These aromatic Mediterranean perennials and sub-shrubs include many types used for culinary purposes, as well as others used as ornamental groundcovers.

Examples: The following examples are all available in many named varieties.

• Lemon thyme (T. x citriodorus, 1’ x 2’) has a lemony fragrance.
• Creeping thyme (T. praecox, 2-6” x 2-3’) provides an excellent groundcover between stepping stones.
• Woolly thyme (T. pseudolanuginosus [lanuginosus], 2-4” x 3’) has wooly gray leaves.
• Elfin thyme (T. serpyllum ‘Elfin’, 1-2” x 6-12”) is one of the smallest thymes with tiny leaves and a very compact growth habit.
• Common thyme (T. vulgaris, 1’ x 2’) and named varieties are most commonly used for culinary purposes.

• Water: Low
• Light: Full SunPartial Shade
• Soil: Well Drained

• Foliage: Evergreen
• Leaf Color: Green
• Flower Color: LavenderPurple
• Blooming Season (s): SpringSummerFall

• Life Cycle: Perennial
• Size: Small

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Society garlic is the most commonly available from this group of South African perennials.  Clumps of narrow, evergreen, strappy leaves are topped with tall flower stalks that display clusters of lavender flowers from spring through summer. Society garlic has a strong garlic-like odor!

• Water: Low
• Light: Full SunPartial Shade
• Soil: Most Soils

• Foliage: Herbaceous
• Leaf Color: Green
• Flower Color: Lavender
• Blooming Season (s): SpringSummer

• Life Cycle: Perennial

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Chinese evergreen elm has proven to be one of the most resistant species to Dutch elm disease and is a good choice for California gardens where a large tree is needed. This tree from China, Korea, and Japan has a broad, rounded canopy and is semi-evergreen in milder climate zones. Exfoliating bark provides additional interest. Several cultivars are available offering different leaf characteristics.

• Water: Low
• Light: Full Sun
• Soil: Most Soils

• Foliage: Evergreen
• Leaf Color: Green
• Blooming Season (s): SpringSummerFallWinter

• Size: Large

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Fast-growing perennials that thrive in hot locations and produce clusters of small, showy flowers in summer.

Examples:

• V. bonariensis (3-6’ x 2-3’) is an upright perennial from South America with long, airy flower stalks. Reseeds readily and should not be planted near riparian areas where it can be invasive.
• Garden verbena (V. x hybrida, 6-12” x 2-3’) is a popular and showy groundcover available in many colors.
• Cedros Island verbena (V. lilacina ‘De La Mina’, 1-2’ x 2-3’) from the Cedros Island off the coast of Baja California is a popular native for its deep purple flower color and uniform growth habit.

• Water: Very LowLow
• Light: Full Sun
• Soil: Well Drained

• Foliage: Herbaceous
• Leaf Color: Green
• Flower Color: PinkPurpleRedWhite
• Blooming Season (s): SpringSummerFall

• Life Cycle: Perennial
• Size: SmallMedium

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Attractive deciduous shrub or small tree from the Mediterranean region to central Asia that produces spikes of fragrant lavender-blue flowers in summer into fall. Several varieties provide white or pink flowers.

• Water: Low
• Light: Full Sun
• Soil: Well Drained

• Foliage: Deciduous
• Leaf Color: Gray Green
• Flower Color: BlueLavender
• Blooming Season (s): SummerFall

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Australian evergreen shrubs that are well-adapted to California gardens. W. fruticosa (3-6’ x 5-10’) is a mounding shrub with green-to-gray-green, needle-like leaves and small white or lavender flowers from winter into spring. W. ‘Wynyabbie Gem’ (6-8’ x 6-8’) has a more upright habit and lavender-blue flowers.

• Water: Low
• Light: Full Sun
• Soil: Most Soils

• Foliage: Evergreen
• Leaf Color: Green -LightVariegated
• Flower Color: Lavender
• Blooming Season (s): Spring

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Evergreen shrubs and perennials that grow over much of North America and feature sword-shaped leaves. Yuccas typically produce flowers on tall stalks in spring. Some yuccas are stemless while others have trunks and grow to tree size.

Examples: Banana yucca (Y. baccata, 3-4’ x 4-5’) eventually forms a short trunk. Adam’s needle (Y. filamentosa, 2-3’ x 4’) has loose fibers at the edge of leaves. Others are Spanish dagger (Y. gloriosa, 10’ x 8’), beaked yucca (Y. rostrata, 12-15’), and our Lord’s candle (Y. whipplei, 2-4’ x 3-6’), native to Southern California and Baja California.

• Water: Very LowLow
• Light: Full SunPartial Shade
• Soil: Well Drained

• Leaf Color: Blue GreenGray Green
• Flower Color: White
• Blooming Season (s): Spring

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Group of highly variable, semi-evergreen subshrubs and herbaceous perennials distributed over a wide geographic area, including California. Epilobiums bloom in late summer with tubular flowers providing a food source for hummingbirds migrating south and are also attractive to bees and butterflies. Epilobiums range from low-growing groundcovers to upright plants of several feet. Flower colors include orange-red, white, pink, and salmon. Most can be pruned back in late autumn to maintain a more compact form and be rejuvenated for the following year.

Low-growing examples: E. ‘Schieffelin’s Choice’; E. canum ‘Calistoga’, a selection from Phil Van Soelen from California Flora Nursery from the Palisades east of Calistoga; E. canum ‘Cloverdale’, a selection from U.C. Santa Cruz Arboretum from along the Russian River north of Cloverdale with exceptionally orange flowers; E. c. ‘Everett’s Choice’, E. c. ‘Summer Snow’ with white flowers, and E. septentrionale ‘Select Mattole’, a somewhat redder flowering selection that is more shade-tolerant.

Upright examples: E. c. ‘Bowman’s Hybrid’ (2-3’), E. c. ‘Catalina’ (3-4’), E. c. ‘Liz’s Choice’ (3’) selected by Milo Baker Chapter CNPS Fellow Liz Parsons, E. c. ‘Marin Pink’ (2’) with pink flowers.

• Water: Low
• Light: Full Sun
• Soil: Well Drained

• Foliage: Evergreen
• Leaf Color: Gray GreenGreen
• Flower Color: OrangePinkRedWhite
• Blooming Season (s): Fall

• Life Cycle: Perennial
• Wildlife: Pollinator Habitat

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