Full disclosure, I never specified this plant on a project, so it is very unfamiliar to me despite being a California native species. It...

An uncommon cross variety of two Southern California native plants.

When living in West Sonoma County, I first came across this unusual fruiting native not far from our home. Situated within a flood plain...

Go seriously local! This species of manzanita was originally introduced by our own Saratoga Horticulture Foundation way back in 1955,...

A native azalea that's deciduous? When we think of rhododendrons, their evergreen boughs with pastel clusters of showy flowers might...

Every winter, retail nurseries fill with a variety of bareroot plants including blueberries that at times I have specified in designs but...

Memories can pop up when least expected. My family and I would sit on the back deck of our South Lake Tahoe cabin and pick out and devour...

Welcome to floral sunshine in the native garden! Solidago velutina ssp. californica, or California goldenrod, is not well known among...

Ushering in the autumn season is California fuchsia, or Epilobium canum. When so many other native perennials are already withering or...

California has everything, even its own rose. No, it is not a fancy multi-petaled cut flower coveted by lovers, but it certainly has...

For twenty plus years, my commute followed the Russian River from Healdsburg to Duncans Mills. Sometimes I would keep going all the way...

Asters are a treat in autumn, mostly blooming just before chrysanthemums. Many are showy and exhibit a color range from white to shades...

Not until I was in my thirties did I visit my first true oasis in the California desert. I knew desert oases were sanctuaries of water,...

There are a number of cultivars of A. millifolium, but 'Paprika' stands out for me thus prompting this separate post. The facts below...

In the past decade, Chilopsis linearis has started to pop up in Northern California as a viable, colorful option in the landscape ...

Many California natives are exclusively indigenous to California or the West Coast, but Achillea millefolium has broadened its reach to...

There are two species within the Alnus genus that California's landscape architects should know. The first is Alnus rhombifolia, with a...

This cheerful cultivar of a native species is on my wish list to personally grow, but so far my success has been limited. My first...

The coast live oak is among other tree species noted for their size, often achieving heritage status within communities... witness trees...

Juncus patens is a workhorse in a relatively new landscape industry, green stormwater infrastructure, or GSI for short. Sure, it is a...