Coastal Native — Drought Tolerant Plants

Sea Pink

Armeria maritima

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.

Coastal NativeTorrey DouglassOctober 23, 2019salt-tolerant, flowers, part shade, deer resistant, gopher resistant

Seaside Daisy

Erigeron glaucus

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.

Scorpionweed

Phacelia californica

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.

Coastal NativeTorrey DouglassOctober 18, 2019evergreen, perennial

Hummingbird Sage

Salvia spathacea

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.

Sticky Monkey Flower

Diplacus aurantiacus

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.

Coyote Mint

Monardella villosa

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.

Yellow Bush Lupine

Lupinus arboreus

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.

Coastal NativeTorrey DouglassOctober 10, 2019attracts butterflies, attracts bees, deer resistant

Chalk Buckwheat

Eriogonum latifolium

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.