Hard Working California Native Plants
The following is a list of native plants that you can put in the ground and virtually forget about except to enjoy their beauty and marvel at their efficiency. These plants work for a living and really earn their place in your landscape. You can choose to do as little or as much maintenance on them as you like and they will reward you year after year. Some are ground covers that are great for slopes, some make great accents or fillers and some are excellent screens for concealing whatever you may need to cover… all are drought tolerant. Take your pick!
| Botanical Name | Common Name | Size | Sun Requirements |
| Abutilon palmeri | Indian mallow | 5’x5’ | full to part sun |
| Artemisia californica | California sagebrush | 4’x3’ | full to part sun |
| Artemisia tridentata | Big Basin sagebrush | 6’x6’ | full to part sun |
| Baccharis pilularis | Coyote brush | Range of sizes | full sun (hybrids can take part shade) |
| Eriogonum fasciculatum | Buckwheat | 3’x4’ | full to part sun |
| Grindelia stricta var. | Gumplant | 1’x2’ | full to partial sun |
| Heteromeles arbutifolia | Toyon | 12’x12′ | full to part sun |
| Iva hayesiana | San Diego marsh-elder | 2’x5’ | full to part sun |
| Justicia californica | Chuparosa | 4’x4’ | full to part sun |
| Muhlenbergia rigens | Deer grass | 2’x2’ | full to part sun |
| Peritoma arborea | Bladderpod | 5’x5′ | full sun |
| Prunus ilicifolia | Holly-leaf cherry | 20’x12’ | full to part sun |
| Quercus agrifolia | Coast Live Oak | 40’x35’ | full sun |
| Quercus engelmannii | Engelmann Oak | 30’x20’ | full sun |
| Rhus integrifolia | Lemonade Berry | 8’x6’ | full to part sun |
| Rhus ovata | Sugar Bush | 12’x12’ | full to part sun |
| Ribes viburnifolium | Catalina Perfume | 3’x6’ | part to full shade |
| Salvia mellifera varieties | Black Sage | 2-5’x4’ | full to part sun |
| Symphyotrichum chilense | Pacific Aster | 1-3’x3’ | full to part sun |