Malacothamnus fremontii
A fast growing, thicket forming, native shrub with silvery white, felted foliage 4 - 6 ft. tall and spreading. A profusion of pale-pink, cup-shaped flowers decorate the branch tips in summer. A tough and adaptable shrub for sunny dry areas, appreciating occasional summer water once established. Useful on banks or other challenging sites. Host plant for the Painted Lady and West Coast Lady butterfly. An excellent nectar source for orioles. Deer often seem to leave it alone.
Malacothamnus jonesii
A rare endemic from southern Monterey and San Luis Obispo counties, growing in foothill woodland and chaparral plant communities. Fast growing shrub, often coming in after fires or disturbance. Growing 4 - 6 ft. tall and wide with beautiful gray foliage, covered in white, velvety hairs. Lovely, soft pink, cup-shaped flowers appear in profusion on the slender branch tips, late spring into summer. Nectar is highly attractive to a myriad of insects, hummingbirds (who seek both nectar and insects), bees and butterflies. Larval food source for the West Coast Lady and Northern White Skipper butterflies. Plant in full sun to ight shade, where it will be drought tolerant once established.
Malacothamnus palmeri var. lucianus
From the hot valleys of the Santa Lucia mountains in central California comes this rare form of the native bush-mallow. Deep pink, cup-shaped flowers appear in late spring and early summer above the fuzzy, light green leaves. Reaches a height of about 6 ft and slowly spreads to form colonies. Give full sun to light shade and provide little to no water once established. A good choice for hot, dry banks with Toyon, Ceanothus and Manzanita. An excellent nectar source for orioles. Deer seem to leave it alone.
Malacothamnus palmeri var. lucianus ‘Hanging Valley’
Description coming soon!
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.
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.
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.
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.
Prunus ilicifolia ssp. lyonii
This subspecies of our native cherry comes from Southern California and can be grown as a large shrub or trained into a small tree. The Catalina cherry is evergreen, with soft, glossy leaves and without the toothed leaf margin of our more local hollyleaf cherry. Gorgeous, creamy-white flower clusters make a showy display in spring. The purple-red fruits are edible, but are mostly preferred by wildlife. At 20-40 feet in height and slightly narrower in width, it is also larger than the hollyleaf cherry, but is prunable to 8-10 feet. Its dense foliage makes an excellent hedge. Does best in well-drained soil with occasional deep watering once established. The flowers are adored by pollinators. Robins, finches, towhees, Cedar waxwings and mockingbirds eat the cherries.
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.
Rhus integrifolia
This sturdy native shrub or small tree is highly valued for its evergreen foliage and as a source of food for birds, bees and butterflies. Round, serrated, leaves, flatter than those of the sugar bush, cover this plant from head to toe. In late winter to early spring, white to pink flower clusters emerge, followed by sticky, reddish fruits. Ranging in height and width from 6 to 20 ft., lemonade berry is very tolerant of pruning, either into a small tree or a low hedge. Cold hardy to about 20 degrees. Plant in full sun to part shade. Will be very drought tolerant once established. Fire resistant. Deer resistant.
Rhus ovata
Handsome evergreen shrub native to dry slopes away from the coast in Southern California, Baja, and Arizona. A durable shrub thriving in hot, rocky conditions in full sun to part shade where it will be completely drought tolerant once established. Grows 6 - 10 ft. tall and wide. A profusion of dense flower clusters are rosy tinted in bud opening to white with a pinkish blush. Small reddish fruits follow that are coated with a sugary secretion that tastes lemony. Excellent subject for hot, dry inland conditions. Good for birds, bees and butterflies. Fire resistant. Deer resistant.
Ribes aureum
A vigorous deciduous shrub with masses of cheerful yellow blooms that appear in early spring. The light green foliage returns in late winter followed by delicate clusters of bright yellow tubular flowers that mature to a reddish-orange. Makes a wonderful addition to any habitat garden. Hummingbirds and bees adore the flowers, and the golden berries attract birds. Tolerates a variety of conditions from creeksides to dry woodland foothills to higher elevations - and even snow. Grows 6 to 8 ft. tall and wide. Where it finds water, it can spread by suckers, but is highly amenable to pruning. Adaptable to sun or shade, but does best with afternoon shade and moderate to occasional summer water.
Ribes sanguineum v. glutinosum ‘Claremont’
Distinctive for its extra long, pendulous racemes of pink flowers with white centers. This Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden selection of the pink flowering currant is particularly vigorous, featuring abundant floral displays in early spring. Will attain a height and spread of 6 - 8 ft over time. Best with light shade and a little summer water. Important early nectar source for bumblebees and hummingbirds. Berries attract many birds including grosbeak and mockingbirds.
Ribes sanguineum v. glutinosum ‘Monte Bello’
This Cal Flora introduction was discovered in the hills west of Cupertino in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Long clusters of deep pink flowers make this selection of the pink-flowering currant stand out from other forms. In late winter and spring the flowers emerge on bare stems followed by rounded, maple-like leaves. This deciduous shrub has a vase-like shape, reaching a height of up to 10 ft. over time and a width of at least 6 ft. Provide full sun near the coast and light shade inland. Needs moderate to occasional irrigation once established. A great plant for hummingbirds and a wide array of pollinators. Birds enjoy the fruits.
Ribes sanguineum v. glutinosum ‘Tranquillon Ridge’
A Native Sons Nursery selection from Tranquillon Ridge in Santa Barbara County, found growing under a canopy of Bishop pines. Super vigorous and very large, up to 10 ft. tall with extremely long racemes of dark pink flowers in the early spring. The racemes have an appealing shape, tapering to a point at the end of their long pendant flower clusters. Best with some shade even in coastal gardens where it’s drought tolerant. Occasional deep waterings are best in hot inland areas. Berries attract many birds including grosbeak and mockingbirds.
Ribes sanguineum v. sanguineum ‘King Edward VII’
Deep pink flower tassels adorn this native deciduous currant in early spring, providing a vivid splash of color to an awakening landscape. The pendulous flower clusters are followed by scalloped, deep green leaves, creating a useful texture to pair with Iris, Ceanothus and ferns. ‘King Edward VII’ has a very upright vase shape, reaching between 5 to 7 ft. tall and 4 to 5 ft. wide. Provide full sun in coastal climates and bright shade elsewhere, especially in the afternoon. Needs moderate to occasional irrigation. The flowers provide an excellent nectar source for bees, butterflies and hummingbirds while the deep purple fruits are enjoyed by birds. A sturdy selection.
Rosa californica
A thicket forming, deciduous shrub native to riparian zones throughout the state. Fragrant, pink blossoms with yellow centers are followed by attractive red fruits or rosehips. The stems are lined with little thorns and gray-green, pinnately divided leaves. A good screen or living fence, where it will grows at least 5 ft. tall and usually spread wider. Very important for erosion control along streams. This is one of our most popular hedgerow plants due to the cover it provides for foraging wildlife and the value it offers to pollinators and birds. Prefers full sun to light shade and seasonally moist soils, but can go a little drier in the summer. A larval host to several butterflies.
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.
Salvia mellifera
California’s most common sage occurring in coastal scrub and chaparral communities from the San Francisco Bay Area south into Baja. Grows about 3 - 5 ft. tall and wide with textured, highly aromatic foliage. Flowers in late spring with tight whorls of small whitish to pale lavender blossoms. Flowers are not super showy, but renowned as an excellent source of nectar for bees and hummingbirds. Plant in full sun to light shade where it is tough, drought tolerant and deer resistant. No additional water is required once established.