Native Plants For Eastern Sierra Gardens

These are some native plant species have been available in the past at our Native Plant Sales. Scientific names are linked to CalFlora, where you can find photos and information about each species (opens in a new window). Be sure to click on the photo on the Calflora page for a gallery of photos on CalPhotos, which will present a more complete picture of how each plant may look in your garden.

This database of native plants is sortable - click on a heading to sort by that parameter.

Scientific Name Common Name Family Lifespan Form Flower
Scientific Common Family Lifespan Form Flower
Achillea millefolium Yarrow Asteraceae Perennial Herb White
Achnatherum nevadensis Nevada needlegrass Poaceae Perennial Grass N/A
Achnatherum speciosum Desert needlegrass Poaceae Perennial Grass N/A
Angelica lineariloba Sierra Angelica Apiaceae Perennial Herb White
Apocynum cannabinum Indian hemp, dogbane Apocynaceae Perennial Herb White
Aquilegia formosa Red columbine Ranunculaceae Perennial Herb Red
Arnica mollis Cordilleran Arnica Asteraceae Perennial Herb Yellow
Artemisia arbuscula Low sagebrush Asteraceae Perennial Shrub Greenish White
Asclepias fascicularis narrow-leaf milkweed Asclepiadaceae Perennial Herb White
Asclepias speciosa Showy Milkweed Asclepiadaceae Perennial Herb Pink
Astragalus coccineus Scarlet milk vetch Fabaceae Perennial Herb Red
Atriplex canescens Fourwing saltbush Chenopodiaceae Perennial Shrub Green
Calystegia longipes Bush morning glory Convolvulaceae Perennial Herb White
Ceanothus greggii var. vestitus Desert Ceanothus Rhamnaceae Perennial Shrub White
Ceanothus leucodermis Chaparral whitethorn Rhamnaceae Perennial Shrub White
Celtis laevigata var. reticulata Western hackberry Ulmaceae Perennial Tree N/A
Cercocarpus ledifolius Mountain mahogany Rosaceae Perennial Shrub White or Blue
Chamaebatiaria millefolium Fern bush Rosaceae Perennial Shrub White
Chilopsis linearis Desert willow Bignoniaceae Perennial Tree Pink
Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus Curly-leaf rabbitbrush Asteraceae Perennial Shrub Yellow
Clematis ligusticifolia Virgin's Bower Ranunculaceae Perennial Vine White
Coleogyne ramosissima Blackbrush Rosaceae Perennial Shrub Yellow
Cryptantha  confertiflora Golden forget-me-not Boraginaceae Perennial Herb Yellow
Datura wrightii Jimson weed Solanaceae Perennial Herb White
Elymus elymoides Squirreltail Poaceae Perennial Grass N/A
Encelia actoni Bush sunflower or Acton encelia Asteraceae Perennial Shrub Yellow
Ephedra nevadensis Desert ephedra Ephedraceae Perennial Shrub Yellow
Ephedra viridis Green ephedra Ephedraceae Perennial Shrub Yellow
Epilobium angustifolium Fireweed Onagraceae Perennial Herb Purple or Pink
Eremogone kingii var. glabrescens King's sandwort Caryophyllaceae Perennial Herb White
Eriastrum densifolium Heavenly blue Polemoniaceae Perennial Herb Blue
Erigeron compactus Fernleaf fleabane Asteraceae Perennial Herb White and Purple
Eriogonum elatum Tall buckwheat Polygonaceae Perennial Herb White and Pink
Eriogonum fasciculatum var. polifolium California buckwheat Polygonaceae Perennial Shrub White and Pink
Eriogonum nudum var. westonii Nude buckwheat, Weston's buckwheat Polygonaceae Perennial Shrub Yellow
Eriogonum umbellatum var. nevadense Sulphur buckwheat Polygonaceae Perennial Herb Yellow
Eriophyllum confertiflorum Golden yarrow, wooly sunflower Asteraceae Perennial Shrub Yellow
Erysimum capitatum Western wallflower Brassicaceae Perennial Herb Orange
Forestiera pubescens Desert olive Oleaceae Perennial Shrub Yellow
Frangula californica Coffeeberry Rhamnaceae Perennial Shrub Whitish (creamy yellowish)
Frangula californica ssp. tomentella Hoary coffeeberry or California Buckthorn Rhamnaceae Perennial Shrub White
Heliomeris multiflora var. nevadensis Nevada goldeneye Asteraceae Perennial Herb Yellow
Heuchera rubescens Coral bells or pink alumroot Saxifragaceae Perennial Herb Pink
Hesperostipa comata Needle and thread grass* Poaceae Perennial Grass N/A
Hymenoclea salsola Burro bush, desert pearl Asteraceae Perennial Shrub White (sometimes yellow or pink)
Koeleria macrantha Junegrass Poaceae Perennial Grass N/A
Lepidium fremontii Desert allysum Brassicaceae Perennial Herb White
Leymus cinereus Great basin wild rye Poaceae Perennial Grass N/A
Leymus triticoides Creeping wild rye Poaceae Perennial Grass N/A
Lupinus argenteus Sierra bush lupine Fabaceae Perennial Herb Blue or Purple
Lupinus argenteus var. heteranthus Shrubby lupine Fabaceae Perennial Herb Blue or Purple
Lupinus excubitus Inyo bush lupine Fabaceae Perennial Shrub Blue or Purple
Lupinus polyphyllus Creek lupine Fabaceae Perennial Herb Blue or Purple
Mimulus cardinalis Scarlet monkey-flower Phrymaceae
(formerly Scrophulariaceae) 		Perennial Herb Red
Mimulus guttatus Yellow monkeyflower Phrymaceae (formerly Scrophulariaceae) Annual or Perennial Herb Yellow
Mimulus lewisii Lewis monkeyflower Phrymaceae (formerly Scrophulariaceae) Perennial Herb Pink
Mirabilis alipes Rose four-o’clock Nyctaginaceae Perennial Herb Pink
Monardella odoratissima Mountain pennyroyal, desert mint Lamiaceae Perennial Herb Blue or Purple
Muhlenbergia asperifolia Scratch grass Poaceae Perennial Grass

N/A
Oenothera caespitosa ssp. marginata Large white evening primrose Onagraceae Perennial Herb White
Oenothera elata Hooker's evening primrose Onagraceae Perennial Herb Yellow
Oenothera xylocarpa Wood fruit evening primrose Onagraceae Perennial Herb Yellow
Packera multilobata Lobeleaf groundsel Asteraceae Perennial Herb Yellow
Penstemon eatonii Firecracker penstemon Scrophulariaceae Perennial Herb Red
Penstemon floridus var. austinii Austin’s penstemon Scrophulariaceae Perennial Herb Pink
Penstemon floridus var. floridus Rose penstemon* Scrophulariaceae Perennial Herb Pink
Penstemon fruticiformis Desert mountain penstemon Scrophulariaceae Perennial Herb Blue or Purple (pale)
Penstemon incertus Mojave beardtongue Scrophulariaceae Perennial Shrub Blue or Purple
Penstemon monoensis Mono penstemon Scrophulariaceae Perennial Herb Purple or Pink
Penstemon patens Owens valley penstemon Scrophulariaceae Perennial Herb Purple
Penstemon rostriflorus Scarlet penstemon Scrophulariaceae Perennial Herb Red
Pericome caudata Mountain tail leaf Asteraceae Perennial Herb Orange
Phoenicaulis cheiranthoides Daggerpod Brassicaceae Perennial Herb Purple or Pink
Pinus jeffreyi Jeffrey pine Pinaceae Perennial Tree N/A
Prosopis pubescens Screw-bean mesquite Fabaceae Perennial Tree or Shrub Yellow
Prunus andersonii Desert peach Rosaceae Perennial Shrub Pink
Psorothamnus arborescens Indigo bush Fabaceae Perennial Shrub Purple
Purshia tridentata Bitterbrush Rosaceae Perennial Shrub Yellow (creamy white with yellow center)
Ribes cereum Wax Currant Grossulariaceae Perennial Shrub Pink or White
Salazaria mexicana Bladder sage Lamiaceae Perennial Shrub Purple and white
Salix gooddingii Black willow Salicaceae Perennial Tree N/A
Salvia dorrii Purple sage* Lamiaceae Perennial Shrub Purple
Sambucus nigra ssp. cerulea Blue elderberry Caprifoliaceae Perennial Tree (or large shrub) White or creamy yellow
Senecio flaccidus Mono ragwort Asteraceae Perennial Shrub Yellow
Solidago californica California goldenrod Asteraceae Perennial Herb Yellow
Solidago spectabilis Basin goldenrod Asteraceae Perennial Herb Yellow
Sphaeralcea ambigua Apricot globe mallow* Malvaceae Perennial Herb Orange
Sphenosciadium capitellatum Ranger's buttons Apiaceae Perennial Herb White
Sporobolus airoides Alkali sacaton Poaceae Perennial Grass N/A
Stanleya elata Panamint prince’s plume Brassicaceae Perennial Herb Yellow
Stanleya pinnata Desert prince’s plume* Brassicaceae Perennial Herb Yellow
Townsendia scapigera Easter daisy Asteraceae Perennial Herb White
Xylorhiza tortifolia Mojave aster Asteraceae Perennial Herb Purple

An asterisk following the name* indicates plant is one of the "ten best native plants for your eastern Sierra garden" (with well-drained soil)