Our Plants

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Z

Pages

More information »	Monardella villosa (coyote mint) Plant description coming soon.
More information »	Monardella villosa 'Soulajule' (coyote mint) Smaller than our cultivar 'Russian River', this coyote mint reaches a height of about 10 inches with fragrant leaves and dense heads of lavender-pink flowers in late spring and summer.Forms small colonies over time as the branches touch the ground and root.Best in full sun though light shade is helpful inland.Will enjoy occasional irrigation once established but does not require it.Attracts bees, butterflies and other beneficials and is deer resistant.Discovered near Soulajule Reservoir in Marin County.
More information »	Monardella villosa ssp. franciscana 'Pomo Canyon' (coyote mint) This low growing, dense selection of our native coyote mint was discovered near the mouth of the Russian River. Large, round, deeply veined leaves colored dark blue-green give this groundcover a lush appearance. In summer, soft lavender flowers which look like pincushions cover the plant. Reaches a height of up to 12 inches and spreads fairly quickly to form drifts. Provide full sun to light shade and moderate to infrequent irrigation. A stellar plant for bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. Coyote mint is not a true mint and won’t spread invasively by roots. Deer resistant.
More information »	Monardella villosa ssp. franciscana 'Russian River' (coyote mint) Our own selection of coyote mint from a rocky slope along the lower Russian River. Although Monardella is sometimes difficult in cultivation, this plant has proven to be vigorous. Grows 12 to 18 inches tall with ball-like clusters of pinkish-purple above the fragrant evergreen foliage. Good for a dry sunny site. Attracts bees and butterflies. Deer resistant.
More information »	Monardella villosa ssp. villosa 'Mark West' (coyote mint) This sweet little coyote mint hails from the dry, inland hills above the Mark West watershed in North East Santa Rosa. It is more compact than the ‘Russian River’ selection, mounding to about 1’ high and spreading to 3’ across. The aromatic foliage is a light minty green, and the round lavender-pink flower heads bloom from late spring through summer. Best with a bit of protection from the hot afternoon sun, this coyote mint is great to tuck under a large, upright, drought tolerant shrub, such as manzanita or Ceanothus. Drought tolerant once established, but blooms best with occasional deep soaks. Needs good drainage. Like other coyote mints, it is a butterfly and native bee magnet. Deer resistant.
More information »	Monardella viridis (green coyote mint) A pollinator magnet! Found in inland Sonoma County, and in Lake and Napa Counties, on hot, dry, rocky slopes, green coyote mint entices the senses with its minty, sage-like aroma, small, pointed, ovate, green-gray foliage, and its saturated lavender inflorescences that bloom in summer. Growing to 4’ across, this low mounding woody perennial prefers decent drainage and a bit of relief from afternoon sun in hotter, inland sites. The flowers are especially attractive to native bees and butterflies. Deer resistant and drought-tolerant once established.
More information »	Muhlenbergia capillaris (pink muhly) This beautiful grass is grown for the stunning haze of purple-pink flower panicles in late summer. Clumping grass 2 - 3 ft. tall, native to southeastern U.S. Best in full sun with some summer water. Cut back late winter to encourage fresh new growth. Deer resistant.
More information »	Muhlenbergia dubia (pine muhly) A half size version of the popular deer grass, Muhlenbergia rigens, with many of its attributes - only smaller. Evergreen foliage 12 - 18 inches tall. Narrow flower spikes on erect stems to 3 ft. tall. Adaptable, plant in full sun to light shade, little to moderate summer water. Heat and drought tolerant. Deer resistant too.
More information »	Muhlenbergia emersleyi (bull grass) A handsome grass that forms dense mounds of gray-green blades about 2 ft. long. The showy flowers rise another foot above the foliage and are purplish-gray and dense. Useful as a specimen or in groups. Full sun, light shade, decent drainage. Tolerates heat, cold, wind, and drought. Deer resistant.
More information »	Muhlenbergia lindheimeri Choice evergreen grass with beautiful blue-gray blades that have a graceful arching habit to around 3 ft. tall. Purplish flower spikes rise another 1 - 2 1/2 ft. above the foliage. Prefers full sun with good drainage with moderate to little summer water. Has performed well on our mounded up clay soil with very little summer water. Deer resistant.
More information »	Muhlenbergia rigens (deer grass) Versatile, adaptable, large native grass forms dense clumps 3 to 4 ft. tall and wide. This striking grass is useful as a specimen and wonderful planted in mass. Plant in full sun to light shade.Tolerates moist or dry soils and performs well in clay soils. Extensive root system makes it excellent for soil stabilization.Good habitat value offering seeds for songbirds and is a larval food source for a number of butterflies species.Deer resisitant.
More information »	Myrica hartwegii (Sierra sweet bay) From Sierran streambanks comes this sweet bay, a cousin of our local wax myrtle. Rare in nature, this deciduous shrub can reach a height and width of up to 5 ft. Soft, lance-shaped leaves of gray-green flank the stems. Small red flowers appear in the spring. Enjoys dappled shade and good drainage. Requires regular irrigation. Plant with indian rhubarb, western columbine and ferns for a taste of the mountains in your own garden. Thought to be deer resistant.
More information »	Myrica (Morella) californica (Pacific wax myrtle) Native evergreen shrub with clean looking shiny foliage 15 ft. or more tall. Useful screen, clipped or informal hedge or even trained as multi-trunked small tree. An adaptable plant for sun to light shade, with moderate to occasional water. Its waxy berries attract flickers, robins and finches. Fairly deer resistant.
More information »	Nemophila menziesii (baby blue eyes) Description coming soon!
More information »	Nemophila menziesii - Frosty Blue (baby blue eyes) An interesting seed strain of the charming, ANNUAL baby blue eyes. Found in many habitat types throughout California, this beauty has long been in cultivation. The slender, succulent, lobed leaves grow 4 - 6 inches tall, spreading and spilling about 1 ft wide. The "Frosty" in the name refers to the silvery color to the foliage, which contrast nicely with the profusion of gorgeous, bright, baby-blue blossoms. Spectacular in drifts, where it can spill and cascade, at the front of a garden bed, in meadow plantings, rock gardens or in containers. Plant in full sun to light shade where it is early to bloom during the cool of spring. Hot weather triggers seed production. The large black seeds are relished by birds. Reseeds readily.
More information »	Nepeta x fassennii 'Blue Wonder' (catmint) An aromatic and floriferous perennial, native to the Caucasus, Turkey and Iran, with grey foliage and abundant, deep blue, nectar-rich flowers. Forms a spreading mound, around 1 foot tall and 18 inches wide. Plant in full sun to light shade with good drainage and moderate watering. Useful color spot, off and on, spring through fall, when sheared back once flowers fade. Attracts bees, hummingbirds and butterflies. Deer and rabbit resistant.
More information »	Neviusia cliftonii (Shasta snow-wreath) Shasta snow-wreath is a rare species not know to science until 1992. Endemic to Shasta County, California, often on limestone embankments, in moist shady areas, this deciduous shrub grows to around 6 ft. tall spreading by underground rootstocks. Looking something like ocean spray or a delicate ninebark, heart shaped leaves with toothed edges are alternately arranged on the slender branches. The flowers are a starburst of white anthers in early spring surrounded by green petal-like sepals. A lovely addition to a woodland planting where it thrives in light shade with some summer water.
More information »	Notholithocarpus densiflorus var. densiflorus (tanoak) Plant description coming soon.
More information »	Notholithocarpus densiflorus var. echinoides (dwarf tanoak) Plant description coming soon.
More information »	Oemleria cerasiformis (oso berry) A charming native shrub which grows in moist areas along the coast or when inland on forest edges. Blooms in early spring just as the new leaves are beginning to expand with drooping clusters of fragrant white flowers. Male and female plants are separate and you'll need both to get the small blue-black fruits that birds enjoy. A suckering shrub growing 5 - 6 ft. tall or more. Plant in part shade with regular to occasional water. Can grow in cool full sun such as you find along the coast.
More information »	Oenothera californica (California primrose) California primrose forms low mats of gorgeous, grey foliage, up to 2 to 3 ft. across. The soft leaves, covered with dense hairs, becomes nearly hidden by large, white, sweetly fragrant flowers. The long succession of blooms pop open in early evening from drooping flower buds and last just one night, becoming pink with age. Native to sandy or gravely soils of southern California, southwestern U.S. and Baja, where it can be found in chaparral, high elevation deserts and open woodland habitats. Perfect for the dry garden with well draining soils in full sun to very light shade. The luscious flower display can last from late spring into early summer. Goes completely dormant by mid-summer, returning the next winter. Pollinated by a number of interesting moth species including the Sphinx moth.
More information »	Origanum 'Barbara Tingey' (ornamental oregano) An uncommon hybrid ornamental oregano, excellent for spilling over walls or containers. Arching habit to 8 inches tall with long, dangling flower stems made up of papery bracts which start out apple-green aging to deep pink. Tiny pink flowers peek out from between the bracts and last most of the summer. Good dried flowers too. Plant in sun to light shade, with good drainage, and moderate watering. Oregano's are bee favorites and deer resistant.
More information »	Origanum 'Kent Beauty' (ornamental oregano) A beautiful ornamental oregano with showy arching sprays of papery pink bracts shaped somewhat like the flowers of a hop plant. Looks wonderful cascading over walls, in pots, and in rock gardens. Full sun to light shade, moderate water and good drainage. Flowering oregano is a bee favorite. Deer tolerant.
More information »	Origanum majorana 'Betty Rollins' (dwarf culinary oregano) A wonderful low growing form of oregano, with dark green, deliciously fragrant foliage. Clusters of pink flowers decorate the tips in summer. Forms a dense mat 6 inches tall and spreading. Nice small scale groundcover or plant between stepping stones. Sun to very light shade with moderate to occasional summer water. Flowering oregano is a bee favorite. Deer resistant.
More information »	Oxalis oregana (redwood sorrel) A natural companion of coast redwoods where it forms low carpets of clover-like foliage. Useful ground cover for the woodland garden where it competes well with tree roots and thrives in partial to deep shade. Low and spreading with spring flowers that can range from white through dark pink . Best with humus in the soil and some summer moisture, though it is drought tolerant in coastal zones. Deer resistant.