Ceanothus spp.
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.
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.
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.
Aster chilensis
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.
Solidago californica
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.
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.
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Penstemon heterophyllus
Blooms 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.
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.
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.
Fragaria chiloensis
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.
Agastache
Blooms in summer
A perennial that grows erect 3-4 ft and is bushy with tubular flowers borne on whorls. Color varies. Prefers sun and well-drained soil. Water when flowering and prune back after. Provides nectar and attracts natives, especially bombus and honey bees.
Eriophyllum lanatum
Blooms May to August
A grey perennial, not a true sunflower, with 1-2 ft. high, with yellow, two-inch daisy-like flowers. A good garden plant, liking full sun to part-day shade, and dry conditions best. Attracts butterflies.
Encelia californica
Blooms spring to fall
Perennial woody shrub that grows up to 4 ft tall with 2” floral heads, yellow rays and dark disk. Tolerates a wide variety of soils. Deadhead to prolong the bloom. Provides nectar and pollen. Attracts a wide variety of natives.
Eriogonum grande rubescens
Blooms in summer
Perennial low-mounding subshrub that can grow to 24” high. Likes well drained poor to moderately rich soil. Provides nectar and pollen. Attracts honey, sweat, mining, Bombus, and mason bees.
Grindelia hirsutula
Blooms early spring to early fall
A perennial that grows up to 30” high with yellow, sticky flowers and hairy leaves. Likes clay to loam soil and full sun. Provides nectar and pollen. Attracts Bombus and sweat bees.
Grindelia stricta
Blooms late spring to fall
A perennial that grows up to 30” high with yellow, sticky flowers and broad leaves. Likes clay to loam soil and full sun. Provides nectar and pollen. Attracts Bombus and sweat bees.
Salvia melliifera
Blooms spring to early summer
A perennial evergreen shrub up to 6 ft high to 6 ft wide. Lavender flowers, native to San Francisco. Grows in many garden conditions, drought tolerant but water for flowers. Provides mostly nectar. Attracts honey, Bonbus, mason, and other native bees.
Sphaeralcea ambigua
Blooms late spring to early fall
A perennial that grows 3 - 5 ft high with multiple stems and orange or pink flowers. Likes well-drained soil and tolerates hot, dry conditions. Protect from gophers. Provides pollen and attracts wide variety of native bees and honey bees.