People sometimes think that native plants are boring, colorless and require a lot of maintenance. Nothing could be further from the truth! My garden is filled with many native plants which once established seldom need watering during the hot summer days. They need little care beyond occasional pruning and deadheading of flowers. I never need to fertilize (I leave the leaves) and seldom have pests, so I do not need to use pesticides (spraying water to dislocate the pests manages them). In the spring, my garden is a riot of color, attracting bees, birds and butterflies which provide unending entertainment. There are fewer flowers during the summer and fall months, but there is always something blooming well into November, along with visiting pollinators. Some of my plants are “early birds” and start blooming in late January.

Native plants have developed over thousands of years to our soil and climate, developing mutually beneficial relationships with the local wildlife. They have adapted to our Mediterranean climate with its wet winters and hot, dry summers. Many native plants are keystone species which means they play a vital role in the ecosystem by providing crucial food, shelter and reproductive sites for other species. The decline or absence of a keystone species can cause other species to be unable to survive and go extinct, causing the ecosystem to change drastically. An example of a keystone species is the Valley oak (Quercus lobata). One Valley oak tree can support around 300 animals (including mammals, birds, amphibians and reptiles), 1,100 plants, 370 fungi, 5,000 insects and invertebrates, plus an unknown number of microorganisms!

Due to climate change, California's Central Valley weather is getting hotter and drier with longer periods of drought likely, interspersed with occasional wet years. Growing native plants in our gardens is one of the ways we can have water-wise, environmentally friendly, colorful plants that support local wildlife.

If you are interested in learning about native plant gardening, how to start planting and caring for native plants, what plants are California natives, come to one of the Stanislaus County UC Master Gardeners' library talks during September. Like many of my fellow Master Gardeners, I love to share my love and knowledge of native plants!

 Denise Godbout-Avant has been a UC Master Gardener in Stanislaus County since 2020