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Armeria maritima ssp. californica 'Point Saint George'

(white sea thrift)

Sea thrift is an evergreen perennial native to coastal areas of California with pom-pom flower clusters held on leafless stalks. Normally the spring flowers are pink, but ‘Point Saint George’ has pure white flowers. Discovered on the coastal bluffs of Pt. St. George, an ecologically rich area just north of Crescent City, this beauty stood out among a sea of pink flowers. Forming compact mounds of narrow, dark-green leaves in grass-like tufts 6 inches or so high by 6 to 10 inches wide. A natural along the coast where it can bloom over a long period, sea thrift grows best in lean, well drained soils in full sun. Drought tolerant and not tolerant of heavy soils. Can be used inland in hotter sites with afternoon shade and moderate to occasional summer water.  
Arnica chamissonis  meadow arnica, chamisso arnica
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Arnica chamissonis

(meadow arnica, chamisso arnica )

Native to moist meadows in mountainous regions of California and western North America. This delighful perennial grows 1 - 2 feet tall and wide with cheerful, bright golden-yellow daisies in early summer. The bright green, lance-shaped leaves sit in opposite pairs along them stems. Grow in full sun to light shade with decent draining soils and regular moisture. Said to have the same medicinal properties of its European cousin, but easier to grow. Flowers support bees, bumblebees and butterflies. Winter deciduous. Deer resistant.
Artemisia californica  California sagebrush
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Artemisia californica

(California sagebrush)

Native to coastal regions from Northern California to Baja. Densely branched shrub with finely divided gray-green scented foliage. Grows 2 - 4 ft. tall and wide. Light pruning or pinching help keep it dense. Grown for its wonderful texture and foliage color, flowers are inconspicuous. Requires decent drainage and full sun. Thrives in coastal environments, but has performed well inland, especially on slopes where cold air and winter wet drains away. Drought and deer tolerant.
Artemisia californica 'Canyon Gray' prostrate California sagebrush
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Artemisia californica 'Canyon Gray'

(prostrate California sagebrush)

An unusual prostrate form of our coastal native sagebrush, forming a loose, nearly flat mat of finely cut, silvery, fragrant foliage around 4 ft. wide. Useful as a bank cover or for the top of a retaining wall where it can cascade over the edge. Combines beatifully with ceanothus, buckwheats and iris. Should be cut back from time to time to keep dense. Enjoys full sun to light shade and is very drought tolerant once established. Deer resistant.
Artemisia californica 'Montara' California sagebrush
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Artemisia californica 'Montara'

(California sagebrush)

Selected by Roger Raiche at Montara Ridge in San Mateo County. Forms a mound of finely cut fragrant foliage to around 2 ft. tall by 3 ft. (or more) wide. Requires full sun with decent drainage and is drought tolerant once established. Occasional summer water helps retain fresh look. Thrives in coastal environments. Deer resistant.
Artemisia douglasiana  mugwort
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Artemisia douglasiana

(mugwort)

Mugwort is native to many plant communities where there is at least some year round moisture: streams and riverbanks, road cuts, ditches, and moist meadows. A stout, rhizomatous perennial with aromatic foliage that is green on top and silvery beneath. The flowers are small and not particularly showy. The foliage is beautiful and fragrant with a long history of medicinal uses. Plant in sun to light shade where it will grow 3 ft. tall and spreading to form a colony. Well watered plants can grow even taller. Provides excellent cover and seeds for birds. Deer resistant.
Artemisia pycnocephala  sandhill sage
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Artemisia pycnocephala

(sandhill sage)

Plant description coming soon.
Artemisia pycnocephala 'David's Choice' sandhill sage
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Artemisia pycnocephala 'David's Choice'

(sandhill sage)

An exceptionally fine selection of a coastal native. Forms a dense silky mound of silvery foliage 4 - 6 inches tall and up to 2 ft. wide. The floppy flowering stems rise a foot above the foliage and are interesting but not real showy. Shear back for longer life. Sun and drought tolerant. Deer resistant.
Artemisia pycnocephala 'Dr. Seuss' sandhill sage
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Artemisia pycnocephala 'Dr. Seuss'

(sandhill sage)

In deference to this selection’s whimsical form, we have named it in honor of the children’s author who truly embodies “whimsical”. Soft, silvery, ferny foliage slowly spreads across the ground on woody branches with unusually tall flower stalks reaching up to 3 feet in height. As the stalks arise, the base is thickly covered in the showy foliage, getting narrower as it approaches the flower buds, giving the plant its unusual form. The small flowers are pale yellow and open in late spring and into summer. Provide good drainage and plant in full sun to light shade. Deer resistant.
Artemisia suksdorfii  coastal mugwort
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Artemisia suksdorfii

(coastal mugwort)

Rhizomatous perennial with sturdy upright stems of whitish-gray felted foliage. Native to coastal California where it grows in seasonal drainages near the ocean. Growing 1 1/2 ft. to 3 ft. tall and spreading to form small colonies of beautiful wooly foliage with a pleasant sage scent. The tiny flowers are not particularly showy but are attractive to pollinators. Useful in informal gardens for sunny areas with some summer moisture. Probably best in areas with some coastal influence. Cut to the ground annually to freshen and make room for new spring growth. Deer resistant.
Aruncus dioicus  goat's beard
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Aruncus dioicus

(goat's beard)

Native to stream sides and moist woods from Mendocino County, California north to Alaska.  A bold and showy perennial looking like a giant astilbe. Forms dense clumps of finely divided foliage with arching, feathery plumes of white flowers 3-5 ft. tall in summer. Requires regular moisture and part shade where it makes a striking specimen or accent plant in the woodland garden. Dies back to its roots in winter. The frothy flower plumes attract an array of tiny little pollinators and the seed heads on female plants are an important food source for birds. Said to be deer resistant.
Asarum caudatum  wild ginger
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Asarum caudatum

(wild ginger)

Native to the deep shade of forest floors, this evergreen perennial forms a handsome low groundcover. The large, deep green, heart-shaped leaves appear to hover over the ground, creating a lush, almost tropical effect. Unusual, maroon flowers with long spidery tails hide under the leaves. Thrives in the deep shade under redwoods, competing well with the aggressive roots and dense duff. The ginger scented leaves are deer resistant.
Asarum caudatum 'Alba' white-flowered wild ginger
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Asarum caudatum 'Alba'

(white-flowered wild ginger)

An interesting form of the native, shade loving wild ginger. Calling the flowers white is a stretch, they are more of a wasabi-green rather than the usual maroon color of the species. The intriguing long tailed flowers are hidden beneath the glossy heart shaped leaves and would need to be planted on a wall, slope or container to make them easier to view. Wild ginger prefers shade and moisture where it will form a low spreading groundcover.
Asarum marmoratum  marbled wild ginger
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Asarum marmoratum

(marbled wild ginger)

Plant description coming soon.
Asclepias cordifolia  heart leaf milkweed
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Asclepias cordifolia

(heart leaf milkweed)

Description coming soon.
Asclepias fascicularis  narrowleaf milkweed
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Asclepias fascicularis

(narrowleaf milkweed)

Our most common native milkweed is found in meadows and on the banks above ponds. Its flowers are held in umbels of a pale mauve color. They form at the top of 1 - 3 ft. tall slender stems that die back in winter to a perennial rootstock. Its wandering roots form small colonies. Drought tolerant, it prefers seasonally moist soils and likes moderate water in the garden. The narrow leaves are the preferred larval food for the Monarch Butterfly. Full sun to part shade. Unlikely to be bothered by deer.
Asclepias speciosa  showy milkweed
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Asclepias speciosa

(showy milkweed)

Bold and beautiful native milkweed that forms a large patch of tall stems with broad pale green leaves. Fragrant clusters of pinkish-purple flowers, followed by interesting seed pods. Spreads by underground shoots. Great in semi-dry naturalistic plantings. Host to Monarch butterflies. Deer resistant.
Asplenium trichomanes  maidenhair spleenwort
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Asplenium trichomanes

(maidenhair spleenwort)

This small fern is found in rocky habitats almost worldwide, though uncommon in California, where it is found only in Del Norte County.  Tiny, dark green, oval leaves line the black stems of this diminutive evergreen fern. The narrow fronds form short tufts under 8 inches tall that spread slowly.  Easy to grow, this little cutie is perfect for tucking into a shady rock garden, wall or container planting.  Best in gritty, well drained soils with regular to moderate summer irrigation.  Deer resistant.
Aster x frikartii 'Monch' aster
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Aster x frikartii 'Monch'

(aster)

A particularly fine hybrid from the 1920’s, valued for its long display of clear lavender-blue daisies on stout, upright foliage, to around 2 ft. tall and wide. Easy to grow in full sun with good drainage and regular to moderate water. A wide variety of bee species visit this perennial, foraging for nectar and pollen. Attractive to butterflies too. Its long bloom period, May through October, make it a wonderful color accent and a powerhouse in the pollinator garden.
Aster (Eurybia) radulinus 'Gilliam Creek' rough-leaved aster
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Aster (Eurybia) radulinus 'Gilliam Creek'

(rough-leaved aster)

This charming woodland aster makes its home in bright, dryish woods from the Channel Islands all the way up to the Oregon border and into the northern Sierras. Normally a shy, dainty little forest dweller, this selection from Sonoma County is far more robust, featuring large clusters of white-petaled daisies with white centers which turn yellow with age, and finally a deep maroon. Flower stalks reach up to 2 ft. high, much taller than is typical for the species. Serrated, deep green leaves form a high mat on this slowly spreading ground cover. An excellent plant for dry, woodland gardens, but will also tolerate moderate irrigation. One of the few excellent pollinator plants for the lightly shaded garden.
Aster (Symphyotrichum)  'Bill's Big Blue' aster
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Aster (Symphyotrichum) 'Bill's Big Blue'

(aster)

This vigorous aster is from the late Bay Area nurseryman Ed Carman. Sturdy, erect stems 4 ft. or more tall, clothed in narrow deep green leaves. Flowers profusely, late in the season with medium blue daisies. This beauty can really spread, forming broad clumps. Can be invasive. A wonderful late nectar source for bees and butterflies.
Aster (Symphyotrichum)  'Fanny's'
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Aster (Symphyotrichum) 'Fanny's'

One of our last to bloom, this Aster is smothered in one inch blue daisies in Autumn. Grows 3 -4 ft. tall and wide.  Easy and dependable, in full sun with regular to moderate summer water. Awesome pollinator plant attracting all sorts of bees and butterflies.    
Aster (Symphyotrichum)  'Little Carlow' aster
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Aster (Symphyotrichum) 'Little Carlow'

(aster)

Quickly becoming a favorite, this aster grows to about 4 ft. tall. Rich lavender-blue daisies cover this plant in late summer. Best with regular water in full sun. A butterfly favorite - highly attractive to all sorts of pollinators.

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Aster (Symphyotrichum) 'Raydon's Favorite'

(aromatic aster)

A fine late blooming Aster thought to be from eastern Tennessee, with compact aromatic foliage and dazzling bright blue-purple daisies. Forms a dense mound 18 – 24 inches tall and wide, with flowers nearly covering the foliage when in full bloom. Plant in full sun with regular to moderate summer water. Highly attractive to bees and butterflies. Deer resistant.    
Aster (Symphyotrichum) chilensis  California aster
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Aster (Symphyotrichum) chilensis

(California aster)

This native aster is found throughout much of Sonoma County, usually in moist soils. Here its form is far more slender or gracile than the burly Point St. George clone. It spreads as widely as the previously mentioned clone but with a lighter touch, integrating itself well with native grasses and bulbs. Its summer to fall blossoms are white to lavender blue and provide excellent nectar for butterflies and beneficial insects. 1-2 ft. tall and spreading. Sun to light shade. Moderate to little summer irrigation.

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