5/16/2020 Plant Briefs
UC Marin Master Gardeners 1682 Novato Blvd Suite 150B Novato, CA 94947 415-473-4204 ucmmg@plants.org UC Marin Master Gardeners - Plants that help control erosion on hillsides
Botanical Name: Achillea millefolium Plant Height: 1-3' Common Name: Yarrow Flower Color: White Plant Type: Ground cover, Perennial Attracts Wildlife: Sun: Full, Half Leaf Color: Water: Very Low Flower Season: Summer Yarrow is a 2'-3' perennial that spreads by rhizomes, has ferny, evergreen foliage, bears 3-4" clusters of ivory-white owers in summer, and attracts bees and butter ies. Good fresh or dried ower. Prefers full sun on the coast and part sun in hot-summer locations. Drought tolerant once established; also performs in wet conditions, but may become oppy and be more susceptible to disease. Not picky about soil and deer dislike it. Good choice for cottage gardens, wild areas, and where a meadow- like look is desired. Cut back after owering to encourage additional bloom. Many cultivars av ...
Botanical Name: Arctostaphylos 'Emerald Carpet' Plant Height: 1-3' Common Name: Manzanita Emerald Carpet Flower Color: White Plant Type: Shrub, Ground cover Attracts Wildlife: Birds Sun: Full, Half Leaf Color: Green Water: Very Low, Low, Extra in Summer Flower Season: Winter, Spring The 'Emerald Carpet' is an evergreen groundcover that grows to 1' tall by 6'-8' wide. It is favored by many landscapers as the manzanita of choice for inland situations. It has dark green leaves and exhibits compact growth. This variety is relatively tolerant of adverse soil conditions.
Botanical Name: Arctostaphylos den. 'Howard Plant Height: 6-12' McMinn' Flower Color: Pink Common Name: Howard McMinn Manzanita Attracts Wildlife: Hummingbirds, Plant Type: Shrub Butter ies Sun: Full, Half Leaf Color: Green Water: Low Flower Season: Winter, Spring This shrub is highly appreciated for its decorative characteristics, which include a dense show of small, pale pink urn-shaped owers in winter and spring. One of its main often overlooked attractions of this plant is the mahogany-red to brown bark (which peels beautifully) that can be revealed with some internal pruning once the plant is mature . It's small, red fruit resembles the tike apple, appearing at the end of winter just as Spring is coming on. Evergreen, shiny leaves are very neat and tidy. It can reach 8' tall and 10 wide. It can be pruned to desired size. This shrub attracts b ...
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Botanical Name: Arctostaphylos uva-ursi 'Radiant' Plant Height: Under 1' Common Name: Radiant Manzanita Flower Color: Pink Plant Type: Ground cover Attracts Wildlife: Birds, Hummingbirds Sun: Full, Half Leaf Color: Green Water: Low, Extra in Summer Flower Season: Winter This beautiful ground cover quickly reaches 6" tall and 6' wide in coastal areas, slower growing in warmer regions. This plant has evergreen, rounded, leathery, green leaves. Pink owers bloom in winter, attracting hummingbirds. After bloom period, bright red berries appear, attracting birds. This plant tolerates full sun in coastal areas but needs afternoon shade in warm inland valleys. It prefers sandy well draining soil but will tolerate clay as long as drainage is good. Minimum watering.
Botanical Name: Artemisia californica Plant Height: 3-6' Common Name: California Sagebrush Flower Color: n/a Plant Type: Shrub Attracts Wildlife: n/a Sun: Full, Half Leaf Color: Grey Green, Grey Water: Low Flower Season: Summer The California sagebrush is an evergreen medium sized, gray green aromatic shrub. The foliage has wispy soft texture.This shrub is native to CA, is drought tolerant, and attracts butter ies. This is a highly combustible plant.
Botanical Name: Baccharis pilularis 'Pigeon Point' Plant Height: 1-3' Common Name: Pigeon Point Coyote Bush Flower Color: White Plant Type: Shrub, Ground cover Attracts Wildlife: Sun: Full, Half Leaf Color: Water: Low Flower Season: Fall Fast-growing, easy evergreen groundcover to 2' tall and 12' wide. Native from Baja to the Oregon coast in dunes and blu s in coastal scrub, and dry slopes and woods in chaparral, woodlands, and mixed evergreen forests. Tolerates ocean spray and is deer resistant. Preferred coyote bush for slope stabilization and landscaping, coastal or inland. Prefers full sun and well-drained soil, but tolerates alkaline, sandy, or clay soil. Once mature, tolerates dryness; looks better, grows faster, and is healthier with some summer water. White, insigni cant owers in fall. Plant 6-10 feet apart for ...
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Botanical Name: Ceanothus 'Joyce Coulter' Plant Height: 3-6' Common Name: Joyce Coulter Ceanothus Flower Color: Blue Plant Type: Shrub Attracts Wildlife: Hummingbirds, Sun: Full, Half Butter ies Water: Low, Extra in Summer Leaf Color: Green 'Joyce Coulter' is a fast growing shrub that reaches Flower Season: Spring 3' tall and 8' wide. It has a mounding, dense habit. This cultivar has a generous amount of medium blue, tiny owers in 3"-5" clusters, blooming in spring. Evergreen leaves are glossy, oval shaped and small. Plant in full sun in coastal areas but it needs afternoon shade in warm, inland valleys. This shrub can become drought tolerant along the coast but needs more watering during hot summer months. It tolerates clay soil and frost. A very reliable and long lived shrub.
Botanical Name: Ceanothus gloriosus 'Anchor Bay' Plant Height: 1-3' Common Name: Anchor Bay Creeping Ceanothus Flower Color: Blue Plant Type: Shrub, Ground cover Attracts Wildlife: Sun: Full, Half Leaf Color: Water: Very Low, Extra in Summer Flower Season: Spring This shrub, also used as ground cover, can reach 3' high and 4'-6' wide. Foliage is evergreen, dark green, resembling holly leaves with spines. During spring, dark blue ower clusters cover the plant. The shrub has slightly arching branches. This is a great plant for coastal areas, tolerating full sun and salt spray. Deer tend to stay away from this cultivar as the spines discourage browsing. It does best with afternoon shade in warm, inland valleys and additional summer irrigation. It also frost hardy to 15 degrees F. This plant is great for erosion control on hillsides. Butter ies love ...
Botanical Name: Ceanothus griseus hor. 'Yankee Plant Height: 1-3' Point' Flower Color: Blue Common Name: Yankee Point Ceanothus Attracts Wildlife: Hummingbirds, Plant Type: Ground cover Butter ies Sun: Full, Half Leaf Color: Green Water: Low Flower Season: Spring Yankee Point is one of the most popular forms of spreading shrubs. Its glossy oval leaves of 2" in diameter are bright green and tasty for deer. The tiny, light blue owers are abundant and form 1" clusters in spring. This shrub bene ts from pruning when the plant is not blooming. It does best in well- drained, sandy or rocky soil with little to no summer water. This shrub is used as a ground cover since it reaches 2.5' tall and may slowly spread to 15'.
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Botanical Name: Cercocarpus betuloides Plant Height: 12-25' Common Name: Mountain Mahogany Flower Color: Yellow Plant Type: Tree, Shrub Attracts Wildlife: Wildlife Sun: Full, Half Leaf Color: Green Water: Very Low Flower Season: Spring This evergreen shrub grows 15' high and 6' wide. It can be pruned to look like a small tree 20' tall. Small yellow, fragrant owers cover the shrub in spring which contrast with the red stems. The leaves are small and oval-shaped. Feathery fruit hang on the shrub in fall and when backlit, gives o a silvery glow. This shrub tolerates full to part sun with rocky, poor soil. This California native is great for erosion control or revegetating an area. It is useful in narrow areas for privacy since it can be pruned into a privacy hedge. Deer browse this plant. It is wind tolerant and needs o ...
Botanical Name: Eriogonum fasciculatum 'Warriner Plant Height: 1-3' Lytle' Flower Color: Pink, White Common Name: California Buckwheat Attracts Wildlife: Plant Type: Shrub Leaf Color: Sun: Full, Half Flower Season: Summer, Fall Water: Very Low, Low This California buckwheat grows quickly into a low and spreading evergreen mat clothed with small, needle-like leaves, 1' tall and 4' wide. From late spring to early fall, tight clusters of creamy-whitish pink owers appear which are very attractive to bees and butter ies. As the owers go to seed they gradually turn dark russet and are attractive to seed eating birds and mammals. Excellent for dry slopes where it will grow in full sun to light shade with good drainage. Quite drought tolerant once established. Deer resistant.
Botanical Name: Eriogonum giganteum Plant Height: 3-6' Common Name: St. Catherine's Lace Flower Color: Red, White Plant Type: Shrub Attracts Wildlife: Birds, Butter ies Sun: Full Leaf Color: Grey, Silver, White Water: Very Low, Low Flower Season: Spring, Summer St. Catherine's Lace is a large open shrub growing 4'-5' high and 3'-4' wide. Evergreen leaves are oval shaped, silvery on top and woolly white on bottom. During spring, at clusters of tiny, cream colored owers appear reminding one of Granny's lace doilies. These owers turn rust in summer and fall. It is a full-sun California native that does well in coastal areas, not needing irrigation once established. In warmer, inland areas, this plant will also thrive with minimal watering. It attracts butter ies and bene cial insects. It does best with well draining soil but tolerates clay s ...
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Botanical Name: Grevillea 'Noellii' Plant Height: 3-6' Common Name: Noell's Grevillea Flower Color: Pink Plant Type: Shrub, Ground cover Attracts Wildlife: n/a Sun: Full Leaf Color: Green Water: Low Flower Season: Winter, Spring, Summer This low, compact evergreen shrub reaches 3'-6' tall and 6'8' wide. Dark pink owers apear in the spring. Its bright green foliage is needle-like. Full sun is required for growth. Prune after bloom period to keep this shrub looking dense. Grevillea is sensitive to salt accumulation so it's important to drip irrigate for hours on this plant to leach out salt once a month. Do not fertilize with phosphates.
Botanical Name: Heteromeles arbutifolia Plant Height: 6-12' Common Name: Toyon Flower Color: White Plant Type: Tree, Shrub Attracts Wildlife: Sun: Full, Half Leaf Color: Water: Very Low, Low Flower Season: Spring, Summer Evergreen shrub typically grows up to 8' tall and 5' wide, sometimes larger, with leathery, toothed, green leaves. Small, white, fragrant owers appear in late spring or early summer, followed by clusters of red winter berries. Tolerates full sun, part shade, heat, smog, wind, and heavy or light soils. Established plants are drought tolerant. May take several years to become established, after which it's great for erosion control. Prune a little bit all year long if desired, or wait till August/September for a heavier prune.
Botanical Name: Lippia nodi ora Plant Height: Under 1' Common Name: Kurapia Flower Color: Lavender, Pink Plant Type: Ground cover Attracts Wildlife: Butter ies Sun: Full Leaf Color: Green Water: Low Flower Season: Spring, Summer, Fall This is a ground hugging, creeping, rugged subtropical groundcover. It can serve as a lawn substitute that can take some tra c, and it can be mowed. It attracts bees when it blooms. It is used in water gardens and for habitat restorations. Butter ies love this groundcover also. It is very adaptable, suitable in both wet and dry locations. Plant 2 ft. apart for a quick, dense, creeping turf only 2” tall. Pretty 1/2” lavender-pink ower clusters appear Spring thru Fall, attracting many small butter ies and bees. Mow periodically to reinvigorate. This plant looks better with occasi ...
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Botanical Name: Mahonia aquifolium Plant Height: 3-6' Common Name: Oregon Grape Flower Color: Yellow Plant Type: Broadleaf Evergreen, Shrub Attracts Wildlife: Sun: Full, Half, Shade Leaf Color: Water: Medium Flower Season: Spring Evergreen shrub grows upright to 6' tall, slowly creeping outward by rhizomes. Leaves are 4"-10" long, with 5-9 very spiny-toothed, 1.5" oval lea ets. New springtime growth turns copper-bronze tone, and fall foliage turns a deep reddish tone. Performs in sun or shade and looks best with regular water but is considered drought tolerant. Terminal clusters of bright-yellow, bell-shaped owers are followed by clusters of blue, grape-like fruits loved by birds. Makes good jelly.
Botanical Name: Mahonia repens Plant Height: 1-3' Common Name: Creeping Mahonia Flower Color: Yellow Plant Type: Shrub, Ground cover Attracts Wildlife: Birds Sun: Half, Shade Leaf Color: Bronze, Blue Green Water: Low Flower Season: Spring, Summer The creeping Mahonia is a small evergreen shrub that grows 1'-3' high. It has spiny, red to green foliage and yellow owers in the spring. This plant spreads by underground stems and is resistant to oak root fungus. It is native to California and is drought tolerant.
Botanical Name: Myoporum parvifolium Plant Height: Under 1' Common Name: Ground Cover Myoporum Flower Color: White Plant Type: Ground cover Attracts Wildlife: Sun: Full, Half Leaf Color: Water: Low, Extra in Summer Flower Season: Summer This great groundcover will grow 9" high and 9' wide and does well in partial or full sun with moderate watering. It produces delicate white owers that bloom in summer and are surrounded by tiny, bright green leaves.
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Botanical Name: Quercus agrifolia Plant Height: 25-40', 40-60', 60-100' Common Name: Coast Live Oak Flower Color: n/a Plant Type: Tree Attracts Wildlife: Sun: Full Leaf Color: Water: Very Low, Low Flower Season: n/a Stately drought-resistant tree grows from Mendocino to Baja, Mexico. Among the most important wildlife plants, provides critical habitat for 700+ insects and numerous birds and animals. Dominant overstory plant of the Coast Live Oak woodland , often with Bay Laurel and California Buckeye north of Big Sur. Evergreen and round- headed, it has variable holly-like leaves, grows 2' per year, and can live 250 years. Reaches 20' to 70' tall and wide (wider than tall with age). Helps control erosion and maintain a healthy balance of bene cial insects. Spring male owers are pendulous catkins, fem ...
Botanical Name: Rhamnus californica Plant Height: 6-12' Common Name: Co eeberry Flower Color: Yellow Plant Type: Shrub Attracts Wildlife: Birds Sun: Full, Half Leaf Color: Grey Green Water: Very Low Flower Season: Spring Co eeberry is an evergreen shrub that grows native in the US West Coast. Co eeberry is native from the Oregon Coast ranges through most of California into Arizona and Baja. This large shrub reaches 8' tall and 10' wide. It needs full to part sun and is drought tolerant once it's established. But it will tolerate some shade. Foliage is gray green. Tiny clusters of yellow owers appear in spring and are considered insigni cant. After bloom period, red berries appear, turning black. Birds love the berries.
Botanical Name: Rhus aromatica Gro-Low Plant Height: 3-6' Common Name: Gro-Low Fragrant Sumac Flower Color: White Plant Type: Shrub Attracts Wildlife: n/a Sun: Full Leaf Color: Green, Dark Green Water: Very Low, Extra in Summer Flower Season: Spring Rhus aromatica, commonly called fragrant sumac, is a deciduous Missouri native shrub which occurs in open woods, glades and thickets throughout the State. A dense, low-growing, rambling shrub which spreads by root suckers to form thickets in the wild. Typically grows 2-4' tall (less frequently to 6') and spreads to 10' wide. Trifoliate, medium green leaves turn attractive shades of orange, red and purple in autumn. Leaves and twigs are aromatic when bruised (hence the species name). Although smaller, the leaves resemble in appearance those of the related poison ivy (Rhus radicans). -Misso ...
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Botanical Name: Rhus integrifolia Plant Height: 6-12' Common Name: Lemonade Berry Flower Color: Pink, White Plant Type: Shrub Attracts Wildlife: n/a Sun: Full, Half Leaf Color: Dark Green Water: Low Flower Season: Winter, Spring The Lemonade Berry is an evergreen shrub that reaches 30' high. It has aromatic leaves and develops small white to pink owers and red berries. This shrub grows best in coastal areas and is drought tolerant. The Lemonade Berry is a native to California - Corn ower Farms
Botanical Name: Ribes sanguineum glutinosum Plant Height: 6-12' Common Name: Winter Currant Flower Color: Pink Plant Type: Shrub Attracts Wildlife: Sun: Half, Shade Leaf Color: Water: Very Low, Low Flower Season: Winter, Spring Beautiful semi-deciduous shrub with an upright growth habit that's round and open. Showy pink owers bloom late winter and spring, a hummingbird's delight. Birds and other pollinators relish the seeds.
Botanical Name: Ribes viburnifolium Plant Height: 3-6' Common Name: Catalina Evergreen Currant Flower Color: Pink Plant Type: Shrub Attracts Wildlife: Sun: Half, Shade Leaf Color: Water: Low Flower Season: Spring Fragrant evergreen shrub grows 3' tall and 6'-10' wide, but can easily be kept smaller. Has red stems, red leaf venation, and small rose-colored owers with red berries February to April. Scented dark green foliage exudes fragrance when brushed and has a waxy shine after it rains. Native to Santa Catalina Island and Baja California where it grows in shade to part shade. Grows with dry to moderate water as long as it has good drainage. Extremely drought tolerant in clay. Good ground cover for dry shade. Thrives under oaks.
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Botanical Name: Rosa californica Plant Height: 3-6' Common Name: California Wild Rose Flower Color: Pink Plant Type: Shrub, Vine Attracts Wildlife: Birds, Hummingbirds Sun: Full, Half, Shade Leaf Color: Green, Light Green Water: Medium, Extra in Summer Flower Season: Spring, Summer The California wild rose is a shrub that reaches 6 ft. tall. It develops single pink owers in clusters and tolerates sun or shade. This shrub is hardy to 15 degrees F. and is drought tolerant. The wild rose is native to California. - Corn ower Farms
Botanical Name: Rosmarinus o . 'Huntington Plant Height: 1-3' Carpet' Flower Color: Blue Common Name: Huntington Carpet Rosemary Attracts Wildlife: n/a Plant Type: Ground cover Leaf Color: Green Sun: Full, Half Flower Season: Spring, Summer Water: Low In comparison to other varieties of the Rosmarinus, the 'Huntington Carpet' is less woody, and the leaf color is much greener. Also, it maintains a center foliage better that other prostrates.
Botanical Name: Salvia clevelandii Plant Height: 3-6' Common Name: Cleveland Blue Sage Flower Color: Blue, Lavender Plant Type: Shrub Attracts Wildlife: Hummingbirds Sun: Full, Half Leaf Color: Green Water: Very Low, Low Flower Season: Summer The Cleveland Sage is a perennial shrub that grows 4' tall and wide. It has fragrant gray foliage and blue, lavender or white owers that bloom between May and August. This shrub needs full sun and prefers well drained soil. The Cleveland Sage is a proli c bloomer and is drought tolerant.
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Botanical Name: Salvia elegans Plant Height: 3-6' Common Name: Pineapple Sage Flower Color: Red Plant Type: Perennial Attracts Wildlife: Sun: Full, Half Leaf Color: Water: Medium Flower Season: Summer, Fall Scarlet owers bloom from late summer into early winter on this easy-care perennial. Moderate to fast growing, it reaches 3-5 feet tall and wide. Tubular owers are a hummingbird favorite, and lovely pineapple-scented leaves are excellent dried in potpourri or fresh in salads, jams, and drinks. Prefers loamy soil and regular water. Cut back in spring and protect from wind.
Botanical Name: Salvia leucophylla 'Bee's Bliss' Plant Height: 1-3' Common Name: Bee's Bliss Purple Sage Flower Color: Blue, Lavender Plant Type: Shrub Attracts Wildlife: Butter ies Sun: Full Leaf Color: Grey Green Water: Very Low Flower Season: Spring This reliable shrub/ground-cover reaches 1'-1.5' tall and 4'-6' wide. It is used as a ground cover on slopes or cascading over walls. The evergreen leaves are gray green, narrow, and soft looking, During spring and summer clusters of lavender blue owers appear above foliage. This sage prefers full sun with well draining soil. It does not like overhead irrigation as it promotes mildew. It is drought tolerant once it's established.
Botanical Name: Symphyotrichum chilense Plant Height: 1-3' Common Name: Coast Aster Flower Color: Lavender Plant Type: Perennial Attracts Wildlife: Sun: Full, Half Leaf Color: Water: Low Flower Season: Summer, Fall Coast Aster is a 2' California native perennial with bright green leaves and spectacular daisy-like owers that bloom proli cally in late summer and fall. Grows fast with normal garden irrigation, spreading vigorously by rhizomes in well-watered gardens but not much with low water. Great for woodland shade garden or full sun ower garden along the coast. This plant is well liked by native CA moths and butter ies as a nectar source, and attracts many bene cial insects. Good choice for parking strips, neglected areas, and containers. Performs in any soil, including clay, and is extremel ...
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