When we enjoy urban California’s verdant neighborhoods, fantastic parks, and green lawns we easily forget that most of this luxuriant vegetation is the result of irrigation. In times of intense drought like the one the entire West Coast is experiencing, it’s dismaying to learn that about half of the water the state uses in urban areas is for watering landscapes.
Part of the problem is that most of California’s ornamental landscape is created with species that are not native to this part of the world. While this vegetation has adapted very well to the local temperatures, it requires a substantial amount of water to survive.
How do we keep California green and keep a sensitive attitude toward the limited amount of water available in the state?
One sensible way to address the issue is to turn to native plants. These plants are, in fact, the ones that best respond to the long Californian dry season, requiring very little, if any, water. The downside is that their ornamental qualities are often not as rewarding as those of the standard ornamental species: many of them have a limited blooming season and often die back in the summer, making the seasonal landscape look like an unappealing, burnt-out mess.
While this is the case for many native species, on the other hand, several will stay green throughout the year with very little, if any, water, and will reward a water-sensitive landscape with many interesting features. Here are ten native species providing fantastic ornamental features that easily rival the ones displayed by standard ornamental plants.
1. Aesculus californica – California Buckeye
A small to mid-size tree for all seasons. Large showy, scented panicles of white/pink flowers (held on the branches for a long time) adorn the tree in late spring and summer. In the winter, when the tree loses its leaves, the sculptural quality of its attractive, intricate, branches is fully expressed. A great tree for a park, at the edge of a lawn area, where kids will enjoy climbing its low, thick, branches, or used in clusters to create an informal landscape buffer. California Buckeye will need a little watering in the first stages of its growth, but eventually will require no irrigation.
2. Arbutus ‘Marina’ – Marina strawberry tree
Probably the most versatile tree of the California landscape. This small evergreen tree (20’-30’ height, occasionally 40’) will reward your landscaping efforts in many ways. Its attractive, smooth mahogany-red bark exfoliates in late summer, exposing the next year’s cinnamon-green colored layer below. The large, Rhododendron-like, leathery leaves, with flushes of bronze color in the new growth, contrast nicely with the bark. Clusters of urn-shaped, white-pink flowers are produced year-round (with peaks in spring and fall), and hang from the tree like Christmas decorations. The edible yellow/red fruits are particularly enjoyed by wildlife. This tree serves every possible use in the landscape: accent tree for a park/garden; graceful street tree for a residential neighborhood; wonderful in informal clusters or regular rows. Its exceptional tolerance of summer droughts makes it a perfect candidate for water- sensitive landscapes.
3. Fremontondendron x ‘California glory’ – Flannel bush
The Fremontondendron specie includes several cultivars, all highly drought tolerant and bearing impressive, colorful blooms. This evergreen large shrub/small tree displays a shower of large lemon-yellow flowers with a reddish tinge to the outside of the petals in spring and summer and with a long-lasting bloom season. The velvety, deeply lobed leaves can be very irritating to the skin, so plant far from direct human contact. Flannel bush is tolerant of pruning to control size and shape. Great choice in a grassy area, where the open branching pattern will not overcast the understory. Very drought tolerant, it requires no supplementary water.
4. Carpenteria californica – Bush anemone
This is a perfect mid-sized shrub (4’-6’) for low-maintenance, highly effective results. The dense, dark, glossy green leaves create a wonderful informal hedge/landscape screen at the perimeter of a manicured landscape or along suburban streetscapes. From late spring to early summer the shrubs are covered in clusters of fragrant white flowers with bright yellow stamens at the tip of the branches. The flowers last a long time and occasionally bloom well into the fall, making this shrub an excellent choice for ornamental purposes. Plant bush anemone in full sun or light shade (in the interior) and irrigate occasionally (it will bloom optimally if occasionally watered in the summer).
5. Rosa californica ‘Elsie’ – California wild rose
The California wild rose grows, in the wild, in partly shaded canyons near water courses. In shade it will require almost no irrigation, but the plant blooms best in full sun, and for ornamental purposes will therefore require some irrigation. It forms thick, upright, evergreen, shrub masses 4’-8’ tall. The wonderful, fragrant flowers are the most attractive feature of this shrub. From spring to midsummer the plants are covered in flowers in different shades of pink. The flower hips can be dried for tea, or for use in jellies and sauces.
6. Ceanothus thyrsiflorus ‘Blue Mound’
The large Ceanothus family includes many different cultivars, from low groundcovers to tall shrubs/small trees. All species are evergreen, require minimal (if any) irrigation, and bloom profusely with small panicles of flowers in shades of blue and white. ‘Blue Mound’ forms a dense shrub 4’-5’ tall, and produces masses of bright blue flowers in June and July, very much favored by birds, butterflies, and hummingbirds. This is an ideal shrub for large areas that will not require much maintenance. Blue Mound Ceanothus will need a little watering when young but once established can only be watered once every three or four weeks.
7. Epilobium canum ‘Catalina’– Catalina Fuchsia
In the summer, when most native plants go dormant or don’t look like much, this mid-sized (3’-4’) perennial will reward you with an explosion of bright orange-red tubular flowers that will bloom well into fall and will attract butterflies and hummingbirds. The red flowers are held above the soft gray-green foliage creating a nice contrast. Despite being originally from the cooler coastal region, Catalina Fuchsia will also do well in the interior, requiring very little water. Plant in full sun, next to other natives that thrive in full sun and good drainage, like Coffeberry and Manzanita.
8. Salvia spathacea – Hummingbird sage
Hummingbird sage makes a great, low-growing (1’-2’) groundcover for dry, semi- shaded areas. From spring to fall this plant produces wonderful deep rose-pink pagoda-like flowers, held well above the silver-green, intensively aromatic leaves. Hummingbirds flock to its flowers, hence the name. The flowering stems are produced singly from each plant and rarely branch. Hummingbird sage will go dormant in summer if not watered, but will stay evergreen with occasional irrigation. This is a perfect plant to grow under oaks and large canopy trees where very little else will grow.
9. Leymus condensatus ‘Canyon Prince’ – Canyon Prince wild rye
Most native California grasses will go dormant in the summer and leave a dry, unattractive spot in the landscape. With minimal irrigation, this drought-tolerant Channel Islands native will not disappoint and stays green all year. The upright foliage emerges green and then turns into a silvery-blue color and looks best in full sun. Canyon Prince can grow anywhere from 2’-3’ to 5’, depending on the amount of irrigation it receives. This cultivar tends to stay smaller than most wild ryes. Cut wild rye back once a year, in late summer, to freshen it up.
10. Carex divulsa – Berkeley sedge
For a long time this sedge was believed to be native to the Bay Area (hence the name) but it was actually introduced to California from Eurasia. It has, however, adapted very well to the Pacific Coast of the northwest and Northern California and it is commonly found in manmade and natural landscapes. Just like all other sedges, Carex divulsa is only moderately drought tolerant, but it lives well with less water than most of the members of its family. It is a perfect replacement for lawn in areas under medium foot traffic, in shaded areas, or where other plants do not survive root competition. Berkeley sedge stays green year-round, forming a dense, bright green clump 2’ tall 2’ clump that can be clipped or mowed.
Sergio Lima, originally from Sicily, is an Associate in the Sausalito studio of SWA. He provided the image of Carpenteria californica.
Posted by Sergio Lima in Ecology, Urban Ecologies on