November 2024 Plant Availability

View our ‘currant’ inventory on our website

View our ‘currant’ inventory in spreadsheet format

Greetings Watershed,

Happy fall, y’all! We hope you’re spending time with friends and loved ones as the foggy mornings roll in and planting weather comes around. In the spirit of community, we’re focusing this month’s newsletter on plant communities (and perhaps answering some frequently asked questions about how our retail nursery is organized 😉

If you’ve visited our nursery in Point Richmond, you may have seen the beautiful hand-painted signs above our retail tables, describing the habitat type and conditions by which we group our plants. A huge thank you to Kristina Chan, a former TWN staff member who created (and is currently repainting) these fabulous works of art!

We use these categories (Chaparral/Grassland, Wetland, Meadow, Coastal, Oak Woodland, Riparian Corridor, and Redwood Understory) to help sort the broad range of native plant species we grow, and to try to provide some guidance so folks like you can make informed decisions about what will work best for your planting area. Of course, there’s always plenty of overlap and room for nuance: plant species that work well in a full sun planting along the coast may need more shade and moisture farther inland, and many species occur in multiple communities in the wild.

Simply put, a plant community is a grouping of species that grow together in a certain area under similar environmental conditions. Soil type, soil moisture, topography, climate, disturbance, and even mycorrhizal associations can help to define plant communities. Spend time in your local wildlands, explore Calscape’s companion plants, or start with one of our rows to get some inspiration for designing your garden in line with native plant communities. Or take a look below–we’ve grouped a few suggested pairings of some of our favorite options for chaparral/grassland, meadow, and woodland plantings.

Chaparral / Grassland

We’ve grouped these habitats together because both Chaparral and Grassland communities have significant plant species crossover and similar sun exposure, water availability, and soil types.
Chaparral plant communities are dominated by semi-arid shrubs and are shaped by a Mediterranean climate with wet winters, hot & dry summers, and infrequent high-intensity fires
Grasslands are generally native prairie habitats where > 50% of ground cover is composed of native grasses and wildflowers. They are commonly defined by their lack of woody plants. California is home to a variety of grasslands characterized by the dominant grass species within them.

‘Concha’ Ceanothus

Ceanothus ‘Concha’ (seed)

Available in D-40 pots for $11.45 each!

This Ceanothus has been produced from the seed of the cultivar Ceanothus ‘Concha’. “Concha’ is one of the oldest and best hybrid ceanothus. This shrub grows to about 4 ft. tall and wide. Space 10-12 ft. apart.
Concha grows into a mounding shrub, or can be shaped into a pretty small tree. This vigorous grower tolerates many soil types and will be long lived in most gardens if you avoid summer water.
This shrub has dense foliage and the 1inch flower clusters are reddish in bud and dark blue when open, March-April.
Cultivars from seeds are no longer identified under the cultivar name but will maintain many of the characteristics.

Sticky Monkeyflower

Diplacus aurantiacus

Available in D-16 for $8.95 and D-40 pots for $10.90 each!

This sub-shrub grows to 3 to 4 feet tall and is an excellent choice for a hardy, deer resistant
Sticky monkeyflower blooms prolifically with one inch orange flowers that attract hummingbirds.
For the best care plant in well drained soil and give very little water once established – too much water can cause root rot. Cutting back spent flowers flowers can provide a longer blooming time.
Plant on slopes for erosion control.
Cut back hard to renovate plant at anytime during growing period.
Flowers April to October.
Previously named Mimulus aurantiacus var. aurantiacus

Photo: “Encelia californica” by briweldon is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

California Bush Sunflower

Encelia californica

Available in 1-gallon containers for $16.50 each!

Bush Sunflower is a fast growing, summer semi-deciduous shrub that grows to about 1.5 – 5 ft. tall and 3 – 7 ft. wide. space 5 – 7 ft. apart.
It produces many fragrant, daisy-like yellow flowers from early spring to midsummer.
It is easy to grow and adaptable to many soil types.
Great for habitat gardens, as it attracts many pollinating insects, especially butterflies and native bees. Without any supplemental water, it will go completely dormant in summer, but an occasional watering will keep it greener. Its bloom season can be extended with frequent deadheading of spent flowers. Older established plants can be cut back hard in late fall to refresh.

Heart Leaved Keckiella

Keckiella cordifolia

Available in D-16 pots for $8.95 and 25% off for $2.13, and 1-gallon pots 25% off for $11.78 each!

Heart Leaved Keckiella is a fast growing, summer deciduous shrub that grows about 3 ft. tall and wide.
Known to do some spreading and climbing!
In the spring and into summer, this shrub will be aflame with tubular red orange flowers perfect for feeding humming birds.
Best planted among evergreen shrubs that will provide structure when this lovely goes dormant.
A bit of summer water in warmer areas will shorten the dormant period.

Wetland

Wetlands are areas that are periodically or permanently covered with shallow water, which support anaerobic growing conditions.
They vary quite a bit in terms of salinity, as they include saltwater marshes, freshwater marshes, open or closed brackish water marshes, swamps, mudflats, fens, and vernal pools.
Wetland plant communities are characterized by aquatic plants.

Marsh Baccharis

Baccharis glutinosa

Available in D-16 pots for $7.30 each!

This spreading herbaceous perennial grows to 3 feet and requires moist soil for best performance.
Plant in the background of your native garden to attract wildlife, and enjoy having a plant that deer won’t touch.
The plant’s nectar is a source for predatory wasps and small native butterflies.
Flowers in late summer.
Previously named Baccharis douglasii

Wild licorice

Glycyrrhiza lepidota

Available in D-40 pots for $9.70 each!

Wild licorice is an erect perennial up to 3 ft. The plant grows in moist soils; although it will grow in heavy soil it prefers sandy soil. It may form colonies by
adventitious shoots from roots and rhizomes.
The dense white flowers are crowded on a terminal spike, making it an attractive addition to a butterfly or pollinator garden.
The root has a distinct licorice flavor, but commercial licorice is obtained from another species, the European Liquorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra)

Rose Mallow

Hibiscus lasiocarpus var. Occidentalis

Available in D-40 pots for $9.70 each!

Rose Mallow is a rare herbaceous perennial in the Malvaceae (Mallow) family native to wetlands and marshes in Northern, Southern, and Central California. Itreaches 3-6 feet tall with showy white flowers with deep magenta pink centers that put on quite a tropical looking display in the summer amidst its velvety, heart-shaped leaves.
This species naturally grows in marshes and freshwater wetlands in the Central Valley, so in the garden it prefers regular water (every 3-7 days throughout the growing season), slow draining soil, and will grow best with summer heat.
Rose Mallow is a great option for growing in containers and is a likely host plant of several species of butterflies and moths such as the Gray Hairstreak and Common Checkered-Skipper butterflies, and the White-Lined Sphinx moth.

Oak Woodland

Oak Woodland ecosystems are defined by transitional plant communities between open grasslands and deciduous forests.
They are dominated by oak trees, with other broadleaf and coniferous trees and an understory of grasses, forbs, and herbaceous plants

Woodland Strawberry

Fragaria vesca

Available in 4” pots for $8.30 each!

This fast growing ground cover is great for shade and does well planted under oaks.
This plant has lighter green leaves than beach strawberry and produces smaller but more flavorful fruit (yum!)
Flowers March to June.

California Bee Plant

Scrophularia californica

Available in D-16 pots for $7.70 each!

A 2 – 4 ft. perennial with 3 ft. spikes of small, pitcher-shaped reddish flowers that you can often see full to the brim with nectar!
Great for shady gardens and a prime choice for a butterfly garden.
Drought tolerant, but will look good longer in the season with a bit of summer moisture.
Attracts butterflies and bees, is a good source of nectar for hummingbirds, and is also deer resistant.
Blooms February through May

California Coffeeberry

Frangula californica

Available in D-16 for $8.95 and D-40 pots for $10.90 each!

An evergreen shrub that grows fast to 6-8 ft.
It is called coffeeberry because its berries contain seeds which look like coffee beans.
Coffeeberry is an excellent foliage plant with showy fruit.
It’s branches take on a beautiful reddish color and has beautiful deep green lustrous leaves, well suited to pruning and landscape work. This makes it an excellent choice for an informal hedge or to create a screen.
Tiny flowers attract hummingbirds and native bees in spring.
Berries go from green to red to chocolate in fall, and are consumed eagerly by birds.
Great for a bird garden and butterfly garden.
Previously named Rhamnus californica

Coastal

Our coastal ecosystem category encompasses beaches and dunes, rocky shores, coastal sage scrub, coastal strand, and maritime hammock habitats.
Generally they are shaped by fast draining soil types (often quite sandy/rocky or steep slopes), full sun in foggy areas or partial shade farther inland, and can include windy conditions with salt spray.

Yellow Bush Lupine

Lupinus arboreus

Available in D-40 pots for $10.90 each!

This fast-growing evergreen shrub grows 4 to 5 ft tall, and is identified by its large canary yellow (occasionally blue; we also have the blue form available right now!) flowers on 6 inch spikes that flower from February to July.
This plant is quite stunning and great for coastal gardens. However, please only plant it in it’s native range: along the coast and San Francisco Bay-side from Bodega Bay southward.
Yellow bush lupine has become a problem, growing invasively after being planted outside of it’s range in Mendocino County and northward.

St. Catherine’s Lace buckwheat

Eriogonum giganteum

Available in D-16 pots for $8.50 each!

Eriogonum giganteum grows to 4 ft. tall x 5 ft. wide with attractive wooly, gray, oval leaves. It is the largest of the Buckwheats.
It’s also one of the most popular nectar sources for many butterflies, especially the California Blues & Hairstreaks.
The profuse clusters of small white flowers start blooming in April and continue until Fall, when the flowers age to a rusty color.
St. Catherine’s Lace requires no summer water once established & tolerates clay, though it thrives best in well-drained soil.

Mt. Vision Ceanothus

Ceanothus gloriosus var. porrectus

Available in D-16 pots for $8.50, D-40 for $10.90, and 1-Gal for $16.50 each!

This rare variety of wild lilac grows to only approximately 1 foot in height with a wide spread of up to 10 feet.
It is pretty darn tough for a low growing plant!
Mt. Vision puts on a great display of bright blue flowers in the late winter or early spring.
It’s small holly-like leaves make it one of the more deer resistant ceanothus. Can take full sun on the coast but if you have a more inland setting, give it partial shade.

Riparian Corridor

Riparian corridors are areas surrounding rivers and streams.
They are connected to water flow for much if not all of the year, so they are dominated by moisture-loving trees, shrubs, grasses, and herbaceous understory plants

California Blackberry

Rubus ursinus

Available in D-16 pots for $8.95 each!

A deciduous climbing or trailing evergreen shrub.
Native blackberry is not aggressive like it’s Himalayan cousin.
The berries are edible and tasty. Flowers host beneficial insects.
Good creek-side for erosion control.
Tolerates salt spray in shoreline and bluff plantings.
Flowers February – June and berries July-August

Goodding’s Black Willow

Salix gooddingii

Available in D-16 pots for $8.50 each!

Goodding’s Black Willow (Salix gooddingii) has a moderate growth rate and is moderately long-lived.
It grows in an upright form to a height of 15-40 feet, with active growth during the spring and summer. Space 17-20 ft. apart.
It is winter deciduous and will drop it’s leaves.
It is a common native tree that grows throughout the state in wetland areas.
Due to its size and water requirements, it is not typically used as garden tree but is useful in restoration projects, bioswales, and other constructed wetlands.
Like other willows, it is an important wildlife plant.

Leather Root

Hoita macrostachya

Available in D-40 pots for $9.70 each!

Once common, but now rare, Hoita is a deciduous perennial that grows 5-7 ft. tall and wide.
It can be found growing throughout California in moist situations or near seasonal streams.
Bright green shoots appear in early spring, eventually forming a loose mound topped with purple or wine colored flowers in summer and lasting over a month before the plant slowly goes dormant.
Hoita macrostachya can be used as a soil stabilizer along a sunny stream, in a marsh, or at the ponds edge.

‘Bee’ Well and happy planting from all of us at

The Watershed Nursery Cooperative!

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