Melica harfordii
A lovely and useful grass native to dryish slopes and canyons of coniferous forests from central California to British Columbia. Forms a loose vertical clump with slightly arching stems 2 to 4 ft. tall. The delicate, narrow flower spikes add a sparkling effect to the woodland garden. Useful in lightly shaded plantings, where it is drought tolerant especially in cooler areas like western Sonoma County. It would benefit from occasional water during the dry season in warmer regions. Adds a nice vertical touch, as a specimen or in mass. Deer resistant.
Melica imperfecta
Native to dry hillsides, chaparral and open woodlands of southern and central California. This dainty native perennial grass grows 1 - 3 ft. tall in flower with narrow, glossy leaves at its base. The slender flower panicles provide a delicate effect, starting out cream and aging to beige. Grows best in cool sun or part shade and responds to some irrigation. Goes dormant if allowed to go summer dry once established, turning green with the winter rains. Useful for lightly shaded meadow plantings and stabilizing slopes. Deer resistant.
Melica torreyana
At its best in winter and early spring, this little northern California bunchgrass is a perfect mound of soft green blades. In full bloom it can reach 1 - 3 ft. tall, followed by typical melic fruit resembling small brown rice grains held close to the stem. Grows in sun and shade in nature, but performs best/longest in the garden in part shade. Will go semi-summer dormant with drought, but will be evergreen with some moisture. Deer resistant.
Monardella purpurea
A locally rare and more refined version of our common coyote mint, often with darker flowers, colored purple. Mature plants typically stay under a foot tall, but will get a little wider. Leaves are narrow and dark green, lining burgundy-tinged stems. While native to serpentine soils, it does well in most soils with good drainage. Plant in full sun to part shade and water infrequently. A great, rarely offered native for rock gardens or smaller areas, where butterflies and bees will enjoy the summer blossoms. Deer resistant.
Monardella villosa ‘Soulajule’
Smaller than our cultivar 'Russian River', this coyote mint reaches a height of about 10 inches with fragrant leaves and dense heads of lavender-pink flowers in late spring and summer. Forms small colonies over time as the branches touch the ground and root. Best in full sun though light shade is helpful inland. Will enjoy occasional irrigation once established but does not require it.Attracts bees, butterflies and other beneficials and is deer resistant.Discovered near Soulajule Reservoir in Marin County.
Monardella villosa ssp. franciscana ‘Pomo Canyon’
This low growing, dense selection of our native coyote mint was discovered near the mouth of the Russian River. Large, round, deeply veined leaves colored dark blue-green give this groundcover a lush appearance. In summer, soft lavender flowers which look like pincushions cover the plant. Reaches a height of up to 12 inches and spreads fairly quickly to form drifts. Provide full sun to light shade and moderate to infrequent irrigation. A stellar plant for bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. Coyote mint is not a true mint and won’t spread invasively by roots. Deer resistant.
Monardella villosa ssp. franciscana ‘Russian River’
Our own selection of coyote mint from a rocky slope along the lower Russian River. Although Monardella is sometimes difficult in cultivation, this plant has proven to be vigorous. Grows 12 to 18 inches tall with ball-like clusters of pinkish-purple above the fragrant evergreen foliage. Good for a dry sunny site. Attracts bees and butterflies. Deer resistant.
Monardella villosa ssp. villosa – Mark West seed strain ‘Mark West’
This sweet little coyote mint hails from the dry, inland hills above the Mark West watershed in North East Santa Rosa. It is more compact than the ‘Russian River’ selection, mounding to about 1’ high and spreading to 3’ across. The aromatic foliage is a light minty green, and the round lavender-pink flower heads bloom from late spring through summer. Best with a bit of protection from the hot afternoon sun, this coyote mint is great to tuck under a large, upright, drought tolerant shrub, such as manzanita or Ceanothus. Drought tolerant once established, but blooms best with occasional deep soaks. Needs good drainage. Like other coyote mints, it is a butterfly and native bee magnet. Deer resistant.
Monardella viridis
A pollinator magnet! Found in inland Sonoma County, and in Lake and Napa Counties, on hot, dry, rocky slopes, green coyote mint entices the senses with its minty, sage-like aroma, small, pointed, ovate, green-gray foliage, and its saturated lavender inflorescences that bloom in summer. Growing to 4’ across, this low mounding woody perennial prefers decent drainage and a bit of relief from afternoon sun in hotter, inland sites. The flowers are especially attractive to native bees and butterflies. Deer resistant and drought-tolerant once established.
Morella (Myrica) californica
Native evergreen shrub with clean looking shiny foliage 15 ft. or more tall. Useful screen, clipped or informal hedge or even trained as multi-trunked small tree. An adaptable plant for sun to light shade, with moderate to occasional water. Its waxy berries attract flickers, robins and finches. Fairly deer resistant.
Oemleria cerasiformis
A charming native shrub which grows in moist areas along the coast or when inland on forest edges. Blooms in early spring just as the new leaves are beginning to expand with drooping clusters of fragrant white flowers. Male and female plants are separate and you'll need both to get the small blue-black fruits that birds enjoy. A suckering shrub growing 5 - 6 ft. tall or more. Plant in part shade with regular to occasional water. Can grow in cool full sun such as you find along the coast.
Oenothera elata ssp hookeri
Found in coastal areas from Sonoma County down to San Diego County. A vigorous, showy, winter-deciduous perennial that makes a dramatic border or background planting in full-sun gardens. In late summer into early fall, sprays of large, cheery, bright-yellow flowers with flat, papery petals top tall stalks up to 5’ high that are clothed with light-green lanceolate leaves. Blossoms provide a late season sweet treat for native butterflies and bees. As the name suggests, flowers fold and close during the heat of the day. May vigorously seed about. Moderate to occasional water once established.
Oxalis oregana
A natural companion of coast redwoods where it forms low carpets of clover-like foliage. Useful ground cover for the woodland garden where it competes well with tree roots and thrives in partial to deep shade. Low and spreading with spring flowers that can range from white through dark pink . Best with humus in the soil and some summer moisture, though it is drought tolerant in coastal zones. Deer resistant.
Penstemon heterophyllus
Iridescent blue-purple tubular flowers in short spikes put on a good show over a long period in spring and early summer. The spent flower spikes should be cut off to encourage more blooming, better form, and longer life. Best in full sun with well drained soils and moderate to little water once established. Hummingbird favorite.
Penstemon heterophyllus – Hood Mt. seed strain
From the rugged Hood Mountain area, southeast of Santa Rosa, comes this local seed strain of foothill penstemon, which is showing promise as a particularly good performer. Proving to be vigorous and disease resistant, blooming freely with particularly large, vivid-blue, open-mouthed, tubular blossoms, spring into summer. An evergreen perennial, growing about 2 ft. tall and at least as wide, for full sun with decent drainage, and little water once established. Bees, butterflies and hummingbirds are all attracted to the showy flowers. A great, local, seed grown alternative to the cutting-grown 'Margarita BOP'.
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.
Petasites frigidus var. palmatus
A bold, beautiful and AGGRESSIVE creekside native, found in coastal and montane regions in California, north to Alaska, where it grows along shady creek banks. The large, almost tropical, palmate leaves spread from thick creeping rootstocks to form large colonies. Flowers before the foliage fully emerges in the spring with flat topped clusters of white to pink flowers on 1-2 ft. tall stems. Requires shade and plenty of water and is useful as a soil stabilizer. To control its spreading nature, use in containers or in contained areas. It won't spread into areas which are dry. Dies back to the ground in the winter. Flowers attractive to a wide range of beneficial insects.
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 imbricata
Native to dry slopes and open woodland throughout much of California, this rarely-offered perennial phacelia thrives in heat. Creamy-white flowers form curly clusters atop stalks ranging from 1 to 3 feet. Bees and butterflies find them irresistible. The soft, dense foliage hugs the ground in an up-to-2-ft-wide mound. Plant in full sun to light shade in areas with good drainage and minimal irrigation once established. Drought tolerant.
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.
Pinus attenuata
This closed-cone pine is found primarily along the Oregon-California border and in hotter coastal mountains down to Baja. Knobcone pines can reach anywhere from 25 to 80 ft tall, depending on the soil conditions. The conical-shaped, evergreen crown has an open habit with clusters of 4-5” needles on upward-curving branches. Distinctive, asymetrical cones persist on the tree for years, even decades, and add to the tree’s visual appeal. This chaparral and dry-woodland native needs very little water and does best in rocky, well-draining soils with full sun. More tolerant of nutrient-poor soils than most other pines. In very lean soils, trees can develop a stunted and contorted appearance which is quite striking. Deer resistant.
Pinus muricata
The Bishop pine is native to the northern California coast from Marin to Mendocino. A medium to large sized tree with a beautifully rounded crown and long, gray-green needles. Distinguished from the more southerly Monterey pine by its smaller cones which prick the hand when held. The Bishop pine often cohabitates with redwoods and other coastal conifers. Drought tolerant once established except in interior locations where an occasional deep watering may be required. Generally reaches 40 to 70 feet in height. Deer resistant.
Pinus ponderosa
Often associated with the Sierra Nevada mountains, this majestic pine can be found in Sonoma County as well. Long, gray-green needles form bushy clusters at the ends of branches with cantaloupe-sized cones that emerge at the very tips. The bark at maturity is a colorful patchwork of orange-tan plates separated by deep grooves of dark brown. It can grow a couple of feet a year, and averages from 60 to more than 100 feet in height in a garden setting. Provide full sun to light shade with occasional deep waterings when young. Needs decent drainage. Deer resistant.
Pinus sabiniana
A distinctive pine native to chaparral areas of California’s foothills. Sometimes called ghost pine due to its long gray needles set against dark, furrowed bark. While fairly slow growing, the gray pine can reach a height of 80 ft or more in well-draining sites with ample sunlight. Native Americans prized the big, prickly cones for their large, edible seeds. Prefers full sun and requires minimal water once established