EPA Level III Ecoregion
637 native plants for the Southern California/Northern Baja Coast ecoregion (Los Angeles area).
The Southern California/Northern Baja Coast ecoregion covers the coastal plain from Ventura through Los Angeles, Orange County, and San Diego. This is coastal sage scrub country, with mild winters, marine-layer mornings, and very little summer rain. Natives such as California buckwheat, white sage, and lemonadeberry hold their form through the dry months, which matters in neighborhoods where a tidy street view is expected.
Conditions: Sandy loam to clay soils, 10–15 inches of winter rainfall, mild year-round temperatures, marine influence near the coast.
Cities and areas: Los Angeles, San Diego, Anaheim, Long Beach, Riverside, Oxnard.
HOA-friendly picks listed first. Pet-safety status varies by species; each plant page shows its sourced ASPCA status. Native range data from vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists.

Lobelia cardinalis

Achillea millefolium

Juncus effusus

Cornus sericea

Rhus aromatica

Koeleria macrantha

Fragaria vesca

Ribes aureum

Asclepias fascicularis

Eschscholzia californica

Ribes sanguineum

Aquilegia formosa

Muhlenbergia rigens

Epilobium canum

Eriogonum fasciculatum

Nassella tenuissima

Eriogonum umbellatum

Penstemon heterophyllus

Phacelia tanacetifolia

Sisyrinchium bellum

Layia platyglossa

Sidalcea malviflora

Lupinus succulentus

Penstemon centranthifolius

Salvia spathacea

Salvia clevelandii

Iris douglasiana

Lupinus albifrons

Ceanothus thyrsiflorus

Gilia capitata

Heteromeles arbutifolia

Salvia leucophylla

Clarkia unguiculata

Penstemon spectabilis

Salvia mellifera

Sphaeralcea ambigua

Aesculus californica

Salvia apiana

Cercocarpus betuloides

Artemisia douglasiana

Artemisia californica

Gilia tricolor

Rosa californica

Abutilon palmeri

Trichostema lanatum

Platanus racemosa

Baileya multiradiata

Juncus patens

Lonicera hispidula

Carex pellita

Atriplex canescens

Rhus trilobata

Collinsia heterophylla

Sambucus mexicana

Quercus agrifolia

Ceanothus oliganthus

Eriogonum giganteum

Lonicera involucrata

Cercis occidentalis

Grindelia camporum

Rhus ovata

Romneya coulteri

Clarkia amoena

Salvia sonomensis

Carex tumulicola

Festuca rubra

Artemisia tridentata

Bacopa monnieri

Asclepias eriocarpa

Carpenteria californica

Quercus douglasii

Asclepias californica

Eustoma exaltatum

Prunus ilicifolia

Quercus chrysolepis

Arctostaphylos glauca

Brodiaea elegans

Quercus kelloggii

Mimulus aurantiacus

Elymus glaucus

Triteleia laxa

Trifolium willdenovii

Eriogonum nudum

Eriogonum arborescens

Chlorogalum pomeridianum

Ceanothus cuneatus

Erythranthe guttata

Fremontodendron californicum

Ribes cereum

Galvezia speciosa

Sambucus nigra ssp. caerulea

Verbesina encelioides

Juncus mexicanus

Asclepias subulata

Stachys bullata

Sporobolus cryptandrus

Madia elegans

Dendromecon rigida

Salvia columbariae

Lilium humboldtii

Juncus balticus

Eriogonum cinereum

Lasthenia californica

Malosma laurina

Ribes speciosum

Mirabilis laevis

Bidens laevis

Pinus ponderosa

Umbellularia californica

Acer macrophyllum

Solanum xanti

Mahonia aquifolium

Lupinus microcarpus

Symphoricarpos mollis

Cornus glabrata

Calochortus venustus

Leymus condensatus

Keckiella antirrhinoides

Prunus lyonii

Lupinus densiflorus

Lomatium utriculatum

Juncus xiphioides

Calamagrostis rubescens

Gutierrezia sarothrae

Senegalia greggii

Viola purpurea

Cystopteris fragilis

Ceanothus megacarpus

Pinus monophylla

Ribes nevadense

Pellaea atropurpurea

Delphinium parryi

Delphinium cardinale

Heterotheca subaxillaris

Dieteria canescens

Diplacus longiflorus

Diplacus puniceus

Ceanothus integerrimus

Arctostaphylos crustacea

Echinocereus engelmannii

Erysimum capitatum

Helianthus californicus

Juncus occidentalis

Cupressus arizonica

Sphaeralcea emoryi

Eriogonum wrightii

Elymus triticoides

Luzula comosa

Opuntia engelmannii

Bothriochloa barbinodis

Rhamnus californica

Polypodium calirhiza

Hordeum brachyantherum

Agrostis pallens

Phacelia ciliata

Limnanthes alba

Eryngium aristulatum

Ribes roezlii

Clarkia cylindrica

Acmispon tomentosus

Equisetum braunii

Gaura coccinea

Mentzelia montana

Dudleya palmeri

Brodiaea terrestris

Setaria parviflora

Dichanthelium lanuginosum

Stanleya pinnata

Lupinus nanus

Imperata brevifolia

Hypericum scouleri

Adiantum capillus-veneris

Dichelostemma capitatum

Nassella cernua

Juncus torreyi

Hazardia detonsa

Carex subfusca

Erigeron divergens

Nassella pulchra

Muhlenbergia asperifolia

Lythrum californicum

Gilia achilleifolia

Elymus violaceus

Sambucus canadensis

Amorpha fruticosa

Prunus virginiana

Phyla nodiflora

Juncus tenuis

Coreopsis tinctoria

Artemisia ludoviciana

Linum lewisii

Chilopsis linearis

Prunella vulgaris

Sagittaria latifolia

Andropogon glomeratus

Forestiera pubescens

Helianthus annuus

Oenothera biennis

Equisetum hyemale

Acer negundo

Quercus lobata

Catalpa speciosa

Polystichum munitum

Apocynum cannabinum

Scrophularia californica

Vachellia farnesiana

Salix exigua

Carex praegracilis

Alnus rubra

Prosopis glandulosa

Aristida purpurea

Ericameria nauseosa

Heliotropium curassavicum

Holodiscus discolor

Sparganium eurycarpum

Mimulus cardinalis

Poa secunda

Rubus ursinus

Pluchea odorata

Sporobolus airoides

Leersia oryzoides

Artemisia dracunculus

Oenothera elata

Anemopsis californica

Epipactis gigantea

Salix laevigata

Glycyrrhiza lepidota

Quercus garryana

Schoenoplectus acutus

Calystegia macrostegia

Persicaria amphibia

Drymocallis glandulosa

Distichlis spicata

Typha latifolia

Populus fremontii

Humulus lupulus

Agrostis exarata

Pluchea sericea

Eleocharis macrostachya

Lycopus americanus

Scirpus microcarpus

Larrea tridentata

Claytonia perfoliata

Agoseris grandiflora

Eleocharis palustris

Ceratophyllum demersum

Schoenoplectus pungens

Argentina anserina

Salix lasiolepis

Pinus sabiniana

Adiantum aleuticum

Pteridium aquilinum

Plantago erecta

Mentha arvensis

Schoenoplectus californicus

Cucurbita foetidissima

Amsinckia intermedia

Agoseris heterophylla

Eleocharis acicularis

Suaeda nigra

Elymus elymoides

Oenanthe sarmentosa

Amsinckia menziesii

Triodanis perfoliata

Phacelia parryi

Cyperus eragrostis
Madia sativa

Mentzelia laevicaulis

Bromus carinatus

Celtis reticulata

Panicum capillare

Proboscidea louisianica

Cucurbita palmata

Symphyotrichum lanceolatum

Turritis glabra

Triglochin maritima

Bidens frondosa

Cyperus erythrorhizos

Fouquieria splendens

Cardamine californica

Cucurbita pepo

Epilobium ciliatum

Ambrosia artemisiifolia

Potamogeton nodosus

Erigeron philadelphicus

Hordeum jubatum

Equisetum arvense

Equisetum laevigatum

Juncus bufonius

Sphaeralcea angustifolia

Marsilea vestita

Daucus pusillus

Rumex salicifolius

Geranium carolinianum

Mentha canadensis

Amaranthus californicus

Cryptantha barbigera

Matricaria matricarioides

Descurainia pinnata

Draba cuneifolia

Azolla filiculoides

Deschampsia danthonioides

Camissonia campestris

Gayophytum diffusum

Plagiobothrys bracteatus

Conyza canadensis

Pseudognaphalium canescens

Galium spurium

Typha domingensis

Equisetum telmateia

Lagophylla ramosissima

Isoetes howellii

Najas marina

Chenopodium berlandieri

Vulpia octoflora

Collinsia parviflora

Orobanche fasciculata

Solanum rostratum
Dicranella varia

Alisma triviale

Calystegia longipes

Parthenocissus vitacea

Loeseliastrum schottii

Ranunculus trichophyllus

Lupinus polycarpus

Halerpestes cymbalaria

Stephanomeria exigua

Lindernia dubia

Psilocarphus brevissimus

Platanthera unalascensis

Lepidium virginicum

Polypogon interruptus

Cryptantha pterocarya

Physalis pubescens

Bowlesia incana

Astragalus lentiginosus

Barbarea orthoceras

Cladium mariscus

Echinodorus berteroi

Cuscuta campestris
Artemisia biennis

Atriplex prostrata

Ranunculus sceleratus

Bouteloua barbata

Hydrocotyle ranunculoides

Helianthus petiolaris

Xanthium strumarium

Ancistrocarphus filagineus

Silene antirrhina

Eleocharis geniculata

Potamogeton pusillus

Salicornia virginica

Schoenus nigricans

Cenchrus echinatus

Eragrostis pectinacea

Gossypium hirsutum

Aphyllon uniflorum

Diplachne fusca

Chenopodium pratericola

Euphorbia spathulata

Limosella aquatica

Sagina decumbens

Hydrocotyle verticillata

Spergularia marina

Malvella leprosa

Pseudognaphalium microcephalum

Amaranthus albus

Collomia grandiflora

Lupinus sparsiflorus

Euphorbia heterophylla

Plagiobothrys scouleri

Pilularia americana

Bromus marginatus

Dicoria canescens

Pseudognaphalium stramineum

Athysanus pusillus

Plectritis macrocera
Rorippa palustris

Boerhavia coccinea

Baccharis salicina

Plantago patagonica

Amaranthus retroflexus

Lipocarpha micrantha

Persicaria hydropiperoides

Suaeda calceoliformis

Cyperus squarrosus

Fritillaria biflora

Persicaria punctata

Guillenia lasiophylla

Petalonyx thurberi

Potamogeton pectinatus

Paspalum distichum

Ruppia maritima

Rumex fueginus

Cicuta maculata

Mentzelia albicaulis

Ambrosia psilostachya

Callitriche heterophylla

Amsinckia tessellata

Hosackia oblongifolia

Aristida adscensionis

Plantago rhodosperma

Castilleja applegatei

Myosurus minimus

Hypericum anagalloides

Cenchrus spinifex

Epilobium brachycarpum

Plantago virginica

Cyperus acuminatus

Cycloloma atriplicifolium

Hordeum pusillum

Plantago elongata

Lemna minor

Parietaria pensylvanica

Eleocharis rostellata

Ammannia coccinea

Croton setigerus

Wolffia columbiana

Veronica peregrina

Plagiobothrys collinus

Camissonia contorta

Helianthus nuttallii

Chenopodium fremontii

Galium trifidum

Persicaria lapathifolia

Cryptantha flaccida

Potentilla norvegica

Monolepis nuttalliana

Amaranthus powellii
Samolus parviflorus

Eclipta prostrata

Claytonia parviflora

Amaranthus palmeri

Chaenactis fremontii

Montia fontana

Cyperus esculentus

Lotus unifoliolatus

Cyperus odoratus

Bromus arizonicus

Solanum elaeagnifolium

Lepidium lasiocarpum

Cressa truxillensis

Notholithocarpus densiflorus

Eleocharis parishii

Triglochin scilloides

Atriplex argentea

Ambrosia acanthicarpa

Hordeum depressum

Callitriche palustris

Veronica americana

Cardamine oligosperma

Bolboschoenus maritimus

Ranunculus hebecarpus

Opuntia oricola

Pectocarya setosa

Polytrichum juniperinum

Plagiobothrys arizonicus

Symphoricarpos albus

Fragaria chiloensis

Erigeron glaucus

Encelia californica

Eriogonum grande

Lupinus excubitus

Lycium californicum

Ericameria pinifolia

Solidago californica

Chlorogalum parviflorum

Amsinckia eastwoodiae

Keckiella cordifolia

Fraxinus velutina

Eschscholzia caespitosa

Constancea nevinii

Ceanothus spinosus

Frangula californica

Eriogonum parvifolium

Populus trichocarpa

Ribes quercetorum

Galium porrigens

Grayia spinosa

Robinia pseudoacacia

Ferocactus cylindraceus

Ceanothus arboreus

Pentagramma triangularis

Vicia americana

Ceanothus griseus

Garrya elliptica

Heterotheca grandiflora

Hesperocyparis stephensonii

Adolphia californica

Fraxinus latifolia

Ceanothus tomentosus

Ericameria arborescens

Myrica californica

Abronia maritima

Ceanothus leucodermis

Pinus muricata

Vaccinium ovatum

Acmispon heermannii

Malacothamnus fremontii

Lyonothamnus floribundus

Eriodictyon trichocalyx

Arctostaphylos refugioensis

Cornus nuttallii

Brickellia californica

Ericameria linearifolia

Cleomella arborea

Eriogonum angulosum

Adiantum jordanii

Arbutus menziesii

Quercus engelmannii

Mahonia pinnata

Atriplex lentiformis

Malacothamnus densiflorus

Pinus radiata

Isocoma menziesii

Artemisia pycnocephala

Xylococcus bicolor

Lupinus longifolius

Bromus laevipes
Phalaris caroliniana

Morella californica

Atriplex leucophylla

Adenostoma fasciculatum

Arctostaphylos catalinae

Juglans hindsii

Stipa coronata

Eriodictyon crassifolium

Rhamnus ilicifolia

Datisca glomerata

Dudleya edulis

Frankenia salina

Agave shawii

Lupinus arboreus

Malacothamnus fasciculatus

Arctostaphylos insularis

Alnus rhombifolia

Chamaecyparis lawsoniana

Cirsium occidentale

Condea emoryi

Calycanthus occidentalis

Hazardia squarrosa

Solanum umbelliferum

Dipterostemon capitatus

Arctostaphylos rainbowensis

Adenostoma sparsifolium

Calystegia purpurata

Acalypha californica

Acmispon argophyllus

Salix lasiandra

Parkinsonia florida

Quercus cornelius-mulleri

Quercus parvula

Grindelia hirsutula

Lycium brevipes

Pinus coulteri

Baccharis pilularis

Quercus wislizeni

Rhododendron occidentale

Polypodium californicum

Ribes malvaceum

Baccharis salicifolia

Ribes menziesii

Ribes divaricatum
Lomatium dasycarpum

Quercus palmeri

Leptosyne gigantea

Sequoia sempervirens

Polygala californica

Rhus integrifolia

Styrax redivivus

Tauschia hartwegii

Lepechinia calycina

Trichostema lanceolatum

Arctostaphylos glandulosa

Yucca schidigera

Mimulus clevelandii

Polypodium scouleri

Nemophila menziesii

Quercus dumosa

Lotus scoparius

Salix gooddingii

Acmispon americanus

Simmondsia chinensis

Eriogonum elongatum

Justicia californica

Crocanthemum scoparium

Arnica discoidea

Cercocarpus minutiflorus

Acmispon glaber

Acmispon grandiflorus

Acmispon wrangelianus

Abronia villosa

Malva assurgentiflora

Lavatera assurgentiflora

Allophyllum gilioides

Encelia farinosa

Stipa diegoensis

Ambrosia chamissonis

Pinus attenuata

Juniperus californica

Amorpha californica

Ribes californicum

Antirrhinum nuttallianum

Eriophyllum confertiflorum

Lupinus chamissonis

Fraxinus dipetala

Garrya flavescens

Arctostaphylos pungens

Armeria maritima

Castilleja densiflora

Sambucus cerulea

Baccharis sarothroides

Bromus sitchensis

Pinus torreyana

Calocedrus decurrens

Heterotheca sessiliflora

Ericameria palmeri

Eriophyllum staechadifolium

Rhamnus crocea

Quercus durata

Juglans californica

Coreopsis gigantea

Hesperocyparis forbesii

Acmispon brachycarpus

Quercus berberidifolia

Ribes indecorum

Cirsium brevistylum

Comarostaphylis diversifolia

Crossosoma californicum

Bahiopsis laciniata

Diplacus aurantiacus

Ptelea crenulata

Lepechinia fragrans

Achyrachaena mollis

Ceanothus crassifolius

Pickeringia montana

Peritoma arborea
What to do right now for plants commonly grown here. Each links to the full regional care guide for that species, with sources.
Fall in Los Angeles is usually still dry and warm, sometimes with hot Santa Ana wind spells, until the first real rain arrives around October or November. Keep treating the plant like it is still summer until those rains show up.
Cooler weather and the first rains wake blue-eyed grass back up, with new grassy blades emerging from the base.
Fall is planting and seeding season for checkerbloom in Los Angeles, timed just ahead of the winter rains.
Fall in the Los Angeles basin stays mild and dry, and it is one of the two good windows extension planting guides give for getting a potted blueberry into the ground or into a bigger container.
Fall is considered the best planting window for hummingbird sage in Southern California, since the soil is still warm and the rainy season is on its way to help new roots settle in before winter.
Fall is the best time of year to plant or add companion natives around an existing purple sage in the LA area, since cooling temperatures and the start of the rainy season let roots establish before next summer's heat. It is also a good window for a light shaping prune.
Fall can bring a second wave of berries in LA if you planted a low chill, fall bearing type like Caroline, Heritage, or Joan J. Once a cane finishes fruiting for the season, cut it down since each cane only fruits once in its lifetime before dying back.
Leaves turn a burgundy color and drop through fall, and this is also when the fungus that causes blister rust can linger in fallen leaf litter under a golden currant.
Fall is when the Los Angeles area's rain typically returns and the watering pressure eases, and it is also one of the better windows for planting or dividing Oregon grape here.
Fall is when Los Angeles rain typically starts returning, which is closer to the natural rhythm of this plant's mountain habitat than the dry summer was, so it is a good time to resume steadier watering and tidy the plant up before the cooler months.
Pollinator Patch turns plants like these into a front-yard plan tuned for the soil, climate, and HOA expectations of the Los Angeles area.