Skip to content

Inland Gardening

Home
Blog
California Native Plants
...
Inland Gardening
Download PDF Version

Have you ever used the word ‘only’ in the same sentence as ‘90 degrees’ or found yourself convinced that gardening where you live is a sort of purification process akin to hot yoga? If so, then you are probably an inland gardener and you rightfully impress other horticulturists with your enthusiasm in the face of great heat!

Your plant choices and placements are best guided by well researched principles. Seasonal changes in your garden will be quite impressive and your design will emphasize architectural qualities of plants and not just color or foliage. Listed here are some of the many plants that will, if placed properly, help to create a habitat inviting not only to you but also to butterflies, hummingbirds and pollinators of all sorts. So either in spite of your hottest summer days or happily in harmony with them, we hope you find inspiration in the beauty of these plants. ( *regionally appropriate nonnative, ASH afternoon shade, SH shade)

Tips for planting:

  • When establishing a plant it will need more water than published requirements (first year)
  • Plant in fall and winter, your success rate will be much higher.
  • When planting avoid the heat of the day and heat waves.
  • Backfill with moist soil when planting.
  • Pick up or download our planting guide or watch our planting video before putting plants into the ground.
  • Micro-climates are areas in your yard that don’t conform to average climate conditions and should be noted before planting (i.e. full sun site but even hotter than average due to reflected sun from walls and no air movement.)
  • Water deeply to reach the bottom of the root ball.

Water 2-4x a Month

Botanical Name Common NameSize/Form
Achillea millefoliumYarrow1′ x spreading – ASH
Cercis occidentalisWestern redbud20′ x 10-15′, ASH
Isocoma menziesiiGoldenbush3′ x 4′
Justicia californicaChuparosa4′ x 4′
Lobelia laxifloraMexican lobelia2′ x spreading
Muhlenbergia rigensDeergrass3′ x 3′
Symphyotrichum chilenseCalifornia aster2′ x Spreading
Tecoma speciesOrange / yellow bells6-12′ x 6-12′
Vitis girdiana Desert wild grapeClimbing Vine

Water 1-2x a Month

Botanical Name Common NameSize/Form
Artemisia californicaCalifornia sagebrush3-4′ x 2-3′
Baccharis species Coyote brushWide size range
Berberis ‘Golden Abundance’Oregon grape 5-8′ x 6′
Gambelia juncea*Baja bush snapdragon3-6’ x 5-8’ 
Heuchera speciesCoral bells1-2’ x 1-2’ SH
Melampodium leucanthumBlackfoot daisy1-2’ x 1-2’ 
Melica imperfecta California melic2’ x 2’ Summer
Monardella odoratissima Mountain coyote mint1’ x 1-2’ ASH 
Penstemon speciesBuglers1-3’ x 2-3’
Peritoma arboreaBladderpod4’ x 6’
Ribes speciesCurrants and Gooseberries10’ x 5-10’ ASH
Salvia speciesSagewide size range
Symphoricarpos mollisCreeping snowberry 2-3’ x 3’ SH

Water 1x a month

Botanical Name Common NameSize/Form
Abutilon palmeri Palmer’s mallow5’ x 5’
Adenostoma fasciculatumChamise5’+ x 6’
Aristida purpureaPurple three awn 1-2’ x 1’
Artemisia tridentataGreat basin sagebrush15’ x 10’
Berberis nevinii Nevin’s barberry 13’ x 6-12’
Calliandra californica Baja fairy duster3-5’ x 5’
Cercocarpus betuloidesMountain mahogony 8-20’ x 12’
Chilopsis linearisDesert willow 23’ x 10-20′
Dendromecon rigida Bush poppy  3-10’ x 3-8’
Elymus condensatus Giant wild rye 4-8’ x 6’
Encelia farinosa Brittlebush3’ x 4’
Epilobium speciesCalifornia fuchsias1-3’ x spreading
Eriogonum speciesBuckwheat species1-3’ x 2-5’ 
Fallugia paradoxaApache plume 6’ x 6’ 
Hesperaloe parvifloraRed yucca 3-4’ x 4-5’
Heteromeles arbutifoliaToyon15-30’ x 10-15’
Lysiloma watsoniiFern of the desert11-20’ x 11-20′
Prunus ilicifoliaHollyleaf cherry 30’ x 20’ 
Quercus speciesOak species Varies by species
Rhus ovataSugarbush20’ x 30’ 
Simmondsia chinensis Jojoba 7’ x 4-7’
Sphaeralcea ambiguaDesert mallow 3’ x 2-4’
Thymophylla pentachaetaGolden dyssodia 1’ x 1’

Categories

Archives