Category: Plants

Shrubby Germander (Teucrium fruiticans 'Azureum')

Importance to Bees: Major
Food Source: Nectar and Pollen
Plant Type: Shrub
Foliage Character: Evergreen
Growth Rate: Rapid
Foliage Color: Light green
Flower Color: Lavender
Flower Season: Spring, Summer, Fall
Soil Adaptations: Well-draining soil, Clay
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 5 – 6 ft.
Width: 6 – 8 ft.

Butterfly Rose (Rosa chinensis 'Mutabilis')

Importance to Bees: Major
Wildlife: Beneficials, Bees
Flower Season: Summer
Flower Color: Opens orange then turns pink and finally maroon as it ages
Exposure: Full to half sun
Water needs: Low
Size:8 - 10 ft. tall and wide
UC Master Gardeners

Toyon  (Heteromeles arbutifolia)

Importance to Bees: Major
Food Source: Nectar and Pollen
Plant Type: Shrub, Native
Foliage Character: Evergreen
Habit: Mounding, Dense
Growth Rate: Moderate
Foliage Color: Dark green
Flower Color: White
Flower Season: Spring, Summer
Soil Adaptations: Well-draining soil, Clay
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 12 – 25 ft.
Width: 12 – 18 ft.

California buckwheat  (Eriogonum fasciculatum)

Importance to Bees: Major
Food Source: Nectar
Plant Type: Shrub, Native
Foliage Character: Evergreen
Habit: Mounding, Dense
Foliage Color: Medium green
Flower Color: Pink, White
Flower Season: Summer, Fall
Exposure: All day sun
Water Need: Low
Height: 2 – 4 ft.
Width:  3 – 6 ft.

Australian Fuschia  (Corea alba)

Importance to Bees: Major
Wildlife: Beneficials, Butterflies, Other birds
Plant Type: Bush
Habit: Open
Flower Season: Spring, Summer, Fall
Flower Color: white
Exposure: Low to half sun, shade
Water needs: Low
Height: 8 ft
Deer resistant, evergreen
UC Master Gardeners

Rose 'Happenstance'  (Rosa 'Happenstance')

Importance to Bees: Major
Wildlife: Beneficials, Bees
Flower Season: Spring, Summer, Fall
Flower Color: Light yellow to white
Exposure: Full sun
Water needs: Low
Height: 3 ft. tall and wide with regular pruning
UC Master Gardeners

Tower of Jewels  (Echium Wildpretii)

Importance to Bees: Major
Wildlife: Bees
Food Source: Nectar and Pollen
Flower Season: Spring, Summer
Flower Color: Red
Exposure: Full sun
Water needs: Low
Height: 6 - 8 ft. tall

Manzanita  (Arctostaphylos)

Importance to Bees: Major
Food Source: Nectar and Pollen
Plant Type: Shrub, Native
Foliage Character: Evergreen
Habit: Spreading, Mounding
Foliage Color: Pale green, Blue green
Flower Color: Pink, White
Flower Season: Winter, Spring
Exposure: All day sun
Water needs: Low
Height: 3 – 4 ft.
Width: 5 – 6 ft.

Ashyleaf Buckwheat  (Eriogonum cinereum)

Importance to Bees: Major
Food Source: Nectar and Pollen
Plant Type: Shrub, Native
Foliage Character: Evergreen
Habit: Mounding, Dense
Growth Rate: Moderate
Foliage Color: Gray green
Flower Season: Summer
Soil Adaptations: Clay soil
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 4 – 5 ft.
Width: 4 – 6 ft.

Bottlebrush (Callistemon)

Importance to Bees: Moderate
Food Source: Nectar and Pollen
Plant Type: Tree or Shrub, Non-Native
Habit: Open
Flower Season: Spring, Summer
Flower Color: Red
Soil Adaptations: Well-draining soil, Clay
Exposure Adaptations: Wind, Heat, Frost, Aridity, All day sun
Water needs: Low
Height: 20 ft. – 25 ft.
Width: Depends on Training

Cleveland Sage  (Salvia Clevelandii)

Importance to Bees: Moderate
Food Source: Nectar and Pollen
Plant Type: Shrub
Foliage Character: Evergreen
Habit: Open
Flower Season: Summer
Flower Color: purple
Soil Adaptations: Well drained
Exposure: All day sun
Water needs: Low
Height: 3 ft.
Width: 3 – 5 ft.

Coffeeberry (Frangula californica)

Importance to Bees: Moderate
Food Source: Nectar
Plant Type: Shrub, Native
Foliage Character: Evergreen
Habit: Spreading, Mounding
Foliage Color: Dark green
Flower Color: Insignificant, Green
Flower Season: Spring
Exposure: All day sun
Water needs: Low
Height: 8 – 10 ft.
Width: 8 – 10 ft.

Pride of  Madeira  (Echium Candicans)

Importance to Bees: Moderate
Food Source: Nectar, pollen
Plant Type: Shrub, Non-Native
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Open
Flower Season: Spring, summer
Flower Color: blue
Soil Adaptations: Well Drained
Exposure: All day sun
Water needs: Low
Height: 5ft – 6 ft

Rosemary  (Salvia rosmarinus)

Importance to Bees: Moderate
Food Source: Nectar
Plant Type: Shrub, Non-Native
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Open
Flower Season: Spring, Summer, Fall
Flower Color: blue
Soil Adaptations: Well Drained
Exposure: All day sun
Water needs: Low
Height: 3 – 6 ft

Coulter’s Matilija Poppy  (Romneya coulteri)

Importance to Bees: Minor
Food Source: Nectar and Pollen
Plant Type: Shrub, Non-Native
Habit: Open
Flower Season: Spring, Summer
Flower Color: white
Soil Adaptations: Clay
Exposure: All day sun
Water needs: Low
Height: 6 – 8 ft.
Width: 6 – 8 ft.
Invasive and Toxic to Livestock

Yankee Point Wild Lilac (Ceanothus thyrsiflorus var. griseus ‘Yankee Point’)

Importance to Bees: Moderate (mainly native bees)
Food Source: Nectar and Pollen
Plant Type: Shrub, Native
Foliage Character: Evergreen
Habit: Mounding, Arching
Foliage Color: Dark green
Flower Color: Blue
Flower Season: Winter, Spring
Exposure: All day sun
Water needs: Low
Height: 2 – 3 ft.
Width: 10 – 12 ft.