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.
Quercus agrifolia (Coast Live Oak)
One of the only native oaks that thrives in coastal environments. An iconic tree that serves as an essential species for wildlife and the surrounding ecosystem.
Romneya coulteri (Coulter's Matilija Poppy)
One of the showiest poppies, known as the "fried-egg flower". Very drought tolerant, spreads by rhizomes and can easily spread 10 ft wide.
Ribes viburnifolium (Catalina Currant)
Good low growing bush or tall ground cover for shady areas, spreads at a medium rate through layering. Has beautiful clusters of deep red flowers that bloom in late winter/early spring.
Sphaeralcea ambigua ‘Coral’(Coral Desert Globemallow)
A beautiful perennial with long-blooming vibrant red flowers.
Sporobolus airoides (Alkali Sacaton)
A good grass for mass planting, adds a nice textural element to a landscape.
Sphaeralcea ambigua (Desert Globemallow)
A drought tolerant perennial with vibrant orange blooms. Works great in hot, sunny areas.
Sisyrinchium bellum (Blue-eyed Grass)
One of the easiest herbaceous perennials, provides a vibrant pop of color during springtime.
Simmondsia chinensis (Jojoba)
Very drought tolerant, Jojoba grows from the coast all the way out to the desert. Thrives in full sun with minimal water.
Salvia leucophylla 'Point Sal Spreader' (Purple Sage)
A medium height groundcover with silver foliage and pink flowers in winter. Tolerates drought and garden conditions.
Salvia 'Pozo Blue' (Pozo Blue Sage)
A quintessential native plant with whirls of purple to blue flowers in spring. Great for attracting pollinators and hummingbirds.
Salvia 'Allen Chickering' (Allen Chickering Sage)
One of the largest Salvia clevelandii cultivars. Fragrant leaves and beautiful purple/blue flowers.
Vitis 'Roger's Red' (Roger's Red Grape)
A deciduous vine known for its vivid red foliage in fall. Ideal for arbors, it offers summer shade with its lush leaves, but still permits sunlight through in winter after it drops its leaves.
Verbena lilacina 'De La Mina' (De La Mina Verbena)
An adaptable perennial with lightly scented purple blossoms that attract butterflies. Though this plant has more flowers in the spring, it does have blossoms throughout most of the year, especially if given supplemental water.