sp-Su
X Ribes speciosum
X
* Ribes sanguineum
var. glutinosum
X Rosa californica
California Wild Rose
X Symphoricarpos mollis
Snowberry
Pink/W-Sp
FS/PS/FS
H
any
1-2;
3 (sun)
1, 2, 3, 7, 10,
12, 13, 14, 16
Showy flowers;
winter decidu.
Hedge; tol.
Seas. flooding
PS/FSH
any
2-3 to 3
13, 14
mulch
Perennial Vines (can be allowed to climb through other shrubs in hedges & hedgerows)
X Calystegia macrostegia
California Morning
Glory
To 30+ ft
X * Clematis lasiantha
Chaparral Clematis
8-20 ft vine
X Clematis ligusticifolia
Virgin’s Bower
To 15 ft
X Keckiella cordifolia
X Lathyrus vestitus
X
Lonicera hispidula var.
vacillans
Lonicera subspicata
X var. denudate &
subspicata
Climbing
Penstemon
Wild Sweetpea;
Canyon Pea
3-4 ft
White/
Sp-F
White/SpSu; sep.
m/f plant
White/Su
M/F plants
Red-Or/
Sp-Su
PS
FS
coastal
Welldrained
2-3
FS (top)
PS (roots)
any
1-2 to 2
PS/FSH
Any
2-3 to 3
PS/PS/FS
H
any
1-2
1, 8, 10, 13,
14, 16
1, 6, 8, 13
Invasive;
‘Anacapa Pink’;
‘Candycane’
Winter
deciduous; tol.
flooding
3, 5, 13, 14,
19
1, 3, 7, 10, 12,
13, 14
3-9 ft
Purplewhite/ Sp
PS/FSH
any
1-2
1, 8, 13
Western
Honeysuckle
5-18 ft
Pink/
Sp-Su
PS/FSH
clay
2-3
1, 5, 13, 14,
19
Santa Barbara &
Southern
Honeysuckles
3-8 ft
Cream/
Sp-Su
PS/PS/FS
H
any
1 to 1-2
1, 3, 8, 12, 13,
14
under trees;
drought decid.
Tolerates
seasonal
flooding
Edible fruit
10/31/2008
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
+
6