| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | |
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1 | Former Name (if applicable, for reference) | Most Common Name | Potential to Grow Over Six Feet? | Type of Plant | Locally Native? | Local Habitat | Sun | Water Requirements | Will summer irrigation damage it? | Flower Color | Bloom Period | Deer Browsed? | Field Notes | |||||||||||||
2 | Acmispon americanus | Lotus purshianus | Spanish lotus | no | Annual herb | yes | Chaparral | full sun | low | n/a | pink | Apr - Jul | rarely | Acmispon americanus var. americanus is our locally native variety. Cute subtle chaparral plant. | ||||||||||||
3 | Acmispon parviflorus | Lotus micranthus | hill lotus | no | Annual herb | yes | Chaparral | full sun to partial shade | low | n/a | white | Mar - Jun | rarely | Nitrogen fixer like all others of its genus. | ||||||||||||
4 | Acmispon wrangelianus | Lotus wrangelianus | birds-foot trefoil | no | Annual herb | yes | Chaparral | full sun | low | n/a | yellow | Mar - Apr | rarely | Takes foot traffic, yellow flower, cheerful low-key ground cover. Source from habitat restoration nurseries or sow from seed (annual). | ||||||||||||
5 | Calandrinia menziesii | Calandrinia ciliata | red maids | no | Annual herb | yes | Grassland | full sun | low | n/a | scarlet | Feb - May | rarely | Like most annual wildflowers, it's probably better to try this from seed than from plants. Gorgeous color. | ||||||||||||
6 | Castilleja exserta | owl's clover | no | Annual herb | yes | Grassland | full sun | low | no | purple | Mar - Jun | rarely | Like most annual wildflowers, better to try from seed. Unparalleled beauty and habitat value. Try with poppies and blue eyed grass, or yarrow and purple needlegrass. | |||||||||||||
7 | Clarkia amoena | farewell-to-spring | no | Annual herb | yes | Grassland | full sun to partial shade | low | n/a | pink/red | Jun - Aug | sometimes | Most Clarkias have this in common: They like some water for showiest bloom, they are gorgeous when many other things are brown, they recruit readily from seed, deer might munch all their little heads off…or not…and they are definitely worth a try! Keep their area weeded from annual grasses so that they can re-seed. Add more seed when blooms start to decline (every three years or so). Since there are a lot of species and some are endangered, stick to local sourcing when possible! | |||||||||||||
8 | Clarkia bottae | showy farewell-to-spring | no | Annual herb | no | n/a | full sun to partial shade | low | n/a | pink | May - Jun | sometimes | See Clarkia amoena. | |||||||||||||
9 | Clarkia concinna | red ribbons clarkia | no | Annual herb | no | n/a | partial shade | low | n/a | pink, purple | May - Jul | sometimes | See Clarkia amoena. | |||||||||||||
10 | Clarkia purpurea | winecup clarkia | no | Annual herb | yes | Grassland | full sun to partial shade | low | n/a | pink/rose | Apr - Jul | sometimes | See Clarkia amoena. | |||||||||||||
11 | Clarkia rubicunda | ruby chalice clarkia | no | Annual herb | yes | Woodland | partial shade | moderate | n/a | pink | Jun - Oct | sometimes | See Clarkia amoena. | |||||||||||||
12 | Clarkia unguiculata | mountain garland | no | Annual herb | yes | Woodland | partial shade | moderate | n/a | pink | Jun - Oct | sometimes | See Clarkia amoena. | |||||||||||||
13 | Claytonia perfoliata | miner's lettuce | no | Annual herb | yes | Woodland | partial shade | moderate | n/a | white | Mar - Jul | often | Tiny, insignificant flowers, miner's lettuce is favored mainly because of its tasty and edible leaves! Perfect for a munch if you are working in the garden, or leave them to the deer and other critters who like them as well! At PVR, it's OK to grab a handful of almost-dried ones from the Ranch House or other nearby location and strew them in your yard where you would like them to come up next year. | |||||||||||||
14 | Collinsia heterophylla | Chinese houses | no | Annual herb | yes | Riparian | part shade | high | n/a | purple | Feb - May | sometimes | Underutilized, gorgeous annual wildflower for dappled shade. Does want a little water to get started. Tends to recruit easily and be successful. | |||||||||||||
15 | Eriogonum gracile | slender buckwheat | no | Annual herb | yes | Chaparral | full sun | low | no | white | Mar - Sep | rarely | See Eriogonum arborescens. Slim, small, pretty, annual buckwheat. Like most buckwheats, it's a great habitat plant, and like most annuals, it makes more sense to grow from seed rather than buy plants. Good for hot dry areas. | |||||||||||||
16 | Eschscholzia californica | California poppy | no | Annual herb | yes | Grassland | full sun | low | n/a | orange | Mar - Aug | sometimes | The ubiquitous California poppy! Will keep blooming as long as you keep watering it; flower is shorter lasting in unirrigated areas. Clear weeds, scratch seeds into the soil in January, and wait for the show! Note: Eschscholzia caespitosa (Coastal California Poppy) is not an approved plant for Portola Valley Ranch. | |||||||||||||
17 | Gilia achilleifolia | California gilia | no | Annual herb | yes | Grassland | full sun | low | n/a | blue | Feb - Apr | sometimes | Cute little blue pom-pom flowered annual, similar to Gilia capitata. Scruff into weeded or scraped dirt with other wildflower seeds and maybe some purple needlegrass for instant beauty in a hot dry site. | |||||||||||||
18 | Gilia capitata | blue gilia | no | Annual herb | yes | Grassland | full sun | low | n/a | blue | May - Jul | sometimes | Easy and pretty. Likes it hot and dry. Available as plants although seeds are usually a better deal with annuals. | |||||||||||||
19 | Gilia tricolor | bird's eye gilia | no | Annual herb | no | n/a | full sun | low | n/a | lavender | Mar - Apr | rarely | Similar to Gilia capitata, but more interesting flowers, with a nice fragrance. As with all wildflowers, keep out the invasive grasses if you hope for re-seeding. | |||||||||||||
20 | Hemizonia congesta | hayfield tarweed | no | Annual herb | yes | Grassland | full sun | low | n/a | yellow | Aug - Oct | rarely | A white-flowered subspecies of this pungent tarweed fills the grasslands of PVR in late summer with its earthy scent. Shown to outcompete yellow starthistle, an invasive grassland weed. | |||||||||||||
21 | Hesperolinon micranthum | Linum micranthum | dwarf flax | no | Annual herb | yes | Chaparral | full sun | low | n/a | white | May - Jun | rarely | Very cute little wildflower, recruits well from seed. Make sure you are buying the native flax, there are many non-native varieties commonly sold. | ||||||||||||
22 | Lasthenia californica | California goldfields | no | Annual herb | yes | Grassland | full sun | low | n/a | yellow | Feb - Jun | rarely | Adorable yellow wildflower, a main component of local wildflower displays in grassland. Plant en masse from seed. | |||||||||||||
23 | Lasthenia glabrata | goldfields | no | Annual herb | yes | Grassland | full sun | low | n/a | yellow | May - Jul | sometimes | Not much used locally, these are gorgeous en masse around the Davis area. May need a different watering regime/soil than what occurs naturally at PVR. If you have success with them here, let us know. :) | |||||||||||||
24 | Layia platyglossa | tidy tips | no | Annual herb | yes | Grassland | full sun | low | n/a | yellow | Mar - Jun | sometimes | These were sown by the entrance median and have come back for several years. Sweet flower, worth the price of a packet of seed. | |||||||||||||
25 | Leptosiphon androsaceus | Linanthus androsaceus | false baby stars | no | Annual herb | yes | Grassland | full sun | low | n/a | pink | Mar - Jun | sometimes | Both false and true babystars are adorable little locally native, sweet-smelling and sweet looking annual wildflowers. | ||||||||||||
26 | Leptosiphon bicolor | Linanthus bicolor | true baby stars | no | Annual herb | yes | Grassland | full sun | low | n/a | pink | Mar - Jun | sometimes | See Leptosiphon androsaceus. True baby stars may be white or pink in the same stand. | ||||||||||||
27 | Limnanthes douglasii | meadowfoam | no | Annual herb | yes | Grassland | full sun | moderate | n/a | yellow | Mar - Jul | sometimes | Really gorgeous if you can get it going, but this is not the flower for a hot dry barren site. Naturally found in near wetland conditions, Limnanthes will want fertile and well drained soil, and some water. | |||||||||||||
28 | Lupinus bicolor | miniature lupine | no | Annual herb | yes | Grassland | full sun | low | n/a | purple | Mar - Jun | rarely | See Lupinus albifrons. You really need a dense field of these to give a show, fortunately, that's not hard to achieve. Locally common and adorable. | |||||||||||||
29 | Lupinus microcarpus | chick lupine | no | Annual herb | yes | Grassland | full sun | low | n/a | purple | May - Jun | rarely | See Lupinus albifrons. Chick lupine is a funny little annual lupine with only two seeds per pod. Flowers can be yellow, white, blue, or lavender! | |||||||||||||
30 | Lupinus nanus | sky lupine | no | Annual herb | yes | Grassland | full sun | low | n/a | blue | Mar - May | rarely | See Lupinus albifrons. Blue as the sky that it's named after, Lupinus nanus is a petite little annual with bigger flowers than bicolor lupine. | |||||||||||||
31 | Lupinus succulentus | arroyo lupine | no | Annual herb | yes | Riparian | partial shade | moderate | n/a | purple | Feb - May | rarely | See Lupinus albifrons. Arroyo lupine wants a little more water than most lupines, big and sprawly and gorgeous. Streamside plant. | |||||||||||||
32 | Madia elegans | common madia | no | Annual herb | yes | Grassland | full sun | low | n/a | yellow | Jun - Sep | rarely | Gorgeous, deer proof. Two races of this species; one has a magenta center in the flower, the other is pure yellow. | |||||||||||||
33 | Madia sativa | coast tarweed | no | Annual herb | yes | Chaparral | full sun | low | no | yellow | May - Aug | rarely | Tall, rangy herb, mostly occurs as a volunteer. This and all Madias are coated with a drought-tolerant, animal-resistant resin. Most people find the odor pleasant. | |||||||||||||
34 | Mentzelia lindleyi | blazing star | no | Annual herb | yes | Chaparral | full sun | low | n/a | yellow | Apr - Jun | rarely | Never seen this grown in the garden; in the wild it occurs on torturous, steep, hot hard slopes. Truly stunning flower. | |||||||||||||
35 | Nemophila maculata | five spot | no | Annual herb | no | n/a | sun to partial shade | moderate | n/a | lavender | Feb - Apr | rarely | Really adorable little wildflower, easy from seed. | |||||||||||||
36 | Nemophila menziesii | baby blue eyes | no | Annual herb | yes | Grassland | sun to partial shade | moderate | n/a | blue | Mar - June | rarely | Incredible blue color! Grows in a variety of habitats. | |||||||||||||
37 | Oenethera elata | Oenothera hookeri | evening primrose | no | Annual herb | yes | Grassland | full sun | low | n/a | yellow | Jun - Sep | sometimes | Recruits easily (perhaps too easily) from seed, forms tall stalks with fragrant and handsome yellow flowers. After the deer ravage it, it will stay alive and blooming but will be an eyesore unless you continually prune off the broken bits. Decide carefully if you want this in your garden because once it's in the seedbank, you will not find it easy to eradicate. | ||||||||||||
38 | Phacelia campanularia | desert bluebells | no | Annual herb | no | n/a | full sun | low | n/a | blue | Feb - Apr | rarely | Variously described as: cobalt, royal, gentian, or deep inky blue. Very striking. Low growing Southern California desert species, recruits well from seed, likes sun and sand. | |||||||||||||
39 | Phacelia distans | wild heliotrope | no | Annual herb | yes | Chaparral | full sun to partial shade | low | n/a | purple | Mar - Jun | rarely | Bloom color can vary from white to lavender to blue. | |||||||||||||
40 | Phacelia tanacetifolia | lacy phacelia | no | Annual herb | yes | Chaparral | full sun to partial shade | low | n/a | purple | Mar - May | rarely | Underutilized at PVR - easy from seed, showy, super pollinator plant (one of its other common names is: "bee's friend"), fragrant. | |||||||||||||
41 | Plantago erecta | California plantain | no | Annual herb | yes | Grassland | full sun | low | n/a | white | Mar - Apr | rarely | Miniscule teeny tiny little plant that loves rocky grasslands. Would be unremarkable except that it's the larval host for Edith's checkerspot; one of the most endangered butterflies in California. | |||||||||||||
42 | Pseudognaphalium californicum | Gnaphalium californicum | California everlasting | no | Annual herb | yes | Grassland | full sun | low | n/a | white | Jan - Jul | rarely | Not showy, deliciously fragrant, deer proof. Lives two years, reseeds freely. | ||||||||||||
43 | Pseudognaphalium ramosissimum | Gnaphalium ramosissimum | pink cudweed | no | Annual herb | yes | Grassland | full sun to partial shade | low | n/a | pink | Jun - Aug | rarely | Evocative, pleasant smell, attractive but not showy. Can live two years, reseeds freely. | ||||||||||||
44 | Salvia columbariae | chia | no | Annual herb | yes | Chaparral | full sun | low | n/a | violet | Mar - Jun | rarely | Edible seeds, very spiny, grows in hot, dry, and rocky areas. | |||||||||||||
45 | Trichostemma lanceolatum | vinegarweed | no | Annual herb | yes | Grassland | full sun | low | n/a | purple | Aug - Oct | rarely | Small sharp scented annual grows naturally in striking late summer masses in hot dry local grasslands. Available from seed from various sources, try Hedgerow Farms or Larner's seeds. | |||||||||||||
46 | Trifolium albopurpureum | Indian clover | no | Annual herb | yes | Grassland | full sun | low | n/a | purple | Mar - Jun | sometimes | Our locally native clovers have this in common: they were an important habitat component of original grasslands, are adorable but not necessarily super-showy, are nitrogen fixers that improve soil quality, are edible to people and great forage for birds, and are super hard to tell from invasive clovers! Unless you are a botanist, you should probably only plant native clovers in an area that hasn't been troubled by invasive clovers in the past. Generally they are annuals, available from seed. Do an internet search for the Latin name + the word "seeds" to source. Indian clover is a small purple and white annual, really cute when in flower. | |||||||||||||
47 | Trifolium bifidum | Pinole clover | no | Annual herb | yes | Grassland | full sun | low | n/a | purple | Apr - Jun | sometimes | See Trifolium albopurpureum. Pinole clover is really tiny; flowerheads are smaller than a fingertip. | |||||||||||||
48 | Trifolium ciliolatum | tree clover | no | Annual herb | yes | Grassland | full sun | low | n/a | lavender | Apr - May | sometimes | See Trifolium albopurpureum. Not particularly showy, cute little mop-like flower. | |||||||||||||
49 | Trifolium depauperatum | cowbag clover | no | Annual herb | yes | Grassland | full sun | low | n/a | pink | Feb - May | sometimes | See Trifolium albopurpureum. Great pink color, balloon shaped flowers. | |||||||||||||
50 | Trifolium fucatum | bull clover | no | Annual herb | yes | Grassland | full sun | low | n/a | pink | Apr - Jun | sometimes | See Trifolium albopurpureum. Great pink color, balloon shaped flowers. | |||||||||||||
51 | Trifolium gracilentum | pinpoint clover | no | Annual herb | yes | Grassland | full sun | low | n/a | purple | Apr - Jun | sometimes | See Trifolium albopurpureum. Flower is fuschia with white tips. | |||||||||||||
52 | Trifolium microcephalum | maiden clover | no | Annual herb | yes | Grassland | full sun | low | n/a | pink | Apr - Jun | sometimes | See Trifolium albopurpureum. Flower is subtle, pale pink, small petals. | |||||||||||||
53 | Trifolium variegatum | white-tipped clover | no | Annual herb | yes | Grassland | full sun | low | n/a | lavender | Mar - Jul | sometimes | See Trifolium albopurpureum. Flower is very handsome, burgundy at base shading out to white tips. | |||||||||||||
54 | Trifolium wildenovii | tomcat clover | no | Annual herb | yes | Grassland | full sun | low | n/a | lavender | Apr - May | sometimes | See Trifolium albopurpureum. Tomcat clover is one of the most commonly found of our native clovers, also one of the easiest to source. Very handsome, good for butterflies. | |||||||||||||
55 | Trifolium wormskioldii | cow clover | no | Annual herb | yes | Grassland | full sun | moderate | n/a | pink | May - Jun | sometimes | See Trifolium albopurpureum. Cow clover is often found in wetlands, so it needs more water than the others on the list. | |||||||||||||
56 | Allium amplectens | narrow-leaf onion | no | Bulb | yes | Grassland | full sun to partial shade | low | yes | purple | Mar - Jul | rarely | Like all bulbs, practically maintenance free. Deer resistant, tolerates clay soil. Pretty purple flower. All parts of the plant are edible. Avoid irrigating in summer as this will rot out the bulb. | |||||||||||||
57 | Allium unifolium | oneleaf onion | no | Bulb | yes | Chaparral | full sun to partial shade | low | yes | purple | May - Jun | rarely | See Allium amplectens. | |||||||||||||
58 | Brodiaea: All California native subspecies, varietals and hybrids of the Brodiaea genus | native California brodiaeas | no | Bulb | low | yes | purple, blue | varies | sometimes | Small genus of west coast (Canada to Mexico) blue-purple flowering, grassland/chaparral bulbs. In general they flower in early summer, are sometimes browsed by deer, like full sun, and require no maintenance. Like most of our native bulbs, summer water will rot them out. | ||||||||||||||||
59 | Calochortus albus | globe lily | no | Bulb | yes | Woodland | partial shade to full shade | low | yes | white | Apr - May | sometimes | Lovely delicate woodland species needs at least some shade, grows well nestled up underneath something larger that is summer dormant - no summer water. | |||||||||||||
60 | Calochortus luteus | yellow mariposa lily | no | Bulb | yes | Grassland | full sun | low | yes | yellow | May - Jun | sometimes | Not much is prettier than a mariposa lily, they grace the summer-brown of the California grassland with fresh, urn-shaped flowers, each patterned with its own unique nectar guides. No maintenance, no summer water. Calochortus luteus is gold in color, and can be found by the sharp eye in the midsummer grasslands of PVR. | |||||||||||||
61 | Calochortus venustus | butterfly mariposa lily | no | Bulb | yes | Grassland | full sun | low | yes | white | May - Jun | sometimes | See Calochortus luteus. Calochortus venustus is white with red and yellow nectar markings. | |||||||||||||
62 | Chlorogalum pomeridianum | soap plant | no | Bulb | yes | Grassland | full sun to partial shade | low | no | white | May - Aug | often | Very cool locally native bulb. Species name refers to flowers that open in the evenings (pomeridianum = post meridian = PM.) Easy and a nice addition to any garden. Deer will hurt this one, but it will survive and make more of itself. | |||||||||||||
63 | Clintonia andrewsiana | red clintonia | no | Bulb | no | n/a | partial shade to full shade | high | no | red | Feb - May | often | Per literature: Showy red flower, good for redwood understory, bright blue berries. Takes 5-8 years to flower once sown, so sourcing may be a problem and plants may be pricey. | |||||||||||||
64 | Dichelostemma capitatum | blue dicks | no | Bulb | yes | Grassland | full sun | low | yes | blue | Feb - Apr | sometimes | Wonderful bright blue bulb/corm that pops up in spring. Zero maintenance needed. | |||||||||||||
65 | Fritillaria affinis | checker lily | no | Bulb | yes | Woodland | partial shade | low | yes | purple | Mar - May | often | Checker lily is a sombre colored, early blooming, uniquely handsome bulb - various shades of chocolate to yellow. Was a tasty and nutritious food for Native Americans. Widely sold, not hard to source. | |||||||||||||
66 | Lilium pardalinum | leopard lily | no | Bulb | yes | Riparian | shade | high | no | red | May - Jul | often | Very striking, locally native, large orange flowers worthy of a florist's bouquet. Can be expensive to source, but worth it, will bloom for many years. | |||||||||||||
67 | Toxicoscordion fremontii | Zigadenus fremontii | Fremont's star lily | no | Bulb | yes | Grassland | full sun | low | yes | white | Mar - May | rarely | Super showy, star-lily could easily appear in a florist's window. It's highly toxic so don't eat it. Locally common in a variety of habitats. | ||||||||||||
68 | Triteleia hyacinthina | white brodeia | no | Bulb | yes | Grassland | full sun | low | yes | white | Apr - Jun | sometimes | Like most of our native bulbs, Triteleia need to be excluded from summer water, or else it will rot out. Easy to source and grow, zero maintenance, will return year after year to grace your garden with a single stem of gorgeous bunched blooms. | |||||||||||||
69 | Triteleia laxa | Ithuriel's spear | no | Bulb | yes | Grassland | full sun | low | Yes | purple | Apr - Jul | sometimes | Ithuriel's spear is an incredibly showy native bulb, with multiple purple flowerlets on a single stalk. Like most of our native bulbs, it's zero maintenance but requires witholding of summer water. | |||||||||||||
70 | Adiantum aleuticum | Adiantum pedatum | five-finger fern | no | Fern | no | Woodland | partial shade | high | no | n/a | n/a | rarely | Ostenstibly easy to grow, handsome little fern. Needs water year-round, good for irrigated areas. | ||||||||||||
71 | Adiantum jordanii | California maidenhair fern | no | Fern | yes | Woodland | partial shade to full shade | moderate | no | n/a | n/a | rarely | Gorgeous fern with black stems, not too easy to source or to get growing, but if it's happy it'll spread. Can be divided and transplanted successfully in shady moist locations. | |||||||||||||
72 | Athyrium filix-femina | Western lady fern | no | Fern | no | n/a | partial shade | high | no | n/a | n/a | rarely | Native to coastal and creekside areas, this would do well in a redwood grove or shady, irrigated area. Called "tough and easy to grow" in literature. | |||||||||||||
73 | Blechnum spicant | deer fern | no | Fern | no | n/a | partial shade to full shade | high | no | n/a | n/a | rarely | Great little fern for containers, borders. Handsome and dependable. Does need year-round water. Native to north coast of CA. | |||||||||||||
74 | Dryopteris arguta | coastal wood fern | no | Fern | yes | Woodland | part shade to shade | moderate | unk | n/a | n/a | rarely | Cited by literature as pretty, easy to grow, tough, low maintenance, and one of the most drought tolerant ferns. | |||||||||||||
75 | Equisetum hyemale | scouringrush horsetail | no | Fern | yes | Riparian | full sun to shade | high | no | n/a | n/a | rarely | Interesting-looking banded rush, spreads by spores. Needs to have its feet wet, good plant to use in a water feature. | |||||||||||||
76 | Pellaea andromedifolia | coffee fern | no | Fern | yes | Woodland | partial shade to full shade | low | no | n/a | n/a | rarely | Needs water the first year or two, then suprisingly drought tolerant. Really cool looking fern (people are often surprised it's a fern), does well in rocky shade. | |||||||||||||
77 | Pentagramma triangularis | goldback fern | no | Fern | yes | Woodland | partial shade to full shade | low | yes | n/a | n/a | rarely | Locally common, can handle clay and drought, petite and tidy looking. Goes dormant in summer. Source from habitat restoration nurseries. | |||||||||||||
78 | Polypodium californicum | California polypody | no | Fern | yes | Woodland | full sun to full shade | moderate | no | n/a | n/a | rarely | Cool looking locally common fern is likely to pop out on its own if you have a shady rock wall. Goes dormant in summer. | |||||||||||||
79 | Polystichum californicum | California sword fern | no | Fern | yes | Woodland | partial shade to full shade | moderate | no | n/a | n/a | rarely | Per literature: Locally common, readily hybridizes. Leaves can be up to a meter long. | |||||||||||||
80 | Polystichum munitum | Western sword fern | no | Fern | yes | Woodland | full sun to full shade | moderate | no | n/a | n/a | rarely | Per literature: hardy and low maintenance. | |||||||||||||
81 | Pteridium aquilinum | Western bracken | no | Fern | yes | Woodland | partial shade to full shade | moderate | no | n/a | n/a | sometimes | Western Bracken is a worldwide species, var. pubescens is the California subspecies. | |||||||||||||
82 | Woodwardia fimbriata | giant chain fern | yes | Fern | yes | Woodland | partial shade | high | no | n/a | n/a | rarely | Largest of the Califoria ferns, this plant can top 9 feet in its natural setting. Very cool form, looks like a green fountain. Minimal maintenance once established; just keep it moist and trim off dead leaves. | |||||||||||||
83 | Anthoxanthum occidentale | Hierochloe occidentalis | vanilla grass | no | Grass / Grasslike | yes | Woodland | partial shade | moderate | no | n/a | n/a | rarely | Per literature, it's a good grass for shaded woodland gardens or redwood understory. Likes water. | ||||||||||||
84 | Bothriochloa barbinodis | Andropogon barbinodis | cane bluestem | no | Grass / Grasslike | no | n/a | full sun | low | no | n/a | n/a | rarely | Not widely used in native gardens. Some literature cites as very attractive, others as ugly. | ||||||||||||
85 | Bouteloua gracilis | eyelash grass | no | Grass / Grasslike | no | n/a | full sun | low | no | n/a | n/a | rarely | Although not an obligate summer-dry plant, this grass doesn't like soggy soils. Was historically a key component in the shortgrass praries of the midwest. Low and tufty, good for meadows or borders, very cute grass. | |||||||||||||
86 | Bromus carinatus | California brome | no | Grass / Grasslike | yes | Grassland | full sun to partial shade | low | no | n/a | n/a | rarely | One of our most common locally native grasses, not particularly handsome or showy, but recruits readily from seed, is great for erosion control, and can help as a placeholder against invasive weeds. Only lives a couple years but once establishes, it will re-seed itself. | |||||||||||||
87 | Bromus laevipes | woodland brome | no | Grass / Grasslike | yes | Woodland | partial shade to full shade | low | no | n/a | n/a | rarely | Neither widely sold nor used, it's still a good grass to be aware of when planning for erosion control or shade plantings. Locally common. | |||||||||||||
88 | Calamagrostis foliosa | leafy reed grass | no | Grass / Grasslike | no | n/a | full sun to partial shade | moderate | no | n/a | n/a | rarely | Showy and petite native bunchgrass. Limited natural distribition; north coast. Per literature, inland of coastal sites it will want some afternoon shade and water. | |||||||||||||
89 | Calamagrostis nutkaensis | Pacific reed grass | no | Grass / Grasslike | no | Riparian | partial shade | moderate | no | n/a | n/a | rarely | Big tussocky interesting looking grass, does need water and some shade in our area. Wide blades. | |||||||||||||
90 | Carex barbarae | Santa Barbara sedge | no | Grass / Grasslike | yes | Grassland | full sun to partial shade | high | no | n/a | n/a | rarely | All our native sedges have some things in common. They are mostly ignored by deer, mostly intolerant of hard freezes, they love moisture. Many of them spread through rhizomes or seeds or both. Most of them are evergreen unless unduly stressed by a drought or a freeze. Sedges are grasslike bunchy plants that naturally occur in streambanks and are good for erosion control in same. They are often mislabled and miscategorized so buyer beware! | |||||||||||||
91 | Carex densa | dense sedge | no | Grass / Grasslike | yes | Riparian | full sun to partial shade | high | no | n/a | n/a | rarely | See Carex barbarae. Likes moisture but can tolerate seasonal drought Good for erosion control, can be aggressive. | |||||||||||||
92 | Carex globosa | round fruit sedge | no | Grass / Grasslike | yes | Woodland | full sun to partial shade | moderate | no | n/a | n/a | rarely | See Carex barbarae. Mostly coastal in range, widely available horticulturally. | |||||||||||||
93 | Carex harfordii | Harford’s sedge | no | Grass / Grasslike | yes | Riparian | partial shade | high | no | n/a | n/a | rarely | See Carex barbarae. Harford's sedge is a locally native woodland and wetland sedge. Not a lot of information available and it doesn’t seem widely sold, check habitat restoration nurseries. | |||||||||||||
94 | Carex nudata | naked sedge | no | Grass / Grasslike | yes | Riparian | full sun to partial shade | high | no | n/a | n/a | rarely | See Carex barbarae. Per literature, naked sedge can be grown in shallow standing water or in containers. Dies back and turns brown in winter. | |||||||||||||
95 | Carex pansa | dune sedge | no | Grass / Grasslike | no | n/a | full sun to partial shade | moderate | no | n/a | n/a | rarely | See Carex barbarae. Per literature, dune sedge is one of the most widely used in as lawn substitutes due to its soft, creeping habit. Will go drought-dormant without summer water, but should return with fall rains. | |||||||||||||
96 | Carex praegracilis | field sedge | no | Grass / Grasslike | yes | Grassland | full sun to partial shade | moderate | no | n/a | n/a | rarely | See Carex barbarae. Field sedge is hardy, tolerant of much abuse and poor soils, used as a lawn substitute, sometimes called "freeway sedge" for its use near highways. Likes water. Originally misidentified horticulturally, be sure what you buy is California in origin. | |||||||||||||
97 | Carex serratodens | serpentine Sedge | no | Grass / Grasslike | yes | Riparian | full sun to partial shade | moderate | no | n/a | n/a | rarely | See Carex barbarae. Likes water. Good option if you have serpentine soil (serpentinite is the California state rock, it's greenish, somewhat oily feeling, high in heavy metals). Locally native, not always widely available, check habitat restoration nurseries. | |||||||||||||
98 | Carex spissa | San Diego sedge | no | Grass / Grasslike | no | n/a | full sun to partial shade | moderate | no | n/a | n/a | rarely | See Carex barbarae. Per literature: Large clumping sedge that tolerates a variety of different conditions. | |||||||||||||
99 | Carex tumulicola | Berkeley sedge | no | Grass / Grasslike | yes | Riparian | partial shade | moderate | no | n/a | n/a | rarely | See Carex barbarae. Sometimes confused with a non-native European sedge, Carex divulsa, also called Berkeley Sedge (although not native). Make sure what you are buying is the REAL Carex tumulicola! | |||||||||||||
100 | Danthonia californica | California oatgrass | no | Grass / Grasslike | yes | Grassland | full sun to partial shade | moderate | no | n/a | n/a | rarely | Tough, cute, locally common little bunchgrass. Possibly underutilized at PVR? Often the only green thing in our grasslands when everything else has dried for the year. |