Native Landscape Favorites
Our top 50 picks for hardy natives to use in landscaping and gardens.
Groundcovers | Shrubs | Trees | Succulents | Grasses | Vines | Perennials
Groundcovers
A fragrant, low spreading groundcover. A natural cultivar of California Sagebrush (Artemisia californica) from the windswept San Miguel Island in the Channel Islands.
A spreading perennial found in shady, moist areas. It has a pleasant fragrance and the leaves can be used for tea.
A great groundcover for sandy soils. Blooms with little white flowers that turn into tiny strawberries. One of the two strawberry species used to create the modern hybrid strawberry.
A particularly hardy and fast growing evergreen groundcover with yellow flowers. Great for erosion control.
An adaptable, low maintenance evergreen groundcover. Has tiny yellow flowers in the spring.
A groundcover with small yellow flowers in the summer. Good for stabilization in coastal areas.
Good low growing bush or tall ground cover for shady areas, spreads at a medium rate through layering. Has beautiful clusters of deep red flowers that bloom in late winter/early spring.
A medium height groundcover with silver foliage and pink flowers in winter. Tolerates drought and garden conditions.
Shrubs
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One of the most garden tolerant species of manzanita, so a good species to start with if you want to try a manzanita.
An evergreen, medium sized shrub with soft grey leaves and nearly ever-present blooms. Native to the desert but also does great on the coast.
A beautiful red-twigged shrub that is underused in native landscaping. Blooms most of the year if watered periodically.
A shrub local to the San Diego region that has large masses of yellow flowers in the spring.
A desert shrub that needs little water, is heat tolerant, and produces fragrant, colorful flowers over a long season.
A striking evergreen shrub with red "powder puff" flowers. A great native alternative to Callistemon 'Little John'.
A great evergreen shrub that is very easy to grow and has beautiful red berries during the winter.
An upright growing, evergreen small tree with yellow berries instead of the typical red Toyon berries. This selection has larger leaves and a particularly attractive branching structure.
A medium sized evergreen tree with leaves that resemble holly. A profusion of fragrant, small white flowers arrive early to late spring. Red fruits follow which songbirds love.
Good low growing bush or tall ground cover for shady areas, spreads at a medium rate through layering. Has beautiful clusters of deep red flowers that bloom in late winter/early spring.
A drought tolerant perennial with vibrant orange blooms. Works great in hot, sunny areas.
Very drought tolerant, Jojoba grows from the coast all the way out to the desert. Thrives in full sun with minimal water.
A medium height groundcover with silver foliage and pink flowers in winter. Tolerates drought and garden conditions.
A quintessential native plant with whirls of purple to blue flowers in spring. Great for attracting pollinators and hummingbirds.
One of the largest Salvia clevelandii cultivars. Fragrant leaves and beautiful purple/blue flowers.
An adaptable perennial with lightly scented purple blossoms that attract butterflies. Though this plant has more flowers in the spring, it does have blossoms throughout most of the year, especially if given supplemental water.
Trees
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A columnar small evergreen tree with delicate feather-like flowers. Great for screening or pruned into a small tree.
A glossy-leafed evergreen tree from the Channel Islands with white flowers in spring and an edible red cherry. Makes a great screening plant or small tree.
A medium sized evergreen tree with leaves that resemble holly. A profusion of fragrant, small white flowers arrive early to late spring. Red fruits follow which songbirds love.
A beautiful rare oak native to Southern California that has lost much of its native habitat due to development.
The most wide-spread oak in the state, typically located alongside creeks and in drainage swales, thriving in moist and cool microhabitats.
One of the only native oaks that thrives in coastal environments. An iconic tree that serves as an essential species for wildlife and the surrounding ecosystem.
Succulents
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Rare in California due to habitat loss. Found only along the Pacific coast of Baja and San Diego.
A striking silver succulent that maintains a small rosette form year-round. Great as an accent around rocks or planted en masse.
Grasses
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A great native lawn replacement - can be mowed or left long. Requires significantly less water than turf grass.
Vines
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A deciduous vine known for its vivid red foliage in fall. Ideal for arbors, it offers summer shade with its lush leaves, but still permits sunlight through in winter after it drops its leaves.
Perennials
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Naturally found along stream and pond edges, requires moist soil. Beautiful spring blooms.
A spreading perennial found in shady, moist areas. It has a pleasant fragrance and the leaves can be used for tea.
A uniquely low-growing buckwheat from the Channel Islands with bright red/pink flower clusters.
Bright red flowers that bloom in summer and autumn. One of the few natives to be blooming during this time, so a good addition to a garden to balance out color year-round.
A great groundcover for sandy soils. Blooms with little white flowers that turn into tiny strawberries. One of the two strawberry species used to create the modern hybrid strawberry.
A particularly hardy and fast growing evergreen groundcover with yellow flowers. Great for erosion control.
An adaptable, low maintenance evergreen groundcover. Has tiny yellow flowers in the spring.
A groundcover with small yellow flowers in the summer. Good for stabilization in coastal areas.
Mint scented foliage and purple flowers that butterflies love. A natural selection from the Russian River that is easier to grow.
One of the showiest poppies, known as the "fried-egg flower". Very drought tolerant, spreads by rhizomes and can easily spread 10 ft wide.
A drought tolerant perennial with vibrant orange blooms. Works great in hot, sunny areas.
One of the easiest herbaceous perennials, provides a vibrant pop of color during springtime.
Lush spreading groundcover with violet blooms in summer to fall.