Plant Profile: Sticky Phacelia (Phacelia viscida)
Karen Also known as tacky phacelia and scorpion weed, this annual is native to the coastal hills and mountains of central and southern California and northern Baja California where it grows…
Plant Profile: Hollyleaf Cherry (Prunus ilicifolia)
This evergreen shrub or small tree is native to the desert chaparral areas of the Mohave desert, coastal California, Baja California and Baja California Sur and is a member of…
Plant Profile: Hairy Ceanothus (Ceanothus oliganthus)
Native to dry habitats on the coastal mountains of California and Baja California, this evergreen shrub is a member of the buckthorn family, Rhamnaceae, that also includes jujube tree and…
Plant Profile: Spiny Redberry (Rhamnus crocea)
Also called hollyleaf buckthorn, this evergreen shrub is native to Baja California, California and Arizona, where it grows in dry washes and canyons in coastal sage scrub, chaparral, and various…
Plant Profile: Chaparral Mallow (Malacothamnus fasciculatus)
Also called Mendocino bushmallow, this evergreen shrub is native to Sonora, Mexico, northern Baja California, and California where it is associated with chaparral and sage scrub vegetation and is especially…
Plant Profile: Purple Sage (Salvia leucophylla)
Also known as San Luis purple sage and gray sage, this semi-deciduous shrub is native to coastal Southern California and Baja California where it grows on dry open hillsides. It…
Plant Profile: California Bush Sunflower (Encelia californica)
Also called California brittlebush, this shrub is native to coastal southern California and Baja California, and is a member of the aster family, Asteraceae, that also includes daisy, yarrow and…
Plant Profile: Bluff Lettuce (Dudleya farinosa)
Also known as powdery liveforever, and powdery dudleya, north coast dudleya, and sea lettuce, this evergreen succulent is native to the coastlines of northern California and Oregon where is grows…
Plants for a Plant Zoo: Buffalo Grass (Buchloe dactyloides)
How about a plant zoo turf that does not need fertilizer, pesticides, or frequent mowing? Buffalo grass might be the answer and it has the additional benefits of being attractive,…
Butterflies in the Garden and How to Attract Them: Alfalfa Butterfly (Colias eurythreme)garden
Alfalfa butterflies, also called orange sulphurs, are one of the most widespread butterflies in the US occurring coast to coast except in Florida. They can be found in a wide…