Perennials

Perennials for the Central Valley

What is a perennial? Plants that live for two years or more are called perennials. They may lose their leaves in winter, but they are alive in their roots and branches and will regrow in the spring. Annuals live for only one growing season, during which they produce seeds, then die. (i.e. impatiens)

There are many native California perennials that can grow successfully in our gardens. Some examples are: yarrows, monkeyflower, lupines, sages, salvias, buckwheats, mallows, alum root, penstemon, and milkweeds. See the CNPS website for a list of California native perennials.

Penstemons (Hummingbird plants)

Margarita BOP Penstemon, Penstemon heterophyllus "Margarita BOP"

Foothill Penstemon, Penstemon Laetus

Desert Penstemon, Penstemon pseudospectabilis

Showy Penstemon, Penstemon spectabilis

Wild Snapdragon Penstemon, Penstemon palmeri

California Fuchsia (Hummingbird plants)

California fuchsia, Zauschneria "Everett's Choice"

California fuchsia, Zauschneria Etterii

California fuchsia, Zauschneria "Silver Select"

Sages, Salvias (Hummingbird plants, and extremely drought tolerant)

White sage, Salvia apiana

Hybrid salvia, Salvia "Pozo Blue"

Cleveland sage, Salvia clevelandii

Purple sage, Salvia leucophylla

Black sage, Salvia mellifera

Hummingbird sage, Salvia spathacea

Heuchera (Excellent pollinator plants)

Heuchera micanthra, Alum root

Heuchera maxima, Island alum root

Heuchera Santa Ana Cardina, Santa Ana Cardinal alum root

A Few of Our Favorite Butterfly Perennials

Narrow-leaf milkweed, Asclepias fascicularis - Monarch Butterfly Host Plant

Bluewitch, Solanum umbelliferum incanum

Fairy duster, Calliandra eriophylla

Sticky monkeyflower, Mimulus aurantiacus

Showy Milkweed, Asclepias speciosa

Prostrate germander, Teucrium "Prostratum"

Purple verbena, Verbena "Homestead Purple"

Soapwort, Saponaria ocymoides

Coneflower, Echinacea

Gaura

Coreopsis