Eriogonum 'Theodore Payne'. Bold accent plants need something neutral to set them off. This plant does the trick nicely. It stays low, does interesting things with flowers (good for local insects) and is native right here in Los Angeles. It will crawl around whatever else you plant, and might need an occasional bit of trimming so it doesn't overwhelm the accent plant.
Combine with Agave parryi, Opuntia santa-rita (watch out for spines!), aloes, puyas, yuccas and other bold plants with a form and foliage contrast that will be accented by the fine texture of this buckwheat.
Great features: it needs very little water, stays low and spreads well.