Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?

A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

Search Smarty Plants
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

 
rate this answer
Not Yet Rated

Tuesday - December 08, 2009

From: Temecula, CA
Region: California
Topic: Non-Natives
Title: Replacement for non-native wisteria in Temecula CA
Answered by: Barbara Medford

QUESTION:

We recently moved into a house that has a Wisteria bush that has taken over the patio cover. I wish to take it out because it is so messy and looks bad when it is dormant. I am trying to figure out an alternative that is a bit cleaner and stays green year round. An added bonus would be one that attracts birds and butterflies. The ground is dry and it will get full sun. Thanks for any guidance you can give me

ANSWER:

There is a wisteria, Wisteria frutescens (American wisteria), native to North America that is very attractive and not nearly so invasive as the Asian wisteria, or Wisteria sinense, which is probably what you have. Unfortunately, that native wisteria grows no further west than Texas, and would not do well in California. In the western edge of Riverside County, near the border with Mexico, you are going to need plants that are semi-tropical in nature. You did not say if you wanted a shrub or a vine for your patio cover, so we will look for both in our Recommended Species for Southern California. Unfortunately, we did not find a single evergreen vine native to Southern California, so hopefully some of the flowering evergreen shrubs we found will suit your purposes. Follow the links on each plant to find out more about its habits, wildlife attractions and light requirements.

Shrubs for Southern California:

Arctostaphylos hookeri (Hooker's manzanita) - 2 to 4 ft. tall, evergreen, blooms white, pink February to April, attracts birds, nectar source

Carpenteria californica (tree anemone) - 4 to 8 ft. tall, evergreen, blooms white, yellow April to July, fragrant flowers

Ceanothus velutinus (snowbrush ceanothus) - 3 to 5 ft., evergreen, blooms white April to August, attracts butterflies

Dasiphora fruticosa ssp. floribunda (shrubby cinquefoil) - 3 to 4 ft., evergreen, blooms yellow June to September, attracts butterflies

Heteromeles arbutifolia (toyon) - 6 to 8 ft., evergreen, blooms white June to September, birds eat berries

From our Native Plant Image Gallery:


Arctostaphylos hookeri

Carpenteria californica

Ceanothus velutinus

Dasiphora fruticosa ssp. floribunda

Heteromeles arbutifolia

 

 

 

More Non-Natives Questions

Nativity of Salvia coccinea (scarlet sage)
September 14, 2011 - Is Salvia coccinea native to Florida? In wikipedia they say it is native to Mexico.
view the full question and answer

Nativity of Lantana camara and Strelitzia reginae
November 08, 2011 - I was wondering why Lantana Camara is not in the Wildflower's database. Multiple sources say it is native to the U.S. and North America. I was also wondering if Strelitzia reginae (Bird-of-Paradise...
view the full question and answer

Japanese beetles in Port Monmouth, NJ
April 08, 2009 - I have searched your web-site in the hopes of not repeating or bothering you with a question not in your field. I am hoping you can help me. I live in Port Monmouth, New Jersey. Last year many of my ...
view the full question and answer

Non-blooming toad lily in Kentucky
April 20, 2008 - I have had a toad lily for three years and it has never bloomed. What do I need to do?
view the full question and answer

Flying insects eating leaves of non-native Brugmansia in Aline CA
October 17, 2013 - I have an Angel Trumpet tree. We live in Aline, California 30 miles east of San Diego. Little yellow and black flying bugs eat the leaves. Do you have a remedy for this problem.
view the full question and answer

Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.