California

A Bay Area species thought to be extinct until a single plant was discovered in 2009 during a botanical survey prior to a freeway expansion. This one plant was dug and lifted by crane for transplanting to San Francisco Botanical Garden and one of the first propagations was given to us by the curator. Low growing to 2 feet or so and spreading with white flowers. Perfect example of ex situ conservation by botanic gardens and specialist nurseries.

Redwood ivy. Vigorous carpeter in optimal conditions with evergreen foliage which bronzes up in winter. The tiny white flower motes benefit from profusion and the fact that they are the smallest in the genus is offset by this species having the best foliage which is what you have 95% of the year. Our collection from California near Orleans where it was growing with Asarum marmoratum.

A remarkable Manzanita native to the southern Mendocino Coast which features unusually large rounded leaves for a groundcover type. Makes a dense cover mounding to 24"-30" tall and 8' + across with white flowers and bird attractant small fruit. The leaves seem verging on succulent giving this a uniquely appealing look. The name commemorates Peter Ehrlich, former head Forester at the Presidio in San Francisco, who died in a bike accident in 2017.

Our plant was gifted to us by Kenton Seth of crevice garden fame who also happens to be a keen plantsman. This is native to the coastal areas of the West coast where it is found in moist meadows and along streams where it can naturalize in gravel bars. Blue and white flowers are awesome for pollinators. It will tire out after a few short years but save seed or let it naturalize via self-sowing.

Very choice species native to CA and growing on old stablized sand dunes where it can reach 3' high and twice as wide. This could make a nice specimen plant, low hedge or large informal groundcover. Drought and salt tolerant with early season white flowers and birds will eat the fruit.

Leather Oak. Aptly named, with leathery, evergreen, almost holly-like leaves on this is serpentine endemic shrub oak native to chaparral regions of the California Coast Ranges as well as the foothills of the Sierra and San Gabriel Mountains. A FRF shout-out to the collection work of Ian Barclay of The Desert Northwest. This pairs nicely with manzanita in its native habitat, and would in your garden too. Excellent drought tolerance. Perfect for that dry or rocky spot in your garden.

Fantastic Tanbark Oak variant from a small mutant population in Yuba County, California that was discovered in 1962. This features narrow leaves with prominent teeth on the margins. This population tends to be shrubby but in cultivation, it grows normally, capable of putting on 2'-3' or more per year. Evergreen, this will get to 30' and more if you have longevity genes and are around to see it. A broadly pyramidal shape, grows quickest in a rich moist soil but can take some dry when established and best in full sun but is surprisingly shade tolerant.

Blue Oak. Deciduous, shallowly lobed, bluish-green foliage with fall colors of rosy-pink, orange, and yellow. Iconic California endemic from the foothills of the Central Valley. In typical oak fashion, very slow to 30ft or more with enough time. Homegrown from acorns collected by Ian Barclay of The Desert Northwest.

Western Azalea native to southern OR and northern CA. I've seen this ringing Darlingtonia bogs in the Siskiyous in full bloom in shimmering 100 degree heat and it is a sight to behold. Quite fragrant. These are grown from a plant from Leo Hitchcock's garden, guru of PNW natives.

Epling's Oak. Hybrid of Quercus douglasii and Q. garryana, known from only a very few locations in California. This forms a deciduous, multi-stemmed large shrub to small tree, 20'-30' tall with time. Beautiful blue-green leaves color in fall. Deciduous. Grown from acorns collected by Ian Barclay of The Desert Northwest.

James Roof' is a man among boys when you are talking West Coast Silktassels. This male cultivar is gloriously well-hung with flowering catkins that dangle nearly a foot in length resulting in catkin-envy among other Garrya cultivars and the occasional insecure gardener. Or so we are told. Tough evergreen doing it's thing in early spring.

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A selection from the mountains of Orange County CA notable for its rose colored flowers. This species has somewhat viscid green leaves that tend to drop in late summer but reappear with the rains of autumn and have handled temps to 15F here. Late winter-early spring flowers in our area, these delight our overwintering Anna's hummingbirds and in warmer areas, this will flower all winter. Good drought tolerant plant just needing an occasional deep watering.

Northern California endemic representative of the incredible pipevine genus. For those with an interest in evolutionary life history, or who love to bore their friends with biology fun facts there is a lot to love here. The pairing of distinct pipe-shaped flowers and musty odor may be an example of plant life imitating human life, but scientists instead tend to think it has something more to do with attracting fly pollinators through deception, with the confounding curves ensuring enough time spent to ensure a pollen packet pickup. Then there's the fact that this plant provides the sole food source for the pipevine swallowtail butterfly, whose caterpillars use the ingested toxin of the leaves as a defense mechanism. For the less trivia inclined, the elegantly arrowhead shaped leaves and intriguing purple and beige striped flowers are sure to be reward enough.

Oregon White Oak. This variety of Q. garryana hugs the foothills of the western Sierra Nevada and southern Oregon. In its native poor, rocky soils this becomes a multi-stemmed shrub or small tree to 20 ft. Deciduous and drought tolerant. Another excellent Oak we're able to offer thanks to Ian Barclay of The Desert Northwest.

A surprisingly hardy tuberous little wildflower from the mountains of the Southwest. This has BLUE flowers of some enviable intensity. The multiple flower buds are held clasped in a pouch like a heart folded in half and one flower emerges each day. This simple bit of wonderment continues on for weeks in June and July. Well after blooming, the pouches now clasping bundles of black seeds continue to hold interest and our sales of this here at the nursery continue strongly even when it is out of flower. Sun, average moisture and decent drainage.

A collection from northern California where this mingled with Pseudotrillium rivale and Rhododendron occidentale among other tantalizers. This one has flowers noticeably larger than the other forms we grow which means the tiny white flowers make the leap from speck to mote. Vigorous evergreen groundcover for mostly shade that tolerates dry which slows its spread. The leaves will take on burnished purple to red colors in winter.

Interior Live Oak. Broadly distributed throughout California, from the coast to the foothills of the Sierras, this species is highly adapted to dry conditions. Evergreen, with leathery, rich green and shallowly toothed leaves. Thanks to xeric plant guru Ian Barclay of The Desert Northwest for sharing his acorn collections. This will make a stately large tree to 50 feet or more with time.

This is one of the stars in the understory of the towering coastal redwoods, Sequioa sempervirens. Wide fleshy green leaves would not look out of place in the subtropics and that impression is only enhanced by the umbels of red flowers which become visually luscious blue-purple fruit. Much like the trees under which it grows, this too is supersized at least in comparison to its kin in the genus. This are not flowering size but they are nice plants.

Extremely handsome big evergreen shrub to 10'x10' or more. Classic mahogany bark peeling to reveal that much loved Hi-Gloss finish on the trunk and branches. Pink buds in spring open to white urn-shaped flowers, followed by clusters of russet not messy-at-all fruit which has some avian appeal. Leaves are held perpendicular to the sun to conserve water which is an adaptation to summer heat and low or no rainfall. So no mollycoddling whatsoever with this one. Well-drained soil of low fertility and don't water once established. As much as we love mulching with manure, don't on this one or any other shrubby Arctostaphylos. There really are plants whose main requirement is that you do nothing except admire.

A nice bright silver-foliaged selection of the California Fuchsia. This loves a well-drained soil in a hot sunny spot where it has lots of tubular scarlet hummingbird magnet flowers on a plant 12-18 inches tall in late summer. Disappears in winter but comes up from the spreading underground rhizomes. Cut back in spring. This can take a good amount of dry once established and not liked by deer.