Plants for Slopes

Description

Slopes and banks of various sizes are quite common in both residential gardens and commercial landscapes throughout the Inland Empire. Interest in water conserving landscape is bringing attention to the strategy of planting a diversity of trees and spreading shrubs with organic mulch topdressing. This approach to slope planting can be highly attractive while controlling soil erosion, reducing water needs and limiting overall maintenance needs.

The key to success involves planting small size plants in large planting pits with watering basins, drip irrigation systems and a generous mulch layer over exposed soil. Smaller plants will establish stronger root systems and grow faster; watering basins will capture rainfall for infiltration; and mulch will cover the irrigation lines, reduce weed growth and cover the soil until the plants fill out.

Plant List

Trees

California pepper tree

Botanical Name: Schinus molle
Plant Type: Tree
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 35 ft. - 45 ft. Width: 50 ft. - 75 ft.

Cascalote

Botanical Name: Caesalpinia cacalaco
Plant Type: Tree
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 15 ft. - 20 ft. Width: 15 ft. - 20 ft.

Coast live oak

Botanical Name: Quercus agrifolia
Plant Type: Tree, Native
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 30 ft. - 60 ft. Width: 40 ft. - 70 ft.

Cootamundra wattle + cv

Botanical Name: Acacia baileyana
Plant Type: Tree
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 20 ft. - 30 ft. Width: 20 ft. - 30 ft.

Holly oak, Holm oak

Botanical Name: Quercus ilex
Plant Type: Tree
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 30 ft. - 60 ft. Width: 30 ft. - 60 ft.

Lemon bottlebrush

Botanical Name: Callistemon citrinus
Plant Type: Tree
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 15 ft. - 25 ft. Width: 15 ft. - 20 ft.

Mediterranean olive + cvs

Botanical Name: Olea europaea
Plant Type: Tree
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 25 ft. - 35 ft. Width: 20 ft. - 30 ft.

Strawberry tree

Botanical Name: Arbutus unedo
Plant Type: Tree
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun, Partial sun
Height: 15 ft. - 30 ft. Width: 15 ft. - 30 ft.

Shrubs

Allen Chickering sage

Botanical Name: Salvia 'Allen Chickering'
Plant Type: Shrub, Native
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 3 ft. - 4 ft. Width: 3 ft. - 4 ft.

Ashyleaf buckwheat

Botanical Name: Eriogonum cinereum
Plant Type: Shrub, Native
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 4 ft. - 5 ft. Width: 4 ft. - 6 ft.

Autumn sage + cvs

Botanical Name: Salvia greggii
Plant Type: Shrub
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 2 ft. - 4 ft. Width: 3 ft. - 4 ft.

California buckwheat

Botanical Name: Eriogonum fasciculatum
Plant Type: Shrub, Ground cover, Native
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 2 ft. - 3 ft. Width: 2 ft. - 3 ft.

California bush sunflower + cvs

Botanical Name: Encelia californica
Plant Type: Shrub, Native
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 3 ft. - 5 ft. Width: 3 ft. - 5 ft.

Cape plumbago

Botanical Name: Plumbago auriculata
Plant Type: Shrub
Water Needs: Moderate 4
Exposure: Morning sun, All day sun
Height: 6 ft. - 8 ft. Width: 8 ft. - 12 ft.

Cliff buckwheat

Botanical Name: Eriogonum parvifolium
Plant Type: Shrub
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 2 ft. Width: 3 ft.

Coast rosemary

Botanical Name: Westringia fruticosa
Plant Type: Shrub
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 4 ft. - 6 ft. Width: 5 ft. - 8 ft.

Coffeeberry + cvs

Botanical Name: Rhamnus californica
Plant Type: Shrub, Native
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: Morning sun, All day sun, Partial sun
Height: 8 ft. - 10 ft. Width: 8 ft. - 10 ft.

Concha wild lilac

Botanical Name: Ceanothus 'Concha'
Plant Type: Shrub, Native
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: Morning sun, All day sun
Height: 6 ft. - 9 ft. Width: 6 ft. - 10 ft.

Coyote brush

Botanical Name: Baccharis pilularis
Plant Type: Shrub, Native
Water Needs: Moderate 3
Exposure: Morning sun, All day sun
Height: 3 ft. - 12 ft. Width: 6 ft. - 12 ft.

Creeping mountain lilac

Botanical Name: Ceanothus 'Joyce Coulter'
Plant Type: Shrub, Ground cover, Native
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun, Partial sun
Height: 3 ft. - 5 ft. Width: 10 ft. - 12 ft.

Dwarf bottlebrush

Botanical Name: Callistemon 'Little John'
Plant Type: Shrub
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 4 ft. - 5 ft. Width: 10 ft.

Feathery cassia

Botanical Name: Senna artemisioides
Plant Type: Shrub
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 3 ft. - 6 ft. Width: 3 ft. - 6 ft.

Floral Carpet rose

Botanical Name: Rosa floribunda 'Floral Carpet'
Plant Type: Shrub, Ground cover
Water Needs: Moderate 4
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 2 ft. Width: 4 ft. - 5 ft.

Hollyleaf cherry

Botanical Name: Prunus ilicifolia ssp. ilicifolia
Plant Type: Shrub, Native
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: Moderate shade, All day sun, Partial sun
Height: 15 ft. - 30 ft. Width: 15 ft. - 30 ft.

Incienso, Brittlebush

Botanical Name: Encelia farinosa
Plant Type: Shrub, Native
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 3 ft. - 5 ft. Width: 3 ft. - 5 ft.

Island snapdragon + cv

Botanical Name: Galvezia speciosa
Plant Type: Shrub, Native
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: Morning sun, All day sun, Partial sun
Height: 3 ft. - 4 ft. Width: 8 ft. - 10 ft.

Jojoba, Goatnut

Botanical Name: Simmondsia chinensis
Plant Type: Shrub, Native
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 8 ft. - 10 ft. Width: 10 ft. - 12 ft.

Lantana + cvs

Botanical Name: Lantana camara
Plant Type: Shrub
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 4 ft. - 6 ft. Width: 6 ft. - 8 ft.

Lemonade berry

Botanical Name: Rhus integrifolia
Plant Type: Shrub, Native
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 25 ft. Width: 25 ft.

McMinn manzanita

Botanical Name: Arctostaphylos 'Howard McMinn'
Plant Type: Shrub, Native
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: Morning sun, All day sun
Height: 6 ft. - 8 ft. Width: 6 ft. - 8 ft.

Montara sagebrush

Botanical Name: Artemisia californica 'Montara'
Plant Type: Shrub, Ground cover, Native
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 12 in. - 24 in. Width: 3 ft. - 5 ft.

Moonlight grevillea

Botanical Name: Grevillea 'Moonlight'
Plant Type: Shrub
Water Needs: Moderate 3
Exposure: All day sun, Partial sun
Height: 5 ft. - 6 ft. Width: 6 ft. - 7 ft.

New Gold lantana

Botanical Name: Lantana x 'New Gold'
Plant Type: Shrub, Ground cover
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 2 ft. Width: 6 ft.

Noell’s Grevillea

Botanical Name: Grevillea 'Noellii'
Plant Type: Shrub
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 3 ft. - 4 ft. Width: 4 ft. - 5 ft.

Orchid rockrose

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

Pride of Madeira + cv

Botanical Name: Echium candicans
Plant Type: Shrub
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 6 ft. - 8 ft. Width: 8 ft. - 10 ft.

Purple hopseed bush

Botanical Name: Dodonaea viscosa 'Purpurea'
Plant Type: Shrub
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 12 ft. - 18 ft. Width: 6 ft. - 12 ft.

Rosemary + cvs

Botanical Name: Rosmarinus officinalis
Plant Type: Shrub
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 4 ft. - 7 ft. Width: 10 ft. - 12 ft.

Santa Cruz Island buckwheat

Botanical Name: Eriogonum arborescens
Plant Type: Shrub, Native
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 4 ft. - 5 ft. Width: 5 ft. - 6 ft.

Silvery cassia

Botanical Name: Senna phyllodinea
Plant Type: Shrub
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 3 ft. - 5 ft. Width: 4 ft. - 6 ft.

St. Catherine’s lace

Botanical Name: Eriogonum giganteum
Plant Type: Shrub, Native
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 8 ft. - 10 ft. Width: 8 ft. - 10 ft.

Sugar bush

Botanical Name: Rhus ovata
Plant Type: Shrub, Native
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 8 ft. - 35 ft. Width: 20 ft. - 25 ft.

Sunset manzanita

Botanical Name: Arctostaphylos 'Sunset'
Plant Type: Shrub, Native
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: Morning sun, All day sun, Partial sun
Height: 5 ft. - 7 ft. Width: 5 ft. - 7 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.

Toyon

Botanical Name: Heteromeles arbutifolia
Plant Type: Shrub, Native
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: Morning sun, All day sun, Partial sun
Height: 12 ft. - 25 ft. Width: 12 ft. - 18 ft.

Trailing indigo bush

Botanical Name: Dalea greggii
Plant Type: Shrub, Ground cover
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 12 in. - 18 in. Width: 5 ft. - 10 ft.

Trailing lantana

Botanical Name: Lantana montevidensis
Plant Type: Shrub, Ground cover
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 12 in. - 18 in. Width: 5 ft. - 10 ft.

Western mountain mahogany

Botanical Name: Cercocarpus betuloides
Plant Type: Shrub, Native
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 10 ft. - 15 ft. Width: 10 ft. - 15 ft.

White sage

Botanical Name: Salvia apiana
Plant Type: Shrub, Native
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 3 ft. - 4 ft. Width: 4 ft. - 5 ft.

Winifred Gilman sage

Botanical Name: Salvia clevelandii 'Winifred Gilman'
Plant Type: Shrub, Native
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 3 ft. - 5 ft. Width: 3 ft. - 5 ft.

Trees

Shrubs

Ground Covers

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