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Western Burrowing Owl
Native Plant Preference
Herbs
Common Name: Chalk Lettuce| Scientific Name: Dudleya Pulverulenta
This showy succulent would provide an excellent accent to rock outcrop
designs. Many red flowers form on its erect, stout stems that blossom
from May to July. Most of these small plants live for years with very
little attention.
Common Name: Seaside Daisy| Scientific Name: Erigeron Glaucus
As a member of the sunflower family, the seaside daisy also has bright
yellow flowers up to 2 inches across. It blooms from late spring to early
summer. It is very low growing and needs little attention.
Common Name: | Scientific Name: Erogonum Umbellatum Var. Polyanthum
This perennial plant grows to 36 inches high and has large yellow flowers
that bloom from June to August. Known as sulphur eriogonum, it needs much
sun and sandy, porous soil and it is good for dry borders of a landscape.
Common Name: California Poppies | Scientific Name: Eschscholzia
Californica
This popular plant is the California state flower and requires very little
maintenance. It grows up to 24 inches and has large orange flowers that
blossom all spring, summer and into fall. Each poppy can be grown from
seed and may last for a few years.
Common Name: | Scientific Name: Zauschneria Californica
The habit of the California fuchsia is low, spreading evergreen and grows
up to 3 feet, The bright red flowers bloom in August until October and
provide fall color with little maintenance.
Grasses
Common Name: Squirreltail | Scientific Name: Sitanion hystrix
Squirreltail is a bunchgrass that thrives in dry open areas. It can be
initiated by seeding and their establishment would vastly improve the
habitat value of a site.
Common Name: Purple needlegrass | Scientific Name:
Stipa Pulchra
Purple needlegrass is a bunch grass that grows from 2 -3 feet tall. It
would provide excellent habitat enrichment by supporting insects used
by the burrowing owls. It can be grown from seed and requires low maintenance.
Groundcovers
Common Name: James West | Scientific Name: Arctostaphylos Densiflora
This type of manzanita provides color in late winter with many small rose-pink
flowers and forms a spreading groundcover up to 36 inches high. It thrives
in open sun and in semi-dry soil which requires less maintenance.
Common Name: Pigeon Point | Scientific Name:
Baccharis Pilularis SSp. Pilularis
Prostate coyote brush is a native of Coastal California and forms dense
mats and thrives in full sun or shade. It has many small yellow flowers
that blossom in spring, has dark green foilage and grows to about 4 inches
tall. The cultivar "Twin Peaks" can grow to 12 inches high.
Common Name: Yankee Point Lilac| Scientific Name:
Ceanothus Griseus Var. Horizontalis
This variety is a rapid spreader and thrives in semi-dry habitats. It
grows from 1 to 2 feet tall and blooms in late spring with clusters of
blue flowers.
Common Name: Wartleaf Ceanothus| Scientific Name: Ceanothus
Papillosus Var. Roweanus
This variety is an excellent spreader and often gets 10 feet wide, but
grows only 12 inches high. Its flowers are profuse and bloom from early
spring to late summer. It may require moderate watering, but is full sun
tolerant.
Common Name: Monkey flower | Scientific Name: Mimulus Bifidus
Azelea-flowered monkey flower thrives in full sun, but may need moderate
watering. Its habit forms a spreading mat that is up to 28 inches high
and its orange flowers bloom from April to July.
Common Name: Creeping sage | Scientific Name: Salvia Sonomensis
Creeping sage spreads quickly and remains evergreen in most instances.
It is adapted to dry slopes and may be grown in full sun. It is suggested
that they be grown in pots since seeds require a 3 month stratification
for good germination. This member of the mint family's habit is spreading,
rarely tall and its flowers blossom in a violet spike of whorls from April
to June.
Shrubs
Common Name: | Scientific Name: Arctostaphylus densiflora
Howard McMinn" This variety of manzanita grows up to 4 feet tall
and spreads to 4 feet wide. It thrives on north or east exposures in semi-dry
soil. Its low-branching dark green leaves remain green all year and its
rose-pink flowers bloom during March and April.
 Common
Name: Rock Rose | Scientific Name: Cistus
"Doris Hibberson" This is a variety of rock rose that is a compact
hybrid of a native Mediterranean plant. Its gray-green foliage grows to
3 feet high and its pink 3 inch wide flowers blossom from late spring
to early summer. It requires little maintenance and grows in full sun.
Common Name: Sageleaf rockrose | Scientific Name:
Cistus Salvifolius
is a wide spreading shrub about 2 feet high with light gray-green leaves.
It has white and yellow flowers that are 1.5 inches wide that bloom in
late spring. This native of the Mediteraranean require little maintanance.
Common Name: Sticky monkey flower | Scientific Name: Mimulus
aurantiacus
Sticky monkey flower grows to 4 feet in dry areas and is long-lived. This
shrub has many yellow-orange flowers that bloom from March to August.
Common Name: scarlet bugler | Scientific Name:
Penstomen Centranthifolius
The scarlet bugler adds an interesting touch to any landscape; it has
a unique habit and many tubular scarlet flowers that bloom from April
to July. This species frows to 4 feet, but its erect form suits the burrowing
owl habitat requirements, because they can be grown individually. With
sun, coarse soil and moderate watering this plant thrives in a mixture
of drought tolerant vegetation. It is also attractive to hummingbirds.
Common Name: Bunchleaf Penstomen | Scientific Name: Penstomen
Heterophyllus
Several subspecies of this Penstomen are suited to minimal maintenance
landscapes. Their heights range from 1 to 2 feet and they have showy flowers
that range in color from rose-blue-violet.
Common Name: Fragrant sage | Scientific Name:
Salvia Clevelandii
Fragrant sage is a rounded gray-white shrub about 3 feet tall. Its blus-violet
flowers are fragrant and bloom from April to July, though its herbage
remains fragrant year round. It requires little in the way of maintenance
and it can be grown from seed which germinate with weeks.
Common Name: | Scientific Name: Trichostema
Lanatum
This member of the mint family is an evergreen shrub that grows from 2
- 6 feet high and may be too tall for this habitat project, unless the
shrubs are pruned low. Wooly blue-curls blossom profusely April to August
with bright blue flowers and their minty odor is especially noticeable
on warm days. It prefers well drained soil, moderat and full sun.
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