Waterwise plants for a low maintenance yard of Los Angeles
A lawn might be lovely, but it takes a lot of hard work to make it so; you’ve got to mow, weed, thatch, reseed, aerate. Then repeat. If you’d rather spend more time enjoying the outdoors instead of working on it, switch to one of these low-maintenance yard ideas. As a bonus, you’ll also save on your water bill because these alternatives use less water.
Low maintenance does not necessarily mean that you will avoid plants all together; the use of water wise plants will require less water and grow well in your area. As well as water wise plants, use of rocks in your yard will allow run off water to collect and feed your plants.
Gardeners wishing to live in a sustainable way will want to plant water-wise plants in their gardens. Indeed, many cities may soon require it. Waterwise plants have developed qualities that help them tolerate low rainfall, high heat and drying winds. These characteristics are taproots, leaves with fine gray hairs or high oil content, and bulbous, water-storing roots.
Here are a list of water wise plants and alternatives:
Perennials, Shrubs, and Ornamental Grasses
Agave species (Agave)
Alyogyne huegelii (Blue Hibiscus)
Arctostaphylos species (Manzanita)
Artemisia species (Sagebrush)
Ceanothus species (California Lilac)
Chamelaucium uncinatum (Geraldton Waxflower)
Cistus species (Rockrose)
Dudleya species (Live Forever)
Echeveria species (Hens-and-Chickens)
Encelia californica (California Encelia)
Galvezia speciosa (Island Bush Snapdragon)
Grevillea species (Grevillea)
Heteromeles arbutifolia (Toyon)
Lavandula species (Lavender)
Leucophyllum species (Texas Ranger)
Lobelia laxiflora (Mexican Bush Lobelia)
Mahonia nevinii (Nevin’s Barberry)
Melalueca nesophila (Pink Melaleuca)
Myrtus communis (Common Myrtle)
Nassella species (Needlegrass)
Penstemon species (Penstemon)
Rhus species (Sumac)
Rosmarinus officinalis (Rosemary)
Salvia, selected species (Sage)
Sisyrinchium bellum (Blue-Eyed Grass)
Tapetes lemmonii (Copper Canyon Daisy)
Verbena, selected species (Verbena)
Trees
Arbutus unedo (Strawberry Tree)
Chitalpa tashkentensis (Chitalpa)
Geijera parviflora (Australian Willow)
Laurus nobilis (Sweet Bay)
Olea europaea ‘Swan Hill’ (Swan Hill Olive)
Pinus eldarica (Afghan Pine)
Prosopsis chilensis (Chilean Mesquite)
Quercus agrifolia (Coast Live Oak)
Rhus lancea (African Sumac)
Vines
Bougainvillea species (Bougainvillea)
Macfadyena unguis-cati (Cat’s Claw)
Vitis californica (California Wild Grape)
Turf
Buchloe dactyloides (Buffalograss)
Cynodon dactylon (Hybrid Bermudagrass)
Zoysia ‘Victoria’ (Victoria Zoysiagrass)
Ground Cover
Acacia redolens ‘Desert Carpet’
(Dwarf Prostrate Acacia)
Achillea species (Yarrow)
Baccharis species (Coyote Brush)
Cotoneaster dammeri (Bearberry Cotoneaster)
Lampranthus species (Ice Plant)
Lantana montevidensis (Trailing Lantana)
Myoporum parvifolium (Myoporum)
Sedum species (Stonecrop)
