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Ligusticum apiifolium  celeryleaf licorice root
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Ligusticum apiifolium

(celeryleaf licorice root)

We love members of the carrot family, with their flat-topped clusters of star-like flowers and excellent habitat value. This species is no exception, though it is rarely grown in nurseries. In spring the clear-white flowers appear in delicate umbels on slender stalks 2 - 4 ft. high. The ferny, bright-green foliage stays close to the ground, rarely reaching more than a foot tall. Occurs in the Coast Range from the San Francisco Bay Area northwards. You may find this species in full sun near the coast or in bright woodlands further inland. Needs decent drainage and occasional to infrequent summer water. 
Lilium humboldtii ssp. humboldtii Humboldt lily
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Lilium humboldtii ssp. humboldtii

(Humboldt lily)

From the mountains of northern California comes this dramatic, drought tolerant lily, reaching upwards of 10 feet tall in its native habitat of chaparral and open forest. Lowland gardeners can expect a height of 6 feet or so. Large, orange flowers with magenta spots form many stately tiers around the robust stalks with lance-shaped leaves climbing up the base in tidy whorls. Give this rare lily excellent drainage and withhold summer water. Plant in dappled shade.  
Lilium humboldtii ssp. ocellatum  spotted Humboldt lily
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Lilium humboldtii ssp. ocellatum

(spotted Humboldt lily)

Description coming soon.
Lilium pardalinum  leopard lily
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Lilium pardalinum

(leopard lily)

An elegant and beautiful native from moist places and along stream banks in many plant communities from southern Oregon to southern California. A reliable species easily growing 4 ft. tall or more, slowly increasing its width over time. The Turk’s cap style flowers bloom in summer and are orange with red tips and maroon spots. Dies back to the ground in winter. Prefers fertile, well drained soils. Where summers are cool you can plant in full sun. Elsewhere plant in filtered sun, light shade or afternoon shade. Requires moderate summer water.
Lilium  pardalinum 'Giganteum' giant leopard lily
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Lilium pardalinum 'Giganteum'

(giant leopard lily)

A towering lily reaching up to 7 feet tall with orange and crimson flowers 3 to 4 inches wide. Who can resist that! Believed to have been discovered along the Van Duzen River in Northern California and thought to be a natural cross between L. humboldtii and L. pardalinum. The large stalks are crowned in summer by layers of flowers up to 30 in number with whorls of large leaves ascending up the base. Forms colonies over time to dramatic effect. Plant in full sun near the coast but protect from the hot afternoon sun, inland. Needs moderate water but is intolerant of soggy soils. Tolerates drier soil than the typical leopard lily.          
Lilium  pardalinum (Gualala River)  leopard lily
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Lilium pardalinum (Gualala River)

(leopard lily)

The leopard lily is highly prized among plant collectors for its tall slender stalks with bright orange and crimson flowers peppered with maroon spots. This selection was discovered along the Gualala River by Roger Warner and features stupendously large flowers 4 – 5 inches wide. At maturity, one stalk can display more than a dozen flowers. The leaves are bright green and lanceolate, forming whorls around the stalk. These bulb-like plants emerge in early spring, bloom in summer and then go dormant in the autumn. Plant in brightly dappled shade. Provide decent drainage and moderate water. May tolerate infrequent irrigation once established but won’t bloom as vigorously.
Lilium pardalinum ssp. pitkinense  Pitkin lily
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Lilium pardalinum ssp. pitkinense

(Pitkin lily)

This is the local rare subspecies of the leopard lily, threatened by habitat loss, grazing, competition with Himalayan blackberries, and collecting. Ours are responsibly grown by scale division from seed grown parent plants. A beautiful turks cap lily with intense orange-red reflexed petals revealing maroon spots. Needs moisture until it's through flowering and protection from gophers. Bright shade or morning sun with afternoon shade is best. This species attracts hummingbirds and butterflies.
Lilium parvum  alpine lily, Sierra tiger lily
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Lilium parvum

(alpine lily, Sierra tiger lily)

Description coming soon!
Limnanthes douglasii   meadowfoam
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Limnanthes douglasii

(meadowfoam)

California native ANNUAL occurring in grasslands and vernal pools throughout California. Low growing, shiny green foliage is topped with a profusion of sweetly fragrant, cup shaped, bright yellow blossoms with white tips. An excellent choice for low, winter wet areas, drainage swales, retention basins or seasonally dry stream beds. Thrives in heavy soils where it often naturalizes. Plant in full sun to part shade with regular water through the growing season. Fabulous container plant too. Meadowfoam is excellent for encouraging native pollinators, bees and butterflies.
Limnanthes douglasii ssp. nivea  snowy meadowfoam
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Limnanthes douglasii ssp. nivea

(snowy meadowfoam)

California native ANNUAL occurring in grasslands and vernal pools throughout California. Low growing foliage is topped with a profusion of sweetly fragrant, small white flowers with purple-pink veins on the petals. An excellent choice for low, winter wet areas, drainage swales, retention basins or seasonally dry streambeds. Thrives in heavy soils where it often naturalizes. Plant in full sun to part shade with regular water through the growing season. Good in containers too. Native wildflowers are excellent for encouraging native pollinators.
Limnanthes douglasii ssp. sulphurea  Point Reyes meadowfoam
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Limnanthes douglasii ssp. sulphurea

(Point Reyes meadowfoam)

Pure yellow flowering form of meadowfoam, rare in the wild but easy to grow in the garden. This native ANNUAL favors seasonally moist areas in full sun. Low growing foliage is topped with a profusion of pure yellow, cup-shaped, fragrant flowers. Useful in low areas, drainage swales, retention basins or seasonally dry stream beds. Thrives in heavy, water retentive soils. Wonderful in containers too. Meadowfoam is excellent for encouraging pollinators and other beneficial insects.
Limonium  californicum  sea lavender
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Limonium californicum

(sea lavender)

Native to coastal areas throughout much of the state, this beautiful statice relative produces clusters of small, lavender-purple flowers on slender stalks up to 18 inches tall. Low rosettes of semi-succulent, dark green leaves provide an excellent contrast to the airy inflorescences. Plant this marsh native in full sun with regular to moderate water. Thrives in wet conditions with poor drainage. Excellent for bees and butterflies. Makes a wonderful dried flower.
Linum lewisii  Western blue flax
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Linum lewisii

(Western blue flax)

A profusion of sky-blue, five petaled, shallowly cupped blossoms flower in late spring and into summer. Growing 12 to 18 inches tall with slender stems and narrow leaves. Can be short lived but often reseeds. A lovely filler, whose true blue flower color seems to go with everything, and the fine foliage contrasts nicely with a variety of leaf colors and shapes. Plant in full sun with moderate to infrequent summer water. Deer resistant.
Lobelia cardinalis  cardinal flower
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Lobelia cardinalis

(cardinal flower)

Cardinal flower is native to wet places throughout much of North America. A hummingbird favorite with show stopping, intense scarlet-red tubular flowers on erect terminal spikes in late summer. Growing 2 - 3 ft. tall by 2 ft. wide, this clump-forming perennial has dark green, serrated leaves. Tends to be rather short lived, but is a strong re-seeder. Prefers areas with constant moisture and cool sun to part shade, affective in moist areas of woodland gardens, meadows, pond edges, and rain gardens. Attracts hummingbirds and butterflies, but is resistant to deer browse.
Lobelia dunnii var. serrata  blue lobelia
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Lobelia dunnii var. serrata

(blue lobelia)

Water loving perennial native to creek sides and other wet places in Southern California. Growing one foot tall and spreading vigorously by rhizomes with clusters of soft blue, one inch flowers in summer. Best with regular water and part shade. A perfect addition for a shady water feature, moist meadow or container planting. The flowers are highly attractive to butterflies of all sorts and are visited by hummingbirds. Winter dormant. Deer resistant.
Lomatium californicum  California lomatium
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Lomatium californicum

(California lomatium)

Native to lightly shaded banks or brushy slopes, this interesting native forms clumps of beautiful, ferny, blue-green leaves. The foliage has a pungent celery flavor and grows 1 ft. or so tall. The yellow-green flowers form broad umbels that reach up to 3 ft. high. Good for brightly lit woodlands that go summer dry. Plant with Heucheras, California fescue and Iris. A larval food source for the Anise Swallowtail butterfly.
Lomatium dasycarpum  lace parsnip
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Lomatium dasycarpum

(lace parsnip)

Native to chaparral, grassland and open woodland throughout much of California, this dainty little member of the carrot family produces flat-topped clusters of fuzzy flowers, yellow in bud and creamy-white when open. The fern-like leaves are gray-green and hairy. Blooms in early spring. A larval food source for the Anise Swallowtail butterfly. Needs well-drained soil and full sun to part shade. Do not water once established. Summer dormant.
Lomatium dissectum  fernleaf biscuitroot
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Lomatium dissectum

(fernleaf biscuitroot)

This carrot relative features clusters of small burgundy or yellow flowers held in round clusters in open umbels. Tall, slender stalks up to 4 ft high support the blossoms above broad, finely dissected leaves. Pollinators love the flowers and the anise and indra swallowtail butterflies depend on the leaves as a food source for the developing caterpillars. Grows throughout much of California in hot, inland areas. Plant in full sun to light shade and provide little to no water once established. Needs excellent drainage. A rarity in nurseries.
Lomatium utriculatum  common lomatium
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Lomatium utriculatum

(common lomatium)

Plant description coming soon.
Lonicera ciliosa  western trumpet honeysuckle
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Lonicera ciliosa

(western trumpet honeysuckle)

Native to north slopes, creeks and river banks from very northern California to British Columbia and Montana. Lovely blue-green, oval-shaped leaves on rapidly growing woody stems will clamber up any support it can find. Terminal flower clusters with narrow, trumpet-shaped, orange flowers are adored by hummingbirds. Red translucent fruits follow that are relished by birds. Plant in cool sun to moderate shade with regular water. Possibly deer resistant.
Lonicera hispidula  California honeysuckle, hairy honeysuckle
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Lonicera hispidula

(California honeysuckle, hairy honeysuckle)

This native honeysuckle is often seen climbing over shrubs on the edge of woodlands where its roots are shaded and its foliage is sun drenched. The trumpet-shaped flowers range in color from rosy-pink to pink and white and feature prominent yellow stamens emerging from their mouths. They form clusters which decorate the tips of the vining branches and are attractive to bees and hummingbirds. The high point is the drooping clusters of luminous red berries in late summer which are beautiful to behold and provide a feast for birds, especially orioles. A drought tolerant vine but would appreciate occasional deep summer watering. Considered by some to be deer resistant.
Lonicera involucrata  twinberry
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Lonicera involucrata

(twinberry)

An interesting native shrub that grows along streams and other moist places. The tubular, red and yellow flowers are borne in pairs on bright red bracts and are hummingbird favorites. Two black shiny fruits follow the flower and are very showy set against the red bracts, making them attractive to birds. Reaches 6 - 10 ft. tall and wide, this neatly branched shrub loses its leaves in the winter. A great addition to the habitat garden in full sun to light shade with regular to occasional deep summer water. Orioles love the fruits. Needs afternoon shade in hot, inland areas. Deer resistant.
Lonicera sempervirens  coral honeysuckle
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Lonicera sempervirens

(coral honeysuckle)

Showy, twining vine native to Southeast U.S. Beautiful, bluish-green foliage grows 8 - 15 ft. tall by 6 ft. wide. An abundance of 2 inch, narrow, trumpet-shaped flowers of scarlet-orange with yellow interiors. Though the flowers have no fragrance, they produce copious amounts of nectar custom made for hummingbirds and butterflies. An easy to grow vine, tolerant of a wide range of soil types including clay, sun to light shade and moderate to occasional summer water. Vigorous but not overly exuberant, a good choice for fence or trellis. The species name sempervirens refers to its evergreen habit in mild areas of the Southeast U.S., partially deciduous in colder areas. Prune after bloom as it flowers on last years wood. Deer resistant.  
Lonicera x heckrottii  goldflame honeysuckle
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Lonicera x heckrottii

(goldflame honeysuckle)

 A very showy honeysuckle with attractive blue-green oval leaves. Flowers over a long period with clusters of lightly fragrant, tubular, two-lipped blossoms that are coral pink in bud and rich yellow within. A vigorous, semi evergreen vining shrub 12 - 15 ft. tall for sun to light shade with moderate to occasional water. Hummingbird favorite. Deer resistant.
Lotus (Acmispon) scoparius (glaber)  deerweed
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Lotus (Acmispon) scoparius (glaber)

(deerweed)

Bees go nuts over the bright-yellow flowers of this California native. From spring and into summer you can find this plant covered in blooms at the edges of chaparral throughout much of California. The intricate, pea-shaped flowers, often colored burnished red as they are pollinated, emerge along wand-like stems. Deerweed usually reaches a height and width of about 2 – 3 ft. Plant in full sun to light shade. Needs good drainage and no summer water once established. A remarkable number of butterflies use this species as a larval host plant, including the bramble hairstreak, orange sulphur, funeral duskywing, silvery blue, acmon blue and the avalon hairstreak.

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