Theodore Payne Foundation - Sun Valley, California

Christopher S.

The premier source of California native plants in LA, Theodore Payne has a wide variety of native plants and seeds in their nursery. They also have an established garden so you can browse the plants when they’re fully grown for inspiration. If you’re new to native plants then it’s good to view the garden, as the plants for sale are usually very young and it’s difficult to know what they’re going to look like if you’re unfamiliar with them. Each plant in the nursery has a very helpful sign with all the info you need to know, but ask the staff if you’re still not sure. They also offer classes here if you want to learn a lot more about native plant gardening.

Denise A.

Great selection of native California plants. Organized by different habitat types (chaparral, riparian woodland, coastal sage, desert) & with signs explaining plant care & requirements, it's easy to find what you need for your garden & at inexpensive prices. The employees are knowledgeable & very helpful.

* During the COVID-19 pandemic, they are taking precautions with reservations of time slots to visit the nursery, brought their indoor store to outdoor stands, have signs all over to ensure patrons wear masks, & sanitizing stations throughout. They also offer online purchases with pick up as an option.

Pamela R.

Theodore Payne Foundation is dedicated to spreading California native plants throughout Southern California through education and plant sales at their nursery. They truly are experts, knowledgeable, and with friendly staff willing to answer questions.

Stephen B.

The Theodore Payne Foundation is a great organization. They have an awesome nursery where they sell all kinds of native plants, trees, bushes, groundcovers, etc, etc. They also sell seeds, have a great bookstore with lots of interesting gardening books and gardening tools, and a number of other things. I also noticed that all of the staff were very helpful and friendly! The grounds are also very attractive.

sebastian S.

The best California native plant nursery that I know of. This nursery has been around since 1960 and I only found out about the place in 2016. My life was considerably made better after the fact. They have an extensive library of plants and their mission of preserving native flora should be applauded. With the nursery's help I've expanded my collection of plants and learned quite a bit of botany along the way. I've volunteered with them many times and each time was unique. The seasonal sales are very good and they occasionally have books out for free! They may not always have the plants I need, but the staff is quite good at guiding me in the right direction on how to locate the plants. All of the staff are very good at their jobs and have led me through the process of planting starts and sowing seeds. During late winter and throughout spring the nursery also carries bulbs for anyone that is interested. Their website has a catalog of their inventory and a California Native Plant Database. The seed collections that they carry are really nice and they also have some apparels and accessories. I have a shirt of one of my favorite native plants and one that I found at a Swap Meet in 2018 (the shirt was from 1994!) The Annual Garden Tour is a prestigious event that I hope to be a part of in the future, but I suggest that anyone does volunteer for the event if they are interested in plants! The nursery also has a custom seed mix service for any specialty lawns and whatnot. I highly suggest that any Angelino and even any Californian to check this amazing place out!

Pierce L.

Hidden gem in Sun Valley and a peaceful place to while away an hour or two. Had we known about the pergola-shaded picnic tables beside the main office/seed shop, we might have packed a lunch—such a pleasant setting! They allow dogs and our group (ages 32-70) enjoyed an easy hike along the Wild Flower Hill Trail. There's a picnic table at the top of the trail too (and great views to boot)! The native plants for sale in the nursery are accompanied by informative signs—an enlightening way for Southern Californians to browse, understand, and restore their local flora.

Cris S.

I adore this place and it’s mission and the variety of native plants available here is incredible. Such helpful caring staff too. Not being able to return anything, even in great condition and within a week, is indeed unfair to us beginner gardeners who need to overbuy a bit and play around with different options. It stings.

Gregory S.

This is my go-to native plant nursery in Los Angeles. They have great plants, knowledgeable staff and an amazing aesthetic that celebrates restoring native habitats. If you go for the plants, give yourself some extra time to hike the two plant walks (the small one in the front and the big hill in the back. Spectacular views and great way to see native plants in their natural environment.