December Newsletter

Resilient Landscapes Coalition 2025 Highlights

2025 has been a great year for getting the word out about resilient landscaping! Check out our achievements…

• Built a live demonstration garden at the Wildfire and Earthquake Expo in June complete with compost, mulch, decorative gravel and live California native plants. We spoke with over 250 people and even made the local news!
• We taught 16 workshops, both in person and virtual and tabled at 5 Community events.
• We completed our virtual 4 Part Series in English and Spanish in October reaching over 300 people. All parts of this workshop series are available on our YouTube Channel.

Lights, Camera, Resilience!

One of the highlights of our year was producing a series of short, fun videos packed with resilient landscaping tips. Haven’t had a chance to watch them yet? Don’t miss out–watch them here!

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December in the Resilient Garden

Winter in Northern California is defined by the arrival of storms bringing rain at lower elevations, and occasionally snow above 2,000 feet. Depending upon proximity to the coast, freezing weather may occur on winter nights. While winter rains lessen wildfire risk, fire events can still occur and maintaining your property is a year-round task. This is a good time to do significant removal of unwanted vegetation, since birds aren’t breeding until late February.

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Winter Fire Readiness

• Maintain your roof and gutter free of leaves and other debris.
• Prevent falling leaves from accumulating along the house foundation and fences.
• Clean up dead leaves and other plant material from within trees and shrubs.
• Winter is a good time to remove clutter from around the home.

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Caring for the Winter Garden

Some landscape plants are susceptible to freeze damage in the winter. Plants killed by frost can become a fire hazard in the Wildland Urban Interface.

• Help your plants survive the cold by preparing for frost in early winter (December). Move tender container plants to a protected area. For plants in the ground that are susceptible to frost, assure that they are adequately hydrated and cover when freezing weather is predicted.
• Apply composted wood mulches starting 5 feet away from your home or structures (no wood mulch should be used in Zone 0). Apply mulch 2-3 inches deep around your plants to help retain water, feed the soil and avoid invasive seeds from germinating. While mulch may be replenished at any time of year, winter is a good time as many weed seeds are just beginning to germinate.
• Use composted wood chips, which produce very little flame and have the slowest rate of fire spread out of 8 types of mulch treatment tested in a 2008 study.

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Pruning for Healthy Plants

Prior to pruning, always consider the purpose of a cut. Choosing the right plant for the right place will minimize the need to prune. As needed, use the horizontal and vertical spacing guidelines to guide pruning decisions, and removal of dead and diseased plant material is always appropriate. See Landscape Design: Zone 1 on our website for more information.

Several favorite California native plants such as manzanita, coyote brush, ceanothus, salvias, and buckwheat–which are beautiful and provide abundant food and shelter for wildlife are considered by some as fire prone plants. In fact, if pruned properly, well hydrated, and spaced appropriately, these plants can grace your garden as effective elements in a firewise landscape. Visit CNPS: Pruning Tips and Techniques to learn more about the the best time to prune these plants.

Winter-deciduous trees and shrubs (e.g. western redbud, creek dogwood, maples, and deciduous oaks) should be pruned during their dormant period after leaf drop and before spring bud break. Waiting until the coldest winter weather has passed is beneficial It is much easier to spot structural problems such as crossing limbs at this time of the year, and to observe where removal of a specific branch will result in more desirable shape and improve horizontal or vertical spacing.

Thinning woody shrubs, by removing interior stems, is better than hedging the plant’s tops and sides, which causes excessively twiggy growth and accumulations of plant debris.

Protected species require a permit before pruning. Whenever there is any doubt about clearing or thinning native brush, the US Fish and Wildlife Service and California Department of Fish and Wildlife should be consulted. Oak trees in particular are a protected species in California and require permitting. Check our section on Oak Woodlands for more information.

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Plant Selection: “Right plant, right place”

“The ideal times to plant California natives are in late fall, winter, or early spring. Planting in the fall/winter during the rainy season is ideal for conserving water and ensuring the plant has the best chance of survival in the garden.” — California Native Plant Society. Learn more at the California Native Plant Society.

After reviewing the guidance in the Landscapes section of the Resilient Landscapes Coalition website, select plants using the following guidelines:

• Size and shape. Choose plants that will mature at the desired height and width, reducing or eliminating the need to prune to control their size.
• Site conditions will refine your plant selection. Consideration of slope, exposure, and wind will allow you to match the best plants to your unique situation. Be aware whether a plant prefers sun or shade, and its tolerance of different soil types and drainage. In choosing plants, it also helps to know the local plant communities of your watershed.
• Plant type. Consider whether the best plant for the site will be a ground cover, a shrub, an herbaceous perennial, or a tree. These different plant types will have different roles to play in the defensible space, as described in the Landscapes section on our website.
• Native plants provide many more resources to our native pollinators and other wildlife than non-native plants, and are an important source of habitat. A mix of at least 80% native plants provides excellent habitat for wildlife biodiversity, and allows plenty of room for other favorites.
• Climate adaptation. Choose from plants that are well adapted to a summer dry climate, and that won’t suffer from your area’s temperature extremes in summer and winter. The goal is to choose plants that will be healthy with the least water and maintenance.
• Variety helps to create a beautiful garden and provides many resources to wildlife. Strive for a diverse planting with plants that bloom throughout the year, while utilizing some massing of three or more plants of the same species to create some continuity.

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December Plant Highlights

California Bay Laurel (Umbellularia californica)
California bay laurel is a beautiful and versatile evergreen tree native to California’s coastal ranges and foothills. It has glossy, deep-green leaves and in late winter/ early spring, forms clusters of small yellow-green flowers followed by olive-like fruits.

This tree plays an important role in native ecosystems. Its flowers support native pollinators, while birds and mammals feed on the fruit and use the tree for shelter. Bay laurel thrives in mixed evergreen forests, oak woodlands, and riparian areas, helping create layered habitat and ecological connectivity.

Bay laurel adds a lush, woodland feel to native gardens. Its aromatic, glossy leaves have long been used by Indigenous peoples for medicinal, cultural, and culinary purposes, and are still valued today as a flavorful (and more pungent) alternative to Mediterranean bay leaves. The evergreen foliage is also popular in seasonal décor. Fresh bay laurel leaves can be woven into holiday wreaths offering a fragrant, natural alternative to store-bought greenery. See tips below.

Once established, California bay laurel is moderately drought tolerant but looks its best with occasional deep watering, especially during prolonged dry periods. It naturally prefers well-drained soils and does well in areas that receive some moisture, such as north-facing slopes or near seasonal creeks.

Bay laurel can be included thoughtfully in a firewise landscape, especially when used as a well-maintained, properly spaced tree. Regular pruning to remove dead wood, reduce density, and keep branches lifted away from structures is essential.

Tips for wreath making:

• Cut in the cool morning hours to reduce stress on the tree and help foliage stay fresh.
• Bay laurel leaves are naturally flexible and work well as a base greenery.
• Only harvest from established trees and never take more than 10–20% of the foliage from any one plant.
• Combine with other fire-safe, native-friendly accents like toyon berries, dried grasses, seed heads, pinecones, or manzanita twigs.
• As they dry, leaves deepen in color and retain their scent for months, making them ideal for long-lasting décor.
• Hang indoors or in a protected outdoor space for the longest life.

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Coyote Bush (Baccarus pilularis)

Coyote bush is one of California’s most important native shrubs for wildlife. Its late-season blooms provide critical nectar and pollen for native bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects when few other plants are flowering. Birds and small mammals use its dense branches for shelter and nesting, making it a keystone species in many coastal ecosystems.

Once established, coyote bush is highly drought tolerant and thrives on rainfall alone. It prefers well-drained soils and full sun to light shade, making it an excellent choice for low-water and climate-resilient gardens.

Coyote bush can be a strong ally in a firewise landscape when properly placed and maintained. Its ability to resprout after fire makes it ecologically resilient, but maintenance is key. Prune to reduce density, remove dead material, and maintain spacing between shrubs. Avoid letting plants grow leggy or overly woody, and keep them only in Zones 1 & 2 (5-100’) from structures.

There is a low growing variety (Bacchurus pilularis ‘Twin Peaks’) that works as a beautiful groundcover. It’s great for slopes or when you want to cover large areas with greenery that takes little to no water and stays green year round.

Coyote Brush Groundcover – photo by April Owens