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.
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.
Anemopsis californica (Yerba Mansa)
Naturally found along stream and pond edges, requires moist soil. Beautiful spring blooms.
Acalypha californica (California Copperleaf)
A beautiful red-twigged shrub that is underused in native landscaping. Blooms most of the year if watered periodically.
Baccharis pilularis ‘Pigeon Point’ (Dwarf Coyote Brush)
A great mass evergreen groundcover that is adaptable and dependable.
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.
Carex praegracilis (Clustered Field Sedge)
A great native lawn replacement - can be mowed or left long. Requires significantly less water than turf grass.
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.
Eriogonum grande var. rubescens (Red-flowered Buckwheat)
A uniquely low-growing buckwheat from the Channel Islands with bright red/pink flower clusters.
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.
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.