Coastal Gardening in Southern California: Plants and Tips

Written by Kelsey W.

Gardening near the Southern California coast means working with three challenges: salty air and spray, sandy fast-draining soil, and steady wind. The way to win is to choose salt-tolerant and wind-tough plants like succulents and coastal natives, enrich the sandy soil with compost, shelter tender plants from wind, and steer clear of invasive coastal plants.

Coastal garden challenges and how to handle them

Challenge	How to handle it
Salt air and spray	Choose salt-tolerant plants and keep tender ones back from direct ocean spray.
Sandy soil	Mix in compost so the fast-draining sand holds more water and nutrients.
Wind	Add a windbreak or hedge and shelter delicate plants behind sturdier ones.
Watering	Water more often on fast-draining sand, and water deeply at times to flush salts down through the soil.
Invasive plants to avoid	Skip invasive plants like iceplant, pampas grass, and English ivy, which escape coastal gardens.

What Makes Coastal Gardening Different

Three forces shape every coastal garden: salt, sand, and wind. On salt, University of California IPM explains that ocean spray and breezes deposit salt that injures foliage on the windward side of plants, and that salt in the soil makes it harder for roots to take up water, drying and discoloring the plant.^[1] On soil, the University of California Master Gardener Program notes that sandy coastal soils drain quickly but hold very little water or nutrients.^[2] And on wind, UC IPM notes that strong, steady wind desiccates and tatters foliage and puts plants under water stress, which is why sheltering matters near the coast.^[3]

Choosing Salt-Tolerant and Wind-Tough Plants

The single best move is to plant things built for the conditions. Oregon State University Extension points to Mediterranean-climate plants that take salt and wind well, including orchid rockrose, which tolerates both wind and salt spray, along with rosemary and sedum.^[4] Succulents are another natural fit for bright, fast-draining coastal beds. California natives from the coast are also well adapted: the California Native Plant Society notes that seaside daisy grows naturally on coastal bluffs, dunes, and beaches, and other coastal-scrub natives like California sagebrush, coyote brush, and toyon are at home in sandy, exposed sites.^[5] For more native options, see our guide to the best native plants for SoCal yards.

Improving Sandy Soil and Watering Wisely

Sandy soil is workable once you build it up. The University of California Master Gardener Program recommends amending sandy soil with organic matter or compost to raise its ability to hold water and nutrients, which also lets you water less often; it cautions against heavy use of manure, since that can add to salt buildup.^[2] Water to match the fast drainage, a little more often than you would on heavy soil, and when salts build up, UC IPM notes they can be leached down and out of the root zone by watering deeply with low-salt water.^[1] A layer of mulch helps hold that moisture in. See our guides to water-wise watering and drought-resistant grasses for more.

Coastal Plants to Avoid

Some plants sold as tough coastal growers are invasive in California and should be left out of the garden. The California Invasive Plant Council lists highway iceplant (Carpobrotus edulis), pampas grass, English ivy, and fountain grass among the invasive plants to avoid in Southern California, because they escape gardens and overrun coastal bluffs, dunes, and wild areas.^[6] Iceplant is the classic example: it looks like an easy coastal groundcover but forms dense mats that smother native dune and bluff plants. Reach for a well-behaved native or succulent instead, and the coast stays healthier for it.

Gardening by the beach? Stop by any Green Thumb Nursery and our team can help you choose salt-tolerant and wind-tough plants suited to your stretch of the Southern California coast.

Coastal Gardening FAQ

What plants grow well on the California coast?

Succulents, Mediterranean plants, and California coastal natives. The California Native Plant Society notes seaside daisy grows on coastal bluffs and dunes, and coastal-scrub natives like California sagebrush, coyote brush, and toyon suit sandy, exposed sites.^[5]

What is the best plant for salt air?

Plants proven to take salt and wind. Oregon State University Extension points to orchid rockrose, which tolerates both wind and salt spray, along with rosemary and sedum as good choices for salty, exposed spots.^[4]

Can you garden in sandy coastal soil?

Yes. The University of California Master Gardener Program recommends amending sandy soil with compost or organic matter so it holds more water and nutrients, which also lets you water less often.^[2]

How do you protect a garden from ocean wind?

Shelter it. University of California IPM recommends creating a windbreak and placing wind-susceptible plants in protected locations, since steady wind dries and tatters foliage near the coast.^[3]

What coastal plants should you avoid?

Invasive ones. The California Invasive Plant Council lists iceplant (Carpobrotus edulis), pampas grass, English ivy, and fountain grass among invasive plants to avoid in Southern California, as they overrun coastal habitats.^[6]

Sources

• [1] University of California IPM, Salinity and Salt Toxicity: ipm.ucanr.edu
• [2] University of California Master Gardener Program, Soil Improvements and Preparation: ucanr.edu
• [3] University of California IPM, Wind: ipm.ucanr.edu
• [4] Oregon State University Extension, Rockroses for Western Gardens: extension.oregonstate.edu
• [5] California Native Plant Society (Calscape), Seaside Daisy: calscape.org
• [6] California Invasive Plant Council, Dont Plant a Pest (Southern California): cal-ipc.org

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