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Clay tolerant species 

Clay tolerant natives grown by Yerba Buena Nursery

Along with deer as neighbors, gardening in clay soil is one of the most common challenges facing our customers. The following list will give you a wide variety of trees, shrubs, and perennials to select for a garden with poor drainage.

How do you know if you have clay soil? The easiest method is to moisten a small patch of your yard and scoop up a handful of earth. Form it into a ball, then open your hand. If the ball falls apart, it's safe to say you do not have clay soil. If it withstands a couple of pokes without disintegrating, it's safe to say your soil is at least fairly clayey.

 

Another common test is to dig a small hole about a foot deep, fill it with water, let it drain, then refill the hole. The time it takes for the second filling to percolate into the soil is a good judge of the drainage characteristics of your yard. If water remains standing in the hole longer than 8-12 hours, you have clay soil.

Arctostaphylos pajaroensis 'Warren Roberts'
Arctostaphylos pajaroensis 'Warren Roberts'
Pajaro Manzanita

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Arctostaphylos pallida 'Wildcat Canyon'
Arctostaphylos pallida 'Wildcat Canyon'
Pallid Manzanita

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Arctostaphylos patula
Arctostaphylos patula
Green-leaf Manzanita

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Arctostaphylos peninsularis
Arctostaphylos peninsularis
Manzanita

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Arctostaphylos pilosula
Arctostaphylos pilosula
Santa Margarita Manzanita

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Arctostaphylos pumila
Arctostaphylos pumila
Sand Mat Manzanita

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Arctostaphylos pumila
Arctostaphylos pumila
Sandmat Manzanita

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Arctostaphylos pungens
Arctostaphylos pungens
Manzanita

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Arctostaphylos pungens
Arctostaphylos pungens
Manzanita

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Arctostaphylos purissima
Arctostaphylos purissima
La Purisima Manzanita

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Arctostaphylos purissima 'Vandenberg'
Arctostaphylos purissima 'Vandenberg'
Manzanita

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Arctostaphylos refugioensis
Arctostaphylos refugioensis
Refugio Manzanita

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Arctostaphylos regismontana
Arctostaphylos regismontana
King's Mountain Manzanita

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Arctostaphylos rudis 'Vandenberg'
Arctostaphylos rudis 'Vandenberg'
Shaggy-Barked Manzanita

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Arctostaphylos silvicola
Arctostaphylos silvicola
Bonny Doon Manzanita

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Arctostaphylos stanfordiana
Arctostaphylos stanfordiana
Stanford Manzanita

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Arctostaphylos subcordata confertiflora var.
Arctostaphylos subcordata confertiflora var.
Santa Cruz Island Manzanita

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Arctostaphylos tomentosa crinita var.
Arctostaphylos tomentosa crinita var.
Hairy Manzanita

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Arctostaphylos tomentosa crustacea var.
Arctostaphylos tomentosa crustacea var.
Hairy Manzanita

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Arctostaphylos tomentosa rosei var.
Arctostaphylos tomentosa rosei var.
Rose's Manzanita

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
Bearberry

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
Manzanita

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
Manzanita

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
Manzanita

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Arctostaphylos uva-ursi 'Anchor Bay'
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi 'Anchor Bay'
Manzanita

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Arctostaphylos uva-ursi 'Green Supreme'
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi 'Green Supreme'
'Green Supreme' Bearberry

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Arctostaphylos uva-ursi 'Lillian'
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi 'Lillian'
Bearberry

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Arctostaphylos uva-ursi 'Massachusetts'
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi 'Massachusetts'
Bearberry

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Arctostaphylos uva-ursi 'Mt. Vision'
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi 'Mt. Vision'
Bearberry

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Arctostaphylos uva-ursi 'Point Reyes'
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi 'Point Reyes'
'Pt. Reyes' Bearberry

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Arctostaphylos uva-ursi 'Point Saint George'
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi 'Point Saint George'
Pt. St. George' Bearberry

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Arctostaphylos uva-ursi 'Radiant'
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi 'Radiant'
'Radiant' Bearberry

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Arctostaphylos uva-ursi 'San Bruno Mountain'
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi 'San Bruno Mountain'
'San Bruno Mtn.' Bearberry

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Arctostaphylos uva-ursi 'Tom's Point'
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi 'Tom's Point'
'Tom's Point' Manzanita

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Arctostaphylos uva-ursi 'Woods Compact'
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi 'Woods Compact'
Bearberry

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Arctostaphylos uva-ursi leo-breweri ssp.
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi leo-breweri ssp.
Leo Brewer's Manzanita

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Arctostaphylos uva-ursi marinensis var.
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi marinensis var.
Marin Bearberry

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Arctostaphylos uva-ursi suborbiculata ssp.
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi suborbiculata ssp.
Bearberry

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Arctostaphylos viridissima 'White Cloud'
Arctostaphylos viridissima 'White Cloud'
Santa Cruz Island Manzanita

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Aristida purpurea
Aristida purpurea
Purple Three Awn

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Aristolochia californica
Aristolochia californica
California Dutchmans Pipe

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Armeria maritima
Armeria maritima
Sea Thrift or Sea Pink

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Artemisia arbuscula
Artemisia arbuscula
Little Sagebrush

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Artemisia californica
Artemisia californica
California Sagebrush

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Artemisia californica 'Canyon Grey'
Artemisia californica 'Canyon Grey'
California Sagebrush

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Artemisia californica 'Montara'
Artemisia californica 'Montara'
California Sagebrush

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Artemisia douglasiana
Artemisia douglasiana
Mugwort

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Artemisia douglasiana
Artemisia douglasiana
Mugwort

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Artemisia ludoviciana 'Silver King'
Artemisia ludoviciana 'Silver King'
Wormwood

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Artemisia ludoviciana 'Valerie Finnis'
Artemisia ludoviciana 'Valerie Finnis'
Silver Wormwood

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

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