California Friendly Plants

 

The Nifty Fifty

The "Nifty Fifty" is a list of the top 50, tried and true landscape plants that are: readily available, low water users, easy to maintain, and  true performers.

 
Common Name Botanical Name   More Information
TREES
African Sumac Rhus lancea  
California Sycamore Platanus racemosa  
Chitalpa Chitalpa tashkentensis   Picture, Description
Coast Live Oak Quercus agrifolia   Picture, Description
Honey Locust Gleditsia triacanthos  
Mondell Pine Pinus eldarica   Picture, Description
Strawberry Tree Arbutus unedo   Picture, Description
Swan Hill Olive Olea europaea 'Swan Hill'  
Sweet Bay Laurus nobilis   Picture, Description
     
SHRUBS/PERENNIALS/ORNAMENTAL GRASSES
Agave Agave spp.   Picture, Description
Artemisia Artemisia spp.   Picture, Description
Blue Oat Grass Helictotrichon sempervirens   Picture, Description
California Encelia Encelia californica  
California Lilac Ceanothus spp.   Picture, Description
Coral Bells Heuchera spp.   Picture, Description
Cotoneaster Cotoneaster spp.   Picture, Description
Dwarf Carolina Laurel Cherry Prunus caroliniana 'Compacta'   Picture, Description
Fountain Grass Pennisetum spp.   Picture, Description
Grevillea Grevillea spp.   Picture, Description
Hen and Chickens Echeveria   Picture, Description
Island Bush Snapdragon Galvezia speciosa   Picture, Description
Lamb's Ear Stachys byzantina   Picture, Description
Lavender Lavandula spp.   Picture, Description
Lavender Cotton Santolina spp.   Picture, Description
Live Forever Dudleya spp.   Picture, Description
Manzanita Arctostaphylos spp.   Picture, Description
Mexican Bush Lobelia Lobelia laxiflora   Picture, Description
Myoporum Myoporum parvifolium   Picture, Description
Nevin's Barberry Mahonia nevinii  
Penstemon Penstemon spp.   Picture, Description
Rhus Rhus spp.   Picture, Description
Rockrose Cistus spp.  
Rosemary Rosmarinus officinalis   Picture, Description
Sage Salvia spp.   Picture, Description
Spurge Euphorbia spp.   Picture, Description
Texas Ranger Leucophyllum spp.   Picture, Description
Toyon Heteromeles arbutifolia   Picture, Description
Verbena Verbena spp.   Picture, Description
Yellow Eyed Grass Sisyrinchium californicum  
     
VINES
Blue Star Creeper Laurentia fluviatilis   Picture, Description
Bougainvillea Bougainvillea spp.   Picture, Description
California Wild Grape Vitis californica   Picture, Description
     
GROUNDCOVER
Blue Fescue Festuca ovina glauca   Picture, Description
Coyote Bush Baccharis spp.   Picture, Description
Ice Plant Lamprenthus spp.  
Strawberry Fragaria californica   Picture, Description
Yarrow Achillea spp.   Picture, Description
     
TURF
Saint Augustinegrass Stenotaphrum secundatum   Picture, Description
Seashore Paspalum Paspalum vaginatum   Picture, Description
Victoria Zoysaigrass Zoysia 'Victoria'   Picture, Description
     
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