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PLEASE DON’T PLANT A PEST!As defined by the California Invasive Plant Council

Alternative Plants Listed Inside

California, a mecca of biodiversity, has 4,200 na-tive plant species and 1,800 non-native plants of which only 200 are considered invasives [Cal-IPS] that threaten the state’s wildlands and native fauna food source. For a more complete list visit www.cal-ipc.org.

Invasive Bushes – DO NOT PLANT! ² BROOM - French, Scotch/Scots, Spanish & Portuguese

² ACACIA - Golden, Green, and Western Coastal Wattle

² COTONEASTER - Cotoneaster lacteus & C.pannosus

Invasive Grasses – DO NOT PLANT!GIANT REED OR GIANT CANE - Arundo donax

GREEN FOUNTAIN GRASS - Pennisetum setaceum

PAMPAS GRASS / JUBTAGRASS - Introduced to CA via nurseries – spreads quickly

Invasive Groundcovers – DO NOT PLANT! ² HOTTENTOT FIG/HIGHWAY ICEPLANT - Carpobro-

tus edulis There are multiple types of plants with the common name ice plant and most are non-invasive. Seed spread by small mammals.

² IVY - English, Algerian, and Cape/German (Hedera helix, H.caneriensis, Senecio mikanioides), seed spread by birds.

² PERIWINKLE - Vinca major, spreads easily from cut pieces

Invasive Trees – DO NOT PLANT! ² BLUE GUM EUCALYPTUS - Eucalyptus globulus

² CHINESE TALLOW TREE - Sapium sebiferum

² MYOPORUM - Myoporum laetum, not to be confused with myoporum bushes and ground covers

² PEPPER - Brazilian, Peruvian, and California (Schinus terebinthifolius, and S.molle)

² RUSSIAN OLIVE - Elaeagnus angustifolia

² SALTCEDAR - Tamarix spp.

² TREE OF HEAVEN - Ailanthus altissima

Celebrate Lompoc Valley’s Rare ‘Warm Mediterranean’ Climate

Throughout Your Garden

Since our valley has a spectrum of sandy to al-kaline clay soils and multiple microclimates you’ll want to investigate your individual area. Microcli-mate can change simply by more wind protection, higher content of stone/concrete, and living at the base or top of a hill. It is also prudent to track your sun and shade progress throughout the year.

In this Brochure you will find, ² Beautiful and easy to maintain drought toler-

ant ground covers, shrubs, trees, and herbal lawn ideas (this is only a starter list as there are so many great ideas and varieties too numerous to mention here)

² Native and edible plants

² Invasive species and their alternatives

Creating a lower maintenance garden: ² Water less frequently but deeply to create

deeper drought tolerant roots. Frequent light watering can cause thirsty shallow rooted plants.

² Use weed suppression cloth over your soil, cutting holes where you wish to place plants.

² Mulch around plants with 2” mulch (straw, pebbles, bark, gorilla hair bark, living mulch, etc).

² Include rock gardens & water wise plants

² Cat proofing, use lava rock, sticks, or any-thing uncomfortable to walk on as a mulch in key areas (don’t use cayenne it doesn’t discourage them it only causes pain later when they bathe).

² Retain rain water in barrels or in soil (swales).

² Use your own compost and/or worm casting to add to your soil (city compost bins available)

² Create a sustainable & non chemically dependant garden by adding low maintenance plants that encourage predator bugs and assist plant/tree growth (permaculture gardening).

² Use perennials as your base planting.Beautification & Appearance Commission

PLANTING THE CITY

OF

SHRUBS & PERENNIALS

NATIVE PLANTS ² CEONOTHUS - ‘Yankee Point’ and ‘Hearts Desire’

² CURRANT, EVERGREEN (Ribes viburnifolium) - No water once established. 3’-6’ h by 6’ w, smells like fine wine, needs light shade, takes clay or sandy soil

² FUCHSIA, CALIFORNIA - Multiple varieties up to 3’ h by 4’ w, ‘Catalina’ is the hardies, hum-mingbird favorite, full sun to part shade and good drainage.

² MATILIJA POPPY - To 8’ h, large white flow-ers with raised yellow centers like floating sunny-side-up eggs.

² SAGE: Black (Salvia mellifera), White (S. api-ana), Purple, and many more, Do not over water!

² SAGE BRUSH, CALIFORNIA (Artemisia californica)

² TOYON/HOLLY BERRY (Heteromeles arbuti-folia) - no water once established

² MANZANITA, Howard McMinn - Sandy or clay soil, best for those new to native plants, Pacific Mist - sandy soil, fast growing for a manzanita, do not over water!

NON-NATIVE PLANTS ² DAISY-LIKE: Margarita (Osteospermum) 3’ h

and Marguerite Daisy (Argyranthemum) to 2’ h

² DAY LILIES - Most soils, drought tolerant

² FORSYTHIA - Low water, 4’ w to 6’ h bright yellow flowers

² IVY GERANIUM - This variety rarely disappoints

² LAVENDER - Multiple varieties, colors, and sizes

² MINTS - Many types , part- full sun, keep contained

² ROCK ROSE family from 3’ to 5’ high and wide

² ROSE - ‘Lady Banks’ (Rosa banksiae), no water once established, pretty, rambling, train over arch

² SAGE - Jerusulem, Pineapple, Clary, Garden, Salvia greggii, and many more, Do not over water!

² WALL GERMANDER (Teucrium chamaedry) - Pinkish flower, low shrub 1’ h by 2’ w, evergreen, drought tolerant

² SUCCULENTS: Drought tolerant, ALOES-some are low growing; CACTI-barrel cactus; AGAVE

² THYME & OREGANO - Small shrubs, many types

LAWN ALTERNATIVES & GRASSES

Lawns are a great place for kids to play but if some areas are unused why not replace those sections with a rock garden island, drought tolerant or edible plants/trees, raised beds, and/or the following:

² BLUE OAT GRASS - Evergreen, very cold hardy, needs full sun and weekly watering, moder-ate grower to 2’- 3’ h

² CALIFORNIA FESCUE - Clay or sandy soil, full sun or medium shade, 1’ - 3’ high, drought toler-ant but looks more lush if watered Native Plant!

² DEER GRASS (Muhlenbergia rigens) - No water once established, tall mounds, feathery tops Native Plant!

² DYAMONDIA - Low tight mat with a yellow flow-ers, sunny site, can take foot traffic and clay soils.

² LINHEIMER’S MUHLY GRASS - No water once established, showy ornamental up to 5’ h

² MINI AGAPANTHUS - Grass-like, thick blades ‘Peter Pan’ and ‘Tinker Bell’

² MONDO GRASS - Also comes in a dwarf variety

² NEW ZEALAND FLAX (Phormium tenas) - Low water, thick blades (not a true grass)

² SOCIETY GARLIC - Not a grass but grass-like with thick blades growing in bunches, spreads slowly

See more ideas under Ground Covers below

GROUND COVERS

NATIVE PLANTS ² BEACH STRAWBERRY (Fragaria californica/

chiloensis) - Low water, mow in spring for thick mat

² DWARF COYOTE BUSH - 1’ h by 12’ w, all soils

² CEANOTHUS GLORIOSUS PORRECTUS, Blue flowers, some afternoon shade, cold hardy, loves growing under a tree’s light dappled shade

² CEANOTHUS HEARSTIORUM – San Simeon Ceanothus (blue flowers) 2 – 3 inches tall, loves adobe clay soil

² ERIGON GLAUCUS DAISY - 9-20” h with 1” blue-lavender flowers, plant 2’ apart, needs some water

GROUND COVERS continued...

NATIVE PLANTS ² GRINDELLA STRICTA VENULOSA – Yellow

daisy-ish flowers, up to 19” h , no water once es-tablished, full sun

² MANZANITA, CARMEL SUR - On the coast it rarely needs water. Clay or sandy soils, part shade, full sun, fast growing 3”-12”h by 5’-10’w

² MINT (Yerba Buena) - Slower growing than other mints thus less invasive, low growing,

² STRAWBERRY: Sand (Fragaria chiloensis), Wood (F. californica), Alpine (F. vesca) can handle acidic or alkaline soils, berries are small, sweet, and prolific

² SUCCULENT, Oregon Stonecrop (Sedum ore-ganum) - For moist northern slopes or flat areas

NON-NATIVE PLANTS ² CREEPING MYOPORUM (Myoporum parvifo-

lium ‘Putah Creek) - 1’-3’ h by 10’-15’ w, full sun to light shade, cold hardy to 20 degrees

² HERBS: Many herbs can be found in low grow-ing varieties, even parsley can be kept fairly low if clipped and enjoyed regularly. CREEPING THYMES - Elfin , Woolly, and Red can handle light foot traffic but are best for pathways between stones.

² ICEPLANT, HARDY (Delosperma cooperi) - Needs good drainage, magenta flowers, no water

² ICEPLANT, ROSEA /SHOWY DEWFLOWER (Drosanthemum floribundum) - Low water, to 6”h draping habit

² MINTS - Low growing varieties such as Ba-nana Mint, Corsican Mint (extra water needed), and Pennyroyal

² ROSES - Low growing, ‘Flower Carpet Red’ or any of the flower carpet cultivars

² SILVER CARPET (Corethrogyne filaninifolia) - No water once established. Nearly flat with daisy-like yellow flowers.

² SUCCULENTS: SEDUM - Senecio, 'Blue Chalk-sticks,’ blue with white flowers, looks like creeping fig or large ice plant, ECHEVERIA - ‘Hens & Chicks’ are drought tolerant and come in different varieties and colors) , AEONIUM, many different cultivars (Crassula and Sempervivum tectorum are great for So. facing rock gardens). Pick succulents that can handle our freezes. BohemianSpiritDesign

TREES

Check sun, wind, soil, and moisture levels before planting

² EDIBLE TREES (full sized and dwarf varieties) ‘Bears’ Lime , Dwarf Meyer Lemon, Purple Plum, Kwanzaan Cherry, Mission Fig, and many more. Be sure to check chill hours and heat requirements before purchasing.

² DWARF OLIVE – Wilsonni (ornamental) and Little Ollie

² HOLLY TREE – Wilson and Buford

² STRAWBERRY TREE (Arbutus unedo) - Small, shrubby tree, 16’ - 30’ h (can get a compact va-rietal), low water, colorful edible fruit but usually grown as an ornamental

² REDBUD - Western and Forest Pansy (purple leaves), showy mass of magenta flowers

² BOTTLE BRUSH - a tree-like shrub, multiple varieties available including dwarfs

² CALIFORNIA FLANNELBUSH - small tree/shrub with yellow/gold flowers in spring

More information from the City of LompocCompost Bins - nominal fee www.cityoflompoc.com/PublicWorks/solidwaste.htm Water-wise garden package, water conservation re-bates including rain barrel and solar rebateswww.cityoflompoc.com/utilities/conservationLocal Multi-use Trails, Gardens, Parks, etc.www.cityoflompoc.com/Parks_RecNominate yourself or another for a Property Im-provement (PIA), Holiday, or other beautification awards www.cityoflompoc.com/parks_rec/urbanforestry.htm

Where we found our informationCity of Lompoc Drought Tolerant Garden - W. Central Ave.Demonstration Gardens - Ken Adam Park & La Purisima MissionLompoc Valley In Bloom - www.lompocvalleyinbloom.net Lompoc Valley locals who love to plantVandenburg Village Community Services District, Sustainable Landscape Demonstration GardensChumash Tribal Office Native gardens, Santa YnezSLO Botanical Gardens, El Chorro Regional ParkSeaside Gardens, CarpenteriaLas Pilitas Nursery website, www.laspilitas.comGaias Garden, permaculture gardening book (Hemenway)Reimagining the California Lawn (Bornstein, Fross, O’Brien)California Invasive Plant Society, www.cal-ipc.org