Winnifred Gilman Cleveland Sage (Salvia clevelandii 'Winnifred Gilman') is a fragrant and vibrant selection of Cleveland Sage, introduced by Strybing Arboretum (now San Francisco Botanic Garden). Native to Southern California's chaparral and coastal sage scrub, it thrives in well-drained soils with minimal water once established.

This small shrub has striking red stems and clusters of blue-purple flowers, blooming in late spring and summer. Its foliage has a sweet, fresh aroma, considered the most fragrant of all California native sages.

Winnifred Gilman Cleveland Sage is a standout choice for drought-tolerant gardens, attracting hummingbirds, butterflies, and other pollinators. Plant in full sun along the coast or with some afternoon shade inland.

Chia (Salvia columbariae) is a small annual sage with vivid blue-purple flowers  that looks great mixed with California poppy.  The leaves form a rosette at the base of the plant and flower stalks rise about one and a half feet. Flowers emerge in spring. 

Plant from seed in fall, on a sunny slope or in well-drained soil. Seedlings emerge early in the rainy season and grow fast.

Desert sage (Salvia dorrii) is a herbaceous perennial or woody subshrub in the Lamiaceae (mint) family. Native to mountain areas in the western United States, it thrives in dry, well-draining soils. The narrow, grey-green leaves emit a minty aroma when handled or crushed. Its mauve to purple, spike-like flower clusters remain on the plant in dried form for several weeks or months after blooming.

This heavy-blooming sage is an excellent choice for desert or high-elevation gardens. Also known as tobacco sage, Dorr's sage, mint sage, or purple sage, it attracts insects and provides valuable color and texture to the landscape.

Grows best in sandy, coarse-grained or other fast draining soil. Selected for the garden.

Purple sage (Salvia leucophylla) is a fast-growing evergreen shrub that can become a mounding form up to five feet tall, or a spreading form up to 10 feet wide and only 2  feet tall, which makes a great ground cover.  The leaves are gray green and in spring and summer large spikes bear whorls of purple flowers with a strong scent.

Purple sage grows in full sun and is amazingly drought-tolerant but can take light water up to twice per month in the summer, which will keep it looking a little greener.  Though it prefers well-draining soil, it is tough and easy to grow.  

The highly aromatic flowers attract a variety of birds and insects, with several butterflies and moths hosted.

Horticultural selection from salvia leucophylla. This large Purple sage was introduced by Carol Bernstein from a specimen found on the coastal bluffs of Pt. Sal in santa Barbara County. Amethyst Bluff starts out as a low-mounding shrub but eventually grows very large, reaching up to 1 feet in height and spreading up to 15 feet. It is ideally suited for a large scale planting, particularly on a sunny slope or bank where it can sprawl freely. This selection tolerates heavy soils and provides good erosion control. Amethyst Bluff has fragrant silvery foliage and showy lavender flowers on 12 inch long spikes. It is very attractive to butterflies, bees and other pollinators. Tolerates almost any soil type. Selected for the garden. Introduced by C. Bornstein of Rancho santa Barbara Botanic Garden.

Horticultural selection from salvia leucophylla. This is a low growing, evergeen shrub that produces beautiful pinkish-purple flowers in a circular bunch along the stem. The leaves are light green with a bumpy textured surface. The shrubs can grow to 3 or 4 feet tall and span up to six feet wide. They prefer well-drained soils or rocky hillscapes. The flowers are a great attractor of pollinators, including: birds, bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies. They do well in full-sun or part-shade, proving to be both cold- and drought-tolerant.

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Grows best in sandy, coarse-grained or other fast draining soil. Selection for the garden. Introduced by sunset Nurseries.

Grows best in sandy, coarse-grained or other fast draining soil. Selected for the garden.

Horticultural selection from Salvia leucophylla from Pt. Sal, in the southern part of the central coast, just south of san Luis Obispo. One of the best Calfornia native groundcovers. This low-growing groundcover is a perfect selection for full-sun or part-shade areas. The 'Point sal' variety is a grayish-green leaved, multi-blossomed salvia hybrid that exhibits low water needs and has little demand in terms of maintenace. The flowers can be pruned in late fall to produce a good flush in the spring. The lavender flowers are arranged in a circular pattern around the green stems. The flowers attract butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds. Tolerates almost any soil type. Prefers sun in coastal sites, and sun or part shade in inland sites. Selected for the garden.

A selection from Point Sal in 1987. Plants usually stay under 2-1/2 ft tall with a graceful 8’ ft spread. Rose-pink flowers are produced in spring on an 8” inflorescence. Plants are deciduous in dry situations. Winter or spring leaves open apple green becoming gray, then white as the season progresses. Likes full sun or light shade with well-drained soils. A tough and durable selection well-suited to the dry garden. Great for erosion control on a sunny slope as limbs sometimes root where they touch the ground, producing a thicket. Highly useful as a groundcover for coastal bluffs or hot inland areas.

Tolerates almost any soil type. Selected for the garden.

Black sage is the most common sage in California. Though less showy than other salvia species and cultivars, it is an important food source for bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. The flowers are small and pale blue-lavender in color. After blooming, black sage seeds provide food for birds, including quail and towhees.

A black sage shrub can grow up to 6 feet tall and 10 feet wide. In the garden, this aromatic plant prefers full sun and well-draining soil. It is a low-moisture plant, requiring no supplemental water once established. It is usual for the small, dark green leaves to curl during summer drought.

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.

Tolerates almost any soil type. Prefers sun in coastal sites, and sun or part shade in inland sites. Selected by David Amme from the mouth of Little sur River.

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

This creeping variety of sage produces a blueish-white flower and has dark green foliage that is evergreen. It grows to about 1 foot in height and spreads to about 5 to 6 feet in width. It does well in sandy loam soil but can survive in sand or gravel soil as well. The fragrant leaves are a good backdrop for the large blue and white spears that flower in spring and early summer. The flowers are loved by hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies. This cultivar is a horticultural selection.

Horticultural selection from salvia mellifera from Big sur on the central California coast. This low-spreading, mounding sage is an especially drought-tolerant variety and recommended for slopes or difficult, erosion-prone areas. The pale white flowers are formed in a semi-circular fashion and are arranged in tufts on the long, upright stems. The shrubs reach about 1 foot tall, with about a six foot spread. The evergreen leaves are fragrant and add contrast to the beautiful flowers which are loved by butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds. Tolerates almost any soil type. Selected for the garden.

Munz's Sage (Salvia munzii) is a rare, and fairly small native shrub that grows in the southern part of the Peninsular Range in California, and down into Baja California, Mexico, where it is relatively common. It grows at elevations from 500-3000 feet, usually in very dry conditions. It is a compact sage that works well in a container or small space. Though it is very drought tolerant, it accepts summer water well. There is a horticultural variety known as 'Emerald Cascade' that is available in some nurseries.

Grows best in sandy, coarse-grained or other fast draining soil. Selected for the garden. Introduced by Rancho santa Ana Botanic Garden.

Horticultural selection from salvia munzii. This salvia is a small mounding plant with beautiful green foliage and pretty blue flowers. It is a great addition for a bird garden as birds love the blue flowers that come every blooming season. Tolerates almost any soil type. Prefers sun in coastal sites, and sun or part shade in inland sites. Selected for the garden.

Salvia pachyphylla (Blue sage, Mountain desert sage) is a perennial shrub native to California, Nevada, and Arizona. In California, it grows between 5,000 to 10,000 ft (1,500 to 3,000 m) elevation on dry rocky slopes, blooming from July to September. It reaches 1 to 2 ft (0. 30 to 0. 61 m) high, with blue-violet flowers, rarely rose, growing in dense clusters. In the course of a study of the chemical composition of the flora used in Latin American popular medicine, Ivan C. Guerrero and coworkers have performed phytochemical studies of extracts of the aerial parts from Salvia pachyphylla and Salvia clevelandii . S. pachyphylla is used by indigenous communities for its medicinal properties in the treatment of flu symptom. The major secondary metabolites isolated from these species and the cytotoxic effects against five human cancer cells were reported for eight of the compounds obtained: carnosol, rosmanol, 20-deoxocarnosol, carnosic acid, isorosmanol, 7-methoxyrosmanol, 5,6-didehydro-O-methylsugiol, 8ß-hydroxy-9(11),13-abietadien-12-one, 11,12-dioxoabieta-8,13-diene, and 11,12-dihydroxy-20-norabieta-5(10),8,11,13-tetraen-1-one and pachyphyllone.

Sonoma Sage or Creeping Sage is a member of the Lamiaceae (Mint) family native to California. It is found in the Coast Ranges, Peninsular Range, and Sierra foothills. As suggested by its common name, it is a mat-forming subshrub with stems growing no more about 40 centimeters high. The leaves are about 3-6 centimeters long and.5 to 1.5 centimeters wide; they are hairy, the upper surface with minute hairs, and the lower surface so densely covered with recurved hairs that it looks white. The flower clusters are scapose, with clusters 1 to 1.5 centimeter wide. The flowers range in color from white to blue, lilac and purple. It is moderately drought tolerant if given some shade. It is sensitive to heat and direct sun; leaf drop is an indication of too much sun or heat or inadequate moisture. In suitable growing conditions it will forma mat up to 15 ft. wide while remaining about 1 ft. high.

Grows best in sandy, coarse-grained or other fast draining soil. Prefers sun in coastal sites, and part shade in inland sites. Selected for the garden by Kent Calkin, Creative Landscape Consultants, introduced by Cal Flora Nursery.

Grows best in sandy, coarse-grained or other fast draining soil. Prefers sun 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 sun 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 sun in coastal sites, and part shade in inland sites. Selection from the Cuesta Grade in san Luis Obispo Co.

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

Like many other species of salvia, Hummingbird Sage is a magnet for pollinators such as bees, butterflies, and --- of course --- hummingbirds! This attractive sage is notable for its bold pink and red flowering spikes and pleasant fragrance. It spreads by rhizomes and over time can cover a large area, making it a popular groundcover plant.

Hummingbird Sage grows well in shade and part-shade. In its natural environment, it's often found under trees and large shrubs. It is drought tolerant and can survive without summer irrigation once established. Some supplemental water will keep the foliage green.

Tolerates almost any soil type. Prefers sun or part shade in coastal sites, and part shade in inland sites. From a collection made by Avis Keedy near Lake Cachuma in santa Barbara Co.and introduced by santa Barbara Botanic Garden.

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

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

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

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

Horticultural selection from salvia spathacea. This salvia is larger than the straight Hummingbird sage species. 'Powerline Pink' has large spikes of pink flowers and a strong, delightful fragrance. Due to the masses of tall flower spikes, it is a great addition to a bird garden. This plant is special in the garden because it can take both shade and low-water conditions. It is ideal under oaks. Tolerates almost any soil type. Prefers sun or part shade in coastal sites, and part shade in inland sites. Selected for the garden. Introduced by Las pilitas Nursery.

Horticultural selection from salvia spathacea. This unusual variety of Hummingbird sage sports flowers that start out yellow and mature to white as they fully open. They add variety when mixed in with the pink varieties of Hummingbird sage. This small and compact species of sage is loved by hummingbirds and produces beautifully fragrant foliage and flowers. Flowers are held on large spears that emerge from the center of the plant. This sage loves afternoon shade and does well in forest floors and in understory locations. They thrive in clay soil and part shade. The plant spreads by rhizomes and will spread once established. Ideal under oaks.

Tolerates almost any soil type. Prefers sun or part shade in coastal sites, and part shade in inland sites. Selected for the garden (from santa Monica Mountains).

Attractive, hardy, and easy to grow, the Blue Elderberry is also an important food source for California wildlife. In spring, large clusters of cream-colored flowers attract butterflies and bees. The abundant blue berries provide food for birds and other animals. Humans can eat the fruit as long as it's cooked.

This fast-growing shrub is tolerant of a variety of growing conditions, although it does best in sun and well-drained moist, rich soil. It can grow to the size of a small tree, up to 30 feet tall but is easily shaped with pruning.

Black elderberry (Sambucus nigra) is a deciduous shrub or small tree which is tough, easy to grow, and grows very rapidly. In summer large flat clusters of cream or yellow flowers bloom then form small dark purple or black berries that droop from the branches in late autumn. This tree is native from Oregon to Baja all the way to western Texas.  It is in the relatively newly designated Adoxaceae (Moschatel) family.

The berries are an important source of food for many fruit-eating birds in California.

You can plant a black elderberry from a 1 gallon container and have a 15 foot tree in your garden in 3 years. In the garden, this tree likes regular water but can also adapt to summer drought.  You can prune it to promote branching and prevent a loose, rangy form.

Sambucus racemosa is a species of elderberry known by the common names red elderberry and Red-berried Elder. It is native to Europe, northern temperate Asia, and North America across Canada and the United States. It grows in riparian environments, woodlands, and other habitats, generally in moist areas. Sambucus racemosa is often a treelike shrub growing 2-6 metres (6. 6-19. 7 ft) tall. The stems are soft with a pithy center. Each individual leaf is composed of 5 to 7 leaflike leaflets, each of which is up to 16 centimeters long, lance-shaped to narrowly oval, and irregularly serrated along the edges. The leaflets have a strong disagreeable odor when crushed. The inflorescence is a vaguely cone-shaped panicle of several cymes of flowers blooming from the ends of stem branches. The flower buds are pink when closed, and the open flowers are white, cream, or yellowish. Each flower has small, recurved petals and a star-shaped axis of five white stamens tipped in yellow anthers. The flowers are fragrant and visited by hummingbirds and butterflies. The fruit is a bright red or sometimes purple drupe containing 3 to 5 seeds. Varieties and subspecies are: Sambucus racemosa subsp. kamtschatica - red elder, native to Northeastern Asia. Sambucus racemosa var. melanocarpa - Rocky Mountain elder, native to the Western United States and Western Canada, including the Rocky Mountains and Sierra Nevada. Sambucus racemosa subsp. pubens - American red elder, native to Eastern North America
Sambucus racemosa subsp. racemosa - European red elder. Sambucus racemosa var. racemosa - Pacific red elderberry. Sambucus racemosa subsp. sibirica - red elder, native to Siberia. Sambucus racemosa subsp. sieboldiana - Japanese red elder

Sambucus racemosa is cultivated as an ornamental plant, for use as a shrub or small tree in traditional and wildlife gardens, and natural landscape design projects. Cultivars in the nursery trade include: Sambucus racemosa 'Black Lace' - burgundy foliage, Sambucus racemosa 'Lemon Lace' - golden yellow and green foliage, Sambucus racemosa 'Lemony Lace' - golden green foliage, with red new growth, Sambucus racemosa 'Sutherland Gold' - green foliage, with bronze new growth. It received the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

Hardstem bulrush (Schoenoplectus acutus), known as tule in California, is a tall, perennial sedge native to freshwater marshes across North America. It belongs to the Cyperaceae family and thrives in wetland environments, forming dense stands along shorelines. The plant has thick, rounded green stems with long, grass-like leaves that grow in clusters. These dense stands create a natural buffer against wind and water forces, reducing shoreline erosion and helping to stabilize wetland ecosystems.

Hardstem bulrush provides essential habitat for a variety of wildlife. Red-winged blackbirds commonly nest among the stalks, while reptiles and amphibians find shelter within the dense vegetation. Fish use the submerged stems and root systems as nursery areas, benefiting from the protection provided by the plant’s structure. Additionally, Hardstem Bulrush contributes to water filtration by working with symbiotic microbes to sequester excess nutrients, improving water quality in wetland areas.

For Indigenous peoples, tule has been a valuable resource for thousands of years. The plant is traditionally harvested to make sleeping mats, baskets, cordage, and even canoes. It is also used to construct walls for homes and serves as a food source. These cultural practices highlight the ecological and practical significance of this native wetland plant.

California Bulrush (Schoenoplectus californicus) is a native perennial herb in the Cyperaceae (Sedge) family that grows in northern, southern and central California. It is also found in Oregon and across the southern states to Florida. It is a definitive species of freshwater or brackish marshes, found in perennially inundated areas such as lakes and ponds, but generally not in flowing water. It tolerates standing water several feet deep where it creates sometimes massive patches. It occurs at elevations from sea level to 4,000 feet, often but not always near the coast. It is an aggressive spreader from its rhizomes and will quickly occupy all suitable area.

Panicled Bulrush (Scirpus microcarpus) is a native grass that grows in northern, southern and central California. It is fast growing and long-lived. It grows in an upright form to a height of 5.5 feet, with active growth during the spring, summer, fall. Flowers are white and bloom in the late spring. Leaves are medium green and deciduous. It tends to grow in marshes, at elevations from 0-9000 feet.

California bee plant (Scrophularia californica) is a perennial in the Figwort family (Scrophulariaceae). The flowers are red to maroon and are so small that they are easy to miss. The wedge -shaped light green leaves are much larger than the flowers.

As the name suggests, bees are extremely attracted to the flowers. An important food source for small wasps and hummingbirds, it is also a host plant for the Chalcedon Checkerspot and Common Buckeye butterflies.

Bee plant grows in several habitats, including Wetland-Riparian, Coastal Sage Scrub, Pine Forests, Chaparral, and Redwood Forest. In moist soils it will form large colonies, but it can also successfully be grown in a pot.

Plant bee plant in the back of a perennial border where the tall stems won't block out shorter perennials, and where it can blend in when not in flower. Bee Plant flowers look like small, red jewels when backlit by the sun.

Yellow Stonecrop (Sedum spathulifolium) is a native perennial herb in the Crassulaceae (Stonecrop) family that is found in rocky or mountainous areas over a large part of the state, but more commonly in northern California. It is also found northward to British Columbia. It tends to grow in a hanging or sprawling manner on the face of cliffs or steep rocky outcrops, often in shade, at elevations from 0-7500 feet. The leaves are somewhat thick and succulent. In spring the plant puts up an erect flower stalk with diminutive yellow flowers. This succulent works well in rock gardens in northern California. Plant at an angle so that water does not collect on the crown. In its native setting this plant receives abundant moisture in winter/spring, then remains relatively dry through summer. It is evergreen but may shrivel somewhat in summer.

Grows best in sandy, coarse-grained or other fast draining soil. Selected by Jenny Flemming from the salmon Mountains in northwestern California.

Grows best in sandy, coarse-grained or other fast draining soil. Selection from port Orford, Oregon.

Grows best in sandy, coarse-grained or other fast draining soil. Selected for the garden.

Grows best in sandy, coarse-grained or other fast draining soil. Selected for the garden.

Grows best in sandy, coarse-grained or other fast draining soil. Selected for the garden.

Catclaw (Senegalia greggii) is a shrub in the Legume family known for its fragrant fuzzy flowers and spines on its branches. The genus Senegalia was formerly classified with the Acacias, and some sources still refer to it by that name. Common names for this species include Catclaw Acacia, Catclaw Mesquite, Gregg's Catclaw, Devil's Claw, Paradise Flower, and Wait-a-minute Bush.

Plant away from places where the spines can catch you. It can make a good barrier planting.

Birds use this plant for shelter and building nests. The fruit is a legume pod valued by wildlife.

Bluewitch Nightshade (Solanum umbelliferum) is a native shrub Solanaceae (Nightshade) family that is widespread in California in various habitats and vegetation communities, at elevations from sea level to 5,200 feet. The stems are densely hairy and branched. The leaves are grey-green, elliptical to oval, and typically smooth edged. The flower is blue to purple in color, consisting of five petals fused together, with contrasting yellow anthers. The fruit is a sphere 12-14 mm in size. Its habit is mounding or sometimes vining, often found climbing up through more woody shrubs. All parts of the plant are toxic to people and some animals. However, it is very attractive to insects. If given occasional summer water it will stay leafed-out and may even continue to flower. If allowed to dry it will be summer deciduous. This is a very tough, hardy plant that will survive on neglect.

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 from santa Lucia Mountains.

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.

Purple Nightshade (Solanum xanti) is a poisonous shrub with deep blue purple flowers blooming from winter through spring. Purple Nightshade has dark green foliage, and the form is loosely spreading or trailing. To promote a bush form, prune leggy branches in late summer or fall.

This plant likes sun to part shade in coastal gardens and shady spots inland. It is very drought tolerant but will tolerate modest summer watering. Though it prefers rocky soil or loam, it will grow in any relatively well drained soil.

It is noted for being deer resistant and hosts numerous moth and butterfly species.
The green berries, though toxic to animals, attract birds.

Tolerates almost any soil type. Prefers sun or part shade in coastal sites, and part shade in inland sites. Selected by Carol Bornstein from a plant growing in the santa Barabara foothills. Introduced by san Marcos Growers.

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. Selection from san Luis Obispo.

Tolerates almost any soil type. Prefers sun or part shade in coastal sites, and part shade in inland sites. peninsular Ranges (Otay Mountain).

Solidago confinis, commonly called southern goldenrod, is a North American species of flowering plants in the sunflower family. It is native to California, southern Nevada, and Baja California. Solidago confinis is a perennial herb sometimes as much as 200 cm (80 inches) tall, with a thick, woody underground caudex. One plant can produce up to 320 small yellow flower heads in a showy, branching array at the top of the stem.