Check out bewaterwise. Lots of photos and information from the Southern California MWD.

If I could go back in time..red barked Manzanita's- how tall depends on which you want,with Aloes. Both look great around boulders. Pruned up Manzanita to show off the bark is a great look.

I agree, manzanitas are wonderful plants. Lots of interest in the bark, no supplemental water, they stay fresh looking even in the middle of summer. Unfortunately my yard seems to be a haven for the branch die back virus. 7 years ago I planted several, Sunset, Sentinal, Glauca, and I think Howard McMinn. All grew quickly, especially the Sunsets, but 7 years later all have died except the Glauca, and it has several dead branches so it's only a matter of time before it goes too.

We are in the Sacramento Valley in N. Cal. Is branch die back common here? I love Howard McMinn manzanita.

Your parameters need to be a little more specific, there! Inland, coastal, sun, shade, approximate size, preferred colors, existing plants?

That is a drawback of natives. Because native can mean native to hot dry parts of the state and planting it in the cooler bay area can do them in. Vice versa also for cool loving natives. Add soil preferences to the complex.

Manzanitas are all over and specific. Still,the botanical garden sales and nursery's usually try to carry the "cant fail". You can only try.

I am in the interior valleys of Los Angeles, Sunset zone 19.

I am 2 hours north of Sacramento, inland valley, blistering summers. I'll check out the local native nursery for manzanitas. Thanks for advice.

Check out this nursery's web site. Las Pilitas has great plants and can ship all over the state, and they're a great resource for info on CA natives where ever you are in the state. So many articles, so much info! You can learn so much from their site, including what native plants do well in your area.

http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plant-articles

I wish manzanitas didn't grow so slowly. I heard from the grapevine that the builder of our home took out 4 fully grown manzanitas. Sad.

Sunset and Howard McMinn were relatively fast growers. The small 1 gallon Sunsets I planted were about 3' tall and 6' wide after 5 years.

Howard McMinn went from a 1' one gallon plant to about 5' tall and 4' wide after 4 years. Glauca and especially Sentinal are much slower growing.