Water Smart Plant Picker
A curated list of plants that will thrive in our climate
Water conservation is an essential consideration when designing and managing Sonoma and Marin County landscapes. Our area enjoys a Mediterranean climate characterized by wet winters and long, dry summers with little rainfall. Plants that are suited or adapted to local conditions not only use less water but generally grow more successfully and robustly, with fewer insect and disease problems. They ultimately create a healthier, more beautiful and more sustainable landscape.
Below is a hand selected plant list for Sonoma and Marin counties that displays mostly native species that will thrive in our climate. You can search, filter and save specific plants to your plant list and also print plant cards.
Manzanita
Arctostaphylos spp. & cvs.
CA Native, Ground Cover, Shrub
Care:
Full Sun
Partial Shade
Very Low
Low
Well Drained
Look:
Medium
size
Small
size
Bronze
leaves
Green
leaves
Pink
flowers
White
flowers
Cinnamon-Brown
bark
Reddish Brown
bark
- Blooming seasons:
- Spring | Winter
- Life cycle:
- Perennial
- Foliage:
- Evergreen
- Wildlife habitat:
- Bee Habitat | Bird Habitat | Butterfly Habitat | Deer Resistant | Hummingbird Habitat | Pollinator Habitat
- Animal resilience:
- Deer Resistant | Pest Tolerance
Manzanita
Arctostaphylos spp. & cvs.
CA Native, Ground Cover, Shrub
Care:
Full Sun
Partial Shade
Very Low
Low
Well Drained
Look:
Medium
size
Small
size
Bronze
leaves
Green
leaves
Pink
flowers
White
flowers
Cinnamon-Brown
bark
Reddish Brown
bark
- Blooming seasons:
- Spring | Winter
- Life cycle:
- Perennial
- Foliage:
- Evergreen
- Wildlife habitat:
- Bee Habitat | Bird Habitat | Butterfly Habitat | Deer Resistant | Hummingbird Habitat | Pollinator Habitat
- Animal resilience:
- Deer Resistant | Pest Tolerance
Manzanitas vary from carpet-forming groundcovers to small trees. They have varying shades of striking, reddish brown bark and can provide structure to a garden. These plants are slow growing with evergreen foliage that often has colorful new growth, small white-to-pink, urn-shaped blossoms in late winter to early spring, and then small fruits that resemble tiny apples.
Examples:
Groundcovers: A. ‘Emerald Carpet’ (1’ x 3-6’), A. ‘Pacific Mist’ (1-2’ x 5-8’).
Shrubs: A. ‘Howard McMinn’ (5-7’ x 6-10’), A. ‘John Dourley’ (3-4’ x 5-6’), A. ‘Sunset’ (3-5′ x 4-6’), A. bakeri ‘Louis Edmunds’ (4-6 x 6-8’), A. ‘Sentinel’ (6-8’ x 5’).
Trees: A. ‘Dr. Hurd’ (8-10′ x 10-15′)
Print this plant card