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09.20.2019

California Native Landscaping

DROUGHT-TOLERANT / LANDSCAPING

When considering a design and plan for your California landscape, going with California-native plants is a smart choice for eco-conscious homeowners.  There are a plethora of reasons why native plants are the best option, including once the plants have taken root, they do not need extra watering and can be cared for with drought-tolerant drip irrigation.  They can also flourish without additional fertilizers or pesticides and can help return your landscape to a thriving and natural ecosystem. This has the added bonus of cutting down on costs where time and money are concerned.

California Grasses

If you're looking for low maintenance, you can find long lists of easy-to-care-for native plants.  Native grasses are beautiful and basic, and there are tons of California choices. Purple three-Awn (Aristida purpurea), blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis), California fescue (Festuca californica), giant wild rye (Leymus condensatus), California melic (Melica californica), deer grass (Muhlenbergia rigens), and purple needle grass (Nassella pulchra, which is also the state grass of California) are excellent options.

Succulents

Another popular choice are succulents.  While not all are native, any from the Dudleya genus are good options, and there are dozens to choose from.  There are flowering species like the Munchkin Live-Forever (Dudleya gnoma) and the Canon Live-Forever (Dudleya cymosa). Chalk lettuce (Dudleya pulverulenta) is a beautiful leafy succulent that can be used as another option.

There are many fantastic online resources for finding native plants for your area.  Consult with a professional landscaper to put together a custom design of native plants that will be gentle on the environment (and your wallet!)

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