Plant guide · California
Most California natives need little water once they're established. Where they differ is how much wildlife they support. Every plant here needs low or very low water, and each scores above 50 for wildlife, the mark of a typical native.
Each one grows wild in at least 25 of California's 58 counties and is widely sold, but none grows everywhere. Your address decides which ones belong.
See which of these grow wild near your address. Free preview, no account.
Pacific Madrone
Arbutus menziesii
Wild in 37 of 58 counties · Low water · Part shade
Canyon Live Oak
Quercus chrysolepis
Wild in 47 of 58 counties · Low water · Full sun
Gray Pine
Pinus sabiniana
Wild in 42 of 58 counties · Very low water · Full sun
Common Snowberry
Symphoricarpos albus
Wild in 31 of 58 counties · Low water · Part shade
Deerweed
Acmispon glaber
Wild in 37 of 58 counties · Very low water · Full sun
California Wild Rose
Rosa californica
Wild in 51 of 58 counties · Low water · Sun or shade
Hooker's Evening Primrose
Oenothera elata
Wild in 57 of 58 counties · Low water · Full sun
Yarrow
Achillea millefolium
Wild in 56 of 58 counties · Low water · Sun or shade
California Goldenrod
Solidago velutina ssp. californica
Wild in 44 of 58 counties · Low water · Full sun
Red Fescue
Festuca rubra
Wild in 25 of 58 counties · Low water · Sun or shade
California Brome
Bromus sitchensis var. carinatus
Wild in 57 of 58 counties · Low water · Sun or shade
Blue Wildrye
Elymus glaucus
Wild in 55 of 58 counties · Low water · Sun or shade
Creeping Sage
Salvia sonomensis
Wild in 25 of 58 counties · Very low water · Full sun
Each with its wildlife value from 1 to 100; 50 is a typical California native. Open a card for the details.
KeystoneArbutus menziesii
Pacific Madrone is an evergreen tree whose leaves feed the caterpillars of 50 native moths and butterflies, which in turn feed nesting birds.
Pacific Madrone is an evergreen tree whose leaves feed the caterpillars of 50 native moths and butterflies, which in turn feed nesting birds.
KeystoneQuercus chrysolepis
Canyon Live Oak feeds the caterpillars of 303 native moths and butterflies, and those caterpillars in turn feed nesting birds.
Canyon Live Oak feeds the caterpillars of 303 native moths and butterflies, and those caterpillars in turn feed nesting birds.
KeystonePinus sabiniana
Gray Pine feeds the caterpillars of 171 native moths and butterflies in California, and those caterpillars feed nesting birds.
Gray Pine feeds the caterpillars of 171 native moths and butterflies in California, and those caterpillars feed nesting birds.
Symphoricarpos albus
Common Snowberry is a shrub whose leaves feed the caterpillars of 52 native moths and butterflies.
Common Snowberry is a shrub whose leaves feed the caterpillars of 52 native moths and butterflies.
KeystoneAcmispon glaber
Deerweed is a caterpillar food plant of the Palos Verdes blue, an at-risk butterfly.
Deerweed is a caterpillar food plant of the Palos Verdes blue, an at-risk butterfly.
KeystoneRosa californica
California Wild Rose feeds the caterpillars of 107 species of native moths and butterflies, which eat its leaves.
California Wild Rose feeds the caterpillars of 107 species of native moths and butterflies, which eat its leaves.
Oenothera elata
Hooker's Evening Primrose bears a large crop of seeds that goldfinches eat, and its seeds stay on the plant into winter.
Hooker's Evening Primrose bears a large crop of seeds that goldfinches eat, and its seeds stay on the plant into winter.
Achillea millefolium
Yarrow is an evergreen perennial whose seeds feed birds and stay on the plant into winter.
Yarrow is an evergreen perennial whose seeds feed birds and stay on the plant into winter.
KeystoneSolidago velutina ssp. californica
California Goldenrod feeds the caterpillars of 56 native moths and butterflies, and those caterpillars in turn feed nesting birds.
California Goldenrod feeds the caterpillars of 56 native moths and butterflies, and those caterpillars in turn feed nesting birds.
Festuca rubra
Red Fescue is an evergreen grass whose seeds feed birds.
Red Fescue is an evergreen grass whose seeds feed birds.
Bromus sitchensis var. carinatus
California Brome is a native grass whose seeds are eaten by birds.
California Brome is a native grass whose seeds are eaten by birds.
Elymus glaucus
Blue Wildrye is a native grass with seeds that birds eat.
Blue Wildrye is a native grass with seeds that birds eat.
Salvia sonomensis
Creeping Sage is a low, spreading evergreen ground cover whose purple flowers are a hummingbird favorite.
Creeping Sage is a low, spreading evergreen ground cover whose purple flowers are a hummingbird favorite.
How we chose these. From our catalog: native plants that need low or very low water once established, are widely sold, and grow wild in at least 25 counties. We took the top three of each plant type by wildlife value, one per genus, as of October 2026. A report for your address keeps only the plants that have been collected growing wild near you. How the wildlife value is scored
Enter your address and the free preview shows your land, your soil and climate, and a first look at the natives that grow wild near you, no account needed. The full report is the whole shortlist for your address, a list you build yourself, and a printable nursery list for $40.
Planting season starts with the first rains. Now is when to plan.