Native plants—keystone species for sunny areas in your garden

A keystone species is an organism that helps define an entire ecosystem. Without its keystone species, the ecosystem would be dramatically different or cease to exist altogether. Renowned entomologist and environmentalist Doug Tallamy's work highlights the importance of those native plants that provide food for insects, particularly in their larval stages. Not only do insect eggs and caterpillars produce wonderful butterflies and moths, they provide an essential food source for birds and other animals. which depend upon them for thei survival and propagation. In this video, Jennifer Dirking recommends the best keystone species plants which will do well in sunny areas of your native plant garden, with a specific focus on the San Franciso East Bay region of Northern California. These varieties will do well in Alameda County and Contra Costa County, including the cities of oakland, Berkeley, Piedmont, Kensington, Albany, El Cerrito, Richmond, San Pablo, Antioch, Brentwood, Clayton, Concord, Danville, Hercules, Lafayette, Martinez, Moraga, Oakley, Orinda, Pinole, Pittsburg, San Ramon, Walnut Creek, Bayview, Alamo, Blackhawk, Bay Point, Diablo, Crockett, Port Costa, Dublin, Emeryville, Fremont, Hayward, Livermore, Newark, Oakland, Piedmont, Pleasanton, San Leandro, Union City. Castro Valley,, San Lorenzo, and Sunol.