Here Are The Best Native Plants For San Francisco Gardens

SAN FRANCISCO, CA — Planting season, as San Francisco gardeners know, is officially upon us. And before you dig out those dusty trowels and gloves, take note of the plants that naturally grow in the area. We’re talking about native plants, which grew here long before Europeans started building settlements. They’re the foundation of the region’s biodiversity, and provide key food sources and shelter to birds.

Fortunately the folks at the National Audubon Society have done all the hard work to ensure gardeners have what they need to find the best native plants. The group has a database that includes perennials, shrubs, grasses, succulents, trees, vines and evergreens. Each entry also details what types of birds the plants attract.

The database allows users to filter results by plant type, resources and bird species they attract.
Regional Audubon experts hand-select the “best results” for each. In San Francisco, some of the best flowers to grow this season include black sage, blue elderberry and California figwort.

Here’s a roundup of some other great local options:

• California Rose
  • "California Rose, or California Wildrose, is a perennial, deciduous shrub that can form thickets, growing up to 8 to 10 feet in height and width."
  • Birds they attract: mockingbirds & thrashers, vireos, wood warblers, orioles, chickadees & titmice, thrushes, wrens, woodpeckers, cardinals & grosbeaks, sparrows, nuthatches, waxwings
• California Sage
  • “Also known as Chia Sage, Golden Chia, Desert Chia, or simply Chia, this annual herb grows to 2 feet in height. ”
  • Birds they attract: cardinals & grosbeaks, finches, crows & jays, chickadees & titmice, sparrows, woodpeckers
• Christmashorns
  • “Also known as Red Orange, or Canyon Larkspur, this is a perennial herb that grows up to 2 feet in height, sprouting beautiful red flowers from March through June."
  • Birds they attract: hummingbirds

Americans spent a record $47.8 billion on lawn and garden retail sales in 2017, according to the National Gardening Survey. The average household spent more than $500 on gardening. Among the companies reaping the benefits is Walnut Creek's Central Garden & Pet, climbing the Fortune 500 list. And while older adults accounted for 35 percent of all gardeners, millennials were getting their hands and knees dirty at all-time high levels. Adults 18-34 accounted for 29 percent of all gardeners, the survey found.

Among the recent trends — more people are investing in raised beds as opposed to digging holes, and they’re spending money on apps rather than glossy gardening books.

Patch national staffer Dan Hampton contributed to this report.

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