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More information »	Staphylea bolanderi (bladdernut) Description coming soon.
More information »	Stipa (Nassella) cernua (nodding needlegrass) A beautiful native grass said to be a more impressive horticultural subject than the tough and useful Stipa pulchra. Forms a tufted bunch of foliage with elegant flower stems to about 2 ft. tall. The panicles of thin, fine, nodding awns have a silky aspect and are purplish at first drying silver. They glimmer when backlit. Prefers full sun (but will tolerate light shade) and well drained soils, but has proven adaptable. Drought tolerant. Often self sows. Deer resistant.
More information »	Stipa (Nassella) lepida (foothill needlegrass) The native foothill needlegrass is a fine-bladed, medium-sized, perennial bunchgrass perfectly adapted to our Mediterranean climate. Growing vegetatively during the cool season and flowering in mid to late spring, going dormant with the dry of summer. Tufts of fine-textured blades 8 - 12 inches tall, give rise to slender, graceful flowering stems, 2 ft or more tall with panicles of silky awns which shimmer when back lit. Well suited for the dry garden, open woods, meadows and rocky slopes. Easy to grow, disease and pest resistant, tolerating more shade than other Stipa species. A strong re-seeder and deer resistant. Host plant for a number of butterflies. Deer resistant.
More information »	Stipa (Nassella) pulchra (purple needlegrass) Purple needlegrass is a major species in California grasslands. An excellent choice for naturalistic settings, native plantings, meadows or dry slopes in full sun. Handsome in mass where its purple awns shimmer. The entire plant turns golden come summer then goes dormant, reviving with the rainy season. Very drought tolerant. Can reseed vigorously. Deer resistant.
More information »	Styrax redivivus (snowdrop bush) A beautiful but little known California native. Slow to mature but worth the wait. Develops into a graceful multistemed deciduous shrub. Dark green rounded leaves clothe the smooth gray branches. Late spring brings dangling clusters of pure white, waxy, bell-shaped blossoms. Grows 6 to 10 ft. tall for sun to light shade. Drought tolerant. We have observed hummingbirds and pipevine swallowtail butterflies nectaring on styrax blossoms.
More information »	Succulent Plants There are many good sources of information on the web for succulents. Some of our favorite urls are listed here: http://crassulaceae.net/ http://www.sedumphotos.net/main.php http://ucanr.edu/sites/scmg/Top_Plants_Category_Parent/Succulents/ http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/996/ http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/1441/ http://sempervivoscope.voila.net/ http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=de&u=http://www.semperhor... http://www.xericworld.com/forums/home.php http://www.agavaceae.com/agavaceae/agavhome_en.asp http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/199/ http://www.sfsucculent.org/
More information »	Symphoricarpos albus var. laevigatus (snowberry) Snowberry is a deciduous, native shrub for dry or moist shade. Reaches about 4 ft. tall and spreading. Clusters of tiny, pinkish, urn-shaped flowers are followed by showy white berries on arching branches. Responds well to shearing. A good choice for under native oaks. Fruit may be toxic to humans. Hummingbirds like the flowers. Berries are palatable to hermit thrush, Swainson’s thrush, robins and other birds. Also creates good cover for birds.
More information »	Symphoricarpos albus var. laevigatus 'Bartlett Springs' (snowberry) Snowberry is a deciduous, native shrub for dry or moist shade. Reaches about 4 ft. tall and spreading. Our own selection from Lake County, has particularly large oval leaves on graceful arching branches with exceptionally big fruits. Clusters of tiny, pinkish, urn-shaped flowers are followed by showy white berries on the branch tips. Responds well to shearing. A good choice for under native oaks. Fruit may be toxic to humans. Hummingbirds and bees like the flowers. Berries are palatable to hermit thrush, Swainson’s thrush, robins and other birds. Also creates good cover for birds.
More information »	Symphoricarpos albus var. laevigatus 'San Bruno Mountain' (snowberry) This attractive low-growing form of our native snowberry is a Cal Flora Nursery selection from San Bruno Mountain. Its dimensions are about 8 inches tall and spreading. Indeed the spreading nature of this plant is robust & it should be included in areas where that is an asset rather than a liability. The wiry arching branches hold light green rounded leaves & the effect of the new growth is delicate and appealing. Tiny pink urn-shaped flowers decorate the branch tips, followed by small white fruits. Perfect for a lightly shaded bank or the light shade of a tree where it will be very drought tolerant. With total drought it may go summer deciduous but occasional summer water will keep it looking fresh. The flowers attract bees and hummingbirds.
More information »	Symphoricarpos albus var. laevigatus 'Tilden Park' (snowberry) Here is a particularly fine selection of the native snowberry, notable for its dependable crop of showy white berries on arching branches. A deciduous shrub, snowberry grows to about 4 ft. tall and spreads to form drifts. A good choice for a shady bank, woodland edge, or under oaks. Appreciates and responds to moisture, but once established will tolerate dry conditions. Fruit may be toxic to humans. Hummingbirds like the flowers. Berries are palatable to hermit thrush, Swainson’s thrush, robins and other birds. Also creates good cover for birds.
More information »	Symphoricarpos mollis (creeping snowberry) Low growing, spreading groundcover, usually staying around a foot tall by 3-4 foot wide. Rounded blue-green leaves on arching stems makes an excellent low growing thicket which competes well with tree roots. An amenable plant, able to grow in full sun in coastal areas and different depths of shade elsewhere, even fairly deep shade. The tiny, pink, bell shaped flowers are attractive to bees and hummingbirds and the white fruits that follow are eaten by birds. Good for erosion control and does well under oaks. Offers excellent habitat value with its flowers and fruits and provides cover for ground nesting birds. Drought tolerant once established. Deer often leave it alone.
More information »	Tanacetum bipinnatum (camphoratum) (dune tansy) Native to sand dunes from the Bay Area north, this shrubby evergreen groundcover spreads quickly to create drifts of soft fern-like foliage. Yellow, button-shaped flowers form small clusters atop stalks up to 2 ft. tall. Enjoys full sun to light shade. Tolerant of clay soils and excessive moisture but will thrive with only occasional water once established. Reducing irrigation can temper this tansy's somewhat aggressive nature. Dune tansy has a strong scent of camphor and is valued for its medicinal uses. Beautiful when combined with ceanothus, Douglas iris and other plants from our coastal areas. Good for erosion control.
More information »	Tauschia kelloggii (umbrellawort) Plant description coming soon.
More information »	Taxus brevifolia (Pacific yew) Plant description coming soon.
More information »	Tellima grandiflora (fringe cups) Fringe cups is a sweet native perennial for the shade garden. Many small, urn-shaped flowers with tiny fringed petals open green and age to pink, line the slender flower stalks. These rise above the soft mounds of foliage 18 inches to 2 ft. Seeds about in a nice way. Tolerates dry shade. Deer resistant.
More information »	Teucrium chamaedrys (germander) Tough, neat looking evergreen shrublet-good for hot dry places. Excellent edging for herb gardens. Grows 1 ft. tall by 2 ft. wide. Dark green foliage topped with light magenta flowers in spikes. Shear after blooming. Deer seem to leave it alone. Bee favorite.
More information »	Teucrium cossonii (majoricum) (Majorcan teucrium) A beautiful little shrublet that hugs the ground to 2 ft. or more wide. Narrow gray-green foiage is topped with dense clusters of rosy-lavender flowers, nearly the entire growing season. Requires decent drainage with moderate to occasional summer water once established. Great rock garden plant. Pollinator friendly and deer resistant.
More information »	Teucrium fruticans 'Azureum' (bush germander) Upright silver foliaged evergreen shrub with wonderful azure blue flowers most of the summer. Good for sunny dry areas where they combine nicely with other drought tolerant plants such as lavenders, rock roses, Phlomis, etc. Grows to about 3 - 4 ft. tall and wide. Teucriums are bee favorites. Deer resistant.
More information »	Teucrium fruticans - Cal Flora Form (bush germander) The silvery-white leaves and lavender-blue flowers of the bush germander make it a popular and sturdy choice for dificult situations where heat and drought make gardening dificult. This compact selection of bush germander only gets to about 5 ft. tall and wide. The flowers bloom almost year round and are a pollinator favorite. Plant in full sun to light shade with decent drainage. Responds well to shearing. Fire resistant. Dependably deer resistant.
More information »	Thalictrum fendleri v. polycarpum (meadow rue) This native meadowrue has charm and adds a delicate, graceful quality to a woodland setting. Finely cut bluish-green foliage unfurls from purplish shoots. The tiny unisexual flowers are produced atop 2 - 4 ft. tall stalks on separate plants. The male flowers are showier with dangling cream-colored stamens; the females are clusters of greenish pistils. Useful in the woodland garden where it will thrive with some summer water or manage on winter rainfall. One way or the other it goes dormant in late summer where it can be allowed to go dry. Group several plants for best effect.
More information »	Thuja plicata (Western red cedar) This stately conifer with deep green, scale-like needles and cinnamon-red bark, makes its home on the northern coast of California all the way up to Alaska. A large tree over time, eventually reaching up to 90 ft. tall in the garden and higher in its native habitat. The needle-covered branches hang gracefully in fern-like cascades. Looks best when the branches are allowed to touch the ground when young, allowing its elegant conical shape to be fully utilized. One of the most shade tolerant of our native conifers, but will be happy in full sun, except in hot, interior climates. Needs moderate to occasional irrigation. Tolerates moist soil. One way to identify this species from the other native cedars is by the white butterfly shape on the back of the needles, created by stomatal bloom.
More information »	Thymus 'Pink Chintz' (pink chintz thyme) This aromatic, low growing, mat forming perennial, has received the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Merit. Creeping and cascading habit, the small green woolly leaves form a flat carpet a couple inches high by 18 inches wide. Mid spring brings a froth of tiny lavender-pink flowers highly attractive to pollinators. Excellent small scale ground cover for sun to very light shade and moderate to occasional summer watering. Useful between steeping stones or areas with occasional foot traffic. Drought and deer resistant.
More information »	Thymus leucotrichus (juniper thyme) From the mountains of Greece comes this distinctive thyme with aromatic, gray, needle-like leaves. Forms a low mat under 6 inches tall and spreading 12 inches or so wide. Late spring brings a froth of rosy pink flowers, which are popular with the pollinators, especially honey bees. A sturdy, small scale, drought tolerant ground cover for well draining soils in full sun to light shade, accepting moderate to occasional irrigation. A natural for rock gardens, troughs or decorative containers, where it will spread and spill. Deer resistant.
More information »	Thymus necefferi (juniper thyme) An interesting and different thyme with gray needle-like leaves giving it an almost juniper-like appearance. Grows perfectly flat and spreading a foot to 18 inches wide. Mauve-pink flowers top the fragrant foliage in late spring and are attractive to bees. Plant in full sun to light shade with moderate to a little summer water. Deer resistant.
More information »	Thymus pseudolanuginosus (woolly thyme) A small scale ground cover forming a dense carpet of tiny, gray, woolly, aromatic leaves. Excellent to spill over a bank, in rock crevices or between stepping stones. This form of thyme rarely blooms or is very shy to bloom. Requires good drainage, full sun to light shade and moderate to occasional watering.