This document provides a list of California native plants suitable for western Los Angeles County with white, silver, or gray foliage. It includes over 50 plant species organized by type (trees, shrubs, groundcovers). For each plant it provides the common and scientific name, size, flowering season/color, light/soil preferences, water needs, and other notes. The plants listed have foliage ranging from blue-green to silvery-white that can provide visual interest in the garden through their foliage color.

1. California Native Plants for Western L.A. County with White, Silver or Gray Foliage
Size
Flower/
season
White Alder
50-75 ft t.
20-40 ft w.
Green/Sp
FS/PS
Any incl.
clay
X * Arctostaphylos glauca
Big-berry
Manzanita
7-10 ft tall
& wide
White/ Sp
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
Cercocarpus traskiae
Catalina Isl.
Mountain
Mahogony
7-24 ft tall
Yellowwhite/Sp
X
* Chilopsis linearis ssp.
arcuata
Desert Willow
5-25 ft tall
and wide
Pink/ Sp-F
FS/PS
Any welldrained
1 to 1-2
1, 7, 10, 13,
14, 16, 18
X
* Forestiera
neomexicana (pubescens)
Desert Olive
8-15 ft t
8 ft wide
Yellow/Sp
FS
Any welldrained
1-2 to 2
6, 8
Torrey Pine
40-60 ft t
30-50 ft w
Insignif/
Sp
I
Scientific Name
Common Name
Trees and Tree-like Large Shrubs
* Alnus rhombifolia
X * Pinus torreyana
Blue (Mexican)
Sambucus nigra ssp.
8-25+ ft
White/Sp-Su
Elderberry
cerulea
Large Shrubs (> 6 ft tall; including those for screens and hedges)
** Arctostaphylos
‘Louis Edmunds’
5-8 ft tall
Pink/Sp
bakeri ssp. bakeri
(Sepentine)
8 ft wide
'Louis Edmunds'
Manzanita
X
Light**
Water
Zone+
Availability
Notes
2-3 to 3
3, 6, 8, 13, 14
Tol. Flooding;
white bark
Welldrained
1-2
1, 3, 8, 12-14
20, 24
Blue-green
foliage; ‘Canyon
Blush’ is 4 ft. tall
FS
Welldrained
1-2
1, 7, 13
Hedge;
evergreen;
silvery seeds
FS
Rocky
best
8
evergreen;
silvery seeds;
endangered
FS/PS
FS/PS
Soil
Welldrained
Welldrained
1
1 to 1-2
1-2
FS
Clay fine
1-2 to 2
X
Atriplex lentiformis ssp.
breweri
Coast Quailbush/
Big Saltbush
To 8 ft tall
To 20 ft w
Green/Su
FS
Any incl.
alkali,
salty
1-2
X
Cleome isomeris
(Isomeris arborea)
Bladderpod
2-6+ ft
Yellow/
Sp +
FS
Welldrained
1 to 2
X Dendromecon harfordii
Channel Island
Tree Poppy
Yellow/W-Sp
FS
X * Hyptis emoryi
Desert Lavender
8 ft tall
4 ft wide
4-12 ft tall
4-6 ft wide
Violet/W-Sp
FS
X
Mahonia (Berberis)
nevinii
Nevin’s Barberry
3-8+ ft tall
6-12 ft w
Yellow/Sp
FS/PS
Any welldrained
Welldrained
Welldrained
1-2
1-2 to 2
1-2
1, 3, 13, 14,
20
1, 2, 3, 7, 10,
12-14, 16, 19
Showy flowers;
winter decid.
Berries for
birds; graygreen foliage
Pine scent;
gray-green
Edible berries;
silvery-green
6, 13, 24
Nice flowers;
maroon
branches
1, 2, 16
Maintain size
through pruning
1, 3, 7, 10, 12,
13, 16
1, 9, 13, 14,
19
1, 8, 10, 13,
14
1, 7, 13, 14
Unusual scent;
nice branches,
blue-green
Showy; bluegreen foliage
‘Silver Lining’;
fragrant
Edible berries;
good bird
habitat
1

2. I
X
Scientific Name
Common Name
Size
Malacothamnus
fasciculatus
Chaparral Mallow
To 12 ft t
4-6 ft wide
Flower/
season
Pink/
Sp-Su
Light**
FS/PS
Soil
any
Availability
Notes
1 to 1-2
1, 3, 5, 10, 13,
19
‘Casitas’ good
for gardens
1-2
1, 3, 7, 10, 13,
14, 16, 19
Blue-green
foliage; white
flower
Spreading via
roots; silvery
foliage
X * Romneya coulteri
Matilija Poppy
3-8 ft tall
spreading
White/Su
FS
X Salix exigua
Narrow-leaf Willow
6-15 ft
12-15 ft.w.
Yellow/Sp
FS/PS
X * Simmondsia chinensis
Jojoba
5-12 ft tall
& wide
Yellow/Sp
FS
Welldrained
1-2
1, 8, 14, 16,
20
Fruit for birds; greygreen; evergreen
Smaller Shrubs ( < 6 ft. tall) ; includes woody sub-shrubs
X * Abutilon palmeri
* Arctostaphylos
tomentosa ssp.
tomentosa
X Artemisia californica
X Brickellia californica
X * Brickellia nevinii
Welldrained
Water
Zone+
any
1-2; winter
flooding
1, 2, 3, 14
Indian Mallow
2-6 ft tall &
wide
Yellow to
Or/Sp-Su
FS
Welldrained
1-2
1, 8, 13, 14
White foliage;
pretty pods
Wooly-leaf
Manzanita
3-8 ft tall
4-5 ft wide
White/Sp
FS/PS
Welldrained
1-2
13
Large shrub;
silvery blue
foliage
Gold/Su
FS
Welldrained
1
Coastal Sagebrush
California
Bricklebush
Nevin’s
Brickelbush
3-6 ft tall
< 4 ft tall
to 4 ft w
Buff/Su-F
FS/PS
any
1 to 1-2
1-2 ft tall
Buff/F
FS/PS
Welldrained
1 to 1-2
X
Constancea
(Eriophyllum) nevinii
Catalina Silverlace
3-4 ft tall
2-4 ft wide
Yellow/
Sp-Su
FS/PS
Any welldrained
X
Croton californicus var.
californicus
California Croton
1-5 ft tall
2-5 ft w
Cream/Sp-F
FS/PS
Welldrained
X Dendromecon rigida
Bush Poppy
4-8 ft tall
4-6 ft wide
Yellow/
Sp-Su
FS
X * Encelia farinosa
Brittle Bush
3-5 ft tall
3-5 ft wide
Yellow/
Sp-Su
FS
* Eriodictyon
X trichocalyx var.
lanatum
Hairy Yerba Santa
4-6 ft
Lilac/Su
FS
X Eriogonum cinereum
Ashy-leaf
Buckwheat
2-5 ft
X * Eriogonum crocatum
Conejo Buckwheat
1 ft tall
1-3 ft wide
Pink-wht/
Sp-F
Yellow/SpSu
Welldrained
Any;
sandy
best
Lightsandy
best
FS/PS
Any welldrained
FS/PS
any
1 to 2-3
1 to 1-2
1 to 1-2
1 to 1-2
1 to 1-2
1 to 2-3
1 to 1-2
1, 7-10, 12,
13, 14, 16, 18
1, 3, 10, 12,
16
'Canyon Gray'
12
Silvery foliage
1, 6, 7, 13, 14
‘Canyon Silver’
is very white
1, 10, 16, 20
(?var)
Unusual flowers,
seedpods; silvery
foliage
3, 7, 10, 13,
14, 16
1, 3, 6, 8, 10,
13, 14, 16, 21,
20, 24
10, 16
1, 2, 3, 10, 13,
14, 16
1, 3, 8, 12, 14,
19
Fragrant flowers
Blue-green
foliage
Short-lived;
whiter w/ little
water
Aromatic leaves
Gray foliage
2

3. I
Scientific Name
Common Name
Size
Flower/
season
Eriogonum giganteum
X vars. formosum,
giganteum
St. Catherine’s
Lace
3-6 ft
Pink-white/
Su
* Eriophyllum
staechadifolium var.
depressum
Seaside Wooly
Sunflower
1-2 ft tall
2-3 ft wide
Fragrant Pitcher
Sage
Light**
Soil
Water
Zone+
Availability
FS/PS
Any welldrained
1 to 1-2
Yellow/Su-F
FS
Any welldrained
1-2 to 2-3
3-6 ft tall &
wide
Lavender/Sp
FS/PS
any
Silver Bush Lupine
3-4 ft tall &
wide
Purple/Sp
FS/PS
Welldrained
Dune Lupine
3-4 ft tall
4-6 ft wide
Purple/W-Sp
FS
Sandy
best
1 to 1-2
1, 2, 10, 14
San Clemente Is.
Bush Mallow
Guadalupe Island
Rock Daisy
2-4 ft tall
to 8 ft wide
Light pink/
Sp
FS
Any
1 to 1-2
2-3 ft tall
3-5 ft wide
Yellow/Sp
FS coast
PS
Welldrained
1-2
X Salvia apiana
White Sage
3-5 ft
White/
Sp-Su
FS
Welldrained
1
** Salvia clevelandii X
X S. leucophylla ‘Allen
Chickering’
Fragrant
(Chaparral) Sage
2-4 ft tall &
wide
Light blue/
Sp-Su
FS
Welldrained
1 to 1-2
X Salvia leucophylla
Purple Sage
3- 5+ ft
Lavender/Sp
FS/PS
Welldrained
1-2
‘Vicki Romo’ Sage
3-4 ft tall &
wide
Lavender/Sp
FS
Most
1-2 to 2
Globe Mallow/
Desert Mallow
2-3 ft tall &
wide
Orange/
Sp-Su
FS
Most
1-2
** Achillea millefolia
‘Calistoga’
‘Calistoga’ Yarrow
1-2 ft
White/Sp-Su
Ambrosia chamissonis
ssp. bipinnatasecta
Silver Beach Burr
To 5 ft
Buff/Su-F
* Arctostaphylos
glandulosa var. adamsii
Laguna Manzanita
3-5 ft tall &
wide
Pink/Sp
Don’t plant near
native
buckwheats;
silvery foliage
Tol. seaside
conditions;
silver-green
1, 13
X Lepechinia fragrans
X
Lupinus albifrons var.
albifrons
X Lupinus chamissonis
X
Malacothamnus
clementinus
X * Perityle incana
** Salvia apiana X S.
clevelandii ‘Vicki Romo’
X * Sphaeralcea ambigua
1, 3, 5, 8, 9,
13, 14, 16, 19
Notes
1, 8, 10, 16
1 to 1-2
1, 3, 8, 12, 13,
14
1-2
1, 3, 7, 8, 10,
13, 16, 19 ? var
1, 7, 13, 14,
19
1, 3, 5, 9, 10,
13, 14, 16, 19
1, 3, 13, 14
1, 3, 5, 8, 9,
10, 12, 13, 14,
16,18, 19
6, 8
1, 3, 8, 10, 13,
14, 16
Perennial Groundcover Plants
X
FS/PS
FS
PS best
Welldrained
1-2 to 2-3
most
Sand
1-2 to 2
2, 10, 16
Welldrained
1-2
3, 8, 14
‘El Tigre’
Tolerates
seaside
conditions
Evergreen with
silvery foliage
‘Compacta’ is
smaller; white
Silvery foliage;
prune back by
1/3 in fall
Nice scent;
gray-green;
‘Figuroa’ silvery
Silver-white
foliage; fragrant
Reseeds; silvery
to white foliage
Alkali soils fine
‘Calistoga’ has
gray foliage
Sand dune plant
Salt tolerant
Blue-gray foliage
3

4. Scientific Name
Common Name
Size
Flower/
season
* Arctostaphylos
glandulosa var.
crassiflia
Del Mar Manzanita
2-8 ft tall &
wide
* Arctostaphylos pumila
Dune Manzanita
** Arctostaphylos uvaursi ‘Pacific Mist’
** Arctostaphylos ‘John
Dourley’
** Artemesia californica
‘Canyon Gray’
** Artemisia californica
‘Montara’
I
Soil
Pink/Sp
PS best
Most
soils
1-2
2-4 ft tall
3-6 ft wide
White/ Sp
FS/PS
sandy
1 to 1-2
Pacific Mist
Manzanita
1 ft tall
6-8 ft wide
White/Sp
FS/PS
sandy
John Dourly
Manzanita
Canyon Gray
Sagebrush
Montara
Sagebrush
2-3 ft tall
to 8 ft wide
Pink/Sp
FS/PS
Any
1-2 ft tall
8-10 ft w.
Green-gold/
Su
FS
2-3 ft tall
3-4 ft wide
Green-gold/
Su
X Artemisia douglasiana
Mugwort
2-4+ ft tall
& wide
Cream/Su
X Artemisia dracunculus
California
Tarragon;
1-3 ft tall
2-3 ft wide
White/F
** Artemisia
ludoviciana ‘Silver King’,
‘Silver Queen’, 'Valerie Finnis'
White Sagebrush
(Western
Mugwort) cultivars
2-3 ft tall
3-4 ft wide
Cream/ Sp-F
**Artemisia
X pycnocephala ‘David’s
Choice’)
Beach Sagewort /
Sandhill Sage
1-2 ft. tall
2-4 ft wide
Yellow/Su
Atriplex californica
CA Saltbush
1 ft t;
spreading
Atriplex leucophylla
Beach Saltbush
** Corethrogyne
X (Lessingia) filaginifolia
‘Silver Carpet’
** Epilobium canum
(Zauschneria
californica) ‘Catalina’
** Epilobium canum
(Zauschneria californica)
‘Everett’s Choice’
Water
Zone+
Light**
Availability
Notes
14
White-blue
foliage; very
hardy coastal
8
Monterey Bay
dunes plant
1-2 to 2-3
1, 3, 6, 8, 13
Best along
coast; needs
pruning
1-2
1, 3, 6, 8, 9,
11, 16, 19
Welldrained
1 to 1-2
1, 3, 6, 8, 9,
11, 19
FS
Welldrained
1 to 1-2
1, 6, 8, 13, 16,
19
PS
Welldrained
1-2 to 2-3
FS/PS
Welldrained
1-2
FS
Welldrained
1-2 to 2
3, 5, 10, 12,
14, 16, 18
Silvery foliage
Tolerates
seasonal
flooding
10, 16
3, 8, 13, 14
Dies back in
winter
1, 3, 5, 7, 8,
9, 10, 13, 14,
18
‘
FS/PS
Sandy
best
1-2
Yellow/Sp-F
FS
sandy
1-2 to 2
1, 6, 20
Tol. seaside
conditions
1 ft tall
3-7 ft w.
Green/Su
FS
Sandy
best
1-2 to 2
10, 16
Tol. seaside
conditions
Silver Carpet Sand
Aster
1 ft tall
2-3 ft w
Violet/Sp-Su
FS/PS
Any;
sandy
best
1 to 1-2
1, 3, 8, 10, 13,
16
Island CA Fuschia
2-3 ft tall
3-5 ft wide
Red/all year
(S/F/W most)
FS/PS
Any
1-2 to 2-3
1, 3, 13, 19
Gray foliage;
upright, shrublike
Everett’s Choice
CA Fuschia
1 ft tall
3 ft wide
Dark Orred/ Spr-Su
FS/PS
Any
1-2 to 2-3
3, 11, 16
Low-growing;
silver foliage
4

5. Scientific Name
Common Name
Size
Flower/
season
** Epilobium
septentrionalis ‘Select
Mattole’
Humbolt County
Fuschia
1 ft tall
4-5 ft wide
Or-red/Su-F
X
** Erigeron glaucus
‘Sea Breeze’
Seaside Daisy
1 ft tall
2 ft wide
Lavernder/
Sp-Fa
X
Malacothamnus
clementinus
San Clemente Is.
Bush Mallow
Light
pink/Spr
FS
Any
1 to 1-2
Malvella leprosa
Alkali Mallow
2-4 ft tall
to 8 ft wide
< 1 ft tall
1 ft wide
White/Su-Fa
FS
Any
1-2
** Salvia sonomensis X
Salvia clevelandii
‘Gracias’
‘Gracias’ Creeping
Sage
< 1 ft tall
6+ ft wide
Lavender/
Sp
FS
Any
1-2 to 2
** Salvia ‘Bees Bliss’
‘Bee’s Bliss’ Sage
1-2 ft tall
6-8 ft wide
Lavender/
Spr
FS/PS
Welldrained
1 to 1-2
no
overhead
1, 3, 6, 8, 9,
13, 19
** Salvia leucophylla
X ‘Point Sal’ & ‘Point Sal
Spreader’
Point Sal Sage
2-3 ft tall
8-10 ft w
Pink-violet/
Spr-Su
FS
Welldrained
1 to 1-2
1, 3, 8, 9, 13,
19
X * Salvia sonomensis
Creeping Sage
1-2 ft tall
3-8 ft wide
Med. Blue/
Sp
PS best
Welldrained
1 to 1-2
3, 8, 13, 14
X Stachys albens
Whitestem
Woodmint
(Hedgenettle)
1-3 ft
White/SprSu
FS/PS
Any
1-2 to 2-3
1, 3, 6, 12
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 Asclepias speciosa
Showy Milkweed
2-3 ft tall
2-4 ft wide
Pink/Su
FS/PS
Any
1-2 to 2-3
2, 8, 19
Common Sand
Aster
1-4 ft tall &
wide
Violet/SprSu
FS/PS
Wand Buckwheat
3-5 ft tall
1-2 ft wide
Pink/Su-F
FS
Red Buckwheat
1-2 ft tall
2-4 ft wide
Red-pink/
Su-F
FS/PS
I
Light**
Soil
Water
Zone+
FS/PS
Prefers
rocky
2-3
FS/PS/FSH
Welldrained
1-2 to 3
Availability
19
1, 3, 5, 6, 7,
8, 9, 13, 14
Corethrogyne
filaginifolia
Eriogonum elongatum
var elongatum
* Eriogonum grande
X
var. rubescens
Any;
sandy
best
Any, incl
clay, Alk.
Any
Low mat-like;
silvery foliage;
winter dormant
Attractive
flowers, silvery
foliage; habitat
1, 8, 13
2, 10
6
Herbaceous Perennials
X
Notes
Lovely graygreen foliage
S. leucophylla
hybrid; showy;
gray-green
Dense, evergrn;
fast; silvery;
aromatic
Silver-green
foliage; inland;
‘Mrs. Beard’
Tolerates
seasonal
flooding
Tol. Flooding;
Monarch host
plant; silvery
1 to 1-2
1, 8, 10, 16
‘Silver Carpet’
1 to 1-2
1, 8, 12
Tough plant
1, 5, 7, 8, 14
Tol. moderate
salt, alkali soils
1-2
5

6. Scientific Name
Common Name
Size
* Eriogonum kennedyi
Cushion
Buckwheat
* Eriogonum saxatile
I
Rock Buckwheat
< 1 ft
1-3 ft wide
1 ft tall &
wide
Eriophyllum
X confertiflorum var.
confertiflorum
Flower/
season
Light**
Soil
Water
Zone+
Availability
Notes
FS
Sandy/
rocky
1-2 to 2
Red-yellow/
Su
FS/PS
gravelly
1-2
1, 13
FS/PS
Sandy
best
1-2
1, 3, 6, 10, 13,
14, 16, 18
Tol. moderate
salt, alkali soils
PS
Welldrained
best
1-2
1, 3, 8, 13, 14,
19
Well-drained
soil best
Pink/
13, 14
Alpine plant;
silvery-white
Desert mtns
plant; compact
Golden Yarrow
1-3 ft
Gold-yellow/
Sp-Su
* Monardella villosa
(ssp. subserrata)
Coyote Mint
1 ft
Pink/Sp-Su
X * Oenothera californica
CA Evening
Primrose
< 1 ft tall
3-8 ft wide
White/Sp
FS/PS (best)
Sandy/
rocky
2 to 2-3
* Penstemon newberryi
var. sonomensis
Sonoma
Penstemon
1-2 ft tall
2-4 ft wide
Magenta/
FS/PS
Welldrained
1-2 to 2
8, 13
* Penstemon palmeri
Pink Wild
Snapdragon
4-5 ft tall
1-2 ft wide
Lavender/
Sp-Su
FS/PS
Welldrained
1 to 1-2
1, 14
Penstemon spectabilis
ssp. subviscosus
Showy Penstemon
3-4 ft
Lavenderpink/Sp-Su
FS
Sandy or
rocky
1
1, 3, 6, 10, 13,
14, 16
* Phacelia californica
CA Phacelia
1-2 ft tall
and wide
Lavender/
FS
Welldrained
2
13, 19
Gray-green
foliage
Phacelia distans
Common Phacelia;
Wild Heliotrope
1-2 ft tall
Violet/Sp
FS/PS
Welldrained
1 to 1-2
10
Good under
other plants
Wooly Everlasting
1-2 ½ ft
White/Sp-Su
FS/PS
Any, incl.
clay
1, 16
Spreads; gray
foliage
X
X
Pseudognaphalium
X canescens ssp.
beneolens, microcephalum
Herbaceous Annuals & Biennials (also short-lived perennials usually grown as annuals)
Atriplex argentea ssp.
Silverscale
1-3 ft tall & YellowFS
wide
green/ Su
expansa
Saltbush
Atriplex serenana var.
1-3 ft tall
Green/Sp-F
Bractscale
FS
spreading
davidsonii & serenana
Cirsium occidentale var.
4-6 ft tall
Pink/Sp-Su
X californicum &
Cobwebby Thistle
FS
1-2 ft w.
occidentale
X Croton setigerus
Doveweed; Turkey
Mullein
< 1 ft tall
2-4 ft wide
Yellow/Su
FS
–
1-2
10, 13, 16
Scented
flowers; silvery
foliage
Blue-green
foliage; difficult;
‘St. Helena’
no water after flowering
Welldrained
1-2
10
Tolerates alkali
soils
Any
1-2
10
Tolerates saline
& alkali soils
Welldrained
1-2
13, 19, 21
Welldrained
1 to 1-2
2, 10, 16
May survive
several
seasons; silvery
Somewhat
invasive;
stinging hairs
6

7. Common Name
Size
Flower/
season
Coastal CA Poppy
< 1 ft tall
Yellow/Or/
Sp-F
FS/PS
Spanish Lotus
2-3 ft tall
Pinkwhite/Su-F
FS
any
1-2
X Lupinus bicolor
Miniature Lupine
< 1 ft tall
Blue/white
FS/PS
any
1- 2-3
X Lupinus concinnus
Scarlet Lupine/
Bajada Lupine
< 1 ft tall
Redpurple/Sp
FS
I
Scientific Name
Eschscholzia californica
ssp. californica
Lotus unifoliatus
X
(purshianus) var. unifoliatus
X
Light**
Soil
Water
Zone+
1 to 2
Sandy
best
Welldrained/s
andy
1
X
Lupinus excubitus var.
hallii
Grape Soda Lupine
2-4 ft tall &
wide
Violet/Sp
FS
X
Phacelia cicutaria var.
hispida
Caterpillar Phacelia
1-2 ft tall
Light Purple
FS
Any welldrained
1
X Phacelia tanacetifolia
Purple fiddleneck
1-3 ft tall
Purple/SpSu
FS/PS
Any welldrained
2-3 to 3
X Plantago erecta
California
(Dotseed) Plantain
< 1 ft tall
White/green
FS/PS
any
X Salvia carduacea
Thistle Sage
1-2 ft tall
Lavender/
Sp
Cacti and Succulents
X Dudleya lanceolata
Dudleya pulverulenta
(ssp. pulverulenta)
Dudleya virens ssp.
X
Hassei & insularis
X
X
* Hesperoyucca (Yucca)
whipplei
** Sedum
X spathulifolium 'Cape
Blanco'
Lance-leaf Dudleya
1-2 ft tall
& wide
CA Chalk Dudleya
< 2 ft &
wide
YellowOrange/
Sp-Su
Pink-Yellow/
Sp-Su
Bright Green
Dudleya
1-2 ft tall
& wide
Orange/
Sp-Su
Our Lord’s Candle/
Chaparral Yucca
1-3 ft
(flower to
10 ft
Cream/Sp
‘Cape Blanco’
Stonecrop
3 in. tall
1 ft. wide
Yellow/
Bulbs and Corms
X Allium haematochiton
Red-skin Onion
1-1 ½ ft
X Sisyrinchium bellum
Western Blue-eyed
Grass
1-2 ft
White-pink/
Sp
Purpleyellow/Sp
FS
Sandy or
rocky
1 to 1-2
2-3
1
Availability
Notes
1, 2 many
Be sure to get
coastal ssp.
2, 10
Silvery bluegreen foliage
2, 5, 10, 13
10
8 (other vars.
at 3, 10, 13)
Flowers smell
like grape soda
10, 16
Silvery green
5, 10, 13,
Easy, pollinator
flower, silvery
2, 16
Silvery green
10, 13, 16
FS/PS
Welldrained
1 to 1-2
1, 7, 13, 14,
15
FS/PS
Welldrained
1 to 1-2
1, 3, 14, 19
FS/PS
Welldrained
1 to 1-2
1, 7, 13, 14
FS
Welldrained
1
FS/PS
Welldrained
1-2 to 2
FS/PS
Welldrained
1
FS/PS
any
1-2 to 2-3
With good
drainage
1, 3, 8, 9, 12,
13, 14, 16, 18
Dramatic accent
plant; sharp
spines
13
Silvery foliage
1, 8, 10, 13,
16
1, 3, 9, 10, 13,
14, 16, 18
Blue-green
foliage
Silvery bluegreen
7

8. I
Scientific Name
Common Name
Grasses and Grass-like Plants (rushes, sedges)
Leafy (Mendocino)
X * Calamagrostis foliosa
Reed Grass
Flower/
season
Size
1-2 ft
wide
2-4 ft
2-3 ft
2-4 ft
1-2 ft
tall &
tall
wide
tall
wide
1-2 to 2-3
1, 5, 7, 10, 13,
14, 16, 19
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
Easy; Bluegreen;‘Patrick’s
Point’,
FS
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
FS/PS
Any
1-2
1, 3, 9, 10, 12,
16
FS/PS
Any
1-2
1, 3, 5, 10, 14,
16
FS
Any
1-2
3, 4, 5, 9, 10,
12, 13, 14, 16
X * Festuca californica
CA Fescue
<1-2 ft tall
1-3 ft wide
Cool-season
bunchgrass
X * Festuca idahoensis
Blue Bunchgrass
< 1 ft tall
& wide
X * Festuca rubra
Red Fescue
1-2 ft tall
spreading
X Juncus patens
Common Rush
1-3 ft tall &
wide
Cool-season
bunchgrass
Cool-season
bunch/sod
grass; can
mow
Spreading/
bunching
rush
X Juncus xiphioides
Iris-leaf rush
1 ½ ft tall
spreading
4-6 ft tall &
wide
X
** Leymus triticoides
(‘Gray Dawn’ )
Creeping Wild Rye
< 3 ft tall
spreading
Deergrass
2-4 ft tall &
wide
X * Muhlenbergia rigens
Notes
any
Blue (Western)
Wildrye
Giant Rye Grass
Availability
FS/PS
X Elymus glaucus
Spreading
rush
Warm
season
perennial
Cool-season
perennial
sod-grass;
Perennial
bunchgrass
FS/PS
PS/FSH
Welldrained
Clays
best
Any; not
shallow
Water
Zone+
FS/PS/FSH
San Diego Sedge
** Leymus condensatus
(‘Canyon Prince’ )
Soil
cool-season
bunchgrass
Cool-season,
sod sedge
Cool-season
bunchgrass
X * Carex spissa
X
Light**
2-3
1 to 3
1-2 to 2-3
1, 3, 8, 13
1, 7, 8, 9, 10,
13
3, 4, 5, 10, 13,
14, 16
Nice blue foliage
color
Substitute for
Pampas Grass
Salt-sensitive;
coarse-looking;
‘Phil’s Silver’, 'Horse
Mountain Green',
'Serpentine Blue'
‘Warren Peak’,
‘Siskiyou Blue’
Best contained
if watered;
blue-green
‘Canyon Prince’
is low-growing,
blue-green
cultivar ‘Gray
Dawn’ graygreen light mow
Tolerates
seasonal
flooding
1/14/2011
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
8