Tolerates almost any soil type. Prefers part shade or shade in coastal sites, and shade in inland sites. Selected for the garden. Grows well in dry, dappled shade under oak trees. Berries are non-toxic to dogs and cats.

Berberis nervosa commonly known as dwarf Oregon-grape, Cascade Oregon-grape, or dull Oregon-grape, is a flowering plant native to the northwest coast of North America from southern British Columbia south to central California, with an isolated population inland in northern Idaho. It is especially common in second growth, Douglas-fir or Western Redcedar forests, making use of those pools of sunlight that intermittently reach the ground.The plant was collected by Lewis and Clark during their famous expedition to the West before being described for science in 1813.

It is an evergreen shrub with short vertical stems, mostly under 30 cm (12 in), while the leaves reach higher, rarely up to 2 m (6 ft 7 in) tall. The leaves are compound, with 9-19 leaflets; each leaflet is strongly toothed, reminiscent of holly, and somewhat shiny, but less so than tall Oregon-grape. The leaflets do not have a single central vein as in that species, but several veins arranged fan-like, branched from the leaflet base, hence the epithet nervosa. The flowers and fruit are like those of other Oregon-grapes, and are equally bitter-tasting. Some Plateau Indian tribes drank an infusion of the root to treat rheumatism.

Nevin’s barberry (Berberis nevinii) is a striking evergreen flowering shrub. Nevin’s barberry  with bright yellow flowers that is absolutely striking in full bloom in spring and also has attractive leaves and berries. The flowers are cup-shaped and appear in clusters against the dense, dark green to bluish-green leaves. The red to dark blue berries hang in bunches. 

This is an erect shrub growing in full sun and soil that is well-drained. It is slow growing, usually to 5 feet tall and sometimes 13 feet.  It is very cold hardy, heat tolerant, and can handle regular summer water. Because the leaves are quite spiny, it is best planted away from walkways and can serve as a barrier hedge.

It is deer-resistant and attracts birds and butterflies. Western Bluebirds are especially fond of the berries.  It is a federally and state listed endangered species that is widely cultivated in gardens and parks.

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

The golden cereus (Bergerocactus emoryi) is a species of cactus. It is the sole member of the genus Bergerocactus, named after Alwin Berger. The plant is also known as golden spine cereus or snake cactus, though this latter name also applies for Echinocereus pensilis. This cactus is frail, appear in clusters, has up to 20 ribs and ramifications. It is rarely higher than 1 meter, and diameter is usually less than 5 centimeter. Flowers are yellow and appear near the plant's tip, reaching 2 centimeter in length and diameter. They are tunnel-shaped.

Bloomeria crocea, also known as Goldenstar, is a geophyte of the Themidaceae from California and northern Baja California. It is found along hillsides, in grassland and chaparral edges, and in dry flats. Growing in full sun, itt prefers porous soil and semi-dry conditions. Its distribution ranges along the south coast from Santa Barbara County and western Kern County down to Baja California. It is also found on the California Channel Islands. The corm has a fibrous exterior and usually produces only one leaf. Plants produce six-petaled golden flowers that are clustered in a loose umbel. When the three-lobed stigma is fertilized, Bloomeria produces capsules that contain small black seeds. The seeds then require three to four years to become a mature plant.

Two varieties are currently recognised:
B. crocea var. aurea
B. crocea var. montana

California Elegant Rock Cress (Arabis sparsiflora var. californica) is a native perennial herb that grows in Southern and Central California, primarily in the South Coast, the Transverse Range and Peninsular Range regions. It tends to grow in rocky canyons and gravelly washes, at elevations from 0-5200 feet.

Bothriochloa barbinodis is a species of grass known by the common name cane bluestem. It is native to the Americas, including most of South and Central America, Mexico, and the southernmost continental United States from California to Florida. It is known elsewhere as an introduced species and sometimes a weed, such as in Hawaii. This is a perennial grass growing in upright clumps 60 to 120 centimeters tall. The straw-colored stems have nodes at intervals which are fringed with fluffy hairs. The leaves are 20 to 30 centimeters long and blue-green when new, drying to a reddish yellow. The flower cluster is a feathery array of spikelet units. Each unit is composed of one hairy, tan, fertile spikelet with a twisted awn up to 3.5 centimeters long twinned with a stalked, sterile spikelet which is much smaller and lacks an awn. The long-haired spikelets are wind-dispersed. In its native range, this grass is useful as a forage for grazing animals and a groundcover for revegetating cleared land. It is very drought resistant. It is considered an indicator of rangeland damage, as it is often one of the first native species to be eliminated when an area is overgrazed. It is grown as an ornamental plant for its showy flower clusters.

Bouteloua curtipendula, commonly known as sideoats grama, is a perennial, short prairie grass that is native throughout the temperate and tropical Western Hemisphere, from Canada south to Argentina. Bouteloua curtipendula foliage is blue-green in color and the flowers are purple. The small, oat-like seeds develop on the side of the stalk.

Blue Grama (Bouteloua gracilis) is a widespread, long-lived, warm-season, perennial grass native to North America. It is most commonly found from Alberta east to Manitoba and south across the Rocky Mountains, Great Plains, and Midwest states to Mexico. In California, it is found primarily in arid mountains of San Bernardino County.

Blue Grama accounts for most of the net primary productivity in the shortgrass prairie of the central and southern Great Plains. Blue Grama grows on a wide array of topographic positions, and in a range of well-drained soil types, from fine- to coarse-textured.

Roots generally extend 1 to 1.5 feet from the edge of the plant, and 3 to 6 feet deep. Maximum rooting depth is approximately 6.5 feet. In recent years, Blue Grama has become a popular garden accent grass, due to its green to greyish color and interesting seed heads, which resemble small pennants. 'Blond Ambition" is a popular cultivar.

A species of flowering plant in the Asteraceae (Sunflower) family known by the common name California Brickellbush. It is native to western North America from Baja California to Idaho to Oklahoma. It is a common plant in many habitat types, especially in dry areas, somewhat more common in the southern coastal part of the state. One of the best smelling California native plants. Although not particularly beautiful, it has an amazing fragrance that comes out in the summer months when it is in bloom, and the fragrance can carry a considerable distance. This is a thickly branching shrub growing one half to two meters in height. The fuzzy, hairy leaves are roughly triangular in shape with toothed to serrated edges. The leaves are 1 to 6 centimeters long. Although it is in the Sunflower family, the inconspicuous flowers look nothing like sunflower, being very small and rayless. The flower clusters at the end of stem branches contain many small leaves and bunches of narrow, cylindrical flower heads. Each head is about 13 millimeters long and wrapped in flat, wide, purplish green overlapping phyllaries. At the tip of the head are a number of long white to pink disc florets. The fruit is a hairy cylindrical achene 3 millimeters long with a pappus of bristles. In the garden it is best used in a location where its fragrance can be appreciated but its lack of showiness will not detract (see companion plants below).

Brodiaea appendiculata (appendage brodiaea) is an uncommon species of plant in the genus Brodiaea. It is endemic to California, where it grows in the mountain foothills in the north part of the state.

Brodiaea californica or by its common name California brodiaea is a species of plant in the genus Brodiaea that is native to California and Oregon.

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

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

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

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

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

Brodiaea minor is a species of flowering plant in the cluster-lily genus known by the common names dwarf brodiaea and vernalpool brodiaea. It is endemic to central California, where it grows in the grassland habitat of the Central Valley and adjacent Sierra Nevada foothills. It is a small perennial producing an erect flower cluster up to 10 centimeters tall which bears light purple flowers on short pedicels. Each flower is urn-shaped with narrow, spreading petals 1 to 2 centimeters long. In the center of the flower are three fertile stamens and three prominent, protruding sterile stamens known as staminodes.

Elephant tree is a drought-adapted species in the Torchwood family, native to desert regions of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. In the U.S., it is found in Southern California and Arizona, while in Mexico it grows in Baja California, Baja California Sur, Sonora, Sinaloa, and Zacatecas. The Anza-Borrego Desert in San Diego County marks the northern limit of its range in California. It is the only member of its family native to the U.S., though related species are more common in Mexico.

Although typically a small tree, the elephant tree can grow as a sprawling, shrub-like plant in harsher conditions, often reaching just three feet in height. It has light gray to white bark that peels off in thin, papery layers. Younger branches may appear reddish. The trunk is noticeably swollen, an adaptation that allows the tree to store water for long periods of drought. The leaves are small and light-colored, and the tree readily sheds them in response to dry conditions to conserve moisture.

Elephant tree produces rounded yellow buds that open into small, star-shaped flowers in white or cream hues. Its fruit is a yellow stone containing a single seed, which is dispersed by wildlife. The tree is well adapted to survive in extreme desert environments, thriving in rocky soils and withstanding prolonged dry spells.

The Cahuilla People of Southern California value the Elephant Tree for its red sap, which they used as a general remedy for various ailments. Its unique appearance, ecological role in desert habitats, and cultural significance make it an important plant in the arid landscapes it inhabits.

Grows best in sandy, coarse-grained or other fast draining soil. Prefers sun or part shade in coastal sites, and part shade in inland sites. Selected for use in the garden. Introduced by Roger Raiche of the UC Botanic Garden.

Redmaids  (Calandrinia menziesii) is a charming, low-growing annual herb that typically reaches about 1 foot in height. Its lance-shaped, slightly succulent leaves are complemented by vibrant, deep pink to red flowers that bring striking color to the landscape.

This hardy and adaptable plant thrives in various habitats and climates, often volunteering in natural areas as a minor weed. It’s well-suited to sunny locations with minimal water needs, making it an excellent choice for water-wise gardens and wildflower meadows.

Redmaids is an easy-to-grow, resilient addition to native gardens, adding seasonal interest and a pop of bright color to arid and low-maintenance landscapes.

Fairy duster (Calliandra eriophylla) is a low, spreading shrub with dense clusters of pink  flowers, which appear between late winter and late spring. It looks like a pink mist when in full bloom. Seed pods follow. This plant makes a good accent in drought-tolerant plantings. It grows 1 to3 feet tall and 3 feet wide with a slow to moderate growth rate.

Although it is a desert plant, its water requirements are higher than most. It is typically found where there is some subsurface water year-round. This species should not be confused with Baja Fairy Duster (Calliandra californica), a Baja endemic with deep red flowers, which is more commonly available in the horticultural trade.

Fairy duster likes good drainage and full sun. It will prefer afternoon shade in hotter inland areas. It will keep its leaves and look better in summer with occasional deep watering, about 3 times per month. However it does not need summer water once established.  It prefers sandy or decomposed granite soil.

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

Calochortus coeruleus, often misspelled as Calochortus caeruleus, is a bulbous plant of the lily family. It is known by the common name beavertail grass or blue star tulip. The plant is endemic to California. It is found only in the North California Coast Ranges, Southern Cascade Range, and Northern Sierra Nevada. Calochortus coeruleus is a distinctive plant bearing flowers with light blue spade-shaped petals covered in brushlike hairs. Taxonomy. The botanical name Calochortus caeruleus is not accepted, being an orthographic variant (misspelling) of Calochortus coeruleus. Watson in coining the name in 1875 spelled it "caeruleus" but he also cited Kellogg's 1863 name Cyclobothra coerulea as basionym.

Calochortus leichtlinii is a species of flowering plant in the lily family known by the common names Leichtlin's mariposa, smokey mariposa, and mariposa lily. The plant is native to the Sierra Nevada and Modoc Plateau of California and adjacent parts of the Great Basin in southeastern Oregon and western Nevada. It grows in coniferous forest and chaparral habitats, including the lowest grassy hills-such as along the Sierra Nevada boundary with the Central Valley and agriculture. Calochortus leichtlinii is a perennial herb producing an erect, unbranching stem up to 60 centimeters tall. The basal leaf is 10 to 15 centimeters long and withers by flowering. The inflorescence is a loose cluster of 1 to 5 erect, bell-shaped flowers. Each flower has three petals 1 to 4 centimeters long which are white, pinkish, or dull blue in color and spotted with yellow and dark red or black and hairy at the bases. These color patterns vary widely among different regional and local populations. The fruit is a narrow capsule up to 6 centimeters long.

Calochortus luteus, or Yellow mariposa lily is a species of the Liliaceae endemic to California. This species is found on coastal prairie, grasslands and some open forest floors primarily in the central Coast Ranges and Sierra foothills. Like other Mariposa Lilies it grows from a bulb, with most of its growth occurring in winter, followed by spring flowering and summer dormancy. It requires good drainage and must be kept mostly dry in summer. The leaves arising directly from the bulbare strap-like and long. The flower is 3-5 centimeter across and primarily bright yellow, with sparse hair inside and often red-brown streaks or blotches. It is reported to be one of the easiest Mariposa Lilies to grow in the garden.

Calochortus simulans is a species of flowering plant in the lily family known by the common name San Luis Obispo mariposa lily, not to be confused with the San Luis mariposa lily C. obispoensis. It is native to San Luis Obispo County, California, and its range extends south into Santa Barbara County. It is a perennial herb producing a branching stem up to 60 centimeters tall. The basal leaf is 10 to 20 centimeters long and withers by flowering. The flower cluster is a loose cluster of 1 to 3 erect, bell-shaped flowers. Each flower has three curving sepals and three longer petals, each up to 5 centimeters long. The petals are white to yellow with a deep red spot at the base. The fruit is an angled capsule 5 or 6 centimeters in length.

Calochortus splendens is a species Liliaceae (Lily) family known by the common name Splendid Mariposa Lily. It is native to California and Baja California where it is found primarily near the coast, in foothills and valleys and on the west slope of the mountains. Growing from a bulb, it is usually found coming up among dense, low shrubs, herbs or grasses. It is a thin-stemmed lily with few leaves and bearing flowers singly or in flower clusters of up to four. Each flower is ringed with smaller, ribbonlike, curling leaves. The bowl-shaped flowers are of varying shades of blue, pink, purple, or lavender, with a spot of darker purple at the base of each petal. The flower may have numerous white hairs in the center and bright purple pollen. In the wild it blooms profusely following fire and then may not bloom again for years. In the garden do not expect it to bloom every year as flowering requires considerable expenditure of stored energy from the bulb.

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

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

Calochortus venustus is a species of flowering plant in the lily family known by the common name butterfly mariposa lily. It is endemic to California, where it can be found in the sandy soils of a number of habitats in the mountains and foothills in the central part of the state. It is a perennial herb producing a branching stem 10 to 60 centimeters tall. There is a basal leaf up to 20 centimeters long which withers by the time the plant blooms. The flower cluster is a loose cluster of 1 to 6 erect, bell-shaped flowers. The flowers are variable in size and color pattern, though white is the most common color. They are often showy and intricately patterned. They generally have three curving sepals 2 or 3 centimeters long and three oval-shaped, clawed petals up to 5 centimeters long. The petals may be a variety of colors from white to pale pink or purple to bright red or orange, and sport a large dark central blotch and a smaller, paler blotch above. The fruit is an angled capsule 5 or 6 centimeters long. Although they tend to grow singly in the wild, they have more visual impact when massed in the garden. This plant needs summer dormancy, so withhold water after it has finished blooming.

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

Calochortus weedii is a species of flowering plant in the lily family known by the common name Weed's mariposa lily. It is native to the coast, foothills and mountains of southern California and Baja California, where it is a member of the chaparral flora. It is a perennial herb growing from a bulb, producing a slender, branching stem 30 to 90 centimeters tall. There is a basal leaf up to 40 centimeters long which withers by the time the plant blooms. The flower cluster bears 2 to 6 erect, widely bell-shaped to spreading flowers. Each flower has three narrow sepals and three wider and sometimes shorter petals, each segment up to 3 centimeters long. The petals are oval or wedge-shaped and may be any of a variety of colors, from cream to deep yellow to reddish purple. The petals often have reddish brown borders and flecks, and a coating of hairs on the inner surface. Don't expect it to flower every year. The bulb needs a few years to recover after flowering. The fruit is an angled capsule 4 to 5 centimeters long. There are two recognized varieties; var. intermedius is a rare plant with a more restricted range.

Cistanthe monandra (formerly Calyptridium monandrum) is a species of flowering plant in the purslane family known by the common name Common Pussypaws. It is native to the southwestern United States and adjacent Baja California, where it grows in sandy areas such as deserts and coastal and mountain scrub habitats. This is a fleshy, flat annual herb producing short stems which extend along the ground or spread upright from a small taproot. Thick, spoon-shaped leaves occur in a basal rosette at the base of the stem, reaching up to about 5 centimeter in length. There are smaller leaves along the stems. Small flower clusters sprout from the stem bearing many flowers, each with fleshy, triangular sepals and three pink or red petals only a few millimeters long. The fruit is a translucent, oblong capsule up to six millimeters long containing several shiny, black seeds.

Calyptridium monospermum (formerly Cistanthe monosperma) is a perennial plant in the MIner's Lettuce Family (Montiaceae), known by the common name one-seeded pussypaws. It was formerly classified in the Purslane Family (Portulacaceae). It is native to western North America from Oregon to Baja California, where it grows in a number of habitat types, including forest and woodland.

Cistanthe umbellata (formerly Calyptridium umbellatum) is a species of flowering plant in the purslane family known by the common name Mount Hood pussypaws. It is native to western North America from British Columbia to California to Colorado, where it grows in a number of habitat types, including in areas inhospitable to many plant types, such as those with alpine climates. It is a perennial herb forming generally two or more basal rosettes of thick, spoon-shaped leaves each a few centimeters long. The inflorescence arises from the rosette, a dense, spherical umbel of rounded sepals and four small petals.

Island Morning-glory (Calystegia macrostegia) is a stunning evergreen vine with large pale pink flowers that bloom from February to July, providing a long flowering season. It has lush, arrow-shaped green leaves and climbs with tendrils.

Thriving in full sun near the coast and part-shade inland, it adapts to nearly any soil type. A fast grower, it is ideal for covering fences, walls, or as a groundcover. Weekly watering keeps it looking its best, and trimming back in winter encourages a full, vibrant display the following spring.

Developed from cuttings taken from Anacapa Island, it is also known as Anacapa Pink. Its flowers support bees, making it both beautiful and beneficial for wildlife.

Horticultural selection from Calystegia macrostegia from Anacapa Island. Island Morning Glory is a twining vine with large pale pink flowers. Calystegia macrostegia is native in rocky areas of chaparral, coastal sage scrub on most of the Channel Islands. In interior gardens we advise providing some afternoon shade,but it takes full sun near the coast. In coastal gardens it is glorious for fence lines or to cover an unsightly wall, but is also an excellent groundcover. It has a long flowering cycle and lush green leaves. It is best trimmed back in winter for a full, lush look the next spring.

Horticultural selection C. macrostegia: origin = cuttings from Anacapa Island; intro University of California, Los Angeles 19__ Tolerates almost any soil type. Prefers sun or part shade in coastal sites, and part shade in inland sites. A selection for the garden from Anacapa Island.

Coast Morning Glory (Calystegia macrostegia ssp. cyclostegia) is a native perennial herb or vine that grows in Southern and Central California, primarily in the Central Coast and South Coast regions. It tends to grow in dry and rocky places, at elevations from 0-3300 feet.

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

The morning glory Calystegia soldanella (syn. Convolvulus soldanella) is a species of bindweed known by the common names seashore false bindweed and beach morning glory. It is a perennial vine which grows in beach sand and other coastal habitats on the west coast and selected areas on the east coast of North America, and across Europe into Asia. The plant bears fleshy stems, kidney-shaped leaves, and attractive morning glory flowers with corollas delicate pink to vivid lavender. They are insect-pollinated.

Camassia quamash, commonly known as camas, small camas, common camas, common camash or quamash, is a perennial herb. It is one species of the genus Camassia and is native to western North America in large areas of southern Canada and the northwestern United States, from British Columbia and Alberta to California and east from Washington state to Montana and Wyoming. Though the once-immense spreads of camas lands have diminished because of modern developments and agriculture, numerous camas prairies and marshes may still be seen today. In the Great Basin, expanded settlement by whites accompanied by turning cattle and hogs onto camas prairies greatly diminished food available to native tribes and increased tension between Native Americans and settlers and travelers. Both the Bannock and Nez Perce Wars began after Nez Perce became incensed at the failure of the US government to uphold treaties, and at settlers who plowed up their camas prairies, which they depended on for subsistence. Growth pattern. It is a perennial herbaceous monocot with leaves emerging from a persistent bulb in a basal rosette. Leaves, stems, and roots. The stems have a length between 30 and 90 centimetres (12 and 35 in). The leaves are basal and have a grass-like appearance. Inflorescence and fruit. The pale blue to deep blue flowers appear in late spring to early summer (May to June in their native habitat). They are arranged in a raceme at the end of the stem. Each of the radially symmetrical, star-shaped flowers has six petals. Taxonomy.

Tolerates almost any soil type. Selected for the garden.

Tolerates almost any soil type. Selected for the garden.

Tolerates almost any soil type. Selected for the garden.

Camissonia bistorta is a species of flowering plant in the evening primrose family known by the common names southern suncup and California suncup. It is native to southern California and Baja California, where it grows in several types of plant community along the coast and in the coastal hills and mountain ranges. This is a hairy annual or perennial herb spreading from a basal rosette with stems reaching up to 80 centimeters long. Leaves are lance-shaped to narrowly arrowhead-shaped and sometimes toothed, and 1 to 12 centimeters in length. Toward the end of the spreading stems are nodding flower clusters of flowers, each flower with four bright yellow petals dotted with red at their bases. At the center are stamens and a protruding, nearly spherical stigma. The fruit is a straight or slightly coiled capsule up to 4 centimeters long.

Beach primrose (Camissoniopsis cheiranthifolia), also known as beach suncup, forms sprawling carpets of vibrant yellow flowers on long, trailing stems that radiate from a central crown. The silvery grey-green leaves give the plant a soft, coastal aesthetic, while its four-petaled flowers, typical of suncups, open each morning and gradually fade from bright yellow to reddish by evening.

Beach Evening Primrose (Camissonia cheiranthifolia ssp. cheiranthifolia) is a native perennial herb that grows in Northern, Southern and Central California, primarily in the North Coast, the Central Coast and Channel Islands regions. It tends to grow in sandy slopes, at elevations from 0-300 feet.

Jurupa Hills Sun Cups (Camissonia ignota) is a native annual herb that grows in northern, southern and central California. It tends to grow in clay fields and sandy slopes, at elevations from 300-3600 feet.

Camissonia micrantha is a species of flowering plant in the evening primrose family known by the common name miniature suncup. It is endemic to California, where it grows along the coast and in the coastal mountains as far north as the San Francisco Bay Area, as well as in the Central Valley. It grows in sandy areas in a number of habitats, from beaches to inland slopes. This is a small, hairy annual herb producing a basal rosette of leaves. The stem varies in morphology, approaching half a meter in erect height or quite short and flat, with or without branching. The larger leaves are located in the basal rosette; those on the stem are narrow and shorter. The flower cluster produces bears a number of flowers with petals less than 5 millimeters long. They are bright yellow and dry to a reddish color as they close. If the flower cluster is located on an erect stem it bends the stem over with its weight. The flowers self-pollinate. The fruit is a cylindrical capsule 1 to 2 centimeters long.

Cardionema ramosissimum is a beach-dwelling plant of the pink family, Caryophyllaceae, which is known by the common name sandcarpet. This is a flat or clumping mat-forming perennial plant which grows along the coastline of western North America, as well as Chile. >From a taproot it extends many petite to sprawling stems up to 30 centimeters long and covered in very tiny leaves, which are about a centimeter long and needlelike. Filling in the spaces between the spine-shaped leaves are long stipules. The plant bears tiny woolly flowers. This thick plant forms a blanket on the sand and can be used for erosion control on beaches.

Short Stem Sedge (Carex brevicaulis) is a native grass that grows in Central and Northern California, primarily in the North Coast and Central Coast regions. It tends to grow in rocky or sandy soil, at elevations from 0-8200 feet.

Carex douglasii is a species of sedge known by the common name Douglas' sedge. It is native to much of western North America, including the western Canadian provinces, the western United States, and Baja California. It grows in dry, wet, and seasonally moist habitat, from prairie and grassland to marshes. It is tolerant of sandy and alkaline substrates. This sedge produces triangular stems up to about 40 centimeters high from thin rhizomes. The leaves are thick but narrow and sometimes rolled. The plant is dioecious, with male and female flowers occurring on different individuals. The pistillate flower cluster is distinctive, with female flowers bearing long, protruding, persistent stigmas that tangle together into a wide mass.

Round Fruit Sedge (Carex globosa) is a native grass that grows in northern, southern and central California. It tends to grow in well drained soils in wooded places, at elevations from 0-4300 feet.

Carex hoodii is a species of sedge known by the common name Hood's sedge. It is native to western North America from Alaska to California to South Dakota, where it grows in dry to moist habitat in forests and on mountain slopes. This sedge produces clumps of very thin stems up to about 80 centimeters in maximum height. The leaves are narrow and coated at the bases in a tight, green sheath. The flower cluster is a dense cluster of spikelets 1 to 2 centimeters long. The flowers have reddish scales with light edges. The fruit is coated in a perigynium which is brown in the center and green around the edges, and may have a notched tip.

Carex nudata is a species in the Cyperaceae (Sedge) family known by several common names, including Torrent Sedge, California Black-flowering Sedge, Dudley's Sedge, and Naked Sedge. This is a bright green sedge which grows in mounds below the high-water mark in marshes and on river banks. It bears long scaly spikes of black, dark reddish or dusky brown flowers, which begin erect and then droop when they become heavy. It grows amidst rocks and becomes a dense mounding tussock. It is found mainly in California and Oregon.

Carex obnupta is a species of sedge known by the common name slough sedge. It is native to western North America from British Columbia to California where it grows crudsaline habitat such as wetlands. The plant produces upright, angled stems approaching 1.2 meters in maximum height, growing in beds or colonies from rhizome networks. The flower cluster is a cluster of flower spikes accompanied by a long leaflike leaf. The pistillate spikes and sometimes the staminate spikes dangle on peduncles. The fruit is coated by a hard, tough, shiny perigynium which is generally dark in color.

Sand Dune Sedge (Carex pansa) is a member of the Sedge family (Cyperaceae). It is a grass-like perennial with triangular blades and clusters of dark brown nutlets as flowers.

Butterflies and moths use Dune Sedge flowers for nectar. Small shore birds may use sedges and rushes for hiding and nesting.

Dune Sedge naturally grows in the Sand Dune plant community along the west coast.

Although this Sedge is sometimes recommended as a lawn substitute, it grows best in sandy soil, with regular water and no more than light foot traffic. Use Dune Sedge for coastal gardens with sandy soil and to create habitat for coastal wildlife.

Clustered field sedge (Carex praegracilis) is a tough, adaptable species in the sedge family (Cyperaceae), native to much of North America, except for the southeastern region. It thrives in wet and seasonally wet environments, including meadows, riverbanks, and wetlands, and can even grow in clay hardpan soils.

This sedge spreads readily by underground rhizomes, making it useful for erosion control on slopes. It also serves as an excellent lawn alternative, requiring significantly less water than traditional turfgrass. It can be mowed, tolerates moderate foot traffic, and works well in poorly draining areas or between pavers.