Coffeeberry Frangula californica – Images courtesy of Marlin Harms

Way back in 1992 the Watershed Education Program for San Luis Obispo County, in conjunction with U.C. Extension and the Soil Conservation Service (now Natural Resources Conservation Service) produced a list of native plants suitable for erosion control. CNPS feels that the wildfires of 2016 justifies republication of this list, although we have editied for species name changes and removed a couple of non-native species from the original list. The Highway 41 fire burned two years later, but that was far smaller than the current spate of fires.

David Chipping

Lupinus albifons

Trees and Shrubs

Alnus rhombifolia
White Alder 1,2
Acer macrophyllum
Big Leaf Maple 1,3
Acer negundo var. californicum
Box Elder 4
Artemisia califomica
California Sagebrush 5, 12,26
Baccharis pilularis Coyote Brush 12, 27
Ceanothus cuneatus
Buckbrush 5, 6, 12
Cornus glabrata
Creek Dogwood 1, 16, 18
Frangula californica
Coffeeberry 5, 10, 28
Hazardia squarrosa
Goldenbush 6
Heteromeles arbutifolia
Toyon 5,12,28
Myrica califomica
Bayberry (Wax-Myrtle) 1, 16
Plantanus racemosa
California Sycamore 1, 16
Populus trichocarpa
Black Cottonwood 1, 16
Querus agrifolia
Coast Live Dak 5,12,17,27, 28
Rhamnus crocea
Redberry 5
Ribes divaricatum
Wild Gooseberry 8
Ribes menziesii
8, 24
Ribes menziesii var. hystrix
8,20
Ribes speciosum
Fuschia flowered Gooseberry 8
Rosa californica
Wild Rose 1
Rubus ursinus
California Blackberry 1, 9, 20
Salix lasiolepsis
Arroyo Willow 1, 16, 18,22
Salvia mellifera
Black Sage 5, 6, 26
Salvia spathacea
Hummingbird Sage 20
Sambucus nigra ssp. caerulea
Blue Elderberry 1, 5, 11, 12, 28
Umbellularia californica
California Bay, California Laurel 2, 5, 12, 16, 24

Toyon and Sycamore

Forbs and Grasses

Acmispon americanus
Pink Deer-Vetch 6,12
Artemisia douglasiana
Mugwort 1,5,24
Bloomeria crocea var. aurea
Golden Stars 25
Claytonia perfoliata
Miner’s Lettuce 16, 17
Crassula connata var. connata
Pygmy Weed 6
Cryptantha sp.
Cryptantha 6
Cyperus eragrostis
Umbrella Sedge 1
Delphinium sp.
Larkspur 6,28
Eleocharis palustris
Common Spike rush 1,16
Elymus glaucus
Blue Wildrye 5,12,15,20,27
Elymus triticoides
Creeping Wild rye 5,12,15,19,22,27
Epilobium ciliatum ssp. watsonii
Willow Herb 1
Equisetum telmateia
Giant Horsetail 1, 11,28
Erigeron canadensis
Horseweed 1,13
Eschscholzia californica
California poppy 5,6,23
Helianthus annuus
Sunflower
Hoita macrostachya
Leather Root 1, 18
Hordeum brachyantherum
Meadow Barley 15,19,23
Lupinus albifrons
Bush Lupine 5,6,28
Lupinus succulentus
Lupine 14,15,28
Microseris sp. 6
Mimulus cardinalis
Scarlet Monkey Flower 1,16
Mimulus guttatus
Monkey Flower 1,16
Phacelia distans
Phacelia 6
Poa secunda
Pine Bluegrass 5,12,23
Schoenoplectus americanus
Threesquare Bulrush 1,19
Scirpus microcarpus
Small Flowered Bulrush 1
Selaginella Bigelovii
Spike Moss 6,25
Spergularia sp.
Sand Spurrey 19
Stachys bullata
Hedge-Nettle 1,20
Stipa cernua
Nodding Stipa 5
Stipa pulchra
Purple Needle Grass 5,6,12,14,23,27
Symphyotrichum chilense
Wild Aster 1,11
Typha domingensis
Narrow Leaved Cat-Tail 1, 24
Verbena lasiostachys var. lasiostachys Verbena 1,25
Vicia americana
Vetch 20

Comment KEY

1. Prefers moist areas

2. Tolerates winds

3. Resistant to Oak Root Fungus

4. Messy, attracts pests

5. Drought resistant

6. Dry, sandy, or rocky areas

7. Needs irrigation

8. May not be available in nurseries

9. Seldom a good crop of fruit

10. Better with some summer water first year

11. Invasive root system

12. Good wildlife cover

13. Common weed

14. Heavier soils

15. Good on fresh cut/Mill

16. Not for dry areas

17. Not for saline areas

18. For stream beds

19. Can handle saline/alkalai

20. Shaded woody areas

21. Can not tolerate wind

22. Spreads rapidly

23. Open hills and plains

24. Canyons

25. Will grow in serpentine soils

26. Keep on dry side

27. Not in standing water

28. Some species may have poisonous parts