Late fall and winter are the best times to sow native plant seeds. Online sources offer the widest selection of native plant seeds, but it is possible to find them in local stores. It often takes a little searching to find them  -- here are some tips here to help you locate them. If you know of seed sources in the Bay Area that are not included on this page, please send updates to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Bay Area Stores where native seeds have been spotted

Many nurseries and even big box hardware stores carry a limited number of native plant seeds and seed mixes, but it can be challenging trying to find packets of seed mixes with only natives as many mixes that include "California" in the name include non-native seeds. It's important to carefully read the list of included flowers before buying. We've identified two native seed mixes that have been spotted in Bay Area stores:

• California Color - Flower mix by Botanical Interests
• California Native Wildflower Mixture by Stover Seeds

Both of these companies also offer seed mixes with similar names that contain non-native plant seeds, so be sure to check carefully before purchasing.

Stores where these and other native seeds and native seed mixes have been found:

• Almaden Valley Nursery,15800 Almaden Expy, San Jose - Carries Botanical Interests seeds. Look for "California Color Flower Mix Seeds". There are a number of other mixes that include the word "California" in the name, but contain non-native species. 
• CNL Native Plant Nursery, 254 Shoreline Hwy, Mill Valley - Variety of native seeds, many of them locally grown and packaged.
• Home Depot - Carries Stover seeds. Look for "California Native Wildflower Mixture". Available in 1.5oz and 10gm. There are several similarly named Stover mixes that contain non-natives, so be careful. You can also order directly from Stover.
• Summerwinds - Carries Botanical Interests seeds. Look for "California Color Flower Mix Seeds". There are a number of other mixes that include the word "California" in the name, but contain non-native species.  
• Watershed Nursery, 601 A Canal Blvd., Richmond - Carries a variety of native seeds
• Yerba Buena Nursery, 12511 San Mateo Rd. (Hwy 92), Half Moon Bay. Good selection of seeds.

Availability changes frequently, so call ahead or ask at the information desk if you have trouble locating seeds.

California Poppies

The most commonly available native plant seeds are California poppies. Since there are many non-native poppies, make sure the botanical name is "Eschscholzia california" when choosing poppy seeds. In addition to the well known orange California poppies, California poppy seeds are available for a rainbow of other colors. Some commonly available ones include:

• Mission Bells - a double/semi-double variety with a rainbow of colors - white, orange, red, yellow and rose.
• Mikado - scarlet-orange
• Sundew - lemon-yellow

Online vendors with a wide selection of California poppies:

• Eden Brothers: https://www.edenbrothers.com/collections/california_poppy_seeds
• Seedman.com: https://www.seedman.com/californiapoppy.htm

Online Seed Stores

CANativeSeeds - Online seed store based in Castro Valley. https://www.etsy.com/shop/CaliforniaNativeShop

Larner Seeds; PO Box 407 or 235 Grove Road; Bolinas 94971; (415) 868-9407; Mail order seeds and California native wildflowers, perennials, grasses, shrubs, and trees. Retail plants at the nursery from October through July.

Natureseed.com: Natureseed.com took over distribution for Pacific Coast Seed and Hedgerow Farms. They also carry seeds from a variety of other sources, so it's important to read the species list carefully when you are buying mixes as many of them include non-native seeds.

Pacific Coast Seed; 533 Hawthorne Place, Livermore 94550; (925) 373-4417 or (800) 733-3462 (sold through natureseed.com)

San Diego Chapter, California Native Plant Society seed store; San Diego, CA, Contact Form; Sells California native seeds primarily from Southern California in small quantities for home and demonstration gardens

Seedhunt; PO Box 96, Freedom 95019; Mail order annual and perennial seed with hard to find selections and about one-third native

The Theodore Payne Foundation for Wildflowers and Native Plants Inc.;10459 Tuxford Street, Sun Valley 91352, (818) 768-1802; Online ordering available for seeds. Many useful plant resources on the site

S&S Seeds; P.O. Box 1275, Carpinteria, CA 93014; (805) 684-0436; Wholesale seeds, with $150 minimum order.

Stover: Seeds are often also available at Home Depot. In addition to "California Native Wildflower Mixture" they often have Narrow-Leaved Milkweed (Asclepias fascicularis), Baby Blue Eyes (Nemophila menziesii), Blue Flax (Linum lewisii), Desert Bluebells / California Bluebells (Phacelia campanularia).