Gardening with California Native Plants

The summer of 2024 was California's hottest on record. Did you struggle to keep your plants adequately watered? Did your water bills skyrocket? Did some plants die even with increased irrigation? Are you questioning your plant choices? Now is the time to add California native plants to your garden in order to increase climate resilience.

Native plants have clear advantages over most non-natives. They are already adapted to our climate, soils, and insect pests. You'll save money by reducing your use of water, fertilizers and pesticides. Many natives need little pruning or other maintenance once they're established, so you'll be able to spend more time enjoying your garden, and less time working in it. Natives support local ecology by providing habitat for birds and other native pollinators. From an aesthetic viewpoint, a native garden has a strong sense of place and connects you to the natural landscape.

Not every native plant species is a good candidate for your own yard. You'll need to do some research to find the right plant for the right place. First, analyze the planting site. How cold does it get in winter? How sunny is it? What kind of soil do you have? Is there good drainage? How big is the space? What size should the plant be at maturity? What kind of irrigation is available? Think about the site and the ideal characteristics the plant should have.

The next step is to find natives that match your site. There are more than 5000 plants native to California, about 2000 of which are used in landscaping.  Here are some ideas to reduce choices to a manageable quantity. First, start local. Some of your neighbors may grow natives; ask about their successes. Visit some public native gardens, like those at the UC Master Gardeners Demonstration Garden at Patrick Ranch; the gardens at the Gateway Science Museum on the Esplanade; and the Alice B. Hecker Native Plant Garden at Chico Creek Nature Center in Bidwell Park.

Floral Native Nursery in Chico and Bosque Native Nursery in Oroville carry natives exclusively. Harvests and Habitats Nursery in Chico behind the 1078 Art Gallery at 1710 Park Avenue carries edibles and natives. Magnolia Gift and Garden, the Plant Barn, and Little Red Hen are general purpose nurseries that also carry some natives. The staff at all of these nurseries is knowledgeable and can suggest plants that will flourish in your yard.

An online search will yield numerous informative websites about gardening with natives. One especially useful website is Calscape, presented by the California Native Plant Society. Calscape has two sections. The first is a database including photos, cultural requirements, and other landscape information for over 2000 native plants. Here you can even search for plants native to a particular location; this can be an area as large as Butte County, or as small as your street address. This is an excellent way to find plants that are likely to thrive in your own yard. The second section of Calscape has information about garden design, including a design tool which can produce a design to match your specific needs.

Growing California natives is a sustainable landscape practice that also results in a beautiful garden.

UC Master Gardeners of Butte County are part of the University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) system.  To learn more about us and our upcoming events, and for help with gardening in our area visit our website.  If you have a gardening question or problem, email the Hotline at mgbutte@ucanr.edu or leave a phone message on our Hotline at 530-552-5812. To speak to a Master Gardener about a gardening issue, or to drop by the MG office during Hotline hours, see the most current information on our Ask Us section of our website.