Native Plants for Wildlife
California native plants support a broad range of animals including insects, birds, small mammals, and reptiles. By planting a variety, these plants will offer food, shelter, and habitat year round. The showiest of these animals, for me, are birds and butterflies. These are a delight when they live in your garden providing magic for the eyes and topics for conversation. And, they appreciate the plants you provide also. During certain times of the year, food sources for these animals become pretty scarce.
Providing habitat is also a benefit. Many of the local insects, reptiles, birds, and mammals assist the gardener in keeping unwanted pests from totally destroying the garden. Among these beneficial animals are Gopher Snakes (I could use a truckload of these), Western Fence Lizard, California Horned Lizard, Coastal Sagebrush Lizard, California Thrasher, House Finch, Lesser Goldfinch, Hummingbird, White-crowned Sparrow, spiders of all types, Praying Mantis, Opossum (loves snails and slugs); you get the general idea. With that said, let’s start with plants that provide food and habitat during the winter.
WINTER
This can be the leanest of times for many animals. Food in the form of nectar or berries is minimal; hence many animals migrate or hibernate. Many can do neither and need a reliable food and shelter source. Providing that in our backyards is the best of both worlds, for us and the animals. Some native plants that provide both are:
Manzanita: Usually starts blooming in November and continues through January to early February. Hummingbirds love these for the nectar and the small insects that also feed on the nectar. Berries are provided later in the year; summer and early autumn, as food for many birds and mammals. Likes full sun, sandy soil, once a month summer water and comes in all sizes and shapes.
Fuchsia-flowered Gooseberry: Another winter bloomer usually starting in January and continuing through early March, making this native another important source of nectar for hummingbirds. The scarlet flowers are beautiful to behold on the arching branches. For all the pollination that must occur, I’ve never seen any fruit. A great plant for full to partial shade and likes a moist condition.
Ceanothus: There are several species and hybrids of ceanothus that flower from mid-winter to spring. These are Ceanothus crassifolius, Ceanothus megacarpus, and Ceanothus ‘Sierra Snow’.
Currant: Three species of currant available to the nursery trade are mid-winter to spring bloomers. These are White Flowering Currant (Ribes indecorum), Chaparral Currant (Ribes malvaceum), and Red Flowered Currant (Ribes sanguineum). These prefer partial to full shade and like moist conditions.
That’s it for winter blooming natives that are available in the nursery trade. Not a huge selection or variety, but winter is the lean time.
SPRING
Unlike winter and fall, spring is the time when almost everything is in bloom. This is the feast portion of ‘Feast or Famine’. This is also the time when migrating birds follow the feast north to their breeding grounds. Many animals are beginning the reproductive cycle due to the abundance of food for their offspring. And to provide this, most native plants are in bloom and setting fruit during this time. I will list only some of the plants, annuals and perennials, because the list could go on for almost ever.
California Coastal Poppy: (annual to perennial) These are best grown from seed broadcasted in the area you want the plants. Transplanting poppies is not very successful. These flowers are the absolute favorites of the small, native bumblebees. In my experience, these bees are so busy gathering nectar and pollen that they have never stung or harassed me even when I’m working right next to them. Seed for this poppy can be ordered through your local nursery.
Toadflax: (annual to perennial) This is better known as Linaria and is a member of the snapdragon family. These are also favorites of the small, native bumblebees and great hummingbird flowers. Toadflax comes in a variety of colors from blue to white and every color and combination in between. It reseeds very readily, germinates quickly, flowers, and repeats the cycle. This will keep you in Toadflax throughout the spring, summer, fall, and even for a portion of early winter. It prefers full sun and moisture.
Ceanothus: Spring is the peak period for ceanothus in our area, a favorite source of nectar for bumblebees, hummingbirds, and butterflies such as the Western Swallowtail. Honeybees also favor this plant for the abundance of nectar. Ceanothus can be an incredibly busy gathering place for the insects and birds.
Salvia: These are also favored by insects and birds for a source of nectar. Salvias that do well in our area are Purple Sage, Cleveland Sage, Black Sage, and White Sage. These all prefer full sun and are drought tolerant but do appreciate summer watering of twice a month. Flowering tends to start in April and continue until early June. After that the minute seeds ripen and are favored by finches. Believe it or not, the Coastal Sagebrush Lizard really enjoys eating the fallen flowers. These are some plants where little goes to waste.
Monkeyflower: These are usually in bloom from late April through mid-September and are another favorite of the native bumblebees and hummingbirds. These plants, however, are not the easiest to grow; at least not the natives. There is a recent emphasis on hybridization of monkeyflowers to make them more garden compatible and user friendly. These hybrids can be ordered through your local nursery.
Lemonade Berry: This is a rather large, evergreen shrub attaining a height of 5 to 15 feet and a width of 10 plus feet. The height variability is primarily due to soil fertility and, to a lesser degree, summer water. The small pinkish-white flowers are in densely packed clusters at the terminal ends of the stems and smell sweet. This attracts many insects and hummingbirds to the abundance of nectar. Following the flowers, the fruit sets and ripens and the berries have a lemony flavor. If the berries are soaked in water, the water tastes like lemonade, hence the name. The berries are relished by many birds as a summer food source.
Heart-leaved Penstemon: This is a vining plant that can reach 8 to 10 feet in height when supported by a trellis or neighboring vegetation. Flowering is from spring to summer and the orange-red tubular flowers are very attractive to hummingbirds and butterflies. This plant tolerates full sun to full shade and likes slightly moist conditions. Keeping the roots cool is a must for this plant to thrive. This can be accomplished by using a generous amount of mulch around the base of the plant or planting the base in the shade of a neighboring plant. While not readily available in the nursery trade, your local nursery can special order it for you.
Island Bush-snapdragon: True to its name, the flower shape resembles the snapdragon. They are bright red in color making them a hummingbird favorite and bloom from spring to summer. This plant also like cool roots, will grow in full sun to part shade, and prefers a deep watering twice a month during the summer.
Coral Bells: The hybrids are usually the best performing in terms of flower production and growth vigor. They are available in a variety of colors from white to purple and combinations in between. All bloom in the spring and sparingly in the summer and fall. The small, bell-shape flowers are held on a long inflorescence and are a favorite of hummingbirds, butterflies, and native bees. These plants require a slightly moist soil with plenty of organic matter and prefer part to full shade.
SUMMER
This is still a great season for flowers and fruit for wildlife. A whole new array of plant types are in bloom at this point even though the rainy season may have ended two to three months ago. For wildlife, this is the time to complete raising the young and start fattening up for the fall migration and the lean times of winter. For some wildlife, it is the time for raising a second brood.
Island Bush Poppy: This is a true poppy that is evergreen and can grow to 15 feet in height with a spread of 12 feet. It is also in bloom for most of the year with the greatest profusion in early summer. The yellow flowers bloom at the terminal ends of the stems and are favored by the native bumblebees. California Red Harvester Ants also seems to favor the area surrounding the plant base for their underground nests. Since these are the sole food source of the Coast Horned Lizard, you will usually find a pair taking up residence near this plant. Though not readily available in the nursery trade, they can be ordered. I have been fortunate to find two through our local nursery. The first one I learned how to kill within three weeks; the second one flourishes due to the lessons learned on the first. This plant does not like any supplemental water, period. The first one that died was watered twice; once when planted and again after two weeks; dead at three weeks. The second was planted and given three gallons of water at that time and has received none, except rain, since.
Buckwheat: Sorry, but this is not the plant for making buckwheat pancakes. What these hardy and exceptionally drought-tolerant plants do is provide an abundance of flowers from summer well into fall. Many species and selected varieties are available in the nursery trade. These include Coast Buckwheat (Eriogonum parvifolium), Sulphur Buckwheat (E. umbellatum), Saint Catherine’s Lace (E. giganteum), California Buckwheat (E. fasciculatum), and Eriogonum latifolium. They all have very dense flower heads consisting of very small, tightly clustered flowers. These are favored by a multitude of insects and hummingbirds. They all require full sun and prefer zero to one watering a month during the non-rainy season.
Chaparral Honeysuckle: This is a vining deciduous shrub that can reach a length of six to eight feet, great for a trellis or neighboring plant. The creamy white flowers produced in the summer are very fragrant and are followed by edible (for birds) orange berries. This plant requires cool roots also so mulch heavily around the base. However, it does not like supplemental water except during the driest of months; August through mid-November and then only once per month.
Rose: The California Wild Rose is a prolific bloomer with many pink, fragrant flowers that attract many insects as well hummingbirds. The flowers are followed in the fall by bright red rose hips which are eaten by migrating finches and sparrows. Grow this plant from full sun to full shade with dry season watering from two to four times per month. Also, give this native room to grow; it spreads by underground runners. The growth can be maintained by the amount of summer water provided; more water the larger the spread, less water the smaller the spread. In the winter remove the old canes down to the ground. New growth will come from the crown of the plant in the spring.
Sage: Two types of sages available in the nursery trade are summer and fall bloomers. They are Autumn Sage (Salvia greggii) and Red Summer Sage (Salvia microphylla). As the names suggest, they have bright red flowers and are a favorite of hummingbirds. Both of these sages are in the four feet high and four feet wide size range, require full sun to part shade, and prefer summer water one to two times per month.
Mexican Elderberry: These produce edible berries if you can get to them before the birds do. If you do, make sure you only eat a few or the resulting stomach ache will be quite memorable. They are delicious when cooked however and make a great jam or syrup for pancakes or over ice cream. This small tree or bush can grow to twenty feet in height with a spread of more than fifteen feet. The summer flowers are creamy white in large, dense clusters. The native bees really are busy on these flowers. These are followed by small bluish berries which form an important part of migrating bird’s diets. These plants will grow in full sun to part shade and prefer slightly moist conditions.
Foothill Yucca: The Foothill Yucca (Yucca whipplei) grows to about three feet in height with an equal width. At maturity, a tall spire of creamy white flowers is produced that attracts almost every type of insect and bird to feed on the abundant nectar. This native requires full sun but will tolerate part shade. Regarding supplemental water during the summer; none is better.
FALL
Food sources at this time are becoming scarcer with the emphasis on ripening berries. This starts the lean times for over wintering hummingbirds. There are native plants that come into flower during this season that provide limited sources of nectar.
California Fuchsia: This low growing perennial is a favorite of mine. It is an excellent ground cover for slopes, has silvery green foliage, extremely drought tolerant, and has beautiful orange-red tubular flowers. Hummingbirds really appreciate this plant during the late summer, fall and winter. I have seen this in bloom up to January in some sheltered places.
Coyote Bush: Though the flowers are not large and showy, this native blooms in the fall. Native bees appreciate this food source for the most part and the hair tufts on the mature seeds are used by most birds in nest building.
Coastal Goldenbush: This member of the Sunflower family is found statewide along the coastal beaches and dunes. The yellow flowers are numerous and provide much needed pollen for native bees. This native grows to three feet high with an equal spread and prefers full sun and no supplemental water during the non-rainy season.
Coastal Statice: This is a low growing perennial herb usually found in coastal marshes throughout the state. The pale blue-white flowers are held in tight clusters and are a favorite of native bees. As noted from the growing site, this requires moist conditions to flourish.
While the fall list may be short, there are a number of natives that bloom through several seasons thereby providing the food sources needed by native and non-native wildlife. As gardeners, we can assist these animals by planting an array of natives that provide food sources during the entire year.
