| Botanical Name | Common Name | |
| Alyogyne huegelii | Blue Hibiscus | Santa Cruz' and 'Monterey' are deeper blue. |
| Arbutos unedo | Strawberry Tree | Colorful fruit in fall followed by winter bloom. |
| Brunfelsia pauciflora | Yesterday-Today-and-Tommorrow | Covered with fragrant spring bloom on arching stems. |
| Buddlea davidii | Butterfly Bush | Colorful flowers, popular with hummingbirds. |
| Caesalpinia pulcherrima | Barbados Pride | |
| Calliandra sp | Fairy Duster | |
| Callistemon* | Bottlebrush | Little John' is a dwarf form to 3 ft tall. |
| Calycanthus occidentalis | Spice Bush | Dark maroon flowers summer, needs water, native. |
| Carpenteria californica | Carpenteria | White flowers spring and early summer, best on north or east wall, native. |
| Cercis occidentalis | Western Redbud | Spectacular display of magenta flowers in spring. |
| Cistus sp | Rockrose | White-purple spring flowers, mounding shrub. |
| Citrus sp | Oranges, Lemons, etc | Citrus Fruit, spring fragrance, attracts hummingbirds. |
| Escallonia sp | Escallonia | |
| Euryops pectinatus | Euryops | Very adaptable, yellow daisylike flowers. |
| Feijoa sellowiana | Pineapple Guava | |
| Galvezia speciosa | Island Bush Snapdragon | Firecracker' is a compact form |
| Grevillea* | Grevillea | Takes reflected heat, little summer water. |
| Grewia occidentalis* | Lavender Starflower | Fast growing, takes reflected heat on south wall |
| Helianthemum nummularium | Sunrose | Related to Rockrose, good groundcover. |
| Heteromeles arbutifolia | Toyon | Red berries around Christmas. Native to Sacramento. |
| Hibiscus syriacus | Rose of Sharon | Best Hibiscus for hottest areas. |
| Justica californica | California Beloperone | |
| Kunzea baxter | Scarlet Kunzea | |
| Lagerstroemia indica* | Crape Myrtle | Good for shading hot walls. Available as a shrub or tree. Many colours. |
| Lantana sp* | Lantana | Easy to grow, colorful groundcover or shrub for hottest locations. |
| Lupinus albifrons* | Silver Bush Lupine | Shrubby Lupine common is Sierra Foothills. Also grows along the American River Parkway. |
| Mahonia aquifolium | Oregon Grape | Best with afternoon shade but does well in hot parking lot strips. Good along walls/foundations. |
| Melaleuca nesophila | Pink Melaleuca | |
| Myrtus communis | True Myrtle | |
| Nerium Oleander* | Oleander | Good screen, thrives on neglect. |
| Philadelphus lewisii | Mock Orange | |
| Photinia sp | Photinia | Tough, fast grower. |
| Pittosporum sp* | Pittosporum | 'Nana' is a dwarf form to 3 ft tall. |
| Plumbago auriculata* | 'Royal Cape' | Looks fresh all summer. Sky-blue flowers. |
| Potentilla fruticosa | Shrubby Cinquifoil | |
| Punica granatum* | Pomegranate | |
| Rhamnus sp | Coffeeberry | Native to the bluffs along the American River, needs little summer water. |
| Rhaphiolepsis sp | India Hawthorne | |
| Ribes malvaceum | Chaparral Currant | Best in part shade. |
| Romneya coulteri | Matilija Poppy | |
| Rosa sp* | Rose | |
| Ruellia californica | Ruellia | |
| Salvia sp | Salvia, Sage | Many varieties available. |
| Spirea sp | Spirea | |
| Tecrium cossonii | Germander | |
| Tecrium sp | Germander |