California native plants are plants that existed in California prior to the arrival of European explorers and colonists in the late 18th century. California includes parts of at least three phytochoria. The largest is the California Floristic Province, a geographical area that covers most of California, portions of neighboring Oregon, Nevada, and Baja California, and is regarded as a "world hotspot" of biodiversity.

Introduction

In 1993, '' The Jepson Manual'' estimated that California was home to 4,693 native species and 1,169 native subspecies or varieties, including 1,416 endemic species. A 2001 study by the California Native Plant Society estimated 6,300 native plants. These estimates continue to change over time. Of California's total plant population, 2,153 species, subspecies, and varieties are endemic and native to California alone, according to the 1993 Jepson Manual study. This botanical diversity stems not only from the size of the state, but also its diverse

topographies Topography is the study of the forms and features of land surfaces. The topography of an area may refer to the land forms and features themselves, or a description or depiction in maps. Topography is a field of geoscience and planetary scien ...

, climates, and soils (e.g.

serpentine outcrops Serpentine soil is an uncommon soil type produced by weathered ultramafic rock such as peridotite and its metamorphic rock, metamorphic derivatives such as serpentinite. More precisely, serpentine soil contains minerals of the serpentine subgroup ...

). Numerous plant groupings exist in California, and botanists work to structure them into identifiable

ecoregions An ecoregion (ecological region) or ecozone (ecological zone) is an ecologically and geographically defined area that is smaller than a bioregion, which in turn is smaller than a biogeographic realm. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of l ...

, plant communities, vegetation types, and

habitats In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical ...

, and taxonomies. California native plants include some that have widespread horticultural use. Sometimes the appreciation began outside of California— lupines, California fuchsias, and

California poppies California Poppies were a British speedway team based at Longmoor Speedway California in England, California Country Park, Nr Wokingham, Berkshire. History The California Poppies raced in the California Country Park in an area known as Califor ...

were first cultivated in British and European gardens for over a century.

Selected trees

Coniferous trees

Sequoias and redwoods

* Coast redwood (''Sequoia sempervirens'') - in the fog-shrouded coast ranges. * Giant sequoia (''Sequoiadendron giganteum'') - in the

Sierra Nevada Mountains The Sierra Nevada () is a mountain range in the Western United States, between the Central Valley (California), Central Valley of California and the Great Basin. The vast majority of the range lies in the state of California, although the Cars ...

Pine trees

* Bishop pine (''Pinus muricata''): coastal species grown in gardens * Coulter pine (''Pinus coulteri'') * Gray pine, ghost pine, or digger pine (''Pinus sabiniana'') * Knobcone pine (''Pinus attenuata'') * Ponderosa pine (''Pinus ponderosa''): well known in mountains * Lodgepole pine (''Pinus contorta''): used for early construction of buildings and other structures. * Monterey pine (''Pinus radiata''): naturally limited endemic range; widely planted horticulturally around the world * Limber pine (''Pinus flexilis'') *

Jeffrey pine ''Pinus jeffreyi'', also known as Jeffrey pine, Jeffrey's pine, yellow pine and black pine, is a North American pine tree. It is mainly found in California, but also in the westernmost part of Nevada, southwestern Oregon, and northern Baja Califo ...

(''Pinus jeffreyi'') *

Parry pinyon ''Pinus quadrifolia'', the Parry pinyon, is a pine in the pinyon pine group native to southernmost California in the United States and northern Baja California in Mexico, from 33° 30' N south to 30° 30' N. The Parry pinyon has a lifespan of aro ...

(''Pinus quadrifolia'') * Shore pine (''Pinus contorta'') *

Sugar pine ''Pinus lambertiana'' (commonly known as the sugar pine or sugar cone pine) is the tallest and most massive pine tree, and has the longest cones of any conifer. The species name ''lambertiana'' was given by the Scottish botanist David Douglas, ...

(''Pinus lambertiana'') *

Torrey pine The Torrey pine (''Pinus torreyana'') is a rare pine species in California, United States. It is a critically endangered species growing only in coastal San Diego County, and on Santa Rosa Island, offshore from Santa Barbara in Santa Barbara ...

(''Pinus torreyana'') * Western white pine (''Pinus monticola'') * Single-leaf pinyon pine (''Pinus monophylla'') *

Great Basin bristlecone pine ''Pinus longaeva'' (commonly referred to as the Great Basin bristlecone pine, intermountain bristlecone pine, or western bristlecone pine) is a long-living species of bristlecone pine tree found in the higher mountains of California, Nevada, and ...

(''Pinus longaeva''): the Methuselah, a 4,700-year-old specimen * Foxtail pine (''Pinus balfouriana''): endemic to California; 2,000-year-old specimens

Western Cypress

* Arizona cypress (''Cupressus arizonica'') * Baker cypress (''Cupressus bakeri'') * Cuyamaca cypress (''Cupressus stephensonii'') *

Gowen cypress #REDIRECT Cupressus goveniana ''Cupressus goveniana'', now reclassified as ''Hesperocyparis goveniana'', with the common names Californian cypress and Gowen cypress, is a species of cypress, that is endemic to California. Distribution The tree ...

(''Cupressus goveniana'') * McNab's cypress (''Cupressus macnabiana'') * Monterey cypress (''Cupressus macrocarpa'') * Paiute cypress (''Cupressus nevadensis'') * Pygmy cypress (''Cupressus pigmaea'') * Santa Cruz cypress (''Cupressus abramsiana'') * Sargent's cypress (''Cupressus sargentii'') *

Tecate cypress ''Cupressus forbesii'', now reclassified by some as ''Hesperocyparis forbesii'', and with the common names Tecate cypress or Forbes' cypress, is a species of cypress native to southwestern North America. Distribution ''Cupressus forbesii'' is ...

(''Cupressus forbesii'')

Other conifers

Santa Lucia fir ''Abies bracteata'', the Santa Lucia fir or bristlecone fir, is the rarest and most endemic fir in North America, and according to some, the world. It is confined to steep-sided slopes and the bottoms of rocky canyons in the Santa Lucia Mountain ...

(''Abies bracteata'') and seven other native '' Abies'' species. *

Douglas fir The Douglas fir (''Pseudotsuga menziesii'') is an evergreen conifer species in the pine family, Pinaceae. It is native to western North America and is also known as Douglas-fir, Douglas spruce, Oregon pine, and Columbian pine. There are three va ...

(''Pseudotsuga menziesii'') * Bigcone Douglas-fir (''Pseudotsuga macrocarpa'') - Central Coast and Santa Susana Mountains. * California nutmeg (''Torreya californica'') * Incense cedar (''Calocedrus decurrens'') * Port Orford cedar-Lawson cypress (''Chamaecyparis lawsoniana'') * White fir (''Abies concolor'') - at high elevations * Mountain hemlock (''Tsuga mertensiana'') * Red fir (''Abies magnifica'') *

Pacific yew ''Taxus brevifolia'', the Pacific yew or western yew, is a species of tree in the yew family Taxaceae native to the Pacific Northwest of North America. It is a small evergreen conifer, thriving in moisture and otherwise tending to take the form o ...

(''Taxus brevifolia'') *

Western juniper ''Juniperus occidentalis'', known as the western juniper, is a shrub or tree native to the Western United States, growing in mountains at altitudes of and rarely down to . It is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List because it is a widesp ...

(Juniperus occidentalis)

Oak trees

:California is home to many deciduous and evergreen oaks, often occurring in oak woodlands: *

Valley oak ''Quercus lobata'', commonly called the valley oak or roble, grows into the largest of California oaks. It is endemic to California, growing in interior valleys and foothills from Siskiyou County to San Diego County. Mature specimens may attain a ...

(''Quercus lobata'') - the largest of the oaks. *

Leather oak ''Quercus durata'', commonly known as leather oak, is a species of oak endemic to California, common in the Coast Ranges and the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. The common name "leather oak" is derived from the leathery texture on the lop of its ...

(''Quercus durata'') - an evergreen shrub endemic to serpentine chaparral. *

Blue oak ''Quercus douglasii'', known as blue oak, is a species of oak endemic to (and found only in) California, common in the Coast Ranges and the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. It is California's most drought-tolerant deciduous oak, and is a dominan ...

(''Quercus douglasii'') - in the Central Valley foothills and Coast Ranges. *

California black oak ''Quercus kelloggii'', the California black oak, also known as Kellogg oak, is an oak in the red oak section (genus ''Quercus'', section ''Lobatae'', series ''Agrifoliae''), native to western North America. Although genetically separated from the ...

(''Quercus kelloggii'') - in the higher hills and mountains. *

Canyon live oak ''Quercus chrysolepis'', commonly termed canyon live oak, canyon oak, golden cup oak or maul oak, is a North American species of evergreen oak that is found in Mexico and in the western United States, notably in the California Coast Ranges. This ...

(''Quercus chrysolepis'') - found mainly in northern mountainous regions. * Interior live oak (''Quercus wislizeni'') in the Central Valley region. *

Island oak ''Quercus tomentella'', the island oak, island live oak, or Channel Island oak, is an oak in the section Quercus section Protobalanus, ''Protobalanus''. It is native to six islands: five of the Channel Islands of California and Guadalupe Island ...

(''Quercus tomentella'') - endemic with distinctive large evergreen leaves. *

Engelmann oak ''Quercus engelmannii'', the Engelmann oak or Pasadena oak, is a species of oak in the white oak section (''Quercus'' sect. ''Quercus''), native to southern California and northwestern Baja California, Mexico. Description ''Quercus engelmannii'' ...

(''Quercus engelmanni'') - an endangered species with a cool blue-gray cast to the foliage. * Coast live oak (''Quercus agrifolia'') is found in the

Coast Ranges The Pacific Coast Ranges (officially gazetted as the Pacific Mountain System in the United States) are the series of mountain ranges that stretch along the West Coast of North America from Alaska south to Northern and Central Mexico. Although the ...

, Transverse Ranges,

Peninsular Ranges The Peninsular Ranges (also called the Lower California province) are a group of mountain ranges that stretch from Southern California to the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula; they are part of the North American Coast Ranges, which ...

, and along the coast's hills and adjacent interior valleys, and many other habitats and gardens.

Riparian trees

:In

riparian areas A riparian zone or riparian area is the interface between land and a river or stream. Riparian is also the proper nomenclature for one of the terrestrial biomes of the Earth. Plant habitats and communities along the river margins and banks a ...

(streamside and moist habitats) some of the trees include: *

California sycamore ''Platanus racemosa'' is a species of plane tree known by several common names, including California sycamore, western sycamore, California plane tree, and in North American Spanish aliso. ''Platanus racemosa'' is native to California and Baja C ...

(''Platanus racemosa'') * White alder (''Alnus rhombifolia'') * Quaking aspen (''Populus tremuloides'') *

Fremont cottonwood ''Populus fremontii'', commonly known as Frémont's cottonwood, is a cottonwood (and thus a poplar) native to riparian zones of the Southwestern United States and northern through central Mexico. It is one of three species in ''Populus'' sect. ...

(''Populus fremontii'') * Black cottonwood (''Populus trichocarpa'') *

Arroyo willow ''Salix lasiolepis'' (arroyo willow) is a species of willow native to western North America. Distribution The core range of the arroyo willow includes most of California, including the California Coast Ranges, Arizona, Klamath Mountains, Peninsu ...

(''Salix lasiolepis'')

Other trees and tree-like shrubs

* Tanoak (''Notholithocarpus densiflorus'') * California bay laurel (''Umbellularia californica'') * Pacific madrone (''Arbutus menziesii'') * Toyon (''Heteromeles arbutifolia'') * Bigleaf maple (''Acer macrophyllum'') * Western blue elderberry (''Sambucus mexicana'') is found throughout the state, an important host for birds,

butterflies Butterflies are insects in the macrolepidopteran clade Rhopalocera from the Order (biology), order Lepidoptera, which also includes moths. Adult butterflies have large, often brightly coloured wings, and conspicuous, fluttering flight. The ...

pollinator A pollinator is an animal that moves pollen from the male anther of a flower to the female stigma of a flower. This helps to bring about fertilization of the ovules in the flower by the male gametes from the pollen grains. Insects are the maj ...

s, and beneficial insects ('' integrated pest management'') *

California buckeye ''Aesculus californica'', commonly known as the California buckeye or California horse-chestnut, is a species of buckeye native to California and southwestern Oregon. Description It is a large deciduous shrub or small tree, up to tall, with gr ...

(''Aesculus californica'') * Western redbud (''Cercis occidentalis'') *

California black walnut ''Juglans californica'', the California black walnut, also called the California walnut, or the Southern California black walnut, is a large shrub or small tree (about 20-49 feet tall) of the walnut family, Juglandaceae, endemic to Southern Calif ...

(''Juglans californica'') *

California hazelnut ''Corylus cornuta'', the beaked hazelnut (or just ''beaked hazel''), is a deciduous shrubby hazel with two subspecies found throughout most of North America. Description The beaked hazelnut can reach tall with stems thick with smooth gray b ...

(''Corylus cornuta'')

Selected shrubs

* Chamise (''Adenostoma fasciculatum'') *

Serviceberry ''Amelanchier'' ( ), also known as shadbush, shadwood or shadblow, serviceberry or sarvisberry (or just sarvis), juneberry, saskatoon, sugarplum, wild-plum or chuckley pear,A Digital Flora of Newfoundland and Labrador Vascular Plants/ref> is a g ...

(''Amelanchier alnifolia'') * Manzanita (''Arctostaphylos'' spp.) * California sagebrush (''Artemisia californica'') * Coyote brush (''Baccharis pilularis'') * Calliandra (''Calliandra'' spp.) * California lilacs (''Ceanothus'' spp.) *

Desert willow ''Chilopsis'' is a monotypic genus of flowering plants containing the single species ''Chilopsis linearis''. It is known commonly as desert willow

(''Chilopsis linearis'') * Flannelbush (''Fremontodendron'' spp.) *

Hollyleaf cherry ''Prunus ilicifolia'' (Common names: hollyleaf cherry, evergreen cherry;Fire Effects Information Service, USDA Forest Service/ref> ''islay'' - Salinan Native American) is native to the chaparral areas of coastal California (from Mendocino County ...

(''Prunus ilicifolia'') * Spicebush (''Calycanthus occidentalis'') * Bush anemone (''Carpenteria californica'') * Bladderpod (''Peritoma arborea'') * Creosote bush (''Larrea tridentata'') * Lupines (''Lupinus'' spp.) *

Snowberry ''Symphoricarpos'', commonly known as the snowberry, waxberry, or ghostberry, is a small genus of about 15 species of deciduous shrubs in the honeysuckle family, Caprifoliaceae. With the exception of the Chinese coralberry, '' S. sinensis'', whi ...

('' Symphoricarpos mollis'' & spp.) * Huckleberry (''

Vaccinium ovatum ''Vaccinium ovatum'' is a North American species of flowering shrub known by the common names evergreen huckleberry, winter huckleberry, cynamoka berry and California huckleberry. Distribution and ecology ''Vaccinium ovatum'' is a small to medium ...

'' & spp.) * Coffeeberry (''Frangula californica'') *

Lemonade berry ''Rhus integrifolia'', also known as lemonade sumac, lemonade berry, or lemonadeberry, is a shrub to small tree. It is native to the Transverse Ranges, Transverse and Peninsular Ranges and the South Coast (California), South Coast regions of S ...

(''Rhus integrifolia'') * Sugarbush (''Rhus ovata'') * Gooseberries and currants (''Ribes'' spp.) *

Sages A sage ( grc, σοφός, ''sophos''), in classical philosophy, is someone who has attained wisdom. The term has also been used interchangeably with a 'good person' ( grc, ἀγαθός, ''agathos''), and a 'virtuous person' ( grc, σπουδα� ...

(''Salvia'' spp.)

Selected desert plants

* California fan palm (''Washingtonia filifera'') * Joshua tree (''Yucca brevifolia'') * Jojoba ('' Simmondsia chinensis'') * California juniper (''Juniperus californica'') *

Blue palo verde ''Parkinsonia florida'', the blue palo verde ( syn. ''Cercidium floridum''), is a species of palo verde native to the Sonoran Deserts in the Southwestern United States and Northwestern Mexico.

(''Parkinsonia florida'') * Yellow foothill palo verde (''Parkinsonia microphylla'') * Single-leaf pinyon (''Pinus monophylla'') *

(''Populus fremontii'') * Ocotillo (''Fouquieria splendens'') * Creosote bush (''Larrea tridentata'') *

Indian mallow ''Abutilon'' is a large genus of flowering plants in the mallow family, Malvaceae. It is distributed throughout the tropics and subtropicsBrittlebush (''Encelia farinosa'') * Desert agave (''Agave deserti'') * California barrel cactus (''Ferocactus cylindraceus'') *

Banana yucca ''Yucca baccata'' (datil yucca or banana yucca, also known as Spanish bayonet and broadleaf yucca) is a common species of yucca native to the deserts of the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, from southeastern California north to ...

(''Yucca baccata'') *

Mojave yucca ''Yucca schidigera'', also known as the Mojave yucca or Spanish dagger, is a flowering plant native to the southwest deserts of North America. Description ''Yucca schidigera'' is a small evergreen tree growing to tall, with a dense crown of sp ...

(''Yucca schidigera'') * Rush milkweed (''Asclepias subulata'') * Purple desert sand-verbena (''Abronia villosa'') * Sacred datura (''Datura wrightii'')

Selected perennials

Sunny habitats

* California poppy (''Eschscholzia californica'') are found in drier places. California poppies are also an annual in many places. * Douglas iris (''Iris douglasiana'') and 'Pacific Coast' hybrids *

Monkeyflower Monkey flower can refer to: *Several genera of plant family Phrymaceae, including: ** ''Diplacus'' ** ''Erythranthe'' ** ''Mimulus'' *Various snapdragon-like Lamiales, including: ** ''Linaria vulgaris'' ** ''Phyllocarpus septentrionalis ''Barne ...

e.g.: ''

Mimulus aurantiacus ''Diplacus aurantiacus'', the sticky monkey-flower or orange bush monkey-flower, is a flowering plant that grows in a subshrub form, native to southwestern North America from southwestern Oregon south through most of California. It is a member of ...

'', ''

Mimulus guttatus ''Erythranthe guttata'', with the common names seep monkeyflower and common yellow monkeyflower, is a yellow bee-pollinated annual or perennial plant. It was formerly known as ''Mimulus guttatus''. ''Erythranthe guttata'' is a model organism f ...

'', ''

Mimulus cardinalis ''Erythranthe cardinalis'', the scarlet monkeyflower, is a flowering perennial in the family Phrymaceae. Together with other species in ''Mimulus'' section ''Erythranthe'', it serves as a model system for studying pollinator-based reproductive is ...

'' and cultivars. * Columbine (''Aquilegia'' spp.) * Coyote mint (''Monardella'' spp.) * Buckwheats (''

Eriogonum fasciculatum ''Eriogonum fasciculatum'' is a species of wild buckwheat known by the common names California buckwheat and flat-topped buckwheat. Characterized by small, white and pink flower clusters that give off a cottony effect, this species grows vari ...

''), ('' Eriogonum giganteum''), (''

Eriogonum umbellatum ''Eriogonum umbellatum'' is a species of wild buckwheat known by the common name sulphurflower buckwheat, or simply sulphur flower. It is native to western North America from California to Colorado to central Canada, where it is abundant and fou ...

'')

Shady habitats

* Western wild ginger (''Asarum caudatum'') * Pacific bleeding heart (''Dicentra formosa'') * Island coral bells (''Heuchera maxima'') * Canyon coral bells (''Heuchera hirsutissima'') * × ''Heucherella'' * Threeleaf foamflower (''Tiarella trifoliata'') * Redwood sorrel (''Oxalis oregana'')

Ferns

* Polypody ferns (''Polypodium''), e.g.: '' Polypodium californicum'' * Native sword ferns (''Polystichum''), e.g.: '' Polystichum munitum'' *

Giant chain fern ''Woodwardia fimbriata'', known by the common name giant chain fern, is a fern species in the family Blechnaceae, in the eupolypods II clade of the order Polypodiales, in the class Polypodiopsida. It is native to western North America from Britis ...

(''Woodwardia fimbriata'') * Goldback ferns (''Pteridium'' spp.) * Wood ferns (''Dryopteris'' spp.), e.g.: '' Dryopteris arguta'' * Maidenhair ferns (''Adiantum'' spp.) e.g.: ''

Adiantum jordanii ''Adiantum jordanii'' is a perennial species of Adiantum, maidenhair fern, in the Vittarioideae subfamily of the Pteridaceae. The species is known by the common name California maidenhair. It is native to California and Baja California. ''A. jor ...

Selected bulbs

Ithuriel's spear ''Triteleia laxa'' (previously ''Brodiaea laxa'') is a triplet lily known by several common names, including Ithuriel's spear, common triteleia and grassnut. It is native to California where it is a common wildflower, and it is occasionally fou ...

(''Triteleia'' spp.) * Meadow onion (''Allium monticola'') * Goldenstars (''Bloomeria crocea'') * Brodiaeas (''Brodiaea'' spp.) *Blue dicks-ookow (''

Dipterostemon capitatus ''Dipterostemon'' is a Monotypic taxon, monotypic genus of flowering plants in the family Asparagaceae. Its only species is ''Dipterostemon capitatus'', Synonym (taxonomy), synonym ''Dichelostemma capitatum'', known by the common names blue dick ...

''): one of the most common native bulb species throughout California; found in grassland and dry meadow habitats * Mariposa lilies (''Calochortus'' spp.): available from reputable horticultural sources; taking from the wild is illegal and is resulting in significant declines of some species from over collecting.

Selected annuals and wildflowers

Baby blue eyes ''Nemophila menziesii'', known commonly as baby blue eyes or baby's-blue-eyes, is an annual herb, native to western North America. Distribution The plant is native to California, Baja California, and Oregon. It grows virtually throughout Califo ...

(''Nemophila menziesii'') *

Blazing star ''Blazing Star'' is a shoot 'em up video game developed by Yumekobo and published by SNK in 1998 for the Neo Geo arcade and home systems. It is a follow-up to '' Pulstar'' (1995) and features side-scrolling action similar to its predecessor an ...

(''Mentzelia lindleyi'') * California poppy (''Eschscholzia californica'') * Chinese houses (''Collinsia heterophylla'') * Elegant clarkia (''Clarkia unguiculata'') *

Farewell to spring ''Clarkia amoena'' (farewell to spring or godetia; syn. ''Godetia amoena'') is a flowering plant native to western North America, found in coastal hills and mountains from British Columbia south to the San Francisco Bay Area. It is an annual pla ...

(''Clarkia amoena'') *

Meadowfoam ''Limnanthes'', the type genus of the family Limnanthaceae, consists of annual herbaceous plants commonly known as the meadowfoams. The seven species are all native to coastal and adjoining regions (inland valleys, foothills and mountains) of we ...

(''Limnanthes douglasii'') *

Miner's lettuce ''Claytonia perfoliata'' ( syn. ''Montia perfoliata''), also known as miner's lettuce, Indian lettuce, winter purslane, or ''palsingat'' (Cahuilla), is a flowering plant in the family Montiaceae. It is an edible, fleshy, herbaceous, annual plan ...

(''Claytonia perfoliata'') *

Tarweed Tarweed or tarplant is a common name for several plants and may refer to: *Various plants in the tribe Madieae of the family Asteraceae: **''Anisocarpus madioides'' **''Blepharizonia'' **'' Centromadia'' **''Deinandra'' **''Harmonia'' **''Hemizonel ...

(''Madia elegans'') *

Wind poppy ''Papaver heterophyllum'', previously known as ''Stylomecon heterophylla'', and better known as the wind poppy, is a winter annual herbaceous plant. It is endemic to the western California Floristic Province and known to grow in the area starti ...

(''Papaver heterophyllum'')

Selected vines

Aristolochia californica flower 2004-02-23

* Dutchman's pipe vine (''Aristolochia'' spp.) * Morning glory (''Calystegia'' spp.) * Chaparral clematis (''Clematis lasiantha'') * Western virgin's bower (''Clematis ligusticifolia'') * Calabazilla (''Cucurbita foetidissima'') * Wild cucumber-manroot (''Marah fabacea'') * Cucamonga manroot-bigroot (''Marah macrocarpa'') * California wild grape (''Vitis californica'') * Desert wild grape (''Vitis girdiana'')

Selected grasses

: ''Grasses:'' *

Purple three-awn ''Aristida purpurea'' is a species of grass native to North America which is known by the common name purple three-awn. Distribution This grass is fairly widespread and can be found across the western two thirds of the United States, much of ...

(''Aristida purpurea'') * Blue grama (''Bouteloua gracilis'') *

California fescue ''Festuca californica'' is a species of grass known by the common name California fescue. This fescue species is native to the U.S. states of California and Oregon, where it is a member of many plant communities, including chaparral and oak wood ...

(''Festuca californica'') *

Idaho fescue ''Festuca idahoensis'' is a species of grass known by the common names Idaho fescue and blue bunchgrass. It is native to western North America, where it is widespread and common. It can be found in many ecosystems, from shady forests to open plai ...

(''Festuca idahoensis'') * Red fescue (''Festuca rubra'') *

Junegrass ''Koeleria'' is a common and widespread genus of plants in the grass family, found on all continents except Antarctica and on various oceanic islands. It includes species known generally as Junegrasses. The genus was named after German botanist ...

(''Koeleria macrantha'') *

Giant wildrye ''Leymus condensatus'', the giant wildrye, is a wild rye grass native to eastern Oregon, California and northern Mexico. Description ''Leymus condensatus'' also commonly referred to as ''Canyon Prince'' is a type of wild rye that is part of t ...

(''Leymus condensatus'') * California melic (''Melica californica'') * Deer grass (''Muhlenbergia rigens'') * Purple needlegrass (''Nassella pulchra''): The state grass of California *

Indian ricegrass ''Eriocoma hymenoides'' (common names: Indian ricegrass and sand rice grass) is a cool-season, perennial bunchgrass with narrow, rolled leaf blades.Mojave Desert Wildflowers, Pam MacKay, 2nd Ed., p287 It is native to western North America east of ...

(''Oryzopsis hymenoides'') * Pine bluegrass (''Poa secunda'') : ''Grasslike:'' * Sedges — (''Carex'' spp.) (taller 'bunch grass' specimens and lower meadow spreaders) * Rushes — (''Juncus'' spp.) *

Western blue-eyed grass ''Sisyrinchium bellum'', the western blue-eyed grass or Californian blue-eyed grass, is the common blue-eyed grass of California and Oregon in and west of the Sierra Nevada, its range extending south into Baja California. In parts of its range, ...

(''Sisyrinchium bellum'') ''and'' yellow-eyed-grass ('' Sisyrinchium californicum'').

Selected succulents

;'' Dudleyas'' * Chalk lettuce (''Dudleya pulverulenta'') - garden-plant * Coast dudleya (''Dudleya caespitosa'') -

A endemic A, or a, is the first Letter (alphabet), letter and the first vowel of the Latin alphabet, Latin alphabet, used in the English alphabet, modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name ...

* Canyon live-forever (''Dudleya cymosa'') - garden-plant * Fingertips (''Dudleya edulis'') - garden-plant * Giant chalk dudleya, Britton's dudleya (''Dudleya brittonii'') - garden-plant * Lanceleaf liveforever (''Dudleya lanceolata'') - garden-plant ;'' Sedums'' * Broadleaf stonecrop (''Sedum spathulifolium'') -

San Bruno elfin butterfly The San Bruno elfin (''Callophrys mossii bayensis'') is a U.S. federally listed endangered subspecies that inhabits rocky outcrops and cliffs in coastal scrub on the San Francisco Peninsula. It is endemic to this habitat in California. Its patchy ...

host plant. * Coast sedum (''Sedum oreganum'') * Feather River stonecrop (''Sedum albomarginatum'') -

A endemic, Sierras A, or a, is the first Letter (alphabet), letter and the first vowel of the Latin alphabet, Latin alphabet, used in the English alphabet, modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name ...

* Red Mountain stonecrop (''Sedum eastwoodiae'') - A endemic, Mendocino* Roseflower stonecrop (''Sedum laxum'') * Sierra stonecrop (''Sedum obtusatum'')

Environmental challenges

Some California native plants are in rapid decline in their native habitat due to urban sprawl, agriculture, overgrazing, recreational impacts, pollution, and invasive non-native species (invasive exotics)

colonization Colonization, or colonisation, constitutes large-scale population movements wherein migrants maintain strong links with their, or their ancestors', former country – by such links, gain advantage over other inhabitants of the territory. When ...

pressures (animals and other kingdoms of life, as well as plants). California also has 1,023 species of non-native plants, some now problematic

invasive species An invasive species otherwise known as an alien is an introduced organism that becomes overpopulated and harms its new environment. Although most introduced species are neutral or beneficial with respect to other species, invasive species ad ...

such as

yellow starthistle ''Centaurea solstitialis'', the yellow star-thistle, is a species of thorny plant in the genus ''Centaurea'', which is part of the family Asteraceae. A winter annual, it is native to the Mediterranean Basin region and invasive in many other ...

, that were introduced during the Spanish colonization, the

California Gold Rush The California Gold Rush (1848–1855) was a gold rush that began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The news of gold brought approximately 300,000 people to California fro ...

, and subsequent immigrations and import trading of the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries.

References

External links

CNPS—California Native Plant Society website
provide
CalScape Database
an extensive database of California native plants searchable by region, as well as other useful resources.
CalFlora Database
— extensive searchable database of California native plants.

— extensive database of California native plants
U.C. CalPhotos: Flora homepage
— searchable images database
Theodore Payne Foundation for Wildflowers and Native Plants
— including horticultural information

— including

bunchgrass Tussock grasses or bunch grasses are a group of grass species in the family Poaceae. They usually grow as singular plants in clumps, tufts, hummocks, or bunches, rather than forming a sod or lawn, in meadows, grasslands, and prairies. As perennial ...

species and habitats
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - Recommended Species
— provides a national searchable supplier directory for landscaping, environmental consultants, seed sources and nurseries; recommended plant lists that can be filtered to include plants native to California; and plant recommendations for specific regions of California.
Audubon Society
— includes a national searchable database of native plants suitable for attracting wildlife, especially birds.

— an extensive searchable national database of numerous native and non-native plants with various filters.
EPA Ecoregion Research
— provides research data on ecoregion levels III and IV of California with some useful native plant information.
National Wildlife Federation
— a functional national native plant database in the beta testing phase.
Eugene Otto Weber Murman Watercolors of California Flora, 1941-1961
{{DEFAULTSORT:California Native Plants Native plants *