Matilija Poppy Romneya coulteri flower blossom with large, delicate white petals and round yellow center

Why Native Plants?

The native plant movement has been growing in popularity, but in actuality, native plants are about as timeless as you can get.

What are Native Plants?

According to the US Forest Service, native plants are indigenous species on land and in our waterways that have evolved to naturally exist in a particular region, ecosystem, and habitat. In North America, we typically describe them as the plants that occurred prior to European colonization.

California's Extraordinary Native Plant Variety

We're pretty enthusiastic about California native plants, and for good reason. California is one of only 36 biodiversity "hotspots" in the entire world. And we mean it when we call them diverse—our state boasts an extraordinary array of over 6500 native plant species.

Here are just a few reasons why we love California native plants:

A Celestial Blue Sage Salvia 'Celestial Blue' flower in a flowerbed

Extraordinary Beauty

California natives create show-stopping gardens. People around the globe cultivate our natives as ornamentals, celebrating their exquisite colors, blossoms, and dramatic shapes: think of the massive blooms of the Matilija Poppy, the fragrance of Salvias, and the blanket of color on a Ceanothus.

Drought Tolerant, Four-Season Gardens

There's more to a native garden than just succulents and cacti. Many people are surprised to learn that California has thousands of plants with showy, colorful flowers and lush evergreen foliage. With a diverse California native landscape, your yard can be covetable all year long.

White Sage Salvia apiana and White Common Yarrow Achillea millefolium in bloom

Yellow sulfur buckwheat Eriogonum umbellatum blooms

Locally Adapted

For the most resilient and dynamic garden, you can choose plants that are local to you, right down to your neighborhood. These plants are adapted to your unique microclimates, so they typically live longer and require far less intensive maintenance than exotic counterparts.

More Butterflies, Fewer Bothers

Native plants create sustainable habitats for local wildlife with food and shelter for butterflies, bees, birds, and more. By supporting their health, you also help protect the animals that keep rodents and mosquitoes in check.

A monarch butterfly Danaus plexippus on a California Thistle Cirsium occidentale v californicum flower

Sacred datura white bloom Datura wrightii

Locally Sourced

You shop local and eat local, why not garden local? By choosing plants that are sourced and grown close to you, you reduce pollution and waste, and help keep our air, ground, and waterways cleaner.

Dramatic Landscapes (and Less Drama)

When they're chosen with care, California native plants are equipped to thrive with far less human intervention than most non-native plants. Adapted to thrive in our distinct climates and diverse geography, native plants allow you to spend less time battling nature and more time enjoying it.

St. Catherine's Lace Eriogonum giganteum leaves and flowers

Delphinium bakeri rare blue flower bloom

Highly Rare Plants

Among the thousands of California native plants, one third exist nowhere else on Earth. However, in 2024, there were 222 species, subspecies, and varieties of native plants designated as rare, threatened, or endangered, with thousands more at risk. By celebrating them today, we also protect them for future generations.

Cool Shade on Hot Days

Beyond planting new native trees, protecting mature natives like Live Oaks also protects vital shade sources. For instance, unshaded pavement can be more than 60°F hotter than shaded pavement. But, a single mature Valley Oak can create a 100-foot-wide canopy of shade that keeps you and your neighbors cooler (and your electric bills lower) on hot days.

Quercus agrifolia coastal live oak in a grassy field in front of a mountainside

A bird of prey soars with its wings spread wide

Organic, Pesticide-Free Spaces

With California native plants, you can create a self-sustaining ecosystem that never requires pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers. This includes chemicals that harm populations of beneficial birds of prey, which keep many unwanted pests under control.

Natural Erosion Control

Hillside homes are common in California, but few erosion-control methods can actually stabilize the soil deep within the ground. Using native plants, land managers can create deep root systems that form a meshed, three-dimensional matrix to stabilize the soil more effectively than with construction methods alone.

Romneya sp. Matilija poppy field blooming on a hillside

California Agave from Besanti California Native Plant Drought Tolerant Landscaping

WE'D LOVE TO MEET YOU

We’re passionate plant lovers with years of personal landscaping and consulting experience. Whether we are maintaining your established native garden, helping you appeal to potential homebuyers, or introducing you to California native plants for the first time, our well-rounded skills and thoughtful methods create spaces that embody the vibrancy of the Golden State—and bring out the best in you.

BOOK A CONSULTATION

BESANTI NATIVES

CALIFORNIA NATIVE LANDSCAPING

Why Native Plants?

What are Native Plants?

California's Extraordinary Native Plant Variety

WE'D LOVE TO MEET YOU

BESANTI NATIVES