Water Smart Plant Picker

Short-lived perennials with differing growth habits with flower spikes of small flowers. Erysimum ‘Bowles Mauve’ is a popular hybrid that grows 3’ x 3-4’ and blooms from winter and into spring. Many hybrids with different flower colors are available.

The California state flower, the California poppy, is a persistent native wildflower. It is best to plant seeds in fall when the rain begins. Once established, the poppy will reseed and spread across your yard. It is great for bees, birds, butterflies, and other pollinators as well as being deer resistant. Poppies prefer well-drained soils but can tolerate most soils including clay.

Tough shrubs planted for foliage and often used as a screen or hedge. Evergreen euonymus (Euonymus japonicus) has lower water requirements than most other available species and grows 4-10’ x 6’. Plant in full sun with good air circulation to help prevent mildew.

Examples: Variegated examples include: E. j. ‘Aureo-Marginata’ and E. j. ‘Aureo-Variegatus’, E. j. ‘Silver King’, and E. j. ‘Silver Queen’. E. j. ‘Microphyllus’ grows 2’ x 2’ and has small boxwood-like leaves.

Large and variable group of several thousand plants that vary in both form and water requirements. Caution: Some euphorbias reseed readily, and all have milky white sap that is irritating to skin and poisonous.

Low-water examples: Mediterranean spurge (E. characias, 3-4’ x 3-4’) and E. c. spp. Wulfenii offer large clusters of flower bracts; creeping spurge (E. myrsinites, 6-12” x 12-18”); Martin euphorbia (E. x martinii & cvs, 2-3’ x 2-3’) offers a more compact shrub form than Mediterranean spurge with brown-centered chartreuse flowers.

Once established, the pineapple guava tree or shrub needs little irrigation. The plant grows slowly over the course of a few years and can reach 15-25 feet in height if allowed, though it may be kept to a size of 8×8 feet if pruned regularly. Heavy pruning in the early spring will ensure a desired shape.

The tree produces small, edible green fruit which naturally fall from the tree in late October-December. Its white and pink flowers bloom in spring or early summer to provide nectar for bees and birds, which ignore the fruit. Likewise, deer seem to be uninterested in this plant.

Large group of mostly cool-season, perennial, bunching or spreading grasses. Can be used as a no-mow lawn replacement, help to stabilize slopes, and have ornamental value. Festuca californica (California fescue, 1-2’ wide x 2’) prefers part shade and works wonderfully massed under the dry shade of native oaks. Festuca glauca (blue fescue, 1’ x 1’) is a small, clumping grass with bluish gray-green leaves. Festuca idahoenis (Idaho fescue, 1-2’ wide x 1’) also has bluish gray-green leaves and is more drought-tolerant and longer lived than blue fescue. Festuca rubra (red fescue) grows from rhizomes and has long, fine-textured leaves that lay over to form a pleasing drift effect as a no-mow lawn.

Evergreen shrub that has insignificant flowers followed by berries that age from green to red and then black. Flowers are attractive to pollinators, especially bees, and berries provide a food source for birds. Cultivars commonly sold in nurseries have differing growth habits and are often smaller than the species which grows 5-15’ tall and wide.

Examples: F. c. ‘Eve Case’ (6-8’ x 6-8’), R. c. ‘Leatherleaf’ (5-6’ x 5-6’), R. c. ‘Mound San Bruno’ (6-8’ x 6-8’) with a dense, mounding growth habit.

Note: California coffeeberry was formerly classified as Rhamnus californica and is now classified as Frangula californica.

Fraxinus dipetala is a deciduous tree or large shrub. Clusters of lightly fragrant, white flowers in the spring season. Requires pruning to shape when the tree is still young. They are fast-growing up to 15-25 feet tall and 12-20 feet wide.

Fast-growing evergreen shrub with fuzzy, flannel-like leaves. Large golden yellow to orange blossoms that bloom in the spring. Best suited in full sun with well-drained soils.

F. californicum, native to central and southern California, and F. mexicanum, native to southern California and Baja California, are fast growing to 8-20 feet tall and 10-15 feet wide. F. decumbens, native to the foothills east of Sacramento, is 3-4 feet tall and 6-8 feet wide. F. ‘California Glory’ reaches 18-20 feet tall. F. ‘Ken Taylor’ reaches 4-5 feet tall and 6-8 feet wide.

Low-growing, flowering perennials with daisy-like flowers in yellows and reds that bloom late spring thru fall. Many different varieties provide variations in flower color and size. Prefer sun and well-drained soils.

Gaillardia x grandiflora is a hybrid that grows 1-2’ tall and wide and may need less water than other hybrids.

G. aristata (great blanket flower) grows 1-3′ tall and 2′ wide, with yellow daisy-like flowers with red centers.

This fast-growing shrub is native to the Channel and Guadalupe islands of California and Mexico. It can grow to 3-4 feet tall and 4-5 feet wide and will bloom nearly yearround in good conditions. It prefers full sun and will produce more flowers if it is placed there, but will also thrive in part shade. ‘Firecracker’ is a compact selection. ‘Bocarosa’ has bright green leaves and masses of red flowers. Will grow well in a container. Cut back in late winter to renew. May be offered as Galvezia.

This unique shrub is native to dry coastal areas from Southern Oregon through California. Its catkins of gray-green flowers bloom winter or early spring. It can grow 12 feet tall and 6-10 feet wide, but may also be cut back to grow against a wall. It takes partial shade to cool sun and does well in most well-drained soils.