Blooms May-July
Yarrow is an erect herbaceous perennial plant with a spreading rhizomatous growth, white flowers on one to several stems 11 to 40 inches high. A useful companion, repelling some pest insects while attracting beneficial ones. Sun to partial shade, dry soil.
Blooms March to June
A potentially majestic evergreen tree with a unique seasonally changing bark and white blooms from March to June; 30 to 70’; sun to partial shade, tolerates dry soil, attracts bees and hummingbirds. Obviously only appropriate if you have space for a substantial tree.
Blooms spring to early summer
Armerias are easy to grow, compact perennials, which tolerate salt and are a popular plant for seaside landscapes. Armeria plants form tufts of narrow, stiff evergreen leaves topped with bright, globular, bright rose clover-like flower heads, 6" mound with 1" pink flowers on 1'h stems in spring and early summer. Sturdy and dependable, Armerias are an ideal perennial for edging borders or walks. Drought tolerant at the coast but will survive elsewhere with regular water; part shade inland. Tolerates sandy soils and clay. Deer resistant. Gopher resistant.
Blooms spring to summer
Perennial groundcover that can grow to 18 ft shrub with voluminous blue flowers. Prefers well-drained soil, though some varieties tolerate clay. Provides pollen. Attracts Bombus, honey, minim, and sweat bees.
Blooms spring and fall
Vibrant red-orange tubular flowers, up to 2-inches long, bloom in late spring and fall. Called hummingbird trumpet, this native evergreen thrives even when not watered, tolerates heavy soil and attracts butterflies and native bees.
Blooms spring to early fall
Low-growing mounding perennial to 8” tall and up to 12” wide with yellow disk and different color rays. Thrives in coastal areas but needs water and partial shade for inland locations. Attracts sweat bees and leafcutters.
Bloom times vary spring to summer
Many California natives, many colors to choose from. The bushy, flowery plant is extremely drought-tolerant and excellent for native and honeybees. In spring, Penstemon heterophyllus has gorgeous blue-purple flowers, 1-2' h x 2-3' w, accepting of heavy soils and some shade.
Blooms middle to late spring
This evergreen perennial is native to coastal bluffs; grows 1½-2’ tall x 18” with showy dark blue fiddleheads from middle to late spring. Does well in rock gardens and dry perennial beds.
Blooms summer into early fall
A fast-growing perennial that grows 1.3-3.3 ft tall and 3 ft wide with yellow disks, purple or blue ray florets. Grows in poor to moderate rich soil, accepts medium water but tolerates dry conditions. Attracts honey, sweat mining, Bombus, and mason bees.
Blooms winter through summer
Native to coastal California, excellent ground-covering foliage, 2’ h x spreading; prefers partial shade; blooms with long-stemmed flower clusters in late winter through summer, and attracts hummingbirds, butterflies, and native bees.
Bloom times vary spring to summer
There are many California natives and cultivars in blue, pink, and lavender, and they attract native and honey bees as well as butterflies.
Blooms summer to early fall
Perennial with upright slender stems to 4 ft high with masses of floral heads. Does well in a variety of soils. Water increases flowering. Provides nectar and pollen. Attracts honey, sweat, mining, Bombus, and mason bees.
Blooms March to September
This perennial shrub 3-4’h x 3’w prefers clay soil with a moderately acidic ph; full sun and no summer water. This is the coastal form of Mimulus aurantiacus, a perennial with 1" orange flowers that likes partial shade if planted in the interior, sun if it is along the coast. Monkeyflower attracts hummingbirds and is deer proof. Monkeyflower will grow in almost any soil as long as it has drainage and is not overwatered.
Mimulus aurantiacus is not the same in horticulture. Most if not all Mimulus spp. need water; most Diplacus species are drought tolerant.
Read MoreBlooms spring to summer
A perennial that grows 20” high with woody stem and pink, blue, or lavender flowers. Okay in poor to rich soil. Needs water in summer. Provides nectar and pollen. Attracts Bombus and mason bees.
Blooms late spring to summer
A sprawling, mint-scented perennial that grows up to 28” high with clusters that can be purple, pink, and white. Drought tolerant and likes well-drained poor to rich soil. Dead-head and prune back. Provides nectar and attracts Bombus bees.
Blooms spring till mid-summer
This subshrub grows quickly to a substantial 4’ x 4’ with loads of scented, 6-8” spikes that attract butterflies and bumble bees. Deer resistant and drought tolerant.
Blooms summer into fall
Up to 1’h x 2’w mounds of pink and white 1” flowers, grows well on
coastal dunes and bluffs, in beach sand or fast draining clay. Give sun and sandy/rocky soil, little or no water after established (in range of species). Can be grown in warmer areas but give a little extra winter/spring water. This perennial is used by many native butterflies for nectar and larval food. Deer resistant but attractive to rabbits.
Blooms March to August
Native to California coastal bluffs and sand dunes; spreading perennial, with white flowers, 6-12 inches tall, followed by edible red fruits. Grows well in most California gardens as long as it gets some shade and water. Beach Strawberry is a good ground cover for sun in coastal areas and part shade inland.
Sisyrinchium bellum
Blooms January to June
A 1-2 foot tall perennial with small, green-gray, iris-like leaves and 1 inch blue flowers. Widely distributed in California; it grows in sand to clay, coastal bluffs to interior grasslands. It likes full sun with garden water but once established can become very drought tolerant and tolerate full sun everywhere. Tolerates seaside conditions, seasonal flooding, high traffic (people walking on it) and deer. In a native garden Blue Eyed Grass mixes well among rocks or with other small perennials like Armeria maritima.
Blooms April to June
Sun to partial shade; a common deciduous shrub in the forest understory with white flowers and edible berry-like fruit, that grows to 1–8 m (3–26 ft); adaptable to most soil types, except poorly drained or heavy clay soils. The foliage is eaten by deer, the berries are eaten by any and every creature.
