Plants for under Native Oaks

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Compiled by the Theodore Payne Foundation for Wildflowers and Native Plants, Inc.

 

Oaks can be finicky about water use as well as soil and mulch disturbance. So what do you plant under them? Can you plant under them? Below are some choices to go under the most finicky oaks such as Quercus agrifolia (Coastal Live Oak) or Quercus chrysolepis (Canyon Oak); Oaks that want no summer water little soil/mulch disturbance.  Other oaks such as Quercus lobata (White Oak) or Quercus kelloggii (Black Oak) are much more water tolerant. Oak mulch layers are very important to the health of your oak tree and should have minimal disturbance.

 
KEYS TO FLOWER COLOR: B  Blue V  Violet/Purple
R  Red 0  Orange
G  Green W  White
P   Pink Y  Yellow
 

GRASSES:

  • Elymus condensatus, Giant Rye Grass
  • Festuca occidentalis, Western Fescue
  • Festuca rubra molate, Creeping Red Fescue
  • Melica imperfecta, Coastrange Melic  V

BULBS:

  • Lilium ssp., Lilies such as L. Humboldtii O and L. parryii  Y
  • Most other native bulbs are excellent choices

 

GROUNDCOVERS AND SMALL PERENNIALS (below 2’):

  • *Achillea millefolium, Yarrow   P/R/W
  • Arctostaphylos (Manzanita) groundcovers such as A. edmundsii, A. hookeri ‘Wayside’, and A. uva-ursi
  • *Aster chilensis, Wild Aster  B
  • Berberis aquifolium repens, Creeping Mahonia/Creeping Barberry  Y
  • *Fragaria californica and  Fragaria chiloensis, California Strawberry and Beach Strawberry
  • Heuchera spp. and hybrids  Alum-Root/Coral Bells  P/R/W
  • Horkelia bolanderi, Bolander’s Horkelia  Y
  • Iris spp. and hybrids Pacific Coast Irises  B/V/W/Y
  • *Iva hayesiana, Hayes’ Iva  (insignificant flowers)
  •  *Lathyrus vestitus, Pacific Pea  V
  • *Mimulus puniceus, San Diego Monkey Flower  O
  • *Salvia spathacea, Hummingbird Sage R
  • *Scutellaria austinae, Skullcap B
  • *Sisyrinchium bellum, Blue-Eyed Grass  B/V and Sisyrinchium bellum nanum, Dwarf Blue-Eyed Grass  B/V
  • *Solanum xanti, Purple Nightshade  V
  • *Thalictrum fendleri and T. polycarpum, Meadow Rue  G/Y
  • *Viola adunca and V. Sempervirens, Violets P/Y

 

SMALL SHRUBS AND PERENNIALS (to 6’):

  • *Acalypha californica, California Copperleaf  R (catkins)
  • *Berberis aquifolium, Oregon Grape  Y
  • Brickellia grandiflora, Large-Flowered Brickellia  W
  • Galvezia speciosa, Galvezia speciosa  ‘Firecracker’, and Galvezia juncea, Baja Bush Snapdragon  R
  • Keckiella breviflora and Keckiella cordifolia, Gaping Penstemon  P/W
  • *Lepechinia fragrans, Fragrant Pitcher Sage
  • Lonicera subspicata, Chaparral Honeysuckle  W
  • Lupinus latifolius parishii, Canyon Lupine   B/V
  • Rhamnus californica, California Coffeeberry  Y  and Rhamnus crocea, Redberry  Y
  • Ribes (Currants) such as R. aureum Y, R. indecorum W and R. viburnifolium R
  • Ribes (Gooseberries) R/W such as R. Califoricum, R. Menziesii, R. quercatorum and R. speciosum

  * look best with some supplemental summer water