A collaboration with California Botanic Garden. 

Did you know that mosquitoes are attracted to cool, shady areas with lots of plants that provide protection from the sun and wind? 

Many SoCal yards have non-native plants that grow densely with large leaves that provide resting places for mosquitoes to beat the heat. You can ditch the density & landscape mosquitoes out with CA Native plants.

Check out our resource guide below ⬇

Your Guide to Beautiful & Bite-Free CA Native Plants!

DOWNLOAD AND PRINT A COMPREHENSIVE PLANT GUIDE (pdf)

Do you have a theme for your future garden? This guide breaks down the types of plants you can use in addition to how much sunlight your garden may receive. Whether you're looking at a pollination theme, a desert theme, or you plan to go wild with wildflowers, this guide is perfect for you!

HABITAT GARDENING FOR BUTTERFLIES 🦋

Gain insight into how to best use California native plants in your garden to support butterfly populations, which plant species will provide nectar for adult butterflies or food for caterpillars, and how to maintain those plants year round.

BUTTERFLY BIOLOGY 🔍

Learn about the lifecycle of a butterfly, host and nectar plants, and how you can help the native butterfly populations of Southern California!

MAINTAINING YOUR ESTABLISHED NATIVE PLANTS 🌿👩‍🌾

Basic questions answered: when and how to prune, what to do if the plant is overgrown, how to water new and established plants especially during the summer.

SEED SAVING: COLLECTING, PROCESSING, STORING, & GERMINATING 🌱

We will focus on the what, when, where and how of seed collecting, understanding how to clean and process seeds in preparation for proper storage, and how to germinate seeds when the time comes. 

ARRANGE WILD 💐

As you get to know the aesthetic characteristics of these beautiful flowers, our horticulture staff will bring insight into their horticultural value and help you learn how to grow and maintain these native plants at home.

WILDFLOWER BLOOM & BUST CYCLES 🌻🔄

Walk away with a better understanding about how our changing world could impact superblooms of the future and efforts to conserve California's unique plant diversity.

EATING CALIFORNIA! USING YOUR NATIVE PLANTS IN YOUR DIET & GARDEN 🍽️

Learning from and paying honor to many living traditions that have been passed down by local indigenous peoples, this unique lecture explores how old ways can combine with new ways to find a place in local gardens and kitchens.

HABITAT GARDENING FOR BIRDS AND OTHER POLLINATORS 🐦🦋

As you learn how to take care of a variety of plants, you will ensure they have a long, healthy life providing food and shelter for your favorite winged friends. 

DAMES IN THE GARDEN: WOMEN WHO SHAPED CALIFORNIA'S LANDSCAPE 🚺💡

Dames in the Garden: Women Who Shaped California’s Landscape, presented by Peggy Perry, is a survey of women horticulturists, designers, botanist, and conservationists who left a legacy still seen in California today.

PRUNING TECHNIQUES FOR CA NATIVE PLANTS ✂️

Join us virtually to learn some tips and tricks for how to prune and shape your native plants when the time comes. 

Other Resources We Love From California Botanic Garden:

OWL HOUR 🦉

Get to know Odie, the screech owl, Honey, the barn owl, and Bruce, the great horned owl, and find out what makes them tick. Learn about their habitats, unique behaviors, and amazing adaptations that make them such great nocturnal hunters. 

NATURE PHOTOGRAPHY 📷

Gain insight into camera settings such as aperture, shutter speed, ISO and more. With the use of example photographs, you will be able to visualize the effects of these settings and begin to understand when and why you may want to use them.

 Continued Learning: Is Your Property At Risk For Harboring Mosquitoes? 💦 + 🏡 = 🦟

Resources by the California Botanic Garden. For more in-depth information, California Botanic Garden is blooming with plant guides! 

🖋  Written by Ally Gaspar, Outreach Assistant