Drought tolerant plants for the Los Angeles Basin.
In the 1500's
California went through an 80 year drought. During the winter there
were blizzards in Central California, the Salinas river froze solid
where it flowed into the Monterey Bay. During the summer there was no
humidity, no rain, and temperatures in the hundreds for many
months. During one year in the 1840's there was no measurable rain in
Santa Barbara. (The highest measured rainfall in an hour also was in
Southern California, 11 inches in an hour) The same native
plants that lived through that are still on
the hillsides of California. California native plants that do not
normally live in the creeks and ponds are very drought
tolerant.
The best way to find your plant is to check
www.mynativeplants.com and do not water at all. But if you want a
simple list of drought tolerant plants that can work for your garden
here are some.
Sandy Loam soils of
the Los Angeles Basin, including Santa Monica through Pasadena and Riverside.
| tion | Genus | Species | Variety | Cultivar | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plant Description |
|
Abronia | villosa | aurita | |
| Plant Description |
|
Adenostoma | fasciculatum | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Adenostoma | sparsifolium | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Allium | crispum | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Ambrosia | psilostachya | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Anaphalis | margaritacea | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Antirrhinum | coulterianum | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Antirrhinum | kelloggii | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Antirrhinum | multiflorum | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Antirrhinum | nuttallianum | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Arctostaphylos | glauca | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Arctostaphylos | glauca | Frazier Park Manzanita | |
| Plant Description |
|
Arctostaphylos | glandulosa | zacaensis | San Marcos Manzanita |
| Plant Description |
|
Arctostaphylos | rudis | Burton Beauty Manzanita | |
| Plant Description |
|
Arctostaphylos | glauca | Dwaine's Dwarf | |
| Plant Description |
|
Arctostaphylos | wellsii | Wells Manzanita | |
| Plant Description |
|
Arctostaphylos | pungens | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Arctostaphylos | manzanita_x_densiflora | Austin Griffiths Manzanita | |
| Plant Description |
|
Arctostaphylos | glandulosa | campbelliae | |
| Plant Description |
|
Arctostaphylos | rainbowensis | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Arctostaphylos | glauca | Ramona Manzanita | |
| Plant Description |
|
Arctostaphylos | otayensis | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Arctostaphylos | pringlei | drupacea | Idyllwild Manzanita |
| Plant Description |
|
Arctostaphylos | glauca | Los Angeles | |
| Plant Description |
|
Arctostaphylos | Ian Bush Manzanita | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Arctostaphylos | parryana | Snow Lodge Manzanita | |
| Plant Description |
|
Arctostaphylos | insularis | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Arctostaphylos | luciana | Adelaide Manzanita | |
| Plant Description |
|
Arctostaphylos | densiflora | Sentinel Manzanita | |
| Plant Description |
|
Arctostaphylos | rudis | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Arctostaphylos | manzanita | Dr. Hurd Manzanita Tree | |
| Plant Description |
|
Argemone | munita | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Artemisia | ludoviciana | ludoviciana | |
| Plant Description |
|
Artemisia | palmeri | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Artemisia | californica | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Artemisia | californica | Canyon Gray | Canyon Grey |
| Plant Description |
|
Asclepias | erosa | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Asclepias | californica | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Asclepias | vestita | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Baccharis | sarothroides | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Baccharis | pilularis | consanguinea | |
| Plant Description |
|
Baeria | chrysostoma | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Bloomeria | crocea | aurea | |
| Plant Description |
|
Bloomeria | crocea | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Bothriochloa | barbinodis | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Bouteloua | gracilis | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Brickellia | californica | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Brodiaea | pulchella | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Calandrinia | maritima | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Calandrinia | ciliata | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Calochortus | species | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Calochortus | albus | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Calyptridium | monandrum | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Calystegia | macrostegia | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Calystegia | subacaulis | ssp. episcopalis | |
| Plant Description |
|
Camissonia | lewisii | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Castilleja | foliolosa | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Ceanothus | crassifolius | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Ceanothus | otayensis | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Ceanothus | cuneatus | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Ceanothus | arboreus | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Ceanothus | arboreus | Owlswood Blue | |
| Plant Description |
|
Ceanothus | Mountain Haze | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Ceanothus | Ray Hartman | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Ceanothus | ramulosus | fascicularis | |
| Plant Description |
|
Ceanothus | impressus | nipomoensis | |
| Plant Description |
|
Ceanothus | Mills Glory | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Ceanothus | purpureus | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Ceanothus | megacarpusX | Tranquil Margarita | |
| Plant Description |
|
Ceanothus | Julia Phelps | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Ceanothus | Dark Star | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Ceanothus | verrucosus | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Ceanothus | cyaneus | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Ceanothus | impressus | impressus | |
| Plant Description |
|
Ceanothus | Joyce Coulter | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Ceanothus | Frosty Blue | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Ceanothus | greggii | vestitus | |
| Plant Description |
|
Ceanothus | tomentosus | olivaceus | |
| Plant Description |
|
Ceanothus | oliganthus | oliganthus | |
| Plant Description |
|
Ceanothus | maritimus | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Ceanothus | Remote Blue Ceanothus | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Ceanothus | Celestial Blue | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Ceanothus | Rubins Blue | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Ceanothus | leucodermis | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Ceanothus | L.T.Blue | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Ceanothus | Concha | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Ceanothus | sorediatus | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Cercocarpus | alnifolius | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Chaenactis | glabriuscula | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Chenopodium | californicum | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Chlorogalum | pomeridianum | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Chrysopsis | villosa | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Chrysothamnus | nauseosus | viscosus | |
| Plant Description |
|
Chrysothamnus | nauseosus | hololeucus | |
| Plant Description |
|
Chrysothamnus | nauseosus | consimilis | |
| Plant Description |
|
Cirsium | californicum | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Cirsium | proteanum | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Clarkia | unguiculata | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Cneoridium | dumosum | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Comarostaphylis | diversifolia | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Corethrogyne | filaginifolia | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Corethrogyne | filaginifolia | Silver carpet | |
| Plant Description |
|
Cowania | mexicana | stansburiana | |
| Plant Description |
|
Crossosoma | californicum | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Croton | californicus | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Cryptantha | clevelandii | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Cupressus | nevadensis | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Cupressus | macnabiana | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Cupressus | forbesii | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Delphinium | parishii | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Delphinium | cardinale | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Dendromecon | harfordii | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Dendromecon | rigida | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Deschampsia | elongata | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Diplacus | aurantiacus | australis | Ramona |
| Plant Description |
|
Diplacus | clevelandiiX | puniceus | San Diego Sunrise |
| Plant Description |
|
Diplacus | longiflorus | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Diplacus | fasciculatus | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Diplacus | rutilus | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Diplacus | aurantiacus | lompocensis | Vandenberg Monkey Flower |
| Plant Description |
|
Diplacus | calycinus | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Dodecatheon | clevelandii | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Dodecatheon | clevelandii | insulare | |
| Plant Description |
|
Dudleya | edulis | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Dudleya | pulverulenta | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Dudleya | lanceolata | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Dyssodia | thurberi | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Emmenanthe | penduliflora | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Encelia | actonii | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Encelia | farinosa | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Encelia | californica | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Ephedra | californica | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Eriodictyon | tomentosum | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Eriodictyon | crassifolium | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Eriogonum | fasciculatum | polifolium | Margarita Fog |
| Plant Description |
|
Eriogonum | grande | rubescens | |
| Plant Description |
|
Eriogonum | fasciculatum | polifolium | |
| Plant Description |
|
Eriogonum | fasciculatum | foliolosum | |
| Plant Description |
|
Eriogonum | arborescens | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Eriogonum | giganteum | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Eriogonum | crocatum | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Eriogonum | cinereum | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Eriogonum | parvifolium | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Eriophyllum | lanatum | grandiflorum | |
| Plant Description |
|
Erysimum | menziesii | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Erysimum | concinnum | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Erysimum | insulare | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Erysimum | ammophilum | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Eschscholzia | caespitosa | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Eschscholzia | californica | maritima | |
| Plant Description |
|
Eschscholzia | californica | peninsularis | |
| Plant Description |
|
Eschscholzia | californica | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Fallugia | paradoxa | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Garrya | veatchii | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Gnaphalium | californicum | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Grindelia | camporum | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Haplopapappus | venetus | furfuracea | |
| Plant Description |
|
Haplopappus | linearifolius | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Haplopappus | squarrosus | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Helianthemum | scoparium | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Heteromeles | arbutifolia | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Horkelia | cuneata | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Iva | hayesiana | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Juniperus | californica | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Keckiella | cordifolia | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Keckiella | antirrhinoides | ||
| Plant Description |
|
Keckiella | ternata | ||