Future Favorites - Climate-Ready Plants

Handpicked by our expert horticulturists, these beautiful, habitat-supporting plants are primed to thrive in the face of our changing climate.

For more inspiration, see our Arboretum All-Stars and more Plant Lists.

Download this guide as a PDF!

 

Sunshine yellow flowers among maroon leaves

creeping Oregon grape

Berberis aquifolium var. Repens

This California native not only adds visual appeal to your garden with its charming evergreen foliage but also plays a vital role in supporting local wildlife. Its yellow winter flowers and purple berries attract and feed native birds, contributing to the overall health of your garden ecosystem.

  • 🌀️/β˜€οΈ: Part shade/sun 
  • πŸ’§: Low irrigation
  • 🌱: CA Native Plant
  • πŸ“: 2.5 ft tall 4 ft wide
Pink trumpet-like flowers

Pink Eyre Australian fuschia

Correa pulchella 'Pink Eyre'

Thriving with minimal summer irrigation, this drought-tolerant Australian native shrub brings bursts of cheerful blooms from November through February or March. The tubular flowers provide essential sustenance for nectar-loving hummingbirds.

  • 🌀️: Part shade
  • πŸ’§: Low irrigation
  • 🌱: Australian native
  • πŸ“: 3 ft tall, 3 ft wide
A plant with cascading purple flowers

Texas mountain laurel

Dermatophyllum secundiflorum

This small, evergreen tree with glossy foliage withstands high temperatures and drought while offering lavender blooms with a unique grape soda scent in the early spring. The fragrance and flowers attract a diverse range of pollinators, enhancing the ecological balance in your garden.

  • β˜€οΈ: Sun 
  • πŸ’§: Low irrigation
  • 🌱: Southwest US native
  • πŸ“: 9 ft tall, 10 ft wide
A shrub made up of light gray green leaves, dotted with bunches of flowers

Santa Cruz Island buckwheat

Eriogonum arborescens

Standing at 3 feet tall, this drought-tolerant evergreen shrub graces your garden with rosy pink blooms in spring and summer that provide a feast for insect pollinators. As these blooms transition into red-brown seed heads in the fall, they become a valuable food resource for birds and bring architectural interest to the fall and winter garden.

  • β˜€οΈ: Sun
  • πŸ’§: Low irrigation
  • 🌱: CA Native Plant
  • πŸ“: Up to 3 ft tall, 3 ft wide
A bunch of vivid violent flowers

De la Mina verbena

Glandularia 'De La Mina'

A mounding perennial verbena that thrives in drought conditions, this plant serves as a pollinator haven, attracting bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds year-round. Although short-lived, its continuous blooms make it a central hub for pollinators in your garden. This plant makes a great border along paths and can be a one stop shop for your Potted Plants for Pollinators!

  • 🌀️/β˜€οΈ: Part shade/sun
  • πŸ’§: Low irrigation
  • 🌱: Baja California native
  • πŸ“: 3 ft tall, 4 ft wide
Dense green foliage

California honeydew

Horkelia californica

With soft fern-like foliage, this evergreen perennial gives a lush effect in the shade while requiring little summer water. The small white flowers act as a subtle yet powerful attraction for native bumblebees, making it an excellent choice for shaded areas dedicated to promoting bee-friendly environments.

  • πŸŒ₯️/🌀️: Shade/part shade
  • πŸ’§: Low irrigation
  • 🌱: CA native plant
  • πŸ“: varies
Heuchera 'Rosada'

rosada coral bells

Heuchera 'Rosada'

This flowering perennial thrives in dry, shaded spaces, adding soft pink blooms to a garden while supporting local pollinators. The role of this California native extends beyond aesthetics, contributing to the ecological richness of your garden.

  • πŸŒ₯️/🌀️: Shade/part shade
  • πŸ’§: Low irrigation
  • 🌱: CA native plant
  • πŸ“: 10-12 in tall, 2 ft wide
Small fly on a yellow flower

Iris Pacific Coast hybrid 'Canyon Snow'

Dependable and low-maintenance, this native hybrid iris brightens dry and shady gardens with white and yellow flowers. Its presence not only adds visual interest but also attracts native bee pollinators, contributing to the dynamic balance of your garden.

  • πŸŒ₯️/🌀️: Shade/part shade
  • πŸ’§: Low irrigation
  • 🌱: CA native plant
  • πŸ“: 12-18 in tall, 3 ft wide
yellow chuparosa

Yellow chuparosa

Justicia californica 'Yellow'

With its long and narrow golden flowers, this heat- and drought-tolerant desert shrub not only enhances your garden’s visual appeal from spring to fall but also serves as a favorite among hummingbirds. The continuous blooms makes it a reliable source of sustenance for these high energy polllinators.

  • β˜€οΈ: Sun
  • πŸ’§: Low irrigation
  • 🌱: CA Native Plant
  • πŸ“: 5 ft tall, 5 ft wide
Delicate pink-ish purple flowers

Lynn's Legacy cenizo

Leucophyllum langmaniae 'Lynn's Legacy'

Adaptable to heat, drought, and alkaline soil, this medium-sized shrub with fuzzy, light-green leaves is remarkably tough and resilient. The vibrant lavender-violet flowers burst into bloom in late summer and fall, enriching your garden with beauty and vitality during the driest season.

  • β˜€οΈ: Sun
  • πŸ’§: Low irrigation
  • 🌱: Southwest US native
  • πŸ“: 5 ft tall, 5 ft wide
A plant with deep green leaves

shrubby statice

Limoniastrum monopetalum

This remarkably tough weed smothering shrub thrives and provides dense ground cover with no summer irrigation. Clusters of small, lavender flowers in the spring become a haven for pollinators, adding both soft color and biodiversity to your garden.

  • β˜€οΈ: Sun
  • πŸ’§: Low irrigation
  • 🌱: Mediterranean native
  • πŸ“: 3 ft tall 8 ft wide
A round spiky grass

pine muhly

Muhlenbergia dubia

This fine, medium-sized grass adds texture and movement to dry, sunny gardens with minimal maintenance. Its presence not only enhances visual interest but also provides shelter and food sources for local wildlife, creating a haven for biodiversity in your garden.

  • β˜€οΈ: Sun
  • πŸ’§: Low irrigation
  • 🌱: Southwest US native
  • πŸ“: 12-18 in tall, 12-18 in wide, with 3 ft flowering spikes
Succulent with dense spiky leaves

Nelson's blue beargrass

Nolina nelsonii

A strikingly sculptural succulent native to Mexico, this plant thrives in extreme heat, drought and cold weather. Its dense, spiky blue-green leaves are relatively soft and pliable unlike other more aggressive desert succulents. .

  • β˜€οΈ: Sun
  • πŸ’§: Very low irrigation
  • 🌱: Mexican native
  • πŸ“: 4 ft tall, 8 ft wide
Plant with crepe paper-like yellow flowers

yellow sundrops

Oenothera serrulata

With narrow leaves and yellow blooms, this evergreen ground cover thrives in low-water gardens. Its bee-attracting flowers and minimal maintenance make it a valuable addition to any sustainable garden.

  • 🌀️/β˜€οΈ: Part shade/sun
  • πŸ’§: Low irrigation
  • 🌱: Southwest US native
  • πŸ“: 1 ft tall, 3 ft wide
Seed pods, small yellow flowers and tiny green leaves adorn a plant

bladderpod

Peritoma arborea

This constantly blooming evergreen shrub stands out as a pollinator favorite, attracting beneficial insects and hummingbirds. The yellow flowers develop into attractive inflated seed pods, providing habitat value and visual interest. Native to southern California deserts, this species thrives with no summer irrigation in our region.

  • β˜€οΈ: Sun
  • πŸ’§: Low irrigation
  • 🌱: CA native plant
  • πŸ“: 4 ft tall, 4 ft wide
Light pink flowers bloom from a plant

Gregg’s salvia

Salvia greggii (var.)

These easy-to-grow, long-blooming, semi-woody plants bloom prolifically in both spring and fall with many colorful flowers. Named forms like β€˜Desert Blaze’, β€˜Red Swing’, β€˜Flame’ and β€˜Hot Lips’ are tough and dependable in our area, where they are favorite nectar sources for hummingbirds and carpenter bees.

  • β˜€οΈ: Sun
  • πŸ’§: Low irrigation
  • 🌱: Southwest US native
  • πŸ“: varies
California blue-eyed grass

California blue-eyed grass

Sisyrinchium bellum

Not a true grass, but a cousin of the iris, this local native perennial attracts a diversity of insect pollinators with its star-shaped purple-blue flowers in spring. Thriving in full sun or part shade and adaptable to drought or regular watering, it provides a versatile option for sustainable gardens.

  • β˜€οΈ/πŸŒ₯️: Sun/part shade
  • πŸ’§: Low irrigation
  • 🌱: CA native plant
  • πŸ“: 1 ft tall, 2 ft wide
Plant with bell-shaped yellow flowers

yellow bells

Tecoma stans

This semi-evergreen, heat- and drought-tolerant shrub adds a cheerful touch to sunny locations with trumpet-shaped yellow flowers all summer long. Its adaptability to various soils makes it a valuable addition to climate-ready gardens.

  • β˜€οΈ: Sun
  • πŸ’§: Low irrigation
  • 🌱: Southwest US native
  • πŸ“: 6 ft tall, 4 ft wide
Plant with small green leaves and pale purple flowers

coast rosemary

Westringia fruticosa

With grayish leaves and constantly blooming small lavender or white flowers that are beloved by native bees, this low-water shrub adds both beauty and ecological richness to your garden. Its dependability and long life make this plant a sustainable choice for gardeners seeking to enhance the overall biodiversity of their outdoor spaces.

  • β˜€οΈ: Sun
  • πŸ’§: Low irrigation
  • 🌱: Australian native
  • πŸ“: varies
Flower with white petals and a yellow center

Argentine rain lily

Zephyranthes candida

Showcasing pure white flowers in the fall, this low-maintenance plant attracts beneficial insects while providing floral interest just as summer fades. Its versatility and ease of care make it a wonderful addition to various garden settings, contributing to the overall beauty and diversity of the landscape.

  • πŸŒ₯️: Part shade
  • πŸ’§: Low irrigation
  • 🌱: South American native
  • πŸ“: 6-12 in tall, 6-12 in wide

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