Plants For Coastal Prairie

A perennial that grows right next to the ocean, on bluffs or the coastal sand spits. The consistent variable seems to be the sea Salt spray keeps the plants a low 1 inch tall. The flowers rise 2 inch... Learn more.

Western Yarrow is a small perennial that spreads by rhizomes. It varies by locale from 1-4'. The cream-colored (off-white?) flowers are in 3- 4"clusters. It's native to the western U.S. and is drought... Learn more.

(Achillea borealis ssp. californica (Munz)) Island Pink. Yarrow is a perennial that spreads by rhizomes. It varies by locale from one to four feet. Some plants of each population will have 3- 4"clu... Learn more.

Hoovers Manzanita is an evergray 10' X `6' bush with red stems that has proved intractable in our climate and soil. This species has an interesting leaf appearance, because of the long, silvery, hair... Learn more.

6" mound with 1" pink pom-poms 1' high. Will take almost any climate with regular water. Best in part shade inland, full sun along coast. Not drought tolerant or tough except on coastal bluffs. Excell... Learn more.

(Syn. Artemisia dracunculoides, Artemisia glauca) Tarragon (probably not the variety called French Tarragon, the culinary herb) is a very unattractive weed of disturbed places. Worldwide, maybe native... Learn more.

Baccharis pilularis consanguinea, Coyote Brush, is usually deer proof throughout California.  (You might want to cover it for the first year.) It's drought tolerant, very useful for hedges or fence li... Learn more.

Corms, 1' in height, blue 1" flowers, spring, throughout Ca.,UT, Nev,Ariz.,tolerates most conditions with good drainage, little water after established. Butterfly plant. One of the earlier wildflowers... Learn more.

Bifid referring to the top of the fruit covering which is cleft into two parts, , somewhat tufted perennial to 5 ft. hgt., mostly in the coast ranges of CA, more uncommon in the Sierra Nevada, lvs, fl... Learn more.

Native to moist spots to seasonally wet areas, Small-bracted Sedge, perennial to 5 ft. hgt., grassland, brushland, woodland, sea level to 5000 ft., somewhat common, CA coast ranges, lvs flat, frequen... Learn more.

Ceanothus Yankee Point' is an evergreen shrub that commonly grows two or three feet tall and ten feet wide. A mounding mass of glossy green with blue flowers in Mar-May. Does best near coast, but g... Learn more.

Clarkia amoena, or Farewell-to-spring, is an annual that grows to two feet high, with 1" to 2" pink flowers in late spring. This delicate annual grows well in sandy or clay soil and also tolerates sa... Learn more.

Coast Dudleya is commonly found on coastal bluffs from North Los Angeles county up into the Monterey area. It survives full coastal bluff conditions and hangs out with Oeanothera hookeri, Eriophyllum ... Learn more.

Erigeron glaucus 'Cape Sebastian' beautiful perennial for small gardens, borders, or butterfly gardens. Well liked by many types of butterflies that are native along the coast. Part-shade or afternoo... Learn more.

The flower is large and showy on this, but that is the problem with it. The flower, we normally only see one flower per plant, per year. If you have a conventional garden this plant is acceptable, oth... Learn more.

Erigeron x 'Wayne Roderick' is lower, darker green with smaller leaves than the species, and is believed to be of hybrid origin, with one of the parents being Erigeron glaucus. This one is impressive... Learn more.

Buckwheats are very important butterfly plants and one of the pillars of their communities. Cliff buckwheat is the host plant for many species of butterfly including the rare El Segundo Blue, Euphil... Learn more.

Seaside Woolly Sunflower grows near the coast. This Eriophyllum species is a flat to mounding, 2 ft. high perennial with gray foliage that is covered with yellow when it flowers. Commonly found growin... Learn more.

Munz lists four flavors of California Poppy that have largely geographic separations. We finally gave up and are lumping most here as the trade doesn't seem to separate them. It seems a California ... Learn more.

Munz lists four tendencies that have largely geographic separations. A perennial form with gray roughish leaves and prostrate stems. Surf to Monterey.Foliage is diminutive, flowers are normal to large... Learn more.

Douglas Iris, Iris douglasiana is a knee high perennial with rhizomes that spread slowly into a 2 to 4 ft wide clump. The flowers arise on a 1 to 2 ft high stem, are cream to light purple and three ... Learn more.

Iris longipetala, Long Petaled Iris is a 2 ft. perennial, non-rhizomorphic. Long Petaled Iris has large 4-6 inch, blue flowers, and grows in clay soils around S.F. bay. This one has done well here wit... Learn more.

Bert's Blue Iris douglasiana came out of customers property in Pebble Beach. In coastal environments it will grow to six inches tall on coastal bluffs with salt spray. Out the wind and with a little w... Learn more.

Menzies' goldenbush grows along coastal bluffs from Ragged Point to Point Mugu and on the Channel Islands. A very usual plant if you have a garden within a bock of the ocean. A great butterfly plant... Learn more.

A small little early spring annual that is a pioneer species in many bad habitats. In the San Joaquin Valley it makes mass displays of bright yellow in areas that are still intact. It will grow in any... Learn more.