Calylophus hartwegii featured on Houzz

One of my all time favorite native perennials is the Calylophus hartwegii, also known as ‘Sundrops’.  You will see their sunny, lemon yellow petals blooming in most of my designs in East County.  They make a colorful splash when mixed with other xeriscape or desert plants and low water use perennials.

My Favorite Native Perennial, Calylophus Hartwegii

Calylophus is useful for summer color and an excellent choice to use in hot, dry locations with good drainage.  Furthermore, their low profile makes a wonderful companion plant to Agave’s, striking a beautiful contrast between the blue and yellow.  They’re a good choice for rock gardens along with being a good container plant.  Typically they bloom in the spring and fall with the occasional appearance during the summer.  The average size of this plant is 1′ tall x 3′ wide.