GOING WILD WITH NATIVES: How About Investing In Hedge Fun, And Shady Screening Contenders For Privacy!

k-england
Aug 1
8 min read

By Susan Lewitt, for Let’s Talk Plants! August 2025.

How About Investing in Hedge Fun, and Shady Screening Contenders for Privacy!

There are many choices among native plants that can provide attractive hedges and peaceful screening in your landscape.

“These (native) species are excellent choices for creating boundaries with a number of uses. They provide food and shelter for wildlife such as the Western Bluebird, Cedar Waxwings, flycatchers & butterflies. For people these plants are low-maintenance, drought-tolerant, protect areas from sun and wind, and enhance garden privacy while supporting local biodiversity.” (WWW.CNPSSD.ORG)

(Note: when it is mentioned in “Going Wild with Natives”, or on Calscape regarding watering established plants, this is referring to plants that have been in the ground for approximately three years. Younger or newer plants may need more deep watering.)

Toyon’s bright red berries which follow soft white flowers. Photos by Keir Morse.

TOYON (Heteromeles arbutifolia) is a very prominent native species through much of California occurring by creeks, slope bottoms, slopes with a northern exposure, and canyons in Chaparral communities. It is also found in Coastal Sage Scrub Communities, Mixed Evergreen Forest, and Oak Woodland habitats. It has brilliant red berries that follow soft white summer flowers. The sightly fragrant flowers are prized by many pollinators including butterflies, and bats. The red berries are food for many birds, such as Mockingbirds, American Robins, and Cedar Waxwings. Even bears, and coyotes supplement their diets with this bright red berry. This moderate to fast growing plant will reach 10 feet tall in about 3 years and could eventually reach 30 feet tall by 15 feet wide. Golden Berry Toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia 'Davis Gold') will add contrasting color to a neat hedgerow, and has similar requirements, but will stay a bit smaller reaching about 15 feet tall by 10 feet wide.

Left: "April Bloom: Toyon Flower Cluster in San Diego Chaparral" by FotoGrazio, licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0. Middle: "Heteromeles arbutifolia" by Native Heart Collections ~ Debbie Ballentine, licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0 Right: "Azure Beauty" by sgrace, licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0.

Caring for Toyon is easy. Locate both species in full sun to part shade, in fast, medium, or slow draining soil of just about any local type. Watering may be done twice-a-month in the summer, once it is established. Some of the plants that work as companions include Lemonadeberry (Rhus integrifolia), Manzanita (Arctostaphylos spp.), Ceanothus species, Milkweed (Asclepias spp.), Giant Wild Rye (Elymus condensatus), Sand Aster (Corethrogyne filaginifolia), Sagebrush (Artemisia californica), Monkeyflower (Mimulus spp.), Encelia californica, Buckwheat (Eriogonum spp.), Heartleaf Keckiella (Keckiella cordifolia), Penstemon species, Salvia species, and Blue-eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium bellum). Both Toyon species support bats, caterpillars, and butterflies. One of the butterflies that Toyon attracts is the Pacific Azure Butterfly (Celastrina echo).

California Incense Cedar. Left by Keir Morse. Middle and right photos by Jean Pawek.

CALIFORNIA INCENSE CEDAR (Calocedrus decurrens) is potentially a huge tree that occurs in the Western U. S. It is found in the west coast states including Oregon, Nevada and much of California in Mixed Evergreen Forest, and Yellow Pine Forest Communities. The pale green to yellow seed cones form after its yellow spring flowers bud. According to Wikipedia,

“It is used in traditional, xeriscapic, native plant, and wildlife gardens; and also, in designed natural landscaping and habitat restoration projects in California. It is valued for its columnar form and evergreen foliage textures.” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calocedrus_decurrens ) Mature trees have a thick bark that makes them fire resistant, unlike the young saplings that might perish in fire.

Wigwams are made from this tree bark and other wood products. Jean Pawek, Keir Morse Young female cones. If you have this tree, you might be able to grow your own mistletoe for the holidays. "incense cedar mistletoe" by James Bailey, licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0.

This easy to care for tree needs lots of space in an area of full sun to partial shade. When this plant is young, infrequent deep watering will help it to be more drought tolerant as it grows. Once established it can be watered twice-a-month during the summer and should do well in medium draining soil. The soil should be woodland soil that is loaded with organic matter, but may also be Serpentine. Since it is very adaptable, it will work well with many other native plant species. One species that it hosts is incense-cedar mistletoe (Phoradendron libocedri). This tree supports bats, and caterpillars. Butterflies, such as the Olive Hairstreak, also rely on these trees.

San Diego Mountain Mahogany. Left and right photo courtesy of Calscape. Middle photos by Keir Morse.

SAN DIEGO MOUNTAIN MAHOGANY (Cercocarpus minutiflorus) will give your garden a spiritual sense when it is covered with feathery seeds late summer through fall, with natural sunlight giving this bush a halo like appearance. Its limited range is mainly from Orange County to the southern border of San Diego. It is found in Chaparral Communities and occasionally wetland outskirts and oak woodlands. The following are a few of the great companion plants that may be used with San Diego Mountain Mahogany: Toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia), Lemonadeberry (Rhus integrifolia), Manzanita (Arctostaphylos spp. and Xylococcus spp.), Ceanothus species, Milkweed (Asclepias spp.), and Salvia species. Bats, caterpillars and butterflies depend on this plant for support. With any luck this plant might attract a California Hairstreak (Satyrium californica), or a Ceanothus Silkmoth (Hyalophora euryalus) to your yard.

Left: California Hairstreak. Right: Ceanothus Silkmoth. These are species that could be attracted to the San Diego Mountain Mahagony. Photos by Chistopher L. Christie, used with permission.

San Diego Mountain Mahagony may be planted in a sunny or partial shady location with slow, fast, or medium draining soil. It will tolerate a variety of soil types. Once this moderate to care for plant is established, it will need no more than twice-a-month summer watering. This plant will tolerate pruning to any reasonable shape, such as adapting it to a narrow space, or as a well-mannered hedge.

Left: Broom Baccharis overview. Middle and right: Broom Baccharis in bloom. Photos by Keir Morse.

BROOM BACCHARIS (Baccharis sarothroides), and COYOTE BUSH (Baccharis pilularis) are related species with various similarities. Both occur in southern California, but Coyote Bush has a range that goes farther throughout more of California. It occurs near the coast and a bit inland. Both of them are found in Coastal Sage Scrub Communities, while Broom Baccharis also occurs in Creosote Bush Scrub, and Wetland-Riparian. Coyote Bush may also be found in many other areas including Chaparral, Closed-cone Pine Forest, Coastal Strand, Foothill Woodland, Mixed Evergreen Forest, and Northern Coastal Scrub. These shrubs get to 10 feet tall or more, and the groundcover form of Coyote Bush can spread to 12 feet wide. Broom Baccharis flowers in the winter, while Coyote Bush will bloom all year long. Both have yellow, cream, and white flowers.

Left: Coyote Bush has small leaves but are larger than those on Broom Baccharis. Center left: Coyote Bush in bloom and Center right: an overview. Right: Orange Tortrix moth. Left and center right photo courtesy of Calscape. Center left photo by Keir Morse. Right photo: "Argyrotaenia franciscana or A. citrana 3612" by willapalens, licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.

These easy to care for shrubs may be placed in full sun with soil that drains medium to fast. Coyote Bush which is very adaptable may also be placed in slow draining soil, and partial sunlight. Once they have adapted to their new surroundings, Broom Baccharis will need watering twice each month in the summer, while Coyote Bush only needs a once-a-month summer watering. Pruning will improve the appearance of these shrubs and the upright variety of Coyote Bush may be shaped to be more treelike. Some companion native plants for Broom Baccharis include Chamise (Adenostema fasciculatum), California Buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum), Chaparral Mallow (Malacothamnus fasciculatus), Brittlebush (Encelia spp.), Desert Agave (Agave deserti), Mojave Yucca (Yucca shidigera). Coyote Bush will do nicely grouped with oaks, Toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia), Coffeeberry species, Manzanita species, Ceanothus species, sages, and many chaparral species. Their companion plants differ, but both support bats, caterpillars, butterflies and moths, including the Orange Tortrix moth.

Left: New leaves on the Laurel Sumac are red then turn green with age. Photo courtesy of Calscape. Right: The inflorescence when dried resemble miniature trees and have been used for model railroad setups. Photo by Keir Morse.

LAUREL SUMAC (Malosma laurina), also known as the Taco Plant, can be a small tree, but is actually considered to be a shrub even though it may reach 20 feet tall and 20 feet wide. This species is found in Chaparral, and Coastal Sage Scrub Communities, and in California from the San Deigo border with Mexico, north past Los Angeles and Santa Monica, and on some of the islands off the California coast. In late spring through summer, clusters of cream and white flowers give twigs a finishing touch and later become whitish fruits that are enjoyed by songbirds including warblers. This fragrant plant may be placed in full sun, in a location with fast draining rocky, or sandy soil, and only needs a once-a-month summer watering after it’s established. Some of the many companion plants include Tree Poppy (Dendromecon rigida), California Brittlebush (Encelia californica), Goldenbush (Ericameria spp.), and Yerba Santa (Eridoctyon spp.). It hosts bats, caterpillars, and butterflies.

Tecate Cypress with person to show scale, a closer view, and a view of the cones. Photos by Anna Leavitt.

TECATE CYPRESS (Herpericyparis forbesii) can be found in Chaparral, and Closed-cone Pine Forests in Southern California and Mexico. Locations include Los Angeles, Riverside, and San Diego Counties, plus northern Baja. Tecate Cypress was once more widespread when there was more moisture, and lower temperatures in its previously larger range. Now it is found in small isolated mountain spots in the Peninsular Range. This tree may get up to 33 feet tall and 25 feet wide, at a fast to moderate growth rate. It is evergreen and may be used for bank stabilization. There are other cypress trees that work in San Diego but Tecate Cypress is the only one listed on Calscape as being suitable as a hedge.

When adding this plant to your landscape, make sure it gets full sun, in slow, medium, or fast draining soil, that may be composed of, preferably, metavolcanic, but also clay, or sand materials. Once established, plan on watering it no more than once-a-month during the summer. Tecate Cypress will do well planted with Chaparral species including the following: Red Shanks (Adenostoma sparsifolium), Ceanothus spp., Flannelbush (Fremontodendron californicum or mexicanum), Mountain Mahogany (Cercocarpus betuloides), Small-leaf Rose (Rosa minutifolia), and Chaparral Yucca (Hesperoyucca whipplei). According to Wikipedia,

“The Tecate Cypress is the only plant on which the rare Thorne's Hairstreak (Callophrys gryneus thornei) lays its eggs.” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hesperocyparis_forbesii) This makes this plant a very important component of San Diego’s biodiversity and a keystone species.

"Thorne's hairstreak butterfly on Tecate cypress" by USFWS Pacific Southwest Region is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Looking for gardens for 2026 California Native Plant Society Garden Tour:

"We would love to feature your native garden on the tour! We’re looking for inspiring gardens located south of I-8 and west of SR-125) to be featured in the 2026 CNPS San Diego Native Garden Tour, happening April 11 & 12, 2026."

The communities are: Hillcrest, University Heights, North Park, Lemon Grove, Spring Valley, Paradise Hills, National City, Chula Vista, Bonita, Imperial Beach, Otay Ranch, and East Lake.

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.