Perideridia gairdneri
An interesting and rarely cultivated native perennial that grows in grasslands and meadows in central to northern California and the Sierra Nevada foothills. Narrow leaves emerge in the spring giving way to lovely 4 ft. tall flowering stems topped with umbels of delicate white flowers in the summer. Looks particularly nice in mass and livens up a meadow or grassland planting that may be waning in summer. Entice the anise swallowtail butterfly with a NATIVE larval food source. Plant in full sun to light shade with a little water. Allow to go dry after flowering.
Perideridia kelloggii
An interesting and rarely cultivated native perennial that grows in grasslands and meadows in central to northern California and the Sierra Nevada foothills. Narrow leaves emerge in the spring giving way to lovely 4 ft. tall flowering stems topped with umbels of delicate white flowers in the summer. Looks particularly nice in mass and livens up a meadow or grassland planting that may be waning in summer. Entice the anise swallowtail butterfly with a NATIVE larval food source. Plant in full sun to light shade with a little water. Allow to go dry after flowering.
Phacelia bolanderi
Easy to grow perennial for part shade and a little summer water. Native to slopes and canyons of coastal forests in northern California. Forms low mounds of soft foliage 6 - 8 inches tall by 2 ft. or so wide. Pretty powder blue-purple one inch flowers late spring into summer offer nectar to hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies. The seeds are enjoyed by songbirds. Though somewhat short-lived, it often reseeds. Appears to be deer resistant.
Phacelia californica
A low elevation species inhabiting bluffs, open slopes, road cuts and canyons of our inner and outer Coast Ranges down through the central coast. Forms perennial clumps of crinkled gray leaves. Stout stems rise above the rosette one foot to 18 inches tall with large coils of lavender flowers. Excellent rock garden subject. Plant in sunny areas with good drainage where it will be drought tolerant, and will do fine with a little summer water. Phacelias are great for attracting bees and butterflies.
Phacelia campanularia
This ANNUAL is endemic to washes in Southern California deserts. Amazing, royal blue flowers make a show stopping display atop foliage 6-10 inches tall. Surprisingly adaptable, requiring well drained soils, full sun and dryish conditions. Excellent in containers too. Bee favorite.
Phacelia grandiflora
Native to southern California coastal sage scrub and chaparral communities, this native ANNUAL is often a fire follower. Fast growing to 3 ft. tall and topped with clusters of large fragrant blossoms of lavender- blue. Abundant nectar and pollen is highly attractive to bees and a great addition to the habitat garden. Plant in full sun with a little water to encourage long blooming. Often self sows.
Phacelia tanacetifolia
A robust ANNUAL increasingly used in agriculture as a pollinator attracting cover crop. This native covers the ground and flowers abundantly producing high quality pollen and nectar which is highly attractive to bees and beneficial insects. Fast growing frilly foliage grows 2-4 ft. tall and wide topped with clusters of small lavender-blue cup shaped flowers. Sun to light shade, decent drainage and drought tolerant. Occasional water during flowering will keep it going longer.
Philadelphus lewisii ‘Covelo’
Sweetly fragrant, pure white blossoms with yellow stamens cover this desirable, deciduous native shrub in late spring, attracting bees and butterflies. Reaches to 8 ft. tall and wide with a vaguely umbrella shape. This selection is somewhat denser than 'Marjorie Schmidt', in both foliage and flower, with leaves that are less serrated. Enjoys full sun to light shade and moderate to occasional summer water. Tolerant of clay soil. Works well in a conatainer.
Philadelphus lewisii ‘Goose Creek’
This unusual selection of our native mock orange offers fully double flowers! We aren't usually fans of extra petals on our flowers, but this selection is quite appealing, with blossoms looking like fluffy snowballs held along the stems in late spring. This form was discovered near the Smith River in Del Norte County. Mock orange is a large deciduous shrub up to 8 ft tall and wide with sweetly fragrant, white flowers in late spring and early summer. Useful as a specimen or in mixed plantings. Sun to light shade, moderate to little water when established. A good container plant and clay tolerant.
Philadelphus lewisii ‘Marjorie Schmidt’
This native mock orange was selected by Roger Raiche and Ron Lutsko in Shasta County. It caught their eye while driving along Route 36 west of Red Bluff, as being larger-flowered and more floriferous than surrounding shrubs. Large deciduous shrub up to 8 ft tall and wide with fragrant white flowers in early summer. Sun to light shade, most soils, moderate to little water once established. Flowers attractive to bees and butterflies.
Phyla nodiflora
Vigorous, spreading ground cover native to California, North America and other parts of the world. It's a tough one, able to survive a wide range of conditions and soil types. Tolerates both drought and flooding, but best with occasional deep watering in full sun to very light shade. Flowers heavily over a long period with charming little heads of mauve-pink, lavender and white blossoms, delighting an assortment of bees and butterflies. This dense, carpeting plant makes a serviceable ground cover or lawn-like replacement, tolerating moderate foot traffic and occasional mowing. May look rough in the winter, but quickly recovers in spring. Free flowering and pollinator friendly.
Physocarpus capitatus
Handsome, deciduous shrub favoring wooded streamsides in California. Grows vigorously 4 - 8 ft. tall and wide. After leafing out in the spring, the shrub looks spiraea-like, covered with small clusters of white flowers followed by red capsular fruits. Best with light shade and some summer water, but will accept full sun in cooler areas. Keep bushy and in bounds with pruning.
Plantago maritima
From coastal bluffs up and down the California coast comes this charming little plantain. Starting in late spring and continuing through summer, small, greenish-yellow flowers flank the top of slender stems up to 6 inches tall. The dense rosettes of narrow, succulent leaves provide a striking accent in a rock garden or nestled in crevices between pavers or stones. A good container specimen. Recognized for its edible and medicinal uses. Plant in full sun to light shade. Tolerates low to regular moisture. May spread vigorously by seed.
Potentilla gracilis
Prolific displays of bright yellow flowers resembling buttercups make this little cinquefoil a hit from spring through autumn. Flowers are held on two foot stems above low mats of dissected,dark green leaves. Native to mountainous areas throughout California. Provide full sun to light shade and give occasional to regular moisture. Will spread slowly by seed if exposed soil is nearby. A favorite of bees and butterflies. Deer resistant.
Prunella vulgaris v. lanceolata
Native to moist areas usually near coniferous forests and woodlands. Creeping perennial forms a low dense mat of foliage. Upright spikes of purple flowers over a long period summer - fall. Give some thought to placement because if happy it will reseed vigorously. Plant in full sun or light shade with regular water.
Prunus ilicifolia ssp. ilicifolia
Hollyleaf cherry is a large, evergreen shrub that can grow more than 15 feet tall and wide, but is easily pruned to be more compact. This adaptable foothill native can be clipped into a formal hedge, pruned to be treelike, or left to its own natural gumdrop-shaped habit. Often it is used for background or screen plantings. Glossy, holly-like leaves are accompanied by showy displays of creamy-white flowers in narrow spikes from late spring to early summer. Plant in full sun to very light shade. Looks best with occasional deep waterings, but can tolerate very dry conditions once established. Although it requires good drainage, it is tolerant of heat, drought, wind and oak root fungus. An excellent habitat plant, offering food and cover for wildlife. Birds enjoy the small reddish-purple cherries. Generally deer resistant.
Ptelea crenulata
This interesting California endemic deserves wider use in California gardens. Hoptree is a deciduous, large shrub/small tree, growing 6 - 15 ft. tall, in the citrus family. Native to hot, interior coast ranges and the Sierra Nevada foothills, often growing in canyons where residual moisture can be found. Glossy, green, fragrant, trifoliate leaves with panicles of small creamy-white flowers decorate the branch tips in spring. Handsome, circular, flattened, fruits which look like hop seeds, start out green and age to tan and may hold on after the leaves have fallen in the autumn. Plant in full sun to light shade with occasional, deep summer watering. The fragrant flowers are attractive to a variety of pollinators including butterflies. A larval host for the two-tailed swallowtail butterfly.
Ranunculus occidentalis
Native to open woodlands and meadows, this buttercup often occurs under deciduous oaks and buckeyes or on edges of forests. Perennial, with basal foliage, the flower stems rise 12 to 20 inches with bright yellow shiny petals. Has been surprisingly adaptable. Does fine with moderate summer irrigation, where it stays evergreen and long blooming. Once established can be allowed to go summer dry, where it will go dormant after setting seed, and returning with the winter rains.
Rhamnus ilicifolia
A handsome evergreen shrub with small, dark green, leathery, serrated leaves. Found in the foothills and mountains of southern and central California, the Sierras and west of the Sacramento Valley up to 3,500 feet. Slow-growing, reaching 6-10 feet tall and wide, with a somewhat open, upright habit. Male and female plants are separate, producing inconspicuous yellow-cream flowers from spring into early summer. Female plants produce sporadic, gelatinous red fruits. Hollyleaf redberry can be planted in full sun to shade, but prefers a bit of relief from the afternoon sun in inland sites. It requires decent drainage and is drought-tolerant once established. Larval host for the pale swallowtail butterfly. Reportedly deer resistant.
Romneya coulteri
A much admired, spectacular, shrub-like perennial, with a long history in cultivation. Can be both finicky to get going and extremely vigorous once established. The large flowers are made up of crinkly, crape paper-like, white petals with a shaft of yellow stamens in the center, at the top of long, gray-foliaged stems. Plant where its size and spreading won't be a problem and prune severely in winter. Height 4 -8 feet. Full sun. Drought and deer tolerant.
Rosa gymnocarpa
Delicate, native rose of woodlands, growing 3 - 4 ft. tall. Sprinkled with sweetly fragrant single pink flowers followed by small red rose hips. Best in woodsy shade where it tolerates drought. Bees, butterflies and other pollinators are attracted to rose blossoms and the fruits are enjoyed by birds.
Rosa nutkana
Named for the Nootka Sound in Alaska where it was originally described, this shrub's range runs all the way south into California. Forms prickly thickets at least 6 feet tall with light green foliage. Super fragrant, 2-3 inch single pink flowers appear in summer followed by showy red hips.Favors moist sites in full sun to light shade. Rose thickets provide excellent habitat value, offering food and cover for birds and small mammals, pollen and nectar for many beneficial insects as well as a larval food source for a number of butterflies.
Rubus parviflorus
Thimbleberry is a deciduous native shrub with handsome large pale green velvety leaves. Small clusters of pretty white single flowers in spring and early summer followed by thimble-shaped mild-flavored edible berries in mid summer. Grows 3 - 6 ft. tall and spreading. Needs part shade and moisture.
Rubus parviflorus ‘Dr. Stasek’
Bob Hornback found this interesting form of thimbleberry. Instead of the usual single white flowers, this cultivar offers double flowers. The extra petals are a nice touch against the background of large velvety leaves. Thimble-shaped edible berries follow which are mild flavored but sweet and much enjoyed by birds. Grows 3 - 6 ft. tall and spreading. Needs part shade and moisture.
Rubus ursinus
Not to be confused with the weedy non-native Himalaya berry that has taken over acres in northern California. The native blackberry when happy can form a good sized patch, growing to about 3 ft. tall and spreading more than 6 ft. wide depending on available moisture. This thorny, spreading evergreen has excellent habitat value. The berries are widely used as a food source for wildlife. Offers excellent escape and nesting cover and is good for erosion control. People relish the berries and its fruits are highly prized for pies and jam. Best with some shade and moisture, but is drought tolerant once established.
Rudbeckia californica
Large, bold perennial native to montane seeps and meadows where they receive regular moisture. The big leafy clumps can become very large growing 3 foot tall or more. Midsummer brings showy yellow daisies on tall stems with a distinctive long central cone and a skirt of three inch yellow petals. Plant in sun to light shade with regular water. Highly attractive to bees and other pollinators.