Plant List

Plants that thrive along the rim or nearby dry streambeds, infiltration basins, and swales (but not inside)

 

Alkalai sacaton

Botanical Name: Sporobolus airoides
Plant Type: Grass, Native
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 2 ft. - 3 ft. (to 4 ft. with flowers)   Width: 2 ft. - 4 ft.
More info
 

Allen Chickering sage

Botanical Name: Salvia 'Allen Chickering'
Plant Type: Native, Shrub
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 3 ft. - 5 ft.   Width: 8 ft. - 12+ ft. can be kept to appx. 8' with annual pruning
More info
 

Autumn sage + cvs

Botanical Name: Salvia greggii
Plant Type: Shrub
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 2 ft. - 4 ft.   Width: 3 ft. - 4 ft.
More info
 

Baja fairy duster

Botanical Name: Calliandra californica
Plant Type: Shrub, Native
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 3 ft. - 5 ft.   Width: 4 ft. - 6 ft.
More info
 

Berkeley sedge

Botanical Name: Carex tumulicola
Plant Type: Grass, Sedge
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: Morning sun, Moderate shade, All day sun
Height: 1 ft. - 1.5 ft.   Width: 1.5 ft. - 3 ft.
More info
 

Bladderpod

Botanical Name: Isomeris arborea
Plant Type: Shrub, Native
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 4 ft. - 6 ft.   Width: 4 ft. - 6 ft.
More info
 

California bay

Botanical Name: Umbellularia californica
Plant Type: Tree, Native
Water Needs: Moderate 3
Exposure: Partial sun, Morning sun
Height: 30 ft. - 50 ft.   Width: 30 ft. - 50 ft.
More info
 

California fescue

Botanical Name: Festuca californica
Plant Type: Native, Grass
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: Partial sun
Height: 1 ft. - 2 ft.   Width: 1 ft. - 2 ft.
More info
 

California gray rush

Botanical Name: Juncus patens
Plant Type: Grass, Rush, Native
Water Needs: Moderate 3
Exposure: Morning sun, Moderate shade, All day sun
Height: 18 in. - 24 in.   Width: 18 in. - 24 in.
More info
 

California strawberry

Botanical Name: Fragaria vesca
Plant Type: Ground cover, Perennial
Water Needs: Moderate 3
Exposure: Moderate shade, Partial sun
Height: 2 in. - 8 in.   Width: 2 ft. - 6 ft.
More info
 

Canyon Prince Wild rye

Botanical Name: Leymus condensatus 'Canyon Prince'
Plant Type: Grass, Native
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 4 ft. - 5 ft.   Width: 4 ft. - 5 ft.
More info
 

Common yarrow + cvs

Botanical Name: Achillea millefolium
Plant Type: Ground cover, Perennial, Native
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: Moderate shade, All day sun
Height: 18 in. - 30 in.   Width: 18 in. - 24 in. then slowly spreading
More info
 

Creeping barberry

Botanical Name: Berberis repens
Plant Type: Shrub, Ground cover, Native
Water Needs: Moderate 3
Exposure: Morning sun, Moderate shade
Height: 1.5 ft. - 3 ft.   Width: 2 ft. - 3 ft. then slowly spreading
More info
 

Deer grass

Botanical Name: Muhlenbergia rigens
Plant Type: Grass, Native
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 2 ft. - 4' (to 5' with flowers)   Width: 4 ft. - 5 ft. (to 6 ft. with flowers)
More info
 

Desert mallow

Botanical Name: Sphaeralcea ambigua
Plant Type: Perennial, Native
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 3 ft. - 4 ft.   Width: 3 ft. - 5 ft.
More info
 

Desert willow + cvs

Botanical Name: Chilopsis linearis
Plant Type: Tree, Native
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 15 ft. - 30 ft. (rarely)   Width: 15 ft. - 20 ft.
More info
 

Golden currant

Botanical Name: Ribes aureum
Plant Type: Shrub, Native
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: Morning sun, All day sun
Height: 4 ft. - 6 ft.   Width: 3 ft. - 7 ft.
More info
 

Hummingbird sage

Botanical Name: Salvia spathacea
Plant Type: Perennial, Native
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: Morning sun, Moderate shade, Partial sun
Height: 12 in. - 18 in.   Width: 18 in. - 24 in. then slowly spreading
More info
 

Incienso, Brittlebush

Botanical Name: Encelia farinosa
Plant Type: Shrub, Native
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 3 ft. - 5 ft.   Width: 3 ft. - 5 ft.
More info
 

Island bush poppy

Botanical Name: Dendromecon harfordii
Plant Type: Shrub
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 6 ft. - 10 ft.   Width: 6 ft. - 10 ft.
More info
 

Lilac verbena

Botanical Name: Verbena lilacina 'De La Mina'
Plant Type: Perennial, Native
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 2 ft. - 3 ft.   Width: 2 ft. - 4 ft.
More info
 

Mexican daisy

Botanical Name: Erigeron karvinskianus
Plant Type: Ground cover, Perennial
Water Needs: Moderate 4
Exposure: All day sun, Morning sun, Moderate shade
Height: 6 in. - 15 in.   Width: 3 ft. - 4 ft.
More info
 

Mountain marigold

Botanical Name: Tagetes lemmonii
Plant Type: Shrub
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 3 ft. - 5 ft.   Width: 6 ft.
More info
 

Pink muhly

Botanical Name: Muhlenbergia capillaris 'Regal Mist'
Plant Type: Grass
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 2 ft.   Width: 4 ft. (to 5' with flowers)
More info
 

Pozo Blue sage

Botanical Name: Salvia 'Pozo Blue'
Plant Type: Shrub
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 3 ft. - 4 ft.   Width: 4 ft. - 7 ft.
More info
 

Red buckwheat

Botanical Name: Eriogonum grande var. rubescens
Plant Type: Perennial, Native
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 1 ft. - 3 ft. (with flowers)   Width: 2 ft. - 3 ft.
More info
 

Showy penstemon

Botanical Name: Penstemon spectabilis
Plant Type: Perennial, Native
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 1.5 ft. (3 ft. while flowering) - 2 ft. (5 ft. while flowering)   Width: 2 ft. - 4 ft.
More info
 

Small cape rush

Botanical Name: Chondropetalum tectorum
Plant Type: Perennial, Rush
Water Needs: Moderate 4
Exposure: All day sun, Moderate shade
Height: 3 ft. - 4 ft.   Width: 5 ft. - 6 ft.
More info
 

Toyon

Botanical Name: Heteromeles arbutifolia
Plant Type: Shrub, Native
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: Morning sun, All day sun, Partial sun
Height: 12 ft. - 25 ft.   Width: 12 ft. - 18 ft.
More info
 

Western Redbud

Botanical Name: Cercis occidentalis
Plant Type: Shrub, Native
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: Morning sun, Moderate shade, All day sun, Partial sun
Height: 10 ft. - 15 ft.   Width: 10 ft. - 20 ft.
More info
 

Western sycamore

Botanical Name: Platanus racemosa
Plant Type: Tree, Native
Water Needs: Moderate 3
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 40 ft. - 80 ft.   Width: 30 ft. - 50 ft.
More info

Plants that thrive in dry streambeds, infiltration basins, and swales

 

Alkalai sacaton

Botanical Name: Sporobolus airoides
Plant Type: Grass, Native
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 2 ft. - 3 ft. (to 4 ft. with flowers)   Width: 2 ft. - 4 ft.
More info
 

Berkeley sedge

Botanical Name: Carex tumulicola
Plant Type: Grass, Sedge
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: Morning sun, Moderate shade, All day sun
Height: 1 ft. - 1.5 ft.   Width: 1.5 ft. - 3 ft.
More info
 

California gray rush

Botanical Name: Juncus patens
Plant Type: Grass, Rush, Native
Water Needs: Moderate 3
Exposure: Morning sun, Moderate shade, All day sun
Height: 18 in. - 24 in.   Width: 18 in. - 24 in.
More info
 

California meadow sedge

Botanical Name: Carex pansa
Plant Type: Sedge, Ground cover, Grass, Native
Water Needs: Moderate 4
Exposure: All day sun, Moderate shade, Morning sun
Height: 8 in. - 10 in.   Width: 12 in. - 24 in.
More info
 

Common yarrow + cvs

Botanical Name: Achillea millefolium
Plant Type: Ground cover, Perennial, Native
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: Moderate shade, All day sun
Height: 18 in. - 30 in.   Width: 18 in. - 24 in. then slowly spreading
More info
 

Deer grass

Botanical Name: Muhlenbergia rigens
Plant Type: Grass, Native
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 2 ft. - 4' (to 5' with flowers)   Width: 4 ft. - 5 ft. (to 6 ft. with flowers)
More info
 

Pink muhly

Botanical Name: Muhlenbergia capillaris 'Regal Mist'
Plant Type: Grass
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 2 ft.   Width: 4 ft. (to 5' with flowers)
More info
 

Small cape rush

Botanical Name: Chondropetalum tectorum
Plant Type: Perennial, Rush
Water Needs: Moderate 4
Exposure: All day sun, Moderate shade
Height: 3 ft. - 4 ft.   Width: 5 ft. - 6 ft.
More info