Pickeringia montana - Chaparral Pea

Description

This stunning shrub of our local chaparral is always a show-stopper when in bloom. It's in the pea family, with typical pea like flowers of glowing magenta pink. It is also a difficult plant to establish successfully, not to mention propagate. If you have a hot dry hillside or well drained area, though, there is hardly a showier native shrub out there. Lovely combined with Ceanothus, Fremontodendron, and Bush Poppy. Native from San Diego County north to the Mendocino coast, and eastward to the Sierra foothills.