Romneya coulteri

Tops on the list of desirable shrubs is Arctostaphylos, commonly called manzanita. Again, there are many choices in this genus. Handsome and tree-like are ‘Dr. Hurd’, ‘Hood Mountain’ and ‘Austin Griffiths’. ‘Sentinel’ is one of the more upright varieties, eventually reaching five to six feet.   Medium sized Manzanitas are ‘Howard McMinn,’ ‘Sunset,’ ‘John Dourley’ and ‘Wayside,’…

Zauschneria, or California fuschia, is a low spreading plant with green, grey or silvery foliage and orange to scarlet flowers.  Bloom occurs in late summer or autumn and the flowers are very attractive to hummingbirds.  The plant is fast growing and drought tolerant, but as with most plants, it looks better with occasional water.  It…

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

Mimulus aurantiacus, or monkey flower, grows to about four feet and blooms in a wide range of colors from white to dark red.  It likes sun or part shade, good drainage and little water.

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.  

Another very showy native is Dendromecon harfordii (California bush poppy).  In late spring, it is covered in bright yellow flowers and flowers intermittently throughout the summer.