Hearst’s ceanothus is a species of California lilac endemic to the central coast of San Luis Obispo County. This ground-covering perennial shrub has evergreen foliage and striking blue flowers in the springtime, earning its place as a popular plant for landscaping across California.

Silverleaf manzanita, also known as Bonny Doon manzanita (Arctostaphylos silvicola), only occurs naturally in the sandhills of the southern Santa Cruz Mountains in Santa Cruz and Santa Clara counties. Its flowers and fruits provide resources to pollinators and add beauty to drought-tolerant gardens.

With its tenacious rhizomes and high toxicity, hemp dogbane (Apocynum cannabinum) may seem more like a weed than a welcome guest. However, people have looked to dogbanes since time immemorial to create resilient ecosystems, communities, and textiles.

Snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus var. laevigatus) is a hardy native shrub that brightens the landscape with clusters of white berries through the fall and winter months. Its pinkish flowers attract pollinators, while the berries feed birds and wildlife. Thriving in sun or shade, snowberry is a beautiful, low-maintenance choice for habitat restoration and native gardens alike.