The low-growing, spreading habit of certain California natives make them ideal groundcovers for planting in masses on slopes, in the front of mixed border plantings, in parkways or even as a lawn substitute. Many of the native groundcovers make beautiful drought tolerant landscape accents with their unique colors, textures, flowers, berries and fragrant foliage. As a general rule, combining three or four compatible varieties will make a more interesting planting; more successful and better for the birds and butterflies too! By using the plants in the following table as staples for your groundcover plantings and mixing in a few jewels for aesthetic and environmental appeal you will be creating a low maintenance beautiful landscape.
| Botanical Name | Common Name | Exposure |
| Achillea millefolium | Yarrow | Full Sun to Full Shade |
| Arctostaphylos sp. e.g. Point reyes, Pacific mist | Manzanita | Coastal Sun, Inland Partial Shade |
| Baccharis pilularis e.g. Pigeon point | Dwarf coyote bush | Sun |
| Ceanothus sp. e.g. Point reyes, Yankee point | California lilac | Coastal Sun, Inland Partial Shade |
| Clinopodium (Satureja sp.) | San Miguel savory, Yerba buena | Partial to Full Shade |
| Epilobium californicum e.g. Wayne’s silver, everett’s Choice | California fuschia | Sun |
| Eriogonum fasciculatum e.g. Bruce dickinson, Dana Point | Buckwheat | Sun |
| Fragaria vesca | Wild strawberry | Partial Shade |
| Grindelia stricta var. platyphylla | Gum plant | Coastal Sun, Inland Partial Shade |
| Iva hayesiana | San Diego marsh elder | Full Sun to Full Shade |
| Corethrogyne ‘Silver carpet’ | California beach aster | Coastal Sun, Inland Partial Shade |
| Ribes viburnifolium | Evergreen currant | Partial to Full Shade |
| Salvia sp. e.g. Bee’s bliss, Tera seca, Jade carpet, Skylark | Sage | Sun |