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Dichelostemma congestum  ookow
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Dichelostemma congestum

(ookow)

Description coming soon!
Dichelostemma ida-maia  firecracker flower
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Dichelostemma ida-maia

(firecracker flower)

Blooming firecracker flowers are a sight to behold. Native to grassy slopes and woodland edges from Mendocino County to Southern Oregon, this distinctive native bulb is truly unique. Long, strap-shaped leaves give rise to tall, naked stems, 20 - 25 inches in height. Generous clusters of pendulous, one inch floral tubes of striking crimson with reflexed green tips reveal protruding little fringes of white. Bloom in late spring to early summer. Prefers lightly shaded areas that will go dry in summer after flowering. Does well in containers, as long as it is allowed to go dry once dormant. Flowers are custom built for hummingbirds and butterflies. 
Dichelostemma ida-maia x multiflorum 'Pink Diamond' pink firecracker flower
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Dichelostemma ida-maia x multiflorum 'Pink Diamond'

(pink firecracker flower)

A natural occurring hybrid involving the red firecracker flower and a blue flowering species, producing bright, magenta-pink tubular flowers with charming reflexed tips like it's firecracker parent. Strap shaped leaves emerge in the spring with leafless flower stems following, 8-20 inches tall. The umbels of deep pink flowers are favored by hummingbirds and butterflies. Tolerant of different soil types in full sun to light shade. Dry conditions once it goes dormant is a must. Good container plant. 
Dichondra  donelliana  California ponysfoot
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Dichondra donelliana

(California ponysfoot)

Dichondra is a small genus of flowering plants in the morning glory family that form a thick, mat-like ground cover of rounded leaves, once popular as lawn substitutes. This native species is uncommon in the nursery trade and in gardens, but has potential worth exploring. Native to California coastal plant communities on open slopes and moist grasslands, it forms a flat, perennial ground cover with tidy, rounded leaves, densely packed along creeping stems. The flowers are tiny and greenish-white, not real showy but interesting. An obvious application would be a small scale ground cover or meadow planting in areas with some moisture. Could be a candidate for green roofs or walls, where a low and spreading plant is the ticket. Plant in full sun on the immediate coast, otherwise light shade is necessary. Moderate summer water.        
Dodecatheon hendersonii  broad-leaved shooting star
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Dodecatheon hendersonii

(broad-leaved shooting star)

Plant description coming soon.
Dryopteris filix-mas  male fern
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Dryopteris filix-mas

(male fern)

The male fern is a beautiful, large, deciduous fern, native to much of Europe, Asia as well as North America, where it is uncommon in California. Large and slightly arching, the medium green fronds can reach 3 ft. tall and form a sizable clump. This fern increases slowly from stout rhizomes making it a fine choice for containers. An excellent addition to the woodland garden where it is easy to grow in part to full shade. Prefers humusy soil, rich in organic matter, though it is adaptable and accommodating. Best with regular to moderate watering. Rabbit and deer resistant.
Dudleya  'Frank Reinelt' liveforever
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Dudleya 'Frank Reinelt'

(liveforever)

The beautiful Dudleya ‘Frank Reinelt’ will form dense mounds 6 - 8 inches tall with silvery finger-like leaves. Slender stalks appear in late spring and display flowers of soft yellow. They make handsome specimens in a rock garden or perform as a striking groundcover in mass plantings mixed with other coastal bluff plants like red buckwheat, seaside daisy, and sea thrift. Avoid over-watering and control snails. Full sun to light shade with good drainage.

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Dudleya Seedlings from 'Frank Reinelt'

(liveforever)

These seedlings from the beautiful Dudleya ‘Frank Reinelt’ will form dense mounds 6 - 8 inches tall with silvery finger-like leaves. They make handsome specimens in a rock garden or perform as a striking groundcover in mass plantings mixed with other coastal bluff plants like red buckwheat, seaside daisy, and sea thrift. Avoid over-watering and control snails. Full sun to light shade with good drainage.
Dudleya brittonii  giant chalk Dudleya
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Dudleya brittonii

(giant chalk Dudleya)

A Baja California native. Useful and very dramatic in containers or well-drained rock gardens. Likes a protected and sunny microclimate where cold air and winter wet can drain away. Enjoys a little afternoon shade in hotter climates. Develops up to 1 1/2 ft. wide rosettes with fleshy chalk-covered leaves. Yellow flowers sit atop tall stalks in late spring and early summer.
Dudleya cymosa  canyon liveforever
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Dudleya cymosa

(canyon liveforever)

This charming succulent is in native to California where it grows in between rocks on inland cliffs in sun or bright shade. Best in the garden in a rock wall or terra-cotta pot with some afternoon shade. Height in flower is under one foot. The yellow to orange flowers are attractive to hummingbirds. Occasional to infrequent water in the ground. In pots, let dry out between waterings.
Dudleya edulis  mission lettuce
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Dudleya edulis

(mission lettuce)

Native to rocky slopes and ledges below 3900’ in Southern Coastal California, the Peninsular Ranges, and Northern Baja California. This Dudleya forms clustering rosettes of dainty, light green, pencil-like leaves. In summer, tall stalks of fragrant, pale yellow flowers rise high above the foliage. Growing about a foot tall (with flowers) by one foot wide. Plant in well drained soil and cool full sun to part shade inland. A delicate accent in a rock garden or amongst coastal plants, also fine in containers. Known as “mission lettuce” for its fleshy raw leaves, once considered a delicacy.
Dudleya farinosa  bluff lettuce
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Dudleya farinosa

(bluff lettuce)

Native to sea bluffs in central and northern California. Rosettes of fleshy leaves are chalky grey or bright green and often red tipped. Candelabra-like clusters of light yellow flowers on thick stalks appear in summer. Provide part shade away from the coast. Excellent for rock garden, walls or containers, where good drainage and a little summer water can be provided.
Dudleya  farinosa - Noyo River form  bluff lettuce
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Dudleya farinosa - Noyo River form

(bluff lettuce)

  Perched on the cliffs of the Noyo River are beautiful rosettes of bluish-white succulents known as bluff lettuce. This special form from the Mendocino coast was selected by Matt Teel for its small and compact stature, striking color and flat leaves. The foliage reaches a height of about 4 inches and slowly spreads to make small colonies. Yellow flowers sit atop slender pink stalks rising 8 inches off the ground. Provide protection from the afternoon sun in inland sites and plant in well-draining soil. Excellent in containers where it only needs occasional water.  
Dudleya pulverulenta  chalk liveforever
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Dudleya pulverulenta

(chalk liveforever)

Large, broad, chalky-white leaves forming rosettes up to two ft. wide make this Dudleya one of our most sought-after native succulents. A multitude of tubular red flowers appear in late spring and early summer on stalks reaching from 1.5 to 3 ft. tall. Fleshy, heart-shaped bracts line the stems. Plant in bright shade or provide morning sun and afternoon shade. Needs excellent drainage and infrequent irrigation. Plant at an angle to prevent water from gathering around the base in winter. A gravel mulch around the plant can help stabilize soil temperature and prevent excessive dehydration. Good container plant.
Dudleya  virens ssp. hassei  Catalina Island Dudleya
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Dudleya virens ssp. hassei

(Catalina Island Dudleya)

Endemic to Catalina Island, this rare succulent forms chalky-grey rosettes made up of plump fingerlike leaves, 6 inches tall and spreading to form a mat 1 – 2 feet wide. Small white flowers with yellow centers on stems 6 -12 inches tall, bloom in the late spring and are attractive to hummingbirds and other pollinators. Plant in full sun to light shade with occasional deep summer watering. Tolerates heavier soils than most Dudleyas. A dependable small-scale groundcover or container plant.
Echinacea purpurea 'Magnus' purple coneflower
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Echinacea purpurea 'Magnus'

(purple coneflower)

Easy to grow, long blooming perennial, native to central and southeastern United States. The selection 'Magnus' won awards for its distinctive, large and vigorous form and broad, non-drooping petals of rosy-purple surrounding a prominent central cone. The daisy-like flowers bloom profusely from early to late summer and are favored by bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. An excellent cut flower. If left, the seed heads are relished by birds. Grows 2 - 3 ft. tall x 1 - 2 ft. wide in full sun to very light shade with moderate summer water. Deer resistant.
Elymus californicus  California bottlebrush grass
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Elymus californicus

(California bottlebrush grass)

California bottlebrush grass is a tall robust grass with broad, bright green blades and nodding brushlike flower spikes. Uncommon in the wild it can be found in coastal counties on shaded banks and wooded areas, including redwood forests. Displays 3 - 6 ft. tall flower stalks with low foliage up to 1 ft. high. Provide moderate to infrequent irrigation. Deer resistant.
Elymus elymoides  squirrel-tail grass
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Elymus elymoides

(squirrel-tail grass)

A species of wild rye, this tough, native, widespread, perennial grass, sports distinctive seed heads with a bottlebrush or squirrel tail appearance. Super adaptable and willing to withstand a wide range of soil types and depths. Even tolerates serpentine soils. Able to make a living in full sun where it is extremely drought tolerant. Grows one foot to 18 inches tall with shimmering, purple-toned flower spikes that age to beige, bristly, seed heads. A dependable re-seeder, perfect for sunny, low water using landscapes and erosion control. Host plant for a number of butterfly and moth species including the woodland skipper. Deer resistant.
Elymus glaucus  blue ryegrass
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Elymus glaucus

(blue ryegrass)

A stiffly upright, clump-forming grass with blue-green blades, native to much of the western U. S.. The flowers form bristle-tipped, narrow, vertical spikes, rising 2-4 feet tall. Easy to grow and a strong reseeder for full sun to light shade. Summer water keeps plants green longer, but will go dormant with drought. This very adaptable grass is excellent for bank stabilization in challenging soils. Deer resistant.

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Elymus spicatus

(bluebunch wheatgrass)

Native to mountainous regions of the western US, where it lives in many plant communities. Grows to around 3 ft. tall with blue-gray blades and blooms in early summer. Narrow flower spikes have long awns that bend at right angles to the stem. Widely used in revegetation for its adaptability where it grows in many soil types, except for high alkalinity or excessive moisture. Plant in full sun to light shade, where it will be drought tolerant once established. Host to a number of butterfly and moth species. Deer resistant.  
Elymus (Leymus) condensatus 'Canyon Prince' giant ryegrass
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Elymus (Leymus) condensatus 'Canyon Prince'

(giant ryegrass)

A beautiful selection from the Channel Islands off Southern California. Distinctive for the lovely, broad, silver-blue blades 2 1/2 to 3 ft. tall with wand-like grass flowers reaching up to 2 feet above the foliage. Accepts sun to very light shade and moderate to little water. Tolerates heavy soil. Spreads by rhizomes to form striking silver drifts, but is vigorous and aggressive. Best to use where a large patch is desired or where it is contained, such as a parkway strip. Cut back in winter to rejuvenate and remove old leaves. Drought and deer resistant.
Elymus (Leymus) condensatus 'Lottie's Choice' giant wild rye
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Elymus (Leymus) condensatus 'Lottie's Choice'

(giant wild rye)

An exceptional form of giant wild rye selected by Roger Raiche from the Santa Lucia Mts. in southern Monterey County. A big, bold and beautiful native grass with stunning, wide, silver blades 4 ft. or more tall. Dense flower spikes rise on tall stems  to 7 ft. or more in the summer. Spreads slowly to form substantial clumps. A dramatic specimen that needs room to sprawl, and benefits from adjacent shrubs or structures to lean on. Cutting down old growth each spring will renew and showcase the gorgeous new stems and leaves. Best in full sun to light shade with moderate to infrequent water once established. Deer resistant.
Elymus (Leymus) triticoides  creeping wild rye
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Elymus (Leymus) triticoides

(creeping wild rye)

Spreading, turf forming, perennial grass found in somewhat moist areas in many plant communities throughout California. An important restoration species, useful for holding soil and enhancing wildlife habitat value. Growing 2-4 ft. tall and spreading widely with an extensive network of rhizomatous roots which both hold soil and help prevent exotic weed establishment within their dense mats of roots and foliage. Slender blue-green blades are topped with narrow flower spikes 4-6 inches long. Excellent for seasonally moist bottom land and riparian areas where it can grow in full sun to light shade and tolerates many soil types. Will tolerate some drought in heavier soils. May spread too vigorously for small gardens.

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Elymus (Leymus) triticoides x 'Lagunita'

(creeping wild rye)

Discovered by grass expert and John Greenlee, who describes it as his personal favorite ground cover grass for meadow installations. Often this species has blue-grey blades and grows tall and floppy, but 'Lagunitas' grows just 10 - 16 inches tall, with rich green blades. This form rarely flowers and is quite adaptable to soil types and watering regimes. The ability to tolerate both wet and dry conditions makes it valuable for areas that seasonally flood like rain gardens. A vigorous spreader, especially when well watered, but is better behaved in dryer sites. Once established, can be maintained with one or two waterings a month, keeping it green and fire safe. Tolerates trimming to about 4 inches, possibly more. Grows in full sun to light shade. Host plant to the Woodland Skipper butterfly.
Encelia californica  bush sunflower
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Encelia californica

(bush sunflower)

Cheery yellow daisies with purplish-brown centers cover this sunflower from late winter all the way into summer, making it one of our longest blooming natives. The 2-inch-wide blossoms make for stupendous cut flowers and are loved by bees and butterflies. Goldfinches enjoy the seeds which follow. This somewhat short-lived subshrub features dark green, diamond-shaped leaves and reaches about 3 – 4 ft. tall, spreading a little wider. Should reseed if the spent flowers aren’t removed. Enjoys full sun to light shade and occasional to infrequent irrigation with decent drainage to look its best. Native to generally coastal areas in southern California. While not especially cold sensitive, it will freeze if the temperature gets down to the mid 20s.

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