Tanacetum bipinnatum (camphoratum)
Native to sand dunes from the Bay Area north, this shrubby evergreen groundcover spreads quickly to create drifts of soft fern-like foliage. Yellow, button-shaped flowers form small clusters atop stalks up to 2 ft. tall. Enjoys full sun to light shade. Tolerant of clay soils and excessive moisture but will thrive with only occasional water once established. Reducing irrigation can temper this tansy's somewhat aggressive nature. Dune tansy has a strong scent of camphor and is valued for its medicinal uses. Beautiful when combined with ceanothus, Douglas iris and other plants from our coastal areas. Good for erosion control.
Tellima grandiflora
Fringe cups is a sweet native perennial for the shade garden. Slender flower stalks rise above the soft mounds of foliage 18 inches to 2 ft. The small, urn-shaped flowers have tiny fringed petals which open green and then age to pink. Seeds about in a nice way. Tolerates dry shade. Deer resistant.
Teucrium chamaedrys
Tough, neat looking evergreen shrublet-good for hot dry places. Excellent edging for herb gardens. Grows 1 ft. tall by 2 ft. wide. Dark green foliage topped with light magenta flowers in spikes. Shear after blooming. Deer seem to leave it alone. Bee favorite.
Teucrium cossonii (majoricum)
A beautiful little shrublet that hugs the ground to 2 ft. or more wide. Narrow gray-green foiage is topped with dense clusters of rosy-lavender flowers, nearly the entire growing season. Requires decent drainage with moderate to occasional summer water once established. Great rock garden plant. Pollinator friendly and deer resistant.
Thuja plicata
This stately conifer with deep green, scale-like needles and cinnamon-red bark, makes its home on the northern coast of California all the way up to Alaska. A large tree over time, eventually reaching up to 90 ft. tall in the garden and higher in its native habitat. The needle-covered branches hang gracefully in fern-like cascades. Looks best when the branches are allowed to touch the ground when young, allowing its elegant conical shape to be fully utilized. One of the most shade tolerant of our native conifers, but will be happy in full sun, except in hot, interior climates. Needs moderate to occasional irrigation. Tolerates moist soil. One way to identify this species from the other native cedars is by the white butterfly shape on the back of the needles, created by stomatal bloom.
Tiarella trifoliata v. unifoliata
The native sugar-scoop makes an attractive groundcover in a shady spot with some moisture. Blooms in early summer with spikes of little white stars; seed pods are shaped like little scoops. Removing spent flower stalks often prompts reblooming. Native to the dark and damp forest floor of northern California. A sweet addition to the woodland garden where there is summer moisture.
Torreya californica
Rarely seen in cultivation, this unusual conifer is endemic to California. Found in the coast ranges and foothills of the Sierra Nevada, where it is scattered here and there, usually in cool habitats of canyons and steep ravines. Growing at a leisurely pace 15 to 40 ft. tall with dark- green, stiff, rather broad needles. Male and female flowers occur on separate trees, with cream colored pollen cones on the males and unusual plum-like fruits on the females, which become purplish with age. Does well in part shade with moderate to little watering. Useful as a specimen tree or pruned into a hedge. An excellent container plant too.
Trautvetteria caroliniensis
From moist woodlands in mountainous areas of northern California comes this lush and verdant buttercup relative. Large, serrated, palmate leaves up to 8 inches wide spread densely across the ground on slender stems. In summer through early fall, icy white flowers made up of thin filaments form flat topped clusters up to 5 inches wide. These delicate flowers sit atop stems reaching up to 3 ft. high. Plant in moist areas with part to full shade. The leaves will die down in winter only to re-emerge in spring. While very rare in California, false bugbane is more common in other parts of the country. Our form comes from the Siskiyou Mountains of northern California.
Trillium chloropetalum
The beautiful and distinctive giant Trillium is an elegant addition to the woodland garden. Native to coastal and interior open forests and woodlands of the San Francisco Bay Area and North Coast Ranges.Emerges in February with three broad leaves surrounding a leafless stem 10-18 inches tall. A single large flower arises directly from the whorl of leaves and can vary from white, pink, to maroon red. The leaves often have green or maroon mottling. After flowering it dies back to the ground. Prefers the dappled light of a woodland setting with humusy well drained soil and some summer moisture.
Triteleia laxa ‘Corrina’
A beautifully dark flowered form of our Ithuriel’s spear, with flowers a darker blue-purple than the more common ‘Queen Fabiola’. The trumpet-shaped flowers form circular clusters at the top of slender stalks 12 to 18 inches high. This easy to grow bulb sends up slender, grass-like leaves in late winter followed by the striking flowers in late spring. Multiplies readily forming colorful drifts which mix well with grasses and smaller perennials. Tolerant of pretty much all soil types and can be allowed to dry out completely in summer when it goes dormant. Unlike most grassland bulbs, this species will also tolerate moderate irrigation. Plant in full sun to light shade. Attracts bees, butterflies and hummingbirds.
Triteleia laxa ‘Queen Fabiola’
Trumpets of bluish-purple blossoms make a dazzling display at the height of spring on this easily grown lily relative. The showy flowers rise up to 18 inches tall in dense whorls on slender stalks above grasslike leaves. The small bulbs increase rapidly to form small, colorful drifts. Give full sun to light shade. Tolerant of dry conditions but accepts occasional irrigation. Will go dormant by mid-summer but reemerges in early winter. Attracts bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. Plant in openings between low, evergreen plants or in meadows with yarrow, California fuchsia and grasses.
Triteleia laxa ‘Rudy’
An interesting flower color variation of this easy to grow native bulb. Grasslike blades 12 - 18 inches tall produce flower stems with large clusters of showy, funnel-shaped, pale blue-lavender blossoms with a vivid violet stripe down the center of each petal. An eye catching addition to a naturalistic planting, in sun to light shade. A willing grower which will multiply if happy. Enjoys dry conditions once done flowering, but will accept some moisture. Good container subject. Attracts bees, hummingbirds and butterflies.
Triteleia laxa ‘Silver Queen’
A white form of Ithuriel’s spear! We kid you not. You may be familiar with this species and its traditionally blue-purple, trumpet-shaped flowers perched in whorls atop stalks a foot or more tall. We now have a selection featuring soft white flowers. This native bulb sends up grass-like foliage in the winter followed by the charming flowers in spring and early summer. The bulbs multiply readily, forming small colonies over time. While it tolerates dry conditions in summer, it will also accept occasional irrigation, making it very useful in the garden. Enjoys full sun to light shade and will tolerate clay soil.
Urtica dioica
Found in moist woodlands and meadows throughout the state, stinging nettle is a habitat powerhouse. Growing at least 3 ft. tall and spreading vigorously to form large colonies, it's a great addition to any shady habitat garden or swale, where it stays moist throughout the year. Plant away from high traffic areas, as both the stems and foliage have small, stinging hairs that can cause skin irritation upon contact. This nettle has distinctive gray stalks, serrated leaves, and produces white, firework-like inflorescences that grow on stems in clusters throughout summer and early fall. Not only has it been used for centuries for a multitude of edible and medicinal purposes by indigenous tribes, it is also a larval host to several native butterflies including the painted lady and red admiral. Good cover for birds and small mammals.
Vaccinium ovatum
A handsome evergreen shrub native to moist forests of the Pacific Coast. Leathery dark green leaves with new growth flushed bronzy-red. Small pinkish flowers in the spring are followed by delectable black berries prized in pies and jams. A slow growing shrub for shady situations or cool sun along the coast with moderate to regular water. Grows 4 - 5 ft. tall and wide or as much as 8 ft. in especially prime locations given time. Flowers provide nectar for hummingbirds and bees, fruit for many species including humans. Fire resistant. Deer resistant.
Vaccinium ovatum ‘Scarlet Ovation’
A round of applause for this cultivar of the evergreen huckleberry, featuring an especially compact habit and stand out bronzy-red new growth. Forms a small, dense shrub, 3 -4 ft. tall and wide. The new growth in the spring is dependably fiery-red, contrasting beautifully with the neat, dark-green older foliage. Small, urn-shaped, pinkish-white flowers are rich in nectar and attract an array of pollinators, including hummingbirds. The small, dark-blue berries are tasty and enjoyed by wildlife and humans. Huckleberries can grow in full sun along the coast, but require some shade in hot areas. Moderate to regular summer water. Fire and deer resistant.
Vaccinium ovatum (Inverness)
This Marin County selection of the evergreen huckleberry was chosen by landscape architect Ron Lutsko for its dense and compact habit. The leaves appear to us to be smaller than usual for this species and spaced more closely together. It has the classic, tasty huckleberries and blooms and fruits readily. Plant in part shade and provide regular to moderate irrigation. Will grow in full sun near the coast. While tolerant of somewhat shadier locations, evergreen huckleberries fruit best with adequate light. Fire resistant. Deer resistant.
Vancouveria hexandra
A useful ground cover for shady areas with delicate apple green, fern-like foliage and creeping rootstocks. Grows 6 to 12 inches tall and spreads slowly by underground rhizomes. Dainty, nodding, white flowers with reflexed petals give the impression of being turned inside out and can appear over a long period from April through June. This western native grows profusely in moist woodland conditions but tolerates dryish conditions once established. Competes well with tree roots too.
Venegasia carpesioides
Native to coastal areas of central and southern California, the canyon sunflower brightens the garden with abundant blooms from spring into late summer. The daisy-like, golden-yellow blossoms are 2 in. wide and set against light-green, almost heart-shaped leaves. This 3 – 5 ft.-tall-and-wide, showy shrub is particularly useful for its pop of color in dry shade under oaks. It will also accept quite a bit of moisture, and full sun in warmer areas! Rarely offered in Northern California nurseries, it does well in our area, but may retreat back to the ground after hard frosts, only to re-emerge in spring. If kept dry through the summer, plants may go dormant until moisture returns.
Veratrum fimbriatum
From moist, coastal areas of Sonoma and Mendocino County comes this very rare lily relative. A cousin of the high mountain cornlily, this threatened species features large, pleated leaves which emerge in late winter and are followed in the autumn by icy-white flowers with fringed edges. After its long bloom period is over, the plant will go dormant through the winter. Surprisingly tolerant of shade, but will accept full sun along the coast with ample moisture. A choice plant for woodland gardens and will also thrive in a container. This plant is POISONOUS when consumed. Deer and gopher resistant.
Verbena lilacina ‘De La Mina’
Verbena lilacina ‘De La Mina’ delights with dense clusters of rich lavender blossoms that are highly attractive to butterflies. Can bloom nearly year round along the coast, spring through fall elsewhere. Native to Cedros Island off of Baja, Mexico, ‘De La Mina’ was selected by the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden for its darker shade of lavender flowers. Generally cold-hardy to 25°F, the deliciously aromatic, evergreen foliage may need light trimming when subject to winter frost or extreme heat. Forms a lacy mound 1-2 ft. tall and 2-4 ft. wide. Plant in full sun with moderate to occasional summer water. Makes for an excellent border or container plant, and is reportedly deer resistant.
Vicia gigantea
This native pea-relative is a climbing perennial with delicate, arching clusters of magenta flowers. Leaves are dense rows of narrow leaflets culminating in tendrils that help it vine over shrubs, fences or up trellises. With its slender but vigorous stems, giant vetch can spread or climb 3 to 7 feet. This species has a primarily coastal range from San Luis Obispo up to Alaska and does best in temperate or moist areas with moderate water. Grows in full sun but prefers part shade inland. Its rich reddish-purple blooms attract butterflies and other pollinators, and roots fix nitrogen in the soil. A host for a number of butterfly and moth species that use plants in the pea family.
Viola adunca
Native to both coastal and mountain plant communities, this violet can be seen locally blooming in coastal meadows and bluffs. Forms low-growing, slowly creeping, neat clumps of heart-shaped leaves. Sweetly fragrant, nodding, blue to purple flowers with white interiors and purple nectar guides bloom in the spring. This pretty little wildflower is visited by bees and other pollinators and is a host plant for a number of butterflies, some of which are rare and endangered. Grows in sun along the coast and light shade inland with moderate summer water. Can reseed if happy.
Vitis californica
California wild grape is a vigorous deciduous vine, native to watercourses in California and Oregon. Lush foliage on woody vines create leafy draperies in riparian areas. Useful in the garden for trellises, arbors, fences or to spill down a bank. Round green leaves take on nice yellow tones in the autumn. Flowers are very attractive to bees.Fruits are small and seedy but tasty. Excellent habitat value providing food and cover for wildlife.
Vitis californica ‘Russian River’
Our own selection of what is likely a hybrid between the native Vitis californica and the European wine grape Vitis vinifera, originating along the Russian River near Rio Nido in Sonoma County. Similar to 'Roger’s Red’ in vigor and heavy fruit production, this cultivar has deeper purple-red fall colored leaves that tend to hold on to the vine longer than the selection 'Roger’s Red'. An adaptable vine, thriving in full sun to light shade with regular to moderate water. Will grow well with far less summer water, though plants in dryish conditions tend to be less rampant. Good habitat plant.
Vitis californica x ‘Roger’s Red’
Selected by Roger Raiche, this cultivar is now thought to be a natural hybrid between the native Vitis californica and the European wine grape, Vitis vinifera. A beautiful and vigorous vine used to cover fences, trellises, arbors, or used as a ground cover. This selection has gorgeous warm red fall color and ample fruit clusters that are small (with seeds), but sweet and tasty. An adaptable vine, thriving in full sun to light shade with regular to moderate water. Will grow well with far less summer water, though plants in dryish conditions tend to be less rampant. Good habitat plant.