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 | Botanical Name | 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 | Acer circinatum | vine maple | yes | Tree | no | n/a | partial shade | high | no | red, yellow | Mar - May | rarely | California's answer to the Japanese maple, needs some moisture and shade, handsome foliage, fall color. Tends to do well at PVR. | |||||||||||||
3 | Acer macrophyllum | big leaf maple | yes | Tree | yes | Woodland | partial shade | moderate | no | yellow | Apr - May | rarely | Big leaf maple is a big beautiful tree - it needs plenty of shade and moisture and room. Good for creek banks. | |||||||||||||
4 | Acer negundo | boxelder | yes | Tree | yes | Riparian | full sun | moderate | no | pink | Feb - Mar | unk | Acer negundo ssp. Californicum is our locally native varietal. From literature: small, fast growing, multi-trunked, short lived. | |||||||||||||
5 | Achillea millefolium | common yarrow | no | Perennial herb | yes | Grassland | full sun to shade | low | no | white | Apr - Aug | sometimes | Great for butterflies and other pollinators, the straight species has white flowers but there are myriads of colored cultivars. Not a fussy plant, adapts to many situations. | |||||||||||||
6 | 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. | ||||||||||||
7 | Acmispon glaber | Lotus scoparius | deerweed | no | Perennial herb | yes | Chaparral | full sun | low | no | yellow | Mar - Aug | rarely | Wonderful plant for full sun and poor soil. Quickly establishes drought tolerancy. Many tiny yellow-orange flowers all up and down the thin stems. | ||||||||||||
8 | 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. | ||||||||||||
9 | 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). | ||||||||||||
10 | Actaea rubra | baneberry | no | Perennial herb | yes | Woodland | partial shade to full shade | high | no | white | May - Jul | rarely | Although locally native and fairly showy, this species has not been used much at PVR, so it's unknown how it would work with our particular challenges. | |||||||||||||
11 | 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. | ||||||||||||
12 | 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. | |||||||||||||
13 | Aesculus californica | California buckeye | yes | Tree | yes | Woodland | full sun to shade | low | no | white | May - Jul | often | Locally common drought-deciduous medium size tree. Showy, scented, early spring flower. Protect young trees from deer. Pick off dry leaves for a tidy appearance. | |||||||||||||
14 | 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. | |||||||||||||
15 | Allium unifolium | oneleaf onion | no | Bulb | yes | Chaparral | full sun to partial shade | low | yes | purple | May - Jun | rarely | See Allium amplectens. | |||||||||||||
16 | Amelanchier pallida | service berry | yes | Woody Shrub | no | n/a | full sun to partial shade | moderate | unk | white | May - Jun | often | A type of Juneberry, berries are edible. | |||||||||||||
17 | Angelica hendersonii | bluff angelica | no | Perennial herb | no | n/a | full sun to partial shade | moderate | no | white | May - Aug | rarely | See Angelica tomentosa. Does want water all year. Natural distribution range closely hugs the central coastline. | |||||||||||||
18 | Angelica tomentosa | woolly angelica | no | Perennial herb | yes | Chaparral | full sun to partial shade | moderate | no | white | Jun - Aug | rarely | Generally found near creeks or in at least partly shaded areas. Handsome white flowers, good for pollinators. | |||||||||||||
19 | Anisocarpus madiodes | Madia madiodes | woodland madia | no | Perennial herb | yes | Woodland | Partial to full shade | moderate | no | yellow | Apr - Jul | rarely | Small, soft, resinous woodland herb. Deer proof. Nobody's garden show-stopper, but worth the habitat value and cheerful yellow in the shade if you can source it. | ||||||||||||
20 | 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. | ||||||||||||
21 | Aquilegia eximia | VanHoutte's columbine | no | Perennial herb | yes | Riparian | full sun to partial shade | high | no | red | May - Oct | sometimes | "The other Columbine" (Aquilegia formosa is used to great success at PVR). Stunning plant. Deer will eat flowers. | |||||||||||||
22 | Aquilegia formosa | Western columbine | no | Perennial herb | yes | Riparian | partial shade | high | no | red | Mar - May | sometimes | PVR superstar! Although sometimes deer browsed, this Columbine still survives often enough to show us its gorgeous flowers, beloved by hummingbirds and bees. Does need some water. Can tolerate full sun but naturally found in shaded woodlands. | |||||||||||||
23 | Aralia californica | elk clover | yes | Perennial herb | yes | Riparian | partial shade to full shade | high | no | white | Jun - Sep | sometimes | Not a clover but a large-leafed, white umbel flowered, water loving plant, similar to Cow Parsnip and Angelica. Only locally native member of the Ginseng Family. Dies to the ground and returns every year. Unknown performance at PVR. | |||||||||||||
24 | Arbutus menziesii | madrone | yes | Tree | yes | Woodland | partial shade | moderate | no | white | Apr - May | often | PVR superstar! Handsome red trunks, evergreen, stately plant. Can be finicky to establish, go to the woods and get a bucket of soil from an existing Madrone grove and top dress your planting with this to innoculate with beneficial fungi. It works! | |||||||||||||
25 | Arctostaphylos: all California native subspecies, varietals and hybrids of the Arctostaphylos genus | native California manzanitas | yes (some) | Woody Shrub | varies | n/a | full sun to partial shade | low | yes | white, pink | varies | rarely | One of the most widely used representatives of the California flora in the garden, there are over 100 species and sub-species of Manzanita, and many more varietals and cultivars. Manzanitas are evergreen, mostly deer-tolerant, mostly smooth red-trunked, usually dislike summer water, and generally bloom small bell-shaped flowers in the late winter and early spring. Super for bees. Pick your selection carefully; with this much diversity there is a wide variety of size and performance. "Howard McMinn" was widely planted in historic PVR landscapes. There are several locally native species, check habitat restoration nurseries for selection. | |||||||||||||
26 | Aristolochia californica | Dutchman's pipevine | no | Vine | yes | Riparian | partial shade | moderate | no | cream | Jan - Apr | rarely | One of our only native vines that's shade tolerant (deciduous like all our native vines). Larval plant for the pipevine swallowtail. | |||||||||||||
27 | Armeria maritima ssp. californica | sea pink | no | Perennial herb | no | n/a | partial shade | moderate | no | pink | May - Jun | sometimes | It's important to get the subspecies, because the regular Armeria maritima is from Europe. This is an adorable little plant with pink pom-pom flowers. Doesn't get much taller than 6 inches. | |||||||||||||
28 | Artemisia californica | California sagebrush | no | Woody Shrub | yes | Chaparral | full sun | low | no | yellow | Apr-Oct | rarely | This plant tends to do well at PVR. Feathery, silver-grey foliage, aromatic scent, deer proof, drought tolerant. Not showy, plant in background. | |||||||||||||
29 | Artemisia douglasiana | mugwort | no | Perennial herb | yes | Riparian | full sun to partial shade | moderate | no | cream | May - Oct | rarely | Locally common deer proof, not showy, widely used medicinally, spreads through rhizomes, does like some available water. Dies back in winter. Great for holding up streambanks. | |||||||||||||
30 | Artemisia ludoviciana | silver wormwood | no | Perennial herb | no | n/a | full sun | low | unk | yellow | Feb - Mar | rarely | Per literature: Native to eastern spine of California, aggressive spreader with dramatic silvery foliage. | |||||||||||||
31 | Artemisia pycnocephala | coastal sagewort | no | Perennial herb | no | n/a | full sun | low | no | green | May - Aug | rarely | Like a smaller and more compact version of our locally native sagebrush (Artemisia californica) this plant is native to coastal areas of California and likes consistent water (although the amount can be very low). Easy maintenance. | |||||||||||||
32 | Asarum caudatum | wild ginger | no | Perennial herb | yes | Woodland | partial shade to full shade | moderate | no | red | Mar - May | rarely | This plant is often successful at PVR. Its striking flowers are often hidden under its thick, glossy leaves. Good redwood understory plant. | |||||||||||||
33 | Asclepias californica | California milkweed | no | Perennial herb | yes | Riparian | full sun | low | no | lavender | Apr - Jul | rarely | Easiest to source by seed. Grows in seepy meadows. Larval plant for Monarch butterflies. | |||||||||||||
34 | Asclepias fascicularis | narrow-leaf milkweed | no | Perennial herb | yes | Riparian | full sun | low | no | lavender | Jun - Sep | rarely | Our most common locally native milkweed. Not a star performer but important habitat plant. Often covered with golden milkweed aphids. Dies away when done blooming, returns yearly. | |||||||||||||
35 | Asclepias speciosa | showy milkweed | no | Perennial herb | yes | Riparian | full sun | moderate | no | lavender | Jun - Jul | rarely | Big and showy. Not as drought tolerant or as locally native as the other two listed milkweeds. Probably deer proof; very fuzzy leaves. | |||||||||||||
36 | 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. | |||||||||||||
37 | Atriplex lentiformis | quail bush | yes | Woody Shrub | no | n/a | full sun | low | no | cream | Jun - Jul | rarely | Neither locally native nor gorgeous, Quailbush is a tough, hardy, superb habitat plant. Try it on a rocky barren hillside. | |||||||||||||
38 | Baccharis glutinosa | Baccharis douglasii | marsh baccharis | no | Perennial herb | yes | Riparian | full sun to partial shade | moderate | no | white | Jun - Oct | rarely | Great plant to hold up an eroding creek bank or to outcompete Italian thistle, French broom, or other wet area weed. Doesn't look much like coyote brush, our locally common Baccharis, unless you compare the flowers. | ||||||||||||
39 | Baccharis pilularis | coyote brush | yes | Woody Shrub | yes | Chaparral | full sun to partial shade | low | no | white | Sep - Jan | rarely | One of the most common members of the local plant community. Keep it fire safe by pruning to the ground every other year or so. Or, get one of the dwarf varietals, but then keep the undercarriage pruned from dead twigs. | |||||||||||||
40 | Baccharis salicifolia | mule fat | yes | Woody Shrub | yes | Riparian | full sun | moderate | no | white | Jan - Dec | rarely | Large meaty shrub, grows on the edge of riparian areas. Very high habitat value. Chop to ground every other year or so to control size and fire danger. More common in Southern California than up here, similar look and function as Arroyo willow. | |||||||||||||
41 | Berberis aquifolium | Mahonia aquifolium | Oregon grape | yes | Woody Shrub | yes | Woodland | full sun to partial shade | moderate | no | yellow | Feb - Apr | rarely | Berberis has a lot to offer year-round. Bright yellow flowers in spring, bright blue berries in summer, attractive red foliage in fall. Sharply pointed leaves are deer resistant and a little people resistant too, not a good plant for next to a path or walkway. Once established it can be fairly drought tolerant. Spreads through underground rhizomes and forms thickets. | ||||||||||||
42 | Berberis nervosa | Mahonia nervosa | Cascades Oregon grape | no | Woody Shrub | no | n/a | partial shade to full shade | moderate | no | yellow | Apr - May | rarely | See Berberis aquifolium. Berberis nervosa is a lower, ground-cover form. | ||||||||||||
43 | Berberis nevinii | Mahonia nevinii | Nevin's barberry | no | Woody Shrub | no | n/a | full sun | low | no | yellow | Mar - Jun | rarely | Similar to Berberis aquifolium, but extremely rare species; listed as endangered by both the federal and state government. | ||||||||||||
44 | Berberis pinnata | Mahonia pinnata | California barberry | no | Woody Shrub | yes | Woodland | partial sun to partial shade | moderate | no | yellow | Feb - May | rarely | Similar to Berberis aquifolium. This is our locally native species; if you are trying to choose amongst Berberis species and this is available, you could consider going with this one. | ||||||||||||
45 | 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. | |||||||||||||
46 | Boechera breweri | Arabis breweri | Brewer's rock cress | no | Perennial herb | no | n/a | full sun to partial shade | low | unk | purple | Feb - May | unk | Per literature, grows in rocky slopes. Not widely sold, not much info available. | ||||||||||||
47 | 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. | ||||||||||||
48 | 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. | |||||||||||||
49 | Brodiaea elegans | harvest brodiaea | no | Bulb | yes | Grassland | full sun | low | yes | purple | Mar - Aug | sometimes | Our most common locally native Brodeia, handsome purple flowers, practically maintenance free like most bulbs. Plant some to naturalize in any sunny open meadow. | |||||||||||||
50 | 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. | ||||||||||||||||
51 | 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. | |||||||||||||
52 | 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. | |||||||||||||
53 | 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. | |||||||||||||
54 | 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. | |||||||||||||
55 | 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. | ||||||||||||
56 | 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. | |||||||||||||
57 | 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. | |||||||||||||
58 | 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. | |||||||||||||
59 | Calycanthus occidentalis | spice bush | yes | Woody Shrub | yes | Riparian | partial sun to shade | high | no | scarlet | May - Jun | rarely | Handsome shrub for a moist shady area. Glossy, evergreen leaves, large red flowers smell like wine, leaves have a spicy scent. | |||||||||||||
60 | Calystegia occidentalis | Western morning glory | no | Vine | yes | Chaparral | full sun | low | no | white | May - Aug | rarely | See Calystegia purpurata. Both Calystegias are locally native. | |||||||||||||
61 | Calystegia purpurata | smooth Western morning glory | no | Vine | yes | Chaparral | full sun to partial shade | low | no | pink | Apr - Sep | rarely | Handsome native deciduous vine needs full sun and room to scramble. Winter dormant but glorious in summer. Great pollinator and insect plant. | |||||||||||||
62 | 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! | |||||||||||||
63 | 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. | |||||||||||||
64 | 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. | |||||||||||||
65 | 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. | |||||||||||||
66 | 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. | |||||||||||||
67 | 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. | |||||||||||||
68 | 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. | |||||||||||||
69 | 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. | |||||||||||||
70 | 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. | |||||||||||||
71 | 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! | |||||||||||||
72 | Carpenteria californica | bush anemone | no | Woody Shrub | no | n/a | partial shade to full shade | moderate | no | white | May - Jul | rarely | A rare species in its native range (Fresno County), Carpenteria is widely available horticulturally. It has huge white showy blooms. When not blooming, it can tend to look ratty, pick off yellow leaves and keep it carefully pruned. | |||||||||||||
73 | Castilleja affinis | Indian paintbrush | no | Perennial herb | yes | Grassland | full sun | low | no | red | June | rarely | Gorgeous hemiparasite, not easy to find, sold with host plant (often yarrow), check habitat restoration nurseries. | |||||||||||||
74 | 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. | |||||||||||||
75 | Castilleja foliolosa | woolly Indian paintbrush | no | Perennial herb | yes | Chaparral | full sun | low | no | purple | Feb - Jun | rarely | See Castilleja affinis | |||||||||||||
76 | Castilleja wightii | Wight's paintbrush | no | Perennial herb | yes | Grassland | full sun | low | no | scarlet | Mar - Aug | rarely | See Castilleja affinis | |||||||||||||
77 | Ceanothus: all California native subspecies, varietals and hybrids of the Ceanothus genus | native California lilacs | yes (some) | Woody Shrub | depends on species | low | yes | blue, white | varies | often | Ceanothus are often one of the backbones of the California native garden. There are about 60 naturally ocurring species, with many more hybrids and cultivars - sizes range from groundcover to trees. Ceanothus are nitrogen fixers with early spring flowering blue or white flowerheads. Unfortunately, deer will go to great lengths to eat, rub on, and otherwise mangle them. Varieties with small, warty leaves may stand a better chance. You can also try caging your ceanothus until some of the foliage is above the deer browse line (about 5 feet). Prune only in summer and withhold water in summer to avoid fungal rot and extend the life of your plant. Our locally native species are: Ceanothus oliganthus var. sorediatus (Jimbush) and Ceanothus cuneatus (buckbrush). | |||||||||||||||
78 | Cercis occidentalis | Western redbud | yes | Tree | no | n/a | full sun to partial shade | low | no | pink | Feb - Apr | often | Every part of this tree is showy and beautiful. Unparalleled pink flowers in spring, heartshaped leaves with deciduous fall color, even the bark is a handsome smooth grey. Not locally native. Needs some water to get established, but then can be drought tolerant, especially if given some shade. | |||||||||||||
79 | Cercocarpus betuloides | mountain mahogany | yes | Woody Shrub | yes | Woodland | partial shade | low | no | white | Mar - May | sometimes | Really a handsome shrub/tree, could be used more at PVR. Locally native, flowers are insignificant, but seeds are an elaborate tufted curlicue. From a distance, large heavily seeded bushes appear to be covered in snow. | |||||||||||||
80 | 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. | |||||||||||||
81 | Chrysolepis chrysophylla | Castanopsis chrysophylla | golden chinquapin | yes | Tree | no | n/a | full sun to partial shade | moderate | no | cream | Apr - May | sometimes | Not quite locally native but grows nearby. With enough water, this can become a truly huge, massive tree. Handsome gold leaves, evergreen, drought tolerant once established. Not easy to source, try habitat restoration nurseries. | ||||||||||||
82 | 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! | |||||||||||||
83 | 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. | |||||||||||||
84 | Clarkia concinna | red ribbons clarkia | no | Annual herb | no | n/a | partial shade | low | n/a | pink, purple | May - Jul | sometimes | See Clarkia amoena. | |||||||||||||
85 | 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. | |||||||||||||
86 | Clarkia rubicunda | ruby chalice clarkia | no | Annual herb | yes | Woodland | partial shade | moderate | n/a | pink | Jun - Oct | sometimes | See Clarkia amoena. | |||||||||||||
87 | Clarkia unguiculata | mountain garland | no | Annual herb | yes | Woodland | partial shade | moderate | n/a | pink | Jun - Oct | sometimes | See Clarkia amoena. | |||||||||||||
88 | 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. | |||||||||||||
89 | Clematis lasiantha | chaparral clematis | no | Vine | yes | Chaparral | full sun | low | no | white | Mar - Jul | rarely | We have two locally native Clematis, and they have this in common: large pretty white flowers, leaves that could look like poison oak to the uninitiated, scrambly crawly growth habit, winter deciduous. Pick off dried leaves, but don't cut back dried stalks, as new leaves will bloom on them next year. Could work in containers or on a trellis. Underutilized at PVR. Funny woolly seedheads look like the hair of a Dr. Seuss character. Clematis lasiantha is a bit more drought tolerant of the two, and is sometimes found scrambling over sagebrush in chaparral areas. Clematis lingusticifolia is a bit more of a wetland plant. | |||||||||||||
90 | Clematis ligusticifolia | virgin's bower | no | Vine | yes | Woodland | full sun to partial shade | moderate | no | white | Jun - Aug | rarely | See Clematis lasiantha. | |||||||||||||
91 | Clinopodium douglasii | Satureja douglasii | yerba buena | no | Perennial herb | yes | Chaparral | full sun to partial shade | moderate | no | white | May - Jul | rarely | Tolerates some foot traffic, aromatic and edible, small flat locally native mint. Unparalleled as a well-behaved groundcover in areas with some shade. | ||||||||||||
92 | Clinopodium mimuloides | Satureja mimuloides | monkeyflower savory | no | Perennial herb | no | n/a | full sun to partial shade | high | no | red | Jun - Oct | often | Mint with an orange flower that looks similar to monkeyflower, spreads readily, needs at least some moisture. Endangered in its own limited home range. Careful with this one; could have some invasive potential in wet areas. | ||||||||||||
93 | 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. | |||||||||||||
94 | 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. | |||||||||||||
95 | Comarostaphylis diversifolia | summer holly | yes | Woody Shrub | no | n/a | full sun to partial shade | low | no | white | Apr - Jun | rarely | Per literature: Native to San Diego coast, wants some fog drip (this translates in our area to at least some summer water). Despite name, it's in the same family as manzanita and has similar flowers, but is less fussy and easier to grow. | |||||||||||||
96 | Corethrogyne filaginifolia | Lessingia filanginifolia | common sandaster | no | Perennial herb | yes | Chaparral | full sun to partial shade | low | no | white | Jun - Oct | rarely | Performance of this plant depends on the varietal and your maintenance of it. In the wild it's found on wicked steep slopes, totally summer dry, sometimes with partial shade. | ||||||||||||
97 | Cornus glabrata | brown dogwood | yes | Tree | yes | Riparian | partial shade | high | no | white | May - Jun | sometimes | Cornus glabrata and Cornus sericea, our two locally native dogwoods, have this in common: when happy, they will give you year-round interest. creamy white flowers in spring, fall foliage, winter deciduous form makes a nice sillhouette. Birds like the berries. They do spread, so give them some room. | |||||||||||||
98 | Cornus nuttallii | mountain dogwood | yes | Woody Shrub | no | n/a | partial shade | moderate | no | white | Apr - May | sometimes | This is the Sierra mountains dogwood, common in northern California. One single flower instead of many small umbels. | |||||||||||||
99 | Cornus sericea | red dogwood | yes | Woody Shrub | yes | Riparian | partial shade | high | no | white | Jun - Aug | sometimes | See Cornus glabrata. | |||||||||||||
100 | Corylus cornuta | California hazelnut | yes | Woody Shrub | yes | Woodland | Partial to full shade | moderate | no | pink | Feb - Mar | sometimes | Locally common, deciduous, soft felty leaves (also called "toilet paper plant") graceful form. Yes, the hazelnuts are edible. Not super easy to source, try habitat restoration nurseries. |