California Native Plants in a Bakersfield Landscape : California Pizza Kitchen

Another site to see native plantings is along the bike path, especially near California Pizza Kitchen and Elephant Bar (the corner of Old River Road and Stockdale Highway).  When these restaurants first arrived, they seemed to landscape with California natives exclusively.  However, in the past few years, they have been replacing the native plants with more traditional landscaping (with roses and annuals).  Even so, a few of the native plants continue to do well.

Here is the landscaping by their take out door, with White Sage (Salvia apiana) and a Blue Palo Verde (Cercidium floridum).  White sage can get quite rangy; the landscaping crew here has been trimming it to a tight bush.  The white sage has both beautiful grey foliage as well as a fragrant scent.

Many of their planters are lined with Oregon Grape / California Barberry (Mahonia pinnata).  This plant has brilliant red flowers and shiny red-green, serrated, holly-like leaves, but it does not like harsh trimming, so it could look much nicer than it does here if the landscapers would leave it alone a bit (and not plant it in such narrow strips).

On the ramps leading from the parking lot to the bike path, one can find Dwarf Coyote Bush (Baccharis pilularis pilularis).  This is a great ground cover for Bakersfield, but it doesn't have the colorful blooms or interesting foliage of some of the other native plants.  On the other hand, the birds love this plant for the cover from predators it provides.