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The Best Native Plants for SoCal Yards and Homes
Written by Kelsey W.
Southern Californians often brag about the wonderful weather and year-round greenery we enjoy, and it’s tough to feel like there’s any more beautiful place in the world when you’re often able to celebrate the winter holidays in a t-shirt and shorts.
One of the essential parts of keeping California green and beautiful is caring for the native plants that were here long before any humans arrived to discover the region’s many benefits. Native plants are beautifully suited to the local climate, which means they grow naturally without a lot of extra water and also grow in harmony with the other plants and animals that live in the area.
Unfortunately, humans have a habit of introducing some plant species to new areas when they move, and those new species can become problematic when they take over a particular area. Maybe they grow too fast and push out the native species, or perhaps they reduce the biodiversity in the area and make it tougher for pollinators to do their jobs.
In virtually all circumstances, native plants will always be better for the environment than other choices, so it’s important to consider native California plants, especially when you’re planning your outdoor garden. Yes, it’s fine to have an exotic plant inside your home, but let’s discuss how to keep the outdoors purely Californian with native plants.
Native Grasses for Your SoCal Home
One of the important jobs of grasses is their ability to prevent erosion, especially when your home sits on an incline, or there are hills around your property. In the wild, grasslands filled with native grasses provide essential protection for wildlife and native species, but these plants also offer vital protection when they’re in your yard.
In addition to keeping erosion at bay, the best way to have a green yard without throwing gallons and gallons of water at it is to use native grasses and ground covers rather than the traditional sod or turf that might make you think of a row of homes in the 1950s where everyone had a lawnmower and a few rose bushes.
While the rose bushes are lovely and definitely friendly to the SoCal environment, a traditional grass lawn in California isn’t always the best choice for saving water. Not only do traditional grass lawns require a lot of irrigation in arid places like Southern California, but they also require extra fertilizer and attention that native grasses don’t need.
One of the best grass options for almost anywhere in Southern California is deer grass, which tolerates drought extremely well. If you allow it to become established, deer grass can even prevent weeds from growing due to its extensive root system. It is that root system that allows it to thrive despite drought conditions.
While deer grass is suitable for virtually anywhere in SoCal, there are also grasses that are appropriate for specific counties around the Southland. For example, you can choose purple three-awn for your Riverside home or Canyon Prince Wild Rye if you live in Orange County.
If your home is in Los Angeles County, you might choose Alkali Sacaton, which is more common along the coast. For a home in Ventura, you might choose clustered field sedge, while a home in San Bernardino might thrive with some giant needlegrass. Southern California is an immense area, and there are many micro-climates within it, so it’s helpful to conduct a little research into the environment that exists directly around your home when choosing your new native plants.
Choosing Native Shrubs for Your SoCal Home
Sometimes, you’ll already have some shrubs growing in front of your home when you move in. But if you’re in the market for a new shrub or you’re thinking about renewing your yard, one of the best native shrubs you can choose for your Southern California home is the California buckwheat, which is a huge draw for pollinators, as well as grown in many vibrant colors like pink and yellow.
California buckwheat thrives all across Orange County and Los Angeles County, but there are related types that are suitable for the other counties of Southern California. If you’re in Riverside or San Bernardino, you might choose the Mojave California buckwheat or the Inland California buckwheat.
Other options for your Inland Empire or desert home in Riverside or San Bernardino include Southern bush monkeyflower (it’s often just known as bush monkeyflower) and mountain desert sage. If you’re living north in Ventura County, another native shrub that will love living at your home is hummingbird sage, which is also an excellent plant for any home along the coast.
What if you’re after a big shrub that will take up a lot of room? Bush monkeyflower and California buckwheat are lovely, but they’re on the smaller side. For a plant that will fill out your yard nicely, the coffeeberry bush is an excellent choice. This evergreen shrub will feel right at home in Los Angeles and Orange County, as well as throughout Ventura County.
If you reside in San Bernardino or Riverside, two excellent options for big, beautiful bushes include the hollyleaf cherry and the sugarbush. The hollyleaf cherry is actually related to the rose family and takes a little while to get established but can grow to a statuesque ten feet tall if you let it. The sugar bush is also capable of growing quite large and will even turn into a tree if the growing conditions are ideal.
Filling Your Yard with Native Southern California Flowers
Once you’ve chosen your native bushes and grasses, you might want to liven up your yard or home with the brightest and most beautiful native flowers Southern California has to offer. Many plants produce flowers, but the ones we’re after in this discussion are the ones capable of making a statement in your yard. The sort of bloom you might put in a vase in your dining room.
One of the most obvious choices is the California poppy, which is so easy to grow that it often appears on roadsides and in fields as if by magic (the seeds spread very easily!). As long as you place the seeds in an area with lots of sun, you’ll have very happy poppies. If you have a mixture of native grasses and small bushes in your yard, you might add a small grouping of California poppies to the mix.
Another bright and colorful option for your lawn is the Arroyo lupine, which is native to California, Arizona, and coastal Mexico. Arroyo lupine – all lupines, actually – are easy to grow, so you can pair them with a lawn that features xeriscaped plants, and you shouldn’t need to pay them a lot of extra attention. One of the best reasons to plant Arroyo lupine is that it will always win the war against weeds.
If you love the big, friendly smile of a sunflower, you’re in luck because there’s a species called Helianthus californicus that’s native to California and coastal Mexico. Like other native plants, the California sunflower doesn’t require a lot of water or attention, and it will deliver lovely yellow flowers every year as long as you make sure its soil doesn’t get soggy.
A final plant you may want to add to your garden is the chuparosa or Justicia californica. This plant is a shrub that loves the desert and grows a wealth of red flowers every year. If you want to add a big ball of color to your yard, the chuparosa is an excellent option, especially if you’re living in a desert environment and in search of a vibrant plant for your yard.
Green Thumb Nursery Will Help You Keep Your California Garden Growing
California is home to some of the most diverse plant species in the world, and you can help foster that diversity by bringing native plants home from Green Thumb Nursery. Drop by one of our Southern California garden centers for advice and information on adding new plants to your garden. It’s time to start discovering all of the natural beauty California plants can bring to your home and garden.
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