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Where to Buy California Native Plants

By Abby Campbell

Oct 26, 20267 Min Read

Where do you buy California native plants? You have more options than ever: order online and have plants shipped to your door, visit a native plant nursery, or shop a California Native Plant Society plant sale. This guide covers all three, region by region, so you can find the right source for your garden. Native plants need less water than most non-native landscaping, support local birds, insects, and other wildlife, and have become much more popular over the last decade, so good sources are easier to find than ever.

The short answer: if you want the easiest option, order California native plants online from My Home Park and have them delivered, each with a growing guide. If you like to shop in person, use Calscape to find ca native plant nurseries near you and watch for fall plant sales from your local California Native Plant Society chapter. This guide is for California gardeners ready to plant natives who want good plants and good advice. It covers buying online, native nurseries and resources in Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, and the Bay Area, plus plant sales, seeds, garden tours, and classes.

Buy California native plants online and plant native plants this season

No native nursery nearby, or no time to drive across town? My Home Park ships California native plants grown in California straight to your door. Choose single plants, including shrubs, grasses, and wildflowers, or ready-made native container gardens designed to work together on a patio or in a bed. When you buy plants online from any seller, look for clear plant information, reviews, and a policy for plants that arrive damaged.

Every plant comes with clear growing advice, and our step-by-step guides cover favorites like California poppy, narrowleaf milkweed, and California buckwheat.

Shop California native plants

Buying native plants online vs. at a native nursery

Both are good ways to get started, and many gardeners use both. Local independent garden centers and native nurseries often stock plants suited to your regional climate, while buying online saves a trip. Here is how they compare.

Buying online

Delivered to your door, anywhere in California
A curated selection chosen to grow well together
Growing guides for each plant
Shop any time, no driving or crowds

A local native nursery

See plants in person before you buy
Some grow plants from local seed
Talk with staff about your site
Hours and availability vary; some are open only a few days a week or by appointment

How to find a California native plant nursery near you

If you prefer to shop in person, Calscape, run by the California Native Plant Society, is the best place to start. Search for plants that grow where you live and find a native nursery that carries them. Many local California Native Plant Society chapters also keep lists of nearby nurseries. Note that many native plant nurseries are small and rely on volunteers, so check hours and plant availability before you make the trip. Some are open only a few days a week or by appointment. Selection is usually best in fall and spring, and choices are often limited in the summer months.

Southern California native plant nurseries: Los Angeles

Theodore Payne Foundation: a nonprofit retail nursery (Sun Valley)

The best-known native plant nonprofit in Los Angeles. The Theodore Payne Foundation runs a nonprofit retail nursery with a diverse selection of native plants, sells California native seeds, books, and other items, focuses on education through classes, and hosts an annual native garden tour. Visit the Theodore Payne store.

Grow Native Nursery at California Botanic Garden (Claremont)

California Botanic Garden specializes in California native plants and seeds. Its seasonal Grow Native Nursery occasionally offers rare and harder-to-find plants, and the garden's horticulture, education, and scientific research efforts make it a great place to learn. Its demonstration gardens show how natives look when mature.

Artemisia Nursery and LA Native Plant Source

Other Los Angeles native plant nurseries include Artemisia Nursery, known for its propagating workshops, and LA Native Plant Source, located in Highland Park in northeast Los Angeles. Calscape lists current options near you.

Can't make it to Sun Valley? We ship native plants to Los Angeles, so you can plant this weekend without the drive.

Orange County: Tree of Life Nursery has closed

Tree of Life Nursery in San Juan Capistrano was one of California's best-known native plant nurseries for more than 45 years. Its founders retired, and the nursery closed at the end of 2025. The site is becoming headquarters for the Nature Reserve at Rancho Mission Viejo, and its native plant garden is being kept as part of the reserve.

Looking for a new source of California native plants in Orange County? My Home Park delivers native plants to Orange County, along with growing guides to help them thrive.

The California Native Plant Society's Orange County chapter also holds plant sales.

San Diego and the Bay Area

In San Diego, the Wild Ones San Diego chapter keeps an interactive map of nurseries that carry native plants, and the California Native Plant Society San Diego chapter runs plant sales and a native seed store. In the Bay Area, local California Native Plant Society chapters keep current nursery lists, and Native Here Nursery in Berkeley's Tilden Park grows plants from East Bay seed.

Wherever you are in California, we ship native plants to your door.

California Native Plant Society plant sales

Many California Native Plant Society chapters hold plant sales, often in October or November, when fall is the best season to plant natives before the wet winter months. Some also hold a spring sale. Sales are a great way to meet local experts, find native bulbs, succulents, and other plants, and support the community and habitat conservation. Check your local chapter's website for dates.

Where to buy California native plant seeds

Seed is an affordable way to fill a large area with wildflowers. The Theodore Payne Foundation sells California native seeds, and Larner Seeds in Bolinas specializes in them. Fall is the usual time to sow. For faster results, start with young plants, which bloom much sooner than seed.

Native garden tours and classes

Seeing real native gardens is one of the best ways to plan your own. The Theodore Payne Foundation hosts a native garden tour in the Los Angeles area, and the Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour showcases native gardens in the East Bay. Botanic gardens and native plant nonprofits also offer classes for beginners.

California native plant nursery FAQ

Can I buy California native plants online?

Yes. My Home Park ships California native plants grown in California straight to your door, including single plants and ready-made native container gardens, each with growing advice.

Where can I buy California native plants near me?

Calscape, the California Native Plant Society's plant database, can help you find nurseries that carry natives in your area. Local California Native Plant Society chapters also hold plant sales. If there is no native nursery nearby, you can order plants online and have them delivered.

When is the best time to buy California native plants?

Fall. Most California native plants do best when planted in fall, so roots can settle in with winter rain. That is also when many plant sales happen.

Is Tree of Life Nursery still open?

No. Tree of Life Nursery in San Juan Capistrano closed at the end of 2025 as its founders retired. The site is becoming headquarters for the Nature Reserve at Rancho Mission Viejo. Orange County gardeners can order California native plants online from My Home Park or shop California Native Plant Society plant sales.

What is the difference between a native plant nursery and a garden center?

A native plant nursery specializes in plants native to the region, and staff can usually tell you which plants suit your area. General garden centers may carry a few natives but mostly sell non-native ornamentals.

Where can I buy California native plant seeds?

The Theodore Payne Foundation sells California native seeds, and Larner Seeds in Bolinas specializes in them. Some California Native Plant Society chapters also sell seed.

The easiest way to plant California natives

Skip the drive. My Home Park ships California native plants grown in California straight to your door, with growing guides for each one. Shop California natives.