Public Gardens of Native Plants

These gardens provide opportunities to see a wide variety of native plants throughout the year. 

Parks, Arboreta and Public Gardens

Lake Cunningham Native Plant Garden, 2305 S. White Road, San Jose (https://maps.app.goo.gl/3qdV4Zu14ReZu3q27) .This Native Garden covers a 2 acre swath between the southeastern end of the lake and the adjacent dirt parking lot. Founded in 2002, the garden is filled with California native wildflowers, perennials, and shrubs.

Native Plant Garden in Kirk Park

Jeffrey Fontana Park, intersection of Meridian Ave and Oakglen Way, San Jose. Across the street from 1278 Oakglen Way, San Jose. A beautiful selection of mature and new native plant gardens. Many of the plants are labelled.

Capitancillos Drive Native Plant Demonstration Garden, intersection of Capitancillos Drive and Oak Canyon Place. Extensive collection of chaparral shrubs and plants. Plants are labelled.

Ulistac Natural Area, Lick Mill Boulevard, Santa Clara. This 40-acre site was saved from development in 2001 and is the only dedicated natural open space in the City of Santa Clara.

Berger Native Demonstration Garden, 1553 Berger Drive, San Jose, CA 95112. The always-open Berger Native Demonstration Garden showcases a range of drought-tolerant California native plants. It's a great example of what a lawn-replacement project might look like. The garden was created in Fall 2013. 

Native Garden Wheel at Emma Prusch Farm Park. 

Master Gardeners Parcel at Martial Cottle Park, , 5283 Snell Ave, San Jose, CA 95136. This 4 acre parcel includes a a thriving Native Garden.

Master Gardeners San Carlos Native Plant Habitat Garden, 610 Elm St, San Carlos, CA 94070 (Between the San Carlos Library and San Carlos City Hall). This 8,000 square foot demonstration garden is filled with native California plants that were chosen to create a diverse community that provides food for wildlife, attracting birds, butterflies, and other pollinators. Started in 2019.

Master Gardeners Palo Alto Demo Garden, 851 Center Dr, Palo Alto, CA 94301 (Eleanor Pardee Park). The Water Wise Garden (always open to the public) includes many California native plants.

Bol Park Native Garden, This public garden is in a Palo Alto park, Cornelis Bol Park. The overall design of the garden is to maintain a wildlands look and to provide wildlife habitat. It includes a large area of hummingbird sage (Salvia spathacea), California Buckeye, Western Redbud Fremont's Cottonwood and many others.

Elizabeth F. Gamble Garden, 1431 Waverley Street, Palo Alto CA 94301. This garden includes a .3 acre parcel that features water-wise California Native Plants, including many Pacific Coast Iris hybrids that bloom in late winter.

Unitarian Universalist Church of Palo Alto Native Demonstration Garden, 505 East Charleston Road, Palo Alto. This very appealing garden is in front of the Unitarian Universalist Church; part of the garden was done in 2014 and contains mature plants, the other part was done in 2018 and contains much younger plants. The garden was designed with wildlife habitat in mind, and attracts various birds.

Primrose Way Pollinator Garden Collection, Primrose Way at Embarcadero Road, Palo Alto. On the area of about 20 by 200 feet, a couple dozen of carefully selected species of low-growing shrubs (e.g., Salvia "Bee's Bliss", CA buckwheat, ceanothus "Skylark", perennials (e.g., lilac verbena, milkweed, yarrow, goldenrod, bee plant, CA fuchsia, rosy ans saffron buckwheats), and various annuals (e.g. poppies, clarkias, baby blue eyes), coexist in harmonious arrangement.

Stevens Creek Trail, Mountain View. New landscaping is all natives. Plants include ceanothus, iris, fremontodendrons, elderberry, sages, native roses, buckeye, alder, and sycamore. Landscaping starts at La Avenida (off Shoreline, where there's a trailhead), then follows Stevens Creek for about a mile south to Central Expressway.

Portola Valley Town Center, 765 Portola Road, Portola Valley. Native garden next to the Historic Schoolhouse.

Centennial Park, El Camino Real at Floribunda, Hillsborough. Mixed planting of drought tolerant species includes many California natives.

City of San Carlos Native Plant Garden, 600 Elm Street, San Carlos. This big, well-designed, and well-labeled native plant garden by the San Carlos City Hall is right between the library parking lot and the dog park. One area has a focus on hummingbird-attracting plants and includes hummingbird sage, manzanita, and monkeyflower. A second area is for pollinators and includes coyote mint, yarrow, and milkweed. A part-shade area shows off ferns and native iris.

Woodside Library Garden, 3140 Woodside Road, Woodside. The garden (in the back of the library) is composed entirely of California native plants. It is open to the public during library hours: Mon-Thu 11-7; Fri-Sat 11-5. It is maintained by the Woodside-Atherton Garden Club. There is a brochure with a map of the different plants.

Regional Parks Botanic Garden. Tilden Park, Berkeley. The largest collection of California native plants in the world, with plenty to excite the native gardener.

Strybing Arboretum, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco. Contains a section devoted to California natives, the Arthur Menzies Native Garden.

UC Berkeley Botanic Garden, Strawberry Canyon, Berkeley. 200 Centennial Drive, #5045, Berkeley, CA 94720. (510) 642-0849. 13 acres of California natives.

UC Santa Cruz Arboretum, Empire Grade, UCSC Campus, Santa Cruz. Large sections devoted to plants from California, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa, and a "Natives Come First" Garden.

Overfelt Gardens, Educational Park Drive (at McKee), San Jose. A section of this city park called "California Wild" is devoted to California natives.

Colleges

West Valley College. 14000 Fruitvale Avenue, Saratoga. California native plants dominate the grounds at the West Valley College campus in Saratoga.

Native Hill at Foothill College. Foothill College, 12345 Moody Road, Los Altos Hills. Begun in 1982 by former faculty member Robert Will as a teaching aid for students, this small patch of land grew to house 170 species within one acre of land. .

Cheeseman Environmental Study Area. De Anza College, corner of Stelling & McLellan (inside the campus), Cupertino. Over 300 species of native plants representing 12 natural communities.

Duncan Hall Botanical & Habitat Garden. San Jose State University, San Salvador St (near 4th St), San Jose. Planted in the mid-1980s, this 4,000 sq.ft. area is landscaped with natives such as lemonade berry, Brewer's saltbush, spice bush, coffeeberry, and toyon, and home to a variety of species of birds, bees, squirrels, and lizards. It was maintained by the Natural History Club. [No longer there - link has been retained since there is useful plant information there]

Mission College. 3000 Mission College Boulevard, Santa Clara. New plantings of natives.

A California Native Garden at Stanford. Stanford University, Palo Alto. Designed by Meg Webster and installed in 2002, this garden replaced a lawn that was surrounded by redwoods, giant sequoias and coast live oaks.

Schools

Gardens associated with schools may not be open to the public. Please contact the school for information about visiting.

Cherry Chase Elementary School. 1138 Heatherstone Way, Sunnyvale. (408) 522-8241. A small native plant garden is located on a piece of land right next to the street.

Osborne Nature Area at Peterson. A 2-acre site planted in 1970 with native plants from eight biotic communities. Peterson Middle School, 1380 Rosalia Way, Sunnyvale. 

Hacienda Environmental Science Magnet School. A 1-acre site planted in 1971, contains redwood forest, oak woodland, chaparral, grassland, streamside and pond habitats. Hacienda Environmental Science Magnet School, 1290 Kimberly Drive, San Jose.

Others (outside Santa Clara Valley)

Forrest Deaner Native Plant Botanic Garden, Dillon Point Rd, Benicia, CA 94510. The garden covers 3.5 acres in the Benicia State Recreation Area. The Garden is an ideal setting for learning about native plants and how they may be used in home gardens and other landscape projects. 

Larner Seeds Demonstration Garden. A 1-acre site planted in 1980 with plants from several biotic communities. Definitely worth a visit. 235 Grove Road, Bolinas. Tue, Thu 10-2, Sat 12-4.

Pacific Grove Museum Of Natural History, 165 Forest Avenue, Pacific Grove, CA 93950. (408) 648-3116. Winter home of migrating monarch butterflies.

Asilomar Conference Grounds,
800 Asilomar Boulevard, Pacific Grove, CA 93950. (831) 372-8016. Worth a visit for the dune restoration project. The plant nursery includes a 960 square-foot greenhouse, which grows more than 400,000 plants, representing 25 native species for transplantation on the grounds.

Send your comments and suggestions to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

This page originally compiled by Arvind Kumar with input from Bracey Tiede, Tanya Kucak, and Wendy Winkler.

Native Plant Professionals

This is a list of local professionals in the Santa Clara Valley and San Francisco Peninsula areas who are dedicated to working with California native plants and providing landscape services in an environmentally responsible manner. The list includes landscape professionals who specialize in native plant landscape design, installation, and maintenance.

If your landscaping project requires the services of a professional, we hope this list is helpful. Please note that this is an informational listing only and does not constitute a referral. CNPS cannot take responsibility for the performance of any of the professionals listed below. We recommend verifying licensure and qualifications before hiring contractors.  

If you are a solicitor, please be respectful of this listing and do not cold call any of the names below selling services. To be added to this list, or to update your listing, contact Stephanie Morris at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

LANDSCAPE DESIGN

AFLA Landscape Architecture Ashini Fernando (408) 242 3054 LALic#5272 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  https://www.houzz.com/pro/aflandscapearchitecture 

Agi Kehoe Landscaping Agi Kehoe (408) 242.8358 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. http://www.agikehoe.com

Bay Maples: Wild California Gardens (408) 642-1860 1231 North First Street, San Jose, CA 95112  Lic# 977639   http://www.BayMaples.com

California Wild Natives http://www.californiawildnatives.com Julie (415) 672-7634

California Nativescapes Rebecca Schoenenberger (408) 243-5663 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. http://www.calnativescapes.com

Confidence Landscaping Jeff Sheehan (408)559-1800 971 Hamilton Ave. Campbell, CA 95008 http://www.confidencelandscaping.com

Crane Landscape Design Glenn Kranich (408) 888-1652 15466 Los Gatos Blvd. #109-113, Los Gatos, CA 95032 http://www.cranelandscapedesign.com

Crosby Landscaping Nate Crosby (408) 417.5137 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Curtis Horticulture Stephanie Curtis (408) 280.7339 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. http://www.curtishort.com

Deep Roots Landscape Construction and Design (408) 329-2077 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. https://www.deeprootslcd.com/contact

Earth & Spirit Jessica Wright (408) 840-3584 South San Jose and Bay Area This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. http://www.EarthandSpiritLandscapes.com

Earthcare Landscaping Linda Garrett (408) 871-2792 175 Bernal Road, Suite #210, San Jose, CA 95119 http://www.earthcareland.com

East Bay Wilds Pete Veilleux 2777 Foothill Blvd, Oakland CA 94601 (510) 409.5858 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. http://www.eastbaywilds.com

EcoFolia Design Cindy L.M. Angers 1452 N. Vasco Road No. 134 Livermore, CA 94551 (925) 323.5696 http://www.ecofolia.net This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

EcoGardens Landscape Design Shireen Zia (408) 705-8915 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. https://www.ecogardens.design/

Ecological Concerns, Inc. Oona Johnsen, Landscape Architect (831) 459-0656 125 Walk Circle, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. https://ecologicalconcerns.com/ 

Four Dimensions Landscape Company Michael Thilgen 2928 Poplar Street Oakland, CA 94608 (510) 893.1999 http://www.fourdimensionslandscape.com

Garden Enlightenment Dave Phelps, Landscape Architect (415) 215-5785 https://gardenenlightenment.com/

Golden State Gardens Bianca Vallorz, Landscape Designer (408) 838-6855 https://gsgbayarea.com This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Goldin California Natives Angela Goldin (408) 384-9071 https://goldincalifornianatives.com This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Gomery Design Jane Gomery (650)740.4648 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Green Thumb Works Sandra Nevala-Lee (510) 502-0992 https://greenthumbworks.net 

HKJohnson & Associates Heidi K Johnson (408) 863.0236 http://www.houzz.com/pro/heidikjohnson/__public This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Hortus Design Vijaya Gajjala 650-265-7596 http://www.hdsustainablelandscapes.com This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Jeni Webber Landscape Architecture and Design 7126 Marlborough Terrace Berkeley CA 94705 (510) 841 3311

Jolee Horne (650) 485.2515 office, (650) 669.9798 cell http://www.jhland.com This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Julie Orr Design Menlo Park, CA 94025 (650) 853.1618 http://www.julieorrdesign.com

Little Habitat Rebecca Atwell Palo Alto, CA https://www.littlehabitat.earth/

Madrono Landscape Design Geoff Coffey 375 Alabama St. #440 San Francisco, CA 94110 (415) 462.0489 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. http://www.madrono.org

Middlebrook Gardens Alrie Middlebrook (408) 292.9993 92 Race Street San Jose, CA 95126 http://www.middlebrook-gardens.com

Native Revival Nursery Erin O'Doherty (831) 684-1811 2600 Mar Vista Drive Aptos, California 95003-3615 http://www.nativerevival.com

Natural Landscape Design Patricia Evans (650) 559.6212 189 Arbuelo Way Los Altos, CA 94022 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Paradise Garden and Landscape, Inc. Jackie Marsey 408-691-9358 http://www.paradiselg.com This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Promised Greenland Jing Yan (408) 409-9316 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Sagebrush Garden Design Joana Smolen (650) 395-8495 http://www.sagebrushgardendesign.com

Smart Yards Co-op Elizabeth Sarmiento 544 Snyder Avenue, Suite 101 San Jose, CA 95125 (408) 883-5936 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. http://smartyardscoop.com

Stephanie Morris Landscape Architect Campbell, CA (408) 206.5055 LALic # 4580 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. http://www.nativeplantdesign.com

Shubha Landscape Design Shubhangi Fulambarkar (408) 244.8213 http://www.shubhalandscapedesign.com This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Water Efficient Gardens Shelkie Tao (669)232-3798 https://waterefficientgardens.com/ This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Wildscapes Garden Design Annaloy Nickum (650) 851.8375 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Yerba Buena Nursery 12511 San Mateo Rd. Half Moon Bay (650) 851-1668 http://www.yerbabuenanursery.com

LANDSCAPE INSTALLATION

Bay Maples: Wild California Gardens (408) 642-1860 1231 North First Street, San Jose, CA 95112  Lic# 977639   http://www.BayMaples.com

California Nativescapes Rebecca Schoenenberger (408) 243.5663 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. http://www.calnativescapes.com

Confidence Landscaping Jeff Sheehan (408)559-1800 971 Hamilton Ave. Campbell, CA 95008 http://www.confidencelandscaping.com

Curtis Horticulture Stephanie Curtis (408) 280.7339 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. http://www.curtishort.com

Deep Roots Landscape Construction and Design (408) 329-2077 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. https://www.deeprootslcd.com/contact

Earthcare Landscaping Lisa Gates (408) 871.2792 175 Bernal Road, Suite #210, San Jose, CA 95119  http://www.earthcareland.com

East Bay Wilds Pete Veilleux 2777 Foothill Blvd, Oakland CA 94601 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. http://www.eastbaywilds.com

Ecological Concerns, Inc. Jon Laslett, Director of Operations (831) 459-0656 125 Walk Circle, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. https://ecologicalconcerns.com/ 

Hortus Design Sustainable Landscaping Vijaya Gajjala 650-265-7596 http://www.hdsustainablelandscapes.com This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Middlebrook Gardens Alrie Middlebrook (408) 292.9993 92 Race Street San Jose, CA 95126 http://www.middlebrook-gardens.com

Paradise Garden and Landscape, Inc. Jackie Marsey 408-691-9358 http://www.paradiselg.com This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Pazmany Bros. Landscaping Peter Pazmany (650) 941-8596 Sunnyvale, CA This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. http://www.pazmanybros.com

Promised Greenland Jing Yan (408) 409-9316 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Sarah Nunley (408) 916.6546 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Shubha Landscape Design Shubhangi Fulambarkar (408) 244.8213 http://www.shubhalandscapedesign.com This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE

Bay Maples: Wild California Gardens (408) 642-1860 1231 North First Street, San Jose, CA 95112  Lic# 977639   http://www.BayMaples.com

California Nativescapes Rebecca Schoenenberger (408)243-5663 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. http://www.calnativescapes.com

Curtis Horticulture Stephanie Curtis (408) 280.7339 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. http://www.curtishort.com

Creative Garden Works Joan Lee (408) 206.7911 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. http://creativegardenworks.com

Earthcare Landscaping Ulan Garduno (408) 871.2792 175 Bernal Road, Suite #210, San Jose, CA 95119 http://www.earthcareland.com

East Bay Wilds Pete Veilleux 2777 Foothill Blvd, Oakland CA 94601 510.409.5858 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. http://www.eastbaywilds.com

Ecological Concerns, Inc. Garrick Hansen, Project Manager (831) 459-0656 125 Walk Circle, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. https://ecologicalconcerns.com/ 

Hortus Design Sustainable Landscaping Vijaya Gajjala 650-265-7596 http://www.hdsustainabledesign.com This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Pazmany Bros. Landscaping Peter Pazmany (650) 941-8596 Sunnyvale, CA This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. http://www.pazmanybros.com

Promised Greenland Jing Yan (408) 409-9316 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Poetree Landscapes & Arboriculture Jocelyn Cohen 415.285.2342 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Rhythmic Gardening Lior Dahan (408) 826-2720 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. https://www.rhythmicgardening.com

Sarah Nunley (408) 916.6546 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Shubha Landscape Design Shubhangi Fulambarkar (408) 244.8213 http://www.shubhalandscapedesign.com This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Smart Yards Co-op Elizabeth Sarmiento 544 Snyder Avenue, Suite 101 San Jose, CA 95125 (408) 883-5936 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. http://smartyardscoop.com 

ARBORISTS

Bo Firestone Trees & Gardens Busara Firestone, Certified Arborist (408) 497-7158 http://bofirestone.com  

Ecological Concerns, Inc. John Morley, Certified Arborist (831) 459-0656 125 Walk Circle, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. https://ecologicalconcerns.com/ 

Elemental Tree Network Sprout Weinberger, Certified Arborist (310) 525-8201 https://www.elementaltreenetwork.org/

Poetree Arboriculture Jocelyn Cohen, Certified Arborist (415)285-2342 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.   http://jocelync.com/

Gardening With Natives Forum

The Gardening With Natives email discussion group provides a forum for those interested in growing California native plants -- in their home gardens, parking strips, school gardens, parks, and elsewhere.

This group is a forum for communication, for asking questions, and for offering helpful answers. Members come from all backgrounds, from beginners to experts. This forum is particularly welcoming of those new to native plant gardening; they are encouraged to join and post their questions.

Announcements of native plant gardening events in the Bay Area and around the state are also sent to the group.

This moderated group is open to all. It has over 1400 members, and traffic ranges from 3 to 7 messages a day.

Berries for Birds

By Jeff Caldwell

One of the best ways to watch birds is to find native plants laden with ripe fruits of the sorts they love to eat. They often come out in the open to feed, and when there is plenty of good food they seem more at ease with human presence, or at least much less likely to fly far away. About two weeks ago I was gathering ripe coffeeberry fruits and was astonished at what a good look I was able to get of the western bluebirds which continued to feed on them, or retreated but a very short distance, eyeing me as I eyed them! Yellow-rumped warblers were with them.

A very satisfying way to enjoy birds is to plant native plants which provide food for them. Many berrying plants attract birds. Some people plant non-native species such as pyracantha or cotoneaster for the birds, but native berries attract a greater diversity of songbirds and often greater numbers as well. The flowers, foliage, leaf litter, etc., of native species also supports a greater diversity and abundance of invertebrates upon which the birds will feed year round.

Some of the more useful berrying species are:

Mexican elderberry (Sambucus mexicana)
Female house finch on blue elderberry (Steve Rosenthal)	This is a common riparian species, sometimes found at the base of hills or in ravines. The fruits in early summer attract an extremely wide range of birds, such as quail, thrashers, grosbeaks, woodpeckers, orioles, house finches, and orange-crowned warblers. It is very easy to cultivate. It does tend to get large and can be rangy, but responds well to pruning. It can be cut to the ground every year (or whenever it gets too big) in its winter dormant season, and it will still grow up to flower and set fruit.
Hollyleaf cherry (Prunus ilicifolia)
Holly-leaved cherry (Prunus ilicifolia) (Arvind Kumar)	This popular landscaping subject provides good bird food. The seeds may be planted where the plants are wanted. They are often planted as screens along property lines. They can be severely hedged, but it is best to allow them to grow at least 6 feet tall, or better yet, give them plenty of room to develop as specimens. For maximum value to birds allow them to be branched to the ground and allow leaf litter to accumulate.
California coffeeberry (Rhamnus californica)
California coffeeberry (Rhamnus Californica) (Arvind Kumar)	This shrub is particularly useful because it provides succulent berries in early fall. Many birds visit it year round for insects. It is an attractive foliage plant, easy to cultivate and grows quickly.
Brown dogwood (Cornus glabrata)
Brown dogwood (Cornus glabrata) (Jed & Bonnie McClellan)	This riparian species grows very fast with some water. It features lush foliage, bright blue berries in late summer loved by many songbirds, and some fall color as well. Small birds like to nest in it. To observe it with its associated birds in the wild check out the stands found along Old Page Mill Road in Palo Alto.
Toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia)
Toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia) (Arvind Kumar)	The bright red berries are the favorite food of robins and waxwings in winter, with more than 20 species of birds utilizing them for food. The seeds contain a small percentage of cyanide compounds, but nevertheless purple finches (seed predators) rip open the fruits to eat great numbers of them. In its season no berry is more attractive. The birds do not get "drunk" on toyon as they do with the non-native pyracantha which often results in tragedy if a busy street is adjacent. Toyon is very easy to grow. Give it enough room so that little or no pruning will be required. Very interesting insects, many bees in some cases, visit its early summer white flower panicles.
Oregon grape (Berberis aquifolium) and Shinyleaf barberry (Berberis pinnata)
Oregon grape (Berberis aquifolium) (Arvind Kumar)	These are easy to grow and quite decorative. I will never forget how close I was able to approach Phainopeplas feeding on Berberis pinnata fruits at Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden in Claremont. They were most reluctant to leave such a delicious feast.
Poison oak (Toxicodendron diversilobum)
Poison oak (Toxicodendron diversilobum) (Arvind Kumar)	In the cashew family, the fruits are attractive to birds that normally eat mast or insects, such as jays, woodpeckers, titmice, and wrentits. Poison oak is an important food for many birds, especially wrentits and hermit thrushes. Poison oak is not as hard to live with as some people think. Obviously it may be wise to clear it away from trails or heavily used areas; nuisance seedlings can be dealt with conveniently and safely with a mini weed wrench (a product of the New Tribe company).

There are many other fine berries for birds, such as thimbleberry, hairy honeysuckle, wild grape, blue witch -- any berry species is worth trying. Flocks of yellow warblers will come for Pacific wax myrtle.

 

Native Hill

Native Hill is the name for a native plant garden at Foothill College in Los Altos Hills. It was started in 1982 by Robert Will, horticulture instructor at the college and chapter president 1981- 83 and state president 1984-86. He started the collection to teach students native plant identification and care. CNPS member Ellie Gioumousis lead CNPS SCV's support for the garden for many years, helping it to reach over 160 species and cultivars.

Chapter volunteers have expanded and improved the collection ever since. In 1991 Don Brandeau and Mary Kaye, both design professionals and chapter members, created a unified planting design. The College added irrigation as well as removed blue gum eucalyptus, frozen in 1990, through agreement with Mal Leal, director of operations at Foothill. The native plants responded to the tree removal with improved vigor.

160 species of natives planted on this hill bring tremendous educational and aesthetic benefits. The community TV station on campus made a video featuring the garden in 1994. The SJ Mercury News had a full-page article on Native Hill in the weekend edition on July 1, 1994. Channel 6 had a half hour show on it in 1999. 

The plants at Native Hill are used by faculty and students from Horticulture and Biology departments. A faculty member coordinates the activities at Native Hill.