Nifty-50 Plants for Water-Smart Landscapes for California

Written by Water Conservation Garden

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These plants have been selected because they are attractive, often available in nurseries, non-invasive, easy to maintain, long-term performers, scaled for residential landscapes, and of course, once established — drought tolerant. N = Native Plant

The Nifty-50 plants thrive in California’s semiarid climate. Become environmentally aware of what makes our region distinctly beautiful! The Nifty-50 plants are labeled and on display at the Water Conservation Garden at Cuyamaca College. The five-acre public garden is an excellent place to get ideas for a new or retrofitted landscape that looks beautiful and saves water, time, and money.

The Garden is open every day from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (Call for summer hours.) Tours are off ered each Saturday morning and by appointment. There are classes, workshops, and gardening festivals for the entire family. Go to www.thegarden.org or call 619-660-0614 x10 for further information.

Shrubs

Botanical Name	Common Name
1. Arctostaphylos species and hybrids, N	Manzanita
2. Ceanothus species and hybrids, N	California Lilac
3. Cercis occidentalis, N	Western Redbud
4. Chamelaucium uncinatum	Geraldton Waxflower
5. Cistus species	Rockrose
6. Grevillea species and hybrids	Grevillea
7. Heteromeles arbutifolia, N	Toyon
8. Leucophyllum species	Texas Ranger
9. Mahonia aquifolium, N	Oregon Grape
10. Myrtus communis	Common Myrtle
11. Rosmarinus officinalis	Rosemary
12. Westringia fruticosa	Coastal Rosemary

 

 

 

Succulents

13. Aeonium species	Aeonium
14. Agave species and hybrids	Agave
15. Aloe species and hybrids	Aloe
16. Calandrinia grandiflora	Rock Purslane
17. Dudleya species and hybrids, N	Live Forever
18. Echeveria species and hybrids	Hens-and-Chickens

Vines

19. Bougainvillea hybrids	Bougainvillea
20. Mascagnia macroptera	Yellow Orchid Vine
21. Vitis californica, N	California Wild Grape

 

 

 

 

 

Groundcover

22. Ceanothus griseus horizontalis species and hybrids, N	Carmel Creeper
23. Dymondia margaretae	Silver Carpet
24. Lampranthus species	Ice Plant
25. Lantana montevidensis	Trailing Lantana
26. Rosmarinus officinalis ‘Huntington Carpet’ • Rosmarinus officinalis ‘Lockwood de Forest’ • Rosmarinus officinalis ‘Prostrata’ • Rosmarinus officinalis ‘Santa Barbara’	Huntington Carpet Rosemary Lockwood de Forest Rosemary Prostrate Rosemary Santa Barbara Rosemary
27. Sedum species and hybrids	Stonecrop
28. Thymus pseudolanuginosus	Woolly Thyme

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ornamental Grasses and Grass-like Plants

29. Cordyline australis	New Zealand Cabbage Tree
30. Muhlenbergia capillaris	Pink Muhly Grass
31. Pennisetum setaceum ’Rubrum’	Red Fountain Grass
32. Phormium tenax and some species and hybrids	New Zealand Flax

 

 

 

 

 

Perennials

33. Anigozanthos species and hybrids	Kangaroo Paws
34. Encelia californica	California Sunflower
35. Lavandula species and hybrids	Lavender
36. Mimulus, Native species and hybrids, N	Monkey flower
37. Penstemon, Native species • Penstemon heterophyllus, N • Penstemon parryi, N • Penstemon spectabilis, N	Penstemon Foothill Penstemon Parry’s Beardtongue Showy Penstemon
38. Salvia species • Salvia Africana lutea • Salvia chamaedryoides • Salvia clevelandii, N • Salvia leucantha • Salvia greggii	Sage Dune Sage Gernander Sage Cleveland Sage Mexican Bush Sage Autumn Sage
39. Tagetes, perennial • Tagetes lemmonii • Tagetes lucida	Perennial Marigold Copper Canyon Daisy Mexican Tarragon
40. Verbena peruviana	Peruvian Verbena

 

 

 

 

Trees

41. Arbutus ‘Marina’	Strawberry Tree
42. Butia capitata	Pindo Palm
43. Chitalpa tashkentensis , N	Chitalpa
44. Geijera parviflora	Australian Willow
45. Lagerstroemia indica	Crape Myrtle
46. Laurus nobilis	Sweet Bay
47. Olea europaea ‘Swan Hill’	Fruitless Olive
48. Parkinsonia x ’Desert Museum’	Desert Museum Palo Verde
49. Pistacia chinensis	Chinese Pistache
50. Quercus agrifolia, N	Coast Live Oak