Bouteloua gracilis
Here’s a wonderful grass - an important species of the original North American shortgrass prairie. In California it occurs in desert regions. Fine textured light green-gray foliage topped with interesting flowers 8 - 36” tall. The flowers are attached to the stem at right angles and resemble tiny combs. The whole plant turns purple with frost then fades to blonde. Use in mass or as a specimen in rock garden or containers. Often suggested for a mowed or unmowed lawn where it tolerates extreme cold, heat, drought and foot traffic. Deer resistant.
Bouteloua gracilis ‘Blonde Ambition’
An exceptionally robust selection of grama grass, with 2-1/2 to 3 ft. tall flowering stems above the narrow grey-green tufts of foliage, forming clumps up to 3 ft. wide. The curious flowers look like tiny brushes on tall stems, start out chartreuse aging to blonde. They are persistent and will hold on through winter providing many months of ornamental interest. Retains some green foliage in winter in mild areas, goes winter dormant in hot inland situations. Native to the North American shortgrass prairie, this is a rugged species enduring heat, drought, cold, a wide range of soil types and even foot traffic. An excellent water conserving grass for full sun. Deer resistant.
Bouteloua gracilis ‘Pestanas de Angeles’
Long lived, warm season, perennial grass, native to North America. The selection ‘Pestanas de Angeles’ is from San Bernardino County in Southern California. Fine textured, grey-green blades about 6 inches tall. Intriguing flower heads look like little flags or eye lashes on wiry stems under a foot tall. Tolerant of heat, drought and poor soils, this grass is at home in the arid west. Plant in full sun where it will be drought tolerant once established. Blades go dormant in the winter. Excellent in rock gardens, with succulents or as a meadow subject. Good cut flower. Deer resistant.
Boykinia occidentalis
Clusters of dainty white flowers and glossy dark green leaves make the brook saxifrage a wonderful addition to the moist shade garden. Flowers open in the spring on arching stems up to a foot tall. May continue to bloom into autumn. The round, serrated leaves form low mounds up to 2 feet wide. Tolerates heavy soil and may seed around. Will grow in part to heavy shade. Needs regular moisture.
Brodiaea californica ‘Babylon’
A beautiful selection of a robust species, native to the North Coast Ranges and northern Sierra Nevada. Instead of the more typical lavender-purple colored blossoms, 'Babylon' offers particularly large flowers of pink-lavender. The star shaped flowers are in dense clusters on stout stems up to 24 inches tall. Best in full sun and tolerant of different soil types. Allow to go dry once foliage begins to go dormant. This beauty flowers in late spring/early summer and is favored by butterflies. A good container subject.
Brodiaea elegans
From grassy meadows and open woodlands comes this drought tolerant and colorful wildflower. Open clusters of dainty violet flowers sit atop stems reaching 8 to 20 inches in height. Plant in full sun to bright shade and provide decent drainage. As the name suggests, the harvest Brodiaea is the latest blooming of the Brodiaeas, sometimes not flowering until the end of summer after the grass-like leaves have gone dormant. It spreads rapidly but not invasively to form broad drifts. After blooming, this bulb will sleep until the return of winter rains. Do not irrigate. An excellent candidate for the rock garden where its graceful form will contrast wonderfully with the rigid stone.
Calamagrostis koelerioides
An uncommon but widely distributed mid-sized native grass appearing in meadows and on rocky ridges throughout California. The soft green leaves reach a height of up to 2 ft. tall and will slowly spread to create a small clump. Narrow, feathery grass flowers reach 2 - 3 ft. high in summer and age to a pale tan color. Since this grass is new to us and we don't know of any other nurseries who have grown it, we are uncertain of its requirements. Based on this species' habitat in nature, we would recommend providing it full sun to light shade and moderate to infrequent irrigation with excellent drainage. Deer resistant.
Calamagrostis nutkaensis
A large handsome bunch grass from the coastal regions of Monterey County to Alaska that forms huge tussocks in open moist meadows and on coastal bluffs. It can also be found as an understory at the edges of coniferous forests. Wide green blades grow 2 - 3 ft. tall with flowering culms to 4 ft. Good background or accent plant for the woodland or meadow. Will take full sun in somewhat cooler areas. Best with some summer water and partial shade inland. Deer resistant.
Calamagrostis nutkaensis ‘The King’
Large, handsome, evergreen native bunch grass selected by Roger Raiche in the King Range on the North Coast. Big bold deep green foliage and robust form 3 - 4 ft. tall and wide. Flower stalks rise a foot or two above the foliage. Good background or accent for woodland or partly shaded meadow. Will take full sun in somewhat cooler areas. Best with some summer water. Deer resistant.
Calamagrostis ophitidis
This handsome native bunchgrass deserves special attention for its tidy, upright form and sturdy character. A rare and threatened species from serpentine areas along our central coast, serpentine reed grass performs well in full sun but may need afternoon shade in hot, inland locations. The leaves reach a height of between one and two feet with flower spikes rising up to three feet tall. Does best with decent drainage and moderate summer water. Deer resistant.
Calamagrostis rubescens
Native to wooded areas throughout the West, this slowly spreading grass forms dense drifts excellent for naturalizing in bright shade. The foliage reaches a height of about 12 inches with narrow inflorescences rising another 12 inches or so. While drought tolerant, it enjoys an occasional watering. Works well under oaks. Deer resistant.
Calamagrostis stricta ssp. inexpansa
Attractive apple-green leaves and a tidy appearance make this mid-sized reed grass very useful for the native garden. The broad leaves reach a height and width of about 2ft. with inflorescences rising another foot. Plant in full sun to light shade and water regularly. Very rare in Sonoma County and uncommon throughout Northern California. Deer resistant.
Calamintha nepetoides
A pretty, little, non-spreading mint relative, forming a rounded shrublet of shiny, bright green foliage to around 1’ tall and about 2 ft wide. Covered with hundreds of tiny, pale blue, nearly white blossoms over a long period in summer. Good for full sun to light shade with moderate watering. Tolerant of clay soil. One of our bee magnets. Deer resistant.
Calliandra californica
Clusters of bright red flower filaments, resembling little dusters, adorn this Baja California native for much of the year. The dainty, fern-like leaves are generally evergreen, though they are less ubiquitous in the winter. This mid-sized shrub reaches up to about 5 ft tall over time and spreads to 5 ft wide, forming a loose, rounded mound. Hummingbirds and butterflies favor the flowers on this unusual member of the pea family. Hardy to around 25 degrees. Plant in full sun to light shade and provide occasional to no irrigation once established. Said to be tolerant of clay soils, but will not like flooding.
Calochortus luteus
This showy mariposa lily offers vibrant, golden-yellow flowers, often with reddish brown markings at the base of each of the three petals. The upward facing, bowl-shaped flowers seem to hover over grasslands on stems reaching one to two feet tall. In early winter, grass like leaves emerge from the soil, followed by the butterfly-favored blossoms in late spring and early summer. Once the flowers are done, this native bulb will go dormant. Plant in full sun to light shade with well-draining soil. Allow to go completely dry in the summer. Said to be one of the easiest of the mariposa lilies to grow in gardens.
Calycanthus occidentalis
Native along streams, rivers and moist places in California. This attractive deciduous shrub is well worth growing. Bright green aromatic foliage with interesting maroon-red flowers in spring-summer that resemble small waterlilies and have a wine-like fragrance. Can be grown as a multi-stemmed small tree, trimmed hedge or left alone to become a large background shrub. 5 - 12 ft. tall and wide. Part-shade is ideal. Tolerates full sun with lots of moisture in somewhat cooler areas. Accepts full shade but will grow more slowly with a more open habit. Regular to moderate water. Somewhat deer resistant.
Calystegia purpurata ssp. purpurata
Lush, slender-stemmed vine with gray-green heart-shaped leaves scrambles up, over, or through any support provided. From late spring through early summer the plant is decorated with trumpet-shaped blossoms ranging in color from white to pink to purple. This deciduous vine can grow up to 10 ft. tall and wide. Sun to light shade, most soils, moderate to occasional watering for best appearance. Native throughout the Coast Range of California.
Calystegia purpurata ssp. purpurata ‘Palomarin’
Large flowers which open pinkish-white and darken to a rich lavender distinguish this selection which we discovered near Bolinas in Marin County. This vigorous, deciduous vine spreads quickly to climb over fences and shrubs with clasping stems and grey-green, arrow-shaped leaves. Reaches a height of up to 10 ft. or so and can spread at least as wide. In late spring and early summer, the morning glory flowers put on quite the display, opening at dawn and then closing at dusk. Does great in full sun but also enjoys a little shade, especially in hot, inland areas. Likes moderate irrigation but will become somewhat drought tolerant once established. Hummingbirds and native pollinators are drawn to the flowers.
Campanula rotundifolia
This charming little perennial is found growing around the world in the Northern Hemisphere, including Northern California. Forms a basal mound of small, heart-shaped, green leaves with slender flowering stems rising to about a foot tall. Sweet, little, pendant, lavender-blue, bell-shaped flowers, bloom sporadically in the summer and into the fall. Grow in lightly shaded woodland settings with gravelly soils and regular moisture. Perfect rock garden, crevice or container plant. Bee pollinated.
Carex spissa
Native to watercourses in coastal sage scrub, chaparral and oak woodlands from San Luis Obispo County to San Diego County. Has proven adaptable and easy to grow here. Wide silvery blades 3 - 4 ft. tall with brown nodding flowers. Sun to light shade. Regular to moderate water. Deer resistant.
Carpenteria californica
Long in cultivation, this native, evergreen shrub is rare in the wild, with a limited distribution in their native habitat. Forms a multi-branched shrub, 5 - 7 foot tall or more and nearly as wide, with dark green, leathery, lanceolate shaped leaves, which provides a dark foil to the brilliant white flowers. Late spring brings terminal clusters of white, 2 -3 inch, sweetly scented, anemone-like blossoms with yellow centers. An adaptable shrub which makes a striking specimen or foundation plant in a woodland area with morning sun and afternoon shade. Responds well to pruning and can be trained as an espalier. Drought tolerant, but appreciates occasional summer water. Flowers enjoyed by bees and butterflies.
Carpenteria californica ‘Elizabeth’
A beautiful native evergreen shrub 5 - 7 ft. tall and 4 ft. or more wide. Blooms May-July with sweetly scented, pure white, yellow-stamened, camellia-like single flowers. This cultivar is especially free flowering with smaller than usual (2 inch) flowers in masses of up to 20 in each of the terminal clusters. Said to be more disease resistant. Has a narrow upright appearance which is unusual for a native shrub. Best with light shade or morning sun. Drought tolerant, but appearance is improved with some summer water. Does want decent drainage.
Ceanothus ‘Celestial Blue’
A beautiful hybrid California lilac selected and introduced by Las Pilitas Nursery. Luminous, rich blue flowers, in tight, conical clusters put on a massive display in spring with the added bonus of sporadic blooming through summer and into fall. Growing 6-8 ft. tall and wide with a mounding habit. Useful as an accent, informal hedge or screen shrub where it grows in full sun to light shade with little to no water once established. Ceanothus are an excellent addition to the habitat garden attracting a myriad of insects and birds.
Ceanothus thyrsiflorus ‘Skylark’
Valued for its compact habit and late flowering, this selection offers clusters of dark blue flowers on short stems appearing just as other ceanothus are finishing their show. 4 - 5 ft. tall and 6 - 7 ft. wide with shiny evergreen foliage. This would be a ceanothus to try in hot areas. 'Skylark' is believed to be a cross between Ceanothus thyrsiflorus and C. velutinus. Shrubby ceanothus provide seeds eaten by bushtits, mockingbirds, quail and finches, as well as cover for birds.
Cephalanthus occidentalis
Button willow is a large deciduous shrub, at times becoming treelike, growing 6-12 ft. (infrequently as much as 20 ft.) tall and wide. It lines waterways in foothills and warm interior valleys. Smooth, glossy bright- green leaves clothe this shrub during the growing season, turning yellow in the autumn. Creamy white flowers are arranged in spherical heads with protruding styles which give the flowers a pincushion-like appearance. The summer blooming, fragrant flowers are extremely rich in nectar and attract bees, butterflies and other pollinators. The globe-like fruits persists into winter and attract birds. Plant in sun to light shade with regular summer water or continuously moist or wet soils. An excellent habitat plant offering food and cover for a wide array of insects and birds.
Chilopsis linearis
A graceful, summer-blooming, deciduous shrub, native to desert washes where it grows in gravelly soils and intense heat. Forms a large, multi-branched shrub or small tree reaching up to 15'-20' tall and wide with narrow, willow-like leaves. Terminal clusters of showy, trumpet-shaped flowers in summer come in shades of white, to pink and purple that attract hummingbirds and butterflies. Long, bean-like pods follow and hold on into winter. Enjoys hot climates with plenty of sun, decent drainage and occasional to moderate water. Avoid cool coastal conditions and heavy wet soils. Grows fast when happy with no pest or disease problems, demanding little. A great option for along sidewalks.
Chlorogalum angustifolium
You may be familiar with the common soap plant and its tall stalks of delicate white flowers. But this unusual, diminutive species of soap root is much smaller, only reaching 1 – 2 ft. high. Rarely offered in nurseries, this species has short, narrow leaves which are not wavy like the common soap plant. Grows in dry grassland and open woodlands in the northern Sierra foothills and coast range. Enjoys full sun to light shade and no additional irrigation once established. Tolerates clay. The seed for these plants came from Windsor and was generously given to us by Vicki Wilson.