Plant Hardiness Zone Map
Find your zone! The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map is the standard by which gardeners and growers can determine which plants are most likely to thrive at a location.
Water Use Classification of Landscape Species (WUCOLS)
Conserve water by matching water supply to plant needs, and by planting similar water and sun needs together. WUCOLS IV provides evaluations of the irrigation water needs for over 3,500 taxa (taxonomic plant groups) used in California landscapes.
Summer Planting Guide
Planting seedlings during the summer in our county is a daunting task that requires a lot of care both during and after planting. UC Davis Arboretum provides some helpful tips for those brave enough to take on this task.
Plants and Seeds
Butte County All-Star Plants
A collection of landscaping plants that are easy to grow; well suited to our climate and soils; low-maintenance, especially in terms of fertilization and pruning; drought tolerant; able to support beneficial wildlife; and readily available to home gardeners. Section includes a copy of the brochure with planting instructions, plant photos, and an excel spreadsheet to aid in planning.
Climate Appropriate Plant List for Northern California
Compiled by Butte County Master Gardeners and organized by plant type, this document contains information about plant size, bloom time, drought tolerance, sun requirements and wildlife attracted.
UC Davis Arboretum All-Stars and Database
The All-Stars are 100 tough, reliable plants that have been tested in the UC Davis Arboretum that are easy to grow, don’t need a lot of water, have few problems with pests or diseases, and have outstanding qualities in the garden. Includes a searchable database to find the right plant for your garden.
California Native Plant Database
Created by Theodore Payne Foundation for Wild Flowers and Native Plants, the database contains information and photos about California Natives. There's also a Plant Guides for Garden Needs section with seasonal planting guides, special garden conditions, plants to attract wildlife, plants for containers, fragrant plants, and plants for special geographic areas.
Chico Seed Lending Library
The Chico Seed Lending Library (CSLL) is a self-perpetuating collection of seeds donated and shared by members of the general public. Hosted at the Chico branch of the Butte County Library, CSLL is available free of charge to any Butte County Library card-holder.
Visit the Drought and Water-Wise Gardening section for water-wise plants.
Orchards and Trees
Fruit and Nut Tree Care and Maintenance
Prepared specifically for Butte County by Paul Vossen, UCCE Farm Advisor, Sonoma & Marin Counties and Joseph Connell, UCCE Farm Advisor Emeritus, Butte County.
Dave Wilson Nursery for Home Gardeners
Contains how-to information about home orchards, including details about fruit varieties.
City of Chico Street Trees
Information about city trees. Includes the Tree Guide for Chico, a colorful pdf guide for selecting recommended landscape trees, and how to plant them.