Water Smart Plant Picker

Low-growing, Australian evergreen groundcover shrub that forms a mat about 6” high and 6-10’ wide with small, white flowers in the summer.

Dense, evergreen shrub with small leaves that will eventually grow to 4-6’ high and wide. Boxwood is commonly clipped as a small hedge, topiary, or kept in a container.

Mediterranean evergreen shrub with fine-textured, aromatic foliage that withstands shearing and makes a good informal hedge or screen. Several available cultivars provide different growth and foliage characteristics.

Low-growing, flowering perennial from the mint family that produces many spikes of lavender flowers in the summer that are attractive to bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Soft, gray-green, aromatic foliage is attractive to cats. Nepeta species seed freely and may become invasive. Nepeta x faassenii is a sterile hybrid that is widely available and grows well in Northern California gardens. Available cultivars have flowers ranging from blue to purple.

Classic, slow-growing Mediterranean evergreen tree with willow-like foliage that can be grown as a standard or multi-trunk. Trunks of younger trees are generally smooth and become more gnarled as they age. Pollen is highly allergenic to many people, and fruit and seeds can be messy. Low-flowering and non-fruiting cultivars are available.

Examples: O. e. ‘Bonita’ (25-30’ x 25-30’) is nearly fruitless; O. e. ‘Franz Fruitless’ (25-30’ x 25-30’) produces no pollen and nearly no fruit; O. e. ‘Little Ollie’ (6-8’ x 6-8’) is a dwarf non-fruiting hybrid with dense foliage; O. e. ‘Majestic Beauty’ (25’ x 20’) only develops small amounts of fruit; O. e. ‘Swan Hill’ (25-30’ x 25-30’) is a non-fruiting olive free of airborne pollen.

Semi-deciduous tree or large shrub, 20-30 feet tall and wide with greenish bark and pale yellow flowers. Has thorns and little pruning is needed. Leaves drop during extreme heat and will not survive extended frost. Attracts birds and creates a stable habitat for them.

Deciduous shrub or small tree, slow growing to 15-20 feet tall and 12-15 feet wide, with yellowish green bark, and creamy yellow flowers in spring.. Leaves drop during extreme heat and will not survive in extended frost. High pest tolerance. Little pruning needed.

Penstemons are a large group of woody or herbaceous perennials with narrow leaves and tubular flowers. Foothill penstemon is a widely known and grown California native with iridescent purple-blue flowers during spring and early summer that are attractive to hummingbirds. The cultivar known as ‘Margarita BOP’ is widely available, reliable, and garden- tolerant. Remove spent flower spikes to encourage more flowers.

California Phacelia is perennial, 1 foot tall and wide, with velvety, silvery gray-green leaves and purplish pink, funnel-shaped flowers in coiled clusters that uncurl as the flowers open in sequence. Self-sows. Important source of nectar for pollinators, especially bees. Native to coastal bluffs and woodland openings in northern California and western Oregon. Sun or part shade, well-drained soils. This native wildflower is a food source for the Mission blue butterfly.

Group of evergreen Mediterranean shrubs and perennials with large, soft, leaves that display striking whorls of yellow or lilac flowers on long stems.

Examples: Jerusalem sage (P. fruticosa, 3-4’ x 3-4’) is the most commonly planted phlomis. P. purpurea (4-6’ x 4-6’) have purple-pink flowers from spring to fall.

Evergreen, clumping perennials from New Zealand with dramatic, strappy, sword-shaped leaves that can provide contrast to other plantings or be used effectively in containers. Provide room for plants to reach full size and give some shade in hotter locations. Numerous cultivars are recommended over straight species and provide a wide range of sizes and foliage colors that include green, yellow, and red—many with some type of variegation.

Lippia is a hardy, low-growing groundcover found in many regions worldwide including California. Small white and purple flowers bloom in spring, attracting pollinators like bees and butterflies. Common lippia forms dense mats of trailing runners that make it a popular drought-tolerant alternative to conventional lawns. It stays low to the ground, tolerates foot traffic, and is dog-friendly. May be mowed to remove flowers if undesirable. With occasional deep watering — about every two weeks in summer — it can outcompete weeds while requiring far less water than traditional turfgrass. May die back some in winter in colder locations but recovers the following spring. Sun to light shade. Most soils.