Achillea millefolium
White Yarrow

Perennial with white 3" flowers in tight heads, rising 2 ft. above fernlike, fragrant foliage. Used as a lawn substitute and in revegetation; found in many different situations. Excellent cut flower and good reseeder. Good dried flower for winter bouquets. Drought-tolerant.
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Achillea millefolium 'Rosy Red'
Deep pink form of yarrow

Tough and drought-tolerant native perennial with deep pink flowers, rosy red yarrow grows 8 to 12" tall with flowering stalks to 18" tall. It is an excellent component of the perennial border.

Aquilegia formosa
Western Columbine

A perennial found in many different environments throughout the West, usually where some moisture is available. Red and yellow blossoms on flowering stalks 3-4' tall, blue-green round foliage to 2' tall, long flowering period. Blooms March through June. Attracts hummingbirds. Sun or part-shade. In limited quantity and we can only sell one (1) packet per customer.

Armeria maritima
Sea Pink

Small grasslike perennial with pink flowers on 8" stalks. We learned how to plant sea pink from the bluffs above Pescadero Beach, where they grow in glorious masses. Good rock garden plant. Blooms early Spring. Interesting in bouquets.

Asclepias fascicularis
Narrow-leaf Milkweed

Attractive subshrub with very fragrant, greenish white flowers tinged with purple. Famous for being host plant for monarch butterfly. Can be seen in summer covered with the green caterpillars that will become monarch butterflies.

Aster chilense
California Aster

Vigorous native perennial 1-2' tall with pale lilac flowers resembling Michaelmas daisies. Upright habit. Blooms late fall. Prune after bloom. Good butterfly nectar plant. Part-shade or full sun. Spreads through rhizomes once established.

Brodiaea elegans
Elegant Brodiaea

These bright purple flowers, members of the lily family, are easy to grow, thriving in either sandy loam, gravelly loam, or clay. They stand from 4" to 15" tall, depending on the soil in which they are grown. Also called "Indian potatoes," the corms were a staple food of our indigenous peoples. Plant bulbs 4 to 6 inches deep.
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Calochortus amabilis
Golden Fairy Lantern

Clear yellow flowers nodding on stems 8-12" tall. Found in semi-shady areas in northern California. Great cut flower, with interesting seed capsules. Supply limited. List substitute in Shopping Cart.

Camassia quamash
Blue Camas

Probably one of the most well-known native foods, Blue Camas turns fields and prairies to a sea of striking blue-purple flowers in May to June. The bulb from which it grows is one of the largest "Indian Potatoes," and should be grown, harvested, and eaten in a somewhat similar manner to other Indian potatoes, except that it requires significantly longer processing. Be sure to read this link for info on cooking.

Camas likes moist situations that dry out in the summer, including creek banks, vernal pools, depressions, and the edges of marshes. It is found throughout much of the West, and its importance to native peoples was great. It is fascinating to become acquainted in your garden with such a significant species. Plant in the fall.

Seed packet for $5.00
1 oz. of bulbs and bulblets of assorted sizes for $7.50

Chlorogalum pomeridianum
Soap Lily, Amole

Spidery white flowers on 2-4 ft. stalks open as the sun goes down. Bulbs used for soap and roasted for food by California Indians, as well as pounded into glue. Bristles used to make scrub brushes. Found in many areas in California, from the coast to the chaparral. Plant where their spiky flowers can be seen in the evening.

Cirsium occidentale
Cobweb Thistle

Showy white-leaved thistle with large crimson webbed flowers. Grows 2-4' tall, likes full sun. Found in many plant communities, blooms Apr-June. Biennial. Seed, painful to gather, but worth it. Seed supply is limited to 1 per customer.
In our nursery, we now have plants available in 4" and 1-gallon sizes.

Claytonia sibirica
Peppermint Candy Flower

Perennial wildflower with pink and white striped flowers and bright green, succulent, edible leaves. Grows 1 to 2 ft. tall. Found in moist woods, in wetlands, in part or deep-shade. Extremely long bloom period, from February to June.

A great garden plant that should be more widely used, it will bloom in deep shade, such as under willows or oaks, and spreads nicely. A relative of Indian, or Miner's, lettuce (Claytonia perfoliata).

Cynoglossum grande
Hound's Tongue

Wonderful deep blue-flowered perennial for shade gardens. Large lush leaves. Blooms early spring, easily grown from seed. Cut to ground in late summer. Always a treat to see in the wild, great under oaks.

Erigeron glaucus
Beach Aster

Low-growing perennial to 1' tall with lovely daisy-like purple flowers blooming for a long period through the summer. Found in coastal dunes but does well inland with some afternoon shade. Nectar plant for butterflies.

Grindelia arenicola
Gumplant

Dazzling yellow display in August on dunes and slopes of Pt. Reyes peninsula from this low-growing creeper. Succulent leaves and daisy-like large flowers. Easy to grow. Use in place of the nastily invasive capeweed. Good nectar plant.

Grindelia camporum
Central Valley Gumplant

Perennial with yellow flowers and attractive whitish-green flowering stalks with varnished appearance. Found in valleys, lowlands, Upright habit, resinous leaves.

Grindelia stricta
Salt Marsh Gumplant

Erect subshrub or perennial to 3' high with bright yellow daisy like flowers in late summer and fall. Spreads through rhizomes. Easy to grow and vigorous, excellent nectar plant for fall flying butterflies. May look ragged in natural setting but is handsome in the garden. more info

Heracleum lanatum
Cow Parsnip

Handsome perennial with huge leaves on stems 3-5' tall with large white flowers in flat-topped clusters. Shoots edible. Larval food plant for Anise Swallowtail butterfly.

Heuchera pilosissima
Shaggy Alumroot

Showy, easy, vigorous alumroot, forming clumps to two feet wide. Sturdy panicles 16" tall with large, pink-white flowers. Leaves attractive all seasons. Sun on coast, part-shade inland. Good for the woodland garden or the flower border. Blooms March-May.

Horkelia californica
California Horkelia

Useful evergreen perennial with handsome deep green fern-like leaves in clumps 1 ft. tall and equally wide. Good for the bones of the perennial border.

Iris douglasiana
Douglas Iris

With a glorious color range from delicate cream to rich lilac to deepest velvety purple, this native iris is found throughout the coast ranges of California, in both sun and part shade. Spreads rapidly and is drought-tolerant. Excellent under oaks and in wildflower meadows.

Lessingia filaginifolia
Dune Aster

Ground-hugging perennial under 1' tall with silvery leaves and lilac-colored daisy-like flowers. Makes elegant ground-cover as it spreads 3' wide. Found in shallow, rocky soil, in full sun and part-shade. Drought-tolerant.

Linum perenne ssp. lewisii
Blue Flax

A long-blooming pale blue wildflower growing 2-3 feet tall. Reliable reseeder. Delicate flowers make lovely effect in masses.

Lupinus variicolor
Many-Colored Lupine

Low-growing perennial shrub 1-2’ wide with soft grey-green foliage. Diminutive clusters of white, yellow, rose or purple flowers (often on a single plant). Blooms in April and extends through the summer months. Good for perennial borders, grassland restoration or small-scale ground cover. Found on North Coastal terraces & grasslands. Food plant of endangered Mission Blue Butterfly.

Lotus formosissimus
Coast Lotus

Showiest of lotuses, blooming in spring for several months with deep pink and yellow flowers. Under 8" tall, good for front of flower border. Low leafy mats that go dormant in winter. Fixes nitrogen. Supply limited.

Mentzelia laevicaulis
Giant Blazing Star (Smooth Stem Blazing Star)

Spectacular wildflower with yellow petals and stamen set off by silvery-white bracts. These shiny, star-shaped flowers are extremely showy. It is found in sandy, rocky, and disturbed soil along road-cuts in the Great Basin and the California deserts. Barbed hairs on the 1-2 ft. tall branched stems hook insects. A perennial or short-lived biennial, it is drought-tolerant and blooms in late summer to fall.

Mimulus guttatus
Creek Monkeyflower

Showy yellow-blooming perennial that blooms early in the spring for several months. Found in moist places, like seeps, around creeks, near ponds. Vigorous and easy to grow, the new leaves are edible, and the flowers are a native bee magnet. Spreads through rhizomes as well as reseeding freely. 1' tall, upright habit.

Penstemon heterophyllus
Blue Bedder Penstemon

Adding a rich deep blue to the native perennial border, this penstemon blooms in late spring and early summer. Likes good drainage and full sun. 1' tall. Supply limited.

Phacelia bolanderi
Bolander's Phacelia

Useful perennial groundcover for dry shade. Appreciates some summer water and blooms more lushly with some sun. Lilac flowers l" across contrast pleasingly with gray-green leaves. Reseeds. An excellent filler in the native border, growing to l to 2' tall.

Phacelia californica
Coast Phacelia

Most attractive low-growing perennial found on rocky bluffs in full sun. Fuzzy silvery-grey green leaves form neat mounds with light purple flowers rising 12-15” above. Useful both for its horticultural potential in rock gardens and perennial borders and for its efficacy in erosion control. A very strong seeder beloved by bees. Needs no water on the coast, and some inland, where afternoon shade is also appreciated.

Plantago subnuda
Coastal Plantain

Ground-hugging plantain with attractive rounded pink-veined leaves. Seed stalks are striking, one foot long. A grouping of this plant makes an eye-catching design in the native prairie. Needs moisture. Seed is edible, recommended for diabetics.

Ranunculus californica
Buttercup

Perennial, glossy-petalled, yellow wildflower marking early spring. Adaptable and reliable. Goes dormant mid summer.

Scrophularia californica
Bee Plant

Perennial 3' to 6' high with tiny dark red flowers that are usually being visited by a bee. Larval food plants for checkerspot butterfly. Good for chaparral and coastal areas. Stalks with seed pods are effective in dried-flower arrangements. Quick-growing herbaceous hedge. more info

Sidalcea calycosa rhizomata
Point Reyes Checkerbloom

Glossy-leaved low-growing groundcover with charming pink flowers, May to June. Tolerates part-shade, drought. Spreads through stolons. Goes partially dormant late summer in full sun, stays green with some shade. Vigorous and easy. Surprisingly adaptable given that it is uncommon in nature. Can grow in wet situations and sandy, dry soils as well. A real delight in the garden.

Sidalcea malviflora
Checkerbloom

This showy perennial thrives in sun or part-shade, including under oaks. Growing 12" to 14" tall, it has bright pink flowers on upright stems and blooms March-May. Glossy green leaves set off the blooms. Goes well with Douglas iris and peppermint candy flower.

Sisyrinchium bellum
Blue-Eyed Grass

Grasslike perennial with blue saucer-shaped flowers on 18" stalks. Found on grassy hillsides and in meadows throughout California. One-half inch wide flowers have yellow centers. Excellent perennial member of the wildflower meadow. One foot tall. Long bloom period beginning in early Feb. Moist or semi-dry.

Sisyrinchium californicum
Yellow-Eyed Grass

Perennial with pure yellow flowers produced in abundance spring through summer. Thrives in containers, takes sun or shade. Reseeds vigorously, hardy to 20 degrees. Likes moisture.

Tanacetum camphoratum
Dune Tansy

Dune tansy is a rhizomatous perennal 1-2' tall with showy silvery dissected leaves and yellow disk flowers. It is becoming rare in the Bay Area due to loss of habitat, especially in San Francisco. It makes a good coastal ground-cover with full sun and light soil, easy to grow and appealing. Great for the silver or grey garden, grown in masses. Cut halfway to the ground in the fall to keep it neat.

Tellima grandiflora
Fringe Cups

Ground cover for shady areas. Attractive deep-green lobed leaves. Flowering stalks are 16" high with greenish, pink, or white flowers. Abundant seed production, spreads easily in compatible areas. May like some summer water. Found in mixed-evergreen forests, redwoods, by creeks.

Thalictrum fendleri
Foothill Meadow-Rue

Shade-loving perennial 2-3 ft. tall with delicate fernlike leaves resembling maidenhair fern. Small white flowers. Excellent for woodland border, under oaks. Fall/winter dormancy.

Trifolium wormskioldii
Springbank Clover

Triteleia hyacinthina
Wild Hyacinth, Hyacinth Brodiaea, White Brodiaea

A prolific member of the group of native bulbs known as "Indian potatoes" for their edible corms, which were an important part of the diet of indigenous Californians. This species has lovely funnel-shaped white flowers, sometimes flushed purple, with green veins on the back. Each flower has six stamens with white, yellow, or blue anthers. The showy umbel-like clusters of flowers grow 12" to 16" tall and are particularly pleasing in bouquets. They look very bridal and last well.
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In healthy mixed evergreen woodlands, a diverse low-growing layer of herbaceous species lights up the forest. Perennials like milk maids, candy flower, several kinds of native violets, woodland star, trillium, and many others cloak the ground. In northern coastal scrub, checkerbloom, yerba buena, western columbine, and clarkias find coyote bush and sagebrush to be gracious hosts. In grasslands, many annual and perennial wildflowers have a place.

The Problem

The movement of invasive non-native species continually challenges the successful reproduction of these small things, the annual and perennial forbs. The danger of local extinctions of herbaceous species is a real one, and one that can be addressed by the native plant gardener.

Here at Larner Seeds, we have become increasingly concerned over the disappearance of species perhaps not federally or locally recognized as in trouble, but that we see as in danger of local extinction. A case in point is candy flower, Claytonia sibirica.

We used to enjoy this species in two nearby sites, one woodland and one fresh water marsh. The woodland has been invaded by scotch broom. The marsh has been invaded by scotch broom, vinca, and himalayan blackberry. No more candy flower.

About Candy Flower

We planted it in our demonstration garden in the deep shade of a locally native willow. With no work or water  whatsoever, it has returned year after year, to light up this dark place with its pink and white flowers for almost four months. In the case of candy flower, we found a species that would thrive and bloom in deep shade, characteristics sought after by gardeners. It has also proven adaptable to growing in the milder shade of coyote bush and in full sun on the coast.

Growing species like peppermint candy flower is just one example of the "Fostering Forbs" project we are engaged in with westMarin Commons. Turning our horticultural skills and dedication to the growing of threatened native forbs is a win/win situation. We make a safe haven for the species and all the insects associated with it. In return, we get beautiful, drought-tolerant, easy to grow garden flowers that are all too rarely found in California gardens. Surprises await you!

Gardeners, with their skills and dedication, can be instrumental in the preservation of small things.

Our Method

The seed is broadcast in seed flats, and transplanted once the true leaves have fully appeared to four inch plastic pots. These are kept in a protected outdoor location till the roots have almost filled the pot, at which time they are transplanted to the garden, watered thoroughly for two weeks to a month, depending on time of year, and then left to get on with it.

Our Greatest Satisfaction

We love to see our customers leaving with seed packets or 4” pots of our native forbs. These plants, part of the diversity and beauty of California, will richly reward those who provide homes in their gardens.

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Larner Seeds PO Box 407, Bolinas, CA 94924 Shop & Demonstration Garden, 235 Grove Rd Bolinas CA 415.868.9407 415.868.2592 fax info@larnerseeds.com	Larner Seeds' Shop & Demonstration Garden
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