California Native Plants
California native plants are not only beautiful, they are naturally drought tolerant, help support local ecosystems and provide habitat for birds, butterflies and pollinators. Planting California natives is also a sustainable landscaping approach in the Turf Replacement Program. All plants in these guides and profiles are native to Southern California and are available at these nurseries.
Plant California Native. Be California Friendly®.
Calscape Garden Planner
Check out the Calscape Garden Planner: a tool that finds the perfect native plants for your garden. Just enter your zip code and you’ll see designs that fit your landscaping style.
Calscape Garden Planner
Native Plant Profiles
ANNUALS
GROUNDCOVERS
GRASSES
PERENNIALS
Achillea ‘Moonshine’
Perennial
Epilobium canum ‘Catalina’ Fuchsia
Perrennial
Penstemon spectabilis
Perennial
Sphaeralcea ambigua 'Louis Hamilton'
Perennial
Asclepias fascicularis
Perennial
Heuchera ‘Wendy’
Perennial
Rhus ovata
Perennial
Verbena lilacina ‘De La Mina’
Perennial
SHRUBS
Arctostaphylos den. ‘Howard McMinn’
Shrub
Ceanothus griseus hor. ‘Yankee Point’
Shrub
Rhamnus californica
Shrub
Arctostaphylos ‘Emerald Carpet’
Shrub, Groundcover
Mimulus aurantiacus
Shrub, Perennial
Calliandra californica
Shrub
Encelia californica
Shrub
Ribes sanguinem
Shrub
Artemisia californica 'Canyon Gray'
Shrub, Groundcover
Cercis occidentalis
Tree, Shrub
SUCCULENTS
TREES
VINES
Helpful links
California Native Plant Society
CNPS is a non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness about the horticultural use of California native plants while protecting their natural habitats.
CA Native Plant Society’s database provides detailed native plant descriptions, planting guides and landscaping information.
This nursery supplies over 500 species and varieties for landscaping and ecological restoration at the wholesale level.
Las Pilitas Nursery exclusively grows California native plants and maintains an extensive plant database with thorough descriptions, photos and pricing.
California Dept of Fish & Wildlife
The Habitat Conservation Planning Branch’s Native Plant Program provides resources to study, map and conserve California’s native plant species.
PlantRight collaborates with California’s nursery industry to keep invasive plants off landscapes and to promote the sale of non-invasive alternatives.
For questions or comments, please message: Krista Guerrero, kguerrero@mwdh2o.com
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California Friendly® registered trademark of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. Many of the flower and garden images are courtesy of the Theodore Payne Foundation.