This year we are featuring a California Native Plant each month. For June Calscape: Restore Nature One Garden at a Time Instead of sharing a California native plant at the June meeting, I’m sharing a website that will really help anyone who wants to be more “California-friendly” in the garden. This is a website I have used on many occasions. Just recently I took the time to peruse all the features and I was amazed at all the helpful information. I just had to share with my garden friends! Here are the easy steps: 1. Go to calscape.org 2. Notice there are two ways to search—either by a plant name, in the upper righthand corner, or by ZIP code, in the center. 3. If you search by ZIP code, there will be a display of all the plants for your area, all arranged in categories. 4. You choose a category to narrow your search, then look at plants by name and picture. 5. When you click on the plant name, the next page will show pictures, maps and important facts like Plant Description, Natural Setting, and Landscape Information. One of the best topics is Companion Plants under the Natural Setting description. This can guide gardeners as to which plants grow well together. 6. There are two other features—you can create your own plant list (one of the categories when you search by ZIP) on the site by registering and creating a This web site is sponsored by the California Native Plant Society. It is easy to navigate, chock full of useful information for novices and experts. Please give it a try! Happy California Native Gardening! --Susan Cline For May Common Name: Lemonade Berry  Botanical Name: Rhus integrifolia Great foundation plant in any native garden, slope-stabilizer For April Common Name: Gum Plant  Botanical Name: Grindelia stricta Low-growing spreader---must for a Butterfly Garden For March Common Name: Yankee Point Ceanothus  Botanical Name: Ceanothus griseus horizontalis 'Yankee Point' Very garden-tolerant, low-growing ground cover For February Common Name: Hummingbird Sage  Botanical Name: Salvia spathacea Great addition to a Hummingbird Garden! For January Common Name: Terra Seca Sage  Botanical Name: Salvia mellifera ‘Terra Seca’ Low, evergreen sub-shrub. Very fast growing For November Common Name: Purple Three Awn (Grass)  Botanical Name: Aristida purpurea var. purpurea Tough, beautiful ornamental bunchgrass For October Common Name: Pink Fairy Duster    Native to the Cape region of Baja California Sun: part sun to sun Water: Occasional (every 3-4 weeks) once established Size: 3’ tall by 5’ wide, open branching shape Flowers: Blooms in the spring, summer, fall and winter Slow-growing and evergreen; but will lose leaves if drought or cold-stressed Good in Containers ATTRACTS HUMMINGBIRDS, birds, butterflies and bees
For September Common Name: Island Alum Root   Botanical Name: Heuchera maxima Rare perennial, native to the northern Channel Islands Sun: Part shade to shade Water: Occasional to moderate (3-4 times a month in our area) Size: 2 feet tall by 2 feet wide, dense mounded shape, flower spikes to 2’ Flowers: Blooms in the spring, white to pinkish A must-have for a woodland garden or under oak trees, also grows in containers Grows fast and is evergreen Tolerates heavy soil and moderate drought ATTRACTS HUMMINGBIRDS For May Common Name: Bush Monkeyflower  Botanical Name: Mimulus aurantiacus / Diplacus aurantiacus This is a beautiful plant to grow in the garden! Size: 1-3' H x 1-5' W Growth Habit: Upright Flowers: Flowers in the Spring. Flower colors vary from buff to yellow orange. Flowers are profuse if deadheaded and pinched back to create a denser form. Sun: Inland this plant will look its best when given some summer shade–so part sun to part shade. Good in CONTAINERS Can be stress-deciduous Adaptable to different soils Hummingbird and butterfly favorite! For April: Common Name: Coffeeberry 'Eve Case'  Botanical Name: Rhamnus californica 'Eve Case' This is a smaller, compact cultivar---good for hedges or in a container Size: 3-6' H x 3-4' W Compact and low growth habit. The flowers are small, yellow. Blooms in spring and summer Produces small glossy berries for the birds Will grow in full sun to part shade---but it can be frost tender Beautiful, evergreen, glossy leaves Drought-tolerant once established Adaptable to different soils Bird and butterfly friendly For March:  Common Name: Seaside Daisy  Botanical Name: Erigeron glaucus Low, mounding perennial that is good in containers Blossoms are light pink/light purple Size: Height is 1 foot, spreads 1-2 feet wide Sun: Sun to Part Sun Provide afternoon shade and a little extra water in our area Water: Very drought tolerant once established. Will thrive in most soil types Flowers: Fall, Spring and Summer BUTTERFLY FAVORITE but birds love the seed heads, good for beneficial insects, too! For February: Common Name: De la Mina Lilac Verbena  Botanical Name: Verbena lilacina ‘De la Mina” Dark purple blooms with lavender highlights Sun: Sun to Part Shade Size: 3 feet tall by 3 feet wide, dense mounded shape Combines well with sages, mints, and buckwheats Will thrive in most soil types Flowers: Blooms and re-blooms almost all year long ATTRACTS BUTTERFLIES For January: Common Name: Woolly Blue Curls  Botanical Name: Trichostema lanatum Beautiful blue or purple blossoms on rosemary-like evergreen foliage Sun: Sun Water: NO summer water and minimum water other times of year once established. Needs well-drained soil Size: 4’ tall with blooms x 3’ wide Compact, medium-sized shrub Edible, exceptional fragrance, all parts used medicinally by native peoples Flowers: Blooms spring and summer Butterfly, bird, bee, hummingbird, and beneficial insect friendly For December: Common Name: Yarrow 'Paprika'  Botanical Name: Achillea millefolium ‘Paprika’This is one of the easiest perennials to grow. Flowers are used in fresh or dried arrangements. Blossoms are bright red, fading to pink. Size: Height is 1-2 feet, spreads 1-5 feet wide Sun: Sun to Part Sun Water: Very drought tolerant once established. Will thrive in most soil types Flowers: Summer through early Fall BUTTERFLY FAVORITE! For November: Common Name: Angelita Daisy  Botanical Name: Tetraneuris acaulis Bright-eyed, fragrant yellow daisy blossoms Sun: Sun Water: Supplemental water every 3-4 weeks, once established Size: 1-2’ tall with blooms x 1-2’ wide Makes a great addition to borders, rock gardens, or container gardens Will thrive in most soil types Flowers: Blooms and re-blooms almost all year long Butterfly and beneficial insect friendly
For October: Common Name: Sunset Manzanita
 This is a medium-size foundation shrub that will stay green all year. Flowers in spring and winter. Blossoms are light pink Size: Height is 3-5 feet, spreads 5-10 feet wide Sun: Sun to Part Sun
Water: Supplemental water every 3-4 weeks, once established Will thrive in most soil types Flowers: Spring and Summer Very wildlife friendly especially for hummingbirds
For September:  Common Name: NARROW-LEAF MILKWEED Botanical Name: Asclepias fascicularis  The bad news is that it is a host plant for Monarch butterfly larvae and these hungry creatures will eat it down to the ground! It is also winter deciduous and will lose all its leaves.
Planting suggestions: This plant should be placed in the background rather than as a centerpiece in the garden. Plant a number of plants in proximity as sufficient food for larvae. Will naturalize in the garden.
Size: Height is 3-4 feet, spreads 2-3 feet wide Sun: Sun to Part Sun Water: Very low water requirements, 1-2 x a month in summer, once established. Mulch: Organic with rocks Flowers: Spring and Summer Other California native plants that will attract butterflies and can be planted as companion plants: Indian Mallow (Abutilon palmeri), Ceanothus sp., Western Thistle (Cersium occidentale), California Aster (Corethrogyne filaginifolia), California Fuchsia (Epilobium canum), Buckwheat (Eriogonum sp.), Mint (Monardella sp.), Monkeyflower (Mimulus sp.), Penstemon sp., Sages (Salvia sp.), Apricot Mallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua Online Sources: Las Pilitas Nursery http://www.laspilitas.com/ Moosa Creek Nursery http://www.moosacreeknursery.com California Native Plant Society http://www.cnps.org/
Tree of Life Nursery http://www.californianativeplants.com/
 Another necessary plant for every butterfly garden: (even though not a California Native!) Common Name: Tropical Milkweed AKA Golden Butterflyweed Botanical Name: Asclepias curassavica This is a tender evergreen perennial that is a favorite nectar plant for adult butterflies and a host plant for the Monarch larvae. There is some controversy that the native milkweeds are healthier for adults, but this plant is still a favorite in butterfly gardens. You may also see the red and orange variety. It can be planted in a container in frost-danger areas. Will self-seed to perpetuate itself in the garden. Size: Height is 3-4 feet, spreads 2-3 feet wide Sun: Sun to Part Sun Water: Medium water requirements, 1 x a week, regular irrigation once established Mulch: Organic if danger of frost Flowers: Summer
Online Source: San Marcos Growers
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