Ceanothus

Prunus lyonii (Catalina Cherry) and Prunus ilicifolia (Holly leaf Cherry) are two evergreen shrubs that are extremely useful as screens or background plants. They both have red berries in late summer which the birds find very desirable.  

There are many species of Ribes, both evergreen and deciduous.  A very nice evergreen species is Ribes viburnifolium with roundish, dark green leaves and dark red stems.  It needs no irrigation, making it ideal for planting under oaks.  It grows three to six feet tall and can spread to twelve feet. A lovely deciduous species is…

For the shade, try Heuchera maxima, a cream flowering coral bell that looks great under oak trees and needs very little water.

    Carpenteria californica (bush anemone) does best with afternoon shade.  Clusters of white, anemone shaped flowers cover this evergreen shrub in early summer.  

Another diverse and useful genus is Salvia. The Clevelandii group includes ‘Allen Chickering’, ‘Whirly Blue’, ‘Pozo Blue’ and ‘Winifred Gilman’.  In need of an attractive, drought tolerant ground cover? Try ‘Bee’s Bliss’. This salvia has gray green leaves with lavender flowers in spring; it will spread three to four feet wide or more. Salvia spathacea (Hummingbird sage) A…

Fremontodendron is also known as flannel bush because the back of the leaves are fuzzy and soft.  Showy yellow flowers appear in spring.  This shrub takes full sun and is drought tolerant once established, requiring no irrigation at all.  Its primary drawback is that it tends to be short lived, but it is fabulous while…