1. CA Native Plants for Western L.A. County Gardens – Herbaceous Perennials/Sub-shrub Groundcover Plants
I
Scientific Name
Common Name
Size
Flower/
season
Light**
Soil
Water
Zone+
Availability
Notes
Groundcover Plants: Herbaceous Perennials
X Abronia maritima
Red Sand Verbena
to 6 ft
Magenta/
Su-F
X Achillea millefolia
Yarrow
1-2 ft
White/Sp-Su
X * Agave shawii
Coastal Agave/
Shaw’s Century
Plant
2-3 ft tall
2-5 ft wide
Silver Beach Burr
Pacific Cinquefoil
Ambrosia chamissonis
ssp. bipinnatasecta
Argentina/Potentilla
X
anserina
** Artemesia californica
‘Canyon Gray’
** Artemisia californica
‘Montara’
X Artemisia douglasiana
X Artemisia dracunculus
** Artemisia
ludoviciana ‘Silver King’,
‘Silver Queen’, 'Valerie Finnis'
**Artemisia
X pycnocephala ‘David’s
Choice’)
Sand
1-2 to 2
10, 13, 16
Adjacent to
beach only
FS/PS
Welldrained
1-2 to 2-3
most
Alkali soils fine
Yellow/ at
age 15 yrs
FS
Welldrained
To 5 ft
Buff/Su-F
FS
Sand
1-2 to 2
2, 10, 16
1 ft tall
2-3 ft w
Yellow/
Sp-Su
FS/PS
Sandy
2 to 3
13 (? ssp)
1-2 ft tall
8-10 ft w.
Green-gold/
Su
FS
Welldrained
1 to 1-2
1, 3, 6, 8, 9,
11, 19
2-3 ft tall
3-4 ft wide
Green-gold/
Su
FS
Welldrained
1 to 1-2
1, 6, 8, 13, 16,
19
2-4+ ft tall
& wide
Cream/Su
PS
Welldrained
1-2 to 2-3
California
Tarragon;
White Sagebrush
(Western
Mugwort) cultivars
1-3 ft tall
2-3 ft wide
White/F
FS/PS
Welldrained
1-2
2-3 ft tall
3-4 ft wide
Cream/ Sp-F
FS
Welldrained
1-2 to 2
Beach Sagewort /
Sandhill Sage
1-2 ft. tall
2-4 ft wide
Yellow/Su
Canyon Gray
Sagebrush
Montara
Sagebrush
Mugwort
Atriplex californica
CA Saltbush
Atriplex leucophylla
Beach Saltbush
X * Boykinia rotundifolia
Roundleaf Boykinia
1 ft t;
spreading
1 ft tall
3-7 ft w.
1-2 ft tall
1 ft wide
FS
1 to 1-2
1, 9, 14
3, 5, 10, 12,
14, 16, 18
Tolerates
seasonal
flooding
3, 8, 13, 14
Dies back in
winter
1, 3, 5, 7, 8,
9, 10, 13, 14,
18
‘
Sandy
best
1-2
Yellow/Sp-F
FS
sandy
1-2 to 2
1, 6, 20
Green/Su
FS
Sandy
best
1-2 to 2
10, 16
White/Su
PS/FSH
2-3 to 3
Seaside plant;
can be weedy
10, 16
FS/PS
Most
Tolerates
seaside
conditions;
suckers (‘pups’)
Sand dune plant
Salt tolerant
13
Tol. seaside
conditions
Tol. seaside
conditions
Native to Santa
Monica mtns;
evergreen
1

2. Scientific Name
Common Name
Size
Flower/
season
Cardionema
ramosissimum
Sandmat
1 ft tall
to 5 ft w
White/Sp-Su
FS
Sand
Chamaesyce
albomarginata
I
Rattlesnake Weed
White/Sp-F
FS
Any
* Clinopodium (Satureja)
chandleri
Clinopodium (Satureja)
X
douglasii
* Clinopodium
(Satureja) mimuloides
** Corethrogyne
X (Lessingia) filaginifolia
‘Silver Carpet’
X
Cressa truxillensis
Epilobium canum
X (Zauschneria
californica)
** Epilobium canum
(Zauschneria
californica) ‘Catalina’
** Epilobium canum
(Zauschneria
californica) ‘Everett’s
Choice’
** Epilobium canum
(Zauschneria CA)
‘Hurricane Point’
** Epilobium canum
(Zauschneria CA)
‘Solidarity Pink’
** Epilobium canum
(Zauschneria CA)
‘Wayne’s Silver’
** Epilobium
septentrionalis ‘Select
Mattole’
San Miguel Savory
Yerba buena
< 6 in t.
1-2 ft tall
2-3 ft wide
< 6 in
spreading
Light**
White/Sp
PS/FSH
White/Sp-Su
PS/FSH
Soil
Welldrained
Welldrained
Monkeyflower
Savory
1 ft tall
2-4+ ft w
Red-Or/
Su-Fa
FS/PS
Silver Carpet Sand
Aster
1 ft tall
2-3 ft w
Violet/Sp-Su
FS/PS
Alkali Weed
< 1 ft tall
spreading
White/Su-F
CA Fuschia
1-3 ft
3-5 ft wide
Orange/F
FS/PS
Any
Island CA Fuschia
2-3 ft tall
3-5 ft wide
Red/all year
(S/F/W most)
FS/PS
Everett’s Choice
CA Fuschia
1 ft tall
3 ft wide
Dark Orred/ Spr-Su
Hurricane Point CA
Fuschia
1 ft tall
2 ft wide
‘Solidarity pink’ CA
Fuschia
Welldrained
Any;
sandy
best
Any;
alkali OK
Water
Zone+
Availability
Notes
1-2 to 2
10
Beach dune
plant; prickly
1 to 1-2
2
?Toxic
3, 14
minty
1-2 to 2-3
2-3 to 3
1, 3, 7, 13, 14
2-3 to 3
3, 8
hummingbird
plant
1 to 1-2
1, 3, 8, 10, 13,
16
1-2 to 2
10
May be invasive
1-2 to 2-3
1, 3, 9, 12, 13,
14, 19
Tolerates winter
flooding
Any
1-2 to 2-3
1, 3, 13, 19
Gray foliage;
upright, shrublike
FS/PS
Any
1-2 to 2-3
3, 11, 16
Low-growing
Or-red/Su-F
FS/PS
Any
1-2 to 2-3
8, 19
Low-growing
2-3 ft tall &
wide
Pink/Su-F
FS/PS
Most
2 to 2-3
13
under oaks;
tolerates winter
flooding
‘Wayne’s Silver’ CA
Fuschia
1-2 ft tall
3-4 ft wide
Red/Su-F
FS/PS
most
2 to 2-3
13, 14
Humbolt County
Fuschia
1 ft tall
4-5 ft wide
Or-red/Su-F
FS/PS
Prefers
rocky
FS
under oaks
2-3
19
Low mat-like;
silvery foliage;
winter dormant
2

3. Scientific Name
Common Name
Size
Flower/
season
X
** Erigeron glaucus
‘Bountiful’
Bountiful Seaside
Daisy
< 1 ft tall
1-2 ft wide
Lavender/
Sp-Su
PS best
Welldrained
1-2 to 2-3
8, 9,
X
** Erigeron glaucus
‘Sea Breeze’
Seaside Daisy
1 ft tall
2 ft wide
Lavernder/
Sp-Fa
FS/PS/FSH
Welldrained
1-2 to 3
1, 3, 5, 6, 7,
8, 9, 13, 14
** Erigeron glaucus
'Wayne Roderick'
** Eriogonum
fasciculatum ‘Warriner
Lytle’
* Fragaria chiloensis
X ssp. pacifica (and
cultivars)
* Fragaria vesca
X
(californica)
Wayne Roderick
Daisy
< 1 ft tall
2-3 ft wide
Lavenderblue/Sp-F
FS/
PS (hot)
Welldrained
1-2;
2-3(sun)
1, 3, 6, 8
Warriner Lytle CA
Buckwheat
< 1 ft
spreading
Pink/Sp-F
FS
Any
1 to 1-2
1, 3, 7, 8, 13
(Pacific) Coast
Strawberry
< 1 ft
spreading
White/Sp-Su
PS
Sandy
best
1-2 to
2-3
1, 3, 8, 13
Let dry between
waterings;
edible fruit
CA/Wood
Strawberry
1, 13, 20
Edible fruit
X Grindelia camporum
Large Gumplant
< 2 ft
spreading
2-3 ft tall
3-5 ft wide
1, 2, 6, 12, 16
Spreading
* Grindelia stricta ssp.
X venulosa (var.
platyphylla)
Spreading Gum
Plant
1 ft tall
3+ ft wide
Yellow/Su
5, 19
Mat-like;
Coastal best
Seaside Heliotrope
< 2 ft
4-8 ft w.
Shaggy-hair
Alumroot
< 1 ft tall
1-2 ft wide
I
X
Heliotropum
X
curassivacum
* Heuchera
hirsutissima
* Heuchera maxima
X (incl. many cultivars &
hybrids)
X * Heuchera micrantha
* Heuchera pilosissima
X * Hoita orbicularis
X * Iva hayesiana
Island Alumroot
1- 3 ft
White/Su
Yellow/
Sp-Fa
Light**
PS/FSH
FS
Soil
any
Welldrained
FS/PS
sandy
Whitepurple/Sp-F
FS/PS
Any;
alkali
best
Pink/Sp
PS/FSH
Welldrained
White/Sp
PS/PS/ FSH
Any, incl.
clays
Crevice Alumroot
1-3 ft
Pink/Sp
Hairy Alumroot
1-2 ft tall
and wide
White/Sp
PS/FSH
Welldrained
< 1 ft tall
2-3 ft wide
Magenta/Sp
PS/FSH
Welldrained
2-4 ft tall
4-6 ft wide
Yellow/Su
Creeping Leatherleaf
San Diego Marsh
Elder
PS/PS/ FSH
FS/PS/ FSH
See note
Any, incl.
clays
Water
Zone+
1-2 to 3
1-2
1 to 1-2
2-3
2 to 2-3
1-2 to
2-3
2-3 to 3
2 to 2-3
2-3 to 3
1 to 2-3
Availability
2, 10, 16
8, 13
Notes
Green foliage;
large flowers
Attractive
flowers, foliage;
habitat
Silvery foliage;
butterfly nectar
Great butterfly
nectar plant;
don’t eat – toxic
foliage
Pretty and
hardy; San
Jacinto Mtns
1, 3, 7, 8, 13,
14
Lovely flowers;
evergreen
1, 3, 8
Well-drained
soil
N. Coast; good
massed
5, 6
13
Nice
groundcover
1, 3, 8, 13
3

4. Scientific Name
Common Name
Size
Flower/
season
Lotus heermannii
Heerman’s Lotus
< 1 ft
Yellow/Sp-F
FS
Welldrained
Malvella leprosa
Alkali Mallow
< 1 ft tall
1 ft wide
White/Su-Fa
FS
Any
1-2
Tule Mint; Wild
Mint
< 1 ft
spreading
Pink/Sp-Su
PS
Most
2 to 3
Coyote Mint
1-2 ft tall
1-2 ft wide
Pink/Sp-Su
PS
Welldrained
X * Oxalis oregana
Redwood Sorrel
< 1 ft tall
2-4 ft wide
Pink/Sp
PS/FSH
most
X Phacelia ramosissima
Branching (Strand)
Phacelia
2-4 ft tall &
wide
Lavender/
Spr-Su
FS/PS
any
1 to 2-3
X Ribes viburnifolium
Catalina Perfume
1-3 ft
Pink/
PS/FSH
See note
2 to 2-3
X Ranunculus californicus
California
Buttercup
< 2 ft
Yellow/
X * Salvia sonomensis
Creeping Sage
1-2 ft tall
3-8 ft wide
Med. Blue/
Sp
X Salvia spathacea
Hummingbird Sage
1-3 ft
I
X * Mentha arvensis
X
** Monardella villosa
‘Russian River’
X Stachys albens
X Stachys bullata
Stachys rigida var.
X rigida (Stachys
ajugoides)
* Symphyotrichum
X chilense (Aster
chilensis)
** Symphyotrichum
chilense (Aster
chilensis) ‘Point St.
George’
Light**
Soil
Water
Zone+
1-2 to 2-3
1-2
2-3 to 3
Availability
Notes
10, 16
2, 10
2, 6, 13
Excellent fo tea;
contain
1, 3, 8, 13, 14,
19
2, 11, 24
Nice, spreading,
woodsy
1, 2, 10, 12,
16
Hairs may cause
rash
1, 3, 9, 13, 14,
20
Pac Coast
Seed
Well-drained
soil
Very welldrained soils
Silver-green
foliage; inland;
‘Mrs. Beard’
sandy
2-3 to 3
PS best
Welldrained
1 to 1-2
Magenta/Spr
PS/FSH
Any
1-2
1-3 ft
White/SprSu
FS/PS
Any
1-2 to 2-3
1-4 ft
Pink/Spr-Su
PS
Rigid Woodmint
(Hedgenettle)
1-2 ft
Pink/Spr-Su
FS/PS
Clay
2-3 to 3
1, 13
Coast Aster
1-3 ft tall
spreading
Lavender/Sp
FS/PS
Any
1-2 to 3
1, 8, 11, 13
Good habitat
plant
Point St. George
Coast Aster
1-3 ft tall
spreading
Lavender/Sp
FS/PS
Any
1-2 to 3
1, 8, 11, 13
Good habitat
plant
Whitestem
Woodmint
(Hedgenettle)
California
Woodmint
(Hedgenettle)
PS
Welldrained
2-3
3, 8, 13, 14
1, 3, 8, 9, 12,
13, 19
Cut back yearly
1, 3, 6, 12
1, 3, 7, 12, 14
Tolerates
seasonal
flooding
4

5. Flower/
season
Scientific Name
Common Name
Size
Verbena bracteata
Big Bract Verbena
½ - 2 ft
X Verbena lasiostachys
California Verbena
1-4 ft
I
Lavender/S
U-Fa
Lavender/Sp
r-Fa
Light**
Soil
Water
Zone+
FS
?any
2-3 to 3
FS/PS
Any
1-2
Availability
Notes
10
1, 10, 13, 16
No water after
flowering
4/3/12
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
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