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More information »	Madia elegans (elegant tarweed) Native ANNUAL growing 3-4 ft. tall with multi branching aromatic stems. Cheerful bright yellow daisies top the stems in the summer and can be solid yellow or may have a maroon spot at the base of each petal. Tarweeds are an important late nectar source for butterflies, bees and other beneficial insects. The seeds are relished by small mammals and birds, especially finches. Native to grasslands and open forests, well adapted to clay soils and full sun, perfectly adapted to our long, dry summers.
More information »	Madia (Anisocarpus) madioides (woodland madia) A quiet perennial, native to woods and coniferous forests of California from sea level to 4000 ft. Dark green, narrow leaves are covered with soft hairs and forms a sturdy, low, perennial clump. The bright yellow daisies top 8-10 inch flower stems over a long period, from late spring into summer. Able to thrive in dry shady conditions. May seed about in a friendly way.
More information »	Maianthemum dilatatum (false lily of the valley) This lush, lily relative is native to coastal forests of Northern California to Alaska. When happy, spreads by underground root stocks to form broad mats of heart-shaped, glossy, green leaves with parallel veins. Bears clusters of tiny white flowers followed by red, translucent berries. Dies back to the ground in winter. Loves shade and moisture. Competes well with tree roots.
More information »	Maianthemum (Smilacina) racemosum (fat false Solomon's seal) Choice herbaceous perennial native to moist woodlands in California and throughout North America. Forms robust clumps of arching branches 2-3 ft. tall. The branch tips carry dense panicles of sweetly fragrant, white, star-shaped flowers in late spring. Clusters of red berries follow in summer and fall. A lovely addition to the shade garden where it thrives in well drained, woodsy soil with some summer moisture. In cooler coastal environments can go summer dry once established. This lily family member slowly spreads to form striking clumps which die back to the ground in the winter. An elegant and long lived beauty.
More information »	Maianthemum (Smilacina) stellatum (slim false Solomon's seal) Native to California and much of North America, this woodlander makes a worthy and useful addition to the shade garden. Spreading by stout rhizomes forming colonies of lush, green foliage one foot to 18 inches tall. Small, white, star-shaped flowers top the slender stems in the spring and early summer. Berries follow that are often striped with purple or black, eventually turning red. Thrives in shade with moisture but tolerates dryish conditions once established. Can grow in quite a bit of light as long as there is moisture. A variety of insects seek nectar or pollen from the flowers and woodland song birds love the berries.
More information »	Malacothamnus fasciculatus (chaparral bush mallow) Native to western Southern California, this fast growing, evergreen shrub grows to 6 + feet tall and spreads to form colonies. A multi-branched mallow with hairy, gray-green, leaves often shaped like those of maples. The pale pink, cup-shaped flowers held in clusters along the stem, bloom from spring into summer. A native bee magnet. Useful as an evergreen screen for full sun. Occasional irrigation to drought tolerant once established. A larval food source for the west coast lady and the northern white-skipper butterflies. Reported to be deer resistant.
More information »	Malacothamnus fasciculatus var. nuttallii 'Casitas' (chapparal bush mallow) Plant description coming soon.
More information »	Malacothamnus fremontii (fremont's bush mallow) A fast growing, thicket forming, native shrub with silvery white, felted foliage 4 - 6 ft. tall and spreading. A profusion of pale-pink, cup-shaped flowers decorate the branch tips in summer. A tough and adaptable shrub for sunny dry areas, appreciating occasional summer water once established. Useful on banks or other challenging sites. Host plant for the Painted Lady and West Coast Lady butterfly. An excellent nectar source for orioles. Deer often seem to leave it alone.
More information »	Malacothamnus jonesii (Jones's bush mallow) A rare endemic from southern Monterey and San Luis Obispo counties, growing in foothill woodland and chaparral plant communities. Fast growing shrub, often coming in after fires or disturbance. Growing 4 - 6 ft. tall and wide with beautiful gray foliage, covered in white, velvety hairs. Lovely, soft pink, cup-shaped flowers appear in profusion on the slender branch tips, late spring into summer. Nectar is highly attractive to a myriad of insects, hummingbirds (who seek both nectar and insects), bees and butterflies. Larval food source for the West Coast Lady and Northern White Skipper butterflies. Plant in full sun to ight shade, where it will be drought tolerant once established.
More information »	Malacothamnus palmeri var. lucianus (Santa Lucia bush mallow) From the hot valleys of the Santa Lucia mountains in central California comes this rare form of the native bush-mallow. Deep pink, cup-shaped flowers appear in late spring and early summer above the fuzzy, light green leaves. Reaches a height of about 6 ft and slowly spreads to form colonies. Give full sun to light shade and provide little to no water once established. A good choice for hot, dry banks with Toyon, Ceanothus and Manzanita. An excellent nectar source for orioles. Deer seem to leave it alone.
More information »	Malacothamnus palmeri var. lucianus 'Hanging Valley' (Santa Lucia bush mallow) Description coming soon!
More information »	Marah fabacea (wild cucumber, California manroot) Description coming soon.
More information »	Marah oregana (coast man-root, wild cucumber) A native perennial vine found in coastal counties from Santa Clara, California to British Columbia. Growing from a massive, enlarged tuber in forest edges and riparian habitats. The lush-green, palmate leaves with spiraling tendrils clamber along the ground and climb and sprawl over shrubs and trees. White, star-like flowers bloom in the spring and are favored by native bees as well as honeybees. The flowers lead to showy, inflated, bright-green, fruits with soft spines. The generic name Marah comes from the Hebrew word for bitter, in reference to all parts of the plants being extremely bitter to taste. Completely herbaceous, dying back to the woody root in late summer or fall, returning in the spring. Best with part shade. Quite drought tolerant but will accept moderate irrigation. Probably deer resistant.
More information »	Melica californica (California melic grass) Here is a tough and handsome bunchgrass native to the grasslands and oak woodlands of northern and central coast ranges and the Sierra Nevada foothills. Bright green blades grow about one foot tall. The flower spikes are made up of glistening papery bracts and grow 2 - 4 ft. tall. The ornamental flowering culms remain attractive even after this grass has gone dormant, and is also useful as a “cut” in floral arrangements. Tolerant of many soil types, though it requires good drainage. Plant in full sun to light shade where it is very drought tolerant. Deer resistant.
More information »	Melica geyeri (Geyer's oniongrass) This perennial bunch grass is native to many types of habitat in seasonally moist forests and hillsides throughout much of California. Forms a lush, dense bunch of deep-green, broad blades, spreading slowly by rhizomes. The common name refers to the swollen, onion-like corms at the base of the stems. The inflorescence rises 2-3 ft. tall is made up of long, green, narrow spikelets with purple banding. A perfect grass for dappled shade under oaks and firs. Tolerant of some summer irrigation, but can survive the dry season once established. Goes dormant by early autumn. A host plant of the rural skipper and the white-lined sphinx moth. Deer resistant.
More information »	Melica harfordii (woodland melic) A lovely and useful grass native to dryish slopes and canyons of coniferous forests from central California to British Columbia. Forms a loose vertical clump with slightly arching stems 2 to 4 ft. tall. The delicate, narrow flower spikes add a sparkling effect to the woodland garden. Useful in lightly shaded plantings, where it is drought tolerant especially in cooler areas like western Sonoma County. It would benefit from occasional water during the dry season in warmer regions. Adds a nice vertical touch, as a specimen or in mass. Deer resistant.
More information »	Melica imperfecta (small-flowered melicgrass) Native to dry hillsides, chaparral and open woodlands of southern and central California. This dainty native perennial grass grows 1 - 3 ft. tall in flower with narrow, glossy leaves at its base. The slender flower panicles provide a delicate effect, starting out cream and aging to beige. Grows best in cool sun or part shade and responds to some irrigation. Goes dormant if allowed to go summer dry once established, turning green with the winter rains. Useful for lightly shaded meadow plantings and stabilizing slopes. Deer resistant.
More information »	Melica torreyana (Torrey's melic) At its best in winter and early spring, this little northern California bunchgrass is a perfect mound of soft green blades. In full bloom it can reach 1 - 3 ft. tall, followed by typical melic fruit resembling small brown rice grains held close to the stem. Grows in sun and shade in nature, but performs best/longest in the garden in part shade. Will go semi-summer dormant with drought, but will be evergreen with some moisture. Deer resistant.
More information »	Mimulus (Erythranthe) cardinalis 'Santa Cruz Island Gold' (monkeyflower) An interesting color form of a streamside native found on Santa Cruz Island. Rather than the usual scarlet tubular flowers, this monkeyflower has golden orange blossoms with a band of yellow with red dots at the base of the petals. Plant in sun to part shade with regular water. Perfect beside a pond, stream or water feature. Does well in containers too. Trim as needed to keep tidy. A hummingbird favorite.
More information »	Mimulus (Erythranthe) lewisii - dark flowered form (Lewis' monkeyflower) From cold streams in the Cascade Mountains comes this particularly dark flowered form of Lewis' monkeyflower. Trumpet-shaped blossoms with flared mouths are colored a deep, rich rose-pink, unlike the paler Sierra form. Reaching up to a foot tall and spreading to form small clumps, this moisture-loving monkeyflower enjoys part-shade and decent drainage. Hummingbirds love the flowers. Plant with sedges, blue lobelia and false bugbane for a colorful woodland display filled with texture. Great in a container.
More information »	Monardella macrantha 'Marian Sampson' (scarlet coyote mint) A choice native perennial forming low mats of fragrant dark green shiny leaves. Mid to late spring brings spectacular heads of scarlet tubular flowers which are hummingbird magnets. Well suited for rock garden or container use where good drainage can be provided along with occasional summer water. Appreciates light shade in hot regions. The cultivar ‘Marian Sampson’ is a vigorous and disease resistant selection, but still likely to be short lived, lasting 2 to 4 years. Fantastic accent plant which is deer resistant and attractive to butterflies and hummingbirds.
More information »	Monardella odoratissima (mountain coyote mint, mountain pennyroyal) Description coming soon!
More information »	Monardella purpurea (serpentine coyote mint) A locally rare and more refined version of our common coyote mint, often with darker flowers, colored purple. Mature plants typically stay under a foot tall, but will get a little wider. Leaves are narrow and dark green, lining burgundy-tinged stems. While native to serpentine soils, it does well in most soils with good drainage. Plant in full sun to part shade and water infrequently. A great, rarely offered native for rock gardens or smaller areas, where butterflies and bees will enjoy the summer blossoms. Deer resistant.
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) With its graceful, arching habit and tall, attractive seed stalk, this versatile, adaptable native grass is a striking addition to any garden. Forms a tidy, dense clump 3 ft. tall and 3-4 feet wide, making it useful as a specimen and also wonderful planted in mass. Remains mostly evergreen with occasional summer water, but can be periodically chopped down to spur fresh growth. Plant in full sun to light shade. Tolerates moist or dry soils and performs well in clay. Its extensive root system makes it an 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.