Marin Backyard Habitats
The Marin Backyard Habitats program invites you to transform your yard into a thriving habitat by planting native species that support local wildlife, conserve water, and improve soil health.
By replacing invasive plants and reducing pesticide use, you can protect waterways from pollution and create a sanctuary for birds, bees, bats, butterflies, and more.
Start your journey to creating a healthy backyard habitat by selecting plants from the searchable Marin Local Native Plant Guide listing below .
Here we have suggested over 40 resilient local native plants that will enrich your garden, improve your appreciation of local wildlife and enhance the resilience of your neighborhood.
Sky Lupine
Annual
Lupinus nanus
Blue,Lavender fragant spring flowers
Dies back with summer heat , Self
Supports Bats, Bees , Birds, Caterpillars and over 53 species of Butterflies and Moths
Adds fertility to the soil by fixing nitrogen from the air
Has been growing in California for thousands of years, likely since the end of the last Ice Age, around 11,000–12,000 years ago.
Type: Annual
Size: to 2 ft Tall
watering: Water Maximum 2x / month ,
notes: Deer Resistant, Fire Safe , Will grow in Pots, Self seeds
Mugwort
Perennial
Artemisia douglasiana
Easy to Grow
Fragrant silver-grey leaves, flowers are small and not obvious
Supports Bats, Birds, Caterpillars, and 30 species of Butterflies and Moths
Many medicinal uses reported
Type: Perennial
Size: 1 To 3ft
Watering: Maximum Summer Water 1 x / Month
uses: TAGS Deer Resistant
Red Fescue
Perennial Grass
Festuca rubra
Red fescue makes mounding lawn or soft groundcover and can be mowed to 2 inches.
Thrives in Cool Season, often becomes brown and dormant in the Summer heat
Suitable for a meadow garden as well as in dry shade under oaks.
Supports 12 species of Butterflies and Moths
In the natural landscape, it is often among the pioneer species that colonize disturbed areas, contributing to soil stabilization and establishing more complex plant communities.
Type: Grass
Size: 1 to 2 ft
Watering: Maximum Summer Water 1x / Month
uses: TAGS Deer Resistant, Fire Safe, Lawn Alternative
Oregon Gumweed
Perennial
Grindelia stricta
Easy to Grow
Yellow Flowers Spring and Summer
Supports Bats, Caterpillars and 10 species of Butterflies and Moths
Excellent butterfly nectar source in summer and fall, birds & small mammals often eat the seeds and may use plant for nesting site. Native American tribes in the region, such as the Chumash, are known to have used it for medicinal purposes, which suggests that Grindelia stricta has been an integral part of the California landscape for a long time.
Type: Perennial
Size: To 3 ft
Watering: Maximum Summer Water 3x / Month
uses: TAGS Deer Resistant
Douglas Iris
Perennial
Iris douglasiana
Easy to Grow
Pink , Blue , Purple Flowers in Winter and Spring
Supports Caterpillars, Hummingbirds and Butterflies
Tribes of Mendocino County used the fibers along the edges of the leaves to make rope for hunting and fishing.
Type: Perennial
Size: To 1 ft
Watering: Maximum Summer Water 1 or 2 x / Month
uses: TAGS Deer Resistant, Fire Safe, Will grow in Pots
Blue Elderberry
Tree / Shrub
Sambucus nigra ssp. caerulea
White Spring Flowers and Summer Fruit
Supports Bats, Birds, Bees, Hummingbirds, Caterpillars and 23 species of Butterflies and Moths
Berries are a good for source for wildlife and are edible for humans only after cooking.
Type: Annual Grass Perennial Herbaceous Shrub Tree
Size: To ft
Watering: Maximum Summer Water 1 x / Month
Uses: Deer Resistant
Evergreen Huckleberry
Shrub
Vaccinium ovatum
White Spring Flowers followed by Blue Edible Fruits for people and wildlife
Will produce more berries in full sun and will grow taller in shade
Supports Bats, Caterpillars, Hummingbirds,Bees, and 54 species of Butterflies and Moths!
Many species of birds and small mammals eat the berries Both birds and mammals use the thickets as habitat.
Type: Shrub
Size: 2 To 8 ft
Watering: Maximum Summer Water 3 x / Month
uses: Will grow in Pots
Coast Live Oak
Tree
Quercus agrifolia
Evergreen Oak. An ideal Shade tree with very deep roots.
Supports Bats, Birds, Caterpillars, and 163 species of Butterflies and Moths
A true keystone species supporting a myriad of life forms
Type: Tree
Size: To 25 ft and more
Watering: Maximum Summer Water 1 x / Month
Notes: Deer Resistant, Fire Safe, Grow in Containers