Plant Profile: Purple Sage (Salvia leucophylla)
Karen Also known as San Luis purple sage and gray sage, this semi-deciduous shrub is native to coastal Southern California and Baja California where it grows on dry open hillsides. It…
Plant Profile: Golden Yarrow (Eriophyllum confertiflorum)
Native to California and Baja California, this variable annual, perennial or subshrub, is a member of the aster family, Asteraceae, that also includes sunflower, daisy and lettuce. It usually grows…
Plants for a Plant Zoo: Teddy Bear Cholla (Cylindropuntia bigelovii)
With their soft fuzzy appearance and resemblance to teddy-bear’s arms these shrubs or small trees have a strong visual appeal that belies their danger to passers-by. They grow up to…
Plant Profile: California Bush Sunflower (Encelia californica)
Also called California brittlebush, this shrub is native to coastal southern California and Baja California, and is a member of the aster family, Asteraceae, that also includes daisy, yarrow and…
Poisonous Plants: Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis)
Also known as Canada puccoon, bloodwort, redroot, red puccoon, Indian paint, and black paste, bloodroot is a member of the poppy family, Papaveraceae, that also includes bleeding heart, greater celandine,…
Plant Profile: Cardinal Catchfly (Silene laciniata)
Also known as fringed Indian pink and Mexican campion, this herbaceous perennial is native to northern Mexico and southwestern US from California to Texas and is a member of the…
Plants for a Plant Zoo: Bunny Tails Grass (Lagurus ovatus)
The blooms of this perennial grass are just plain cute and are bound to attract children of all ages along with their parents. The plant grows 1-2′ tall and has…
Plant Profile: Bluff Lettuce (Dudleya farinosa)
Also known as powdery liveforever, and powdery dudleya, north coast dudleya, and sea lettuce, this evergreen succulent is native to the coastlines of northern California and Oregon where is grows…
Plant Profile: California Sagebrush (Artemisia californica)
Also known as coastal sagebrush and California sagewort, this evergreen shrub is native to northern Baja California and much of central and southern California where it is often associated with…
Plants for a Plant Zoo: Buffalo Grass (Buchloe dactyloides)
How about a plant zoo turf that does not need fertilizer, pesticides, or frequent mowing? Buffalo grass might be the answer and it has the additional benefits of being attractive,…