HOME DESIGN : A SPECIAL ISSUE OF ORANGE COUNTY LIFE : WATER-CONSERVING PLANTS
Contrary to popular opinion, plants can be both water-conserving and attractive. Below is a list of plants compiled by the Metropolitan Water District of Orange County, selected for their combination of good looks and good sense. Some are Southern California natives, while others are products of other areas of the world with similar climates--hot, dry summers and cool, moist winters. Plants adapted to this climate require less water than plants from wetter climates.
Native Flower Plant Sun Color Season GROUND COVER--SLOPE Prostrate acacia (Acacia redolens) Full Yellow Spring Pacific mist manzanita (Arctostaphylos ‘Pacific mist’) Full White Spring Coyote brush (Baccharis ‘Twin Peaks’ or ‘Pigeon Point’) Full California lilac Full Blue Spring Maritime ceanothus (Ceanothus maritimus) Full/part Blue Spring Poverty weed (Iva hayesiana) Full/part Mexican bush lobelia (Lobelia laxiflora) Part Red Summer Prostrate myoporum (Myoporum ‘Pacifica’) Full/part White Summer Dwarf Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis ‘Prostrata’) Full Blue All GROUND COVER--PLANTED BED, BORDER Manzanita (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi or edmundsii) Part Pink Winter Gazania (Gazania hybrida) Full/part Variety Spring-fall Gum plant (Grindelia stricta) Full/part Yellow Summer Pacific Coast iris (Iris douglasiana) Part/shade Lavender Spring Petite sea lavender (Limonium pectinatum) Full/shade Lavender Spring-fall Cabo evening primrose (Oenothera drummondii) Full/part Yellow Summer Saltillo evening primrose (Oenothera stubbei) Full/part Yellow Summer Catalina perfume (Ribes viburnifolium) Part/shade Pink Spring Stonecrop (Sedum confusum or rubrotinctum) Full Yellow Summer ACCENT PLANTS Manzanita (Arctostaphylos densiflora) Full/part Pink Winter Feathery cassia (Cassia artemisiodes) Full Yellow Spring Snowball lilac (Ceanothus rigidus ‘Snowball’) Full White Spring Rockrose (Cistus species) Full Variety Spring Conejo buckwheat (Eriogonum crocatum) Full/part Yellow Summer Gray-leaved euryops (Euryops pectinatus) Full/part Yellow Fall-spring Sage (Salvia species) Full Lavender Spring Australian bluebells (Sollya fusiformas) Full/part Blue Summer Mexican bush marigold (Tagetes lemmonii) Full Yellow Summer Cape honeysuckle (Tecomaria capensis) Full/part Red All FOUNDATION PLANTS Dwarf strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo ‘Compacta’) Full/part White Winter Bottlebrush (Callistemon citrinus) Full Red Spring-fall Louis Edmonds California lilac (Ceanothus ‘Louis Edmonds’) Full/part Blue Spring Golden abundance Oregon grape (Mahonia ‘Golden Abundance’) Full/part Yellow Spring Eve Case coffeeberry (Rhamnus californica ‘Eve Case’) Full/shade White Summer Sugar bush (Rhus ovata) Full White Spring Westringia (Westringia rosmariniformis) Full White Winter HEDGES AND SCREENS Knife acacia (Acacia cultriformis) Full Yellow Spring Pink powder puff (Calliandra inaequilatera) Full Pink Winter Hybrid California lilac (Ceanothus ‘Frosty Blue’ or ‘Blue Jeans’) Full Blue Spring Red-flowered escallonia (Escallonia rubra) Full/part Pink Summer Pineapple guava (Feijoa sellowiana) Full/part Red Summer Noel’s grevillea (Grevillea noelii) Full Pink Spring Toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia) Full/part White Summer Nevin’s barberry (Mahonia nevinii) Full Yellow Spring Catalina cherry (Prunus lyonnii) Full White Spring Lemonade Berry (Rhus integrifolia) Full/part Pink Spring Yellow bells (Tecoma stans) Full Yellow Summer TREES FOR PATIO Peppermint myrtle (Agonis flexuosa) Full Western redbud (Cercis occidentalis) Full/part Pink Spring Bronze loquat (Eriobotyra deflexa) Full White Summer Australian willow (Geijera parviflora) Full White Spring Sweet shade (Hymenosporum flavum) Full/part White Spring Crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) Full Variety Summer Brisbane box (Tristania conferta) Full White Summer TREES FOR STREET OR PARKWAY Carrot wood (Cupaniopsis anacardioides) Full White Spring Red iron bark (Eucalyptus sideroxylon) Full/shade Pink Summer Jacaranda (Jacaranda acutifolia) Full Lavender Summer Sweet gum (Liquidambar styraciflua (cultivars)) Full Island ironwood (Lyonathamnus floribundus var. asplenifolius) Full White Summer Mexican palo verde (Parkinsonia aculeata) Full Yellow Summer Coulter pine (Pinus coulteri) Full Mondale pine (Pinus eldarica) Full Mesa oak (Quercus engelmanii) Full/part LARGE TREES FOR SHADE Camphor tree (Cinnamomum camphora) Full Yellow Spring Golden rain tree (Koelreuteria paniculata) Full Yellow Summer China berry (Melia azedarach) Full/part Lavender Summer Torrey pine (Pinus torreyana) Full Chinese pistache (Pistachia chinensis) Full Coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia) Full/part Cork oak (Quercus suber) Full California pepper tree (Schinus molle) Full Yellow Summer VINES Bougainvillea (Bougainvillea cultivars) Full Variety Spring-fall Violet trumpet vine (Clytostoma callistegioides) Full Purple Summer Scarlet trumpet vine (Distictis buccinatorius) Full Red Summer Lilac vine (Hardenbergia comptoniana) Full Lavender Summer Guinea gold vine (Hibbertia scandens) Full Yellow Summer TURF GRASSES Common Bermuda (Cynodon dactylon) Full Hybrid Bermuda (Cynodon hybrida) Full Excalibur (Paspalum vaginatum) Full Saint Augustine (Stenotaphrum secundatum) Full/part El Toro zoysia (Zoysia ‘El Toro’) Full/part
Source: Metropolitan Water District of Orange County
