
Mediterranean olive + cvs
Olea europaea
Olea europaea

Moonshine yarrow
Achillea 'Moonshine'
Achillea 'Moonshine'

Blue fox tail agave
Agave attenuata 'Boutin Blue'
Agave attenuata 'Boutin Blue'

Mediterranean fan palm
Chamaerops humilis
Chamaerops humilis

Orchid rockrose
Cistus x purpureus
Cistus x purpureus

Blue rose echeveria
Echeveria imbricata
Echeveria imbricata

Sunset rockrose
Cistus x pulverulentus 'Sunset'
Cistus x pulverulentus 'Sunset'

Spanish lavender + cvs
Lavandula stoechas
Lavandula stoechas

Purple three-awn
Aristida purpurea
Aristida purpurea

Creeping rosemary
Rosmarinus officinalis 'Prostratus'
Rosmarinus officinalis 'Prostratus'

English lavender
Lavandula angustifolia 'Hidcote'
Lavandula angustifolia 'Hidcote'

Mediterranean spurge
Euphorbia characias ssp. wulfenii
Euphorbia characias ssp. wulfenii
Description
The Classic Mediterranean Garden style offers many planting choices. The plants listed below include plants native to California and the Mediterranean region, as well as many cacti and succulents that can be designed into creative combinations of foliage and flower color, texture and form. Fruitless cultivars of the olive tree are among the most popular choices in recent years when pollen and fruit is unwanted.
Plant List

Cork oak
Botanical Name: Quercus suberPlant Type: Tree
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 30 ft. - 60 ft. Width: 40 ft. - 50 ft.

Mediterranean fan palm
Botanical Name: Chamaerops humilisPlant Type: Palm
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 10 ft. - 20 ft. Width: 10 ft. - 20 ft.

Mediterranean olive + cvs
Botanical Name: Olea europaeaPlant Type: Tree
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 25 ft. - 35 ft. Width: 20 ft. - 30 ft.
Shrubs

Autumn sage + cvs
Botanical Name: Salvia greggiiPlant Type: Shrub
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 2 ft. - 4 ft. Width: 3 ft. - 4 ft.

Bush germander
Botanical Name: Teucrium fruticansPlant Type: Shrub
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 4 ft. - 8 ft. Width: 8 ft. - 10 ft.

Dwarf olive
Botanical Name: Olea europaea 'Little Ollie'Plant Type: Shrub
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 6 ft. - 8 ft. Width: 6 ft. - 8 ft.

Dwarf strawberry tree
Botanical Name: Arbutus unedo 'Compacta'Plant Type: Shrub
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 8 ft. - 12 ft. Width: 8 ft. - 12 ft.

English lavender
Botanical Name: Lavandula angustifolia 'Hidcote'Plant Type: Shrub
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 2 ft. - 3 ft. Width: 2 ft. - 3 ft.

Lavender cotton
Botanical Name: Santolina chamaecyparissusPlant Type: Shrub
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 1 ft. - 2 ft. Width: 2 ft. - 3 ft.

Orchid rockrose
Botanical Name: Cistus x purpureusPlant Type: Shrub
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 3 ft. - 4 ft. Width: 5 ft. - 8 ft.

Purple lavandin
Botanical Name: Lavandula x intermediaPlant Type: Shrub
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 3 ft. - 4 ft. Width: 3 ft. - 4 ft.

Rosemary + cvs
Botanical Name: Rosmarinus officinalisPlant Type: Shrub
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 4 ft. - 7 ft. Width: 10 ft. - 12 ft.

Spanish lavender + cvs
Botanical Name: Lavandula stoechasPlant Type: Shrub
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 18 in. - 24 in. Width: 2 ft. - 3 ft.

Sweet lavender
Botanical Name: Lavandula x heterophyllaPlant Type: Shrub
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 4 ft. - 5 ft. Width: 3 ft. - 4 ft.
Perennials and Grasses

Mediterranean spurge
Botanical Name: Euphorbia characias ssp. wulfeniiPlant Type: Perennial
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 3 ft. - 4 ft. Width: 3 ft. - 4 ft.

Moonshine yarrow
Botanical Name: Achillea 'Moonshine'Plant Type: Perennial
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 2 ft. Width: 2 ft. - 3 ft.

Purple three-awn
Botanical Name: Aristida purpureaPlant Type: Grass, Native
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 18 in. - 24 in. Width: 24 in. - 30 in.

Purpletop vervain
Botanical Name: Verbena bonariensisPlant Type: Perennial
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 3 ft. - 6 ft. Width: 3 ft.
Ground Covers

Creeping rosemary
Botanical Name: Rosmarinus officinalis 'Prostratus'Plant Type: Shrub, Ground cover
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 24 in. Width: 5 ft. - 6 ft.

Ground morning glory
Botanical Name: Convolvulus sabiatusPlant Type: Perennial
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 1 ft. - 2 ft. Width: 2 ft. - 3 ft.

Sageleaf rockrose
Botanical Name: Cistus salviifoliusPlant Type: Shrub, Ground cover
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 18 in. - 24 in. Width: 5 ft. - 6 ft.

Silver carpet
Botanical Name: Dymondia margaretaePlant Type: Ground cover, Perennial
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 1 in. - 3 in. Width: 1 ft. - 2 ft.

Sunset rockrose
Botanical Name: Cistus x pulverulentus 'Sunset'Plant Type: Shrub, Ground cover
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 12 in. - 18 in. Width: 3 ft. - 6 ft.
Container Plants

Blue rose echeveria
Botanical Name: Echeveria imbricataPlant Type: Succulent
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: Morning sun
Height: 6 in. - 12 in. Width: 2 ft. - 3 ft.

Flapjack plant
Botanical Name: Kalanchoe luciaePlant Type: Succulent
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: Morning sun, All day sun, Partial sun
Height: 12 in. - 18 in. Width: 12 in. - 18 in.

Sticks on Fire
Botanical Name: Euphorbia tirucalli 'Sticks on Fire'Plant Type: Succulent
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: Morning sun, All day sun, Partial sun
Height: 4 ft. - 8 ft. Width: 3 ft. - 5 ft.
Succulents

Blue finger
Botanical Name: Senecio talinoides ssp. mandraliscaePlant Type: Ground cover, Succulent
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: All day sun, Partial sun
Height: 12 in. - 18 in. Width: 3 ft. - 4 ft., can slowly spread further

Blue fox tail agave
Botanical Name: Agave attenuata 'Boutin Blue'Plant Type: Agave
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 3 ft. - 5 ft. Width: 3 ft. - 5 ft.

Octopus agave
Botanical Name: Agave vilmorinianaPlant Type: Agave
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 5 ft. - 6 ft. Width: 5 ft. - 6 ft.

Red yucca + cvs
Botanical Name: Hesperaloe parvifloraPlant Type: Perennial
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 3 ft. - 4 ft. Width: 4 ft. - 5 ft.
Horticultural Preferences
Plants listed in this palette have proven to be widely adapted to a variety of soil conditions, including sandy, loamy, clayey and calcareous. They commonly grow best in full sun and are adapted to heat, aridity and cold temperatures.
Aesthetic Character
Olives are commonly used as special feature plants or as a focal element within landscapes or gardens. Mature trees have bold trunks and low branching habits that can be pruned to reveal striking year round character.
Moisture Needs
The chart shown below provides a baseline guide to the monthly irrigation schedule and volume of supplemental water needed to maintain healthy trees and understory plants throughout the average year. The high and low range of this irrigation schedule indicates these plants can grow with varying amounts of water depending upon exposure conditions and maturity of plants. Winter rains during the months noted by an asterisk (*) can provide sufficient moisture to eliminate the need for winter irrigation. Many plants grown in containers benefit from weekly watering during the summer to offset the limited soil volume.
Irrigation Schedule and Graph
Low Water Use Plants
Irrigation Schedule 2
Jan* | Feb* | Mar* | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov* | Dec* | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Runs per Month | 0x to 2x | 0x to 2x | 0x to 2x | 1x to 2x | 1x to 2x | 1x to 2x | 1x to 2x | 1x to 2x | 1x to 2x | 1x to 2x | 0x to 2x | 0x to 2x |
Inches per Run | 1" | 1" | 1" | 1" | 1" | 1" | 1" | 1" | 1" | 1" | 1" | 1" |
Inches per Month | 0" to 2" | 0" to 2" | 0" to 2" | 1" to 2" | 1" to 2" | 1" to 2" | 1" to 2" | 1" to 2" | 1" to 2" | 1" to 2" | 0" to 2" | 0" to 2" |
Range of supplemental summer water: 7"-14"
Range of supplemental winter water: 0"-10"
0"-2" |
0"-2" |
0"-2" |
1"-2" |
1"-2" |
1"-2" |
1"-2" |
1"-2" |
1"-2" |
1"-2" |
0"-2" |
0"-2" |
|
Jan* | Feb* | Mar* | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov* | Dec* |
For more information on how to use this Irrigation Schedule and Graph, follow this link.
For information how to calculate your irrigation system’s schedule and precipitation rate, please follow this link.
For information how to calculate your irrigation system’s schedule and precipitation rate, please follow this link.