Arctostaphylos pumila ‘Wavelength’
A rare species endemic to areas on and around the Monterey Peninsula. ‘Wavelength’, a Dave Fross selection, is a dense, mounding, low shrub reaching 2 – 3 ft. tall and +10 ft. across. Soft, gray-green foliage and bronzy new growth accentuate its undulating form. White, lantern-shaped flowers appear in spring, enjoyed by hummingbirds. Great for sloped, drainy sites where it can take up a lot of real estate. Can take full sun to light shade. Low irrigation once established.
Arctostaphylos stanfordiana
One of the most beautiful of manzanitas with handsome dark mahogany bark, dense shiny green leaves and flowers ranging in color from intense pink to white. Its upright form ranges in height from 4 to 8 ft with a somewhat narrower width. Native to warmer areas of northern California's Coast Range, this species requires excellent drainage, full sun and NO water once established.
Arctostaphylos stanfordiana ‘Sonoma’
Masses of deep pink flowers and glossy, deep green leaves are an enticing feature of this uncommon selection. But what really distinguishes this cultivar from other Stanford manzanitas is the fact that it actually survives in the garden! Most other selections of this species are notoriously challenging to keep alive in cultivation. While fairly slow growing, the dense foliage mounds up over time to reach a height and width of about 5 ft. The striking burgundy-red trunks contrast nicely with the green leaves. Needs full sun and excellent drainage. No summer water once established.
Arctostaphylos stanfordiana ssp. decumbens
A Sonoma County endemic, this rare manzanita is from Rincon Ridge east of Santa Rosa. Low growing mounding shrub to as much as 4 ft tall by more than 6 ft. wide. Charming pink urn-shaped flowers in early spring. Handsome, rugged and drought tolerant. Best in full sun with good drainage, no water necessary once established. A good choice for lean soils, summer heat and drought.
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi ‘Green Supreme’
A superior garden hybrid of the trailing bearberry. A volunteer seedling discovered by staff at Tilden Regional Parks Botanic Garden. Ultimately spreads 6 - 12 ft. across and less than a foot tall. Enjoys moderate to occasional irrigation. The glossy bright green leaves create a beautiful groundcover. Tolerates a wide range of soil types with reasonable drainage. Very disease resistant and fast growing. Shy to bloom or set berries. Sun to part-shade.
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi ‘Point Reyes’
An unusual selection of our native bearberry discovered near the Point Reyes lighthouse in Marin County. Dark green, leathery leaves form distinctive whorls along the stems with pale pink, urn-shaped flowers emerging in early winter. The showy red berries contrast nicely with the dark green leaves. Reaching a height of about 18” and a width of at least 6 ft., this groundcover works well in a rock garden or mixed with other low shrubs and grasses from our coastal areas. Give moderate water in interior locations and protect from the hot afternoon sun.
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi ‘Radiant’
A very low mat of glossy, dark green foliage 6 - 8 inches high and creeping at least 6 ft. across. Light pink flowers in early winter are followed by showy red berries. In hot inland areas give moderate water and light afternoon shade. A sturdy evergreen groundcover.
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi ‘Samoa Dunes’
This Humboldt County selection of the ubiquitous bearberry distinguishes itself with large, rounded, glossy leaves of deep green. Reaching a height of about 6 inches and a width of at least 6 feet, this durable groundcover spreads quickly to form a weed-smothering carpet. Little urn-shaped flowers colored soft pink appear in spring and are followed by shiny red berries. Provide full sun to part shade and moderate to occasional irrigation once established. Protect from the hot afternoon sun in warmer areas. The shiny, dark green foliage combines well with grey-leaved plants such as Artemisia ‘David’s Choice’ and the fescue ‘Patrick’s Point’.
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi ‘San Bruno Mountain’
A beautiful selection of bearberry from San Bruno Mountain south of San Francisco. This groundcover manzanita forms a luxuriant mat of large, glossy, spatulate leaves spreading to around 6 feet wide. The soft pink urn-shaped flowers lead to big red showy berries. A natural for coastal plantings where it can grow in full sun with little to no summer water needed. Inland, bearberry does best with shade from the hot afternoon sun and moderate summer watering.
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi ‘Wood’s Compact’
A low growing, spreading manzanita with lustrous green, rounded foliage, little pink urn-shaped flowers and pretty red berries, quite large for the species. This selection from coastal Oregon spreads at a moderate pace to 6-8 feet wide and only getting 6-8 inches tall. Full sun to light shade in hot areas with moderate summer water.
Aristolochia californica
Dutchman’s pipe vine is an interesting vine native to river, stream side and woodland habitats. Soft heart-shaped leaves and unusual purplish pipe-shaped flowers bloom in early spring. This deciduous twining plant will need some support if you wish it to grow upwards. Adaptable, but best with a little shade and moderate water. Slow to establish, we offer this adage to encourage patience: “The first year it sleeps, the second year it creeps and the third year it leaps”. Once established it will put on ample growth, easily covering a trellis or chain link fence. THE larval food source for the pipevine swallowtail butterfly. Deer resistant.
Artemisia californica
Native to coastal regions from Northern California to Baja. Densely branched shrub with finely divided gray-green scented foliage. Grows 2 - 6 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’
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’
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 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 ‘David’s Choice’
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’
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 2 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.
Asclepias eriocarpa
More diminutive than showy milkweed at 1-3 feet, this long-blooming species has similar broad, greyish leaves and creamy, pink-accented flower clusters. Like other milkweeds, it is a larval host for the monarch butterfly. A great choice for habitat gardens in dry, sunny areas, providing nectar for a wide array of pollinators from late spring into fall. Usually found in rocky soils throughout parts of Southern California and in foothill areas north of the San Francisco Bay. Spreads to form colonies with minimal supplemental water. Deer resistant.
Asclepias fascicularis
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
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.
Athyrium filix-femina
Native to much of North America, lady fern grows in moist shady places. The newly emerging fiddleheads in the spring are particularly attractive. The graceful, delicate looking fronds grow 3 foot or more tall by 3 ft. or more wide. Lovely in a forest setting, as a background plant, or around a pond. Goes dormant in the winter. Plant in full to part shade with regular water.
Atriplex lentiformis
This native bird favorite is a tough and useful shrub with beautiful silvery gray foliage. Growing 5 ft. or more tall and spreading widely, quail bush is valued for its ability to deal with difficult sites where it tolerates wind, salt spray, saline and alkaline soils. A terrific habitat plant, providing food and cover for a wide array of birds and mammals. Native from the coast to the desert. Excellent for erosion control and is fire resistant. Benefits from annual shearing and occasional aggressive pruning to rejuvenate. Plant in full sun with occasional to little summer water.
Baccharis glutinosa (douglasii)
This native perennial is a powerhouse for pollinators, luring small butterflies, predatory wasps and other beneficial insects to its dense, white, flat-topped, nectar rich flower heads. Found in wetland and riparian habitats such as salt marshes and stream edges along the coast and interior valleys of California. An erect perennial, growing 3 ft. or more tall, with long, lance-shaped, resinous, leaves and spreading by rhizomes. Blooming in late summer to early fall, the flowers lack petals and are dioecious, with male and female disc flowers occurring on separate plants. Plant in full sun to light shade with moderate to regular water. Deer resistant.
Baccharis pilularis
This is the upright form of coyote bush, growing 4 - 8 ft. tall and wide. Valued for its ability to flourish in a wide range of conditions. Also valued as an excellent habitat plant offering food and cover to a wide variety of wildlife. Flowers are not showy and the male and female flowers are borne on separate shrubs. This crop of plants are a mix of males and females and one can’t tell until they bloom. Plant in sunn or light shade. Not fussy about soils. Quite drought tolerant once established. Responds well to pruning or shearing, working well as a screen. Deer resistant.
Baccharis pilularis – female
Upright form of coyote brush, growing 4 - 8 ft. tall and wide. Valued for its ability to flourish in a wide range of conditions. Also valued as an excellent habitat plant offering food and cover to a wide variety of wildlife. Flowers are not showy and the male and female flowers are borne on separate shrubs. Theses plants are FEMALE and will produce seed (when male plants are present). An abundance of pollinators and beneficial insects use Baccharis flowers and birds love their seeds. Plant in sun to light shade. Not fussy about soils. Quite drought tolerant once established. Responds well to pruning or shearing and is useful as a screen. Deer resistant.
Baccharis pilularis – male
Upright form of coyote brush, growing 4 - 8 ft. tall and wide. Valued for its ability to flourish in a wide range of conditions. Also valued as an excellent habitat plant offering food and cover to a wide variety of wildlife. Flowers are not showy and the male and female flowers are borne on separate shrubs. These plants are MALE and produce ivory colored flowers with pollen and nectar. An abundance of pollinators and beneficial insects use Baccharis flowers. Plant in sun to light shade. Not fussy about soils. Quite drought tolerant once established. Responds well to pruning or shearing and is useful as a screen. Deer resistant.
Baccharis pilularis ‘Mayacama Mound’
This dense, bright green, gumdrop-shaped coyote bush only reaches about 3 ft tall and spreads a wider. We discovered this heat and drought tolerant selection in a batch of seedlings from inland Sonoma Co.. A great alternative for the ubiquitous ‘Twin Peaks’, which is a coastal selection and less suitable for hot, dry sites. Plant in full sun to light shade where mature plants won’t need supplemental water, but an infrequent deep soak will keep them looking fresh. The small, whitish flowers are relished by pollinators in the early autumn. This selection is female, so the late autumn seeds provide an important food source for birds. A sturdy, low, evergreen shrub for tough situations.