The Pros and Cons of Native Plants

Late fall is a great time to put in native plants. The plants are dormant, the rains are coming, and the roots will have a long time to develop before the weather gets hot and dry. Many of you may be considering putting in some native plants right about now, which is great.

But in my experience, if you are not thoughtful about it, you can get all the problems of native plants without any of the benefits. Native plants done well will foster biodiversity, save water, make your garden smell amazing, and introduce dynamic seasonal cycles to your yard. But native plants can also go sideways, dying on you unexpectedly, looking bad much of the year, and requiring excessive maintenance, all while doing nothing whatsoever for biodiversity.

So I want to share some things that I have learned, and encourage those of you who know more to chime in.

A beautiful landscape at Google’s campus near Shoreline features red buckwheat, showy milkweed, and deer grass, as well as non-native Mexican sage. Monarch butterflies and other pollinators thrive here.

Nurture Biodiversity with Local Natives

People put in native plants for many reasons. One goal is often to give a boost to the environment. Relationships between native flora and fauna have evolved into complex and resilient ecosystems over thousands of years. As development removes habitat, we can double-down on the remaining open areas by putting in plants that the ecosystems rely on.

A California mint moth rests on a daisy leaf next to some (out of frame) coyote mint.

Many of you with milkweed have seen monarch butterflies. I spotted goldenrod aphids in my yard soon after putting in native goldenrod. (And then came this!) California mint moths appeared amidst my coyote mint. The varied insect life has brought more wildlife, from western fence lizards to all manner of birds.

A Cooper’s hawk poses on a backyard fountain where it has snacked on several small songbirds. (The small birds avoid the fountain now!)

But California is an enormous state with a wide variety of ecosystems. If you put in a plant that is native to Catalina Island or Siskiyou County, it’s not going to do much for biodiversity in our area because the rest of its ecosystem is missing. Instead, locally native plants are a better bet. You can find them at nearby California Native Plant Society sales, like this one (happening this Saturday!). Or ask specifically for local natives at a nearby plant nursery. You can type your zip code into Calscape, a great resource for learning more about native plants. If you walk in our preserves and open spaces, you will see and come to recognize many of these plants: toyon, coyote mint, buckwheats, monkeyflower, yarrow, coyote brush, coffeeberry, currants, oaks, and more.

But biodiversity is not the only good reason to prioritize local natives.

Look for Reliable Growers

“Native” plants can be surprisingly fickle. Some don’t like clay. Some can’t tolerate summer water. Others need morning moisture. Some need soil that is more like sand than loam. I’ve had far more native plants die on me than non-native plants. Part of the reason for this is that nurseries have more experience selecting non-native plants for their tolerance and growability. But another reason is that the environment (soil, air, water) in one part of California, where a plant thrives, may be quite different from the climate where you live.

I’ve had far more native plants die on me than non-native plants.

Most nurseries sell native plants from all over the state. But in my experience, the local natives are much more likely to thrive. That is what they were born to do! A friend of mine gave me a bushmallow that is native to the Baylands, and it didn’t so much as blink after it went in, growing a foot each year. On the other hand, the much-lauded but non-local Cleveland sage I planted a few feet away died after some heavy rains. It is from southern California and does not love clay soil.

This locally native bushmallow thrives in full sun and clay soil, though many other California plants will not. It is covered with pink flowers in spring.

If you are starting out with natives and don’t want to deal with dying plants, my advice is to stick with local natives and check out resources like the UC Davis Arboretum All-Stars for plants that can tolerate a variety of conditions. Many of these choices can also handle some summer water, which can help them look nicer throughout the year.

I also strongly encourage mixing in non-natives as well. There are many terrific drought-tolerant plants that do wonderfully in our climate, support pollinators, and provide nearly year-round color and greenery. Think salvias, lavenders, rosemary, daisies, lantana, and more. In my opinion they will often add more value to your garden than non-local natives.

Kangaroo paws (left) and Mexican sage (right) are two drought-tolerant non-natives that can add seasonal color to your garden in late summer and fall, though the sage is more attractive to hummingbirds and insects.

I was at Summerwinds the other day getting some milkweed, and I mentioned to the checkout person that I’ve gotten much pickier with my native plant selections. She readily acknowledged that they may not do well (“It’s not your fault!”) and reminded me that they have a generous return policy for plants. So take advantage of that if you make a mistake or get a bad plant. Alternatively, I have found that plants I have bought at the California Native Plant Society sale nearly always do well, though they are small and pricy. The plants are locally sourced and selected.

Water Appropriately

Native plants use very little water in summer, when it is most scarce. (1) That is convenient — you worry less about drought, and it will help with your water bill. The garden-friendly varietals do tolerate some summer water if it is available, which can help them look nicer throughout the year.

Keep in mind that young plants need water. They don’t have the root systems needed to survive the long dry season. So water throughout the first year. Planting in fall helps, but you will still need to water occasionally over the summer. I tend to water in the evenings so the soil won’t be both warm and wet. (That can cause root rot and kill the plant.) But that brings me to another point.

Seek Informed Advice

Some people say you should water in the evening. Others advise the morning. Some people say you should plant in cactus mix. Others say native soil only. There are similar debates about fertilizers, pruning, and even plant identification. I’ve bought Eriophyllum confertiflorum that is 6 inches high, light in color, and blooms readily. And I have bought Eriophyllum confertiflorum that is 3 feet high, dark green, and rarely blooms. Will the real E. confertiflorum please stand up?

These were both sold as Eriophyllum confertiflorum, but they proved to be very different plants. The one on the left came from a California Native Plant Society sale and was sourced locally, from Mt. Umunhum. The one on the right came from a retail nursery.

Maintenance expertise can be hard to find. How long do you leave the seed heads? How do you rein in a patch of Matilija poppies, goldenrod, or Bee’s Bliss sage that is taking over your garden? When (and how) do you prune a fuschia vs verbena vs coyote mint vs coyote bush? Many native plants can get pretty awful looking if not tended to, but can die or stop blooming if pruned poorly.

So who do you trust? The people who know the most are the people who work with native plants in local gardens day in and day out, local native professionals. The Santa Clara chapter of the California Native Plant Society maintains a list of people with expertise in natives (designers, installers, and gardeners), and a discussion forum. One community-minded native plant designer, Stephanie Morris, recently gave a series of talks in Cupertino on gardening with natives. You can find her recorded videos on designing with natives, planting and irrigation, and pruning and other maintenance.

Too Much Work?

My (non-expert) advice is to start with plants that are easy to maintain. You can do natives the easy way, or you can do them the hard way. I advise the former. Start with fewer, easier plants (2); choose local natives that will grow reliably and support biodiversity; and don’t be afraid to mix in compatible, beautiful, easy non-natives.

Still too much? Try this streamlined approach. Choose exactly one local native, and make it an oak tree. Have the city or Canopy plant it. Then leave the leaves on the ground. This is inexpensive, wonderful for the environment, and requires little maintenance.

Still too much? Skip the natives entirely, and just leave the leaves from your existing trees. Don’t change anything else. You will be amazed at how many birds you get pecking through your leaf litter, lizards hiding in it, insects crawling under the shaded cover. As the leaves break down in your soil, it will get easier to dig, the dirt will smell amazing, and you will start seeing more earthworms. Then you will have great success planting whatever you want.

Towhees made this mess! It is hard to keep walkways clean when the birds dig through the leaf litter every day. But I love this kind of problem.

Our yards can be living, thriving places for all kinds of wildlife. We just have to stop getting in nature’s way. Autumn is a great time to leave the leaves, plant a tree, and put in a local native or two. I’d love to hear your questions, experiences, or comments below.

Notes

1. Not all native plants, even locally native, are low-water. Plants like yellow-eyed grass grow by creeks and like wet soil. So know what you are getting!

2. Manzanita and California lilac (ceanothus) are good candidates. Buckwheats, the tidier sages, heuchera, and toyon all grow pretty easily and require minimal maintenance. I’d love to hear your suggestions in the comments.

Current Climate Data

Global impacts (September 2026), US impacts (September 2026), CO2 metric, Climate dashboard

September 2026 marked the fourth consecutive month with record-warm global oceans.

The climate dashboard linked to above is new (from the UK’s weather service aka “meteorological office”) because the United States has mothballed the one at www.climate.gov/climatedashboard.

Source: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

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