Native Plants in California
The native plants that belong in California gardens — grouped by sun, soil, and wildlife value.
69 native plants suit California's ecoregions and USDA zones 5–10. Below they're grouped by how you'd use them — full sun, shade, wet soil and rain gardens, dry, drought-prone ground, deer-resistant picks, groundcovers, pollinators, birds and hummingbirds — with a species table and when to plant.
Data updated: August 2026Sources & method · Corrections
When to plant natives in California
Plant after your last spring frost — roughly January 25 in the milder south to May 5 in the colder north. Fall is often even better for perennials and shrubs — the soil is still warm and roots settle before winter, ahead of the first frost around October 5 in the north to December 20 in the south.
For full sun
- Showy Milkweed Asclepias speciosa
- Cardinal Flower Lobelia cardinalis
- Blue Vervain Verbena hastata
- Pink Muhly Grass Muhlenbergia capillaris
- Sideoats Grama Bouteloua curtipendula
- Blue Grama Bouteloua gracilis
- Lanceleaf Coreopsis Coreopsis lanceolata
- Prairie Smoke Geum triflorum
- California Poppy Eschscholzia californica
- Rocky Mountain Penstemon Penstemon strictus
- Firecracker Penstemon Penstemon eatonii
- Desert Marigold Baileya multiradiata
- Blanketflower Gaillardia aristata
- Autumn Sage Salvia greggii
- Desert Willow Chilopsis linearis
For shade
- Western Columbine Aquilegia formosa
- Oregon Grape Berberis aquifolium
- Salal Gaultheria shallon
- Western Swordfern Polystichum munitum
- Pacific Rhododendron Rhododendron macrophyllum
- Vine Maple Acer circinatum
- Red Huckleberry Vaccinium parvifolium
- Salmonberry Rubus spectabilis
- Common Snowberry Symphoricarpos albus
- Deer Fern Blechnum spicant
- Western Trillium Trillium ovatum
- Fringecup Tellima grandiflora
- Woodland Strawberry Fragaria vesca
For wet soil & rain gardens
- Cardinal Flower Lobelia cardinalis
- Blue Vervain Verbena hastata
- Douglas Aster Symphyotrichum subspicatum
- Buttonbush Cephalanthus occidentalis
- Red-Twig Dogwood Cornus sericea
- Western Swordfern Polystichum munitum
- Common Camas Camassia quamash
- Nootka Rose Rosa nutkana
- Salmonberry Rubus spectabilis
- Deer Fern Blechnum spicant
- Twinberry Honeysuckle Lonicera involucrata
- Great Camas Camassia leichtlinii
- Douglas Spirea Spiraea douglasii
- Rocky Mountain Iris Iris missouriensis
For dry, drought-prone spots
- Showy Milkweed Asclepias speciosa
- Pink Muhly Grass Muhlenbergia capillaris
- Sideoats Grama Bouteloua curtipendula
- Blue Grama Bouteloua gracilis
- Lanceleaf Coreopsis Coreopsis lanceolata
- Prairie Smoke Geum triflorum
- California Poppy Eschscholzia californica
- Rocky Mountain Penstemon Penstemon strictus
- Firecracker Penstemon Penstemon eatonii
- Desert Marigold Baileya multiradiata
- Blanketflower Gaillardia aristata
- Autumn Sage Salvia greggii
- Desert Willow Chilopsis linearis
- Apache Plume Fallugia paradoxa
- Common Yarrow Achillea millefolium
Deer-resistant
- Pink Muhly Grass Muhlenbergia capillaris
- Sideoats Grama Bouteloua curtipendula
- Blue Grama Bouteloua gracilis
- Lanceleaf Coreopsis Coreopsis lanceolata
- Prairie Smoke Geum triflorum
- Rocky Mountain Penstemon Penstemon strictus
- Firecracker Penstemon Penstemon eatonii
- Desert Marigold Baileya multiradiata
- Blanketflower Gaillardia aristata
- Autumn Sage Salvia greggii
- Desert Willow Chilopsis linearis
- Apache Plume Fallugia paradoxa
- Western Columbine Aquilegia formosa
- Common Yarrow Achillea millefolium
- Fragrant Sumac Rhus aromatica
Groundcovers
- Blue Grama Bouteloua gracilis
- Prairie Smoke Geum triflorum
- Common Yarrow Achillea millefolium
- Fragrant Sumac Rhus aromatica
- Bearberry Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
- Salal Gaultheria shallon
- Western Swordfern Polystichum munitum
- Broadleaf Stonecrop Sedum spathulifolium
- Deer Fern Blechnum spicant
- Beach Strawberry Fragaria chiloensis
- Fringecup Tellima grandiflora
- Woodland Strawberry Fragaria vesca
- Idaho Fescue Festuca idahoensis
For pollinators
- Showy Milkweed Asclepias speciosa
- Cardinal Flower Lobelia cardinalis
- Blue Vervain Verbena hastata
- Lanceleaf Coreopsis Coreopsis lanceolata
- Prairie Smoke Geum triflorum
- California Poppy Eschscholzia californica
- Rocky Mountain Penstemon Penstemon strictus
- Firecracker Penstemon Penstemon eatonii
- Desert Marigold Baileya multiradiata
- Blanketflower Gaillardia aristata
- Autumn Sage Salvia greggii
- Desert Willow Chilopsis linearis
- Apache Plume Fallugia paradoxa
- Western Columbine Aquilegia formosa
- Douglas Aster Symphyotrichum subspicatum
For birds
- Blue Vervain Verbena hastata
- Pink Muhly Grass Muhlenbergia capillaris
- Sideoats Grama Bouteloua curtipendula
- Blue Grama Bouteloua gracilis
- Lanceleaf Coreopsis Coreopsis lanceolata
- Apache Plume Fallugia paradoxa
- Buttonbush Cephalanthus occidentalis
- Red-Twig Dogwood Cornus sericea
- Fragrant Sumac Rhus aromatica
- Toyon Heteromeles arbutifolia
- Hairy Manzanita Arctostaphylos columbiana
- Red-Flowering Currant Ribes sanguineum
- Oregon Grape Berberis aquifolium
- Bearberry Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
- Salal Gaultheria shallon
For hummingbirds
- Cardinal Flower Lobelia cardinalis
- Rocky Mountain Penstemon Penstemon strictus
- Firecracker Penstemon Penstemon eatonii
- Autumn Sage Salvia greggii
- Desert Willow Chilopsis linearis
- Western Columbine Aquilegia formosa
- Buttonbush Cephalanthus occidentalis
- Hairy Manzanita Arctostaphylos columbiana
- Red-Flowering Currant Ribes sanguineum
- Oregon Grape Berberis aquifolium
- Bearberry Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
- Salmonberry Rubus spectabilis
- Twinberry Honeysuckle Lonicera involucrata
- Fringecup Tellima grandiflora
- Wax Currant Ribes cereum
Identify California wildflowers by color
| Bloom color | Native wildflowers (typical U.S. bloom) |
|---|---|
| Blue | Rocky Mountain Penstemon — Deep blue-purple (May–Jul), Common Camas — Deep blue-violet stars (Apr–May), Great Camas — Pale to deep violet-blue (Apr–May), Blue Flax — Sky blue, paper-thin petals (May–Jul), Rocky Mountain Iris — Pale blue-lavender (May–Jun) |
| Cream | Fringecup — Greenish cream, aging pink (Apr–May) |
| Gold | Lanceleaf Coreopsis — Bright gold (May–Jul), Desert Marigold — Lemon gold (Mar–Oct), Arrowleaf Balsamroot — Bright sunflower-gold (Apr–May), Oregon Sunshine — Bright yellow (May–Jul) |
| Orange | California Poppy — Saturated orange (Mar–Jun), Blanketflower — Red & gold (Jun–Sep) |
| Pink | Showy Milkweed — Star-shaped pink (Jun–Jul), Prairie Smoke — Dusky pink nodding bells (Apr–May), Farewell-to-Spring — Pink with a cherry-red blotch (Jun–Jul) |
| Purple | Blue Vervain — Violet-blue (Jul–Sep), Douglas Aster — Violet-blue (Aug–Oct), Oregon Iris — Lavender to deep violet (Apr–May), Douglas Iris — Lavender to deep violet (Apr–May), Chocolate Lily — Brownish-purple, mottled (Mar–May), Broadleaf Lupine — Blue-violet spikes (Jun–Jul) |
| Red | Cardinal Flower — Electric scarlet (Jul–Sep), Firecracker Penstemon — Scarlet tubes (Mar–May), Western Columbine — Red & gold (Apr–Jul), Scarlet Gilia — Trumpet-shaped scarlet (Jun–Aug) |
| White | Common Yarrow — White (wild form) (May–Aug), Western Trillium — White, aging to rose-pink (Mar–May), Beach Strawberry — White, five-petaled (Apr–Jun), Woodland Strawberry — Small white, five-petaled (Apr–Jun) |
Bloom months are a typical window across the species' U.S. range, not a local calendar — the same plant opens weeks later in the north and at altitude than it does in the south. Use it for ordering the season, and let the plants in front of you set the dates.
All 69 native plants for California
| Plant | Type | Sun | Soil moisture | Height | Typical bloom (U.S.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Showy Milkweed Asclepias speciosa | Perennial wildflower | Full sun | Dry / Medium | 2–4 ft | Jun–Jul |
| Cardinal Flower Lobelia cardinalis | Perennial wildflower | Part sun / Full sun | Wet / Medium | 2–4 ft | Jul–Sep |
| Blue Vervain Verbena hastata | Perennial wildflower | Full sun / Part sun | Wet / Medium | 3–5 ft | Jul–Sep |
| Pink Muhly Grass Muhlenbergia capillaris | Ornamental grass | Full sun | Dry / Medium | 2–3 ft | Sep–Oct |
| Sideoats Grama Bouteloua curtipendula | Ornamental grass | Full sun | Dry | 1.5–2.5 ft | Jun–Jul |
| Blue Grama Bouteloua gracilis | Ornamental grass | Full sun | Dry | 8–20 in | Jun–Aug |
| Lanceleaf Coreopsis Coreopsis lanceolata | Perennial wildflower | Full sun | Dry / Medium | 1.5–2 ft | May–Jul |
| Prairie Smoke Geum triflorum | Perennial wildflower | Full sun / Part sun | Dry | 6–16 in | Apr–May |
| California Poppy Eschscholzia californica | Perennial / reseeding annual | Full sun | Dry | 8–18 in | Mar–Jun |
| Rocky Mountain Penstemon Penstemon strictus | Perennial wildflower | Full sun | Dry | 1.5–2.5 ft | May–Jul |
| Firecracker Penstemon Penstemon eatonii | Perennial wildflower | Full sun | Dry | 1.5–3 ft | Mar–May |
| Desert Marigold Baileya multiradiata | Perennial / reseeding annual | Full sun | Dry | 12–18 in | Mar–Oct |
| Blanketflower Gaillardia aristata | Perennial wildflower | Full sun | Dry | 1–2.5 ft | Jun–Sep |
| Autumn Sage Salvia greggii | Subshrub | Full sun / Part sun | Dry | 2–3 ft | Apr–Oct |
| Desert Willow Chilopsis linearis | Small tree | Full sun | Dry | 15–25 ft | May–Sep |
| Apache Plume Fallugia paradoxa | Shrub | Full sun | Dry | 3–6 ft | Apr–Sep |
| Western Columbine Aquilegia formosa | Perennial wildflower | Part sun / Shade | Medium | 1.5–3 ft | Apr–Jul |
| Douglas Aster Symphyotrichum subspicatum | Perennial wildflower | Full sun / Part sun | Medium / Wet | 2–4 ft | Aug–Oct |
| Common Yarrow Achillea millefolium | Perennial wildflower | Full sun | Dry / Medium | 1.5–3 ft | May–Aug |
| Buttonbush Cephalanthus occidentalis | Shrub | Full sun / Part sun | Wet / Medium | 5–10 ft | Jun–Aug |
| Red-Twig Dogwood Cornus sericea | Shrub | Full sun / Part sun | Wet / Medium | 6–9 ft | May–Jun |
| Fragrant Sumac Rhus aromatica | Shrub | Full sun / Part sun | Dry | 2–6 ft | Mar–Apr |
| Toyon Heteromeles arbutifolia | Evergreen shrub | Full sun / Part sun | Dry | 8–15 ft | Jun–Jul |
| California Lilac Ceanothus thyrsiflorus | Evergreen shrub | Full sun | Dry | 6–20 ft | Mar–May |
| Hairy Manzanita Arctostaphylos columbiana | Evergreen shrub | Full sun / Part sun | Dry | 3–9 ft | Mar–May |
| Red-Flowering Currant Ribes sanguineum | Shrub | Full sun / Part sun | Dry / Medium | 5–9 ft | Mar–Apr |
| Oregon Grape Berberis aquifolium | Evergreen shrub | Part sun / Shade / Full sun | Dry / Medium | 3–6 ft | Mar–Apr |
| Bearberry Arctostaphylos uva-ursi | Evergreen shrub (groundcover) | Full sun / Part sun | Dry | 4–8 in | Apr–May |
| Salal Gaultheria shallon | Evergreen shrub | Full sun / Part sun / Shade | Dry / Medium | 1.5–8 ft | Apr–Jun |
| Western Swordfern Polystichum munitum | Fern | Part sun / Shade | Medium / Wet | 2–4 ft | — |
| Common Camas Camassia quamash | Perennial bulb | Full sun / Part sun | Medium / Wet | 1–2 ft | Apr–May |
| Nootka Rose Rosa nutkana | Shrub | Full sun / Part sun | Medium / Wet | 3–6 ft | May–Jun |
| Oceanspray Holodiscus discolor | Shrub | Full sun / Part sun | Dry / Medium | 5–15 ft | Jun–Jul |
| Western Serviceberry Amelanchier alnifolia | Large shrub or small tree | Full sun / Part sun | Dry / Medium | 6–15 ft | Apr–May |
| Arrowleaf Balsamroot Balsamorhiza sagittata | Perennial wildflower | Full sun | Dry | 1–2 ft | Apr–May |
| Pacific Rhododendron Rhododendron macrophyllum | Evergreen shrub | Part sun / Shade | Medium | 6–12 ft | May–Jun |
| Vine Maple Acer circinatum | Small tree | Part sun / Shade | Medium | 15–20 ft | Apr–May |
| Red Huckleberry Vaccinium parvifolium | Shrub | Part sun / Shade | Medium | 3–8 ft | Apr–May |
| Salmonberry Rubus spectabilis | Shrub | Part sun / Shade | Medium / Wet | 4–10 ft | Mar–Apr |
| Common Snowberry Symphoricarpos albus | Shrub | Full sun / Part sun / Shade | Dry / Medium | 3–6 ft | Jun–Jul |
| Broadleaf Stonecrop Sedum spathulifolium | Succulent groundcover | Full sun / Part sun | Dry | 3–6 in | May–Jul |
| Deer Fern Blechnum spicant | Evergreen fern | Shade / Part sun | Medium / Wet | 1–2 ft | — |
| Twinberry Honeysuckle Lonicera involucrata | Shrub | Full sun / Part sun | Medium / Wet | 4–8 ft | May–Jul |
| Douglas-Fir Pseudotsuga menziesii | Evergreen conifer | Full sun / Part sun | Dry / Medium | 40–80 ft | Apr–May |
| Great Camas Camassia leichtlinii | Perennial bulb | Full sun / Part sun | Medium / Wet | 1.5–3 ft | Apr–May |
| Oregon Iris Iris tenax | Perennial wildflower | Full sun / Part sun | Dry / Medium | 8–16 in | Apr–May |
| Western Trillium Trillium ovatum | Perennial wildflower | Part sun / Shade | Medium | 8–16 in | Mar–May |
| Big Sagebrush Artemisia tridentata | Evergreen shrub | Full sun | Dry | 2–6.7 ft | Aug–Oct |
| Beach Strawberry Fragaria chiloensis | Evergreen groundcover | Full sun / Part sun | Dry / Medium | 3–6 in | Apr–Jun |
| Oregon White Oak Quercus garryana | Deciduous tree | Full sun / Part sun | Dry / Medium | 30–50 ft | Apr–May |
| Oregon Sunshine Eriophyllum lanatum | Perennial wildflower | Full sun / Part sun | Dry / Medium | 8–16 in | May–Jul |
| Douglas Spirea Spiraea douglasii | Shrub | Full sun / Part sun | Medium / Wet | 4–6 ft | Jul–Aug |
| Fringecup Tellima grandiflora | Perennial wildflower | Part sun / Shade | Medium | 1–2.5 ft | Apr–May |
| Douglas Iris Iris douglasiana | Perennial wildflower | Full sun / Part sun | Dry / Medium | 1–2 ft | Apr–May |
| Farewell-to-Spring Clarkia amoena | Annual wildflower | Full sun | Dry / Medium | 1–2 ft | Jun–Jul |
| Woodland Strawberry Fragaria vesca | Groundcover perennial | Part sun / Shade / Full sun | Medium | 4–8 in | Apr–Jun |
| Chocolate Lily Fritillaria affinis | Perennial bulb | Part sun / Full sun | Medium / Dry | 1–2 ft | Mar–May |
| Broadleaf Lupine Lupinus latifolius | Perennial wildflower | Full sun / Part sun | Medium / Dry | 1.5–3 ft | Jun–Jul |
| Syringa Philadelphus lewisii | Shrub | Full sun / Part sun | Dry / Medium | 4–10 ft | May–Jun |
| Western White Pine Pinus monticola | Evergreen conifer | Full sun / Part sun | Medium / Dry | 50–100 ft | May–Jun |
| Idaho Fescue Festuca idahoensis | Ornamental grass | Full sun / Part sun | Dry | 0.8–2 ft | Jun–Jul |
| Blue Flax Linum lewisii | Perennial wildflower | Full sun | Dry / Medium | 1–2 ft | May–Jul |
| Antelope Bitterbrush Purshia tridentata | Shrub | Full sun | Dry | 2–6 ft | Apr–May |
| Wood's Rose Rosa woodsii | Shrub | Full sun / Part sun | Dry / Medium | 2–6 ft | Jun–Jul |
| Wax Currant Ribes cereum | Shrub | Full sun / Part sun | Dry | 2–5 ft | Apr–May |
| Scarlet Gilia Ipomopsis aggregata | Biennial wildflower | Full sun / Part sun | Dry / Medium | 1–3 ft | Jun–Aug |
| Rocky Mountain Iris Iris missouriensis | Perennial wildflower | Full sun / Part sun | Medium / Wet | 1–2 ft | May–Jun |
| Sulphur Buckwheat Eriogonum umbellatum | Perennial subshrub | Full sun | Dry | 6–12 in | Jun–Jul |
| Chokecherry Prunus virginiana | Large shrub or small tree | Full sun / Part sun | Medium / Dry | 10–20 ft | May–Jun |
Bloom months are a typical window across the species' U.S. range, not a local calendar — the same plant opens weeks later in the north and at altitude than it does in the south. Use it for ordering the season, and let the plants in front of you set the dates.
Confirm any plant is native to your county with your state Native Plant Society before planting.
The California natives worth asking for
The natives worth asking for in California — with the botanical name to say at the counter, so you get the plant that feeds something.
The complete Native Plants of California
The native plants that belong in your yard — what to plant for pollinators, by zone, with bloom timing and a species table.
Want it on paper? See the printable Native Plants of California.