66 plants we actually specify, filtered the way San Diego yards actually differ — salt wind on the coast, triple digits inland, and dry shade under a canopy.
Showing 66 of 66 plants
Heteromeles arbutifolia
Evergreen California native with red winter berries. Excellent informal screen on canyon-edge lots.
Salvia clevelandii
The best-smelling plant in a San Diego garden. Needs sharp drainage and almost no summer water once established.
Salvia spathacea
One of the few natives that thrives in dry shade under oaks and eucalyptus.
Salvia apiana
Silver foliage that reads almost white in full sun. Do not overwater — it is the fastest way to kill it.
Arctostaphylos densiflora
Mahogany bark and a sculptural habit. The most forgiving manzanita for garden conditions.
Ceanothus
Electric blue spring bloom. Never irrigate the crown in summer or it declines quickly.
Quercus agrifolia
The signature San Diego canopy tree. Keep irrigation and hardscape out of the root zone.
Cercis occidentalis
Magenta spring flowers on bare branches, then heart-shaped leaves. Great small courtyard tree.
Chilopsis linearis
Long orchid-like bloom through the hottest months. A standout in El Cajon and inland valleys.
Parkinsonia
Green trunk, thornless, and a filtered shade canopy that plants can grow under.
Tipuana tipu
Fast, wide shade canopy. Give it room — surface roots will lift nearby flatwork.
Olea europaea 'Wilsonii'
Silver-gray Mediterranean anchor tree with no fruit litter. Handles coastal wind and inland heat equally.
Arbutus 'Marina'
Cinnamon bark, year-round interest, and a clean habit for small-lot courtyards.
Lagerstroemia indica
Long summer bloom and good fall color, which is rare here. Needs full sun to avoid mildew.
Pinus torreyana
Rare California native with real coastal wind tolerance. A statement tree on large parcels.
Agave attenuata
Soft, spineless rosettes — the safe agave for family yards and walkway edges.
Agave 'Blue Glow'
Red-margined leaves that glow when backlit. Pair with uplighting for a dramatic night effect.
Agave attenuata
Blue-gray version of the classic. Handles coastal exposure beautifully.
Aeonium arboreum
Near-black rosettes. Goes summer-dormant — that shriveled look in August is normal.
Senecio mandraliscae
Powder-blue mass planting that reads as a solid color field between boulders and pavers.
Aloe
Orange winter bloom that hummingbirds find within days. Nearly indestructible.
Echinocactus grusonii
Sculptural focal point in gravel and boulder compositions. Keep it away from walkway edges.
Euphorbia tirucalli
Coral-orange stems that intensify in cool weather. Sap is a genuine irritant — not for kid zones.
Crassula ovata
Thrives on neglect in coastal gardens and takes shearing well as a low informal hedge.
Anigozanthos
Vertical bloom spikes in red, yellow and orange. Cut spent stems to the base to keep it flowering.
Leonotis leonurus
Whorled orange flowers on tall stems from summer into winter. Hummingbird magnet.
Cistus
Bulletproof Mediterranean shrub for slopes and hot frontage strips.
Westringia fruticosa
The best low-water hedge substitute for coastal San Diego. Shears cleanly, handles salt wind.
Rosmarinus officinalis
Edible, aromatic, and tough on slopes and parkway strips.
Lavandula
Blooms longer than English lavender in our climate and tolerates humidity better.
Teucrium fruticans
Silver foliage screen that takes hard pruning. Good structural backdrop for perennials.
Leucophyllum frutescens
Blooms after humidity spikes. Excellent inland and in East County heat.
Bougainvillea
Maximum color for minimum water. Needs a real structure and annual control pruning.
Tecoma capensis
Fast orange-flowering screen for fence lines. Hummingbirds work it all winter.
Trachelospermum jasminoides
The default fragrant privacy vine here — also works as a shade groundcover under trees.
Pandorea jasminoides
Soft pink trumpets on a well-behaved evergreen vine for patio overheads.
Ficus pumila
Turns a blank block wall green. Requires committed annual trimming or it turns woody.
Muhlenbergia rigens
California native bunch grass that reads architectural in mass plantings.
Muhlenbergia capillaris
Cotton-candy pink plumes in fall. Best planted in drifts where afternoon light hits it.
Festuca glauca
Tidy blue tufts for modern gravel and paver joint plantings.
Carex divulsa
Meadow look in shade where lawn refuses to grow. Takes light foot traffic.
Lippia nodiflora 'Kurapia'
A genuine walkable lawn alternative using roughly a third of the water of turfgrass.
Dymondia margaretae
Silver-backed mat for paver joints and stepping-stone fields. Takes light traffic.
Thymus praecox
Fragrant when stepped on. Perfect between flagstone joints on a sand-set patio.
Rosmarinus 'Huntington Carpet'
Erosion control on slopes that also smells like dinner.
Gazania rigens
Tough sterile groundcover for hot parkways and slope faces.
Achillea millefolium
Native meadow component that flowers hard and takes occasional foot traffic.
Epilobium canum
Late-summer scarlet bloom exactly when hummingbirds need it most.
Erigeron karvinskianus
Softens wall edges and stair treads with continuous small bloom.
Bulbine frutescens
Nearly year-round orange or yellow bloom in coastal gardens. Very low maintenance.
Salvia sonomensis
Native slope groundcover with gray foliage and lavender bloom.
Romneya coulteri
Enormous fried-egg flowers. Spreads aggressively — give it a slope, not a border.
Agapanthus
Deep blue globe flowers. Reliable mass planting along walkways and pool edges.
Tulbaghia violacea
Long bloom season and gophers leave it alone. Mild garlic scent when brushed.
Strelitzia nicolai
Instant tropical scale for privacy on tight coastal lots.
Strelitzia reginae
The classic San Diego orange bloom. Slow but essentially permanent.
Thaumatophyllum xanadu
Glossy structural filler for shaded side yards and north-facing courtyards.
Clivia miniata
One of the few things that flowers reliably in deep dry shade under oaks.
Butia capitata
Slow, silver-blue, and appropriately scaled for residential yards, unlike the fan palms.
Chamaerops humilis
Multi-trunk clumping palm that stays in scale and handles both salt and inland heat.
Phoenix roebelenii
Fine-textured accent for pool surrounds and courtyard corners.
Frangula californica
Native evergreen that works as a real hedge and feeds birds through fall.
Rhus integrifolia
Native coastal screen with genuine salt-wind tolerance. The workhorse for bluff properties.
Rhus ovata
The inland counterpart to lemonade berry — handles East County heat without complaint.
Baccharis pilularis
Fire-wise native slope cover that holds decomposed granite in place.
Dietes bicolor
Nearly indestructible vertical accent for commercial-grade durability in residential yards.
Real write-ups behind the palettes in this list.
We design and install planting plans across San Diego County — see drought tolerant landscaping, check turf rebate eligibility, or read the soil and microclimate guide before you choose a palette.