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 The California Floristic Province (CFP) is a floristic province with a Mediterranean-type climate located on the Pacific Coast of North America with a distinctive flora similar to other regions with a winter rainfall and summer drought climate l ...

, a geographical area that covers most of California, portions of neighboring

Oregon Oregon () is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of its eastern boundary with Idaho. ...

Nevada Nevada ( ; ) is a state in the Western region of the United States. It is bordered by Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. Nevada is the 7th-most extensive, ...

, and

Baja California Baja California (; 'Lower California'), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Baja California ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California), is a state in Mexico. It is the northernmost and westernmost of the 32 federal entities of Mex ...

, and is regarded as a "world hotspot" of

biodiversity Biodiversity or biological diversity is the variety and variability of life on Earth. Biodiversity is a measure of variation at the genetic (''genetic variability''), species (''species diversity''), and ecosystem (''ecosystem diversity'') le ...

Introduction

In 1993, ''

The Jepson Manual ''The Jepson Manual'' is a flora of the vascular plants that are either native to or naturalized in California. Botanists often refer to the book simply as ''Jepson''. It is produced by the University and Jepson Herbaria, of the University of Cal ...

'' 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 The California Native Plant Society (CNPS) is a California environmental non-profit organization (501(c)3) that seeks to increase understanding of California's native flora and to preserve it for future generations. The mission of CNPS is to con ...

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 Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found else ...

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, climates, and soils (e.g. serpentine outcrops). 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 ...

plant communities A plant community is a collection or association of plant species within a designated geographical unit, which forms a relatively uniform patch, distinguishable from neighboring patches of different vegetation types. The components of each plant ...

vegetation type Vegetation classification is the process of classifying and mapping the vegetation over an area of the earth's surface. Vegetation classification is often performed by state based agencies as part of land use, resource and environmental management ...

s, 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 Horticulture is the branch of agriculture that deals with the art, science, technology, and business of plant cultivation. It includes the cultivation of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, herbs, sprouts, mushrooms, algae, flowers, seaweeds and no ...

use. Sometimes the appreciation began outside of California— lupines, California fuchsias, and California poppies were first cultivated in British and European gardens for over a century.

Selected trees

Coniferous trees

Sequoias and redwoods

Coast redwood ''Sequoia sempervirens'' ()''Sunset Western Garden Book,'' 1995:606–607 is the sole living species of the genus ''Sequoia (genus), Sequoia'' in the cypress family Cupressaceae (formerly treated in Taxodiaceae). Common names include coast r ...

(''Sequoia sempervirens'') - in the fog-shrouded coast ranges. *

Giant sequoia ''Sequoiadendron giganteum'' (giant sequoia; also known as giant redwood, Sierra redwood, Sierran redwood, California big tree, Wellingtonia or simply big treea nickname also used by John Muir) is the sole living species in the genus ''Sequoiade ...

(''Sequoiadendron giganteum'') - in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

Pine trees

Bishop pine ''Pinus muricata'', the bishop pine, is a pine with a very restricted range: mostly in California, including several offshore Channel Islands, and a few locations in Baja California, Mexico. It is always on or near the coast. In San Luis Obispo ...

(''Pinus muricata''): coastal species grown in gardens *

Coulter pine The Coulter pine or big-cone pine, ''Pinus coulteri'', is a native of the coastal mountains of Southern California in the United States and northern Baja California in Mexico. Isolated groves are found as far north as Clearlake, California on th ...

(''Pinus coulteri'') *

Gray pine ''Pinus sabiniana'' (sometimes spelled ''P. sabineana''), with vernacular names including towani pine, foothill pine, gray pine, bull pine, and digger pine, is a pine endemic to California in the United States. Some sources discourage using the ...

, ghost pine, or digger pine (''Pinus sabiniana'') *

Knobcone pine The knobcone pine, ''Pinus attenuata'' (also called ''Pinus tuberculata''), is a tree that grows in mild climates on poor soils. It ranges from the mountains of southern Oregon to Baja California with the greatest concentration in northern Calif ...

(''Pinus attenuata'') *

Ponderosa pine ''Pinus ponderosa'', commonly known as the ponderosa pine, bull pine, blackjack pine, western yellow-pine, or filipinus pine is a very large Pinus, pine tree species of variable habitat native plant, native to mountainous regions of western Nor ...

(''Pinus ponderosa''): well known in mountains *

Lodgepole pine ''Pinus contorta'', with the common names lodgepole pine and shore pine, and also known as twisted pine, and contorta pine, is a common tree in western North America. It is common near the ocean shore and in dry montane forests to the subalpine ...

(''Pinus contorta''): used for early construction of buildings and other structures. *

Monterey pine ''Pinus radiata'' (syn. ''Pinus insignis''), the Monterey pine, insignis pine or radiata pine, is a species of pine native to the Central Coast of California and Mexico (Guadalupe Island and Cedros island). It is an evergreen conifer in the fa ...

(''Pinus radiata''): naturally limited endemic range; widely planted horticulturally around the world *

Limber pine ''Pinus flexilis'', the limber pine, is a species of pine tree-the family Pinaceae that occurs in the mountains of the Western United States, Mexico, and Canada. It is also called Rocky Mountain white pine. A limber pine in Eagle Cap Wilderne ...

(''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 Calif ...

(''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 ar ...

(''Pinus quadrifolia'') *

Shore pine ''Pinus contorta'', with the common names lodgepole pine and shore pine, and also known as twisted pine, and contorta pine, is a common tree in western North America. It is common near the ocean shore and in dry montane forests to the subalpine ...

(''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 Western white pine (''Pinus monticola''), also called silver pine and California mountain pine, is a species of pine in the family Pinaceae. It occurs in mountain ranges of northwestern North America. It is the state tree of Idaho. Description ...

(''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 Methuselah () ( he, מְתוּשֶׁלַח ''Məṯūšélaḥ'', in pausa ''Məṯūšālaḥ'', "His death shall send" or "Man of the javelin" or "Death of Sword"; gr, Μαθουσάλας ''Mathousalas'') was a biblical patriarch and a ...

, a 4,700-year-old specimen *

Foxtail pine ''Pinus balfouriana'', the foxtail pine, is a rare high-elevation pine that is endemic to California, United States. It is closely related to the Great Basin and Rocky Mountain bristlecone pines, in the subsection '' Balfourianae''. Descripti ...

(''Pinus balfouriana''): endemic to California; 2,000-year-old specimens

Western Cypress

Arizona cypress ''Cupressus arizonica'', the Arizona cypress, is a North American species of tree in the cypress family Cupressaceae, native to the southwestern United States and Mexico. Populations may be scattered rather than in large, dense stands. Descripti ...

(''Cupressus arizonica'') * Baker cypress (''Cupressus bakeri'') * Cuyamaca cypress (''Cupressus stephensonii'') * Gowen cypress (''Cupressus goveniana'') * McNab's cypress (''Cupressus macnabiana'') *

Monterey cypress ''Hesperocyparis macrocarpa'' is a coniferous tree. It is commonly known as the Monterey cypress and is one of several species of cypress trees endemic to California. The Monterey cypress is found naturally only on the Central Coast of Califor ...

(''Cupressus macrocarpa'') * Paiute cypress (''Cupressus nevadensis'') * Pygmy cypress (''Cupressus pigmaea'') * Santa Cruz cypress (''Cupressus abramsiana'') * Sargent's cypress (''Cupressus sargentii'') * Tecate cypress (''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 Firs (''Abies'') are a genus of 48–56 species of evergreen coniferous trees in the family Pinaceae. They are found on mountains throughout much of North and Central America, Europe, Asia, and North Africa. The genus is most closely related to ...

'' 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 v ...

(''Pseudotsuga menziesii'') *

Bigcone Douglas-fir ''Pseudotsuga macrocarpa'', commonly called the bigcone spruce or bigcone Douglas-fir, is an evergreen conifer native to the mountains of southern California. It is notable for having the largest (by far) cones in the genus ''Pseudotsuga'', henc ...

(''Pseudotsuga macrocarpa'') - Central Coast and

Santa Susana Mountains The Santa Susana Mountains are a transverse range of mountains in Southern California, north of the city of Los Angeles, in the United States. The range runs east-west, separating the San Fernando and Simi valleys on its south from the Santa ...

. * California nutmeg (''Torreya californica'') *

Incense cedar ''Calocedrus'', the incense cedar (alternatively spelled incense-cedar), is a genus of coniferous trees in the cypress family Cupressaceae first described as a genus in 1873. It is native to eastern Asia and western North America. The generic n ...

(''Calocedrus decurrens'') * Port Orford cedar-Lawson cypress (''Chamaecyparis lawsoniana'') *

White fir ''Abies concolor'', the white fir, is a coniferous tree in the pine family Pinaceae. This tree is native to the mountains of western North America, including the Cascade Range and southern Rocky Mountains, and into the isolated mountain ranges ...

(''Abies concolor'') - at high elevations *

Mountain hemlock ''Tsuga mertensiana'', known as mountain hemlock, is a species of hemlock native to the west coast of North America, found between Southcentral Alaska and south-central California. Description ''Tsuga mertensiana'' is a large evergreen conifer ...

(''Tsuga mertensiana'') *

Red fir ''Abies magnifica'', the red fir or silvertip fir, is a western North American fir, native to the mountains of southwest Oregon and California in the United States. It is a high-elevation tree, typically occurring at elevation, though only rarel ...

(''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)

Oak trees

:California is home to many deciduous and evergreen

oak An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably ...

s, 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 ...

(''Quercus lobata'') - the largest of the oaks. * Leather oak (''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'') - in the higher hills and mountains. * Canyon live oak (''Quercus chrysolepis'') - found mainly in northern mountainous regions. *

Interior live oak ''Quercus wislizeni'', known by the common name interior live oak, is an evergreen oak, highly variable and often shrubby, found in many areas of California in the United States continuing south into northern Baja California in Mexico. It general ...

(''Quercus wislizeni'') in the Central Valley region. * Island oak (''Quercus tomentella'') -

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'', the California live oak, or coast live oak, is a highly variable, often evergreen oak tree, a type of live oak, native to the California Floristic Province. It may be shrubby, depending on age and growing location, but is ...

(''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 The Transverse Ranges are a group of mountain ranges of southern California, in the Pacific Coast Ranges physiographic region in North America. The Transverse Ranges begin at the southern end of the California Coast Ranges and lie within Santa ...

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 (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 ...

(''Platanus racemosa'') * White alder (''Alnus rhombifolia'') *

Quaking aspen ''Populus tremuloides'' is a deciduous tree native to cooler areas of North America, one of several species referred to by the common name aspen. It is commonly called quaking aspen, trembling aspen, American aspen, mountain or golden aspen, tr ...

(''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'', the black cottonwood, western balsam-poplar or California poplar, is a deciduous broadleaf tree species native to western North America. It is used for timber, and is notable as a model organism in plant biology. Desc ...

(''Populus trichocarpa'') * Arroyo willow (''Salix lasiolepis'')

Other trees and tree-like shrubs

Tanoak ''Notholithocarpus densiflorus'', commonly known as the tanoak or tanbark-oak, is a broadleaf tree in the family Fagaceae, and the type species of the genus ''Notholithocarpus''. It is native to the far western United States, particularly Oregon ...

(''Notholithocarpus densiflorus'') *

California bay laurel ''Umbellularia californica'' is a large hardwood tree native to coastal forests and the Sierra foothills of California, and to coastal forests extending into Oregon. It is endemic to the California Floristic Province. It is the sole species in t ...

(''Umbellularia californica'') *

Pacific madrone ''Arbutus menziesii'' or Pacific madrone (commonly madrone or madrona in the United States and arbutus in Canada), is a species of broadleaf evergreen tree in the family Ericaceae, native to the western coastal areas of North America, from Bri ...

(''Arbutus menziesii'') *

Toyon ''Heteromeles arbutifolia'' (; more commonly by Californian botanists), commonly known as toyon, is a common perennial shrub native to extreme southwest Oregon, California, and the Baja California Peninsula. It is the sole species in the genus ...

(''Heteromeles arbutifolia'') *

Bigleaf maple ''Acer macrophyllum'', the bigleaf maple or Oregon maple, is a large deciduous tree in the genus '' Acer''. It is native to western North America, mostly near the Pacific coast, from southernmost Alaska to southern California. Some stands are al ...

(''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 Lepidoptera, which also includes moths. Adult butterflies have large, often brightly coloured wings, and conspicuous, fluttering flight. The group comprises ...

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 insect Beneficial insects (sometimes called beneficial bugs) are any of a number of species of insects that perform valued services like pollination and pest control. The concept of ''beneficial'' is subjective and only arises in light of desired outcome ...

s (''

integrated pest management Integrated pest management (IPM), also known as integrated pest control (IPC) is a broad-based approach that integrates both chemical and non-chemical practices for economic control of pests. IPM aims to suppress pest populations below the econ ...

'') *

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, wi ...

(''Aesculus californica'') * Western redbud (''Cercis occidentalis'') * California black walnut (''Juglans californica'') * California hazelnut (''Corylus cornuta'')

Selected shrubs

Chamise ''Adenostoma fasciculatum'', commonly known as chamise or greasewood, is a flowering plant native to California and Baja California. This shrub is one of the most widespread plants of the California chaparral ecoregion. Chamise produces a specia ...

(''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 Manzanita is a common name for many species of the genus ''Arctostaphylos''. They are evergreen shrubs or small trees present in the chaparral biome of western North America, where they occur from Southern British Columbia and Washington to O ...

(''Arctostaphylos'' spp.) * California sagebrush (''Artemisia californica'') *

Coyote brush ''Baccharis pilularis'', called coyote brush (or bush), chaparral broom, and bush baccharis, is a shrub in the family Asteraceae native to California, Oregon, Washington, and Baja California. There are reports of isolated populations in New Mex ...

(''Baccharis pilularis'') *

Calliandra ''Calliandra'' is a genus of flowering plants in the pea family, Fabaceae, in the mimosoid clade of the subfamily Caesalpinioideae. It contains about 140 species that are native to tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas. Description T ...

(''Calliandra'' spp.) * California lilacs (''Ceanothus'' spp.) * Desert willow (''Chilopsis linearis'') * Flannelbush (''Fremontodendron'' spp.) * Hollyleaf cherry (''Prunus ilicifolia'') *

Spicebush Dried fruits of ''Lindera neesiana'' used as spice (coll. MHNT) ''Lindera'' is a genus of about 80–100Bush 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'', wh ...

(''

Symphoricarpos mollis ''Symphoricarpos mollis'', with the common names creeping snowberry, Southern California snowberry, and trip vine, is a shrub in the Honeysuckle Family (Caprifoliaceae).Flowering Plans of the Santa Monica Mountains, Nancy Dale, 2nd. Ed, 2000, p. ...

'' & spp.) *

Huckleberry Huckleberry is a name used in North America for several plants in the family Ericaceae, in two closely related genera: ''Vaccinium'' and '' Gaylussacia''. The huckleberry is the state fruit of Idaho. Nomenclature The name 'huckleberry' is a Nor ...

('' Vaccinium ovatum'' & spp.) * Coffeeberry (''Frangula californica'') * Lemonade berry (''Rhus integrifolia'') * Sugarbush (''Rhus ovata'') * Gooseberries and currants (''Ribes'' spp.) * Sages (''Salvia'' spp.)

Selected desert plants

California fan palm ''Washingtonia filifera'', the desert fan palm, California fan palm, or California palm,Flora of North America Association. ''Flora of North America: North of Mexico Volume 22: Magnoliophyta: Alismatidae, Arecidae, Commelinidae (in Part), and Zi ...

(''Washingtonia filifera'') *

Joshua tree ''Yucca brevifolia'' is a plant species belonging to the genus '' Yucca''. It is tree-like in habit, which is reflected in its common names: Joshua tree, yucca palm, tree yucca, and palm tree yucca. This monocotyledonous tree is native to the a ...

(''Yucca brevifolia'') *

Jojoba Jojoba (; botanical name: ''Simmondsia chinensis'')also commonly called goat nut, deer nut, pignut, wild hazel, quinine nut, coffeeberry, and gray box bushis native to the Southwestern United States. ''Simmondsia chinensis'' is the sole specie ...

(''

Simmondsia chinensis Jojoba (; botanical name: ''Simmondsia chinensis'')also commonly called goat nut, deer nut, pignut, wild hazel, quinine nut, coffeeberry, and gray box bushis native to the Southwestern United States. ''Simmondsia chinensis'' is the sole specie ...

'') *

California juniper ''Juniperus californica'', the California juniper, is a species of juniper native to southwestern North America. Description ''Juniperus californica'' is a shrub or small tree reaching , but rarely up to tall. The bark is ashy gray, typically t ...

(''Juniperus californica'') * Blue palo verde (''Parkinsonia florida'') * Yellow foothill palo verde (''Parkinsonia microphylla'') *

Single-leaf pinyon ''Pinus monophylla'', the single-leaf pinyon, (alternatively spelled piñon) is a pine in the pinyon pine group, native to North America. The range is in southernmost Idaho, western Utah, Arizona, southwest New Mexico, Nevada, eastern and s ...

(''Pinus monophylla'') *

(''Populus fremontii'') *

Ocotillo ''Fouquieria splendens'' (commonly known as ocotillo (), but also referred to as buggywhip, coachwhip, candlewood, slimwood, desert coral, Jacob's staff, Jacob cactus, and vine cactus) is a plant indigenous to the Sonoran Desert and Chihuahuan ...

(''Fouquieria splendens'') * Creosote bush (''Larrea tridentata'') * Indian mallow (''Abutilon palmeri'') *

Brittlebush ''Encelia farinosa'' (commonly known as brittlebush, brittlebrush, or incienso), is a common desert shrub of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. It has a variety of historical uses. Description Brittlebush grows up to tall, wi ...

(''Encelia farinosa'') * Desert agave (''Agave deserti'') * California barrel cactus (''Ferocactus cylindraceus'') * Banana yucca (''Yucca baccata'') * Mojave yucca (''Yucca schidigera'') * Rush milkweed (''Asclepias subulata'') * Purple desert sand-verbena (''Abronia villosa'') * Sacred datura (''Datura wrightii'')

Selected perennials

Sunny habitats

California poppy ''Eschscholzia californica'', the California poppy, golden poppy, California sunlight or cup of gold, is a species of flowering plant in the family Papaveraceae, native to the United States and Mexico. It is cultivated as an ornamental plant f ...

(''Eschscholzia californica'') are found in drier places. California poppies are also an annual in many places. *

Douglas iris ''Iris douglasiana'', the Douglas iris, is a common wildflower of the coastal regions of Northern and Central California and southern Oregon in the United States. It grows mainly at lower elevations, below , though it is occasionally found at hei ...

(''Iris douglasiana'') and 'Pacific Coast' hybrids * Monkeyflower e.g.: '' Mimulus aurantiacus'', '' Mimulus guttatus'', '' Mimulus cardinalis'' and cultivars. * Columbine (''Aquilegia'' spp.) * Coyote mint (''Monardella'' spp.) * Buckwheats ('' Eriogonum fasciculatum''), ('' 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'' , known as redwood sorrel or Oregon oxalis, is a species of the wood sorrel family, Oxalidaceae, in the genus ''Oxalis'' native to moist Douglas-fir and coast redwood forests of western North America from southwestern British C ...

(''Oxalis oregana'')

Ferns

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

Polystichum munitum ''Polystichum munitum'', the western swordfern, is an evergreen perennial fern native to western North America, where it is one of the most abundant ferns in forested areas. It occurs along the Pacific coast from southeastern Alaska to southern ...

'' * Giant chain fern (''Woodwardia fimbriata'') * Goldback ferns (''Pteridium'' spp.) * Wood ferns (''Dryopteris'' spp.), e.g.: ''

Dryopteris arguta ''Dryopteris arguta'', with the common name coastal woodfern, is a species of wood fern. It is native to the west coast and western interior mountain ranges of North America, from British Columbia, throughout California, and into Arizona. It gr ...

'' * Maidenhair ferns (''Adiantum'' spp.) e.g.: ''

Adiantum jordanii ''Adiantum jordanii'' is a perennial species of 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. jordanii'' ...

Selected bulbs

* Ithuriel's spear (''Triteleia'' spp.) * Meadow onion (''Allium monticola'') * Goldenstars (''Bloomeria crocea'') *

Brodiaea ''Brodiaea'' , also known by the common name cluster-lilies, is a monocot genus of flowering plants. One school of thought places the genus in the family , while another school of thought places it in the subfamily Brodiaeoideae of the famil ...

s (''Brodiaea'' spp.) *Blue dicks-ookow ('' Dipterostemon capitatus''): one of the most common native bulb species throughout California; found in

grassland A grassland is an area where the vegetation is dominated by grasses (Poaceae). However, sedge ( Cyperaceae) and rush (Juncaceae) can also be found along with variable proportions of legumes, like clover, and other herbs. Grasslands occur natu ...

and dry

meadow A meadow ( ) is an open habitat, or field, vegetated by grasses, herbs, and other non-woody plants. Trees or shrubs may sparsely populate meadows, as long as these areas maintain an open character. Meadows may be naturally occurring or artifici ...

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'') * Blazing star (''Mentzelia lindleyi'') *

(''Eschscholzia californica'') * Chinese houses (''Collinsia heterophylla'') * Elegant clarkia (''Clarkia unguiculata'') * Farewell to spring (''Clarkia amoena'') * Meadowfoam (''Limnanthes douglasii'') * Miner's lettuce (''Claytonia perfoliata'') * Tarweed (''Madia elegans'') * Wind poppy (''Papaver heterophyllum'')

Selected vines

Aristolochia californica flower 2004-02-23

* Dutchman's pipe vine (''Aristolochia'' spp.) *

Morning glory Morning glory (also written as morning-glory) is the common name for over 1,000 species of flowering plants in the family Convolvulaceae, whose current taxonomy and systematics are in flux. Morning glory species belong to many genera, some of ...

(''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'') *

Blue grama ''Bouteloua gracilis'', the blue grama, is a long-lived, warm-season ( C4) perennial grass, native to North America. It is most commonly found from Alberta, Canada, east to Manitoba and south across the Rocky Mountains, Great Plains, and U.S. M ...

(''Bouteloua gracilis'') * California fescue (''Festuca californica'') * Idaho fescue (''Festuca idahoensis'') *

Red fescue ''Festuca rubra'' is a species of grass known by the common name red fescue or creeping red fescue. It is widespread across much of the Northern Hemisphere and can tolerate many habitats and climates. It is best adapted to well-drained soils in c ...

(''Festuca rubra'') * Junegrass (''Koeleria macrantha'') * Giant wildrye (''Leymus condensatus'') * California melic (''Melica californica'') * Deer grass (''Muhlenbergia rigens'') * Purple needlegrass (''Nassella pulchra''): The state grass of California * Indian ricegrass (''Oryzopsis hymenoides'') * Pine bluegrass (''Poa secunda'') : ''Grasslike:'' *

Sedges The Cyperaceae are a family of graminoid (grass-like), monocotyledonous flowering plants known as sedges. The family is large, with some 5,500 known species described in about 90 genera, the largest being the "true sedges" genus ''Carex'' wit ...

— (''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* Canyon live-forever (''Dudleya cymosa'') - garden-plant *

Fingertips "Fingertips" is a 1963 hit single recorded live by "Little" Stevie Wonder for Motown's then Tamla label. Overview Written and composed by Wonder's mentors, Clarence Paul and Henry Cosby, "Fingertips" was originally a jazz instrumental record ...

(''Dudleya edulis'') - garden-plant * Giant chalk dudleya, Britton's dudleya (''Dudleya brittonii'') - garden-plant * Lanceleaf liveforever (''Dudleya lanceolata'') - garden-plant ;''

Sedum ''Sedum'' is a large genus of flowering plants in the family Crassulaceae, members of which are commonly known as stonecrops. The genus has been described as containing up to 600 species, subsequently reduced to 400–500. They are leaf succule ...

s'' * Broadleaf stonecrop (''Sedum spathulifolium'') - San Bruno elfin butterfly host plant. * Coast sedum (''Sedum oreganum'') * Feather River stonecrop (''Sedum albomarginatum'') - A endemic, Sierras* 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, that were introduced during the

Spanish colonization The Spanish Empire ( es, link=no, Imperio español), also known as the Hispanic Monarchy ( es, link=no, Monarquía Hispánica) or the Catholic Monarchy ( es, link=no, Monarquía Católica) was a colonial empire governed by Spain and its predece ...

, 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 peren ...

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 In biogeography, a native species is indigenous to a given region or ecosystem if its presence in that region is the result of only local natural evolution (though often popularised as "with no human intervention") during history. The term is equi ...