August 2026 Plant Availability

View our ‘currant’ inventory on our website

View our ‘currant’ inventory in spreadsheet format

Greetings ,

We’ve got a special guest coming to the nursery on August 8th–Saumitra Kelkar, perhaps better known as @oakland.bio on Instagram. Saumitra’s an educator, naturalist, and advocate for California’s native plants and wildlife, raising awareness of challenges facing fractured habitat remnants through their educational videos. We’re looking forward to hearing them present on the rare plants & animals of Oakland’s serpentine prairies, and we hope you’ll join us! In addition, Stone’s Touch Sharpening will be popping up that day–are your loppers ready for pruning season? Check out the flyers below to learn more!

I’m writing this newsletter as Moth Week (July 18-26, 2026) comes to a close, mourning that these lesser-known Lepidoptera are severely underappreciated as garden visitors. Did you know that there’s roughly ten times more moth species than butterflies in California (386 butterfly species compared to 4,223 moths)?

Moths and butterflies share many characteristics of appearance and behavior (metamorphosis, scaled wings, feeding on nectar). Moths can generally be distinguished from butterflies by the way they hold their wings while resting–open or tent-like, as seen with the White-lined Sphinx Moth adult, above). Moths are most active at night (with some exceptions), and compared to butterflies, have hairier bodies, and feathery antennae. Not only are moths pollinators, they are a major food source for birds, bats, and other animals. Thankfully, the best ways to support moths in our gardens are in line with the ways to create habitat for other wildlife too! We’ve listed a few tips below, and a few species that support our local moths below (don’t worry, practically any native species will help support moths, these are just a few that we currently have in stock!) Be sure to check out the rest of our inventory–there’s lots on sale this month!

Food:

Plant larval host plants to support moth caterpillars! Some moths (Saturniidae, or wild silk moths, for example: Polyphemus moth, Ceanothus Silkmoths, and Electra buckmoth) don’t eat as adults, so all their feeding is done in the caterpillar stage. This means their larval host plants are all they eat for their whole life, so we’d better have the buffet ready!
Nectar resources: Adult moths feed on nectar, rotting fruit, or tree sap. Planting native nectar resources to have blooms year-round will help support them.
What about white blooms, or night-blooming plants? Common wisdom suggests moths prefer night-blooming species, and white blooms–there is truth to this, but it doesn’t capture the diversity of host plants and nectar resources needed to support the great diversity of native moths.

Shelter:

Fallen leaves, old stems, plant debris? That’s a moth’s shelter through the winter rainy season. Consider delaying your garden cleanup to protect caterpillars.

Light:

Moths are attracted to sources of artificial light at night, where they can become trapped, orbiting around the light, pulling away from food sources and wasting precious energy. Predators can take advantage of these spots as a feeding ground as well. This behavior interrupts feeding, breeding, and development of moth larvae as well. To help protect our moth neighbors, reduce or turn off outdoor lights, use curtains to block indoor lights from being visible from outside, or switch to motion-sensor or yellow-spectrum bulbs. Likewise, please don’t use bug zappers–these often kill more beneficial insects than pests.

Arroyo Willow

Salix lasiolepis

Available in D-40 and TP4 pots for $5.73-16.50 apiece!

Arroyo Willow is the larval host for at least 24 species of moths, it’s estimated that ~263 native moths visit this species!
Arroyo willow grows to about 10-20′. It is a fast growing deciduous tree. Space 15’0″ apart.
Usually a multi-stemmed, thicket forming. Many types of songbirds may build their nests in the crooks of willow branches.
The catkins are very important for birds and insects and used in many stream restorations.
There are many uses for willows most of which rely on the strong and flexible qualities of its wood. The Ohlone use willow in building structures, arrows, tools, and baskets.
Arroyo willow has many uses including stream bank stabilization, rehabilitation of riparian zones, as a windbreak, as part of wetland and soil enhancement.

Hollyleaf Cherry

Prunus ilicifolia

Available in D-40, TB4, and TP4 pots for $12.30-17.70 apiece!

Hollyleaf Cherry is the larval host plant for at least 17 species of moths, and likely supports over 150 species of moths.
This evergreen shrub/tree is slow to establish at first, but after reaching maturity it grows more rapidly to 10-25′ tall & 15′ wide. Space 10-12′ apart.
Thrives in full sun and has low water requirements. The cherries are edible but have very little flesh. Provides food for many birds.
It has holly-like leaves and clusters of white flower spikes that cover the entire plant in March. Fragrant blooms are attractive to bees and hummingbirds.
Showy and easily grown from seed, Holly-Leafed Cherry is prized for cultivation. It has been cultivated for hundreds of years as a food source.
Tolerates twice-yearly pruning when used as a hedge.

Giant Wildrye

Elymus condensatus

Available in stub size containers for $2.60 apiece!

17 species of moths visit this plant, including the beautiful Brown Ctenuccha, or Ctenuccha brunnea
This large perennial evergreen bunchgrass grows 3-6 feet tall and 2-8 feet wide, with a fountain-like form.
Native to CA and northern Mexico, and found growing in coastal slopes, sage scrub, chaparral, oak woodlands, and some high deserts.
Giant Wildrye adds real drama to a landscape because of its size! This grass is a good native substitute for the highly invasive Pampas grass.
In areas with more moisture, expect it to spread via underground rhizomes. Silvery blue, evergreen foliage topped with tawny seedheads.

Coast Buckwheat

Eriogonum latifolium

Available in D-16 and 1-gallon containers for $8.20-16.30 apiece!

Five native moths visit this plant, including the Orange Tortix, Buckwheat Borer, and Western Tussock Moth.
Coast Buckwheat is a small evergreen sub-shrub, usually on coastal bluffs. It grows quickly to a nice mound about 2′ tall and wide. Space 2-3′ apart.
The round clusters of cream-colored flowers bloom April – September, turning rusty pink as they dry. A favorite of butterflies and honeybees!
Its form, foliage, and flowers are attractive additions to rock gardens and mixed borders. This also is an excellent plant for erosion control and is tolerant of poor soils.
Partners well with Seaside daisy, Sandhill sage, Quailbush, and Reedgrass.

California Rose

Rosa californica

Available in D-16 pots for $6.71 each!

Larval host to four species of moths, likely supports over 70 species of moths!
This deciduous shrub grows up to 8’ tall and can be used in the landscape as an informal spiny hedge, or along a water course or water feature.
This plant adapts to heavy clay soil and spreads by suckering roots to form a thicket.
The large pink flowers have a rich rose fragrance and the brightly colored fruits attract pollinators and birds.
The bloom period is long lasting from Spring to Summer.

Coffeeberry

Frangula californica

Available in D-40 pots for $12.30 each!

Host to 16 species of moths, including Western Sheep moth and Ceanothus Silk Moth, likely supports 24 species!
An evergreen shrub that grows fast to 6-8’. It is called coffeeberry because its berries contain seeds which look like coffee beans.
Coffeeberry is an excellent foliage plant with showy fruit. It’s branches take on a beautiful reddish color and has beautiful deep green lustrous leaves, well suited to pruning and landscape work. This makes it an excellent choice for an informal hedge or to create a screen.
Tiny flowers attract hummingbirds and native bees in spring. Berries go from green to red to chocolate in fall, and are consumed eagerly by birds.
Great for a bird garden and butterfly garden.

Island Mallow

Malva assurgentiflora

Available in D-40 and 2-gallon pots for $10.20-31.00 apiece!

15 native moth species visit this plant, including the Nevada Tiger Moth!
Island Tree Mallow is a fast growing evergreen shrub that grows about 10″ tall and 10′ wide.
Island Tree Mallow produces bright pink-lavender, tropical looking flowers. It is an extremely fast grower and great for an informal hedge or specimen. It can also be trained as a small tree.
The long blooming season spans from spring until summer. Adapts to many soil types, but prefers good drainage. Gophers like this one.
Previously named Lavatera assurgentiflora.

Seep Monkeyflower

Erythranthe guttata

Available in 4″ pots for $8.50 apiece!

12 native moths visit this plant, and it serves as a larval host plant for eight species of moths, including White-Lined Sphinx moths and Saltmarsh moths.
This annual/perennial grows to about one foot, and self sows.
Bright green foliage explodes with large, cheery yellow blooms with red freckles. Can be cut back to encourage more blooms, or allow to reseed.
Beautiful when planted around water features or in wet meadows or containers.
Useful along the edges of ponds or fountains.
Seep monkeyflower is well liked by hummingbirds and disliked by deer! Long blooming period from Spring through Summer.

Red Flowering Currant

Ribes sanguineum

Available in D-40, TB4, and

2-gallon pots for

$12.30-$35.00 apiece!

Supports up to 69 species of moths, confirmed host to 29 species of native moths, including the Polyphemus moth
A deciduous shrub that grows to 5 feet tall.
Lime colored roundish leaves and long showy pendulums of pink flower clusters that cover the plant during the winter.
East to grow in the Bay Area in many garden situations.
Drought tolerant in coastal conditions and does well under oaks
Flowers February to April.

Interior Live Oak

Quercus wislizeni

Available in D-40 pots for $12.30 each!

Likely supports as many as 229 moths, confirmed host to 33 species of native moths, including the Andromache Underwing moth.
A handsome slow growing (1-2 ‘ per/yr) evergreen tree that can reach 50′ or more, and as broad. It has glossy, dark-green leaves. Space 35’0″ apart.
Native to lower and middle elevations of the coast ranges, Sierra Nevada of Calif. and Baja. It likes sun, no water in its range, to moderate water in interior heat.
A beautiful tree that needs no special care. Its dark green appearance and reddish-brown bark make the tree look formal. It will grow a foot or two, or if particularly happy, even as much as 3’ in a year. Caution: Oaks do not want to be over watered.

Resources

Happy Summer from all of us at

The Watershed Nursery Cooperative!

Sign up to receive announcements of our Plant Sales and Events
Follow us on Instagram and Facebook, where we highlight our plants with photos, fun facts, and gardening information!
Call, email, or visit us for all of your California native plant needs 🙂