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Find a Pro · Los Angeles, CA

Xeriscape Landscapers in Los Angeles

5 companies in the Los Angeles area advertise xeriscape, native-plant, or water-wise landscaping. Before you call one, here is what the local climate asks of a low-water yard, which rebates are open, and the questions that separate a real xeriscape contractor from a rock-and-weed-fabric crew.

Growing conditions in Los Angeles

  • USDA zone (2023)10a–10b[2]90012: 35 to 40°F extreme min.
  • Annual precipitation14 inches[1]Los Angeles Downtown (USC)
  • Station elevation230 ft[1]

Mediterranean climate: about 14 in. of rain, 87% of it November–March, and almost none in summer. Downtown recorded no 32°F freeze in the 1991–2020 normals; inland valleys (zone 10a) run cooler.

On the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, the ZIP codes we sampled in Los Angeles fall in zones 10a to 10b; 90012 (zone 10b) has an average annual extreme minimum of 35 to 40°F. Choose perennials, shrubs, and trees rated at least to zone 10. NOAA's 1991–2020 normals recorded no 32°F freeze at Los Angeles Downtown (USC), so there are no meaningful frost dates; colder inland and valley neighborhoods can still see light frost.

Average annual precipitation is 14 inches (Los Angeles Downtown (USC), 1991–2020), and 87% of it falls November–March. Summers are dry (August is the driest month), so plants lean on stored soil moisture and supplemental water through their first summer. The average high in August is about 84°F and the average low in December is about 48°F, measured at about 230 ft.

Los Angeles xeriscape pros

Sorted by tier, then alphabetically. Tiers explained below the list.

  • Listed

    A public listing we compiled from the company's own website because it advertises xeriscape or water-wise work. Listed is not an endorsement and we have not reviewed the company's work.

  • Claimed

    The business owner has claimed the profile and manages its details, photos, and service areas.

  • Certified

    The company completed the Xeriscaping.com certification course and agreed to our Code of Conduct.

Before you hire: 8 questions to ask a Los Angeles xeriscape contractor

  1. Will you wait for rebate pre-approval before touching the lawn?

    Turf Replacement Rebate (Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP), with MWD SoCal Water$mart) requires approval before any grass is removed. A contractor who starts early can cost you $5.00 per sq ft residential (LADWP $3/sq ft + MWD $2/sq ft). Ask them to build the approval date into the schedule.

  2. Can I see a written plant list with hardiness zones?

    Every plant should be rated to at least zone 10 here. Ask for botanical names, mature size, and water use, and for plant coverage at maturity. Many rebates require 50% or more.

  3. How will you convert the sprinklers?

    Spray heads in a xeriscape waste water and feed weeds. Ask whether planted areas get drip on a separate zone with a filter and pressure regulator, how unused spray heads will be capped, and whether the controller will be reprogrammed or replaced with a smart controller.

  4. What happens to the sod, and how will you prep the soil?

    Ask whether they will cut and haul the sod, smother it, or use herbicide, and what they will add to the soil. Many xeric plants prefer lean soil, so heavy compost everywhere can backfire. Loosening compacted ground after sod removal matters more.

  5. What mulch, how deep, and is there plastic underneath?

    Rock and wood mulch both work, but depth matters: rebate rules in the West commonly call for about 3 inches. Several programs prohibit plastic sheeting, and it starves soil of air and water anyway.

  6. Will I get a first-year watering schedule?

    New xeriscapes are not no-water in year one. Ask for a written establishment schedule by season. With frost rare, you can plant most of the year; fall and winter plantings benefit from the rainy season.

  7. Is there a plant warranty, and what voids it?

    Get the length (often one season or one year) and the conditions in writing, including whether it covers winter kill and what watering records you need to keep.

  8. Are you licensed and insured for this work?

    Ask for a license or registration number and look it up with the Contractors State License Board (CSLB) before signing, and ask for a current certificate of insurance. Contractors State License Board (CSLB) lookup.

Rebates for Los Angeles homeowners

Get pre-approval before you remove any grass. Almost every lawn-replacement program requires photos or an inspection of the living lawn first.

Rebate programs serving Los Angeles, verified September 2026
ProgramAmountStatus
Turf Replacement Rebate
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP), with MWD SoCal Water$mart
$5.00 per sq ft residential (LADWP $3/sq ft + MWD $2/sq ft)
Cap: 5,000 sq ft maximum; $25,000 maximum rebate (residential)
Open
Turf Replacement Program (SoCal Water$mart)
Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD)
$2.00 per sq ft (MWD base; your local water agency may add more)
Cap: Up to 5,000 sq ft of converted yard per year (residential)
Open

Verified Sep 2026 from each agency's program page.

All California rebatesEstimate your water savings

Low-water plants that suit Los Angeles

From our plant database: hardy to zone 10 and at home in zone 10, driest first. Ask your contractor whether these are in their plan.

See every plant for zone 10

Already listed? Claim your listing.

Sources

  1. NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, Los Angeles Downtown (USC) (USW00093134). ncei.noaa.gov
  2. USDA ARS 2023 Plant Hardiness Zone Map, by ZIP (90012: 10b, 90026: 10b, 90045: 10b, 91101: 10a, 91331: 10a). planthardiness.ars.usda.gov