top of page

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.

Artemisia ludoviciana albula 'Silver Queen'
Artemisia ludoviciana albula 'Silver Queen'
Silver 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 incompta ssp.
Artemisia ludoviciana incompta ssp.
Silver Wormwood

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Artemisia nesiotica
Artemisia nesiotica
Island Sagebrush

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Artemisia palmeri
Artemisia palmeri
Palmer's Sagewort

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Artemisia pycnocephala
Artemisia pycnocephala
Sand Hill Sage

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Artemisia pycnocephala 'David's Choice'
Artemisia pycnocephala 'David's Choice'
Sand Hill Sage

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Artemisia suksdorfii
Artemisia suksdorfii
Coastal Mugwort

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Artemisia tridentata
Artemisia tridentata
Big Sagebrush

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Asarum caudatum
Asarum caudatum
Wild Ginger

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Asarum lemmonii
Asarum lemmonii
Sierran Wild Ginger

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Asarum marmoratum
Asarum marmoratum
Marbled Wild Ginger

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Asclepias californica
Asclepias californica
Round-hooded Milkweed

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Asclepias cordifolia
Asclepias cordifolia
Heartleaf Milkweed

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Asclepias cordifolia
Asclepias cordifolia
Purple Milkweed

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Asclepias eriocarpa
Asclepias eriocarpa
Indian Milkweed

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Asclepias fascicularis
Asclepias fascicularis
Butterfly Weed

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Asclepias solanoana
Asclepias solanoana
Prostrate Milkweed

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Asclepias speciosa
Asclepias speciosa
Showy Milkweed

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Asclepias vestita
Asclepias vestita
Wooly Milkweed

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Asperagus densiflorus 'Myers'
Asperagus densiflorus 'Myers'
Myers Asparagus

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Asplenium antiquum
Asplenium antiquum
Spleenwort

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Asplenium bulbiferum
Asplenium bulbiferum
Mother Fern

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Asplenium ebanoides
Asplenium ebanoides
Dragontail Fern

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Asplenium nidus
Asplenium nidus
Bird's-nest Fern

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Asplenium nidus
Asplenium nidus
Birdsnest Fern

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Asplenium trichomanes
Asplenium trichomanes
Maidenhair Spleenwort

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Aster ascendens
Aster ascendens
Purple Aster

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Aster chilensis
Aster chilensis
Chilean Aster

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Athyrium filix-femina
Athyrium filix-femina
Lady Fern

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Athyrium niponicum pictum var.
Athyrium niponicum pictum var.
Japanese Painted Fern

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Atriplex lentiformis breweri var.
Atriplex lentiformis breweri var.
Brewer's Saltbush

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Baccharis pilularis 'Pigeon Pt.'
Baccharis pilularis 'Pigeon Pt.'
Dwarf Coyote Bush

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Baccharis pilularis consanguinea var.
Baccharis pilularis consanguinea var.
Coyote Bush

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Baccharis pilularis pilularis var. 'Twin Peaks II'
Baccharis pilularis pilularis var. 'Twin Peaks II'
Coyote Bush

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Baileya multiradiata
Baileya multiradiata
Desert Marigold

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Berberis 'Golden Abundance'
Berberis 'Golden Abundance'
Oregon Grape

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Berberis 'Ken Hartman'
Berberis 'Ken Hartman'
Oregon Grape

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Berberis aquifolium
Berberis aquifolium
Oregon Grape

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Berberis aquifolium 'Skylark'
Berberis aquifolium 'Skylark'
'Skylark' Oregon Grape

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Berberis aquifolium compacta ssp.
Berberis aquifolium compacta ssp.
Oregon Grape

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Berberis aquifolium dictyota var. 'Shasta Blue'
Berberis aquifolium dictyota var. 'Shasta Blue'
Oregon Grape

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Berberis nervosa
Berberis nervosa
Northern Holly Grape

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Berberis nevinii
Berberis nevinii
Nevin Barberry

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Berberis pinnata
Berberis pinnata
California Holly Grape

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Berberis repens
Berberis repens
Creeping Barberry

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Betula occidentalis
Betula occidentalis
Water Birch

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Blechnum gibbum
Blechnum gibbum
Dwarf Tree Fern

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Blechnum gibbum 'Silver Lady'
Blechnum gibbum 'Silver Lady'
Dwarf Tree Fern

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Blechnum spicant
Blechnum spicant
Deer Fern

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

Bloomeria crocea
Bloomeria crocea
Goldenstar

Botanic Name

size

exposure

water

1 gal

$1

2 gal

$2

4"

$4

5 gal

$5

15 gal

$15

24" box

$24

bottom of page