Local Source Initiative

The Local Source Initiative makes seed grown plants from local wildlands available to the public. These plants are a great choice if you want to support wildlife in your garden. Look for plants with an additional purple tag in our nursery. The purple tags list the location of the wild source population from which the plants were propagated. Local Source plants are also listed in our inventory and online store as unique items, with their place of origin as part of the item tag.

The main purpose of the Local Source Initiative is to give gardeners the ability to restore natural habitats. Plant species develop genetic adaptations based on local factors specific to individual plant and pollinator populations. These plants may offer greater support to pollinators and be better adapted to the local conditions of your garden. Cultivating locally sourced plants in residential landscapes is a great way to build habitat connectivity. By matching their location to the plants they purchase, gardeners can choose to grow same species as the ones which occur naturally in surrounding wildlands

All local source seed collections are conducted by trained staff in an ethical manner that is not destructive to wild plant populations or their habitats. The quantities of seed harvested to grow these plants are limited and are always collected with official permission from land managers. Theodore Payne Foundation is strongly opposed to unpermitted harvesting of seeds from public wildlands.

Our stock of Local Source plants is limited, and changes frequently. Below is a selection of the plants that habe been offered for sale through the Local Source Initiative.

Acmispon glaber (Lotus scoparius) Deerweed
Acourtia microcephala Sacapellote
Adenostema fasciculatum var. fasciculatum Chamise
Antirrhinum kelloggii Climbing Snapdragon, Kellogg’s Snapdragon
Antirrhinum multiflorum Chaparral Snapdragon
Arctostaphylos glandulosa ssp. mollis Eastwood’s Manzanita, Transverse Range Manzanita
Arctostaphylos glauca Blue Manzanita, Bigberry Manzanita
Artemisia californica California Sagebrush
Artemisia douglasiana Mugwort
Bloomeria crocea Golden Stars
Brickellia californica California Brickellbush
Brickellia nevinii Nevin’s Brickellbush
Ceanothus crassifolius var. crassifolius Hoaryleaf Ceanothus
Ceanothus leucodermis Chaparral Whitethorn
Ceanothus megacarpus var. megacarpus Big-Pod Ceanothus
Ceanothus oliganthus Hairy Ceanothus
Ceanothus spinosus Greenbark Ceanothus
Cercocarpus betuloides var. betuloides Birch Leaf Mountain Mahogany
Chaenactis artemisiifolia Artemisia-leaved Chaenactis, White Pincushion
Clematis lasiantha Chaparral Clematis, Pipestem, Pipestem Clematis
Clematis ligusticifolia Western Virgin’s Bower, Yerba De Chiva
Dendromecon rigida Tree Poppy, Bush Poppy
Diplacus longiflorus Bush Monkeyflower
Drymocallis glandulosa Sticky Cinquefoil
Dudleya lanceolata Lance-leaved Dudleya
Emmenanthe penduliflora var. penduliflora Whispering Bells
Encelia californica Coast Sunflower, California Bush Sunflower
Ericameria parishii var. parishii Parish’s Rabbitbrush
Ericameria pinifolia Pine-Bush
Eriodictyon crassifolium var. crassifolium Felt Leaved Yerba Santa
Eriodictyon crassifolium var. nigrescens Thick Leaf Yerba Santa
Eriogonum fasciculatum var. foliolosum California Buckwheat
Eriophyllum confertiflorum var. confertiflorum Golden Yarrow
Erythranthe cardinalis Scarlet Monkeyflower
Frangula (Rhamnus) californica California Coffeeberry
Helianthemum scoparium Sun Rose
Helianthus gracilentus Slender Sunflower
Hesperoyucca whipplei Chaparral Yucca, Our Lord’s Candle
Heteromeles arbutifolia Toyon, Christmas Berry
Juglans californica   Southern California Black Walnut
Keckiella cordifolia Heart-Leaved Keckiella
Lonicera subspicata var. denudata Chaparral or Southern Honeysuckle
Malacothamnus fasciculatus var. fasciculatus Chaparral Mallow
Malosma laurina Laurel Sumac
Marah macrocarpa Wild Cucumber, Man Root, Chilicothe
Mentzelia laevicaulis Blazing Star
Mirabilis laevis var. crassifolia California Four O’clock, Wishbone Bush
Phacelia brachyloba Short Lobed Phacelia
Prunus ilicifolia ssp. ilicifolia Holly Leaf Cherry
Quercus agrifolia var. agrifolia Coast Live Oak
Quercus berberidifolia  California Scrub Oak
Quercus engelmannii Engelmann Oak, Mesa Oak
Rhamnus ilicifolia Holly Leaf Redberry
Rhus integrifolia Lemonade Berry
Rhus ovata Sugar Bush
Ribes aureum var. gracilimum Golden Currant
Ribes malvaceum var. viridifolium Chaparral Currant
Rosa californica California Wild Rose
Salvia apiana White Sage
Salvia columbariae Chia
Salvia leucophylla Purple Sage
Salvia mellifera Black Sage
Sambucus nigra ssp. caerulea Blue Elderberry, Mexican Elderberry
Senecio flaccidus var. douglasii Douglas’ Groundsel, Shrubby Butterweed
Silene laciniata ssp. laciniata Indian Pink, Cardinal Catchfly
Stachys albens Woolly White Hedge Nettle
Thalictrum fendleri var. polycarpum Meadow Rue
Umbellularia californica California Bay