Maybe Ribes viburnifolium (Catalina Currant)

Here is a link that might be useful: R. viburnifolium

Catalina currant's an awesome idea. Other erosion-controlling, shade- and drought-tolerant ideas:

salvia spathacea (hummingbird sage)
rhamnus californica (coffeeberry)
iris douglasiana
symphocarpus albus (snowberry) or symphocarpus mollis (creeping snowberry)

Thanks for your suggestions. You caused me to research California natives, which I don't know very well. Ribes viburnifolium looks good in the pictures, but the references I checked really differed on the size. In your experience, does it grow closer to 1' or 3' tall? I'm looking for a ground cover, and now I'm thinking of vinca major. Vinca minor is just too puny in California.

Patti, please check the site below about vinca major.
It's a pest in socal and invasive. It also frequently gets attacked by aphids.

There are tons of natives you could use for the slope that would benefits birds and other wildlife.
It easy to get overwhelmed with all the info available but here are a few very helpful sites.
http://www.laspilitas.com/
http://nativeson.com/resources.htm
http://www.cnps.org/
http://plantnative.org/
http://www.calflora.org/
http://www.elnativogrowers.com/SuitabilityLists/Erosion%20Control_Slope%20Stabilization.htm
http://www.theodorepayne.org/

Here is a link that might be useful: Invasive ground covers

gobluedjm... Thanks for posting that info, although I had some of those websites..some I didn't. I have a similiar slope problem.

I was thinking that Manzanitas, Coyote Brush, Ceonothus also would be things to consider.

Good idea to think about if you really want almost maint. free or not. Just planting & prepping my slope is going to be quite a workout. I too want more fruit trees and thought my slope would be a good place. I talked to my neighbor, who planted alot of fruit trees using block to create a watering / care zone. He is feeling like they are just too much work, with the fertilizing, watering, harvesting... Of course it depends who you are. I would preserve my harvests, but they don't. For some, just 1 or 2 trees would suffice.

That was an awesome list of native plant websites. Thank you. I checked them all. I see that you're right about vinca major. I like ceanothus and arctostaphylos for sun. For shade, I'm torn between ribes viburnifolium (does it get too tall?) and mahonia repens (is it too prickly?). Low maintenance would be best.

I think mahonia is prickley. I would like to use it but is too hot here. Ribes according to western garden book can get 3-6 feet tall and spread 12 feet. That would definately fill your slope in I would think.
Place some natives inbetween that flower in different seasons would like nice also.
One native I really like and is good for erosion is Salvia Clevelandii. It flowers light purplish/blue and has a nice scent. A 1 gallon plant I put in almost a year ago is already 2+ feet across.

Oh and you both are welcome.

I love the idea of planting some shrubs in with the groundcover on the hillside. Thanks.

I have Ribes viburnifolium, and it much prefers morning sun/afternoon shade to full sun unless you are right along the coast. I have coyote brush--that prefers full sun. The coyote brush creates a good network of roots. Unless you are pretty close to the coast, the coyote brush appreciates some irrigation.

We build small basins of retaining wall block for our fruit trees on the slope. This accomplished 2 things: it gave the fruit trees more rootspace, and it makes it so much easier to pick fruit or care for the trees because we have a flat space to stand. Picking fruit on a slope is not so fun. Also we have just a drip line for the trees while the rest of the slope is Amaryllis belladonna and Baccharis, which can get by without watering.

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That's a nice-looking wall for your fruit trees. I hadn't expected a photo. Also, I hadn't thought of Amaryllis. Thanks.

very helpful information. and a nice photo. gives me ideas for my hillside that I hadn't even considered.

I was just at B&N store and saw a Sunset book called Hillside Landscaping. It has all kinds of ideas.
You could also put in a little terrace for a bench seat like hoovb mentioned with retaining walls.

To give you another idea here is a pic of my waterfall previous owner put in.
At the top along the fence is a fremontodendron california flannel bush 'San Gabriel' with the bright yellow flower.

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Thanks for telling me about Sunset's Hillside Gardening book. I'll check it out the next time I go to B&N. I like your waterfall. Is there a pump inside that makes it work?

Yes there is a pump in it and the elctrical you can see behind the freesias. I keep it on a timer.
The birds love it and I love it for the relaxation.

the hairs on fremontodendron are irritating (and plentiful and seemingly "magnetic"). r viburnifolium needs summer water (on flat clay). vinca major is a weed along creek banks, but otherwise will dry up without summer water.
a few fruiting plants drop fruit. feijoa is the only one i can think of right now... btw it needs decent water in dry summer areas.

you might think about fire... i doubt you'll want to completely avoid irrigation (which you didn't mention, but you'd also originally planned on fruit trees along the slope... ).