Water Wise Plants

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California Buckeye

Tree

Can grow 10 - 25 ft. or more, and spread 30 ft. or wider

Very Low: water deeply several times a summer

Full to half sun, shade

White to pink

The California buckeye is an unusual native because it is summer deciduous. It will naturally drop its leaves with the heat of summer, but with regular watering it may hold leaves longer. Its nectar/pollen is poisonous to European honeybees, but not to native bees. The flower has a candy or perfume-like scent, and blooms in very early spring.

The tree produces a large nut that resembles a buck's eye, thus the name. The nut is poisonous to eat. The nuts easily reseed where they fall, so collect them if new sprouts are not desired.

Without summer leaves, the pale bark of the California buckeye offers interest and structure in the garden and is very easy to prune and shape.

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Agastache

Perennial

3 ft. wide and 2 ft. tall

Low: water every three weeks until the root ball is wet

Full sun

Pink

Agastache are originally from the Southwest and Mexico, a climate that is somewhat different from Santa Clara County’s Mediterranean summer-dry climate. These plants require well-draining soil, but local soils tend to be slow-draining clay soils.

PADG notes: This unnamed cultivar of Agastache has been a mixed success in our gardens.

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Hummingbird mint

Perennial

2'-2.5' high x 1.5' wide

Moderate: water weekly until the root ball is wet

Full to half sun

Orange and Pink

Agastache ‘Acapulco Salmon and Pink’ is a beautiful accent plant for the late spring to early fall garden. It is more compact than most hummingbird mints and is densely covered by orange and pink flower spikes. The plant’s gray-green foliage is also a nice contrast to the brighter greens of most garden plants. Like many perennials, these plants die back during the winter. Hummingbird mints are only moderately drought tolerant. This plant does not flower well unless it is in full sun for half a day or more.

PADG notes: This specimen is planted where it gets morning sun and afternoon shade so it needs less water than recommended. During hot, summer periods, the plant is hosed weekly in addition to a once every three-week drip irrigation cycle.

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Coral Aloe

Succulent

2 ft. to 3 ft. tall and 1 ft. to 2 ft. wide

Low: water every three weeks until the root ball is wet

Full sun

Red-orange

Like many succulents, Aloes are from South Africa. Aloe striata tolerates cold better than most aloes and grows successfully in the Bay Area. The large, broad, fleshy leaves and tall clusters of flowers are bold additions to the summer-dry perennial bed. As a bonus, hummingbirds and bees are attracted to its orange-red blossoms.

The only maintenance this plant needs is to cut back the inflorescence after the flowers have dropped off. Aloe striata is also easy to propagate. Remove the pups (baby plants) from the base of the plant, let the stems dry and harden, and then plant the cuttings in a pot of cactus soil mix.

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Manzanita ‘Emerald Carpet’

Groundcover

5 ft. wide and 8-14 in. tall

Low: water every three weeks until the root ball is wet

Full to half sun

Pink flowers

‘Emerald Carpet’ is a slow growing California native manzanita from the coast of Mendocino County. It is a very attractive plant with dark glossy leaves, reddish stems and small flowers in the early spring.

There are many different cultivars of manzanita, ranging from ground covers to small trees. Manzanitas are a good wildlife plant and typically are a hearty plant. They do well in very dry situations. Most manzanitas need superb drainage, or they will struggle and die. Plant on a mound or slope and water weekly for the first summer and less after that. By the third summer, stop watering. Avoid fertilizing the plant.

These plants rarely need pruning. Remove the odd branch that dies back in the late summer and the plant will fill in. Some gardeners will remove the lower branches on some of the larger manzanitas to highlight the interesting branching structure and reddish bark. Some Santa Clara Master Gardeners have had success using the cultivar ‘Carmel Sur’ as a ground cover in low-water landscapes.

PADG notes: ‘Emerald Carpet’ has not thrived at PADG. It may need more water than most manzanitas.

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Manzanita ‘Howard McMinn’

Shrub

5-7 ft tall x 6-10 ft wide

Very Low: water deeply several times a summer

Full to half sun

Whitish pink

California native Arctostaphylos ‘Howard McMinn’ is reputed to be the manzanita most tolerant of typical garden conditions. Manzanitas in general need excellent drainage. In heavy clay soils, be careful not to over water or over fertilize.

If the tips of Arctostaphylos branches are pruned, this large shrub will become very dense and make a good privacy screen. Removing the interior stems and leaves instead exposes the interesting red bark. The latter is a good approach for making the shrub more of a focal point instead of a background plant.

PADG notes: PADG planted three ‘Howard McMinn’ manzanitas at the entrance of the Water Wise Garden. They have struggled there over the years, damaged by foot traffic and the occasional joy rider.

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Borage

Annual

2'-3' high x 1.5'-2' wide

Low: water every three weeks until the root ball is wet

Full to half sun

The compact size, bright green leaves and blue springtime flowers of Borago officinalis provide a nice contrast to the darker and more muted greens of most water wise plants. Borage is an annual that dies back without supplemental water in summer. It reseeds readily, allowing new plants to spring up in random places. Plants are easy to remove when they begin to die back or if the seedlings come up in undesirable locations. The plant is edible and its star-shaped blue flowers taste like cucumber. In a low water situation, the plants seldom grow over 1.5 feet.

 

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Bulbine frutescens

Succulent

1 ft. high and 2 ft. to 3 ft. wide

Low: water every three weeks until the root ball is wet

Full to half sun

Yellow

This South African native is a great plant to mix into a low water flower border. It is evergreen, has spikes of star-shaped yellow or orange flowers and cool fleshy pencil-shaped leaves.

The yellow-flowered Bulbine frutescens blooms mostly in the winter when very few plants are in flower. The cultivars ‘Hallmark’ and ‘Tiny Tangerine’ are more compact, have orange flowers, and bloom in the summer. Though the plant looks best when watered several times a summer, bulbine can survive on less water.

When bulbine starts to flop open in the center, it is time to dig up and start fresh by planting a piece of the original plant. Cuttings will grow without much special treatment: stick them in the ground and wait for a new plant. The best time to start a new plant is during the rainy season.

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Bottlebrush

Shrub

8 ft. to 10 ft. wide and tall

Low: water every three weeks until the root ball is wet

Full to half sun

Soft pink

Callistemon ‘Canes Hybrid’ is a beautiful shrub that adds height and structure to the perennial garden, with soft pink flowers that bloom repeatedly throughout the summer. The cultivar ‘Canes Hybrid’ is smaller and has softer, greyer foliage than the more common red Callistemon citrinus.

Callistemon are very adaptable plants for Santa Clara Valley gardens and are attractive to hummingbirds. The many cultivars of Callistemon range from tree-size to shrub-size to ground cover height.

PADG notes: The Callistemon is pruned and shaped to a shrub and is has been planted next to Miscanthus sinensis ‘Yaku Jima’ as seen in the photo.

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Sundrops

Perennial

1.5 ft. high and 2 ft. wide

Low: water every three weeks until the root ball is wet

Full to half sun

Calylophus hartwegii is a showy, low growing perennial. The flowers, which appear in mid-summer, are bright yellow. The delicate, lacy foliage is also an attractive addition to the garden. It is native to the southwestern US and northern Mexico.

Sunset’s Western Garden Book suggests shearing before spring growth. The stems on these plants can become woody.

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California Wild Lilac

Plant type depends on cultivar

Many different types

None: avoid summer water

Full to half sun

Purple, dark blue, medium blue, white

Ceanothus is a California native evergreen shrub. It is very showy in late winter and early spring when it covers itself with beautiful blossoms. Most Ceanothus have blue blooms that are very attractive to bees and other insects.

There are many different kinds of Ceanothus. Some are low growing ground covers; some are shrubs, and some become tree-like. Most Ceanothus need to be planted in a dry part of the garden because they are very sensitive to summer watering. Ceanothus varieties originally from the coast, such as ‘Carmel Creeper’, are more tolerant of summer water. Cultivars should be researched carefully to select the right plant that meets individual garden conditions. 

It is best to prune Ceanothus in the late summer when they are dormant. Take care not to cut into large branches. Only prune branches that are an inch or less in size.

Even with proper pruning and watering, these plants can be short-lived (five to ten years), but their beautiful spring flowers more than make up for any challenges.

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California Wild Lilac ‘Concha’

Shrub

6-8 ft tall x 6-8 ft wide

Very Low: water deeply several times a summer

Full to half sun

Blue

Ceanothus ‘Concha’ is a California native plant with rose colored buds that open to cobalt blue flowers in late winter or early spring. Leaves are small and a deep dark green.

‘Concha’ is one of the best Ceanothus cultivars for Santa Clara County. It is more adaptable to typical garden environments than many other Ceanothus, tolerating heavy clay soil, drought, or summer watering. Overwatering will shorten the life of any Ceanothus so be sure to allow the soil to dry between waterings.

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Maritime ceanothus

Shrub

1'-3' high x 3'-8' wide

Low: water every three weeks until the root ball is wet

Full sun

Ceanothus maritimus ‘Valley Violet’ is a California native and a UC Davis Arboretum All-Star. This low growing Ceanothus has a wide spread and can be an effective ground cover. It has dark, blue-green foliage that contrasts nicely with its purple flowers, which bloom from winter into spring. Be aware that all Ceanothus develop buckthorns as they age that can be very sharp.

PADG notes: Several varieties of Ceanothus were planted several years ago in the Native Bed at the Palo Alto Demonstration Garden. As of 2022, Ceanothus maritimus ‘Valley Violet’ is doing the best in the group. It is very drought tolerant and is living up to its All-Star status with the garden’s dry season irrigation cycle. Established plants are watered once every three weeks with drip lines.

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Wild Lilac ‘Marie Simon’

Shrub

Up to 6 - 8 ft. high and wide

Low: water every three weeks until the root ball is wet

Full to half sun

Ceanothus x pallidus ‘Marie Simon’ is a cross between a native Ceanothus and another unknown plant, and is a UC Davis Arboretum All-Star. It looks quite different from a native Ceanothus. It is semi-deciduous, with red stems and light green leaves, and its flowers are a delicate pink instead of the blue more typical for Ceanothus.

PADG notes: Online photos show a plant covered with pink flowers but that hasn’t been the case at the Demonstration Garden. The flowers have been pretty but sparse and the plant does not look vigorous. It has been in the garden for several years and is still a non-performer. We can’t recommend this plant for low water gardens in the Palo Alto area.

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Rock Rose

Shrub

2'-3' high x 4'-5' wide

Low: water every three weeks until the root ball is wet

Full sun

Pink and White

Cistus x argenteus ‘Silver Pink’ has small flowers that densely cover the plant in the spring. At the end of the season the flowers drop off cleanly. This beautiful evergreen shrub naturally grows into a neat, compact mound, with dense, gray-green foliage. It should never be pruned heavily. Like many drought tolerant plants, a heavy pruning can kill it or leave it misshapen. Instead, be sure to allow enough space for the mature shrub in your landscape design so that pruning is not necessary.

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Purple cone flower

Perennial

3'-4' high x 2' wide

Low: water every three weeks until the root ball is wet

Full sun

Purple

Echinacea purpurea is a green-leaved perennial that produces large purple, daisy-like blooms in the summer. It can grow to four feet in height and works well in the background of garden borders. It needs minimal drip irrigation, dies down after bloom, and resprouts in the spring with little extra maintenance required.

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Globe Thistle

Perennial

2 - 4 ft. tall and 2 ft. wide

Low: water every three weeks until the root ball is wet

Full sun

Bright blue

Echinops has beautiful blue flowers that bloom spring through fall. The coarse leaves may not appeal to everyone, but they add a different texture to the garden. Echinops make a great cut flower. The spiky texture adds interest to flower arrangements.

Even with minimal water and no fertilizer, these plants need staking. Supports put in place in the early spring are quickly covered with foliage and hidden from view. To encourage new blooms and keep the plant looking fresh, remove the entire flowering stalk.

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Seaside Daisy ‘Wayne Roderick’

Perennial

1 ft. high and spreading up to 2 ft. wide

Moderate: water weekly until the root ball is wet

Full to half sun

Pink to Lavender to Violet

Erigeron glaucus ‘Wayne Roderick’ has a long bloom period if deadheaded regularly, with blooming starting in the spring and continuing into the fall. To keep this plant looking its best, prune back leggy growth to 1 or 2 inches in the late fall. The cultivar ‘Wayne Roderick’ is supposed to be longer lived, have larger blooms, and be more durable and heat tolerant than the species.

PADG notes: Our experience with Erigeron 'Wayne Roderick' has been very good, although we have noticed that the foliage burns in the summer unless given more frequent water.

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California buckwheat

Shrub

2' high x 4'-5' wide

Low: water every three weeks until the root ball is wet

Full sun

Eriogonum fasciculatum is a drought-tolerant California native shrub. Reaching only two feet in height with a four-to-five-foot spread, it is a good mid-border choice. The shrub has many branches that are densely covered with small, dark green, needle-like leaves and is covered with pinkish-white clusters of tiny flowers in spring which turn an attractive rust color in summer and fall. When not flowering, it is an attractive contrast to other plants in the mixed border. Trim flowers off when they become unsightly and lightly shape the plant. Do not prune heavily.

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Rosy Buckwheat

Shrub

1 ft. to 2 ft. tall and wide

None: avoid summer water

Full sun

Rosy buckwheat, a California native from the Channel Islands, has rosy flowers in summer. It is one of the showiest and most compact of the buckwheats. Because of its size and neat growth habit, it makes a great filler plant in a native garden. Rosy buckwheat shines in late summer when the flowers turn from rosy to a coppery tint. The mellow colors of this plant blends well with other perennials.

At the end of the coppery color phase, the blooms can be deadheaded to avoid a ratty look. Every few years, do a light pruning to new growth below the taller branches. The best time to do this pruning is in the late fall before the winter growth starts. Shape this plant every so often to keep its mounding form.

Buckwheat requires some summer water the first year it is planted. After the first year, avoid summer water. The plants may only live three to five years, though sometimes longer. It freely reseeds so buying new plants may not be necessary.

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California Poppy

Perennial

6 in. wide and 6 in. to 12 in. tall

Low: water every three weeks until the root ball is wet

Full sun

Bright orange, golden, pale yellow, red, cream, rose

California poppies look great in wild areas and are lovely massed. They make excellent temporary fillers in new beds and landscapes. 

California poppies can get by with almost no summer water, but they tend to look shabby and weedy under these conditions. To encourage continuous bloom, provide moderate amounts of water and trim the plants back to almost ground level when the foliage turns grey, and the plants lose their flowers.

Although California poppies are perennials in the Santa Clara Valley, they can be treated as annuals. California poppies can be problematic because they are aggressive reseeders. They should be heavily thinned even in desired areas and removed entirely when undesired. They can reach one and a half feet wide in size and can smother other plants.

Most retail nurseries and many hardware stores sell seeds for California poppies. Some mail order companies are good sources for some of the less common varieties of these California natives. Plant seeds in the fall for a spring show. Be sure to cover seeds with mulch to hide them from the birds and water regularly until they sprout if the winter rains have not arrived.

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Lion’s Tail

Shrub

4 ft. to 6 ft. wide and tall

Low: water every three weeks until the root ball is wet

Full sun

Orange-red

This upright shrub from South Africa has bright eye-catching orange flowers. A single lion’s tail works well as a late summer/early fall garden focal point. The flowers can also be stunning in a flower arrangement. 

Prune these shrubs in the early spring after the danger of frost is past to control size. Some gardeners prune them down to six inches from the ground; others just cut off half of the total height. How much to prune is a matter of deciding the desirable size of the plants in the garden. With no pruning at all, these plants can get very large, very quickly.

Lion’s tail can be frost tender, but they rebound quickly. If this plant does get frost damaged, wait until after the danger of frost is past, then cut off the damaged parts.

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Pitcher Sage

Shrub

3 ft. tall and wide in low water gardens

Very Low: water deeply several times a summer

Full to half sun

Magenta

Pitcher sage is an aromatic member of the mint family that is attractive in wild gardens. In late summer these plants have reddish purple flowers on medium-sized spikes. Hummingbirds and bees love them, so they add quite a bit of life to a garden. Another feature is the plant’s large leaves, which offer a nice contrast to many plants from the Mediterranean region that have smaller foliage. Although some pitcher sages are native to California, Lepechinia hastata is from Mexico.

PADG notes: Some reference books say this plant can get up to 6 feet tall, but in the Palo Alto Demonstration Garden, they have stayed a modest 3 feet tall and wide. The trick may be not to overwater them.

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California Dune Aster

Groundcover

3+ ft. wide and 4 in. tall

Very Low: water deeply several times a summer

Full to half sun

Pink to lilac

Lessingia felaginifolia is a drought tolerant California native groundcover and a favorite with butterflies. Lessingia ‘Silver Carpet’ is a selection known for its dense, silvery foliage. The short, ground-hugging foliage is only 4 inches high, spreading 3 or more feet. Water deeply a few times over the summer.

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Purple Toadflax

Perennial

2 - 3 ft. high and 1 ft. wide

Low: water every three weeks until the root ball is wet

Full to half sun

Linaria is an old friend that asks for little and gives much. This plant makes a great filler, especially in a young garden. The flowers are small, but the plant is large with many blooming branches. Sunset recommends planting these plants in mass for maximum impact.

The big drawback to Linaria is that it reseeds. The seedlings are easy to spot and pull out. If you deadhead the flowers and mulch your soil regularly you will cut down on the amount of reseeding.

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Catmint

Groundcover

1 ft. tall and 1 1/2 - 2 ft. wide

Low: water every three weeks until the root ball is wet

Full to half sun

Lavender-blue

Catmint is a reliable and easy edging plant for low water perennial borders. It has lovely soft gray leaves and lavender-blue flowers in the spring. 

After the first set of blooms finishes, catmint should be cut back several inches to keep it from getting leggy and encourage another set of blooms. This is a fun job because the leaves have a wonderful smell. Be aware that some cats also love the smell of the plant and will roll their bodies in the plant and flatten it.

PADG Notes: Catmint was one of the earliest plants in the Demonstration Garden providing much needed color the first summer. It is used extensively to visually tie the beds together.

 

 

 

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Oregano

Perennial

Varies depending on cultivar

Low: water every three weeks until the root ball is wet

Full sun

No flowers

Herbs like oregano are very attractive, can be mixed with ornamental plantings and thrive under tough conditions. Some oreganos are grown for their aromatic qualities, others for their interesting foliage and others for their attractive flowers. 'Hopley's', a variety with purplish pink flowers that is attractive in pots. 'Aureum', the variety shown in this picture, looks better with morning sun. The hot afternoon sun can bleach its leaves.

Herbs are also great for attracting beneficial insects to gardens. And the less they are watered, the more intense the flavor.

Many oreganos benefit from being sheared to the ground in the fall. Harvest oregano any time for cooking, but the most intense flavor is just before the plants bloom.

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Celery Scented Pelargonium

Groundcover

12 - 18 in. high and 15 -24 in. wide

Low: water every three weeks until the root ball is wet

Half sun to shade

Magenta pink

Pelargonium ionidiflorum blooms throughout the year with bright pink flowers. Attractive when grown in front of border plants, it stays low and compact and seems to do well in partial shade. Unlike other Pelargoniums, this plant does not get leggy. Maintenance is minimal, and occasional deadheading is all that is needed.

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California Buttercup

Perennial

6 in (15cm) wide x 0.6 - 2.3 ft (0.18 - 0.7 m) tall

Moderate: water weekly until the root ball is wet

Full to half sun

Yellow

The California buttercup (Ranunculus californicus), a perennial herb of the Ranunculaceae family, brightens much of California (except the deserts) with 3/4 inch, remarkably glossy, deep yellow flowers, each with 9 to 17 petals. For the garden, plant this buttercup in front of the border and in meadows with native annuals and bulbs, blue-eyed grass, shooting stars, woolly blue-curls, and other natives that require little, if any, supplemental summer irrigation. Buttercups are not only worthy cut flowers but also a good source of nutrition. Toast briefly in a frying pan to accompany porridge or grind and add to baked goods. Easy to grow and appealing native.

ROE-sah

Rose 'Happenstance'

Perennial

3 ft. tall and wide with regular pruning

Low: water every three weeks until the root ball is wet

Full sun

Light yellow to white

Roses have a reputation for being lovely shrubs that require a lot of maintenance and water. 'Happenstance' rose is a beautiful, disease-free shrub rose that does fine on a low water diet.

The pale-yellow flowers of 'Happenstance' provide a calming contrast to more brightly colored flowers. The arching branches of 'Happenstance' rose form a neat mound.

PADG Notes: This rose is a slow grower in the garden and doesn't need a lot of deadheading or pruning because it is not highly fertilized or watered. In February, some of the longer canes of 'Happenstance' are pruned back to about two feet to keep the rose a three-foot mounding shrub over the summer.

Despite the low maintenance approach, this plant blooms continually in the spring, summer, and fall. It is highly recommended as a medium-sized rose for water-wise perennial gardens.

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Butterfly Rose

Shrub

8 ft. to 10 ft. tall and wide

Low: water every three weeks until the root ball is wet

Full to half sun

While most hybrid tea roses like regular water and fertilizer, there are many antique roses that withstand tough conditions. Rosa x ordorata 'Mutabilis' is very successful under a low water/no fertilizer regime. This rose prefers full sun but will grow and bloom in part shade.

Rosa 'Mutabilis' grows into a large shrub with delicate blossoms that open orange, then turn pink and finally maroon as it ages. The bronzy colored new foliage is also attractive. Blooming all summer, it is a focal point in the garden.

PADG Notes: This rose is pruned back to about four feet in February, selectively cutting smaller branches back to a main stem. This helps keep the plant a manageable size and encourages lots of blooms over the summer.

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Tuscan Blue Rosemary

Shrub

6 ft. to 7 ft. tall and 1 1/2 ft. to 2 ft. wide

Low: water every three weeks until the root ball is wet

Full sun

Blue

Rosemary is one of the toughest shrubs in the garden and a great evergreen plant to anchor a summer dry bed. It is from the Mediterranean Basin and is well suited to the Santa Clara Valley climate. There are many different varieties and forms, some tall, others spreading. Flower color can also vary from pale blue to deep blue, and less commonly, pink and white.

Rosemary starts blooming in the winter and provides food for bees when little else is blooming. It sometimes has a small bloom in the late summer and fall as well.

PADG Notes: The 'Tuscan Blue' rosemary shrubs in the garden have never grown taller than 4 feet and are more ball shaped than vertical. Part of this may be due to less watering and part of this may be due to our pruning regime. It is pruned by one half to one third after it finishes blooming in late spring to control its height. The side branches which fall on other plants are also pruned. Once the plants become mature, up to one third of the large woody branches are pruned to control plant size and maintain vigor.

To minimize pruning, we have taken out several of our 'Tuscan Blue' rosemary shrubs and replaced them with the smaller cultivar 'Mozart', a UC Davis Arboretum "All-Star.”

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Germander Sage

Perennial

2 ft. wide and 3 ft. to 4 ft. tall

Low: water every three weeks until the root ball is wet

Full sun

Bright blue

Salvia chamaedryoids needs very little water and blooms profusely in the late summer.

This attractive plant has silver leaves and bright blue flowers. Deadheading will encourage the flowers to come back in the fall. Shearing back to the ground in late fall rejuvenates the plant.

SAL-vee-uh

Sage 'Christine Yeo'

Perennial

12-18 in. high and 24 - 36 in. wide

Low: water every three weeks until the root ball is wet

Full to half sun, shade

Salvias microphyllas is a shrubby perennial that come in a wide variety of colors and will bloom many months with deadheading. It stays a manageable size in the garden and will not overwhelm neighboring plants.

The flower pictured here is Salvia hybrid 'Cristine Yeo'. It is a cross between Salvia microphylla and Salvia chamaedryoides.

PADG Notes: Salvia microphyllas prefer full sun, but this plant is doing well with morning sun and afternoon shade in our garden. It seems a little floppy, which might be a shade issue or just its natural form. 

With a little work, the  Salvia microphyllas can be kept in top form in your garden. At PADG, all flowers are sheared off in early summer and again during fall clean up. This keeps the plant more compact and encourages repeat blooming. In the spring, one third of is oldest stems are pruned out to keep the plant from getting woody. A nice bonus for pruning work -- the leaves of these Salvias smell wonderful.

SAL-vee-uh My-kro-FIL-uh

Sage 'UCB Pink'

Perennial

3 ft. to 4 ft. wide and tall

Low: water every three weeks until the root ball is wet

Full sun

This hot pink Salvia blooms in late fall when few other plants are blooming. In general Saliva microphylla plants do well in summer-dry perennial gardens and don't need a great deal of maintenance.

PADG Notes: 'UCB Pink' seems to bloom more consistently than many of the Salvia microphylla types. 

In the fall, the skinny branches of this plant are sheared off to form a neat ball. Avoid cutting into the thicker woody stems because it could affect regrowth. Regular pruning keeps this plant fuller and encourages more flowering the next season. If you want to learn more about Salvias, we suggest reading Betsy Clebsch's book called The New Book of Salvias.

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Dwarf Lavender Cotton

Perennial

2 ft. tall and 3 ft. wide

Very Low: water deeply several times a summer

Full to half sun

Santolina chamaecyparissus 'Nana' is a compact shrub with silver grey foliage and bright yellow flowers. This cultivar is very slow growing and stays a nice size.

PADG Notes: We originally had a full sized Santolina, but the plant fell apart when it bloomed. It was unattractive, so it was removed it from the garden. Santolina chamaecyparissus 'Nana' is a good choice for an edger or in a knot garden because it doesn't require the pruning that the larger species needs. We've used short silver plants as edging throughout the Demonstration Garden to tie the garden together visually.

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California Bee Plant

Perennial

6 - 12 in (15 - 30cm) wide x 2 - 4 ft (0.6 - 1.2 m) tall

Low: water every three weeks until the root ball is wet

Half sun

Red

Scrophularia californica is a flowering plant in the figwort family which is known by the common names California figwort and California bee plant. This perennial herb is native to the western United States and British Columbia. This unassuming plant grows triangular, toothed, blue-green leaves in pairs opposite each other on a spindly, squared stem. The brownish-magenta flowers are rounded, hollow buds about a centimeter long with two long upper lobes. This species is a strong bee attractant.

SEE-dum

Stonecrop 'Autumn Joy'

Succulent

1 - 2 ft. high and 2 ft. wide

Low: water every three weeks until the root ball is wet

Full to half sun

Pink

Sedum 'Autumn Joy' stands upright with no need for extra support, needs very little water and generally is not bothered by garden insects. In late summer, strong pink flowers bloom and slowly fade to a rust color. This plant is good for adding color to the garden when most other plants are tired and resting. During the winter months 'Autumn Joy' dies back to the ground and returns in the early spring.

PADG Notes: In the demonstration garden, Sedum 'Autumn Joy' is planted in a very rocky, well drained spot. It has grown very slowly, but steadily. It is a favorite of many gardeners because of the long-lasting fall color.

so-lid-AH-goh vel-ew-TEEN-uh

Threenerve Goldenrod

Groundcover

0.7 - 3 ft (0.21 - 0.9 m) tall

Low: water every three weeks until the root ball is wet

Full sun

Yellow

Solidago velutina is a native perennial herb in the Asteraceae (Sunflower) family that is widespread in western North America and is found in almost every county in California. Recent taxonomic changes have expanded the scope of S. velutina to include S. californica and S. sparsiflora which were previously considered as distinct species by many. It is best used where a wild look is desired, as in the garden this plant may appear especially unruly in winter when it is deciduous. The showy yellow-gold flowers in late summer attract a large number of insects, as well as some birds.

so-lid-AH-goh vel-oo-TEE-nuh

California Goldenrod

Groundcover

1.5 - 5 ft (0.46 - 1.5 m) tall

Low: water every three weeks until the root ball is wet

Full to half sun

Yellow

California Goldenrod is a native perennial herb that grows in northern, southern and central California. It tends to grow in open grassy places, at elevations from 0-7500 feet. It produces masses of yellow flowers when many other plants are dormant. Birds and pollinating insects love this plant. Grows well in central oak woodlands. It likes to be wet in winter/spring and dry in summer but can take extra water.  It is a spreader from a creeping rootstock and may become invasive, so plant it where it will have plenty of room. Otherwise it is very garden tolerant and easy.

STAKA-is bye-zan-TEEN-ah

Lamb's Ears

Groundcover

3 ft. wide and 6 in. to 12 in. tall

Low: water every three weeks until the root ball is wet

Full to half sun

Not every plant in the garden has that "wow factor" going for it, and that's a good thing. Sometimes plants are needed to fill in bare spots and give the eye a rest. Lamb's ears are a classic filler plant for a water-wise garden.

"Helen von Stein' is a wonderful cultivar because it has extra-large leaves and doesn't bloom a lot. With its large leaves, it provides contrast to smaller leaved plants in the garden. 

After a couple years, these plants tend to spread and die out in the middle. Use a sharp shovel and divide the clumps in fall or early winter. Lamb's ears may also have some die back over the winter; we recommend leaving the dead leaves in place until all danger of frost has passed.  

PADG Notes: We have used Stachys and other silver-leaved plants to visually tie together the edges of our beds. Some gardeners love the dramatic flower spikes on lamb's ears, but we have mixed feelings. Sometimes we cut them off and sometimes we leave them in place.

 

sim-fee-OT-ri-koom chi-LEN-see

California Aster (Pacifc Aster)

Perennial

3 ft (0.9 m) wide x 1.3 - 3.3 ft. (0.4 - 1 m) tall

Low: water every three weeks until the root ball is wet

Full to half sun

Blue, Lavender, Yellow

Pacific aster or California aster is native to western North America from British Columbia to California, where it grows in many types of habitat, especially along the coast and in the coastal mountain ranges. In California it is concentrated in the central coast region. It was formerly classified as Aster chilensis and some sources may still refer to it by that name. Despite its Latin name, it does not occur in Chile. This perennial herb grows to heights between 40 centimeters and one meter. The hairy leaves are narrowly oval-shaped, pointed, and sometimes finely serrated along the edges. The flower cluster holds aster flower heads with centers of yellow disc florets and fringes of many narrow light purple ray florets. Great for a butterfly garden.

TAN-uh-SEE-tum DEN-sum AHM-an-eye

Partridge Feather

Groundcover

6 - 8 in. high, spreading slowly to make a mat about 1 1/2 ft. wide

Moderate: water weekly until the root ball is wet

Full to half sun

Yellow

Tanacetum densum amani is a ground cover that is native to Turkey. Its leaves are silver and have a feathery texture.

PADG Notes: This plant is used as an edger in one of our beds. One drawback to the plant is the small yellow flowers that appear in late spring. Some people like them, but we cut them off.

This plant has survived, but not thrived at in the Palo Alto Demonstration Garden. One reason might be that it likes more water than it receives. It is watered deeply every three weeks. We suspect this plant would look lusher in the summer with deep weekly watering.

This plant is not easy to find in nurseries and gardens, but if you like the texture, Tanacetum densum amani is worth seeking out.

Tew-kree-um FREW-ti-kanz

Bush Germander

Shrub

4 - 6 ft. tall and wide

Low: water every three weeks until the root ball is wet

Full sun

Violet blue

Teucium fruticans 'Azureum' has attractive blue flowers all winter long. The rest of the year it has a smaller floral display. The deep blue stands out against the grey foliage.

PADG Notes: A drawback to Bush Germander is it can grow to be very large. We pruned ours back to 4 inches to help control its size. The shrub came roaring back with a natural shape and a slightly smaller size. The winter blooms are plentiful. We recently planted a smaller Teucrium cultivar, 'Compactum' that is reputed to stay 3 feet tall and wide and have intense blue flowers.