The Matilija poppy (Romneya coulteri) is one of the most spectacular California native plants. Getting it started can be difficult, but once established, it requires no irrigation and may, in fact, need to be watched so as not to take over your garden.
Trichostema lanatum (woolly blue curls) grows to three to five feet high and four to eight feet wide. The dark green leaves are pungent when bruised. The purple flowers are fuzzy and appear in spring. The plant will continue to bloom during summer and autumn if it is deadheaded. Trichostema takes full sun and needs…
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.
This native plant is of variable appearance, but generally has narrow bluish green foliage and blue to purple flowers. The variety ‘Margarita Bop’ was discovered at Las Pilitas Nursery in Santa Margarita. It sends up wands of fuchsia and violet blue flowers in spring and early summer and requires little to moderate water, as do other heterophyllus.
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…
Ceanothus, ‘California wild lilac’, is known for its wonderful spring floral display. Flower colors are either white or shades of purple-blue, while height can range from a foot or two to twenty feet. ‘Ray Hartman’ and ‘Cliff Schmidt’ are among the tallest of the Ceanothus, attaining heights of twelve to twenty feet. ‘Dark Star’ and ‘Concha’ are among the varieties…