Many people, including myself, love Spring over the other seasons, but I would like to introduce you to plants that thrive and make their “statement “in the Summer and Fall, providing bright color when most plants are winding down for the winter. These plants provide much-needed late-season forage for a variety of birds, insects, and other animals. Some that are migrating through and require sustenance on their way “out of town.”

Eriogonum fasciculatum – California Buckwheat

The Buckwheat family is a veritable pollinator magnet. One of the four Buckwheats on our island is Eriogonum fasciculatum, California Buckwheat, our state’s most widespread, shrubby Buckwheat species. A hardy green shrub, it boasts an abundance of creamy white flowers that bloom throughout the Summer and into Fall. Their leaves are 1/2 – ¾ inches long, clustered in bundles like pine needles. They are felty white beneath and medium to silvery green on the upper surfaces, depending on the amount of leaf hairs. These leaf hairs assist with cooling the plants exposed to extreme sunlight, dry conditions, one of the many drought adaptations. Eriogonum fasciculatum may reach 4 feet in height. Some have arching branches that root where they touch the ground and create low, spreading mounds.

They are larval hosts to a number of butterflies, and their flowers provide food for the Dotted Blue, Green Hairstreak, Blue Copper, and Acmon Blue butterflies and other insects. The seeds are important for songbirds and small mammals.

Oenothera hookeri – California Evening Primrose

Oenothera hookeri is a bright yellow shrub with sweet-smelling saucer-like flowers blooming in late Spring and into late Summer. The flowers burst open in the evening until the next morning, when they wither and drop. Flowers are 2-4 inches wide on 1–6-foot flower stalks. They can tolerate full sun to partial shade and a variety of watering regimens. Naturalization occurs freely through their abundant seed production. To protect them from hungry deer, I use an organic spray: Liquid Fence, which keeps them away with its strong odor. Fun fact: As the flowers go to seed, they are perfect for songbirds since the capsules remain upright, they make a perfect bird feeder plant. Also, it’s been said that Oenothera’s flowers glow in the dark, which attracts the nocturnal Long-tongued Moth.

Solidago californica- California Goldenrod

Basically, an unknown in the gardener’s repertoire, California Goldenrod is a valuable native plant for summer and fall color. Bees, butterflies, and other insects flock to their beautiful, deep yellow flowers on 1-4 feet tall stalks. Their leaves are 2-4 inches long and ½ to 1 ½ wide. Goldenrod is a great candidate for a large-scale meadow and can also serve as a beneficial green groundcover. Their creeping rhizomes can also serve as erosion control.

Pruning should be done after flowering, removing dried foliage and spent stalks.

Contrary to common belief, Goldenrod does not induce hay fever symptoms. The real culprit is ragweed, which blooms at the same time.

Helianthus annus -California Sunflower

Our native California sunflowers are large, coarse plants with multiple 3 to 5-inch-wide daisy-like flowers. The flowers have dark centers encircled by golden petals. Sunflowers typically bloom from June until the first frost. Bees and other insects are attracted to the flowers, and birds utilize their seeds once the flowers are spent. Sunflowers should be planted in the spring as the weather begins to warm. These tall plants can be used as backgrounds or mixed with other shrubs. They also make good cut flowers.