Plant Focus: California natives

I incorporate  several California Native plants  in some of the gardens I design, in combination with other Mediterranean plants. Here are a few of my favorite natives. Penstemon heterophyllus. The purple/blue flowers are simply stunning.  It really wakes up the garden in Spring. It is a low growing Penstemon to about 1' tall 2-3'. wide. Easy care and drought-tolerant.

​Others I like include Mimulus (Sticky Monkey Flower). I've included a photo of one with a brilliant orange flower. Also available in shades of yellows and reds.

Carpenteria Californica (Bush Anemone) is a shrub with a pretty white flowers in Spring. Grows in part shade.

Salvia Clevelandii is a compact shrub with long-lasting purple flowers that emerge late Spring. Very tough, full sun and drought-tolerant.

Dudleya (Chalk Live-forever) is a succulent that grows well near the coast, needs some afternoon shade inland. Its rosette form can measure about a foot across.This chalk-colored plant also forms long flower stalks in Spring with red flowers.

Ascelpias speciosa (Showy Milkweed) is stunning when in bloom late Spring/Summer. It thrives in poor, dry soil, and is the native host plant for our Western Monarch Butterfly.