Common name: Desert Encelia
Botanical name: Encelia farinosa

This deciduous mounding shrub typically has gray leaves that can reach 5' tall and wide. However, the leaves will turn white in drought conditions. Bright yellow 1" wide daisies appear in spring and summer. There is rapid growth following rain but this shrub is short-lived. Individual plants will reseed to repopulate. It does well in hot areas but cannot tolerate clay soils due to root rot. It will become overgrown and fragile if over watered.

Common name: White Sage
Botanical name: Salvia apiana

This woody shrub has long stiff stems with gray green, wrinkled evergreen leaves when juvenile, changing to smooth and white with time. Fragrant white flowers bloom in the spring, attracting bees. Prune after bloom time to shape shrub. It provides a strong structural form as a garden focal point. It can reach 6' tall and wide; and is considered slow growing. Plant in full sun with well draining soil. Established plants need very little summer water. Leaves have been used for herbal teas and for medicinal purposes.

Common name: Sticky Monkey Flower
Botanical name: Mimulus aurantiacus

Sticky Monkey Flower is a drought tolerant evergreen shrub 4' tall with numerous, orangish yellow flowers in spring and summer. It is a California native that attracts hummingbirds in abundance. This shrub can be found on the dry hills and canyon slopes in the Sierra Nevada foothills and the central Coast Ranges.

Common name: Howard McMinn Manzanita
Botanical name: Arctostaphylos densiflora 'Howard McMinn'

This shrub is highly appreciated for its decorative characteristics, which include a dense show of small, pale pink urn-shaped flowers in winter and spring. One of its main often overlooked attractions of this plant is the mahogany-red to brown bark (which peels beautifully) that can be revealed with some internal pruning once the plant is mature . It's small, red fruit resembles the tike apple, appearing at the end of winter just as Spring is coming on. Evergreen, shiny leaves are very neat and tidy. It can reach 8' tall and 10 wide. It can be pruned to desired size. This shrub attracts butterflies and hummingbirds. It does best in full sun in coastal areas and afternoon shade in warm, inland areas with well draining soil. Established plants need little or no water in coastal areas and occasional watering in warmer areas.

Common name: Sunset Bush Manzanita
Botanical name: Arctostaphylos 'Sunset'

This manzanita is a mounding shrub 4-5' high and 4-6' wide. It has coppery red new growth later turning bright green. It has pinkish-white flowers in winter to early spring. This densely covered shrub prefers full sun and is drought tolerant once it's established. With the diversity of color changes it makes a great foundation shrub.

Common name: Mexican Fan Palm
Botanical name: Washingtonia robusta

The Mexican Fan Palm is a very tall, rapidly growing palm with large, fan-shaped leaves. It has a tropical look, and can grow several feet a year. This species is excellent for larger gardens and lining streets and avenues.

Common name: Pigeon Point Coyote Bush
Botanical name: Baccharis pilularis 'Pigeon Point'

'Pigeon Point' Coyote Bush is a compact, evergreen ground cover that grows 1-2 ft. tall and 8-10 ft. wide. Its leaves are green; it has white flowers that bloom in the fall but they are not overly dramatic. It is important to plant this ground cover at least 6'-8' apart. Otherwise they will overgrow each other and begin to pile upwards. 'Pigeon Point' is tolerant of ocean spray and is deer resistant.