Grows best in sandy, coarse-grained or other fast draining soil. Prefers part shade or shade in coastal sites, and shade in inland sites. Selected for the garden.

Island alum root (Heuchera maxima) is a perennial flowering plant in the saxifrage family. In gardens it is valued as a groundcover for both its foliage and its flowers that hummingbirds love. The  rounded green leaves grow in a broad patch and remain low. In winter to spring, tiny white-pink flowers bloom in frothy clusters towards the top of tall erect stems that rise above the leaves and may reach to about 2 feet.  

This plant performs best in coastal gardens, where it can take full sun to part shade. In inland gardens, it may require full shade and additional water. It looks good in woodland gardens.  It is adaptable to different types of soil but prefers sandy/rocky soil with good drainage. 

In the wild, this plant is endemic to three of the eight Channel Islands of California, where it grows on cliffs and canyon walls. It is rare due to its limited distribution. 

Heuchera merriamii is a species of flowering plant in the saxifrage family known by the common name Merriam's alumroot. It is native to the Klamath Mountains of southern Oregon and northern California, where it grows on the rocky slopes. This is a rhizomatous perennial herb producing a patch of leaves which are rounded and have five to seven lobes along the edges. It produces an erect inflorescence up to about 23 centimeters tall with sparse clusters of pinkish, yellow, or cream flowers. The inflorescence is covered in glandular hairs. Each flower has small spoon-shaped petals and protruding stamens.

Heuchera micrantha is a species of flowering plant in the saxifrage family known by the common name crevice alumroot. It is native to western North America from British Columbia to California, where it grows on rocky slopes and cliffs. Within California it is found primarily in the central and northern Coast Ranges and Sierra foothills.This plant is quite variable in appearance. There are a number of wild and cultivated Varieties: The leaves are lobed and usually coated in glandular hairs. They are green to reddish-green or purple-green in color and may have very long, gland-dotted petioles. The plant produces an erect flower cluster up to a meter high bearing many clusters of pink, white, or greenish flowers. Each rounded flower has fleshy, hairy lobes tipped with tiny petals and protruding stamens and stigma.

Tolerates almost any soil type. Prefers part shade or shade in coastal sites, and shade in inland sites. Selected for the garden.

Heuchera parishii is a species of flowering plant in the saxifrage family known by the common names Mill Creek alumroot and Parish's alumroot. It is endemic to California, where it is found in the San Bernardino Mountains. It is also known from the mountains of northern Siskiyou County. This is a rhizomatous perennial herb producing a patch of lobed, kidney-shaped leaves up to four centimeters wide. It bears an erect flower cluster up to about 27 centimeters in height which blooms in dense clusters of salmon-pink flowers. The plant gets its common name from Mill Creek.

Tolerates almost any soil type. Prefers part shade or shade in coastal sites, and shade in inland sites. Selected for the garden.

Heuchera pilosissima is a species of flowering plant in the saxifrage family known by the common name seaside alumroot and Parish's alumroot. It is endemic to the northern two thirds of the California coastline, where it grows on coastal bluffs and in nearby forests. This is a rhizomatous perennial herb producing lobed oval-shaped leaves 4 to 9 centimeters wide, each on a long petiole. The erect flower cluster reaches over half a meter in maximum height and is covered in glandular hairs. It bears dense clusters of rounded, hairy flowers. Each flower has pink or yellowish lobes tipped with small white or pink petals. The stamens and stigma protrude from the narrow mouth of the flower.

Seaside Alumroot (Heuchera pilosissima var. hemisphaerica) is a native perennial herb that grows in southern and central California. It tends to grow at elevations from 0-1600 feet.

Heuchera rubescens is a species in the Saxifragaceae (Saxifrage) family. Its common name is Pink Alumroot. It is native to a large part of the western United States and northern Mexico. In California is is found primarily in the Sierras with scattered locations in the Klamath region and southern California. The plant grows as a low rosette of basal leaves from which the inflorescence arises, to 6 inches in height. All Heucheras have nodding bell-shaped flowers, leading to the common name Coral Bells. Aspects of the plant vary with region where it is native. There is one recognized variety, var. versicolor, a rare species that is found only in the mountains of southern California. In the garden it requires regular water and afternoon shade.

Grows best in sandy, coarse-grained or other fast draining soil. Prefers part shade or shade in coastal sites, and shade in inland sites. Selected for the garden.

Tolerates almost any soil type. Prefers sun or part shade in coastal sites, and part shade or shade in inland sites. A hybrid selected for the garden.

The Douglas Iris (Iris douglasiana) is a common and attractive wildflower of the coastal regions of Northern and Central California and Southern Oregon, with scattered locations inland. The Douglas Iris grows mainly at lower elevations, below 330 feet, though it is occasionally found at heights of up to 3,300 feet.

It is most common in grasslands near the coast; it is regarded as a noxious weed in pastures, because it forms clumps that inhibit other vegetation, and its leaves are bitter and unpalatable to cattle.

Douglas Iris prefers part or full shade and richer soils and is fast growing near the coast. If not planted next to a creek or in a naturally wet area, it likes summer water every 2 to 4 weeks. It is more drought tolerant near the coast where it benefits from cooler temperatures and fog. The flowers can be highly variable in color, and many cultivars are available.

Isolepis cernua (syn. Scirpus cernuus) is a species of flowering plant in the sedge family known by the common names low bulrush, slender club-rush, tufted clubrush, and fiberoptic grass. It is widespread, being native to many regions of the world, including parts of Australasia, Eurasia, Africa, and North and South America.

With its upright growth habit and distinctive flowering stems, Common Rush (Juncus patens) is a grass-like evergreen perennial that adds visual interest to the garden. Common Rush is native to wet, marshy areas of California. It is also found in Oregon and Washington.

The tall, wire-like stems are gray-green in color and grow in clumps that can slowly spread over time.
Common Rush has small golden flower clusters that bloom along the stems, rather than at the tips. After flowering, the plant develops bunches of spherical red fruits.

Common Rush is normally found in areas that are moist year-round, but it is a tough plant that can also grow in areas that are seasonally dry. In the garden, it can be planted near water features but it also does well in dry areas with minimal summer irrigation. Common Rush is often used in lawn replacement applications, where its tall, rigid stems complement low-growing groundcover plants.

Juniperus communis var. jackii is a native shrub that grows in northern California.

Chuparosa  (Justicia californica)  is a beautiful, multi-stemmed shrub with many red flowers. The plant is usually leafless while in bloom. Chuparosa grows fast to 6 feet high and 6 feet wide and is somewhat sprawling. This is a low bush which grows in dry, hot regions in the sand or rocky terrain of the desert floor For a short time it bears succulent green leaves that are smaller than the eventual tubular flowers.  The flowers are shades of bright to deep red, or sometimes yellow and appear in late winter into summer, making the bush a blaze of color.  

This desert plant likes full sun and well-draining, rocky, gravelly or sandy soil.  It  is drought-tolerant and can be cut back in fall to refresh its growth.

Its common names include hummingbird bush because hummingbirds love to feed upon the flower’s nectar.  Chuparosa, another of its names, is Spanish for hummingbird.

Climbing penstemon (Keckiella cordifolia), also known by its former name Penstemon cordifolius, is a vibrant flowering shrub prized for its striking blooms and rich foliage. The tubular flowers range from pale orange to deep scarlet and appear from spring through summer, creating a stunning display that attracts hummingbirds, butterflies, and other pollinators. The oval to heart-shaped dark green leaves add a lush appearance, although the foliage typically drops in summer.

This sprawling shrub can reach over 6 feet tall and spread 3 to 6 feet wide. It thrives in shady slopes in hotter inland regions, while cooler coastal areas allow it to flourish in full sun. Climbing Penstemon is drought-tolerant once established and adapts well to various soil types, making it a versatile choice for native gardens. Additionally, it serves as a host plant for several species of butterflies and moths, further enhancing its ecological value.

Tolerates almost any soil type. Prefers part shade in coastal sites, and part shade or shade in inland sites. Selected for the garden by Carol Bornstein.

Koeleria macrantha is a species in the Poaceae (Grass) family known by the common name Junegrass. It is native to much of North America, from Alaska to northern Mexico to the eastern United States. In California it is found from the coast to the mountains but is largely absent from the deserts and central valley. It occurs in a large number of habitat types, especially prairie. This is a short, tuft-forming perennial bunchgrass, reaching heights from 20 to 70 centimeters. The leaves are basal and up to about 20 centimeters long. The flower cluster is nearly cylindrical and may taper somewhat toward the tip. It holds shiny tan spikelets which are sometimes tinted with purple, each about half a centimeter long. It is a good forage for many types of grazing animals and is sometimes used in golf course rough.

California Goldfields (Lasthenia californica) is a widespread species of flowering plant in the Asteraceae (Sunflower) family, among a number of species in the genus Lasthenia, all known by the common name goldfields. This species is native to a large part of California, Oregon, and surrounding areas, where it is a very common member of the flora in a number of habitat types.

This is an annual herb is quite variable in appearance across locations and climates. The leaves are hairy, somewhat linear in shape. Individuals growing along the coast may have fleshy leaves.

Atop the hairy stems are flower clusters of flower heads with hairy phyllaries (leaf-like structures at the base of the flower). The head contains many yellow disc florets with a fringe of small ray florets. Large populations of this species bloom at one time in the spring, producing the carpets of yellow on hillsides and in meadows that give the plant its common name. In the garden, it is most often grown from seed, which germinates readily.

Common Tidy Tips (Layia platyglossa) is an annual wildflower in the Asteraceae (Sunflower) family. Like other members of this family, it has composite flower heads. Its 5 to 18 outer ray flowers are bright golden yellow with distinct, sharp-margined white tips. The inner disk flowers are numerous and yellow-orange. The entire flower head is 2 inches in diameter.

It is native to California's low-elevation dry habitats in the Coast Ranges, Central Valley, Channel Islands, and southern coastal plain where it is a member of spring wildflower displays in meadows and grasslands. It is found in many different habitats.

Its daisy-like flowers are attractive, making it a popular garden ornamental and ingredient in commercial wildflower seed mixes. It is especially attractive when massed and combined with other wildflowers. It seems to like somewhat more water than some other wildflowers but works well with many other plants.

Grows best in sandy, coarse-grained or other fast draining soil. Prefers part shade in coastal sites, and part shade in inland sites. Selected for the garden.

Grows best in sandy, coarse-grained or other fast draining soil. Prefers part shade in coastal sites, and part shade in inland sites. Selected for the garden.

Grows best in sandy, coarse-grained or other fast draining soil. Prefers part shade in coastal sites, and part shade in inland sites. Selected for the garden.

Lewisia brachycalyx is a species of flowering plant in the purslane family known by the common name shortsepal lewisia. It is native to the mountains of the southwestern United States and Baja California, where it grows in moist habitat such as meadows. It is a perennial herb growing from a short thick taproot and caudex unit. It produces a basal rosette of thick, fleshy, blunt-tipped narrow leaves up to 8 centimeters long. The flower cluster is under 4 centimeters tall, taking the form of a cluster of several flowers sitting atop the leaf rosette. Each flower has 5 to 9 shiny white or pink petals about 2 centimeters long. At the center are many stamens and stigmas clumped together.

Lewisia cantelovii is an uncommon species of flowering plant in the purslane family known by the common name Cantelow's lewisia. It is endemic to California, where it is known from the northeastern mountain ranges from the Klamath Mountains to the northern Sierra Nevada. It grows in rocky, moist mountain habitat. This is a perennial herb growing from a short, thick taproot and caudex unit. It produces a basal rosette of thick, fleshy, blunt-tipped spoon-shaped leaves with serrated edges. The flower cluster is a very slender erect stem up to 45 centimeters tall topped with a spreading panicle of flowers and hairy, toothed leafs. Each flower has 5 to 7 oval petals each one half to one centimeter long. The petals are white or very pale pink with sharp dark pink veins. At the center of the flower are five stamens tipped with dark pink anthers.

Lewisia congdonii is a rare species of flowering plant in the purslane family known by the common name Congdon's lewisia. It is endemic to the Sierra Nevada of California, where it is known from only ten occurrences in the drainage canyons of the Kings and Merced Rivers. It is a perennial herb growing from a short, thick taproot and caudex unit. It produces a basal rosette of several thick, fleshy leaves with lance-shaped blades tapering down to a long petiole. The flower cluster arises on one or more stems 20 to 60 centimeters tall, each stem bearing an array of up to 100 flowers each. Near the flowers are small, pointed leafs tipped with resin glands. The flower has 6 or 7 petals, each up to about a centimeter in length and lance-shaped with a toothed tip. The petals are pale pink with sharp dark pink veining. The throat is sometimes tinged with greenish yellow.

Cliff maids (Lewisia cotyledon) is a striking, long-lived perennial that thrives in rock gardens and alpine landscapes. A member of the purslane family, this hardy plant is native to the rugged, rocky slopes of southern Oregon and northern California, where it grows in subalpine terrain.

The plant forms a low-growing rosette of fleshy, evergreen leaves with a deep taproot that helps it anchor in rocky soils. In spring and early summer, tall stems rise above the foliage, bearing clusters of vibrant, star-shaped flowers. The blooms display a stunning variety of colors, ranging from pale pink with darker veining to creamy white with pinkish-orange stripes, and even solid shades of orange, yellow, or coral.

Cliff maids are prized not only for their ornamental beauty but also for their ecological value. The bright, showy flowers attract butterflies and other pollinators, making them a valuable addition to pollinator-friendly gardens. Their tolerance of rocky, well-draining soils makes them an excellent choice for rock gardens, dry borders, or container planting.

Grows best in sandy, coarse-grained or other fast draining soil. Prefers part shade in coastal sites, and part shade in inland sites. Klamath Ranges, High Cascade Range.

Grows best in sandy, coarse-grained or other fast draining soil. Prefers part shade in coastal sites, and shade in inland sites. Selected for the garden.

Siskiyou Lewisia (Lewisia cotyledon var. cotyledon) is a native perennial herb that grows in Northern California, primarily in the Klamath Mountain Range and High Cascade Range regions. It tends to grow in rocky and sandy slopes, at elevations from 4300-7500 feet.

Lewisia disepala is a species of flowering plant in the purslane family known by the common name Yosemite lewisia. Lewisia disepala is a petite perennial herb growing from a thick branching taproot and short caudex unit. It produces a basal rosette of many small leaves no more than 1. 5 centimeters long. The leaves are thick, fleshy, hairless, deep shiny green, and club-shaped, knobby, or finger-like, clumped tightly together. The inflorescence has a stem so short that the flowers sit directly on the basal rosette of leaves, or among them. Each flower has 5 to 8 pale to bright pink oval petals and 15 protruding stamens. Lewisia disepala is endemic to the Sierra Nevada of California, where it is known from several sites high in the mountains. It grows in rocky mountain habitat such as talus and open beds of bare gravel.

Glandular Lewisia (Lewisia glandulosa) is a native perennial herb that grows in Central California, primarily in the White and Inyo Mountains, the High Sierra Nevada and Sierra Nevada East regions. It tends to grow in granite sand and rock cracks and wet meadows, at elevations from 9800-13100 feet.

Lewisia kelloggii is a species of flowering plant in the purslane family known by the common name Kellogg's lewisia. It is endemic to the Sierra Nevada of California, where it is known from several sites high in the mountains. It grows in rocky mountain habitat in granite and slate substrates. This is a perennial herb growing from a thick, short taproot and caudex unit. It produces a basal rosette of many thick, leathery, spoon-shaped leaves up to 9 centimeters long. The inflorescence bears several flowers, each on a very short stalk. The flower has 5 to 13 shiny white or pinkish petals just over a centimeter long. Under the petals are two sepals and two similar bracts lined with spherical resin glands. A population of Lewisia plants in the Sawtooth Range in Idaho were previously included in this species. Genetic analysis has shown that it is different enough to be considered a species of its own and has been named Lewisia sacajaweana, Sacajawea's bitterroot.

Lewisia leeana (orth.var. L. leana) is a species of flowering plant in the purslane family known by the common name quill-leaf lewisia. It is native to California and Oregon, where it grows in the mountains of the Sierra Nevada and Klamath Ranges. This is a perennial herb growing from narrow, woody taproot connected to one or more caudices. It produces a basal rosette of many fleshy flat to cylindrical blunt-tipped leaves up to 4 centimeters long. The flower cluster bears many flowers on erect, branching stems up to about 24 centimeters tall. Each flower has 5 to 8 white, pink, or purplish petals each about half a centimeter long. This plant is named for Lambert Wilmer Lee, who collected it in the Siskiyou Mountains just south of the Oregon border in 1876. It commonly hybridizes with Lewisia cotyledon in the wild, producing Lewisia x whiteae.

Lewisia longipetala is a rare species of flowering plant in the purslane family known by the common names long-petalled lewisia and Truckee lewisia. It is endemic to the Sierra Nevada of California, where it is known from less than 20 locations in areas not far from Lake Tahoe. It grows in subalpine and alpine climates in moist areas in rocky habitat, such as talus that retains patches of snow year-round. Most specimens grow on north-facing slopes with little surrounding vegetation. The plant thrives in the snow, growing largest and most densely in areas of high snowpack and becoming easily water-stressed when far away from areas with snow. This is a perennial herb growing from a slender taproot and caudex unit. It produces a basal rosette of many thin but fleshy leaves 3 to 6 centimeters long. The flower cluster is made up of several flowers on short stalks. Each flower has around 8 petals each between 1 and 2 centimeters long, pinkish in color, and tipped with a resin gland similar to those on the edges of the leafs and two small sepals.

Lewisia nevadensis is a species of flowering plant in the purslane family known by the common name Nevada lewisia. It is native to much of the western United States, where it grows in moist mountain habitat, such as meadows. This is a small perennial herb growing from a taproot and caudex unit. It produces a basal rosette of several narrow, fingerlike to threadlike fleshy leaves up to 13 centimeters long. The flower cluster is a bundle of short stems a few centimeters tall each bearing a flower. The flower has 5 to 10 shiny white to pale pink petals each 1 to 2 centimeters long, pointed or with blunt tips. At the center are many stamens. This is sometimes grown as an ornamental plant suitable for alpine and rock gardens.

Lewisia oppositifolia is a rare species of flowering plant in the purslane family known by the common name opposite-leaf lewisia. It is native to the Klamath Mountains of Josephine County, Oregon, and Del Norte County, California, where it is a local serpentine endemic generally found in moist areas. This is a perennial herb growing from a small taproot and caudex unit. It produces a basal rosette of several lance-shaped, blunt-tipped fleshy leaves up to 11 centimeters long. There are sometimes smaller leaves located on the lower stem. The flower cluster is made up of one or more erect stems up to about 20 centimeters long, each bearing 1 to 6 flowers. The flower has 8 to 11 white to pale pink petals with blunt or jagged tips, each between 1 and 2 centimeters long. At the center are several stamens with pale anthers. This plant has a limited distribution and it is threatened by human activity in the area, such as logging.

Lewisia pygmaea is a species of flowering plant in the purslane family known by the common name alpine lewisia and pygmy bitterroot. It is native to western North America from Alaska and Alberta to California and New Mexico, where it grows in many types of moist, rocky mountain habitat, such as gravel beds and sandy meadows. This is a highly variable species with a wide distribution, and it often hybridizes with other Lewisia species, making identification difficult. In general, this is a petite perennial herb growing from a taproot and caudex unit, and producing a basal rosette of several leaves 2 to 8 centimeters long. The leaves are narrow but thick and fleshy, blunt-tipped, and linear to lance-shaped. The flower cluster is usually made up of a few very short stems each bearing one or more flowers which appear to be sitting on or within the basal leaf rosette. Each flower has 5 to 9 white, pink or red petals which may or may not have dark veining or striping. The petals are 4 millimeters to one centimeter long.

Bitterroot (Lewisia rediviva Pursh) is a small, low plant in the Montiaceae (Purslane) family that is found in scattered locations in mountain areas of California up to 9,700 ft. It has a showy pink to white flower and is the state flower of Montana. The Lewisia genus is named after Meriwether Lewis. It is a low-growing perennial plant with a fleshy taproot and a simple or branched base. The The plant goes dormant in summer but will emerge from the taproot with winter rain. flower stems are leafless, 1-3 centimeter tall, bearing at the tip a whorl of 5-6 linear leafs which are 5-10 millimeter long. A single, relatively large flower appears on each stem with 6-9 oval shaped sepals. They range in color from whitish to deep pink or rose during May and June. The petals (usually about 15) are oblong in shape and are 18-35 millimeter long in length. Also see Lewisia cotyledon, a closely related species.

Bitter Root (Lewisia rediviva var. minor) is a native perennial herb that grows in southern and central California.

Bitter Root (Lewisia rediviva var. rediviva) is a native perennial herb that grows in northern, southern and central California. It tends to grow at elevations from 2500-6000 feet.

Saw Toothed Lewisia (Lewisia serrata) is a rare native perennial herb that grows in central and northern California.

Lewisia stebbinsii is a rare species of flowering plant in the purslane family known by the common name Stebbins' lewisia. It is endemic to California, where it is known from less than fifteen sites in the Inner North Coast Ranges of Mendocino and Trinity Counties, mainly in Mendocino National Forest. This is a perennial herb growing from a slender taproot and caudex unit. It produces a basal rosette of several fleshy, narrow leaves up to about 9 centimeters long. The flower cluster is made up of several prostrate stems extending from the rosette, each bearing 3 or more flowers. The flower has 7 to 10 pink to red petals with blunt or jagged tips 1 to 1.5 centimeters long.

Lewisia triphylla is a species of flowering plant in the purslane family known by the common name threeleaf lewisia. It is native to western North America from British Columbia to California to Colorado, where it grows in mountain and forest habitat, often in wet, rocky alpine areas where it may bloom through the snowmelt. This is a perennial herb growing from a fibrous taproot and corm unit. Instead of a basal rosette like many other Lewisia species it produces 2 to 5 short, slender, fleshy leaves from the lower part of the stem, which may be at or under the soil surface. The small stem bears an flower cluster of 1 to 25 flowers. The flower has 5 to 9 small white or pinkish petals often marked with darker veining or stripes.

Limonium californicum is a species of sea lavender known by the common names western marsh rosemary and California sea lavender. It is native to western North America from Oregon to Baja California, with occasional sightings in Nevada and Arizona. It is a plant of coastal habitat such as beaches, salt marshes, and coastal prairie, and other sandy saline and alkaline habitat such as playas. This is a tough perennial herb growing from a woody rhizome. The thick, leathery leaves are oval in shape and up to about 30 centimeters long including the petioles, located in a basal rosette about the stem. The flower cluster is a stiff, branching panicle no more than about 35 centimeters tall bearing large clusters of flowers. The flowers have brownish white ribbed sepals and lavender to nearly white petals.

Linanthus californicus (Prickly Phlox) is a native sub-shrub in the Polemoniaceae (Phlox) family that grows along the coast and in the Coast Ranges, Transverse Range and Peninsular Range from San Luis Obispo County to Orange and Riverside Counties. It tends to grow at elevations from sea level to 6,500 feet. The leaves are palmate and sufficiently prickly to be painful. The pink or lavender flowers are small but showy and can appear 6 months of the year.

Pink honeysuckle,  (Lonicera hispidula) also known as California honeysuckle, is a native vine or shrub in the Caprifoliaceae family. It grows along the coast from San Luis Obispo County northward, as well as in the Sierra foothills and parts of southern California. Typically found on slopes and streambanks at elevations up to 2,500 feet, this adaptable plant thrives in both moist year-round soils and drier summer conditions with minimal irrigation.

With its vibrant tubular pink flowers, pink honeysuckle is a magnet for hummingbirds. It can climb larger shrubs or trellises when available, or it will sprawl along the ground as a trailing shrub. In late summer, it produces clusters of striking red berries that attract birds, though they may be mildly toxic to humans.

Gardeners should be aware that pink honeysuckle can act as a foliar host for the pathogen Phytophthora ramorum, which causes sudden oak death. While it remains a beautiful and easy-to-grow choice for coastal and northern California gardens, care should be taken when planting near susceptible oak species.

Miniature Lupine (Lupinus bicolor) is a petite annual wildflower, just 3 inches tall, showcasing clusters of blue and white spring blooms that may vary geographically to magenta or purple.

This adaptable lupine thrives in full sun along the coast and part sun inland, preferring well-drained soil but tolerating various types. Often paired with California poppies, it is typically grown from seed, planted ¼ inch deep in the fall.

Miniature lupine attracts numerous insects and serves as a host plant for the Arrowhead Blue butterfly, making it a charming and ecologically valuable addition to native gardens.

Lupinus microcarpus (Wide-bannered lupine or Chick lupine), is a species of lupine native to western North America from southwestern British Columbia south to the Mojave Desert in California and Baja California, and also a disjunct population in South America in central Chile and western Argentina. It is very widespread in California, from sea level in the north of the range, up to 1600 meter in the southern part of the state. It is an annual plant growing to 80 centimeter tall. The leaves are palmately compound with 5-11 leaflets 1-5 centimeter long and up to 1 centimeter broad. The flowers are generally pink to purple in color, but can also be between white and yellow; they are produced in open whorls on an erect spike. There are three recognized varieties with overlapping ranges. It is found in many different habitats.

Lupinus nanus ("Sky Lupine", "Field Lupine", "Dwarf Lupin" or "Douglas' Annual Lupine"), is a species in the Fabaceae (Legume) family native to the western United States. It grows abundantly in chaparral clearings and along slopes in California, Nevada, and eastern Oregon. In California it is most common in the Coast Ranges and Sierra foothills. As an annual, it is best grown from seed (see instructions below) and will self-sow. 

Lupinus polyphyllus is a species in the Fabaceae (Legume) family that is native to a large part of western North America. In California it is found primarily in the Sierras and other northern mountains. It commonly grows along streams and creeks, preferring moist habitats. It is a perennial herbaceous plant with stout stems growing to 1.5 meter tall. The leaves are palmately compound with (5-) 9-17 leaflets 3-15 centimeter long. The flowers are produced on a tall spike, each flower 1-1.5 centimeter long, most commonly blue to purple in wild plants. It is almost always grown from seed.

Mammillaria dioica, also called Strawberry Cactus, California Fishhook cactus, Strawberry Pincusion or Fishhook Cactus, is a species of the genus Mammillaria found in California and northwestern Mexico, including Baja California and the state of Sonora. It is one of the smallest cacti in California and may appear as a single stem or as a clump of numerous stems. Very large specimens can be up to 6" high but usually less. In desert areas it is most often found growing in very rocky areas, sometimes growing out of crevices in granite boulders in the desert-edge canyons. In San Diego County it is also found on the immediate coast growing on sandstone bluffs as part of Maritime Succulent Scrub. The plant possesses short, firm tubercles ending in the spines. Most of these spines are whitish and straight, but each tubercle has a longer central spine which is slightly curved and dark, leading to the Fishhook name. The flowers are small but showy. A closely related species is Mammillaria tetrancistra which is very similar in general appearance but has pink flowers.