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California Wildflower Garden by Seed

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Wildflower Garden from Seed

Plant a wildflower garden from seed. There are two lists - the first is California native plants that start fairly easily from seed. The second list is a list of pretty weeds, many of which are often sold in wildflower seed packets. Wildflower packets can have seed from anywhere, as you might guess this is a pet peeve of mine. Many of these plants are noxious weeds if left to their own devices, and there is certainly a danger that they might escape into whatever wild spaces might be nearby . . . beware. Others are tame enough if you don't reside next to a wild place, best to know the difference.

When planting California natives when I want sure success I plant California poppies and a couple of species of annual lupines, Lupinus microcarpus densiflorus and Lupinus succulentus. Others will grow if they are placed in the proper locations at the right time and the rains come as expected. Not so sure that rains ever come as expected. Solid shade plants include Chinese Houses, Collinsia heterophylla, and Woodland Clarkia, Clarkia unguiculata. Oenothera hookeri can fill space like no other, one plant will make you a thousand more.

Speaking of one plant making a thousand more any of the pretty weeds all have the potential to do the same. These plants are great for filling in space in a young garden or in a place where you just don't want to water but would really appreciate a plant or two (thousand). Yet I use them with some caution. And even enjoy them. While it is more like herding cats than the controlled idea of planting perennials this can make for a very rewarding garden on a limited budget or with limited effort. The real danger is that many of these plants can get loose in a wild space and choke out the natives, so have some real caution when using them if you are gardening close to an open space

California Native Wildflowers by Seed

Abronia villosa * Desert Sand Verbena, Hairy Sand Verbena
Achillea millifolium Sonoma Coast * Yarrow
Agoseris grandiflora * California Dandelion
Allium howellii var howellii * Howell's Onion
Amsinkia tessellata * Bristly Fiddleneck, Devil's Lettuce
Aquilegia chrysantha * Golden Columbine
Aquilegia formosa * Crimson Columbine
Asclepias angustifolia * Arizona Milkweed
Asclepias californica * California Milkweed
Asclepias cordifolia * Purple Milkweed
Asclepias eriocarpa * Woolypod Milkweed, Indian Milkweed, Kotolo Milkweed
Asclepias erosa * Desert Milkweed
Asclepias fascicularis * Narrow Leafed Milkweed, Mexican Whorled Leafed Milkweed
Asclepias speciosa * Showy Milkweed
Asclepias subulata * Rush Milkweed, Skeleton Milkweed
Baileya multiradiata * Desert Marigold
Calochortus albus * Fairy Lantern, White Globe Lily, Satin Bells
Calandrinia ciliata * Red Maids, Fringed Red Maids
Calandrinia menziesii * Red Maids, Fringed Red Maids
Calochortus catalinae * Catalina Mariposa Lily
Calochortus clavatus pallidus * Club Hair Mariposa Lily
Calochortus invenustus * Plain Mariposa Lily
Calochortus kennedii * Desert Mariposa Lily
Calochortus leichtlinii * Smokey Mariposa Lily
Calochortus minimus * Sierra Mariposa Lily
Calochortus monophyllus * Yellow Star Tulip
Calochortus plummerae * Plummer's Mariposa Lily
Calochortus venustus * Butterfly Mariposa Lily
Camassia quamash * Camas
Camissonia boothii condensata * Booth's Evening Primrose, Woody Bottle Washer
Camissonia boothii decorticans * Desert Shredding Evening Primrose
Camissonia cheiranthifolia * Beach Primrose, Beach Suncup
Campanula rotundifolia * Harebell
Castilleja exserta * Purple Owls Clover
Chaenactis artemisiifolia * White Pincushion
Clarkia bottae * Punch Bowl Godetia, Botta's Fairy Fan Flower
Clarkia purpurea purpurea * Winecup Clarkia
Clarkia purpurea quadrivulnera * Four Spot Fairwell to Spring
Clarkia unguiculata * Woodland Clarkia, Elegant Clarkia
Clarkia williamsonii * Fort Miller Clarkia
Collinsia heterophylla * Chinese Houses
Collinsia tinctoria * Sticky Chinese Houses, Tincture Plant
Coreopsis bigelovii * Bigelow's Coreopsis, Desert Coreopsis

Delphinium cardinale * Scarlet Larkspur
Delphinium occidentale * Western Larkspur, Duncecap Larkspur
Delphinium patens * Zizag Larkspur, Spreading Larkspur
Delphinium purpusii * Kern County Larkspur, Rose Flowered Larkspur
Dichelostemma capitatum * Blue Dicks
Dodecatheon clevelandii * Padre's Shooting Star
Dodecatheon hendersonii * Mosquito Bills, Foothill Shooting Star
Eremalche rotundifolia * Desert Five Spot
Eremothera boothii condensata * Booth's Evening Primrose, Woody Bottlewasher
Eremothera boothii decorticans * Desert Shredding Evening Primrose
Eriogonum arborescens * Santa Cruz Island Buckwheat
Eriogonum giganteum * St. Catherine's Lace
Erysimum capitatum * Western Wallflower, Sand Dune Wallflower
Eschsoltzia caespitosa * Tufted Poppy, Foothill Poppy
Eschsoltzia californica * California Poppy
Eschscholzia minutiflora * Pygme Poppy
Eschscholtzia parishii * Parish's Poppy, Pygme Poppy
Festuca californica * California Fescue
Galium aparine * Bedstraw, Cleavers
Geraea canescens * Hairy Desert Sunflower
Gilia capitata * Thimble Flower, Globe Gilia
Gilia latifolia * Broad Leaved Gilia, Holly Leaf Gilia
Gnaphalium californicum * California Everlasting, California Cudweed
Heuchera maxima * Island Alum Root
Lasthenia californica * Goldfields
Layia platyglossa * Tidy Tips
Leptosyne bigelovii * Bigelow's Coreopsis, Desert Coreopsis
Lewisia brachycalyx * Short Sepaled Bitterroot
Lewisia cotyledon Elise * Cliff Maids, Siskiyou Lewisia
Lewisia cotyledon Little Plum * Little Plum Bitterroot
Lewisia rediviva * Bitterroot
Linum lewisii * Western Flax
Lupinus arizonicus * Arizona Lupine
Lupinus bicolor * Miniature Lupine
Lupinus exubitus * Grape Soda Lupine
Lupinus grayi * Sierra Lupine
Lupinus hirsutissimus * Stinging Lupine
Lupinus microcarpus densiflorus * Chick Lupine
Lupinus stiversii * Harlequin Lupine
Lupinus succulentus * Succulent Lupine, Arroyo Lupine
Lupinus truncatus * Collared Annual Lupine

Malacothrix glabrata * Desert Dandelion
Mentzelia laevicaulis * Giant Blazing Star
Mentzelia micrantha * Chaparral Blazing Star, San Luis Stickleaf
Mentzelia pectinata * San Joaquin Blazing Star
Mimulus bigelovii * Bigelow's Monkeyflower
Mimulus cardinalis * Cardinal Monkeyflower, Scarlet Monkeyflower
Mimulus guttatus * Seep Monkey Flower, Yellow Monkey Flower, Golden Monkey Flower
Nassella pulchra * Purple Needle Grass
Nassella speciosa * Desert Needle Grass
Nemophila maculata * Five Spot
Nemophila menziesii * Baby Blue Eyes
Oenothera elata hookerii * Hooker's Evening Primrose
Paeonia californica * California Peony
Pedicularis groenlandica * Elephant's Head
Phacelia campanularia * Desert Bluebell, California Bluebell
Phacelia cicutaria * Caterpillar Phacelia
Phacelia ciliata * Great Valley Phacelia
Phacelia crenulata * Cleftleaf Wild Heliotrope, Heliotrope Phacelia, Notch Leaved Phacelia
Phacelia distans * Wild Heliotrope, Distant Phacelia
Phacelia grandiflora * Large Flowered Phacelia
Phacelia parryi * Parry's Phacelia
Phacelia ramosissima * Branching Phacelia
Phacelia tanacetifolia * Lacy Phacelia, Tansy Leafed Phacelia
Phacelia viscida * Sticky Phacelia
Pholistoma auritum * Fiesta Flower
Platystemon californicus * Cream Cups
Rafinesquia neomexicana * Desert Chicory, New Mexico Plumeseed
Salvia carduacea * Thistle Sage
Salvia columbariae * Chia
Sidalcea malviflora * Checker
Silene laciniata * Indian Pink, Cardinal Catchfly
Sisyrinchium bellum * Blue Eyed Grass
Sisyrinchium californicum * Yellow Eyed Grass
Solidago californica * California Goldenrod
Sphaeralcea ambigua * Desert Mallow
Stachys albens * White Hedge Nettle
Stanleya pinnata * Prince's Plume
Trichostema lanceolatum * Vinegar Weed
Trifolium wildenovii * Tomcat Clover
Triphysaria eriantha * Yellow Owls Clover

Pretty Weeds by Seed

Anchusa capensis * Summer Forget Me Not
Anomatheca laxa * Flowering Grass, False Freesia
Aquilegia caerulea * Rocky Mountain Columbine
Babiana Night Vision * Baboon Flower
Calendula officinalis Zeolights * Pot Marigold
Catanache caerulea * Cupid's Dart
Celosia argentea spikata * Flamingo Feather, Wheatstraw Celosia
Centaurea cyanus * Bachelor Buttons
Centaurea cyanus Black Gem * Black Gem Bachelor Button
Centranthus ruber * Red Valerian, Jupiter's Beard
Cosmos sulphureus * Sulphur Cosmos
Delphinium occidentale * Western Larkspur, Duncecap Larkspur
Dipsacus fullonum * Teasle
Dolichos lablab * Hyacinth Bean
Eschscholzia californica Carmine King * Carmine King California Poppy
Eschscholzia White Linen * White Linen California Poppy
Euphorbia characias * Mediterranian Spurge
Euphorbia cyathophora * Fire on the Mountain, Painted Leaf
Euphorbia myrsinites * Myrtle Spurge
Freesia alba * Wild Freesia
Freesia laxa * Flowering Grass, False Freesia
Gaura Dark Pink * Dark Pink Wand Flower
Gaura lindheimeri * Bee Blossom
Gaura Passionate Rainbow * Passionate Rainbow Wand Flower
Geranium incanum * Carpet Geranium
Hesperaloe parviflora * Red Yucca
Hesperaloe parviflora Yellow * Yellow Red Yucca
Hunnemania fumariifolia * Mexican Tulip Poppy
Hyacinthoides hispanica * Spanish Bluebell, Wood Hyacinth
Lapierousia laxa * Flowering Grass, False Freesia
Lavatera trimestris Pink Blush * Annual Mallow
Linum usitatissimum * Common Flax, Linseed
Lychnis coronaria * Rose Campion, Johnny Prick Nose
Mirabilis jalapa * Four O'Clock, Marvel of Peru
Moluccella laevis * Bells of Ireland
Nassella tenuissima * Mexican Feather Grass
Nigella damascena * Love in a Mist
Oenothera fremontii Shimmer * Shimmer Sundrops, Fremont Evening Primrose
Oenothera missouriensis * Missouri Evening Primrose, Ozark Sundrops
Oenothera speciosa * Mexican Evening Primrose
Pseudognaphalium californicum * California Everlasting, California Cudweed
Ratibida columnifera * Mexican Hat, Upright Prairie Coneflower
Salpiglossis sinuata Black Trumpets * Black Trumpets Painted Tongue
Scabiosa ochroleuca * Yellow Pincushion Flower
Scilla hispanica * Spanish Bluebell, Wood Hyacinth
Scilla scilloides * Chinese Squill
Sisyrinchium striatum * Satin Flower, Rush Lily
Trachelium caeruleum * Throatwort
Tropaeolum minus Black Velvet * Black Velvet Nasturtium
Verbascum chaixii album * Nettle Leaved Mullein