Taxonomic Name 

Common Name

Attributes/Comments 

Acacia dunnii

Elephant Ear Wattle

Neat large leaves

Anigozanthos ‘Pink Joey’

Kangaroo Paw

Pink paw-like flowers

Anigozanthos flavidus

Kangaroo Paw

Yellow/green paw-like flowers

Anigozanthos flavidus ‘Hybrids’

Kangaroo Paw

Yellow, red, green or yellow/red paw-like flowers

Atriplex lentiformis breweri

Quail Bush

Neat leaves, great for wildlife gardens 

Baccharis salicifolia (glutinosa) 

Mulefat

Loves water, easy to grow

Baccharis pilularis

Coyote Brush

Good for erosion control 

Baccharis pilularis ‘Pigeon Point’

Coyote Brush Selection 

Groundcover selection of Baccharis pilularis 

Briza media

Rattlesnake Grass

Rattle shaped flowers

Buchloe dactyloides 

Buffalo Grass

Small toothbrush-shaped inflorescence 

Buddleia alternifolia

Butterfly Bush

Many tiny purple flowers that butterflies and hummingbirds love

Buddleia davidii and selections

Butterfly Bush 

Excellent choice for a butterfly garden

Buddleia knappii

Lilac Butterfly Bush

Excellent choice for a butterfly garden 

Carex ornithopoda ‘Variegata’

Bird's Foot Sedge

Strap like leaves, loves water

Ceanothus ‘Owlswood Blue’

Wild Lilac

Easy to grow California native, blue flowers

Cornus stolonifera

Red Twig Dogwood

Large cream colored flower clusters, a bird favorite

Cuphea llavea and selections

Bat Face Flower

Fun red and purple flowers that resemble a bat

Equisetum hyemale

Horsetail

Loves water, easy to grow, good for narrow planters and Japanese gardens

Equisetum scirpiodes

Dwarf Horsetail

Excellent choice for a water garden.  Dark green reed-like foliage typically stays below 8"

Eremophila glabra ‘Ouyen Form’

Emu Bush

Easy to grow, interesting fuzzy foliage 

Eremophila maculata

Spotted Emu Bush

Red-spotted flowers 

Eremophila racemosa

Spotted Emu Bush

Flowers turn 3 different colors, good for narrow spaces

Grevillea thelemanniana

Hummingbird Bush

Hummingbird favorite, delicate foliage

Hakea orthorrhyncha

Bird Beak Hakea

Extremely drought tolerant, interesting form

Hakea petiolaris

Sea Urchin Plant

Unique flowers resemble sea urchins, striking architectural form, best left unpruned

Juncus patens ‘Elk's Blue’ 

Rush

A selection of Juncus patens noted for its blue-grey foliage 

Leonotis leonurus

Lion’s Tail

Hummingbird favorite 

Leonotis menthifolia 

Lion’s Tail

Hummingbird favorite

Liriope ‘Silver Dragon’

Lily Turf

Name refers to silver-edged blades, good for borders and rock gardens

Mimulus aurantiacus

Monkeyflower

Flowers are thought to resemble a monkey face. Apricot flowers are a hummingbird favorite

Mimulus cardinalis

Streamside Monkeyflower

Flowers are thought to resemble a monkey face. Bright orange-red flowers are a hummingbird favorite 

Mimulus guttatus

Monkeyflower

Flowers are thought to resemble a monkey face. Yellow flowers are a hummingbird favorite 

Miscanthus sinensis ‘Zebrinus’

Zebra Grass

Common name refers to horizontal bands of yellow variegation, looks similar to M. sinensis ‘Strictus’ 

Monarda ‘Gardenview Scarlet’

Bee Balm Hybrid

Butterfly favorite

Monarda menthifolia

Bee Balm

Butterfly favorite

Muhlenbergia rigens

Deer Grass

Good drought tolerant bunch grass

Nepeta x faassenii and selections 

Cat Mint

Aromatic leaves, attractive blue flowers 

Pennisetum a. ‘Little Bunny’

Dwarf Fountain Grass

This selection of P. alopecuroides typically does not grow above 12”

Phygelius 'Salmon Leap'

 Cape Fuchsia

Related to snapdragons and penstemons, good for hummingbird gardens 

Ribes roezlii

Sierra Gooseberry

Recommended to plant around and under native oaks, hummingbird favorite 

Ribes speciosum 

Fuchsia Flowering Gooseberry

Recommended to plant around and under native oaks, hummingbird favorite

Scirpus acutus

Hard-Stemmed  Bulrush

Excellent choice for a water garden, wetland area

Scirpus californicus

California Bulrush

Excellent choice for a water garden, wetland area