Habitat Garden
Many animals are naturally attracted to certain kinds of plants that provide them with food and shelter, and some, such as hummingbirds, butterflies, moths, and bees, are also important plant pollinators. The plants in this area are chosen for their flowers and food resources. They are from a number of areas and include many California natives.
| Botanical Name | Common Name | Description |
| Acca sellowiana | Pineapple Guava, Feijoa | Easy-to-grow, branching small tree with edible flowers and tropical fruits. Fleshy white flowers have bright red accents. |
| Achillea millefolium 'Little Moonshine' | Moonshine Yarrow | This yarrow has lemon-yellow flat-topped flower clusters held high over silvery grey foliage from spring through fall. |
| Agastache ‘Arizona Sandstone’ | Arizona Sandstone Hyssop | Arizona Sandstone’ produces an abundant display of flower spikes that are loaded with terra cotta colored tubular flowers. The colors of the blossoms are reminiscent of the beautiful sandstone rock formations found in Arizona. |
| Agastache ‘Blue Boa’ | Early and long blooming, 3” to 5” long purple spikes from midsummer to autumn frost. Vigorous hybrid of this southwestern wildflower. | |
| Agastache aurantiaca 'Coronado' | Coronado Hyssop | Yellow, stained with orange, helmets of fiery color from midsummer to autumn frost. This silvery-leaved southwestern wildflower is intensely aromatic. |
| Mexican Hyssop | This beautiful perennial plant displays long whorls of pink to purple flowers summer through fall. | |
| Agastache rupestris ‘Apache Sunset’ | Apache Sunset Hyssop, Hummingbird Mint | This native to North America perennial plant offers a showy display of pink and dark purple flowers and smells like licorice and mint. |
| Aquilegia chrysantha ‘Flore Pleno’ | Columbine | Vigorous hybrid with double yellow-orange, lantern-shaped flowers which add color to the garden in early spring. It is aromatic and self-sows. |
| Aquilegia chrysantha ‘Yellow Queen’ | Columbine | Longest blooming of all columbines with tender yellow, large blooms. |
| Asclepias speciosa | California Showy Milkweed | This flowering plant is a hairy, erect perennial that grows to about 4 feet tall. The large, pointed, banana-like leaves are arranged opposite on the stalk-like stem. The fragrant eye-catching furry pale pink to pinkish-purple flowers are arranged in thick umbels. Their petal structure is reflexed and the central flower parts, five hoods with prominent hooks, are star-shaped. |
| Asclepias speciosa 'Davis' | Davis Showy Milkweed | Grown for its vigor, ease of care and showy silver-grey foliage. The large pink flower heads are fragrant and attract pollinators. |
| Coreopsis grandiflora ‘Sunfire’ | Large Flowered Tickseed | Vivid flowers with small red dots bloom in abundance on this annual, 2’ wide mounding plant |
| Coreopsis tinctoria 'Cosmic Eye' | Cosmic Eye Tickseed | Yellow outer petals ring a dark red center, 2” wide, star shaped flowers in abundance on this annual plant |
| Coreopsis tinctoria 'Tiger Stripes' | Tiger Stripes Tickseed | Yellow to Burgundy, star shaped flowers in abundance on this annual plant |
| Cuphea oreophila | Orange Bat Faced Cuphea | Easy and very rare, shrubby species bearing hordes of 2”vivd red tubular blloms |
| Diplacus aurantiacus 'Pamela' | Monkeyflower Pamela | |
| Sticky Monkey Flower / Bush Monkey Flower | Super drought tolerate native, flower color variable but usually a golden yellow | |
| Erigeron glaucus | Seaside Fleabane, Seaside Daisy | Thick mat of lanceolate leaves with daisy-like flowers at the tips of leafy stalks. Flowers may be white, pink or rose. |
| Eriogonum arborescens | Santa Cruz Island Buckwheat | Tidy compact with grey-green foliage and good size pinkish white flower clusters |
| Eriogonum grande var. rubescens | Clumping plant with green to gray-green, ovate leaves and cherry red flowers on 6-inch stalks. | |
| Eriogonum nudum | Nude Buckwheat | Showy cloud of primrose yellow pom-poms |
| Eriophyllum lanatum | Woolly sunflower | Dense, wooly hairs cover stems and undersides of leaves to prevent drying out. Plant sends up single, large, golden-rayed flower heads. |
| Festuca californica | California Fescue | Clumping perennial grass without rhizomes, yellow flowers. Cool season grass with blue or verdant new green blades in fall after rains with arching 2 feet or more graceful stems with inflorescences in early spring. |
| Grindelia camporum | Great Valley Gum Plant | Spreading gum plant is an evergreen herbaceous perennial with 2-inch wide bright yellow flowers. The center of each fat green bud holds a small pool of gummy white resin which glistens in the sun before flowering. |
| Grindelia hisurtula | Hairy gum plant | Multi-branching, mounding gum plant with thick, shallow-toothed leaves and 2 to 3 inch wide bright yellow flowers. The center of each fat green bud holds a small pool of gummy white resin which glistens in the sun before flowering. The daisy-like yellow flowers completely cover this low growing shrub. |
| Lupinus albifrons | Silver Bush Lupine | Fast growing with Blue, lavender purple flowers, very attractive to bees |
| Penstemon heterophyllus 'Blue Springs' | Blue Springs Foothill Penstemon | Fast growing mounding perennial herb |
| Penstemon superbus | Superb Penstemon, Coral Penstemon, Pink form | Luminous rich coral-pink blooms, lanced shaped powdery blue-gray foliage |
| Penstemon x gloxinioides 'Thorn' | Border Penstemon / Thorn | Massive blooming Penstemon for our mild climate, white-blushed pink blossoms. |
| Phacelia imbricata | Annual herb whose leaves are coated with stiff, tiny hairs produces coiled flower buds resembling small caterpillars which blossom into many tiny, pale purple flowers in early spring. Bloom is prolific. | |
| Salidago velutina | California Goldenrod | Native perennial herb that grows in northern, southern and central California. It tends to grow in open grassy places, at elevations from 0-7500 feet. It produces masses of yellow flowers when many other plants are dormant. Birds and pollinating insects love this plant. |
| Salvia ‘Bee’s Bliss’ | Bee’s Bliss creeping sage / Bee’s Bliss sage | Salvia Bee's Bliss is an excellent ground cover and habitat plant with beautiful lavender flowers This is a dense low-growing sage with gray-green leaves and multiple, lavender flowers on long stems. |
| Salvia clevelandii 'Winnifred Gilman' | Winnifred Gilman Cleveland Sage | Small, hairy, grey-greenshrub. Has wrinkly leather-textured leaves with tiny ridged teeth along the edges and bears rouned flower clusters of tubular lavender to dark purple floweres with long stamens. |
| Salvia leucophyllia x clevelandii ‘Pozo Blue’ | Grey Musk Sage / ‘Pozo Blue’ Sage | Fragrant evergreen shrub; California Native |
| Sambucus mexicana | Blue Elderberry / Mexican Elderberry | Large, multi—branched, deciduous shrub / tree with large white flowers which mature to blue, edible berries in the fall. |
| Scrophularia californica | Small plants with blue-green leaves and small, red flowers that bees love. | |
| Stipa pulchra | Purple Neeedlegrass | Native to California, Purple Needlegrass is the most widespread native grass and became the State’s grass in 2004. It is one of the most drought tolerant grasses. |
Acca sellowiana
Pineapple Guava, Feijoa
Easy-to-grow, branching small tree with edible flowers and tropical fruits. Fleshy white flowers have bright red accents.
Advantages: drought tolerant small tree with tropical fruits which grows well in our coastal climate.
Bloom Period: Spring
Height: 10-15’
Width: 15’
Light Requirements: Full sun
Water Requirements: Drought tolerant
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Achillea millefolium 'Little Moonshine'
Moonshine Yarrow
This yarrow has lemon-yellow flat-topped flower clusters held high over silvery grey foliage from spring through fall.
Advantages: Attracts butterflies, bee friendly, evergreen,perennial, ground cover and fast grower
Bloom Period: Spring to Fall
Height: 8"
Width: 12"
Light Requirements: Full sun / part shade
Water Requirements: Low water, drought resistant / drought tolerant plant (xeric).
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Agastache ‘Arizona Sandstone’
Arizona Sandstone Hyssop
Arizona Sandstone’ produces an abundant display of flower spikes that are loaded with terra cotta colored tubular flowers. The colors of the blossoms are reminiscent of the beautiful sandstone rock formations found in Arizona.
Advantages: Pollinator friendly, good for containers, fragrant and drought tolerant
Bloom Period: Spring to Fall
Height: 10"
Width: 10"
Light Requirements: Sun
Water Requirements: Low water, drought resistant/drought tolerant plant
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Agastache ‘Blue Boa’
Blue Boa Hyssop
Advantages: Pollinator magnet for butterflies, bees and hummers; drought tolerant; deer resistant; does well in containers
Bloom Period: Summer into Fall
Height: 2.5’
Width: 2’
Light Requirements: Full sun
Water Requirements: Avg./Low Water
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Agastache aurantiaca 'Coronado'
Coronado Hyssop
Advantages: Pollinator magnet, drought tolerant, does well in containers.
Bloom Period: Summer into Fall
Height: 2.5’
Width: 2’
Light Requirements: Full sun
Water Requirements: Avg/Low water
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Agastache mexicana 'Sangria'
Mexican Hyssop
This beautiful perennial plant displays long whorls of pink to purple flowers summer through fall.
Advantages: drought tolerant and pollinator magnet. Edible flowers
Bloom Period: Summer- Fall
Height: 3’
Width: 2’
Light Requirements: Full sun
Water Requirements: Low Water - Average Water
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Agastache rupestris ‘Apache Sunset’
Apache Sunset Hyssop, Hummingbird Mint
This native to North America perennial plant offers a showy display of pink and dark purple flowers and smells like licorice and mint.
Advantages: Drought tolerant, pollinator friendly, fragrant
Bloom Period: Summer to fall
Height: 3.5'
Width: 1.5'
Light Requirements: Full sun
Water Requirements: Low water
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Aquilegia chrysantha ‘Flore Pleno’
Columbine
Vigorous hybrid with double yellow-orange, lantern-shaped flowers which add color to the garden in early spring. It is aromatic and self-sows.
Advantages: Pollinator magnet; floriferous; drought tolerant.
Bloom Period: Spring to early summer
Height: 2'
Width: 2.5'
Light Requirements: Full sun
Water Requirements: Avg/Low water
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Aquilegia chrysantha ‘Yellow Queen’
Columbine
Longest blooming of all columbines with tender yellow, large blooms.
Advantages: Pollinator magnet, drought tolerant, does well in containers.
Bloom Period: Spring to early summer
Height: 2'
Width: 3'
Light Requirements: Full sun
Water Requirements: Avg/Low water
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Asclepias speciosa
California Showy Milkweed
This flowering plant is a hairy, erect perennial that grows to about 4 feet tall. The large, pointed, banana-like leaves are arranged opposite on the stalk-like stem. The fragrant eye-catching furry pale pink to pinkish-purple flowers are arranged in thick umbels. Their petal structure is reflexed and the central flower parts, five hoods with prominent hooks, are star-shaped.
Advantages: fragrant, easy care, attracts monarchs and other pollinators
Bloom Period: Summer
Height: 4-6'
Width: 4'
Light Requirements: Full sun
Water Requirements: Low water
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Asclepias speciosa 'Davis'
Davis Showy Milkweed
Grown for its vigor, ease of care and showy silver-grey foliage. The large pink flower heads are fragrant and attract pollinators.
Advantages: Pollinator friendly, drought tolerant, fragrant
Bloom Period: Summer
Height: 30"
Width: 24"
Light Requirements: Full sun
Water Requirements: Avg/Low water
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Coreopsis grandiflora ‘Sunfire’
Large Flowered Tickseed
Vivid flowers with small red dots bloom in abundance on this annual, 2’ wide mounding plant
Advantages: pollinator friendly, drought tolerant
Bloom Period: Summer through fall
Height: 1.5'
Width: 2'
Light Requirements: Full sun
Water Requirements: Avg/Low water
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Coreopsis tinctoria 'Cosmic Eye'
Cosmic Eye Tickseed
Yellow outer petals ring a dark red center, 2” wide, star shaped flowers in abundance on this annual plant
Advantages: pollinator friendly; drought tolerant; long blooming; deer resistant
Bloom Period: Summer through fall
Height: 1.5’
Width: 1.5’
Light Requirements: Full sun
Water Requirements: Avg/Low water
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Coreopsis tinctoria 'Tiger Stripes'
Tiger Stripes Tickseed
Yellow to Burgundy, star shaped flowers in abundance on this annual plant
Advantages: pollinator friendly; drought tolerant; deer resistant
Bloom Period: Summer through fall
Height: 2'
Width: 2'
Light Requirements: Full sun
Water Requirements: Avg/Low water
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Cuphea oreophila
Orange Bat Faced Cuphea
Easy and very rare, shrubby species bearing hordes of 2”vivd red tubular blooms
Advantages: Attracts hummingbirds but needs a rich compost soil
Bloom Period: Practically year round
Height: 4'
Width: 4'
Light Requirements: Sun /Part Shade
Water Requirements: Average water
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Diplacus aurantiacus 'Pamela'
Monkeyflower Pamela
Advantages: Good under Oaks, clay tolerant and deer resistant
Bloom Period: Mostly spring but year-round.
Height: 30"
Width: 30"
Light Requirements: Sun /Part Shade
Water Requirements: Low water
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Diplacus aurantiacus 'Point Molate Form'
Sticky Monkey Flower / Bush Monkey Flower
Super drought tolerate native, flower color variable but usually a golden yellow
Advantages:
Bloom Period: Long Blooming
Height: 3'-4’
Width:
Light Requirements:
Water Requirements:
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Erigeron glaucus
Seaside Fleabane, Seaside Daisy
Advantages: Fast and easily grown, blooms profusely. Works well in mixed borders, meadows or containers.
Bloom Period:
Height:
Width:
Light Requirements: Full sun, part shade
Water Requirements: Low
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Eriogonum arborescens
Santa Cruz Island Buckwheat
Tidy compact with grey-green foliage and good size pinkish white flower clusters
Advantages: Easy to grow, attracts Birds, Butterflies, and Bees, tolerates clay and alkaline soils
Bloom Period: Spring thru Fall
Size: Up to 3' tall
Light Requirements: Full sun
Water Requirements: Very low
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Eriogonum grande var. rubescens
San Miguel Island Buckwheat / Red-Flowered Buckwheat
Clumping plant with green to gray-green, ovate leaves and cherry red flowers on 6-inch stalks.
Advantages:
Bloom Period: Late spring to summer
Height: 1-3’
Width: 1-3’
Light Requirements: Sun to partial shade
Water Requirements: Drought Tolerant
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Eriogonum nudum
Nude Buckwheat
Showy cloud of primrose yellow pom-poms
Advantages: Bee Magnet and Deer resistant
Bloom Period: Spring through fall
Height: 3'
Width: 2'
Light Requirements: Sun
Water Requirements: Low/no summer water
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Eriophyllum lanatum
Woolly sunflower
Advantages: Excellent on dry, rocky hillsides; flowers attract many pollinators.
Bloom Period: Early summer
Height: 8-30”
Width: 6-12”
Light Requirements: Sun to part shade
Water Requirements: Drought tolerant
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Festuca californica
California Fescue
Clumping perennial grass without rhizomes, yellow flowers
Cool season grass with blue or verdant new green blades in fall after rains with arching 2 feet or more graceful stems with inflorescences in early spring.
Advantages: Deer resistant, very easy to grow, grows well in both loam clay soils. Clumping grass makes excellent ground cover and grows quickly through winter and spring
Bloom Period: Winter, Spring / Early spring
Height: 1-3’
Width: 1-3’
Light Requirements: Full sun to part shade
Water Requirements: Very low / Drought tolerant
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Grindelia camporum
Great Valley Gum Plant
Spreading gum plant is an evergreen herbaceous perennial with 2-inch wide bright yellow flowers. The center of each fat green bud holds a small pool of gummy white resin which glistens in the sun before flowering.
Advantages: Unusual gummy buds and massive yellow flowers brighten landscape in late summer with a long bloom period. Requires some pruning. Pest-free.
Bloom Period: Spring to Summer
Height: 1-3'
Width: 1-3'
Light Requirements: Full sun
Water Requirements: Drought tolerant
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Grindelia hisurtula
Hairy gum plant
Multi-branching, mounding gum plant with thick, shallow-toothed leaves and 2 to 3 inch wide bright yellow flowers. The center of each fat green bud holds a small pool of gummy white resin which glistens in the sun before flowering. The daisy-like yellow flowers completely cover this low growing shrub.
Advantages: Easy-to-grow, hardy, extremely drought tolerant plant with gummy buds in summer with a long bloom period into fall. Requires some fall pruning for a cleaner appearance. Pest-free. Gum plant is well-suited for gardens exposed to salt spray.
Bloom Period: Summer-fall
Height: 1-3'
Width: 1-3'
Light Requirements: Full sun
Water Requirements: Drought tolerant
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Lupinus albifrons
Silver Bush Lupine
Fast growing with Blue, lavender purple flowers, very attractive to bees
Advantages: Thrives with zero summer water, deer resistant, pleasant fragrance
Bloom Period: Spring thru August
Height: 3-4‘
Width: 3-4‘
Light Requirements: Full sun
Water Requirements: Very low
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Penstemon heterophyllus 'Blue Springs'
Blue Springs Foothill Penstemon
Fast growing mounding perennial herb
Advantages: Deer resistant, fast growth
Bloom Period: Spring, summer
Height: 1-2’
Width: 1-2’
Light Requirements: Full sun to part shade
Water Requirements: Low
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Penstemon superbus
Superb Penstemon, Coral Penstemon, Pink form
Luminous rich coral-pink blooms, lanced shaped powdery blue-gray foliage
Advantages: Drought and Deer tolerant, robust in infertile soil but no clay
Bloom Period: Mid to late spring
Height: 2'-5’
Width: 2’
Light Requirements: Full sun coast
Water Requirements: Low Water
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Penstemon x gloxinioides 'Thorn'
Border Penstemon / Thorn
Massive blooming Penstemon for our mild climate, white-blushed pink blossoms.
Advantages: Deer resistant, long lived, long blooming
Bloom Period: Spring through Fall
Height: 3’
Width: 3’
Light Requirements: Full sun
Water Requirements: Avg/low water
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