Rupertia physodes is a species of legume known by the common names California tea and forest scurfpea. It is native to western North America. It is a small perennial bush with deep, woody roots. It bears dull green hairy, slightly hairy, tea-shaped leaves, bunches of light yellow tubular pea flowers, and tiny hairy orange pods containing reddish seeds.

Rupertia rigida is a species of flowering plant in the legume family known by the common name Parish's California tea, or Parish's rupertia. It is native to southern California and Baja California, where it is an uncommon member of the local mountain flora, growing in chaparral, woodland, and forest habitat types. It is a bushy perennial herb producing a hairy, woody stem from a thick, purplish caudex, approaching 75 centimeters in maximum height with slender, leafy branches. The leaves are each made up of three hairy, glandular, lance-shaped leaflets up to 6 or 7 centimeters long. The inflorescence is a clustered raceme of several whitish or yellowish pealike flowers. Each flower has a tubular calyx of sepals and a corolla spreading to about 1. 5 centimeters in width. The fruit is a hairy, gland-speckled, brownish legume around a centimeter long.

Sagittaria montevidensis is a species of flowering plant in the water-plantain family Alismataceae. Common names include giant arrowhead and California arrowhead. Sagittaria montevidensis is widespread in wetlands of North America (United States, Canada, Mexico) and South America (Brazil, Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru, Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay). In North America, the distribution is disjunct, primarily in a wide area from West Virginia to Texas to South Dakota, but with isolated occurrences in New Brunswick, Maine, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, California, Florida and Alabama It is reportedly naturalized in Spain, Tanzania, and the Island of Java in Indonesia. Habitat. It grows preferentially at the edges of ponds, in shallow and often only temporarily existing waters. Subspecies. Sagittaria montevidensis subsp. calycina (Engelm. ) Bogin (syn. Sagittaria calycina Engelm. ) - United States, MexicoSagittaria montevidensis subsp. montevidensis - South AmericaSagittaria montevidensis subsp. spongiosa (syn. Sagittaria calycina var. spongiosa Engelm. , Lophotocarpus spongiosus (Engelm. ) J. G. Sm. ) - Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, New Brunswick in CanadaSagittaria montevidensis is a robust, stemless, rhizomatous, aquatic plant. The young ribbon-like leaves grow submerged, while the leaves of older plants emerge above the water surface. The leaves are sagitatte and glabrous, up to 28 centimeters long and 23 centimeters wide. Its terete, spongy petioles may reach a length of more than 0. 75 m (2. 5 ft) and are up to 3 inches thick. Inflorescences are typically shorter than the leaves and decumbent. Flowers are in whorls or pairs at nodes and have a diameter of two to three centimeters. . They have three petals, each of which is white with a striking wine-colored stain, and three green sepals. The thick pedicels are as long as 5 cm (2. 0 in). Flowering occurs from June to September.

Salicornia bigelovii is a species of flowering plant in the amaranth family known by the common names dwarf saltwort and dwarf glasswort. It is native to coastal areas of the eastern and southern United States, as well as southern California, Belize, and coastal Mexico (both the east and west coasts). It is a plant of salt marshes, a halophyte which grows in saltwater. It is an annual herb producing an erect, branching stem which is jointed at many internodes. The fleshy, green to red stem can reach about 60 cm in height. The leaves are usually small plates, pairs of which are fused into a band around the stem. The inflorescence is a dense, sticklike spike of flowers. Each flower is made up of a fused pocket of sepals enclosing the stamens and stigmas, with no petals. The fruit is an utricle containing tiny, fuzzy seeds. The southern part of the species range is represented by the Petenes mangroves of the Yucatân, where it is a subdominant plant associate in the mangroves. This plant is gaining scientific attention for its potential to serve as an oil crop that can be grown in desert environments and maintained with water containing high levels of salts. It is the source of salicornia oil. The plant is up to 33% oil. The oil contains up to 79% linoleic acid and is functionally similar to safflower oil. It can be used as a cooking oil and a replacement for more valuable oils in chicken feed. Domestic animals can be fed the plant as a forage. The plant could also be a source of biofuel.

Virginia Glasswort (Salicornia depressa) is a native perennial herb that grows in northern, southern and central California. It tends to grow in marshes and wet places, at elevations from 0-300 feet.

Pickleweed (Salicornia virginica) is a native perennial herb that grows in northern, southern and central California. It tends to grow in salt marshes and alkali flats, at elevations from 0-300 feet.

Salix bebbiana is a species of willow indigenous to Canada and the northern United States, from Alaska and Yukon south to California and Arizona and northeast to Newfoundland and New England. Common names include beaked willow, long-beaked willow, gray willow, and Bebb's willow. This plant is typically a large, fast-growing, multiple-stemmed shrub or small, shrubby tree capable of forming dense, colonial thickets. It can be found in loose, saturated soils such as that on riverbanks, lakesides, swamps, marshes, and bogs. It is capable of tolerating heavy clay and rocky soils, making it highly adaptable and durable. It is a dominant species in many marshland areas in its native range.

Booth's Willow (Salix boothii) is a uncommon native shrub that grows in central and northern California. It is fast growing and moderately long-lived. It grows in an upright form to a height of 24 feet, with active growth during the spring and summer. Flowers are green and bloom in the late spring. Leaves are medium green and deciduous. It tends to grow in wet meadows and shores, at elevations from 0-11300 feet.

Salix brachycarpa is a species of flowering plant in the willow family known by the common names barren-ground willow, small-fruit willow and shortfruit willow. It is native to North America, where it occurs throughout Alaska except for the Aleutian Islands and southeastern coastal region, in western and northern Canada, and in the contiguous United States in the Rocky Mountains south to Colorado. A shrub growing up to 1. 5 meters tall, S. brachycarpa is low in stature or sometimes prostrate. The stems are sometimes hairy and the smaller branchlets may be quite woolly. The leaves are also usually hairy, with woolly undersides. The species is dioecious, with male and female reproductive parts occurring on separate plants. The inflorescence is a catkin up to 5 centimeters long. The plant produces tiny, downy seeds which are viable for just a few days but may germinate within 12 hours of hitting a suitable substrate.

Salix breweri is a species of willow known by the common name Brewer's willow. It is endemic to California, where it can be found in the serpentine soils of the Coast Ranges in and around the San Francisco Bay Area. It is a riparian shrub growing one to four meters in height. The yellowish or reddish brown stems are lightly hairy in texture, the small twigs coated in velvety fibers. The leaves are generally lance-shaped, smooth-edged or gently toothed, and partially rolled under along the edges. The leaves are hairy, with the lower surfaces often quite woolly. Mature leaves may be 14 centimeters long or more. The inflorescence is a catkin which develops before the plant produces leaves. The catkins are up to 5 or 6 centimeters long, the female ones lengthening further as the fruits develop.

Salix delnortensis is a species of willow known by the common name Del Norte willow. It is native to the Klamath Mountains of southern Oregon and northern California, where it grows in serpentine soils in riparian habitat. It is a shrub growing one or two meters tall. It forms thickets, sometimes quite large, some of which are made up of clones of one individual. The shrub has many branches, which are very brittle. The young twigs are velvety or woolly with hairy coats; older branches are hairless. The leaves are oval, sometimes with pointed tips, smooth-edged, and woolly on the undersides. They grow to 10 centimeters long or more. The inflorescences are produced before the leaves. Each is a catkin of flowers. Male catkins are about 3 centimeters long and thick, while female catkins vary in size.

Drummond's Willow (Salix drummondiana) is a native shrub that grows in Central and Northern California, primarily in the High Sierra Nevada region. It is fast growing and long-lived. It grows in an upright form to a height of 12 feet, with active growth during the spring and summer. Flowers are yellow and bloom in the early spring. Leaves are medium green and deciduous. It tends to grow in streamsides, at elevations from 8400-9500 feet.

Salix eastwoodiae is a species of willow known by the common names mountain willow, Eastwood's willow, 'and Sierra willow. It is native to the northwestern United States, where it grows in subalpine and alpine climates in mountain habitats such as talus and streambanks. It is a shrub growing up to 4 m (13 ft) tall, with branches yellowish, brown, red, or purplish in color and coated in short hairs, sometimes becoming hairless. The leaves are narrowly or widely lance-shaped and up to 10 cm long, hairy when new and becoming hairless. The inflorescence is a catkin of flowers. It is a shrub growing up to 4 m (13 ft) tall, with branches yellowish, brown, red, or purplish in color and coated in short hairs, sometimes becoming hairless. The leaves are narrowly or widely lance-shaped and up to 10 cm long, hairy when new and becoming hairless. The inflorescence is a catkin of flowers.

Salix exigua (Sandbar Willow) is a deciduous shrub reaching 13 to 23 feet in height. The leaves are narrow, green, to grayish with silky white hairs when young. The flowers emerge as yellow or white catkins in late spring, after the leaves appear. The fruit is a cluster of capsules, each containing numerous minute seeds embedded in shiny white silk.

Like most willows, Sandbar Willow it is moisture-loving. It will tolerate a variety of soils and poor drainage. It grows in full sun and spreads by shoots to form dense colonies so it will eventually spread to occupy any wet soil that it can reach. Use with other wetland trees, shrubs and grasses.

It is host to a wide variety of pollinators, including butterflies, moths, and some gall-forming wasps. Some birds, such as the Least Bell's Vireo and Southwestern Willow Flycatcher, prefer to nest in large, dense willow thickets.

Salix exigua var. exigua is a native tree or shrub that grows in northern California.

Sandbar Willow (Salix hindsiana) is a native tree or shrub that grows in northern, southern and central California. It tends to grow at elevations from 0-5500 feet.

Geyer's Willow (Salix geyeriana) is a native shrub that grows in northern, southern and central California. It is fast growing and moderately long-lived. It grows in an upright form to a height of 15 feet, with active growth during the spring and summer. Flowers are yellow and striking, and bloom in the spring. Leaves are medium green and deciduous. It tends to grow in streams and meadows, at elevations from 5000-10500 feet.

Goodding's Black Willow (Salix gooddingii) is a common native tree that grows throughout the state in wetland areas. It has a moderate growth rate and is moderately long-lived. It grows in an upright form to a height of 15-40 feet, with active growth during the spring and summer. Flowers are green and bloom in the early spring. Leaves are medium green and deciduous. It tends to grow in streamsides, at elevations from sea level to 2,000 feet. It performs in a wide variety of locations, from the south coast to the central valley and perennial streams in desert areas. It tolerates some alkalinity and salinity as well as generally poor water quality. Due to its size and water requirements, this is not a common garden tree but is useful in restoration projects, bioswales, and other constructed wetlands. Like other willows it is an important wildlife plant.

Salix hookeriana is a species of willow known by the common names dune willow, coastal willow, and Hooker's willow. The plant is native to the west coast of North America from Alaska to northern California, where it grows in coastal habitat such as beaches, marshes, floodplains, and canyons. S. hookeriana is a shrub or tree growing up to 8 m (26 ft) tall, sometimes forming bushy colonial thickets. The leaves are up to 11 cm long, generally oval in shape, wavy along the edges, and hairy to woolly in texture with shiny upper surfaces. The inflorescence is a catkin of flowers up to 9 cm long, with the female catkins growing longer as the fruits develop. This willow may hybridize with similar species. The Latin specific epithet hookeriana refers to Sir Joseph D. Hooker. The plant is native to the west coast of North America from Alaska to northern California, where it grows in coastal habitat such as beaches, marshes, floodplains, and canyons.

Salix jepsonii is a species of willow known by the common name Jepson's willow. It is native to southernmost slopes of the Cascade Range and the Sierra Nevada in California, where its distribution extends just into western Nevada. It grows along rivers and streams in high mountain habitat. It is a shrub growing 1 to 3 meters tall, sometimes forming colonial thickets. The lance-shaped leaves may grow over 10 centimeters long. They are hairy when new, and have silky hairs on the undersides when mature. The inflorescence is a catkin of flowers, male catkins short and stout, measuring no more than 2 centimeters long, and female catkins reaching up to 6 centimeters in length. It is a shrub growing 1 to 3 meters tall, sometimes forming colonial thickets. The lance-shaped leaves may grow over 10 centimeters long. They are hairy when new, and have silky hairs on the undersides when mature. The inflorescence is a catkin of flowers, male catkins short and stout, measuring no more than 2 centimeters long, and female catkins reaching up to 6 centimeters in length.

Red willow (Salix laevigata) is a fast-growing native tree commonly found along creeks and wetlands throughout California, from sea level to 5,000 feet. It thrives in consistently moist areas and is often used for erosion control, restoration projects, and bioswales.

This mostly deciduous tree has flexible reddish twigs, shiny green leaves with pale undersides, and yellow catkins in spring. Female trees produce cottony seeds that are dispersed by wind. Its variable form includes multiple twisting trunks that often sprawl along creek beds before growing upright.

Red willow is an important habitat tree, providing food for butterflies like the Western tiger swallowtail, mourning cloak, Lorquin’s admiral, and hairstreaks. While not typically used in residential gardens, it is an excellent choice for wetland landscapes

Salix lasiandra is a native willow tree that grows in virtually every county of the state in wetland-riparian areas. It is a suckering willow that will extend its roots and spread into any area that has sufficient moisture. It was formerly classified as a subspecies of Salix lucida, and some sources may still refer to it by that name. There are two recognized Varieties: Var. lasiandra is widespread. Var. caudata (Shining Willow) is less common and restricted to the Sierras and northward. Like all willows, this species prefers alluvial soils with plenty of water. It is not often seen in residential gardens but is useful in restoration projects, bioswales, and other consistently wet areas.

Yellow Willow (Salix lucida ssp. lasiandra) is a native tree that grows in northern, southern and central California. It is fast growing and short-lived. It grows in an upright form to a height of 53 feet, with active growth during the spring and summer. Flowers are green and bloom in the spring. Leaves are medium green and deciduous. It tends to grow in wet places, at elevations from 0-8000 feet.

Arroyo Willow (Salix lasiolepis) is an abundant and widespread native small tree or shrub that grows in northern, southern and central California. Arroyo Willow likes water and in the garden must have constantly moist soil. It is a fast-growing small tree, reaching 15 to 30 feet high and 5 to 10 feet wide. The leaves are long and thin. Being deciduous, Arroyo Willow is leafless part of the year. The flower is a yellowish catkin that becomes a fluffy white mass of seeds.

Willows (Salix spp.) are very important wildlife plants, used by birds, insects, amphibians and mammals. Numerous insects, especially wasps, lay their eggs on willow leaves, forming galls. These galls are usually not harmful to the plant and should not be viewed as pests.

Arroyo Willow grows in full sun in a variety of soils, as long as it has adequate drainage. It is recommended as erosion control near streams. Spreading by root runners it can be invasive in moist areas. Gardeners with a bog or pond use it with other wetland plants such as Maple, Spicebush, Dogwood, Currant, and California Wildrose. It can be pruned or sheared in winter to form a hedge.

Lemmon's Willow (Salix lemmonii) is a native shrub 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 14 feet, with active growth during the spring and summer. Flowers are yellow and bloom in the early spring. Leaves are medium green and deciduous. It tends to grow in streams, at elevations from 5000-10000 feet.

Salix ligulifolia is a species of willow known by the common name strapleaf willow. It is native to the western United States. It grows in moist and wet habitat, such as riverbanks, swamps, and floodplains, such as in the Sierra Nevada in California. Salix ligulifolia is a shrub growing up to 8 meters tall. The lance-shaped leaves may grow over 13 centimeters long. They are finely serrated along the edges, with some leaves appearing almost smooth-edged or studded with glands. The inflorescence is a hairy catkin of flowers, male catkins short and stout, measuring up to 3 or 4 centimeters long, and female catkins often a bit longer. Salix ligulifolia is a shrub growing up to 8 meters tall. The lance-shaped leaves may grow over 13 centimeters long. They are finely serrated along the edges, with some leaves appearing almost smooth-edged or studded with glands. The inflorescence is a hairy catkin of flowers, male catkins short and stout, measuring up to 3 or 4 centimeters long, and female catkins often a bit longer.

Yellow Willow (Salix lutea) is a native shrub that grows in northern, southern and central California. It is fast growing and moderately long-lived. It grows in an upright form to a height of 16 feet, with active growth during the spring and summer. Flowers are yellow and bloom in the spring. Leaves are light-green and deciduous. This plant tends to grow in stream edges and wet meadows, at elevations from 5000-9500 feet.

Salix melanopsis is a plant species known by the common name dusky willow. It is native to western North America from British Columbia and Alberta to California and Colorado, where it grows in many types of moist and wet habitat, such as riverbanks and subalpine mountain meadows, on rocky and silty substrates. Salix melanopsis is a shrub up to 4 meters tall, sometimes sprouting abundantly from its stem to form colonial thickets of clones. The pointed, oval, lance-shaped, or linear leaves may grow over 13 centimeters long and have smooth or spine-toothed edges. The inflorescence is a catkin of flowers up to 5 or 6 centimeters long. Salix melanopsis is a shrub up to 4 meters tall, sometimes sprouting abundantly from its stem to form colonial thickets of clones. The pointed, oval, lance-shaped, or linear leaves may grow over 13 centimeters long and have smooth or spine-toothed edges. The inflorescence is a catkin of flowers up to 5 or 6 centimeters long.

Salix reticulata, the net-leaved willow, or snow willow, is a dwarf willow, native to the colder parts of Europe, North America, and Northern Asia. It is found in the western United States (Salix reticulata subsp. nivalis), including the Sierra Nevada and Rocky Mountains. In Europe it extends south through the Carpathian Mountains and Alps to the Pyrenees and the mountains of Macedonia. It is common in Canada, Greenland and Finland, and present but rare in Scotland. The plant grows on wet, often slightly calcareous, rocks and ledges. Salix reticulata is a dwarf, prostrate, deciduous shrub growing to 8 cm (3 in) tall by 30 cm (12 in) broad, forming loose open mats with extensive, much-branched, underground stems. The exposed stems can rise to 20 cm (7. 9 in) high. The twigs are slightly hairy at first, then hairless and dark reddish-brown later. Leaves are 1. 2 cm to 5 cm long, 1 to 3. 5 cm wide; densely hairy at first, becoming hairless at least on the upper side. The leaves have a conspicuous network of veins. In Spring, slender yellow catkins with pink tips appear. Salix reticulata is cultivated as an ornamental plant, for use as groundcover. It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

Sierra Willow (Salix orestera) is a native shrub that grows in Central and Northern California, primarily in the White and Inyo Mountains, the High Sierra Nevada and Sierra Nevada East regions. It is fast growing and moderately long-lived. It grows in an upright form to a height of 10 feet, with active growth during the spring and summer. Flowers are yellow and bloom in the mid spring. Leaves are medium green and deciduous. It tends to grow in meadows and wet places, at elevations from 7400-12000 feet.

Salix arctica (Arctic Willow) is a tiny creeping willow (family Salicaceae). It is adapted to survive in harsh Arctic and subarctic environments, and has a circumpolar distribution round the Arctic Ocean. It grows in tundra and rocky moorland, and is the northernmost woody plant in the world, occurring far above the tree line up to the northern limit of land on the north coast of Greenland. It also occurs further south in North America on high altitude Alpine tundra south to the Sierra Nevada in California and the Rocky Mountains in New Mexico, and in Asia to Xinjiang in China. It is typically a low shrub growing to only 1-15 centimeter (0.39-5.9 inches) in height (rarely to 25 centimeter (9.8 inches) high), however in the Pacific Northwest it may reach 50 centimeter (20 inches) in height, and has round, shiny green leaves 1-4 centimeter (0.39-1.6 inches) long and broad, rarely up to 8 centimeters (3.1 inches) long and 6 centimeter (2.4 inches) broad; they are hairy, with long silky, silvery hairs. Like the rest of the willows, Arctic Willow is dioecious, with male and female catkins on separate plants. As a result the plant's appearance varies; the female catkins are red-coloured, while the male catkins are yellow-coloured.

Salix planifolia is a species of willow known by the common names planeleaf willow, diamondleaf willow, and tea-leafed willow. It is native to northern and western North America, including most of Canada and the western United States. It grows in many types of arctic and alpine habitats in the north, and mountainous areas in the southern part of its range. Salix planifolia is a shrub varying in size from low and bushy, to long thickets, to a treelike form 9 m (30 ft) in height. The leaves are generally oval in shape with pointed tips, measuring up to 6. 5 cm long. They are smooth-edged or serrated, glossy on the upper surface, and sometimes with silky hairs. The inflorescence is a catkin of flowers a few centimeters long. Salix planifolia is a shrub varying in size from low and bushy, to long thickets, to a treelike form 9 m (30 ft) in height. The leaves are generally oval in shape with pointed tips, measuring up to 6. 5 cm long. They are smooth-edged or serrated, glossy on the upper surface, and sometimes with silky hairs. The inflorescence is a catkin of flowers a few centimeters long. Salix pulchra, also commonly called diamondleaf or tealeaf willow and sometimes treated as a subspecies of S. planifolia (S. planifolia ssp. pulchra), is now treated as a distinct species.

Mackenzie's Willow (Salix prolixa) is a native tree or shrub that grows in Central and Northern California, primarily in the Klamath Mountain Range, the High Cascade Range and High Sierra Nevada regions. It is moderately fast growing and short-lived. It grows in a semi-upright form to a height of 45 feet, with active growth during the spring and summer. Flowers are white and striking, and bloom in the early spring. Leaves are medium green and deciduous. It tends to grow in streams, at elevations from 0-7000 feet.

Salix scouleriana, or Scouler's Willow, is a species of willow native to western North America. Other names occasionally used include fire willow, Nuttall willow, mountain willow, and black willow. It is a deciduous shrub or small tree, depending on the environment, usually with multiple stems that reach 2 to 7 meter in height in dry, cold, high elevation, and other difficult environments, and 10 to 20 meter in favorable sites. The stems are straight and support few branches generally resulting in narrow crowns. The root system is fibrous, deep, and widespread. The thick sapwood is nearly white, and heartwood is light brown tinged with red. Stem bark is thin, gray or dark brown with broad, flat ridges. Twigs are stout and whitish green. The leaves are oblance-shaped to elliptic, 5-12.5 centimeter long, mostly short-pointed at the tip and tapered toward the base with entire to sparsely wavy-toothed margins. They are dark-green and nearly hairless above, and white- or grayish-hairy below. It is dioecious, having male and female flowers on different trees. The flowers are tiny, grouped in pussy willow-like catkins. The anthers, two per flower, are yellow, sometimes tipped with red; pistols are red. The fruit is light reddish-brown, long-pointed capsules about 0.75 centimeter long. At maturity, they open to release a white fluff with tiny imbedded seeds.

Sitka Willow (Salix sitchensis) is a native tree or shrub that grows in northern, southern and central California. It is fast growing and moderately long-lived. It grows in an upright form to a height of 23 feet, with active growth during the spring and summer. Flowers are white and bloom in the . Leaves are light-green and deciduous. It tends to grow in edges of lakes and streams and wet meadows, at elevations from 3300-11200 feet.

Tracy's Willow (Salix tracyi) is a native tree or shrub that grows in northern California. It tends to grow at elevations from 0-7000 feet.

Allen Chickering sage (Salvia 'Allen Chickering') is a profusely blooming mint with aromatic grey-green foliage and whorls of purple flowers. One shrub can perfume the whole garden on a warm, summer afternoon.  It is a popular hybrid of purple sage (Salvia leucophylla) and Cleveland sage (Salvia clevelandii.) As such, it is a plant of the chaparral and coastal sage scrub in Southern California.

Hummingbirds adore the nectar from the flowers.  The plant also attracts butterflies, bees, moths, and other pollinators. 

Allen Chickering Sage (Salvia 'Allen Chickering') tolerates almost any soil type and, once established, needs no summer water. It is smaller and more compact than many sages.

A Blossom Hill original.  Salvia Clevelandii x with some Salvia apiana. Nice structure, foliage and extended flowering time.  Very adaptable and drought tolerant. Smaller than Vicki Romo, slightly larger that S. clevelandii.  Product of natural cross pollination in the Nursery.  As with most larger Sages, needs fall pruning.

Bee's bliss sage (Salvia x 'Bee's Bliss') is a fast-growing low plant which is great for slope coverage or as a beautiful and inexpensive ground cover.  It has a beautiful spreading form to a maximum of 2 feet high and 5 feet wide. The leaves are silvery grey-green, the flowers lavender or pink. They bloom in profusion in the spring on long flower stalks and have a pleasant fragrance.

This plant takes full to part sun, prefers well-draining soil and is drought tolerant after it is established, though it tolerates a wide range of garden conditions.  Occasional deep watering in summer is recommended.

This plant is nearly deer proof. It is a favorite of hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies.

Distinguished by its large bluish-purple flowers, celestial blue sage (Salvia ‘Celestial Blue’) attracts many native pollinators to the garden. Celestial blue sage is a hybrid created by Bert Wilson, the founder of Las Pilitas Nursery. It is a cross of Salvia clevelandii, Salvia pachyphylla, and Salvia leucophylla (Cleveland, blue, and purple sage).

Hardy and easy to grow, this low-water shrub is tolerant of coarse, sandy soil and summer heat. It grows in large mounds that can reach 5 ft in width and height. Fragrant gray-green leaves accent the richly colored blooms. The flowers attract hummingbirds, moths, and butterflies, including the Swallowtail. The seeds provide food for songbirds. 

Celestial blue sage does well on dry sunny slopes and in other areas where growing conditions may be challenging for other plants. It can be used for erosion control and as a groundcover

Dara's Choice Sage, botanically known as Salvia 'Dara's Choice', is a hybrid of Sonoma Sage (Salvia sonomensis) and Black Sage (Salvia mellifera). This evergreen plant is semi-deciduous in summer, reaching 1 to 2 feet in height and 3 to 6 feet in width. The small leaves are a rich green color and contrast well with the blue to lavender-blue flowers, blooming in the spring through early summer.

Dara's Choice Sage maintains its dense and solid foliage appearance, even after many years, making it useful to gardeners as a compact spreading ground cover or low mounding shrub. It is fast-growing and adaptable to different soils, from sandy, coarse-grained soil to clay. It prefers sun in coastal sites, and part sun or light afternoon shade in inland sites. Once established, it is drought adapted.

The fragrant flowers attract hummingbirds, butterflies, and other pollinators.

It was selected for the garden by horticulturalist Dara Emery, and in 1979 introduced by the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden.

Native to Southern California's coastal sage scrub region, White Sage (Salvia apiana) is one of the state's most important Salvia species. White Sage is fragrant, with silver-white leaves, and clusters of white flowers with lavender streaks. Young leaves start off green and turn white as they get older.

White Sage is deeply rooted in the cultures and lifeways of Indigenous communities of Southern California and northern Baja, the only region this sage naturally occurs in the world. This plant's limited wild populations are under threat from poaching, climate change, and development.

Nursery-grown White Sage is a valuable pollinator plant in the garden. The small white flowers are a favorite of carpenter bees, bumble bees, and hummingbirds. In Latin, "apiana" means of or belonging to bees. The blooms are accented by silvery-white foliage. White Sage is a drought-adapted low-water shrub that grows best in full sun. Pruning helps keep it neat and compact.

Horticultural selection from salvia apiana.

This sage has light purple flowers and is even more aromatic than White sage or a Cleveland sage. Its leaves are similar to white sage but are slightly smaller and darker. It is a very attractive shrub to place along fences and at the back of a garden bed. Grows best in sandy, coarse-grained or other fast draining soil. It is thought to be a cross between Salvia apiana and Salvia clevelandii, coming from Rancho Santa Ana (now California Botanic Garden).

Compact White Sage (Salvia apiana var. compacta) is a perennial shrub that is native to Southern California. Having all the attributes of White sage (Salvia apiana) but growing about half the size, with silver-gray foliage and tall flower stems of pollinator attracting white blossoms.

It is heat and drought tolerant, with powerfully fragrant foliage that is deer resistant.

Salvia brandegeei is a herbaceous perennial evergreen shrub in the Lamiaceae (Mint) family that grows to 3-4 feet in its native habitat. For many years, it was thought to be native only to Santa Rosa Island, one of the Channel Islands of California. In the 1960s and 1970s six colonies were found in Baja California. It is named after Kate Brandegee, a pioneering field botanist in California and Baja. In cultivation, the plant will reach 4-5 feet tall and up to 7 feet wide. It has dark green scalloped leaves, about 3-4 inches long and 0.5 inch wide. The pale blue or lavender flowers are about 0.5 inch long, in tightly spaced whorls. The violet-gray calyx, combined with the wide open flower lips, make it a very showy flower. It is best used very near the coast (within about 10 miles) in the central or southern part of the state.

Tolerates almost any soil type. Prefers sun in coastal sites, and sun or part shade in inland sites. Selected for the garden. Introduced by santa Barbara Botanic Garden.

Thistle Sage (Salvia carduacea) is a native annual herb in the Lamiaceae (Mint) family that grows in southern and central California, primarily in hot, dry inland areas. It comes closest to the coast in northern Santa Barbara County. It tends to grow in sandy or gravelly places, at elevations from 0-4500 feet. It has a distinctive thistle appearance but is not related to true thistles. It is more closely related to Chia (S. columbariae). It is almost always grown from seed and is sometimes included in desert seed mixes.

Cleveland sage (Salvia clevelandii) is a small, evergreen shrub in the Mint family (Lamiaceae). The small gray-green leaves are very fragrant, as are the whorls of purple flowers. One shrub can perfume the whole garden on a warm, summer afternoon. Hummingbirds adore the nectar from the tubular flowers. It also attracts butterflies, bees, moths, and other pollinators. This is an important food source during the heat of summer.

It is native to chaparral and coastal sage scrub in Southern California, where it survives on annual rainfall alone. Plant Cleveland sage on well-drained flats, bluffs or gentle slopes for best results. Limit summer water to no more than once per month; although, no irrigation in summer after a year or two is best. This sage is arguably one of the most fragrant. Several cultivars and hybrids that are often available in nurseries are 'Winnifred Gilman', 'Allen Chickering', 'Aromas', 'Pozo Blue', and 'Whirly Blue', and 'Celestial Blue'.

Horticultural selection from salvia clevelandii. Powerfully fragrant and incredibly long blooming, Alpine Cleveland sage is also the cold-hardiest variety of its species, tolerating temperatures well below freezing. Due to its long bloom time, the Alpine variety is a particularly good addition to wildlife gardens. Use it as a screen or border shrub. The flower spikes are attractive in cut-flower arrangements. This variety was discovered growing wild on a rocky, south-facing slope of san Diego's Cuyamaca Mountains near the small town of Alpine. Tolerates almost any soil type. Prefers sun in coastal sites, and sun or part shade in inland sites. Selection from san Diego County (Alpine).

Grows best in sandy, coarse-grained or other fast draining soil. Introduced by saratoga Horticultural Foundation.

Grows best in sandy, coarse-grained or other fast draining soil. Prefers sun in coastal sites, and sun or part shade in inland sites. Originally collected by sean Hogan, parker sanderson, and Bart O'Brien from a coastal terrace south of Erendira in Baja California, Mexico.

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. Introduced by Rancho santa Ana Botanic 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. 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.