Up to 12" tall

Wooly yarrow

Achillea tomentosa var. Moonshine; perennial groundcover

Height 6 to 10 inches. Flat, spreading mat of fern-like hairy leaves. Flowers in summer. Shear off dead flowers. Good in sunny spot or partly shaded small areas. Little water once established. Drought tolerant. Useful for erosion control.

Carpet bugle

Ajuga reptans; perennial groundcover

Height to 6 inches. Spreads quickly to form a thick carpet of lustrous 2-3 inch wide leaves. Bears flowers from spring to early summer. Full sun or partial shade. Regular water needed.

Thrift, Common thrift

Armeria maritima; evergreen groundcover

Height 6-10 inches. Flower stalks with tufted mounds of 6 inch long leaves spreading to 1 foot across. Blooms almost all year. Full sun, little to moderate water. Drought tolerant.

Silver spreader

Artemisia caucasica; evergreen shrub

Height 3-6 inches, spreading to 2 feet wide. Silky foliage, small flowers. Needs good drainage. Takes extreme heat and cold well. Full sun, best with a little water. Drought tolerant.

Snow in summer

Cerastium tomentosum; evergreen groundcover

Height 6 to 8 inches, spreads 2 to 3 feet in one year. Low growing, spreading, dense, tufty mats of 3/4 inch leaves. Masses of flowers in early spring. Shear off faded flower clusters. May look shabby in cold winter, but revives rapidly in spring. Divide in fall or early spring. Full sun or part shade. Water often for fast growth. Suitable for erosion control.

Bearberry cotoneaster

Cotoneaster dammerii; evergreen groundcover

Height to 6 inches. Fast prostrate growth to 10 feet wide. Branches root along the ground. Leaves are glossy. Produces small fruit. Full sun, little or no water once established. Suitable for erosion control.

Mock strawberry

Duchesnea indica; perennial groundcover

Low to ground, with trailing stems that root firmly along the ground. Long stalked leaves. Flowers are followed by fruit that stands above foliage rather than under leaves (as in a true strawberry). Grows readily without much care. Can become rampant invader. Any exposure, little water required. Drought tolerant. Suitable for erosion control plantings.

Creeping red fescue

Festuca rubra; perennial groundcover

Lawn grass usually mowed to 2 inches tall. Fine blades, narrow and tends to grow clumpy. Unmowed, can make an attractive meadow. Full sun or partial shade, not much water compared to other grasses. Drought tolerant.

Evergreen candytuft.Edging candytuft

Iberis sempervirens; evergreen groundcover

Height 8 to 10 inches or higher, spreading about as wide. Leaves narrow and shiny. Flower cluster on long stems early spring to June. Full sun, regular water.

Hall's honeysuckle

Lonicera japonica 'Halliana'; evergreen groundcover

Groundcover and sometimes vine that runs rampant if given the chance. Blooms show in late spring, summer. Can smother less vigorous plants if not kept in check. Partial or wholly deciduous in coldest regions. Sun or light shade. Best with moderate summer water. Drought tolerant.

Mexican evening primrose

Oenothera berlandieri; perennial groundcover

Height 10 to 12 inches. 1.5 inch blooms at stem tips. Profuse blooms during summer. Thrives with little or no care once established. Invasive if not controlled. Stems die back after bloom, so care is needed to trim dead matter. Full sun. Little water. Drought tolerant.

Spring cinquefoil

Potentilla tabernaemontanii; evergreen groundcover

Height 2 to 6 inches. Dainty, tufted creeper. Small flowers in clusters, spring and summer. May turn brown in cold winters. Fast growing as groundcover and makes a good lawn substitute. Smothers weeds effectively when well established. Tough and persistent. Sun or partial shade. Little to moderate water. Drought tolerant. Suitable for erosion control.

Green stonecrop

Sedum album; succulent creeper

Height 2 to 6 inches. Creeping evergreen with fleshy leaves 0.25 to 0.5 inches long. Roots from smallest fragment, beware of placing near delicate plants. Drought tolerant.

Stonecrop

Sedum spathulifolium; succulent groundcover

Blue green leaves are spoon shaped, fleshy and tightly packed into rosettes on short, trailing stems. Flowers spring and summer. Good in sunny or partially shaded areas. After it has rooted, it needs little water. Drought tolerant.

Mother of thyme,Creeping thyme

Thymus praecox articus; perennial shrub

Height 2 to 6 inches. Forms a flat mat with upright branches. Roundish, 0.25 inch long leaves. Small clusters of small flowers in June through September. Soft underfoot. Full sun to light shade. Some summer water required for best appearance. Drought tolerant.

Wooly thyme,Thyme

Thymus pseudolanuginosus; perennial groundcover

Height 2 to 3 inches. Forms a flat to undulating mat groundcover. Stems densely clothed with small wooly leaves. Plants become a little unsightly in winter. Full sun to light shade. Some summer water necessary for best appearance. Drought tolerant.

Dwarf periwinkle myrtle,Dwarf running myrtle

Vinca minor; perennial groundcover

Height less than 12 inches. Short stems and flowering branches. Best with 2 to 3 good soaking per month. Lavender blue flowers 1 inch in diameter throughout spring. Closely packed. Shade loving. Drought tolerant. Suitable for erosion control.

1-6 ft tall

White yarrow

Achillea millefolium white; perennial shrub

Height 2 feet, spreading to about 9 inches in width. Upright and spreading in habit. Fern-like leaves. Blooms throughout autumn. Prefers a sunny spot with well drained soil and will tolerate a wide range of soil types. Full sun, no water. Drought tolerant

Sandhill sage

Artemisia pycnocephala; evergreen shrub

Height 1-2 feet. Erect, rounded and somewhat spreading. Soft, crowded, divided leaves and very small flowers. Remove flower spikes as they open to keep plants compact. Becomes unkempt with age, replace every 2 years. Full sun, best with a little water. Drought tolerant.

Likiano

Cotoneaster congestus; evergreen shrub

Height to 3 feet. Slow growing. Dense, downward curving branches with tiny leaves and small fruit. Full sun, little or no water once established. Suitable for erosion control.

Golden yarrow

Eriophyllum confertiflorum; perennial shrub

Somewhat woody perennial, grows to 2 feet high. Leaves are 1.5 inches. Native to California. Drought tolerant. Suitable for erosion control.

California poppy

Eschscholzia californica; perennial groundcover

Height 8 to 24 inches. Single flowers 2 inches wide on stem tips. Blooms close at night and on gray days. Unless dead flowers are trimmed off regularly, plants go to seed and all part turn straw color. Full sun, summer water extend blooms. Drought tolerant.

Trailing gazania

Gazania ringens; perennial groundcover

Stems to about 16 inches long, glabrous or hairy. Leaves to 3.25 inches long. Showy flowers, spring through summer, close at night and during overcast days. Full sun, occasional dry season watering. Suitable for erosion control.

Daylily

Hemerocallis spp.; deciduous or evergreen shrub

Height 1 to 6 feet. Large clumps of arching, sword shaped leaves. Lily-like flowers stand well above the foliage. Snap off faded flowers daily. Very tough, persistent and pest free. Adapts to almost any kind of soil. Divide crowded plants in early spring or late fall. Full sun or partial shade in hottest areas. Water throughly during bloom. Drought tolerant. Suitable for erosion control.

Red hot poker

Kniphofia uvaria; perennial shrub

Height 3 to 6 feet. Coarse with large, rather dense clumps of long, grasslike leaves. Flower stalks topped with many drooping tubular flowers. Blooms spring through summer. Cut out flower spikes after bloom. Cut old leaves at base in fall, new leaves will replace them by spring. Increase by root divisions. Full sun or little shade. No dry season water. Drought tolerant.

Creeping mahonia

Mahonia repens; evergreen shrub

Height to 3 feet with spreading habit. Dull leaves have 3 to 7 spine toothed leaflets. Flowers April through June, followed by blue berries in short clusters. Good groundcover in sun or partial shade. Needs little water. Drought tolerant.

California fuschia,Hummingbird flower

Zauschneria californica; perennial shrub

Height 1 to 2 feet. Stems upright or somewhat arching. Plants sometimes shrubby at base. Evergreen in mild climate, otherwise becomes twiggy and ungroomed through winter. Little or no water once established. Invasive roots. Will go to seed and reseed itself. Drought tolerant.

6ft+ tall

White alder

Alnus rhombifolia; deciduous tree

Height 50-90 feet, spreading to 40 feet wide. Very fast growing. Clusters of flower catkins appear before leaves in spring. Flowers develop into small, woody cones in winter. Will tolerated any exposure, but requires regular watering. Very tolerant of heat and wind.

Madrone

Arbutus menziesii; evergreen tree

Height 20-100 feet. Forms a broad, round head almost as wide as tall. Smooth, reddish brown bark peels in thin flakes. Leathery, 3-6 inch leaves. Flowers in spring, followed by clusters of berries in early fall. It must have fast drainage and non-alkaline water. Water just enough to keep plants going until they are established, then only infrequent deep waterings. Full sun. Drought tolerant. Useful for erosion control.

Trumpet vine,Trumpet creeper

Campsis radicans; deciduous vine

Height to 40 feet, fast growing. Flowers in clusters, Aug - Sept. Vigorous climber that clings to wood, brick and stucco with aerial rootlets. Unless thinned, old plants become top heavy and pull away from supporting surface. Spreads easily by suckering roots. Full sun or partial shade. Low water requirement. Drought tolerant.

Blueblossom

Ceanothus thyrsiflorus; evergreen shrub

Height 6-20 feet, spreading 8-30 feet wide. As a small tree it is upright and branching. Glossy, hardy foliage and long leaves (to 2 inches)., Flowers in spike-like clusters in mid- to late-spring. Dead matter must be removed from garden. Full sun to partial shade. Drought tolerant

Western redbud

Cercis occidentalis; evergreen tree

Height 10 to 18 feet with equal spread. Usually grows several trunks from base. Blooms for 3 weeks in the spring, produces seed pods in summer and holds them until winter. Full sun, excellent in dry banks. Water regularly the first year or two. Drought tolerant. Suitable for erosion control.

Quaking aspen

Populus tremuloides; deciduous tree

Height 20 to 60 feet. Fast growing. Trunk and limbs smooth, almost whitish. Dainty foliage. Brilliant color in fall, leaves need to be raked. Full sun. Best with regular deep watering.

Santolina, Lavender,Grey lavender

Santolina chamaecyparissus; evergreen shrub

Height to 2 feet, but best clipped to 1 foot. Brittle, woody stems densely clothed with rough, finely divided leaves. Flower heads in summer on unclipped plants. Replace plant if woodiness takes over. Full sun. Little to no water. Drought tolerant. Suitable for erosion control.

Prepared by: Bill Frost, Area Natural Resource Advisor University of California Cooperative Extension May, 2005

References