Native plants like Golden yarrow, California bee plant, California lilac, and Manzanita can transform your Bay Area landscape from ordinary to extraordinary.
These easy-to-maintain native species look beautiful and are well-adapted to the Bay Area’s unique climate. Let’s take a look at the best native plants for the Bay Area.
Why choose native plants?
Native plants grow naturally in your region and are preferred by gardeners and landscapers because they are adapted to the local climate and soil conditions. For the Bay Area, that means plants that do well in our warm, dry summers and mild, wet winters.
Here are the benefits of choosing native plants over non-natives:
- They thrive in the Bay Area
- Use less water
- Require fewer pesticides
- Resists pests and diseases naturally
- Attract pollinators like hummingbirds, butterflies, and native bees
Native flowers for the Bay Area
California poppy (Eschscholzia californica)
California poppy blooms during spring and early summer, producing beautiful cup-shaped flowers that butterflies and bees love. The flowers can be bright orange, red, white, yellow, or pink. We recommend deadheading faded flowers during the blooming season to promote new growth.
This perennial grows best in full sun and prefers well-drained sandy soil. California poppy resists drought exceptionally well and is an excellent choice for low-maintenance lawns. However, this plant is toxic to humans and pets.
Learn more about California poppy.
Growth habit: Herb
Hardiness zones: 5a-10b
Sun: Full sun
Soil: Well-draining sandy soils
Water needs: Low
Duration: Annual
Foliage: Green
Height: 4 to 12 inches
Potential hazards: Toxic to humans and pets
Beardtongue (Penstemon)
This perennial produces spectacular tubular blooms during spring and summer that can be red, white, purple, or pink. Bees love feeding on these fragrant flowers. Faded flowers can spoil the appearance of an otherwise beautiful plant, so we recommend deadheading spent blooms to encourage new growth.
Beardtongue requires at least six hours of sunlight a day and thrives in sandy or rocky soil that’s well-drained. If you live in hot areas of the Bay Area like San Jose, Richmond, or Concord, provide the plant with at least an inch of water every week. Beardtongue is toxic to humans and pets.
Learn more about beardtongue.
Growth habit: Herb
Hardiness zones: 3a-9b
Sun: Full sun
Soil: Well-drained sandy or rocky soils
Water needs: Moderate
Duration: Perennial
Foliage: Green
Height: 6 inches to 4 feet
Potential hazards: Toxic to humans and pets
Golden yarrow (Eriophyllum confertiflorum)
This plant blooms from mid-spring to late summer and produces domed clusters of golden flowers that attract butterflies and bees. Golden yarrow blooms for quite a long time, but you can extend it further by deadheading spent flowers.
Golden yarrow grows best in full sun and requires minimal watering. This perennial thrives in sandy or rocky soil that’s well-drained. However, golden yarrow is toxic to humans and pets, so don’t let your kids or furry friends near it.
Learn more about golden yarrow.
Growth habit: Herb
Hardiness zones: 3a-9b
Sun: Full sun
Soil: Well-drained sandy or rocky soil
Water needs: Low
Duration: Perennial
Foliage: Gray-green
Height: 1 to 2 feet
Potential hazards: Toxic to humans and pets
Western Vervain (Verbena lasiostachys)
This perennial blooms from mid-spring to fall, producing tall, densely clustered purple-blue flowers that butterflies and hummingbirds love. Deadhead faded flowers to encourage new growth during the bloom season.
Western Vervain requires at least six hours of sunlight a day and prefers well-drained sandy or clay soil. If you’re in hot areas like San Jose or Concord, provide the plant with at least an inch of water every week. This plant is toxic to humans and pets.
Learn more about Western Vervain.
Growth habit: Herb
Hardiness zones: 4-10
Sun: Full sun
Soil: Well-drained sandy or clay soil
Water needs: Moderate
Duration: Perennial
Foliage: Green
Height: 2 to 3 feet
Potential hazards: Toxic to humans and pets
California bee plant (Scrophularia californica)
California bee plant blooms from mid-spring to mid-summer, producing tiny red flowers. The blooms are easy to miss, but butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees won’t miss them. If you spot faded flowers, deadhead them to promote new growth.
This perennial grows best in full sun but can withstand partial shade. California bee plant thrives in well-drained clay, loamy, or sandy soil and requires minimal watering. However, this plant is toxic to humans and pets.
Learn more about California bee plant.
Growth habit: Herb
Hardiness zones: 7-10
Sun: Full sun, partial shade
Soil: Well-drained clay, loamy, or sandy soil
Water needs: Low
Duration: Perennial
Foliage: Blue-green
Height: 3 to 6 feet
Potential hazards: Toxic to humans and pets
Native shrubs for the Bay Area
California buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum)
California buckwheat produces clusters of white or pinkish-white flowers that attract bees and butterflies. This shrub blooms for a long time, from late spring to mid-fall. Deadhead spent flowers to extend the blooming period even further.
This perennial grows best in full sun and prefers well-drained sandy or loamy soil. California buckwheat requires minimal watering, making it an excellent choice for San Jose, Santa Clara, and Santa Rosa. This plant is non-toxic, so you don’t have to worry about your kids or pets playing near it.
Learn more about California buckwheat.
Growth habit: Shrub
Hardiness zones: 7-11
Sun: Full sun
Soil: Well-drained sandy or loamy soil
Water needs: Low
Duration: Perennial
Foliage: Gray-green
Height: 1 to 6 feet
Potential hazards: Non-toxic
California lilac (Ceanothus)
This shrub blooms in the spring, producing clusters of small blue, white, or pink flowers that bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds love. You don’t have to deadhead California lilac, but we recommend doing so for a neat appearance.
California lilac grows best in full sun but can withstand partial shade. This perennial shrub thrives in most well-drained soils, from sandy to clay to loamy. California lilac requires regular watering initially but can survive with little to no watering once established. It’s also non-toxic.
Learn more about California lilac.
Growth habit: Shrub
Hardiness zones: 8a-10b
Sun: Full sun, partial shade
Soil: Tolerates most well-drained soil
Water needs: Moderate
Duration: Evergreen
Foliage: Dark green
Height: 1 to 6 feet
Potential hazards: Non-toxic
Chaparral mallow (Malacothamnus fasciculatus)
Chaparral mallow is among my favorite shrubs. It produces small clusters of light pink flowers during summer that look beautiful and attract butterflies and hummingbirds. Deadhead spent flowers to promote new growth and prune in late summer to keep the shrub in shape.
This shrub requires at least six hours of sunlight a day and prefers sandy, loamy, or clay soil that’s well-drained. Chaparral mallow can thrive with only one watering a month, but don’t let your pets near it because it’s toxic.
Learn more about chaparral mallow.
Growth habit: Shrub
Hardiness zones: 8a-11b
Sun: Full sun
Soil: Tolerates most well-drained soil
Water needs: Low
Duration: Evergreen
Foliage: Gray-green
Height: 3 to 16 feet
Potential hazards: Toxic to pets
Pitcher sage (Salvia azurea)
This perennial blooms from mid-summer to fall, producing spike-like clusters of blue, two-lipped flowers. I like the blooms, and bees and butterflies enjoy them as well. If you spot faded flowers, deadhead them to encourage new blooms.
Pitcher sage grows best in full sun but can also handle partial shade. This shrub prefers well-drained clay, loamy, or sandy soil and can thrive with about an inch of water each week. Pitcher sage is non-toxic.
Learn more about pitcher sage.
Growth habit: Shrub
Hardiness zones: 5a-9b
Sun: Full sun, partial shade
Soil: Well-drained clay, loamy, or sandy soil
Water needs: Moderate
Duration: Perennial
Foliage: Green
Height: 3 to 5 feet
Potential hazards: Non-toxic
Manzanita (Arctostaphylos)
Manzanita produces white or green lantern-shaped flowers from late winter to spring that attract bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies. We recommend deadheading spent blooms to encourage new growth but wait at least three years before pruning. Summer is the best time to prune because of the dry and sunny weather.
This shrub prefers full sun but does well in partial shade. It thrives in sandy, loamy, or clay soil that’s well-drained and requires minimal watering. Manzanita is non-toxic, making it an excellent choice if you have kids and pets in your yard.
Growth habit: Shrub
Hardiness zones: 8a-10b
Sun: Full sun, partial shade
Soil: Well-draining sandy, clay, or loam soils
Water needs: Low
Duration: Evergreen
Foliage: Bright green
Height: 6 to 25 feet
Potential hazards: Non-toxic
Native trees for the Bay Area
Lemonade berry (Rhus integrifolia)
This tree produces clusters of white or pale pink flowers from late winter to spring that attract butterflies. The flowers ripen into small red fruits in the fall that birds love. Prune lemonade berry as needed to maintain the desired shape and height.
Lemonade berry grows best in full sun but can also handle partial shade. This tree thrives in sandy or loamy soil that’s well-drained and requires minimal watering. However, it’s toxic to humans and pets.
Learn more about lemonade berry.
Growth habit: Tree
Hardiness zones: 9a-11b
Sun: Full sun, partial shade
Soil: Well-drained sandy or loam soil
Water needs: Low
Duration: Evergreen
Foliage: Dark green
Height: 3 to 30 feet
Potential hazards: Toxic to humans and pets
Western redbud (Cercis occidentalis)
Western redbud blooms from late winter to mid-spring, producing clusters of purplish-pink flowers that attract butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees. The tree’s foliage turns into beautiful yellow during autumn. Prune the tree after it reaches five years of age to remove dead branches. Fall, winter, and early spring are the best times for pruning.
Western redbud grows best in full sun but can also withstand partial shade. This tree thrives in sandy, clay, or loamy soil with good drainage. Western redbud requires minimal watering but is toxic to humans and pets.
Learn more about Western redbud.
Growth habit: Tree
Hardiness zones: 6-9
Sun: Full sun, partial shade
Soil: Well-drained sandy, clay, or loamy soil
Water needs: Low
Duration: Deciduous
Foliage: Green
Height: 10 to 20 feet tall
Potential hazards: Toxic to humans and pets
FAQs
Should I buy pre-grown native plants or seed them?
We recommend buying pre-grown native plants because they require less. However, if you want the plants to adapt perfectly to your lawn’s condition or enjoy growing plants, seed them.
You can purchase pre-grown native plants from your local nursery and seeds from online stores like Amazon and Home Depot.
What are the best drought-resistant plants for the Bay Area?
- California poppy
- Golden yarrow
- California bee plant
- California buckwheat
- Chaparral mallow
- Manzanita
- Lemonade berry
- Western redbud
What are the best grasses for the Bay Area?
The best grasses for the Bay Area are Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, fine fescue, tall fescue, and Bermudagrass.
What’s the best time to fertilize my Bay Area lawn?
The best time to fertilize cool-season grasses is from March to May and September to October. For warm-season grass, it’s from May to June and then from September to October. Here’s a guide on when to fertilize California lawns.
What is California’s Green Lawn Care Lawn? Will it affect me?
This law, which came into effect on January 01, 2024, bans the sale of new gas-powered lawn care equipment to control pollution. If you already own a gas-powered tool, you can continue using it. You can also purchase them second-hand, but not new. Here’s a detailed guide on California’s Green Lawn Care Law.
When to hire a professional
Native plants can transform your lawn from boring to beautiful, but only if it’s in good shape. If you need help with lawn maintenance, get in touch with Lawn Love. We connect you with the best lawn pros in your area who can help you with everything related to lawn care.
Main Image Credit: Joe Decruyenaere | Flickr | CC BY-SA 2.0
