Name: josephine Arlington, Texas (Zone 8a) Hi Everybody!! Let us talk native.
I wish I had time to do some research, but right now I am in the throes of preparing for a plant sale this weekend.
You might start by researching the native plants native to your area of California, I am sure they are different from ours. Maybe the California native plant society has some guidelines.
Wildflowers are the Smiles of Nature.
Gardening with Texas Native Plants and Wildflowers.