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.
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.
Abutilon palmeri (Palmer's Indian Mallow)
An evergreen, medium sized shrub with soft grey leaves and nearly ever-present blooms. Native to the desert but also does great on the coast.
Agave shawii (Shaw's Agave)
Rare in California due to habitat loss. Found only along the Pacific coast of Baja and San Diego.
Acalypha californica (California Copperleaf)
A beautiful red-twigged shrub that is underused in native landscaping. Blooms most of the year if watered periodically.
Bahiopsis laciniata (San Diego Sunflower)
A shrub local to the San Diego region that has large masses of yellow flowers in the spring.
Baccharis pilularis ‘Pigeon Point’ (Dwarf Coyote Brush)
A great mass evergreen groundcover that is adaptable and dependable.
Condea emoryi (Desert Lavender)
A desert shrub that needs little water, is heat tolerant, and produces fragrant, colorful flowers over a long season.
Chilopsis linearis (Desert Willow)
A small tree with beautiful, large pink flowers. Ideal for full sun and sandy soil.
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.
Calliandra californica (Baja Fairy Duster)
A striking evergreen shrub with red "powder puff" flowers. A great native alternative to Callistemon 'Little John'.
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.
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.
Hesperocyparis forbesii (Tecate Cypress)
A native cypress that makes a great hedge or screen plant.
Iva hayesiana (San Diego Marsh-elder)
An adaptable, low maintenance evergreen groundcover. Has tiny yellow flowers in the spring.