Drought tolerant plants for a Yorba Linda garden.

In the 1500's California went through an 80 year drought. During the winter there were blizzards in Central California, the Salinas river froze solid where it flowed into the Monterey Bay. During the summer there was no humidity, no rain, and temperatures in the hundreds for many  months. During one year in the 1840's there was no measurable rain in Santa Barbara. (The highest measured rainfall in an hour also was in Southern California, 11 inches in an hour) The same native plants that lived through that are still on the hillsides of California. California native plants that do not normally live in the creeks and ponds are very drought tolerant.

The best way to find your plant is to check www.mynativeplants.com and do not water at all. But if you want a simple list of drought tolerant plants that can work for your garden here are some for Yorba Linda, California.
This partial search is full sun, with loam soil, no water after first summer, and shredded redwood bark as mulch. (This example was done in 2010, inventory/price subject to change.)

Plant Image Short Description
Arctostaphylos densiflora Sentinel Manzanita
Arctostaphylos densiflora Sentinel Manzanita Sentinel Manzanita
Arctostaphylos densiflora 'Sentinel' was selected way back when as an upright floweriest of manzanit... Learn more
Arctostaphylos glandulosa adamsii
Arctostaphylos glandulosa adamsii Laguna Manzanita
Laguna manzanita is a sprawling evergreen manzanita shrub that will form a knee high groundcover. ... Learn more
Arctostaphylos glauca
Arctostaphylos glauca Big Berry Manzanita
Big berry Manzanita is an evergreen shrub to small tree, with red-brown bark, 7-10' foot high and wi... Learn more
Arctostaphylos glauca Frazier Park Manzanita
Arctostaphylos glauca Frazier Park Manzanita Mt. Pinos Manzanita
This Big Berry manzanita was selected from John's property in the Lake of the Woods/Frazier Park ar... Learn more
Arctostaphylos glauca Ramona Manzanita
Arctostaphylos glauca Ramona Manzanita Ramona Manzanita
A really glorious Big Berry manzanita from the San Vicente/Ramona area. The mother plant was growin... Learn more
Arctostaphylos Ian Bush Manzanita
Arctostaphylos Ian Bush Manzanita Manzanita
Ian bush manzanita is fast to four feet and seems to stabilize at five feet with a very open form. T... Learn more
Arctostaphylos insularis
Arctostaphylos insularis Island Manzanita
Island Manzanita is an evergreen shrub to 7', needing sun and good drainage. This one has glossy d... Learn more
Arctostaphylos luciana Adelaide Manzanita
Arctostaphylos luciana Adelaide Manzanita Santa Lucia Manzanita
Santa Lucia Manzanita is a rare, evergreen shrub, 3' by 6' with 1" white leaves and red bark. It gro... Learn more
Arctostaphylos manzanita Dr. Hurd Manzanita Tree
Arctostaphylos manzanita Dr. Hurd Manzanita Tree Northern California Manzanita
Dr. Hurd Manzanita is an evergreen, multi-branched, treelike hybrid shrub with glossy, light green f... Learn more
Arctostaphylos manzanita_x_densiflora Austin Griffiths Manzanita
Arctostaphylos manzanita_x_densiflora Austin Griffiths Manzanita Austin Griifith's Manzanita
Austin Griffiths Manzanita is a hybrid between Arctostaphylos densiflora 'Sentinel' and Arctostaphyl... Learn more
Arctostaphylos parryana Snow Lodge Manzanita
Arctostaphylos parryana Snow Lodge Manzanita Parry Manzanita
Arctostaphylos parryana, Parry Manzanita, or Snow Lodge Manzanita, is a very clean, light-green, eve... Learn more
Arctostaphylos pechoensis Margarita's Joy
Arctostaphylos pechoensis Margarita's Joy Manzanita
This manzanita is an interesting natural hybrid that occurs on the central coast. The parents were p... Learn more
Arctostaphylos pungens
Arctostaphylos pungens Pointleaf Manzanita
Mexican manzanita is an evergreen shrub around six foot tall, (usually taller than wide) that grows ... Learn more
Arctostaphylos rainbowensis
Arctostaphylos rainbowensis
Rainbowensis is a lower moundy Big Berried Manzanita. We grew some for a remediation in South River... Learn more
Artemisia californica
Artemisia californica California Sagebrush
California sagebrush is an evergray shrub, three to four foot high. This sage brush is native to mu... Learn more
Artemisia ludoviciana
Artemisia ludoviciana White Sagebrush
Artemisia ludoviciana, White Sagebrush is a rhizomatous perennial native from Baja to Ontario Canada... Learn more
Baccharis pilularis consanguinea
Baccharis pilularis consanguinea Coyote Brush
Deer proof throughout Ca. (so-far). You might want to cover it for the first year. Drought tolerant,... Learn more
Bahia dissecta
Bahia dissecta Ragged leaf bahia
Ragged leaf bahia is a little fuzzy gray perennial that kinda turns green and grows tall when it flo... Learn more
Balsamorhiza sagittata
Balsamorhiza sagittata Arrowleaf balsamroot
syn Buphthalmum sagittata, Espeletia s., E. helianthoides, Balsamorhiza h.. Arrowleaf balsamroot gro... Learn more
Ceanothus arboreus Owlswood Blue
Ceanothus arboreus Owlswood Blue Island Mtn. Lilac
Evergreen shrub fast to 10', a C. aboreus cultivar-hybrid, deer love these, blue flowers on long spi... Learn more
Ceanothus Celestial Blue
Ceanothus Celestial Blue
Celestial Blue is a very blue,sometimes purple, with some red flowered California lilac with a light... Learn more
Ceanothus Concha
Ceanothus Concha California Mountain Lilac
Ceanothus 'Concha' is one of the oldest and best hybrid ceanothus. Ours are 4' high by 4' wide, and ... Learn more
Ceanothus cyaneus
Ceanothus cyaneus San Diego Mtn. Lilac
San Diego Mountain Lilac is a medium sized evergreen shrub that is covered with light blue flowers... Learn more
Ceanothus maritimus
Ceanothus maritimus Bluff California Lilac
Maritime California Lilac is native San Luis Obispo county where it grows on old ocean beaches and... Learn more
Ceanothus Mountain Haze
Ceanothus Mountain Haze Mountain Haze
An evergreen shrub to 8 feet with medium to small dark green leaves garden tolerant, good hedge or s... Learn more
Ceanothus Ray Hartman
Ceanothus Ray Hartman Mountain Lilac
The Ray Hartman' form of mountain lilac is an evergreen shrub to 20'. The flowers are light to mediu... Learn more

Corethrogyne filaginifolia
Corethrogyne filaginifolia California Corethrogyne
California Aster, the original common name was California Corethrogyne. (Lessingia filaginifolia... Learn more

Corethrogyne filaginifolia Silver carpet
Corethrogyne filaginifolia Silver carpet Common Corethrogyne
(Lessingia filaginifolia, Aster filaginifolia, Aster tomentellius, Aplopappus haenkei, Corethrogyne ... Learn more

Cupressus nevadensis
Cupressus nevadensis Piute Cypress
This small tree grows in the mountains of Kern County. Fast to 20' then slowly to 30'. Very grey fol... Learn more

Deschampsia elongata
Deschampsia elongata
A grass that disappears in summer(drops to a faint brown patch), a light grass that blows in the bre... Learn more

Diplacus longiflorus
Diplacus longiflorus Southern Monkey Flower
Diplacus longiflorus is a very large flowered monkey flower that is native on the Santa Margarita N... Learn more

Dudleya lanceolata
Dudleya lanceolata Liveforever
Dudleya lanceolata is an one foot tall and wide succulent,native to central and southern Californi... Learn more

Encelia californica
Encelia californica Coast Sunflower
Perennial shrub, 3-4 ft. high, good large scale ground cover with 2 inch daisy, Native from Santa Ma... Learn more

Eriogonum parvifolium
Eriogonum parvifolium Cliff Buckwheat
A perennial, 2 ft. by 2 ft.. Native near coast from Monterey to San Diego, shade to sun, red-green f... Learn more

Eriogonum umbellatum polyanthum Shasta Buckwheat
Eriogonum umbellatum polyanthum Shasta Buckwheat Sulfur Buckwheat
Eriogonum umbellatum polyanthum is a wide ranging form normal in the middle elevation Sierras, yello... Learn more

Gnaphalium californicum
Gnaphalium californicum California Pearly Everlasting
A native biennial or short-lived perennial that grows in disturbed places.This species is a pioneer ... Learn more

Helianthemum scoparium
Helianthemum scoparium Sun Rose
A little non-descript perennial that grows in openings amoungst shrubs,. When it flowers it turns in... Learn more

Horkelia cuneata
Horkelia cuneata
A small perennial that is common in coastal dunes and interior dunes from San Francisco to San Diego... Learn more

Juniperus occidentalis
Juniperus occidentalis Western Juniper
The huge trees of Western Ceder are OLD, older than me and I'm old. 2000-3000 years is possible for ... Learn more

Koeleria macrantha
Koeleria macrantha June Grass
A small perennial grass that looks like it belongs in a Japanese Garden. Although it grows in pine w... Learn more

Lepechinia fragrans
Lepechinia fragrans Wallaces Pitcher Plant
An evergreen perennial shrub like Lepechinia calycina but flower is pink and leaves a little fuzzie... Learn more

Mahonia haematocarpa
Mahonia haematocarpa Red barberry
syn.Berberis haematocarpa, Odostemon haematocarpus, .Red barberry grows in favorable spots in our So... Learn more

Malacothamnus clementinus
Malacothamnus clementinus San Clemente Bush Mallow
Native to San Clemente Is. where it grows on rocky caynon walls(probably hiding from the feral anima... Learn more

Monardella antonina
Monardella antonina Butterfly Mint Bush
Butterfly Mint Bush(sounds better than San Antonio Hills Monardella) is a one foot perennial covere... Learn more

No Image Yet
Muhlenbergia montana Mountain Muhly
A small little perennial that grows in our western mountains.The most likely place to find Mountain ... Learn more

Pinus torreyana
Pinus torreyana Torrey Pine
A gray conifer to 40 ft.. There are two wild colonies left in San Diego and on Santa Rosa Island. A ... Learn more

Poa fendleriana
Poa fendleriana Mutton Grass
Mutton Grass is so called as it grows a bunch grass in many of the drier plant communities of the we... Learn more

Rhus integrifolia
Rhus integrifolia Lemonade Berry
Lemonade Berry is an evergreen shrub to 8' inland, 2' tall in view of ocean. Native from about Santa... Learn more

Ribes speciosum
Ribes speciosum Fuchsia-Flowering Gooseberry
Fuchsia flowering or fuchsia flowering gooseberry is a four foot nearly evergreen shrub with red fu... Learn more

Salvia apiana
Salvia apiana White Sage
White sage is a two to five foot evergreen perennial. The flowers emerge in summer and are white w... Learn more

Salvia apianaXclevelandii Vicki Romo
Salvia apianaXclevelandii Vicki Romo Vicki Romo white sage
Salvia Vicki Romo was apparently a hybrid between Salvia clevelandii, Salvia apiana, maybe Salvia le... Learn more



Salvia clevelandii Alpine Cleveland sage
Salvia clevelandii Alpine Cleveland sage Musk Sage
A form of Salvia clevelandii that was found near the town of Alpine in San Diego County. The form a... Learn more



Salvia clevelandii Deer Springs
Salvia clevelandii Deer Springs Cleveland Sage
Salvia clevelandii 'Deer Springs' is a Cleveland Sage from Northern San Diego County. It was collect... Learn more



Salvia clevelandii Winifred Gilman Cleveland Sage
Salvia clevelandii Winifred Gilman Cleveland Sage Musk Sage
Salvia clevelandii Winifred Gilman" is an evergreen shrub with flowers lavender to blue. This Clevel... Learn more



Salvia Daras Choice
Salvia Daras Choice
A hybrid between Salvia mellifera and Salvia sonomensis. Dara's Choice grows 3' tall and 3' across ... Learn more



Salvia leucophylla Point Sal
Salvia leucophylla Point Sal Low Purple sage
Salvia Point Sal is a gray ground cover that generally grows 3-4 foot across and a few inches tall. ... Learn more



Salvia mellifera
Salvia mellifera Black Sage
Black Sage is a three foot evergreen shrub with white to light blue flowers from March to July. Thi... Learn more



Salvia mellifera repens
Salvia mellifera repens Creeping Black Sage
A flat fragrant shrub with dark green foliage and light blue flowers. It can get to be 6' across wit... Learn more



Satureja chandleri
Satureja chandleri Shrubby Yerba Buena
(Calamintha chandleri (Smith & Berg) A 1 to 2 feet high by 3 foot perennial with very fragrant fol... Learn more



Sidalcea hickmanii anomala
Sidalcea hickmanii anomala
A 1-2' perennial with 1"pink flowers on green-grey stems. A nice looking plant for serpentine areas ... Learn more



Sidalcea malvaeflora
Sidalcea malvaeflora Checkerbloom
This checker bloom is a perennial with a small cluster of leaves at its base and a 2-3ft. spike of ... Learn more



Sisyrinchium bellum
Sisyrinchium bellum Blue-Eyed Grass
Blue-eyed Grass. Sisyrinchium bellum is a 1 foot tall perennial with 1 inch blue flowers in Jan.-Ju... Learn more



Stipa comata
Stipa comata Needle and thread grass
Needle and thread is a tufted little perennial grass that is probably the most wide ranging bunch gr... Learn more



Stipa pulchra
Stipa pulchra Purple Stipa
Purple Needle Grass is native throughout our area. Nice plant. Use simply. Leaves are bright green u... Learn more



Viguiera laciniata
Viguiera laciniata San Diego Sunflower
A very floriferous perennial sub-shrub that grows in southern San Diego County. In many gardens it w... Learn more



Xylococcus bicolor
Xylococcus bicolor Mission Manzanita
Mission Manzanita is an evergreen shrub that grows along the coast from Los Angeles to Baja and on S... Learn more



Other places you might find us roaming about:
Facebook

Do you like what we're doing with the pages?
Email SHORT questions or suggestions

We tried to use kibble for the webmaster, he still can't type. He does bark the answers.
Copyright 1992-2014 Las Pilitas Nursery
Edited on Jan 04, 2014. Authors:
Site Index