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.
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.
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.
Jaumea carnosa (Marsh Jaumea)
A groundcover with small yellow flowers in the summer. Good for stabilization in coastal areas.
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.
Muhlenbergia rigens (Deergrass)
A large clump forming grass. Great as textural accent or planted en masse.
Prunus ilicifolia ssp. lyonii (Catalina Cherry)
A glossy-leafed evergreen tree from the Channel Islands with white flowers in spring and an edible red cherry. Makes a great screening plant or small tree.
Prunus illicifolia (Hollyleaf Cherry)
A medium sized evergreen tree with leaves that resemble holly. A profusion of fragrant, small white flowers arrive early to late spring. Red fruits follow which songbirds love.
Quercus engelmannii (Engelmann Oak)
A beautiful rare oak native to Southern California that has lost much of its native habitat due to development.
Quercus chrysolepis (Canyon Live Oak)
The most wide-spread oak in the state, typically located alongside creeks and in drainage swales, thriving in moist and cool microhabitats.