Our Plants (List)

Truckee lewisia grows at high elevations in the Sierra Nevada west of Lake Tahoe. It seems to favor coo, rocky areas with nearby snowmelt. The narrow succulent leaves form a low rosette. The spring bloom is naturally a shade of radiant pink. The ‘little raspberry’ selection is thought to be…

The little bitter root has a wide distribution in the interior of western North America. It ranges from southern British Columbia and Alberta into Arizona. In Santa Clara County, CA, it is found in both the Santa Cruz Mountains and the Diablo Range. It favors open rocky mountainous habitats. With…

Beardless wild rye is found growing in much of western North America in sunny, at least seasonally moist areas. It has an upright, dense form and spreads via rhizome to form a dense stand. The thin, narrow flower stalks rise above the foliage in spring, eventually turning gold as the…

Elymus condensatus, giant rye, is found along the coast and in coastal mountains in much of California. The ‘Canyon Prince’ is thought to be a possible hybrid between E. condensatus and Elymus mollis, a smaller coastal species. It was introduced by the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden and has proven an…

The Columbia lily is widespread in the US Northwest and British Columbia. Like other western lilies, it grows as a little tuft of lance-shaped leaves, which become more numerous as the subterranean corm grows from season to season. Once adequate energy has been stored, the corm sends up a flower…

The tiger lily grows in moist areas in much of California’s mountainous regions north of Los Angeles. It prefers steady moisture, and so is more common in the northern portions of the state. Following winter dormancy, the bulb will send up a whirl of low-growing, grass-like leaves. If the bulb…