Looking to sum some life to your Northern California landscape ? discipline out these favorite ground concealment plants ! These easy - to - grow varieties will boom in your garden and furnish a daddy of color and interest .
Coyote Bush ( Baccharis pilularis )
Coyote bush ( Baccharis pilularis ) is a common sight in Northern California . This hardy shrub is drouth - tolerant and can survive in various soil type . It also has a degraded growth rate , making it an idealistic ground cover plant . The Coyote bush provides excellent erosion control , as its dim internet of roots help oneself to hold the filth in place . The evergreen plant leave of absence also provide year - bout coverage , help to prevent widow’s weeds from take solution . In increase , the coyote bush is attractive to pollinator such as bee and butterfly stroke . As a upshot , it can bring home the bacon artistic and functional benefits to the landscape . The plant is drouth kind and can grow in various dirt type . It is also one of the few plants that can survive in areas often burned by wildfires .
California Brome Grass ( Bromus carinatus )
Bromus carinatus , more commonly known as California Brome Grass , is a perennial dope native to the western United States . It normally grows in undecided meadows and grasslands and can also be find in disturbed areas such as roadsides and hiking trails . California brome grass is a tufted grass that typically turn over a superlative of 2 - 3 foot . The leaves are immature and 13 - 24 inches long , with a primal vein circumvent by pocket-size venous blood vessel . The prime are 6 - 12 inches long in inflorescence , and each floret is scandalmongering or straw - color . California brome grass is relatively wanton to develop and can be found in seed intermixture for northern California . It is tolerant of most soil case but favour well - drained soils . It also requires full sun to partial wraith and does not suffer shading from tall plants . California Brome Grass is a good option for slope erosion control and can also be used for hay or pasture .
Pinemat ( Ceanothus prostratus )
Pinemat ( Ceanothus prostratus ) is a low - grow , spreading bush native to the stack of California . It typically turn to 2 - 3 feet tall and 6 - 8 ft all-embracing , with dark gullible leaves and blanched or pink bloom blooming in the spring . Pinemat is an excellent option for a ground cover plant in northerly California garden . It is drought - tolerant , deer resistant , and can thrive in full sun and fond subtlety . Additionally , its modest stature and broadcast riding habit make it an idealistic plant for covering large area of ground . It has small , dark green leaves and produce ashen or blue flowers in the springiness . Pinemat is an excellent ground cover industrial plant because it is bad and drought - tolerant . It can also abide laborious foot traffic , make it ideal for frequent areas people or pets exercise . Pinemat is also comparatively downhearted - maintenance , requiring only occasional pruning to dispatch any straggly or damage growth . Pinemat is a welcome summation to any garden with its handsome foliation and masses of give flowers .
Mountain Misery ( Chamaebatia foliolosa )
Mountain Misery ( Chamaebatia foliolosa ) is a low - grow , evergreen shrub that is aboriginal to the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains . Mountain misery is an excellent ground covering flora for teetotal , sunny side . It is drought - tolerant and able to withstand impenetrable foot traffic . Additionally , great deal wretchedness helps to verify corrosion on steep hillsides . The rich root of this flora help to make the soil in place , while the thick leaf net help oneself ward off rain and runoff . It is an excellent choice for a ground cover plant , as it spreads quickly and form a heavy mat of foliage . The small , dark green leaves are continue with tiny white flowers in springiness and former summertime . Mountain misery is tolerant of drouth and pitiful soil and prefer full sun to partial shade . It is also cervid resistant . When raise as a ground cover , spate misery will get hold of a height of 6 - 12 inches and a bed cover of 6 - 8 foot . As a event , lot misery is an effective dick for foreclose soil erosion .
Blue Dicks ( Dipterostemon capitatus )
Thingrass ( Agrostis pallens )
Agrostis pallens , also know as Thingrass , is a common bunch grass aboriginal to California . It grows in many habitats , include grasslands , woodlands , and chaparral . Thingrass is a perennial grass that forms dense clumps of flimsy , bluish - green leaves . The plant life produces small white flowers in the summer months . Thingrass is a popular choice for ground book binding due to its low - growing habit and ability to spread speedily . The grass is also patient of of drouth and poor soil conditions . This make it an ideal choice for northern California gardens . Thingrass requires little sustainment and can be left to grow without fertilizer or irrigation .
Miner ’s Lettuce ( Claytonia perfoliata )
Claytonia perfoliata , also known as miners ’ lettuce or wintertime Purslane , is a small-scale yearly industrial plant in the Montiaceae family . Native to westerly North America , from Alaska to California to Colorado , it is most ordinarily rule in the Sierra Nevada mountains . It gets its common name from the fact that it was a rough-cut vegetable of gilded mineworker during the California Gold Rush , as it is one of the few greens that can pull round and even fly high in winter conditions . Today , C. perfoliata is mostly grown as a ground cover or ornamental industrial plant due to its fairly pink or white flower and its ability to mould a slow flatness . It is a relatively easy flora to grow and will do well in most soil types as long as it has dependable drainage . Full sun is best , but it will bear fond shade . To propagate , sow seeds in spring or other summer . lean seedlings to 8 - 12 inches apart when they are large enough to handle . transplanting into prepared beds or containers filled with well - drained grease mix . Water on a regular basis until plant are established , then weewee only during extended teetotal periods . Deadhead spend flower to further continued bloom . C. perfoliata will ego - come if allowed , so be trusted to deadhead regularly if you do n’t want it taking over your garden !
Dutchmans Pipe ( Aristolochia californica )
The Dutchman ’s Pipe ( Aristolochia californica ) is a flower works native to California . It gets its name from the shape of its flowers , resembling the pipe Dutchmen smoke in the 17th century . The flora is a member of the Aristolochiaceae family , which contains over 500 species . The Dutchman ’s Pipe is a mounting vine that can grow up to 10 human foot . It has large , heart - shaped leaves and distinctive flower that are dark purpleness in color . The plant blossom from April to June . The Dutchman ’s Pipe is determine in agitate areas such as wayside and construction sites . It is considered an invasive species in some parts of the world . This plant life is very drouth - patient of and can survive in both full Sunday and partial shade . Dutchmans Pipe is an excellent choice for a ground cover because it is so versatile and easy to care for . It will quick spread to form a dense mat that helps to prevent weeds from look at over your garden bed . In addition , this plant life ’s wooden-headed leaf helps retain moisture in the soil , making it an idealistic choice for spicy , dry climates . Dutchmans Pipe is also comparatively scurvy - sustenance , requiring only periodic pruning to keep it look its proficient . With its attractive foliage and showy flower , Dutchmans Pipe makes a great summation to any garden .
Leafy Fleabane ( Erigeron foliosus )
The leafy feabane mullet gets its name for its abundance of leaf that grow along its stems . The works is a helianthus family extremity and can be found throughout North America . It typically blossom from May to August and grows about two animal foot tall . The leafy fleabane has small , clean flush clustered together at the end of each prow . Each flower has about ten petal coiffe in a daisy - alike manner . The leaves of the works are covered in tiny , black hairs . When touch , these hair can stimulate skin irritation in some people . It grows to 6 - 12 inches tall . Leafy fleabane is a good choice for a ground cover plant in areas where you want to minimize locoweed growth . It form a dense mat of leaf that effectively crowds out weeds . In accession , leafy fleabane is tolerant of various stain types and repellent to drought . However , it should be noted that leafy Conyza canadensis can spread out sharply and may require veritable pruning to keep it under controller . However , some citizenry enjoy growing this plant because of its unique appearance .
Coffeeberry ( Frangula californica )
Coffeeberry is a medicative tree aboriginal to the Northern Hemisphere . It ’s a fast - growing , evergreen that develop up to 20 base tall in a single season . The leaves are oval-shaped and have serrate edges , with pocket-size hairs on their bottom that make them feel foggy or furry . The leaves raise opposite one another on the stem , arranged in pairs at unlike height along the stem , depending on what point in the year . The leaf of the tree turn over a chocolate - brown coloration in fall , but their brilliant red to Burgundy wine - red gloss during give , summertime , and early descent construct them bear out in any landscape .
Coffeeberry grows easily in expanse that meet at least 30 in of rainfall per twelvemonth ( a full 10 feet of weewee ) . It ’s a astonishingly tolerant ground cover . It thrives in soil that ’s moist and well - draining . Coffeeberry grows good in full shade or fond tone . Full sun is not recommended , as it makes the tree diagram more susceptible to sunscald .
Coffeeberry is a great reason blanket industrial plant to use in Northern California , especially in areas with an sea climate like the Pacific Northwest and the San Francisco Bay Area . The plant life will not only survive in a moist environment , but it thrives in one . The best time of year to plant Coffeeberry is May through July . Fall planting is better than wintertime planting . Coffeeberry has a long taproot and does n’t like disturbance after it ’s planted , so fall planting when the soil is n’t as sozzled is the best choice .
Common Selfheal ( Prunella vulgaris )
usual selfheal is a perennial , herbaceous annual , or biennial plant . It belong to to the family of Brassicaceae . Common selfheal is native to Europe and Asia and grows in woodlands , forest margins , meadows , and lawns in a temperate climate . It is a medicinal flora in the genus Prunella . It grows from 1 to 2 feet high , with lanceolate leaves and a ruddy - purple stalk . The flowers are diminished , pink or purple , and borne in a declamatory informal terminal raceme .
Common selfheal is an easily grow plant that can boom in full sun to partial shade condition . It favor median grease and is drouth tolerant once ground . It is a nitrogen - fixing herb that hold moisture in the soil and makes it more fertile . It has been used to pull white butterfly .
As a medicinal plant , usual selfheal has been used in tribe medicinal drug for ill such as jaundice , cold , hay fever , insect insect bite , and stomach upsets . It is take internally as an anti - inflammatory and for spasms . It also has astringent properties and is used as a wash for cuts , bruise , and sensitive muscles . It is one of the tight - spreading plants and will make a skillful ground cover even in warm climates .
