Water-Wise Plants for Southern California Gardens
Sustaining Nature and
Gardens with Less Water
Listed below are just a few of the hundreds of Water-Wise plants for local gardens. For more information about any of these plants, and many more, visit our Roger’s Gardens Plant Finder.
Trees
|
 |
|
| Strawberry Tree |
Arbutus unedo and ‘Marina’ |
California Redbud* |
Cercis occidentalis |
| Toyon* |
Hetermeles arbutifolia |
Sweet Bay |
Laurus nobilis |
| Desert Willow* |
Chilopsis linearis |
Manzanita* |
Arctostaphylos species |
| Olive |
Olea europea |
Pines |
Pinus species |
| Oak* |
Quercus species |
Coreopsis* |
Coreopsis species |
| Cypress* |
Cupressus sempervirens |
|
|
|
|
* = California native plant
Shrubs
|
 |
|
| Pincushion Flower |
Leuospermum species |
Cleveland Sage* |
Salvia clevelandii |
| Rosemary |
Rosemarinus officinalis |
Toyon* |
Hetermeles arbutifolia |
| Manzanita* |
Arctostaphylos species |
Westringia |
Westringia species |
| Lemonade Berry |
Rhus integrifolia |
Hollyleaf Cherry* |
Prunus illicifolia |
| Rockrose |
Cistus species |
Butterfly Bush |
Buddleja davidii |
| Podocarpus |
Podocarpus species |
California Lilac* |
Ceanothus species |
| Phormium |
Phormium species |
Bush Poppy* |
Dendromecon rigida |
| Privit |
Ligustrum species |
Hop Bush |
Dodonea viscosa |
| Desert Mallow* |
Sphaeralcea ambigua |
Grevillea |
Grevillea species |
| Leucadendron |
Leucadendron species |
Sweet Bay |
Laurus nobilis |
|
|
* = California native plant
Perennials
|
 |
|
| Sage* |
Salvia species |
Buckwheat* |
Eriogonum species |
| Lavender |
Lavandula species |
Lantana |
Lantana species |
| Island Coral Bells* |
Heuchera maxima |
California Fuchsia* |
Epilobium canum |
| Yarrow* |
Achillea species |
Native Milkweed* |
Asclepias species |
| Douglas Iris* |
Iris douglasii |
Penstemon* |
Penstemon species |
| Euphorbia Spurge |
Euphorbia species |
Kangaroo Paw |
Anigozanthus species |
| Blanket Flower |
Gaillardia pulchella |
Coyote Mint* |
Monardella villosa |
|
|
* = California native plant
Annuals & Flowers
|
 |
|
| California Poppy* |
Eschscholzia californica |
African Daisy |
Arctotus species |
| Bidens |
Bidens species |
Coreopsis* |
Coreopsis species |
| Farewell to Spring* |
Clarkia |
Marigold |
Tagetes species |
| Desert Marigold* |
Baileya multiradiata |
Sage |
Salvias |
|
|
* = California native plant
Groundcovers
|
 |
|
| Rosemary |
Rosemarinus officinalis |
Strawberry* |
Fragaria vesca |
| Carpet of Stars |
Ruschia lineolata 'Nana' |
Coyote Brush* |
Baccharis pilularis |
| Common Lippia* |
Lippia nodiflora |
Silver Carpet |
Dymondia margareta |
| Lantana |
Lantana species |
Buffalograss |
Buchloe dactyloides ‘UC Verde’ |
|
|
* = California native plant
Vines
|
 |
|
| Bougainvillea |
Bougainvillea spectabilis |
Wisteria |
Wisteria species |
| California Grape* |
Vitis californica |
|
|
|
|
* = California native plant
Fruits, Herbs and Edibles
|
 |
|
| Pomegranate |
Oregano |
Marjarom |
Guava |
| Fig |
Sage* |
Citrus |
Taragon* |
| English Thyme |
Rosemary |
Artichoke |
|
|
|
* = California native plant
Succulents
|
 |
|
With a few exceptions, most succulents are quite Water Wise. |
|
Trees
 |
| Strawberry Tree |
Arbutus unedo and ‘Marina’ |
| California Redbud* |
Cercis occidentalis |
| Toyon* |
Hetermeles arbutifolia |
| Sweet Bay |
Laurus nobilis |
| Desert Willow* |
Chilopsis linearis |
| Manzanita* |
Arctostaphylos species |
| Olive |
Olea europea |
| Pines |
Pinus species |
| Oak* |
Quercus species |
| Coreopsis* |
Coreopsis species |
| Cypress* |
Cupressus sempervirens |
* = California native plant
|
|
Shrubs
 |
| Pincushion Flower |
Leuospermum species |
| Cleveland Sage* |
Salvia clevelandii |
| Rosemary |
Rosemarinus officinalis |
| Toyon* |
Hetermeles arbutifolia |
| Manzanita |
Arctostaphylos species |
| Westringia |
Westringia species |
| Lemonade Berry |
Rhus integrifolia |
| Hollyleaf Cherry* |
Prunus illicifolia |
| Rockrose |
Cistus species |
| Butterfly Bush |
Buddleja davidii |
| Podocarpus |
Podocarpus species |
| California Lilac* |
Ceanothus species |
| Phormium |
Phormium species |
| Bush Poppy |
Dendromecon rigida |
| Privit |
Ligustrum species |
| Hop Bush |
Dodonea viscosa |
| Desert Mallow* |
Sphaeralcea ambigua |
| Grevillea |
Grevillea species |
| Leucadendron |
Leucadendron species |
| Sweet Bay |
Laurus nobilis |
* = California native plant
|
|
Perennials
 |
| Sage* |
Salvia species |
| Buckwheat* |
Eriogonum species |
| Lavender |
Lavandula species |
| Lantana |
Lantana species |
| Island Coral Bells* |
Heuchera maxima |
| California Fuchsia* |
Epilobium canum |
| Yarrow* |
Achillea species |
| Native Milkweed* |
Asclepias species |
| Douglas Iris* |
Iris douglasii |
| Penstemon* |
Penstemon species |
| Euphorbia Spurge |
Euphorbia species |
| Kangaroo Paw |
Anigozanthus species |
| Blanket Flower |
Gaillardia pulchella |
| Coyote Mint* |
Monardella villosa |
* = California native plant
|
|
Annuals & Flowers
 |
| California Poppy* |
Eschscholzia californica |
| African Daisy |
Arctotus species |
| Bidens |
Bidens species |
| Coreopsis* |
Coreopsis species |
| Farewell to Spring* |
Clarkia |
| Marigold |
Tagetes species |
| Desert Marigold* |
Baileya multiradiata |
| Sage |
Salvias |
* = California native plant
|
|
Groundcovers
 |
| Rosemary |
Rosemarinus officinalis |
| Strawberry* |
Fragaria vesca |
| Carpet of Stars |
Ruschia lineolata 'Nana' |
| Coyote Brush* |
Baccharis pilularis |
| Common Lippia* |
Lippia nodiflora |
| Silver Carpet |
Dymondia margareta |
| Lantana |
Lantana species |
| Buffalograss |
Buchloe dactyloides ‘UC Verde’ |
* = California native plant
|
|
Vines
 |
| Bougainvillea |
Bougainvillea spectabilis |
| Wisteria |
Wisteria species |
| California Grape* |
Vitis californica |
* = California native plant
|
|
Fruits, Herbs and Edibles
 |
| Pomegranate |
Oregano |
| Marjarom |
Guava |
| Fig |
Sage* |
| Citrus |
Taragon* |
| English Thyme |
Rosemary |
| Artichoke |
|
* = California native plant
|
|
Succulents
 |
| With a few exceptions, most succulents are quite Water Wise. |
