Finding Native Plants to Buy
Native plants often don’t do well in pots, which means that most standard nurseries don’t carry many different varieties. There are, however, some great varieties that will do well in your garden! The trick is to know how to find them! We help by providing a list of native plant sources for you below.
Please note that digging up native plants from natural areas is not a good idea. Plants must be very small for this to be successful, and you are removing a plant from an area where it is thriving and seriously stressing it with a major move. Many native plants have been killed this way, so please consider leaving plants in their native habitat unless there is truly a large population. Also, you may need to have a permit if done on public land. Learn about Wildflower Ethics and Native Plants on Forest Service land, and California laws protecting native plants.
Local Plant Sales
Our El Dorado Chapter of CNPS holds an online plant sale twice a year. Several native plant nurseries and growers from the greater Sacramento area provide plants for the sale. Plant pickup is located in Placerville for your convenience.
SacValley CNPS Nursery has been responsibly growing local native plants since 2007 and is operated entirely by volunteers. Plant sales are held twice a year.
The UCCE Master Gardeners of El Dorado County also holds a plant sale once or twice a year, with a section of native plants propagated by Master Gardeners.
Local nurseries carrying a small native collection
Flourish Nursery, in downtown Placerville, specializes in native plants. Mahala Guggino offers retail sales by appointment. (530) 919-1478.
Mother Natives, a small nursery with weekly rotating inventory. Located at 2311 S St. #3, Sacramento, CA 95816. Open Thursday – Sunday 9am – 2pm.
Birds and Bees Native Plants – Gail Fulbeck, runs a small native plant nursery growing mostly for wholesale. Not open to the public, but can deliver plants to nearby Park & Ride. Minimum order $20, contact for current pricing and availability. (916) 834-3313.
Local Native Specialty Nurseries
The Meadow in Placerville carries a nice selection of native plants and will order what you’d like, if it’s available.
El Dorado Nursery in Shingle Springs carries a nice variety in their native plant section.
Golden Gecko Garden Center in Garden Valley often carries some natives.
Lotus Horticultural Nursery is an independent nursery located at 1001 Lotus Road, Lotus California. Call ahead for hours and plant inventory 530-409-3454.
Green Acres, in Elk Grove, Folsom, Rocklin, Roseville, and Sacramento, carries a variety of California native plants.
Native plant specialty nurseries & sources
Cornflower Farms in Elk Grove are suppliers to the El Dorado County CNPS plant sales. Store retail sales are offered only occasionally.
Hedgerow Farms in Winters offers bulk seed for many species of wildflowers, native grass and graminoids, and grass and graminoid plugs. All seed originate from plants from the Central Valley and Sierra foothills, with ecotypes adapted to hot summer interior California.
Floral Native Nursery in Chico.
Larner Seeds in Bolinas. Order California native seeds of wildflowers, grasses, shrubs, vines, and trees. Almost all are coast-adapted ecotypes so performance in the hot interior climate of the foothills is uneven and dependent upon site microclimate; that is, these ecotypes are likely to grow the best in canyon bottoms, riparian zones, and on north and east-facing slopes at low elevations.
Annie’s Annuals in Richmond offers rare and unusual California native wildflowers. As above, most are coast-adapted so performance in the hot interior climate of the foothills is uneven and dependent upon site microclimate; that is, these ecotypes are likely to grow the best in canyon bottoms, riparian zones, and on north and east-facing slopes at low elevations. Visit, or order online.
UC Davis Arboretum Plant Sales are held several times each year and include many native plants adapted to Central Valley conditions.
El Dorado County Master Gardener Plant Sales are held in spring (and sometimes fall) and include a selection of native plants propagated by Master Gardeners in our county. The next sale is October 2023, and will be held at the Sherwood Demonstration Garden behind the Folsom Lake College Placerville campus.
