Marin Chapter California Native Plant Society www.cnpsmarin.org
NATIVES FOR DRY SHADE UNDER NATIVE OAKS
Oak woodlands occur on dry slopes and the particular exposure (south-facing or north-facing) helps deter- mine the understory plant community. Soils are typically clay, which hold moisture in the rainy season but are very dry in summer. The soil, particularly under the canopies of the live oaks, is covered by leaf litter. The most common oaks in Marin are Coast Live Oak, Black Oak, and Blue Oak (Novato only).
SMALL TREES AND LARGE SHRUBS Aesculus californica / Buckeye Garrya elliptica / Silk Tassel Bush Arctostaphylos spp. / Manzanita * Heteromeles arbutifolia / Toyon * Ceanothus thyrsiflorus / Blueblossom * Prunus ilicifolia / Holly-leaf Cherry * Corylus cornuta var. californica / Hazelnut Sambucus nigra ssp. caerulea / Blue Elderberry
MEDIUM AND SMALL SHRUBS Berberis (Mahonia) aquifolium / Oregon Grape Philadelphus lewisii / Mock Orange Carpenteria californica / Bush Anenome Rhus integrifolia / Lemonade Berry Ceanothus species and cultivars* Ribes aureum / Golden Currant Frangula (Rhamnus) californica / Coffeeberry Ribes sanguineum var. glutinosum / Pink-flowering Gambelia speciosa / Island Bush Snapdragon ** Currant Holodiscus discolor / Ocean Spray or Cream Bush Ribes speciosum / Fuchsia-flowered Gooseberry Keckiella cordifolia / Heart-leaf Penstemon Ribes viburnifolium / Catalina Perfume Lepechinia fragrans / Pitcher Sage Rosa californica / California Rose Mimulus aurantiacus / Sticky Monkeyflower & hybrids Symphoricarpos albus var. laevigatus / Snowberry
PERENNIALS AND BULBS Chlorogalum pomeridianum / Soap Lily Salvia spathacea / Hummingbird Sage Heuchera maxima and hybrids / Alum Root Scrophularia californica / Beeplant Iris douglasiana / Douglas Iris; Pacific Coast Telllima grandiflora / Fringecups Iris hybrids Triteleia laxa / Ithuriel’s Spear Phacelia bolanderi / Bolander’s Phacelia Solanum xantii / Blue Nightshade
GRASSES, RUSHES AND SEDGES GROUNDCOVERS Carex tumulicola / Foothill Sedge Berberis aquifolium var. repens / Creeping Barberry Elymus glaucus / Blue Wildrye Fragaria vesca ssp. californica / Woodland Strawberry Festuca californica / California Fescue Salvia sonomensis / Sonoma Sage Juncus patens / Grey Rush Satureja douglasii / Yerba Buena Melica harfordii / Harford Melicgrass Symphoricarpos mollis / Creeping Snowberry Melica torreyana / Torrey’s Melic Whipplea modesta / Modesty
FERNS VINES Blechnum spicant / Deer Fern Clematis ligusticifolia / Western Virgin’s Bower Dryopteris arguta / Coastal Wood Fern Lonicera hispidula var. vacillans / Hairy Honeysuckle Polypodium californicum / California Polypody Fern Polystichum munitum / Western Swordfern * place in the sunny spots ** frost tender