GOING WILD WITH NATIVES: California Native Plant Society’s Native Plant Sale
- k-england
- Sep 30, 2025
- 4 min read
By Susan Lewitt, for Let's Talk Plants! October 2025.
California Native Plant Society’s Native Plant Sale
The CNPS Native Plant Sale will have many beautiful, pollinator attracting, and drought tolerant plants to choose from to take home. There will also be a good selection of seeds and bulbs, merchandise, and expert advice. Partnering groups will have programs and displays. The Sikes Adobe Historic Farmstead will be open for free tours with a suggested donation of $3. For more details such as volunteering, parking, and purchases, please go to: https://cnpssd.org/2025-native-plant-sale/ or https://cnpssd.org/event/2025-fall-plant-sale/ The time is from 9 am to 3 pm on Saturday, October 18th. The location is the Sikes Adobe Farmstead located at 12655 Sunset Drive, Escondido, California 92025.
Here are some highlights: There will be a good selection of familiar and popular plants such as Ceanothus and Manzanita. There is always at least one Milkweed species that supports Monarch caterpillars. Ther will be trees, bushes, perennials and annuals of varying sizes and colors. Here are some specific species that have been seen at the sale in the past in the form of seeds and bulbs.
There is an abundance of BRODIAEA species that have been at the plant sale. They are considered perennials or geophytes. According to Wikipedia, “Geophytes are plants with underground storage organs, such as bulbs, tubers, or roots.” There have been 14 species of Brodaea represented at the CNPS plant sale as seeds and bulbs and that includes Harvest Brodiaea (Brodiaea elegans), Harvest Brodiaea (Brodiaea elegans ssp. elegans), Orcutt's Brodiaea (Brodiaea orcuttii), and Kern Brodiaea (Brodiaea terrestris ssp. kernensis). These are also species found naturally in the San Diego area, possibly near or in vernal pools.
Once established, they require minimal watering in a location with full sun and some of them are okay in partial shade. Their flowers very in color from deep purple, purple, and lavender, to blue, and white. They typically appear in the spring and summer. Did I mention butterflies love them?
Another species available in the form of seed would be the annual RED MAIDS (Calandrinia menziesii). This low water plant, which enjoys full sun, will add a splash of color to your garden from February through June. You may also try growing it in containers. Red Maids is found naturally in foothill Woodland, and Valley Grassland, in grassy areas that have sandy loamy soil. It is known to appear after fires.
One species that I have heard Greg Rubin, a well-known landscaper and CNPS member, talk about is FAIRYDUSTER (Calliandra eriophylla), which is also known as the Baja Fairyduster. This shrub has wispy pink and purple flowers in the winter and spring. A closely related species is Red Fairyduster (Calliandra californica). They both like full sun and take very little water once established. In hotter areas, afternoon shade is appreciated. The Baja Fairyduster is a slow growing evergreen shrub that gets to about 3 feet tall by 3 feet wide which may be grown in fast draining soil of sand or decomposed granite (DG). Butterflies, and birds like the Baja Fairyduster, while the Red Fairyduster is a favorite of hummingbirds.
In natural settings, the Fairy Duster occurs in sandy washes, slopes, and mesas of Creosote Brush communities. It might be found with the following native plants: Desert Willow (Chilopsis linearis ssp. arcuata), California Fan Palm, Desert Lavender (Condea emoryi), Creosote Bush (Larrea tridentata), Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens ssp. splendens), Jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis), Blue Paloverde, White Bursage (Ambrosia dumosa), Chuparosa (Justicia californica), Barrel Cactus, Brittlebush (Encelia farinosa), Indigo Bush, Apricot Mallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua var. rugosa), Opuntia spp., and numerous annual wildflowers.
Some of these species may also be available as young plants, not just seeds or bulbs. There will also be many other species represented in the form of seeds and bulbs. I find that seeds help make the plant more adaptable to the area where you plant them. For a full list of seed and bulb packets go to: https://cnpssd.org/seeds-bulbs/ or https://www.calscape.org/nursery/cnps-san-diego-seed-and-bulb-sales/inventory?page=2
Again, it is on October 18th at the Sikes Adobe Historic Farmstead. For a full list of available plant species go to: https://cnpssd.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/08/PREORDER-Plant-List_CNPSSD-FALL-Plant-Sale-2025.pdf. You may bring your pet but keep him or her on a leash for your visit. Be aware that many bikes use the area. Also, there is no smoking on the Farmstead grounds.
Hope to see you at the California Native Plant Society’s Fall Native Plant Sale. You can find some biodiversity-supporting native plants, and delightful related items, while taking in a piece of history at the same time.
Susan Lewitt is a member of the California Native Plant Society (CNPS), participating in their Native Gardening Committee, and their Conservation Committee.
Susan uses Wildhero - email that plants trees, and she can be reached at nativebutterflies213@gmail.com.
