California Native Plants

A picture of someone at the Plant Sales.

Building Blocks for Resilient Gardens

  • by Rachel M Davis
As we look to the future, we want to broaden our scope to support landscapes that are not just sustainable, but also resilient. Find plant recommendations and tips on how to build a resilient garden at home.
California native flowers

May Madness: California Native Plant Showdown

  • by Sydney Odman
Find out the results of our first California native plant showdown which we call "May Madness." It's a tournament bracket similar to March Madness (for those familiar with college basketball) but this time the public decides which California native plant wins in a social media match up!
Image of the original California lawn demonstration garden in the UC Davis Arboretum's Mary Wattis Brown Garden of California native plants.

Mary Wattis Brown Garden of California Native Plants

The Mary Wattis Brown Garden of California Native Plants includes an extensive collection of native plants that work well in home landscapes, arrayed along meandering paths under stately oaks. The garden showcases a native meadow—a California-style lawn—and many Arboretum All-Stars, our recommended plants for Valley-wise gardens.
Image of Learning by Leading Sustainable Horticulture interns in a student-planted wildflower meadow.

California Native Wildflower Seeds

The Friends of the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden is piloting the sale of native wildflower seeds at its upcoming plant sales. Most of the wildflower seeds selected for sale to the public were chosen based on research done by the UC Davis Pollination Ecology lab led by  Dr. Neal Williams which found that these species attract local pollinators that will continually revisit! 
Image of hummingbird grazing in a patch of California fuchsia in the UC Davis Hummingbird GATEway Garden.

Gardening for Pollinators and Biodiversity

Why garden for pollinators? Nearly all ecosystems on earth depend on the pollination of flowering plants for survival. Gain gardening tips and learn more about attracting all types of pollinators to your outdoor spaces.
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