San Diego Tarweed (Hemizonia paniculata) is a rare native annual herb that grows in Southern and Central California, primarily in the South Coast and Peninsular Range regions. It tends to grow in dry foothills and mesas, at elevations from 0-1000 feet.

Deinandra pentactis , called Salinas River tarweed, is a North American species of plants in the tarweed tribe within the (sunflower family). It is endemic to California, found in the Coast Ranges of San Benito, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, and northern Santa Barbara Counties. Deinandra pentactis is an annual herb up to 75 cm (30 inches) tall. It produces numerous flower heads in an open array. Each head has 5 yellow ray florets and 6 disc florets with yellow corollas but red or purple anthers.

Known as Anderson's larkspur, this wildflower is native to western North America where it can be found in the Great Basin and the Sierra Nevada. This is an erect perennial usually reaching about half a meter in height. It has small leaves on long petioles with the leaf blades divided into long finger-like lobes. The top of the slender stem is occupied by a cylindrical flower cluster of flowers, each flower two to four centimeters wide with a spur measuring nearly two centimeters in length. The flowers usually have sepals of a brilliant dark blue, with the lower two petals the same color and the upper two petals white. Some individuals have sepals and petals of very light purple or blue to almost white. The anthers are often yellow.

Delphinium bakeri (Baker's larkspur) is a perennial herb in the buttercup family (Ranunculaceae). It is endemic to California in the United States, where it is a federally listed endangered species. It is known in the wild from one remaining occurrence near Salmon Creek in Sonoma County, where only seven plants remained as of March, 2006. This endangered species grows from a thickened, tuber-like, fleshy cluster of roots, to a height of 70 cm (26 inches). The leaves occur primarily along the upper third of the stem and are green at the time the plant flowers.

Delphinium californicum is a species of larkspur known as California larkspur. This wildflower is endemic to California, where it is a resident of the chaparral slopes of the San Francisco Bay Area and Central Coast. It has a long root from which it erects tall stems usually exceeding a meter in height and often approaching two meters. The leaves arise on long petioles and are each divided into as many as 15 fingerlike pointed lobes. The top of the stem is occupied with a very large flower cluster usually containing over 50 flowers. Each flower rises on a pedicel several centimeters long. The sepals point forward to make a cup out of the mouth of the somewhat tubular flower. The longest sepals are about a centimeter long and the spur of the flower may approach two centimeters in length. The flower is generally white to greenish white to light lavender.

California Larkspur (Delphinium californicum ssp. californicum) is a native perennial herb that grows in Central California, primarily in the Central Coast and SF Bay regions. It tends to grow at elevations from 0-3300 feet.

Hospital Canyon Larkspur (Delphinium californicum ssp. interius) is a rare native perennial herb that grows in Central California, primarily in the SF Bay region. It tends to grow at elevations from 0-3300 feet.

Delphinium cardinale is a species in the Ranunculaceae (Buttercup) family known by the common names Scarlet Larkspur. This wildflower is found primarily in the southern half of California and Baja California, where it grows on coastal and inland chaparral slopes. This tall larkspur grows on an erect stem which can exceed two meters in height. The basal leaves are divided into many narrow lobes. The top of the thin stem is occupied by many widely spaced flowers, each at the end of a pedicel several centimeters long. Each flower has scarlet red sepals which are generally curled forward into a bowl shape. The petals are also scarlet, except for the top two which are scarlet marked with bright yellow blotches. The flower may be 3 centimeters wide and the same in length, including the spur. This is a very showy plant when in bloom that works well at the back of a bed or among low chaparral shrubs. Due to its height and thin stem it may need support when in bloom. It will die back to the ground in late summer and should be kept dry, reemerging in spring if conditions have been suitable.

Delphinium decorum is a species of larkspur known by the common names coastal larkspur and yellowtinge larkspur. This wildflower is endemic to California, where it grows on the slopes of the coastal ranges in the San Francisco Bay Area and north. It grows an erect stem which approaches half a meter in height at maximum. The leaves, which are divided into a number of narrow lobes, are mostly located about the base of the plant. The spindly stem above bears two to twenty widely spaced flowers. Each flower is carried on a pedicel several centimeters long. The five long, flat sepals are extended to give the face of the flower a star shape, and they are usually deep blue to purple. The petals are similar in color, except the top two may be lighter to almost white. The spur is very thin and may be nearly two centimeters long.

Delphinium depauperatum is a species of larkspur known by the common names slim larkspur and dwarf larkspur. This wildflower is native to western North America where it is found in mountain meadows. It grows from a short root and erects a stem usually under 40 centimeters in maximum height. The small leaves are divided into lobes and are usually located about the base of the plant. Toward the top of the stem are flowers on long pedicels, with usually not more than 20 flowers per plant. The flowers generally have deep dark blue sepals which are flat and extended to the sides, and petals which are mainly the same color except for the top two, which may be lighter blue to white. The spur is between one and two centimeters long.

Delphinium glaucum is a species of larkspur known by the common names Sierra larkspur, mountain larkspur, and waxy pale larkspur. This wildflower is native to western North America from Arizona to Alaska. It grows in moist mountainous environments, such as riverbanks and meadows. This plant sprouts one to several tall, stout, pale green erect stems which may approach three meters in height. The lobed leaves are generally found only at the base of the plant. The top of the stem is a large flower cluster which may itself be over a meter long. It usually contains over fifty widely spaced flowers, with each flower on a pedicel a few centimeters long. The sepals are flat and extend to the sides or point forward. The sepals and petals are dark blue to deep purple, although the top two petals may be lighter in color to almost white. They may be somewhat wrinkly. The spur is about two centimeters long.

Delphinium gracilentum is a species of larkspur known by the common name pine forest larkspur. It is endemic to California, where it grows throughout the Sierra Nevada. This wildflower is usually around half a meter in maximum height, with leaves growing from the lowest third of the stem. The leaves usually have five lobes. The upper part of the stem is occupied by widely spaced flowers, which each grow at the end of a pedicel a few centimeters long. The flower color may be any shade of blue, or occasionally white or pinkish. The sepals often curl backwards. The spur is usually between 1 and 1. 5 centimeters (0. 39 and 0. 59 in) long.

Delphinium gypsophilum is a species of larkspur known by the common name Pinoche Creek larkspur. It is endemic to California, where it grows throughout the central part of the state in woodland and grassland. This wildflower generally reaches between one half and one meter in height. Its pale whitish-green stem is topped with cylindrical inflorescences of up to 30 flowers on short pedicels. The flowers are chalk-white, sometimes drying to a faint blue. Occasional individuals bear pink or light blue flowers. The spur is one to one and a half centimeters long.

Delphinium hansenii is a species of larkspur known by the common names Eldorado larkspur and Hansen's delphinium. It is endemic to California, where it grows in mountains, valleys, and desert from the southern Cascade Range to the Mojave Desert. This wildflower usually grows between one half and one meter in height, although it can grow much taller. The deeply lobed leaves are hairy, especially on the undersides. The flower cluster has usually over 25 flowers grouped close together at the top of the stem and held on long pedicels. The flowers are white to light blue or light pink, or bicolored, and vary in size. The inner petals may be quite hairy.

Kern Larkspur (Delphinium hansenii ssp. kernense) is a native perennial herb that grows in southern and central California. It tends to grow in open places, at elevations from 2600-6200 feet.

Delphinium hesperium is a species of larkspur known by the common name foothill larkspur. It is also sometimes called western larkspur and coastal larkspur, but these names are less specific since other species share them. It is endemic to California, where it grows in woodland and grassland in the northern half of the state. This wildflower generally reaches one half to one meter in height. It has deeply lobed, prominently veined leaves, mostly located near the base of the plant. The flower cluster may hold very few to over 100 flowers, each on a long, thick pedicel. The flowers are usually a brilliant blue or purple, and sometimes lighter pinkish to white. Often the sepals are dark in color and the petals lighter. The spur is about one to two centimeters long

Pale Western Larkspur (Delphinium hesperium ssp. pallescens) is a native perennial herb that grows in central and northern California. It tends to grow at elevations from 100-3300 feet.

Delphinium hutchinsoniae is a rare species of larkspur known by the common names Monterey larkspur and Hutchinson's larkspur. It is endemic to California, where it is known only from Monterey County. This wildflower reaches a meter in height but is usually shorter. The leaves are divided into lobes which are further divided into smaller lobes, and they are mostly located low on the plant. The top of the thin, erect stem is occupied by an inflorescence of not more than ten flowers. Each flower has sepals which are brilliant purple or blue to lavender, two petals which are the same color, and two upper petals which are usually white. The spur is up to two centimeters long and curves down at the tip.

Delphinium inopinum is a species of larkspur known by the common name unexpected larkspur. It is endemic to the Sierra Nevada of California, where it is known mostly from rocky areas in open temperate coniferous forest habitat. Delphinium inopinum is a perennial herb with one or more erect, waxy stems usually exceeding a meter in height. The leaves are located mainly toward the base of the stem, with the upper part occupied by a raceme of at least 25 flowers. Each flower is held on a pedicel up to 2. 5 centimeters long. The flower has white to light blue sepals each about a centimeter long which generally roll up and extend forward, with a spur about a centimeter long extending back. The fruit is up to 2 centimeters long. Delphinium inopinum is a perennial herb with one or more erect, waxy stems usually exceeding a meter in height. The leaves are located mainly toward the base of the stem, with the upper part occupied by a raceme of at least 25 flowers. Each flower is held on a pedicel up to 2. 5 centimeters long. The flower has white to light blue sepals each about a centimeter long which generally roll up and extend forward, with a spur about a centimeter long extending back. The fruit is up to 2 centimeters long.

The endangered flower Delphinium luteum, the yellow larkspur, is a perennial of the buttercup family which is endemic to the rocky, foggy hillsides of coastal Sonoma County, California. As of 2005 there were about 200 individuals believed to be in existence. This rare plant is a small herb bearing bright yellow cornucopia-shaped flowers. The plant was never distributed beyond the coastal area of Sonoma and Marin Counties, and has never been abundant. Activities in the area including quarrying, grazing, agriculture, and development further reduced the population of yellow larkspur to its current near extinction. It has been listed as an endangered species since the 1970s. Extremely isolated patches of the plant still exist on private property near Bodega Bay, where it is protected.

Delphinium nudicaule is a flowering plant known by the common names red larkspur, orange larkspur, and canyon delphinium. It sends up long, stringy thin stems with few leaves and bears attractive larkspur flowers in shades of red and orange. It is native to the low elevation canyons, foothills, and slopes of California and Oregon. The flowers attract hummingbirds. The root of the plant has been historically used as a medicinal narcotic, chiefly by the Mendocino Native Americans.

Delphinium nuttallianum is a species of larkspur known by the common names twolobe larkspur and Nuttall's larkspur. It is widely distributed across western North America from California to Alberta. This wildflower has a white to pink erect stem usually not exceeding half a meter in height which may branch several times. Deeply lobed leaves are located mostly about the base of the plant. The flower cluster occupying the top end of the stem has few widely-spaced flowers on long pedicels. The sepals are long and curl backwards or fold upon themselves. They may be dark purple to light blue. The lower petals are the same color, while the upper are often white. The spur is one or two centimeters long.

Desert larkspur (Delphinium parishii) is a flowering plant in the family Ranunculaceae (the buttercup family) native to the Mojave Desert in the southwestern United States and northwest Mexico, where it is found between 300-2500 meter altitude in California, Arizona, southwestern Utah, and Baja California. It is a perennial herbaceous plant growing to 17-60 centimeter tall, rarely to 100 centimeter tall, with palmately lobed leaves. The flowers vary across the species' range, from dark blue to purplish near Joshua Tree National Park, sky-blue in the eastern and northern parts of the desert, and pink in some areas in California. Flowering occurs between April and June. It is also found in the Tehachapi Mountains.

Pale Parish's Larkspur (Delphinium parishii ssp. pallidum) is a native perennial herb that grows in Southern and Central California, primarily in the Transverse Range region. It tends to grow in desert areas, at elevations from 3000-6200 feet.

Parish's Larkspur (Delphinium parishii ssp. parishii) is a native perennial herb that grows in southern and central California. It tends to grow in desert areas, at elevations from 1000-8200 feet.

Delphinium parryi is a species of larkspur known by the common names San Bernardino larkspur and Parry's larkspur. It is native to Baja California and California from the San Francisco Bay Area south. This wildflower may approach a meter in maximum height. It has fuzzy stems and fuzzy, deeply lobed leaves. The flower cluster holds a few to over 60 flowers on long pedicels. The sepals and petals are deep purple to light blue, with the upper petals often white. The spur may be over two centimeters long.

Parry's Larkspur (Delphinium parryi ssp. parryi) is a beautiful native perennial herb that grows in southern and central California. It most often grows at elevations from 700-5600 feet in the Peninsular, Transverse Ranges, South Coast ranges. In the drier parts of it's range, it grows most often on north facing slopes, and in partially shaded areas underneath scrub oaks or other larger shrubs.

This is a difficult plant to find in nurseries, but not too hard to grow from seeds. It's striking blue flowers bloom in late spring and early summer.

Delphinium patens is a species of larkspur known by the common names zigzag larkspur and spreading larkspur. It is a wildflower limited mainly to California. Plants grow typically 20 to 50 centimeters tall and bear up to 36 flowers each. The stems are mostly hairless, have reddish bases, and bears leaves on the lower half. Each leaf is divided into 3 to 9 lobes. The flower has dark blue sepals, the latter ones reflexed. The spur at the back of the flower is 4 to 8 millimeters long. The cleft at the center of the flower has white or yellowish scattered hairs. The elongated fruit is one or two centimeters long and contains pitted seeds.

Spreading Larkspur (Delphinium patens ssp. patens) is a native perennial herb that grows in northern, southern and central California. It tends to grow in grassy and woodland places, at elevations from 300-3600 feet.

Delphinium polycladon is a species of larkspur known by the common name mountain marsh larkspur. It is native to the High Sierra Nevada and the White and Inyo Mountains of eastern California and far western Nevada, where it grows in wet sites in the talus. It is a perennial herb producing one or more erect stems which easily exceed a meter in height but often remain dwarfed in high-elevation, exposed habitat with thin soils. The leaves are small and mostly located near the base of the plant. The inflorescence is a raceme of up to 35 flowers on long, S-shaped pedicels, often arranged along one side of the stem. The sepals are deep blue to purple, one to two centimeters long, and with a spur up to 2 centimeters in length.

Delphinium recurvatum is a species of larkspur known by the common names Byron larkspur, recurved larkspur, and valley larkspur. It is endemic to California, where most of its historical range is in the Central Valley. The grasslands of the valley have been mostly claimed for development and agriculture, so this species is now uncommon. This wildflower reaches a maximum height of about half a meter. Its deeply lobed leaves are mainly basal, with those located further up the dark purple stem being much smaller. The flowers are generally blue, with the sepals and lower petals darker than the upper petals. The sepals are usually curved back, the trait which gives the plant its name.

Delphinium trolliifolium is a species of larkspur known by the common names poison delphinium, cow poison, and Columbian larkspur. It is native to Oregon and northern California. This wildflower reaches one half to just over one meter in height. It has large, shiny, deeply lobed leaves. The top half of the stem is an flower cluster of widely spaced flowers on long pedicels, the longest over nine centimeters long. The flowers are usually deep brilliant blue. The upper two petals may be milky white. The spur exceeds two centimeters in length in the largest of the flowers. This plant is toxic as the common names suggest, but most larkspur species are toxic to some degree.

Delphinium uliginosum is a species of larkspur known by the common names swamp larkspur and bog larkspur. It is endemic to California, where it is known from very localized populations in the Inner North Coast Ranges. It grows in chaparral, grassland, and other habitat in the hills, generally on serpentine soils. This is a perennial herb producing a hairless, erect stem up to 70 centimeters tall. It can be identified by its leaves, which are fan-shaped, a characteristic unique among the larkspurs, which generally have palmate leaves with narrow, fingerlike lobes. The flower cluster bears up to 45 flowers, each on an upright pedicel which may exceed 10 centimeters long. The flower is blue with the longest sepals 1.4 centimeters long and a spur about the same length. The fruit is one or two centimeters long.

Delphinium umbraculorum is a species of larkspur known by the common name umbrella larkspur. It is endemic to California, where it grows in the woodlands of the coastal mountain ranges from Monterey to Ventura Counties. It is a perennial herb producing an erect stem 40 to about 80 centimeters tall. The hairless leaves are located at the base of the plant and along the stem as well. The inflorescence bears several flowers with reflexed dark blue sepals and a spur over a centimeter long. The fruit is between 1 and 2 centimeters long.

Delphinium variegatum is a species of larkspur known by the common name royal larkspur. It is endemic to California, where it grows in mountains, valley and coast in woodlands and grasslands. On the forest floor of California oak woodlands typical plant associates are Calochortus luteus, Cynoglossum grande and Calochortus amabilis. This erect wildflower may reach half a meter in maximum height. Its leaves have deep lobes which may overlap. The long petioles are hairy. The branching flower cluster holds up to 25 widely spaced flowers, which are usually bright deep blue, and occasionally lighter blue or white, depending on subspecies. The spur is between one and two centimeters long. There are three generally accepted subspecies. Two of them, ssp. kinkiense and ssp. thornei, are endemic to San Clemente Island, one of the Channel Islands of California. The former, which is sometimes called Delphinium kinkiense ssp. kinkiense, is treated as a federally listed endangered species. Although it is in fact rarer than ssp. kinkiensis, ssp. thornei does not have a federal or state listing.

Channel Islands tree poppy (Dendromecon harfordii) is a flowering shrub or small tree and one of the most popular native plants with gardeners. It blooms with an abundance of  bright yellow flowers that contrast with sparse blue-gray oval leaves on  thin, branching stems. The flowering season is winter to spring but throughout most of the year, it can be covered in showy flowers. 

Channel Island Tree Poppy is spectacularly beautiful, easy to grow, and very fast growing. It can grow to 6 feet in two years. It likes full sun and well-draining soils, though it also does well in dry part-shade. It likes gentle slopes and flats. It is very tolerant of summer water for its first two years, but when mature, it's best to reduce it to 1x / month or eliminate supplemental water completely, especially if the plant is in partial shade.

Bush Poppy (Dendromecon rigida) is an attractive compact shrub native to California and Baja California. It is covered in petite, buttercup-like yellow flowers during the winter-spring blooming season. Bush Poppy is a fast-growing shrub that maintains a rounded form with light pruning. The Bush Poppy?s narrow, grayish-green leaves are evergreen, providing year-round color in the landscape, even when not in bloom.

This plant is robust and easy to grow when planted in the right dry, sunny conditions. It is commonly found on dry, rocky slopes and is known to be a fire-following plant. In the garden, it does best when planted in full sun in very well-draining soil. The Bush Poppy needs little to no supplemental irrigation once it is established, making it an appealing choice for a waterwise garden.

Tufted Hair-grass or Tussock grass (Deschampsia cespitosa or Deschampsia caespitosa) is a wild plant from the grass family (Poaceae). Distribution of this grass species is widespread including the eastern and western extremes of North America, parts of South America and Eurasia. In California it is most commonly found in the central and northern portions of the state, including the Coast Ranges and Sierras. It is found in coastal prairie habitat and mountain meadows, along with other native grasses such as Fescues (Festuca spp.) and Needlegrass (Stipa spp.). It is most often found in moist to very wet areas such as freshwater or saltwater marsh, riparian areas, and woodland/forest habitats.

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

Tufted Hair Grass (Deschampsia cespitosa ssp. cespitosa) is a native grass that grows in northern, southern and central California. It tends to grow in wet places, at elevations from 0-12500 feet.

California Hairgrass (Deschampsia cespitosa ssp. holciformis) is one of three recognized subspecies of this native bunchgrass. Ssp. holicformis grows in Central and Northern California, primarily along the coast and in the Coast Ranges. It is found in coastal prairie habitat and mountain meadows, along with other native grasses such as Fescues (Festuca spp.) and Needlegrass (Stipa spp.). It is most often found in moist to very wet areas such as freshwater or saltwater marsh, riparian areas, and woodland/forest habitats at elevations up to 4,500 ft. It is said to be deer-resistant. Although native to the central/northern coast, it reportedly performs well in coastal areas of southern California. It does not do well in hot, dry inland areas. This subspecies is somewhat less commonly seen in the garden compared with the species, but it would be a good choice for gardens in its native range.

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

Deschampsia danthonioides is a species of grass known by the common name annual hairgrass. It is native to western North America from the Yukon Territory and British Columbia, through California and the Western United States, to Baja California, and also to southern South America in Chile and Argentina. The annual bunchgrass grows in moist to drying areas such as pond edges, meadows and grasslands, in various habitat types such as montane and chaparral. Deschampsia danthonioides has stems growing solitary or in loose clumps up to 40 to 60 centimeters tall. The inflorescence is a narrow to open array of thin branches bearing small V-shaped spikelets.

Deschampsia elongata is a species of grass known by the common name slender hairgrass. It is native to western North America from Alaska to Wyoming to northern Mexico, and South America in Chile. It grows at all elevations, often in moist areas. It is a perennial grass forming dense clumps sometimes exceeding a meter in height. Most of the leaves are located in a tuft about the base of the stems. The flower cluster is a thin row of V-shaped spikelets arranged parallel to and mostly flat against the stem.