California Native Plants List
Sunflower
Helianthus annuus
A perennial sunflower with year-round blossoms that can withstand very dry soil. Bright yellow flowers attract native pollinators.
Arroyo Lupine
Lupinus succulentus
Beautiful purple blossoms decorate the spring and summer season. Lupines are part of the legume family of plants that fix nitrogen into the soil. They are an important larval food for many butterflies and moths. Grows well in both low and high fertility soils.
California Poppy
Eschscholzia californica
Naturally found all over the West Coast and Southwest United States, the California poppy prefers poor, sandy well-drained soil and full sun. It is easy to grow and seeds itself.
Purple Chinese Houses
Collinsia heterophylla
Blossoming from mid spring to early summer, it is found all over the state except for desert regions.
Blue Flax
Linum lewisii
An extremely durable and aggressive plant, tolerant of poor soil conditions, and native to western North America.
Baby Blue Eyes
Nemophila menziesii
Grows well in a variety of habitats, from chaparral, valley grasslands to high elevation mountain ranges.
Bird’s Foot Trefoil
Lotus corniculatus
A perennial plant favored by bumblebees, flowers from June to September. It can withstand heavy trampling, grazing, and mowing.
Large Flowered Phacelia
Phacelia grandiflora
An annual herb found in coastal chaparral highly attractive to bees and hummingbirds. Prefers full sun.
Five Spot
Nemophila maculata
Attracts solitary bees and primarily grows in woodlands and valley grasslands, as well as elevated slopes.
Moss Verbena
Verbena tenusecta
A perennial groundcover growing in disturbed soils like roadsides, waste areas, and old fields. Tolerates sandy and low fertility soils.
Toadflax
Linaria pinifolia
Adored by butterflies and resistant to snail and deer, produces long lasting blooms repeatedly over the year. Grows well in full sun and partial shade.
Tidy Tips
Layia platyglossa
Commonly found in low elevation arid environments, it also inhabits valley grasslands, coastal sage scrub, and chaparral.
Farewell to Spring
Clarkia amoena
An erect or sprawling annual that closes its flowers at night and reopens them in the morning. Named after the explorer William Clark of the Lewis and Clark expedition in 1806.
Lacy Phacelia, Notched Leaf Phacelia
Phacelia tanacetifolia
Grows up to 2-3 feet tall, absorbs excess nitrogen and calcium, functions as a cover crop. Rich in nectar, it makes a good insectary plant for attracting pollinators. It also attracts a natural predator, hoverflies, that feed on common garden pests such as aphids.
Golden Lupine
Lupinus microcarpus var. densiflorus
Grows up to 3 feet tall, found in a variety of habitats and elevation ranges, from sea level to high mountain altitudes. Fixes nitrogen and is capable of absorbing arsenic from the soil.
Globe Gilia
Gilia capitata
Naturally ranging from Alaska to northern Mexico, it grows in many habitats, especially sandy or rocky soils. Found in woodlands, valley grasslands, coastal sage scrub, and chaparral.
Bird’s Eye
Gilia tricolor
An annual plant blossoming from spring through summer, prefers dry conditions and full sun.
Catchfly
Silene armeria
Though it is not technically a carnivorous plant, small insects are trapped by the sticky sap secreted on the stem. Originally native to Europe, it is now widespread in the United States.
Elegant Clarkia, Mountain Garland
Clarkia unguiculata
Commonly found in woodland and forest floors, this species tolerates sand and clay. Grows quickly to 2-4 feet, prefers dry to semi-moist soil, and full sun to partial shade. Blossoms in mid-late spring.
Winecup Clarkia
Clarkia purpurea
Found in all habitat zones in California except desert. Grows to about a foot tall, with small ¼” flowers.
Collared Annual Lupine
Monardella macrantha
An annual legume blooming during the spring, found primarily in coastal mountain ranges and canyons
Yarrow
Achillea millefolium
Repels pest insects and attracts predatory wasps, ladybugs, and hoverflies. Works well as a groundcover, tolerating moderate traffic. Prevents soil erosion with deep roots that take up minerals.
Yarrow ‘Paprika’
Achillea millefolium
Grows well in lean, dry, well-drained soils in full sun. Blossoms from summer to fall, attractive to butterflies.
Yarrow ‘Island Pink’
Achillea millefolium
A color variant of the white yarrow, attractive to bees and butterflies, tolerating full sun to partial shade.
Chuparosa
Justicia californica
A deciduous shrub that can grow up to 4 feet tall, native to the deserts of the Southwest, in dry sandy soils. Attractive to hummingbirds.
California Goldenrod
Solidago californica
A perennial pollinator shrub commonly found in oak woodlands and valley chaparral. Tolerates sand, clay, and seasonal flooding. Blossoms from summer through fall.
