Keystone Plants are the powerhouses of our local ecosystems because they support so many other plants, animals and insects throughout their life cycles, producing most of the energy that powers our food web. Keystone plants are crucial for native bees and other pollinators. Ninety six percent of terrestrial birds rely on the insects that keystone plants support. If you're wanting to have the greatest positive ecosystem impact in your garden, Keystone Plants are a great place to start.
Many of the biggest hitters in the Keystone species (Coast Live Oaks, Pines, etc.) aren't practical in our small San Francisco gardens. So we've curated this collection with a focus on smaller species that have an outsized impact for our California Mediterranean ecoregion. It includes a mix of plants that are suitable for our urban gardens and interact with a broad range of our native fauna.
