California Native & Relatives

Fern: Evergreen, clumping habit. Deer resistant. Somewhat gopher resistant. Good for woodlands, beds, along house walls, ground cover, borders, containers and for cut foliage. Shiny dark green leathery foliage with toothed edges. Native from AK to MT & CA. Height: 2-6 feet. Exposure: shade (coastal sun is okay). Water: moist. Bog tolerant. USDA Z3-9.

Evergreen Shrub. California Native. Grows low to the ground, never exceeding 2 feet, and can reach 6 to 8 feet wide. Plant in full sun and water sparingly. A hybrid that is thought to be a cross of Salvia sonomensis or Salvia clevelandii with Salvia leucophylla. Drought tolerant.

Perennial: California native ground cover. Deer resistant. Very drought tolerant. A vigorous hybrid of Salvia sonomensis & Salvia mellifera. Mat forming w/flowers that rise about 6" above the foliage. Creeps underground, though it is easily controllable. Leaves are heavily pungent when cut or crushed. Attracts bees, butterflies & hummingbirds. Blm time: spring-summer. Blm color: lavender-blue. Ht: 18-24". Width: 4-6'. Full sun. Water: dry. Needs good drainage. USDA Z8.

Perennial Shrub: Drought, deer & gopher tolerant. California native (from Southern California's coastal sage scrub region). A good border plant and plant for attracting bees-they like the foliage. Attracts butterflies & hummingbirds. Spring bloomer followed by summer dormancy-needs no sumer water. Grows in winter. Bloom color: white or pale lavender. Height: 4-5 feet. Exposure: sun. USDA Z8.

Perennial Shrub: Drought, deer & gopher tolerant. California native (from Southern California's coastal sage scrub region). A good border plant and plant for attracting bees-they like the foliage. Attracts butterflies & hummingbirds. Spring bloomer followed by summer dormancy-needs no sumer water. Grows in winter. Bloom color: white or pale lavender. Height: 4-5 feet. Exposure: sun. USDA Z8.

Shrub: Evergreen. CA native. Tolerant of drought, deer & gophers. Good border plant. Fragrant dark blue flowers are held in ball-like clusters over fragrant gray green leaves, which are good for tea. More compact & upright than the species. Attracts butterflies & hummingbirds. Blooms: spring-summer. 3-4'. Exposure: sun. Water: dry. USDA Z8.

Shrub: Evergreen. CA native. Tolerant of drought, deer & gophers. Good border plant. Fragrant dark blue flowers are held in ball-like clusters over fragrant gray green leaves, which are good for tea. More compact & upright than the species. Attracts butterflies & hummingbirds. Blooms: spring-summer. 3-4'. Exposure: sun. Water: dry. USDA Z8.

Perennial Shrub: Evergreen. Native to California. Drought tolerant. Deer resistant. More prostrate and has broader, greyer leaves than the species. New growth is apple green that becomes grey-white with warmer temps. Great ground cover for borders or on slopes for erosion control. Attracts butterflies. Bloom time: spring. Bloom color: light pinkish-purple. Height: 2-3'. Spread: 8-10'. Water: dry. USDA Z9.

Shrub: CA native. Found as a seedling at Las Pilitas Nursery. Tolerates drought, deer and gophers. Good border plant. The fragrant light violet-blue flowers are held in ball-like clusters over fragrant grey foliage. Very tough and easier to grow than S. clevelandii. Attracts butterflies & hummingbirds. Blooms: spring-summer. Height: 3-6'. Exposure: sun. Water: dry. USDA Z7.

Perennial Herb: Evergreen. Tolerates deer, sand & clay. California native. This cultivar has a nice cascading, trailing, uniform habit. Well known for its minty scent, culinary & medicinal properties. Good ground cover, understory, pot, rock garden, & shade plant. Mat-forming & will take light foot traffic. Blooms: spring-fall. Color: white to lavender. Ht: 2-4 in. Width: 5-6 ft. Expos: part shade/shade, but can take sun. Water: moderate/dry. USDA Z7.

Perennial Herb: Evergreen. Tolerates deer, sand & clay. California native. This cultivar has a nice cascading, trailing, uniform habit. Well known for its minty scent, culinary & medicinal properties. Good ground cover, understory, pot, rock garden, & shade plant. Mat-forming & will take light foot traffic. Blooms: spring-fall. Color: white to lavender. Ht: 2-4 in. Width: 5-6 ft. Expos: part shade/shade, but can take sun. Water: moderate/dry. USDA Z7.

Perennial Herb: Evergreen. Tolerates deer, sand & clay. California native. This cultivar has a nice cascading, trailing, uniform habit. Well known for its minty scent, culinary & medicinal properties. Good ground cover, understory, pot, rock garden, & shade plant. Mat-forming & will take light foot traffic. Blooms: spring-fall. Color: white to lavender. Ht: 2-4 in. Width: 5-6 ft. Expos: part shade/shade, but can take sun. Water: moderate/dry. USDA Z7.

Perennial Herb: Evergreen. Tolerates deer, sand & clay. California native. This cultivar has a nice cascading, trailing, uniform habit. Well known for its minty scent, culinary & medicinal properties. Good ground cover, understory, pot, rock garden, & shade plant. Mat-forming & will take light foot traffic. Blooms: spring-fall. Color: white to lavender. Ht: 2-4 in. Width: 5-6 ft. Expos: part shade/shade, but can take sun. Water: moderate/dry. USDA Z7.

Perennial Herb: Evergreen. Tolerates deer, sand & clay. California native. Well known for its minty scent, culinary & medicinal properties. Good ground cover, understory, pot, rock garden, & shade plant. Mat-forming & will take light foot traffic. Blooms: spring-fall. Color: white to lavender. Height: 2-8 inches. Width: 1-3 feet. Exposure: part shade/shade, but can take sun. Water: moderate/dry. USDA Z7.

Perennial Herb: Evergreen. Tolerates deer, sand & clay. California native. Well known for its minty scent, culinary & medicinal properties. Good ground cover, understory, pot, rock garden, & shade plant. Mat-forming & will take light foot traffic. Blooms: spring-fall. Color: white to lavender. Height: 2-8 inches. Width: 1-3 feet. Exposure: part shade/shade, but can take sun. Water: moderate/dry. USDA Z7.

Perennial Herb: Evergreen. Tolerates deer, sand & clay. California native. Well known for its minty scent, culinary & medicinal properties. Good ground cover, understory, pot, rock garden, & shade plant. Mat-forming & will take light foot traffic. Blooms: spring-fall. Color: white to lavender. Height: 2-8 inches. Width: 1-3 feet. Exposure: part shade/shade, but can take sun. Water: moderate/dry. USDA Z7.

Herbaceous Perennial: Deer resistant. Drought tolerant. CA native. The flower spikes carry many tiny open-mouthed maroon-red flowers followed by attractive seed stalks. Nice in dried flower arrangements. Great for shady gardens or perfect habitat plant for butterfly gardens. Attracts bees & hummingbirds. Spreads by rhizomes. Blooms: spring-summer. Ht: 3-5'. Width: 1-2'. Exp.: pt. shade/shade. Water: mod./dry. USDA Z7.

Herbaceous Perennial: Deer resistant. Drought tolerant. CA native. The flower spikes carry many tiny open-mouthed maroon-red flowers followed by attractive seed stalks. Nice in dried flower arrangements. Great for shady gardens or perfect habitat plant for butterfly gardens. Attracts bees & hummingbirds. Spreads by rhizomes. Blooms: spring-summer. Ht: 3-5'. Width: 1-2'. Exp.: pt. shade/shade. Water: mod./dry. USDA Z7.

Herbaceous Perennial: Deer resistant. Drought tolerant. CA native. The flower spikes carry many tiny open-mouthed maroon-red flowers followed by attractive seed stalks. Nice in dried flower arrangements. Great for shady gardens or perfect habitat plant for butterfly gardens. Attracts bees & hummingbirds. Spreads by rhizomes. Blooms: spring-summer. Ht: 3-5'. Width: 1-2'. Exp.: pt. shade/shade. Water: mod./dry. USDA Z7.

Herbaceous Perennial: Deer resistant. Drought tolerant. CA native. The flower spikes carry many tiny open-mouthed maroon-red flowers followed by attractive seed stalks. Nice in dried flower arrangements. Great for shady gardens or perfect habitat plant for butterfly gardens. Attracts bees & hummingbirds. Spreads by rhizomes. Blooms: spring-summer. Ht: 3-5'. Width: 1-2'. Exp.: pt. shade/shade. Water: mod./dry. USDA Z7.

Perennial: Evergreen. Tolerates deer, fire, drought, coast & light shade. Native from Cal. Coast ranges & Sierra Nevada north to British Colombia. Border, ground cover, rock garden, & pot plant. Forms rosettes of gray foliage. Attracts butterflies. Blooms: summer, yellow. Size: 4-6" x indefinite spread. Sun/part shade. Water: moderate/dry. USDA Z7. (syn. 'Cappa Blanca')

Perennial: Evergreen. Tolerates deer, fire, drought, coast & light shade. Native from Cal. Coast ranges & Sierra Nevada north to British Colombia. Border, ground cover, rock garden & pot plant. Silvery gray rosettes are tinged w/bright red or purple. Attrracts butterflies. Blooms: summer, yellow. Size: 4-5" x indefinite (slow). Sun/part shade. Water: mod/dry. USDA Z4.

Perennial: Semi-evergreen. Deer resistant. Drought tolerant. Somewhat gopher resistant. California Native. Good for borders, rock gardens and sunny meadows. Bluish green grass-like clumps. Bloom time: summer-fall. Bloom color: white. Height: 12-18". Width: 6-12". Exposure: sun. Water: moderate/dry. USDA Z4.

Perennial: Semi-evergreen. Deer resistant. Drought tolerant. Somewhat gopher resistant. California Native. Good for borders, rock gardens and sunny meadows. Bluish green grass-like clumps. Bloom time: summer-fall. Bloom color: white. Height: 12-18". Width: 6-12". Exposure: sun. Water: moderate/dry. USDA Z4.

Perennial: Semi-evergreen. Deer resistant. Drought tolerant. Somewhat gopher resistant. California Native. Good for borders, rock gardens and sunny meadows. Bluish green grass-like clumps. Bloom time: summer-fall. Bloom color: bluish purple. Size: around 6-12" x 6-12". Exposure: sun. Water: moderate/dry. USDA Z8.