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UC Davis Plant Index

We apologize, but bot attacks have caused part of this index to be deleted and some of the links to be broken. We are in the process of repairing it.

These are all the plants evaluated at UC Davis since 2005.

  • Plants are listed alphabetically by scientific name. Plants were evaluated in full sun or under 50% shade cloth.
  • All plants were evaluated in Davis, CA (WUCOLS Region 2).
  • The best average Overall Appearance rating a plant received during the treatment season is listed as Mean O/A Score (based on a 1-5 scale, where 5 is highest).
  • NA = not appropriate; NR = not rated; BR = trialed before O/A rating began; NC = not collected due to high plant mortality.
  • Each plant is classified according to WUCOLS IV Categories of Water Needs- H: High; M: Moderate/Medium; L: Low; NA: Not Appropriate for this region (See the Nuts and Bolts tab for details on how the recommendation was determined.)
  • * Plants receiving an overall appearance rating of less than 3 are not recommended in this area under these irrigation conditions.
  • ** Plants that performed poorly in full sun, but if used, some shade is suggested.
  • printer friendly pdf version: UC Davis Plant Index

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Scientific Name Common Name Exposure Mean O/A Score WUCOLS Category Trial Year
Abelia x grandiflora 'Wevol' (Linnaea x grandiflora) Bella Donna abelia 50% Shade 2.5 M 2018
Abelia x grandiflora ‘Abelops’ (Linnaea x grandiflora) Sunshine Daydream Abelia 50% Shade 4.4 L 2011
Acacia boormanii Snowy river wattle Sun 4.9 L 2009
Acacia cognata 'ACCOG01' Cousin Itt Little River wattle Sun NC NA 2016
Agonis flexuosa 'Burgundy' Burgundy peppermint willow Sun NC NA 2016
Aquilegia eximia Serpentine columbine Sun BR M 2007
Arctostaphylos densiflora 'Howard McMinn' Howard McMinn manzanita Sun 3.8 M 2013
Aster ‘Purple Dome’ Purple Dome New England aster Sun 4.2 M 2011
Berberis aquifolium 'Compacta' Compact Oregon grape 50% Shade 4 M 2013
Bouteloua gracilis Blue gramma grass Sun BR L 2007
Bouteloua gracilis 'Blonde Ambition' Blonde Ambition blue gramma grass Sun 4.2 L 2016
Buddleia ‘Podaras #8’ Flutterby Petite® Blue Heaven butterfly bush Sun 4 M 2011
Buddleia ‘Purple Splendor’ Purple Splendor butterfly bush Sun 4.3 L 2014
Buddleia 'Podaras #13' Flutterby Petite™ Tutti Fruitti butterfly bush Sun 3.9 H 2014
Buddleia × 'SMNBDBT'  Pugster Blue™ butterfly bush Sun 4.1 L 2020
Bulbine ‘Tiny Tangerine’ Tiny Tangerine cape balsam Sun 4.6 L 2011
Calamagrostis × acutiflora 'Karl Foerster' Karl Foerster feather reed grass Sun 4.2 L 2013
Carex spissa San Diego sedge Sun BR L 2007
Ceanothus × pallidus 'Marie Simon' Marie Simon ceanothus Sun 4.4 L 2009
Ceanothus 'Concha' Concha California lilac Sun 3.9 L 2014
Ceanothus griseus var. horizontalis 'MATCEA01' Highlights™ ceanothus 50% Shade 3.8 L 2018
Ceanothus maritimus ‘Valley Violet’ Valley Violet California lilac Sun BR L 2007
Cerastium tomentosum Snow-in-summer Sun 3.1 L 2013
Ceratostigma plumbaginoides Dwarf plumbago 50% Shade 3.3 L 2013
Ceratostigma plumbaginoides Dwarf pumbago Sun 3.9 H 2013
Cercocarpus betuloides var. blancheae Island mountain mahogany Sun 4.4 L 2009
Chondropetalum tectorum Small cape rush Sun 4.3 L 2015
Cordyline ‘Purple Sensation’ Cabbage Tree Sun 2.6 L 2011
Correa pulchella 'Pink Eyre' Pink Eyre Australian fuchsia 50% Shade 4.1 L 2015
Cotinus coggygria 'NCC01'  Winecraft Black® smokebush Sun 3.3 L 2020
Cyrtomium falcatum Japanese holly fern 50% Shade 3.7 L 2013
Daphne odora 'Aureomarginata' Variegated Daphne 50% Shade 3.3 L 2013
Delosperma cooperi Hardy ice plant Sun 4 L 2013
Dianella caerulea 'DBB03'  Cassa Blue flax lily Sun 4 M 2015
Dianella caerulea 'John316'  King Alfred flax lily 50% Shade 4 M 2015
Dianella revoluta 'Allyn-Citation' Coolvista™ Dianella Sun 4.2 L 2019
Dianella revoluta 'DR5000' Little Rev™ flax lily Sun 3.6 L 2018
Dianthus 'KLEDG10119' EverLast™ Orchid dianthus Sun 3.6 M 2014
Dietes bicolor 'African Gold' Pure Gold® African iris Sun 4.1 L 2018
Distylium 'Vintage Jade'** Vintage Jade distylium Sun 2.3 M 2018
Distylium 'Vintage Jade' Vintage Jade distylium 50% Shade 3.8 M 2019
Elaeagnus x ebbingii 'Viveleg'
 Olive Martini™ elaeagnus Sun 4.5 L 2019
Epilobium 'Sidewinder' Sidewinder California fuchsia Sun 4.2 L 2014
Epilobium 'Sierra Salmon' Sierra Salmon California fuchsia Sun 3.7 L 2014
Eremophila glabra 'EREM1'  Grey Horizon™ emu bush Sun 3.0 L 2020
Escallonia fradesi ‘Jamie’  Pink Whisper Escallonia Sun 2.7 M 2011
Eucomis 'Leia' Leia pineapple lily Sun 3.2 L 2016
Fallugia paradoxa Apache plume Sun BR M 2007
Festuca californica California fescue 50% Shade 3.7 L 2013
Geranium 'Gerwat' Rozanne geranium Sun 3.7 M 2014
Geranium x cantabrigiense 'Biokovo' Biokovo cranesbill 50% Shade 3.3 L 2017
Grevillea 'Kings Celebration' Kings Celebration grevillea Sun NR NA 2019
Grevillea 'Kings Fire' Kings Fire grevillea Sun 4.8 L 2019
Hamelia patens Sierra Red™ Sierra Red™ firecracker bush Sun 3.8 M 2020
Helichrysum amorginum 'Blorub' Ruby Clusters strawflower  Sun 3.6 M 2014
Helleborus ‘Red Lady’ Red Lady Lenten rose 50% Shade 3.3 M 2011
Hesperaloe parviflora 'MSWNPERED'  Sandia Glow® red yucca Sun 3.7 L 2020
Heuchera maxima Island alum root 50% Shade 4 L 2011
Heuchera 'Rosada' Rosada coral bells Sun BR M 2007
Hydrangea paniculata 'LeeP1' White Wedding® hydrangea 50% Shade 3.3 M 2020
Hydrangea paniculata 'Renhy' Vanilla Strawberry™ hydrangea 50% Shade 3.7 M 2019
Hydrangea quercifolia 'BIV01' Tara™ oakleaf hydrangea 50% Shade 3.1 L 2020
Hypericum androsaemum ‘Seifire' Ignite Red St. John's wort 50% Shade 4.2 L 2011
Hypericum kalmianum 'Deppe' Sunny Boulevard® St. John's wort Sun 4 L 2020
Illicium parviflorum ‘PIIIP-I’ BananAppeal® small anise tree 50% Shade 2.4 H 2018
Iris 'Canyon Snow' Canyon Snow Pacific hybrid iris Sun 3.9 M 2009
Isomeris arborea Bladderpod Sun 3.6 L 2013
Kniphofia 'Christmas Cheer' Christmas Cheer red hot poker Sun 3.3 M 2013
Kniphofia 'Elvira' Elvira red hot poker Sun 3.3 M 2014
Lagerstroemia indica 'Conlagras' Bellini® Raspberry crape myrtle Sun 3.8 L 2019
Lagerstroemia indica 'Deleb' Delta Eclipse™ crapemyrtle Sun 4.1 L 2018
Lagerstroemia 'Purple Magic' Purple Magic crapemyrtle Sun 4.1 L 2018
Laurus nobilis 'MonRik'  Little Ragu® sweet bay Sun 2.4 L 2020
Lavandula x allardii 'Meerlo' 'Meerlo' lavender Sun 4.4 L 2019
Leucophyllum langmaniae 'Lynn's Legacy' Lynn's Legacy Texas ranger Sun 4.8 M 2009
Ligustrum sinense ‘Sunshine’ Sunshine privet 50% Shade 4.8 L 2011
Lippia 'ECOLOPIA2'  Pink Kurapia® Sun 4.5 L 2020
Lippia nodiflora 'Campagna Verde' Kurapia  Sun 4.2 L 2014
Lippia nodiflora 'New White' New White kurapia Sun 4.5 L 2018
Lomandra confertifolia ‘Finescape’* Finescape mat rush Sun 2.2 L 2017
Lomandra confertifolia 'Seascape' Seascape mat rush Sun 3.2 M 2011
Lomandra confertifolia 'Seascape' Seascape mat rush 50% Shade NR NA 2017
       

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