Arroyo Willow (Salix lasiolepis) is an abundant and widespread native small tree or shrub that grows in northern, southern and central California. Arroyo Willow likes water and in the garden must have constantly moist soil. It is a fast-growing small tree, reaching 15 to 30 feet high and 5 to 10 feet wide. The leaves are long and thin. Being deciduous, Arroyo Willow is leafless part of the year. The flower is a yellowish catkin that becomes a fluffy white mass of seeds.

Willows (Salix spp.) are very important wildlife plants, used by birds, insects, amphibians and mammals. Numerous insects, especially wasps, lay their eggs on willow leaves, forming galls. These galls are usually not harmful to the plant and should not be viewed as pests.

Arroyo Willow grows in full sun in a variety of soils, as long as it has adequate drainage. It is recommended as erosion control near streams. Spreading by root runners it can be invasive in moist areas. Gardeners with a bog or pond use it with other wetland plants such as Maple, Spicebush, Dogwood, Currant, and California Wildrose. It can be pruned or sheared in winter to form a hedge.

Salix melanopsis is a plant species known by the common name dusky willow. It is native to western North America from British Columbia and Alberta to California and Colorado, where it grows in many types of moist and wet habitat, such as riverbanks and subalpine mountain meadows, on rocky and silty substrates. Salix melanopsis is a shrub up to 4 meters tall, sometimes sprouting abundantly from its stem to form colonial thickets of clones. The pointed, oval, lance-shaped, or linear leaves may grow over 13 centimeters long and have smooth or spine-toothed edges. The inflorescence is a catkin of flowers up to 5 or 6 centimeters long. Salix melanopsis is a shrub up to 4 meters tall, sometimes sprouting abundantly from its stem to form colonial thickets of clones. The pointed, oval, lance-shaped, or linear leaves may grow over 13 centimeters long and have smooth or spine-toothed edges. The inflorescence is a catkin of flowers up to 5 or 6 centimeters long.

Salix scouleriana, or Scouler's Willow, is a species of willow native to western North America. Other names occasionally used include fire willow, Nuttall willow, mountain willow, and black willow. It is a deciduous shrub or small tree, depending on the environment, usually with multiple stems that reach 2 to 7 meter in height in dry, cold, high elevation, and other difficult environments, and 10 to 20 meter in favorable sites. The stems are straight and support few branches generally resulting in narrow crowns. The root system is fibrous, deep, and widespread. The thick sapwood is nearly white, and heartwood is light brown tinged with red. Stem bark is thin, gray or dark brown with broad, flat ridges. Twigs are stout and whitish green. The leaves are oblance-shaped to elliptic, 5-12.5 centimeter long, mostly short-pointed at the tip and tapered toward the base with entire to sparsely wavy-toothed margins. They are dark-green and nearly hairless above, and white- or grayish-hairy below. It is dioecious, having male and female flowers on different trees. The flowers are tiny, grouped in pussy willow-like catkins. The anthers, two per flower, are yellow, sometimes tipped with red; pistols are red. The fruit is light reddish-brown, long-pointed capsules about 0.75 centimeter long. At maturity, they open to release a white fluff with tiny imbedded seeds.

Tracy's Willow (Salix tracyi) is a native tree or shrub that grows in northern California. It tends to grow at elevations from 0-7000 feet.

Saltugilia splendens (syn. Gilia splendens) is a species of flowering plant in the phlox family known by the common names splendid woodland-gilia, Grinnell's gilia and splendid gilia. It is endemic to California, where it grows in the chaparral and forests of the southern California Coast Ranges, the Transverse Ranges, and the San Jacinto Mountains. Saltugilia splendens is a gangly wildflower producing an erect stem with very slender branches reaching a maximum height near 80 centimeters. The stem is mostly naked with most of the intricately lobed leaves located in a basal rosette near ground level. The inflorescence is open, bearing tiny flowers at the ends of thin, gland-dotted branches. Each flower is a pinkish, trumpet-shaped bloom up to around a centimeter long with protruding blue to lavender style and stamens. The fruit is a capsule less than a centimeter long.

Chia (Salvia columbariae) is a small annual sage with vivid blue-purple flowers  that looks great mixed with California poppy.  The leaves form a rosette at the base of the plant and flower stalks rise about one and a half feet. Flowers emerge in spring. 

Plant from seed in fall, on a sunny slope or in well-drained soil. Seedlings emerge early in the rainy season and grow fast.

Desert sage (Salvia dorrii) is a herbaceous perennial or woody subshrub in the Lamiaceae (mint) family. Native to mountain areas in the western United States, it thrives in dry, well-draining soils. The narrow, grey-green leaves emit a minty aroma when handled or crushed. Its mauve to purple, spike-like flower clusters remain on the plant in dried form for several weeks or months after blooming.

This heavy-blooming sage is an excellent choice for desert or high-elevation gardens. Also known as tobacco sage, Dorr's sage, mint sage, or purple sage, it attracts insects and provides valuable color and texture to the landscape.

Grows best in sandy, coarse-grained or other fast draining soil. Selected for the garden.

Salvia pachyphylla (Blue sage, Mountain desert sage) is a perennial shrub native to California, Nevada, and Arizona. In California, it grows between 5,000 to 10,000 ft (1,500 to 3,000 m) elevation on dry rocky slopes, blooming from July to September. It reaches 1 to 2 ft (0. 30 to 0. 61 m) high, with blue-violet flowers, rarely rose, growing in dense clusters. In the course of a study of the chemical composition of the flora used in Latin American popular medicine, Ivan C. Guerrero and coworkers have performed phytochemical studies of extracts of the aerial parts from Salvia pachyphylla and Salvia clevelandii . S. pachyphylla is used by indigenous communities for its medicinal properties in the treatment of flu symptom. The major secondary metabolites isolated from these species and the cytotoxic effects against five human cancer cells were reported for eight of the compounds obtained: carnosol, rosmanol, 20-deoxocarnosol, carnosic acid, isorosmanol, 7-methoxyrosmanol, 5,6-didehydro-O-methylsugiol, 8ß-hydroxy-9(11),13-abietadien-12-one, 11,12-dioxoabieta-8,13-diene, and 11,12-dihydroxy-20-norabieta-5(10),8,11,13-tetraen-1-one and pachyphyllone.

Sonoma Sage or Creeping Sage is a member of the Lamiaceae (Mint) family native to California. It is found in the Coast Ranges, Peninsular Range, and Sierra foothills. As suggested by its common name, it is a mat-forming subshrub with stems growing no more about 40 centimeters high. The leaves are about 3-6 centimeters long and.5 to 1.5 centimeters wide; they are hairy, the upper surface with minute hairs, and the lower surface so densely covered with recurved hairs that it looks white. The flower clusters are scapose, with clusters 1 to 1.5 centimeter wide. The flowers range in color from white to blue, lilac and purple. It is moderately drought tolerant if given some shade. It is sensitive to heat and direct sun; leaf drop is an indication of too much sun or heat or inadequate moisture. In suitable growing conditions it will forma mat up to 15 ft. wide while remaining about 1 ft. high.

Grows best in sandy, coarse-grained or other fast draining soil. Prefers sun in coastal sites, and part shade in inland sites. Selected for the garden by Kent Calkin, Creative Landscape Consultants, introduced by Cal Flora Nursery.

Grows best in sandy, coarse-grained or other fast draining soil. Prefers sun in coastal sites, and part shade in inland sites. Selected for the garden.

Grows best in sandy, coarse-grained or other fast draining soil. Prefers sun in coastal sites, and part shade in inland sites. Selected for the garden.

Grows best in sandy, coarse-grained or other fast draining soil. Prefers sun in coastal sites, and part shade in inland sites. Selection from the Cuesta Grade in san Luis Obispo Co.

Grows best in sandy, coarse-grained or other fast draining soil. Prefers sun in coastal sites, and part shade in inland sites. Selected for the garden.

Like many other species of salvia, Hummingbird Sage is a magnet for pollinators such as bees, butterflies, and --- of course --- hummingbirds! This attractive sage is notable for its bold pink and red flowering spikes and pleasant fragrance. It spreads by rhizomes and over time can cover a large area, making it a popular groundcover plant.

Hummingbird Sage grows well in shade and part-shade. In its natural environment, it's often found under trees and large shrubs. It is drought tolerant and can survive without summer irrigation once established. Some supplemental water will keep the foliage green.

Tolerates almost any soil type. Prefers sun or part shade in coastal sites, and part shade in inland sites. From a collection made by Avis Keedy near Lake Cachuma in santa Barbara Co.and introduced by santa Barbara Botanic Garden.

Tolerates almost any soil type. Prefers sun or part shade in coastal sites, and part shade in inland sites. Selected for the garden.

Tolerates almost any soil type. Prefers sun or part shade in coastal sites, and part shade in inland sites. Selected for the garden.

Tolerates almost any soil type. Prefers sun or part shade in coastal sites, and part shade in inland sites. Selected for the garden.

Tolerates almost any soil type. Prefers sun or part shade in coastal sites, and part shade or shade in inland sites. Selected for the garden.

Tolerates almost any soil type. Prefers sun or part shade in coastal sites, and part shade in inland sites. Selected for the garden. Introduced by Las pilitas Nursery.

Horticultural selection from salvia spathacea. This salvia is larger than the straight Hummingbird sage species. 'Powerline Pink' has large spikes of pink flowers and a strong, delightful fragrance. Due to the masses of tall flower spikes, it is a great addition to a bird garden. This plant is special in the garden because it can take both shade and low-water conditions. It is ideal under oaks. Tolerates almost any soil type. Prefers sun or part shade in coastal sites, and part shade in inland sites. Selected for the garden. Introduced by Las pilitas Nursery.

Horticultural selection from salvia spathacea. This unusual variety of Hummingbird sage sports flowers that start out yellow and mature to white as they fully open. They add variety when mixed in with the pink varieties of Hummingbird sage. This small and compact species of sage is loved by hummingbirds and produces beautifully fragrant foliage and flowers. Flowers are held on large spears that emerge from the center of the plant. This sage loves afternoon shade and does well in forest floors and in understory locations. They thrive in clay soil and part shade. The plant spreads by rhizomes and will spread once established. Ideal under oaks.

Tolerates almost any soil type. Prefers sun or part shade in coastal sites, and part shade in inland sites. Selected for the garden (from santa Monica Mountains).

Attractive, hardy, and easy to grow, the Blue Elderberry is also an important food source for California wildlife. In spring, large clusters of cream-colored flowers attract butterflies and bees. The abundant blue berries provide food for birds and other animals. Humans can eat the fruit as long as it's cooked.

This fast-growing shrub is tolerant of a variety of growing conditions, although it does best in sun and well-drained moist, rich soil. It can grow to the size of a small tree, up to 30 feet tall but is easily shaped with pruning.

Sanicula bipinnata is a species of plant in the carrot family known by the common name poison sanicle. It is endemic to California where it is found in low-elevation mountains and foothills, especially in the hills along the coast. It occurs in the California Coastal Range and Sierra Nevada foothills, including Ring Mountain, California. It is recognizable as a relative of the carrots and parsnips with its thin stalk topped with small umbels of yellow or cream flowers. The origin of its poisonous reputation is unknown. Yet despite the name, there are no current records of its toxicity in humans, though it or a related species might be toxic to horses or other stock animals. It was called wene by the Miwok and used to treat venomous bites from snakes, perhaps providing a reason for the common name in English. Though they used other sanicles in the same manner. The Karuk called the plant ikxash and traditionally ate the young leaves as a green, indicating the toxic reputation is undeserved. It is recognizable as a relative of the carrots and parsnips with its thin stalk topped with small umbels of yellow or cream flowers. The origin of its poisonous reputation is unknown. Yet despite the name, there are no current records of its toxicity in humans, though it or a related species might be toxic to horses or other stock animals. It was called wene by the Miwok and used to treat venomous bites from snakes, perhaps providing a reason for the common name in English. Though they used other sanicles in the same manner. The Karuk called the plant ikxash and traditionally ate the young leaves as a green, indicating the toxic reputation is undeserved.

Sanicula bipinnatifida is a species of flowering plant in the parsley family known by the common names purple sanicle, purple blacksnakeroot, and shoe buttons. It is native to the west coast of North America from British Columbia to Baja California, where it can be found in many types of habitat, including grassland, woodlands, and mountain slopes of serpentine soils. It is a perennial herb growing to a maximum height near 60 centimeters from a taproot. It is bright green to dark purple in color. The leaves are borne on long petioles, measuring up to 19 centimeters long with blades divided into several toothed lobes. The inflorescence is made up of one or more heads of bisexual and male-only flowers with tiny, curving, reddish, purple, or yellow petals. The prickly fruits are a few millimeters long.

Sanicula crassicaulis is a species of flowering plant in the parsley family known by the common names Pacific blacksnakeroot and Pacific sanicle. It is native to the west coast of North America from British Columbia to Baja California, where it can be found in many types of habitat, including mountain slopes, grassland, and woodlands. It is a perennial herb producing a thick stem up to 1. 2 meters tall from a taproot. The leaves have blades up to 12 centimeters long which are divided into a few deep lobes and edged with small teeth. The inflorescence is made up of one or more heads of bisexual and male-only flowers with tiny, curving, yellow petals. Each head has approximately five leaflike, lance-shaped bracts at its base. The rounded fruits are a few millimeters long, covered in curving prickles, and borne in small clusters.

Sanicula tuberosa is a species of flowering plant in the parsley family known by the common name turkey pea. It is native to western North America from Oregon through California to Baja California, where it can be found in many types of habitat, including chaparral, forests, and woodlands. It is variable in appearance. In general, it is a perennial herb producing a slender stem up to 80 centimeters long from a small, spherical tuber no more than 2 centimeters wide. The leaves are compound, divided into usually three leaflets which are smooth or deeply cut into lobes. The herbage is green to purple in color. The inflorescence is made up of one or more heads of bisexual and male-only flowers with tiny, curving, yellow petals. The fruits are 1 or 2 millimeters long and covered in bumpy tubercles.

Greasewood (Sarcobatus vermiculatus) is a native shrub that grows in northern, southern and central California. It is fast growing and long-lived. It grows in an irregular form to a height of 10 feet, with active growth during the summer. Flowers are green and bloom in the spring. Leaves are light-green and deciduous. It tends to grow in alkaline soils, dry lakes and washes, at elevations from 300-6900 feet.

California Saxifrage (Saxifraga fallax) is a native perennial herb that grows in central and northern California. It tends to grow at elevations from 3000-7500 feet.

Panicled Bulrush (Scirpus microcarpus) is a native grass that grows in northern, southern and central California. It is fast growing and long-lived. It grows in an upright form to a height of 5.5 feet, with active growth during the spring, summer, fall. Flowers are white and bloom in the late spring. Leaves are medium green and deciduous. It tends to grow in marshes, at elevations from 0-9000 feet.

Scrophularia desertorum is a species of flowering plant in the figwort family known by the common name desert figwort. It is native to eastern California and Nevada, where it grows in dry areas in local mountain ranges, including the Sierra Nevada and the desert ranges adjacent. It is a perennial herb producing clusters of erect stems that often exceed one meter tall. The leaves have toothed, triangular or lance-shaped blades up to 13 centimeters long which are borne on petioles measuring up to 10 centimeters in length. The inflorescence is a wide-open panicle with several hairy, glandular branches bearing flowers. The flower has a spherical corolla opening at the top into a hoodlike, lobed mouth. The corolla is just under a centimeter long and is whitish at the base and deep red around the mouth and on the lobes. The staminode is generally visible in the mouth of the corolla. The fruit is a capsule just under a centimeter long containing many seeds.

Scrophularia lanceolata is a species of flowering plant in the figwort family known by the common name lanceleaf figwort. It is native to North America, where it is known from western and eastern Canada and much of the United States except for the southeastern quadrant. It grows in many types of habitat, sometimes including disturbed areas such as roadsides. It is a perennial herb producing clusters of erect or spreading stems up to 1. 5 meters long. The oppositely arranged leaves have toothed, triangular or lance-shaped blades up to 14 centimetres (5. 5 in) long which are borne on short petioles. The inflorescence is a wide-open panicle with several hairy, glandular branches bearing flowers. The flower has a spherical or urn-shaped corolla opening at the top into a narrow mouth edged with hoodlike lobes. The corolla is roughly 1-1. 5 centimetres (0. 39-0. 59 in) long and is greenish tinged with brown or dull pink. The wide staminode is generally visible in the mouth of the corolla. The fruit is a capsule just under a centimeter long containing many seeds.

Scutellaria bolanderi is a species of flowering plant in the mint family known by the common name Sierra skullcap. It is endemic to California, where it is known from the Sierra Nevada and several of the mountain ranges to the south. It is a perennial herb producing an erect stem or cluster of stems 30 centimeters to one meter tall from a system of thin rhizomes. The stems are coated in short, spreading hairs which sometimes have resin glands. The oval or heart-shaped leaves have wavy edges and are oppositely arranged. The lowest leaves are borne on short petioles. Flowers emerge from the leaf axils. Each flower is held in a calyx of sepals with a large ridge or appendage on the upper part. The corolla is between 1 and 2 centimeters long and tubular in shape with a large upper and lower lip. The upper lip is folded into a beaklike protrusion and the lower has three wide lobes. The corolla is white or very pale blue with an area of blue mottling on the lower lip.

Scutellaria nana is a species of flowering plant in the mint family known by the common names dwarf skullcap and dwarf scullcap. It is native to the western United States, especially in and around the Great Basin. It grows in plateau scrub, often on volcanic soils. It is a small perennial herb producing one or more erect stems up to about 20 centimeters tall from a rhizome. It is coated in tiny flat hairs which sometimes have resin glands. The leaves are oval or diamond-shaped, the lower ones borne on short petioles. Flowers occur in the leaf axils, each borne in a calyx of sepals with a prominent ridge on the upper surface. The corolla is up to 2 centimeters long, tubular in shape, and generally white or yellowish with purple mottling on the lips. Like several other skullcap species, this plant is used medicinally.

Scutellaria siphocampyloides is a species of flowering plant in the mint family known by the common name grayleaf skullcap. It is endemic to California, where it is widespread throughout the mountain and coastal regions; it is absent from the deserts and the Central Valley. It can be found in forest and woodland habitat, and a variety of open habitat types. It is a perennial herb producing an erect stem or cluster of stems up to about half a meter tall from a system of thin rhizomes. The stems are coated in short, flattened hairs which sometimes have resin glands. The oval leaves are oppositely arranged. The lowest leaves are borne on short petioles. Flowers emerge from the leaf axils. Each flower is held in a calyx of sepals with a large ridge or appendage on the upper part. The tubular corolla can be up to 3. 5 centimeters long and has a large upper and lower lip. The upper lip is folded into a beaklike protrusion and the lower has three wide lobes. The corolla is pale lavender to deep purple in color, sometimes with white mottling on the lower lip.

Scutellaria tuberosa is a species of flowering plant in the mint family known by the common name Danny's skullcap. It is native to western North America from Oregon through California to Baja California, where it is widespread throughout the mountain and coastal regions; it is absent from the deserts and the Central Valley of California. It can be found in forest and woodland habitat, and a variety of open habitat types, often appearing in areas recently cleared by wildfire. It is a perennial herb producing an erect stem or cluster of stems up to about 25 centimeters tall from a root system with tubers. The stems are coated in short, spreading hairs. The oval leaves are oppositely arranged. The lowest leaves are borne on short petioles. Flowers emerge from the leaf axils. Each flower is held in a calyx of sepals with a large ridge or dome-shaped appendage on the upper part. The tubular corolla is one to two centimeters long and has a large upper and lower lip. The upper lip is folded into a beaklike protrusion and the lower has three wide lobes. The corolla is deep purple-blue, usually with a white patch or mottling on the lower lip.

Sedella pentandra is a species of flowering plant in the stonecrop family known by the common name Mt. Hamilton mock stonecrop. It is endemic to California, where it grows in the Central Coast Ranges and adjacent sections of the Central Valley and coastline. It often grows on sandstone and serpentine soils. This is an annual herb growing no more than 8 centimeters high. It has small succulent leaves each a few millimeters long. The flowers atop the threadlike stems have fleshy sepals and yellowish petals a few millimeters in length.

Sedella pumila is a species of flowering plant in the stonecrop family known by the common name Sierra mock stonecrop. It is native to California, where it grows in the North Coast Ranges and adjacent sections of the Central Valley to the Sierra Nevada foothills. It is a plant of vernal pools and similar habitat, growing in rocky and gravelly flats of serpentine soils, limestone, and soils of volcanic origin, often alongside mosses. This is an annual herb growing 2 to 17 centimeters high, in shades of green, yellow, and red. It has small knobby succulent leaves each a few millimeters long. The flowers atop the threadlike stems have fleshy sepals and yellowish petals a few millimeters in length. The flowers have a musty scent.

Roseflower Stonecrop (Sedum flavidum) is a rare native perennial herb that grows in Northern California, primarily in the North Coast, the Klamath Mountain Range and North Coast Range regions. It tends to grow in rocky outcrops, at elevations from 2600-6600 feet.

Sedum stenopetalum is a species of flowering plant in the stonecrop family known by the common name wormleaf stonecrop. It is native to western North America from British Columbia and Alberta to northern California to Wyoming. It can be found in many types of rocky habitat, such as cliffs, talus, and steep ridges. It is a succulent plant producing mats or clumps of lance-shaped, linear, or three-lobed leaves each under 2 centimeters long. The inflorescence is a short, erect array of one to many flowers with lance-shaped petals up to a centimeter long. The petals are yellow, sometimes with red veins.

Selaginella bigelovii is a species of spikemoss known by the common names bushy spikemoss and Bigelow's spikemoss. It is native to California and Baja California, where it grows in rocky places in many different habitat types, from the coastline to the mountains to the deserts. This lycophyte forms clumps of spreading upright to erect stems up to 20 centimeters long with a few short lateral branches. The linear or lance-shaped green leaves are up to 4 millimeters long, including the tiny rigid bristles at their tips. They are flattened to the stem or stick out just a little. The strobili borne at the leaf bases are yellow-orange in color.

Selaginella hansenii is a species of spikemoss known by the common name Hansen's spikemoss. It is endemic to California where it can be found throughout the central part of the state, from the lowest reaches of the Cascade Range through the Central Coast Ranges and Sierra Nevada to the southern end of the Central Valley and the Tehachapis. It can be found in varied rocky habitat in hills and mountains. This lycophyte forms loose or dense mats of spreading stems with small, forking branches. The lance-shaped or triangular leaves are up to 5 or 6 millimeters long including the soft, white bristles at the tips. The leaves are green, often tinged with red, or totally red. The strobili containing the reproductive structures are under a centimeter long.

Selaginella wallacei is a species of spikemoss known by the common name Wallace's spikemoss. It is native to western North America from British Columbia to California to Montana, where it can be found in many types of habitat, including open and shaded areas, and wet to dry environments. This lycophyte is variable in appearance, its form depending on the habitat it grows in. It can be spreading with many narrow branches, or a small, dense mat. The forking stems grow up to about 25 centimeters long, but may remain much shorter in dry conditions. They are lined with linear, lance-shaped, or oblong leaves up to 4 millimeters long including the bristles at the tips. The strobili containing the reproductive structures may be quite long, reaching up to 9 centimeters.

Douglas' Groundsel (Senecio flaccidus var. douglasii) is a native shrub that grows in northern, southern and central California. It tends to grow in dry and rocky or sandy places, at elevations from 0-6500 feet.

Catclaw (Senegalia greggii) is a shrub in the Legume family known for its fragrant fuzzy flowers and spines on its branches. The genus Senegalia was formerly classified with the Acacias, and some sources still refer to it by that name. Common names for this species include Catclaw Acacia, Catclaw Mesquite, Gregg's Catclaw, Devil's Claw, Paradise Flower, and Wait-a-minute Bush.

Plant away from places where the spines can catch you. It can make a good barrier planting.

Birds use this plant for shelter and building nests. The fruit is a legume pod valued by wildlife.

Silver Buffaloberry is a species in the Elaeaginaceae (Oleaster) family, an unusual group having only one genus with two species in California. Buffaloberry is native to central North America from southern Canada (Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba) south in the United States to northern California and New Mexico. In California it is found in two disjunct populations, east of the Sierras in Inyo, Mono and Alpine Counties, and in the Transverse Range. It is typically found in wetlands within desert environments. It is a deciduous shrub growing to 2-6 meter tall. The leaves are arranged in opposite pairs (rarely alternately arranged), 2-6 centimeter long, oval with a rounded tip, green with a covering of fine silvery, silky hairs, more thickly silvery below than above. The flowers are pale yellow, with four sepals and no petals. The fruit is a bright red fleshy drupe 5 millimeters in diameter; it is edible but with a rather bitter taste, best left to the birds.

Sidalcea calycosa is a native annual herb in the Malvaceae (Mallow) family that grows in central and northern California from the coast to the central valley and Sierra foothills. It tends to grow in marshes, vernal pools and other wet places, at elevations from sea level to 3,900 feet. There are two recognized subspecies. Ssp. rhizomata (Pt. Reyes Checkerbloom) is a rare plant found only along the coast in Marin, Sonoma and Mendocino counties. Sidalcea calycosa is most often seen as an annual, but if conditions are right it may become a weak perennial growing from a rhizome. In the garden it needs a very wet area and not too much competition. If conditions are good it will spread.

Sidalcea diploscypha is a species of flowering plant in the mallow family known by the common name fringed checkerbloom. It is endemic to California, where it grows in the woodlands and valleys of the central part of the state. Sidalcea diploscypha is an annual herb growing up to 40 to 60 centimeters tall with a hairy to bristly stem. The leaves have blades deeply divided into narrow, forking lobes covered in bristly hairs. The inflorescence is a crowded panicle of several flowers. The flower has five pink petals, each with a slight fringe on the tip and sometimes with dark coloration at the base. The petals can be up to 3. 5 centimeters long.

Sidalcea hartwegii is a species of flowering plant in the mallow family known by the common names valley checkerbloom and Hartweg's checkerbloom. The plant is endemic to California, where it grows in the Sacramento Valley and adjacent foothills of the California Coast Ranges to the west, and of the Sierra Nevada to the east. It can be found in oak woodland and grassland habitats below 600 metres (2,000 ft), sometimes on serpentine soils. Sidalcea hartwegii is an annual herb that produces a slender stem up to 30 centimetres (12 in) tall, mostly hairless with occasional branching hairs. The leaf blades are deeply divided into five to seven narrow linear lobes. The inflorescence is a clustered panicle of four to six flowers, each with five purplish pink petals about 2 centimeters long. The bloom period is May and June.

Sidalcea hirsuta is a species of flowering plant in the mallow family known by the common name hairy checkerbloom. It is endemic to California, where it grows in seasonally wet habitat throughout the north-central part of the state, such as vernal pools. It is found in the North California Coast Ranges, the Sacramento Valley and San Joaquin Valley, and the Sierra Nevada foothills. Sidalcea hirsuta is an annual herb that produces a thick stem up to 80 centimeters tall, the top parts covered in bristly hairs. The leaf blades are deeply divided into narrow linear lobes and coated in bristles. The inflorescence is a dense cluster of flowers with pink petals up to 2. 5 centimeters long.

Checker Bloom (Sidalcea malviflora) is a common native perennial herb in the Malvaceae (Mallow) family that grows in Northern, Southern and Central California, the Sierra Nevada and Sacramento Valley regions. It tends to grow in meadows and open flats, at elevations from sea level to 7,500 feet. It has bright green palmate leaves and 1" deep pink flowers arranged vertically on a spike. There are several recognized subspecies with different geographic ranges and slightly differing characteristics.

This plant tolerates a wide variety of soils, and prefers damp winter conditions and dry summer conditions. It is most often started from seed and sometimes behaves like an annual.

Grows best in sandy, coarse-grained or other fast draining soil. Prefers part shade in coastal sites, and part shade in inland sites. Selected for the garden.

Tolerates almost any soil type. Prefers sun or part shade in coastal sites, and part shade in inland sites. Selected for the garden.

Silene bernardina is a species of flowering plant in the pink family known by the common name Palmer's catchfly. It is native to western North America from Washington and Idaho, through California and Oregon, to Baja California. It grows in several types of habitat, including chaparral scrub, mountain forests, and higher-elevation habitats in alpine climates. Silene bernardina is a variable plant and it is divided into several subspecies. In general, it is a perennial herb growing from a taproot and leafy caudex unit, the hairy, erect stems growing up to about half a meter tall. The slender stems have glandular, sticky patches on their upper parts. The linear or lance-shaped leaves are up to 8 centimeters long low on the stem and smaller on the distal branches. Flowers occur in a terminal cyme at the top of the stem, as well as in some of the leaf axils. Each has a hairy, glandular calyx of fused sepals with ten red veins. The calyx is open at the top, revealing five white or purple-pink petals which may be almost 3 centimeters long. The petals have usually four fringelike lobes at the tips and feathery appendages at their bases. The stamens and three or four long styles protrude from the flower's center.

Blue-eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium bellum) is a 1-ft-tall perennial herb that grows throughout California, usually in open places where there is some moisture, particularly grassy areas. It can also be found in woodlands and at altitudes up to almost 8000 feet.

Its leaves are grassy and tufted. The flowers are small and purplish-blue, varying somewhat in color from a true blue to a definite purple; occasional white-flowering plants are found. It flowers from January to July. After flowering, it dies back to the ground and is dormant over the summer. It prefers some moisture and good drainage, but will tolerate summer dryness.

It can be propagated by seed, and self-sows. It can also be propagated by division of its rhizomes, and the flower stems can be rooted. It is moderately hardy and will tolerate temperatures down to 20 degrees F.

Blue-eyed Grass is very easy to grow and will easily reseed. Best to plant on flat areas in loamy soils that that hold moisture well.

Even though it goes dormant in the summer in dryer, southern areas, Blue-eyed Grass is more likely to survive the summer drought with occasional watering. It's best to plant this at the edges of landscapes for pops of color.

This plant is on several fire-resistant plant lists, including FireSafe Marin and County of San Diego.

Tolerates almost any soil type. Prefers sun or part shade in coastal sites, and part shade in inland sites. Selected for the garden.

Tolerates almost any soil type. Prefers sun or part shade in coastal sites, and part shade in inland sites. Selected for the garden.