By Antonia Torrey, UC Master Gardener
| 1. Seashore Bentgrass (Agrostis pallens) – California Native | |
|---|---|
| Disease and pest free | Yes |
| Tolerant of foot traffic | Moderate |
| Water | Drought tolerant to regular |
| Sunset climate zones | 1-9, 14-24 |
| Soil | Adaptable |
| Sun Exposure | Sun to shade |
| Height | 4-12 inches |
| Leaf color | Light green |
| Flower | Golden spike clusters to 2 feet |
| Maintenance | Occasional mowing |
| Trims into a lawn | Yes |
| Temp Tolerance | Heat and Cold-Yes |
| Dormancy | In dry gardens fully summer dormant but can be maintained with water |
| Wildlife | Deer resistant |
| 2. UC Verde Buffalograss (Buchloe dactyloides) – California Native, bred at UC Davis | |
|---|---|
| Disease and pest free | Yes |
| Tolerant of foot traffic | Yes |
| Water | Drought tolerant |
| Sunset climate zones | 5-24 |
| Soil | Adaptable |
| Sun Exposure | Does best in full sun |
| Height | 6-7 inches |
| Leaf color | Bright green |
| Flower | Seedless |
| Maintenance | Occasional mowing |
| Trims into a lawn | Yes |
| Temp Tolerance | Heat Yes, Cold No |
| Dormancy | Winter dormant if frost areas |
| Wildlife | Deer resistant |
| 3. Clustered Field Sedge (Carex praegracilis) - California Native | |
|---|---|
| Disease and pest free | Yes |
| Tolerant of foot traffic | Yes, extremely durable |
| Water | Drought tolerant |
| Sunset climate zones | 1-5, 15-17, 22-24 |
| Soil | Tolerant of poor soils |
| Sun Exposure | Full sun to partial shade |
| Height | 16 inches |
| Leaf color | Green to yellow-green |
| Flower | Inconspicuous |
| Maintenance | Fast growing, regular mowing |
| Trims into a lawn | Yes |
| Temp Tolerance | Heat and Cold- Yes |
| Dormancy | Away from coast, will turn brown with minimal summer irrigation |
| Wildlife | Deer resistant |
| 4. Silver Carpet (Dymondia margaretae) – South Africa Native (Sunflower family) | |
|---|---|
| Disease and pests | Gophers |
| Tolerant of foot traffic | Moderate |
| Water | Drought tolerant, occasional to regular |
| Sunset climate zones | 17-24 |
| Soil | Likes well drained |
| Sun Exposure | Sun to partial shade |
| Height | 3 inches |
| Leaf color | Green and silver-white |
| Flower | Small daisy-like yellow |
| Maintenance | Occasional weeding, good grower |
| Trims into a lawn | No trimming |
| Temp Tolerance | Frost tender |
| Dormancy | Evergreen perennial |
| Wildlife | Attracts butterflies |
| 5. Blue Fescue (Festuca glauca) – Europe Native – ‘Festina’ | |
|---|---|
| Disease and pest free | Yes |
| Tolerant of foot traffic | No |
| Water | Drought tolerant, occasional to regular |
| Sunset climate zones | 1-9, 14-24 |
| Soil | Adaptable, grows best in well drained |
| Sun Exposure | Coast full sun, interior partial shade |
| Height | 10 to 18 inches |
| Leaf color | Blue to silver blue |
| Flower | Summer in spikes |
| Maintenance | Low |
| Trims into a lawn | Not too well; grows in dense tufts |
| Temp Tolerance | Cold- yes, Hot- no |
| Dormancy | Evergreen |
| Wildlife | Deer resistant |
| 6. Idaho Fescue (Festuca idahoensis) – California Native – ‘Siskiyou Blue’ | |
|---|---|
| Disease and pest free | Yes |
| Tolerant of foot traffic | Moderate |
| Water | Drought tolerant, occasional to regular |
| Sunset climate zones | 1-10, 14-24 |
| Soil | Tolerant of most types |
| Sun Exposure | Coast full sun, interior partial shad |
| Height | 12 to 18 inches |
| Leaf color | Blue to blue green |
| Flower | Amber 18 inches above foliage |
| Maintenance | Occasional dividing |
| Trims into a lawn | Not too well; grows in dense clumps |
| Temp Tolerance | Heat and Cold- Yes |
| Dormancy | Evergreen |
| Wildlife | Deer resistant |
| 7. Creeping Red Fescue (Festuca rubra) – California Native – ‘Molate’ | |
|---|---|
| Disease and pest free | Yes |
| Tolerant of foot traffic | Some tolerance |
| Water | Drought tolerant, occasional to reg. |
| Sunset climate zones | A2, A3, |
| Soil | Not fussy |
| Sun Exposure | One of the most shade tolerant grasses. Coast full sun, interior partial shade |
| Height | 6 to 12 inches |
| Leaf color | Narrow dark green blades |
| Flower | Inconspicuous |
| Maintenance | Low |
| Trims into a lawn | Yes |
| Temp Tolerance | Not well in hot climates, except shady dry areas |
| Dormancy | Evergreen |
| Wildlife | Deer resistant |
| 8. Kurapia (Lippia nodiflora) - ‘Kurapia New White’ or ‘Kurapia Pink’ | |
|---|---|
| Disease and pest free | Yes |
| Tolerant of foot traffic | Light |
| Water | Drought tolerant |
| Sunset climate zones | 1-9, 14-24 |
| Soil | Adaptable |
| Sun Exposure | Full sun; tolerates partial shade |
| Height | 4-12 inches |
| Leaf color | Dark green |
| Flower | White or pink |
| Maintenance | Low |
| Trims into a lawn | No trimming |
| Temp Tolerance | Heat and Cold- Yes |
| Dormancy | Evergreen in winter; semi-dormant when average daily temperature falls below 38° |
| Wildlife | Attracts bees and butterflies; deer resistant |
| 9. Common Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) - California Native | |
|---|---|
| Disease and pest free | Yes |
| Tolerant of foot traffic | Moderate |
| Water | Drought tolerant once established |
| Sunset climate zones | A1, A3, 1-24 |
| Soil | Adapts to a variety of soil compositions, from sandy, to loamy, to clay |
| Sun Exposure | Full sun |
| Height | Up to three feet. |
| Leaf color | Green to grayish-green |
| Flower | White, yellow, pink, red, purple, orange |
| Maintenance | Low |
| Trims into a lawn | Mow or clip for ground cover |
| Temp Tolerance | Heat and Cold- Yes |
| Dormancy | Winter |
| Wildlife | Attracts bees and butterflies; deer resistant |
| 10. Roman Chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile) | |
|---|---|
| Disease and pests | Aphids, thrips, mealybugs |
| Tolerant of foot traffic | Moderate |
| Water | Fairly drought tolerant once established |
| Sunset climate zones | 2-24 |
| Soil | Will grow well in poor soil |
| Sun Exposure | Full sun or partial shade |
| Height | 3-6 inches |
| Leaf color | Bright light green |
| Flower | Resemble little daisies |
| Maintenance | Low |
| Trims into a lawn | Mow or clip for ground cover |
| Temp Tolerance | Heat and Cold- Yes |
| Dormancy | Winter |
| Wildlife | Attracts bees; deer resistant |
| 11. Creeping Oregano (Origanum vulgare) - ‘Humile’ | |
|---|---|
| Disease and pests | Spider mites, aphids |
| Tolerant of foot traffic | Moderate |
| Water | Drought tolerant |
| Sunset climate zones | 1-24 |
| Soil | Tolerant of poor soils, needs good drainage |
| Sun Exposure | Full sun |
| Height | 6 inches |
| Leaf color | Light green |
| Flower | Purple, pink, or white |
| Maintenance | Low |
| Trims into a lawn | Mow or clip for ground cover |
| Temp Tolerance | Heat and Cold- Yes |
| Dormancy | Late fall and winter |
| Wildlife | Attracts butterflies; deer resistant |
| 12. Creeping Thyme (Thymus serpyllum) - ‘Pink Chintz’ | |
|---|---|
| Disease and pests | Spider mites, aphids |
| Tolerant of foot traffic | Yes |
| Water | Drought tolerant |
| Sunset climate zones | A1, 1A, 1B, A2, 1-22 |
| Soil | Adaptable |
| Sun Exposure | Full sun |
| Height | 2-3 inches |
| Leaf color | Blueish green |
| Flower | Pink |
| Maintenance | Low |
| Trims into a lawn | Mow or clip to stimulate new growth |
| Temp Tolerance | Heat and Cold- Yes |
| Dormancy | :Late fall and winter |
| Wildlife | Attracts bees and butterflies; deer resistant |
| 13. Nana Dwarf Carpet of Stars (Ruschia lineolata) | |
|---|---|
| Disease and pest free | Yes |
| Tolerant of foot traffic | Moderate |
| Water | Drought tolerant |
| Sunset climate zones | 16-26, H1, H2 |
| Soil | Tolerates a range of soil types |
| Sun Exposure | Full sun to partial shade |
| Height | 2 inches |
| Leaf color | Green and silver white |
| Flower | White with pink stripes |
| Maintenance | Very low |
| Trims into a lawn | No trimming |
| Temp Tolerance | Heat and Cold- Yes |
| Dormancy | Evergreen perennial |
| Wildlife | Attracts bees and butterflies; deer resistant |
References
Kurapia: A New Low-Water Groundcover. UC Davis California Center for Urban Horticulture. https://ccuh.ucdavis.edu/resources/projects/smartlandscape-at-ucdavis/smartlawn/turf-alternative-kurapia
Lawn and Lawn Alternatives. UC Marin Master Gardeners. LAWN & ALTERNATIVES - UC Marin Master Gardeners (ucanr.edu)
No-Mow Fineleaf Fescue Grasses for California Urban Landscapes. UC ANR. No-Mow Fineleaf Fescue Grasses for California Urban Landscapes (ucanr.edu)
‘UC Verde’ Buffalograss. UCCE. Environ, Horticulture ,Pears, Cherries and Viticulture.
'UC Verde' Buffalograss - Environ. Horticulture, Pears, Cherries, and Viticulture (ucanr.edu)
Waterwise Landscaping for San Luis Obispo County. Water-Wise Gardening in San Luis Obispo County (slowaterwiselandscaping.com)