Covetable CA Natives!
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Create a sustainable sense of place and an enviably colorful, luscious garden with our favorite CA toughies. These summer blooming beauties are drought and heat tolerant AND attractive to pollinators. Did we mention they will also increase biodiversity and improve environmental sustainability? |
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Eriogonum grande var. rubescens
"Red Buckwheat"
This hard-to-find, choice and goof-proof evergreen “Buckwheat” from the Channel Islands thrives on neglect and prefers dry, clay soil! One of the best butterfly magnets around, it blooms June-October, providing lots of Summer color for your habitat, native or dry garden. One of the shortest, most delicate looking of the “Buckwheats,” it’s also evergreen, forming a nice, low, dense 1’ x 3’ mound of spoon shaped leaves, green above and wooly below. Excellent for massing on dry hillsides. Deer resistant! Hardy to 15°F. |
Datura wrightii
“Sacred Datura”
Native to hot areas of California and deserts of the Southwest, this stunning member of the tomato family tolerates the harshest conditions. Large, dramatic, bold, blue-green leaves form a compact 3’ x 3’ mound topped with marvelously huge upright pearly white and sweetly fragrant trumpets 8” across. Blooming from late Spring to Fall. Pollinated by Hawkmoths! Great in containers (15+ gal). Deadhead spent blooms to prevent spiky seed pods and unwanted seedlings. Absolutely deer proof! All parts poisonous. Evergreen to deciduous. |
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Helianthus bolanderi "Serpentine Sunflower"
So rare, so charming and SO eager to bloom With a shorter, chubby, 3’ tall x 30” around dense habit, it’s easy to place in the garden – like, right up front! Loaded with 2” flowers sporting an extra-large central disc, the flowers are displayed all the way to the base of the plant – cool! Blooms from Spring to late Summer. Tolerates poor to average soil. Self-sows! A true magnet for pollinators! Deer resistant! |
Lupinus albifrons “Silver Bush Lupine”’
So much bloom with so little water! Thriving with zero Summer water, this tough CA native blooms Spring thru August with a mass of FRAGRANT 8-12” purple spikes atop handsome silvery foliage. To 3-4’ tall and wide. Best in infertile, well-drained soil. Does well in a large container and is a host for the endangered Mission Blue butterfly. Deer resistant! Hardy 0-10° F |
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Mimulus 'Jelly Bean Fiesta Marigold'
Profuse eye-popping amber-red 2” blooms edged in gold appear year-round along the coast and Spring-Fall in hottest areas. Branching to 18” x 18” with glossy emerald leaves, it’s reliably showy in low fertility, native or rock gardens and containers. Tolerant of heat and zero Summer moisture, but will stay green and bloomy with some Summer water. Tolerates clayish soil. Deer and fire resistant. Hardy to 20 degrees F. |
Salvia leucophylla x clevelandii ‘Pozo Blue’
If you’ve ever had trouble keeping S. clevelandii alive, you must try this much stronger, tough-as-nails hybrid originating at Las Pilitas Nursery. Maintaining most of the yummy aroma and whorled violet-blue flowers, this highly heat and drought tolerant Sage tolerates anything including CLAY-ISH soil. Blooms June thru October, attracting loads of butterflies, hummers and bees. Great in large pots, too (15+ gal). To 4’ x 4’. Deer resistant. |
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