Plant Database
We’re here to help you navigate the process of creating a thriving native landscape.
We’re passionate about your success with native plants. Our goal is to expand this resource over time, empowering gardeners, contractors, and architects with the knowledge they need to create thriving native landscapes.
We prepared these plant profiles with anecdotal experiences: insights from our own gardens and stories shared by others. We encourage you to comment on the plant profiles and share your experiences and recommendations.
We’ve started with 50 of our hardiest species and will continue adding from our inventory.
Aster chilensis 'Point Saint George' (Coast Aster)
Lush spreading groundcover with violet blooms in summer to fall.
Arctostaphylos densiflora ‘Howard Mcminn’ (Howard Mcminn Manzanita)
One of the most garden tolerant species of manzanita, so a good species to start with if you want to try a manzanita.
Anemopsis californica (Yerba Mansa)
Naturally found along stream and pond edges, requires moist soil. Beautiful spring blooms.
Achillea millefolium (Common Yarrow)
Easy to grow with bright spring and summer flowers that attract pollinators.
Achillea ‘Moonshine’ (Moonshine Yarrow)
Vibrant yellow flowers that bloom all summer and attract pollinators.
Corethrogyne filaginifolia 'Silver Carpet' (Silver Carpet Aster)
A low-growing, carpet-like groundcover with pink flowers and silver foliage.
Clinopodium douglasii (Yerba Buena)
A spreading perennial found in shady, moist areas. It has a pleasant fragrance and the leaves can be used for tea.
Cercocarpus betuloides (Mountain Mahogany)
A columnar small evergreen tree with delicate feather-like flowers. Great for screening or pruned into a small tree.
Ceanothus ‘Joyce Coulter’ (Joyce Coulter Mountain Lilac)
A fast growing groundcover selection of Ceanothus, great for covering large areas.
Dudleya brittonii (Giant Chalk Dudleya)
A striking silver succulent that maintains a small rosette form year-round. Great as an accent around rocks or planted en masse.
Erigeron glaucus (Seaside Daisy)
A low-growing evergreen with nearly year-round pink flowers. A pollinator favorite.
Epilobium canum (California Fuchsia)
Bright red flowers that bloom in summer and autumn. One of the few natives to be blooming during this time, so a good addition to a garden to balance out color year-round.
Epilobium canum ‘Calistoga’ (Calistoga California Fuchsia)
A low-growing selection of California Fuchsia with large red tubular flowers in Summer.
Fragaria chiloensis (Beach Strawberry)
A great groundcover for sandy soils. Blooms with little white flowers that turn into tiny strawberries. One of the two strawberry species used to create the modern hybrid strawberry.
Grindelia stricta venulosa (Gumweed)
A particularly hardy and fast growing evergreen groundcover with yellow flowers. Great for erosion control.
Heuchera maxima (Island Alum Root)
Endemic to the Channel Islands where it grows on rocky or sandy cliffs. Good for coastal and woodland gardens as a groundcover in full sun or partial shade.
Heteromeles arbutifolia (Toyon)
A great evergreen shrub that is very easy to grow and has beautiful red berries during the winter.
Heteromeles arbutifolia ‘Davis Gold’ (Golden Berry Toyon)
An upright growing, evergreen small tree with yellow berries instead of the typical red Toyon berries. This selection has larger leaves and a particularly attractive branching structure.
Lonicera hispidula (Pink honeysuckle)
A vine with beautiful pink blooms that hummingbirds love.
Monardella villosa ‘Russian River’ (Russian River Coyote Mint)
Mint scented foliage and purple flowers that butterflies love. A natural selection from the Russian River that is easier to grow.