California native plants are plants that existed in

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

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

Nevada Nevada ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, 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. N ...

, 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'') ...

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 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 l ...

, plant communities,

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 managemen ...

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 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 Cali ...

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 of California and the Great Basin. The vast majority of the range lies in the state of California, although the Carson Range spur lies primarily ...

Pine trees

* Bishop pine (''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 the ...

(''Pinus coulteri'') * Gray pine, ghost pine, or digger pine (''Pinus sabiniana'') * Knobcone pine (''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 pine tree species of variable habitat native to mountainous regions of western North America. It is the ...

(''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 subalpin ...

(''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'', 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 Wildernes ...

(''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 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, an ...

(''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 (''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'' is a species of conifer in the family Cupressaceae known by the common name Sargent's cypress. It is endemic to California, where it is known from Mendocino County southwards to Santa Barbara County. This taxon is limit ...

(''Cupressus sargentii'') * Tecate cypress (''Cupressus forbesii'')

Other conifers

* Santa Lucia fir (''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 re ...

'' 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'') - 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 C ...

. * 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 ...

(''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 wides ...

(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 ...

(''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 domina ...

(''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'') -

with distinctive large evergreen leaves. * Engelmann oak (''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 ...

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 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 ar ...

(streamside and moist habitats) some of the trees include: * California sycamore (''Platanus racemosa'') * White alder (''Alnus rhombifolia'') * Quaking aspen (''Populus tremuloides'') * Fremont cottonwood (''Populus fremontii'') * Black cottonwood (''Populus trichocarpa'') * Arroyo willow (''Salix lasiolepis'')

Other trees and tree-like shrubs

* Tanoak (''Notholithocarpus densiflorus'') * California bay laurel (''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 Br ...

(''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 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 m ...

s, and beneficial insects (''

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 eco ...

'') * California buckeye (''Aesculus californica'') * Western redbud (''Cercis occidentalis'') * California black walnut (''Juglans californica'') * California hazelnut (''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'') * Spicebush (''Calycanthus occidentalis'') * Bush anemone (''Carpenteria californica'') * Bladderpod (''Peritoma arborea'') *

Creosote bush ''Larrea tridentata'', called creosote bush and greasewood as a plant, chaparral as a medicinal herb, and ''gobernadora'' (Spanish for "governess") in Mexico, due to its ability to secure more water by inhibiting the growth of nearby plants. In S ...

(''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 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 ...

(''

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'') * 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'') * Fremont cottonwood (''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'') *

(''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'') *

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'', 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 pla ...

(''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 ''Linaria vulgaris'', the common toadflax ...

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 memb ...

'', ''

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 fo ...

'', '' Mimulus cardinalis'' 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 fo ...

'')

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 ''Polypodium'' is a genus of ferns in the family Polypodiaceae, subfamily Polypodioideae, according to the Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group classification of 2016 (PPG I). The genus is widely distributed throughout the world, with the highest ...

'' * Native sword ferns (''Polystichum''), e.g.: '' Polystichum munitum'' * Giant chain fern (''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 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'' is ...

Selected bulbs

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

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 arti ...

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 ''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'') *

(''Eschscholzia californica'') * Chinese houses (''Collinsia heterophylla'') * Elegant clarkia (''Clarkia unguiculata'') * Farewell to spring (''Clarkia amoena'') * Meadowfoam (''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 plant n ...

(''Claytonia perfoliata'') * Tarweed (''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 startin ...

(''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'') * Blue grama (''Bouteloua gracilis'') * California fescue (''Festuca californica'') * Idaho fescue (''Festuca idahoensis'') * Red fescue (''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 — (''Carex'' spp.) (taller 'bunch grass' specimens and lower meadow spreaders) * Rushes — (''Juncus'' spp.) * Western blue-eyed grass (''Sisyrinchium bellum'') ''and'' yellow-eyed-grass ('' Sisyrinchium californicum'').

Selected succulents

;''

Dudleya ''Dudleya'', commonly known as liveforevers ( Spanish: ''siemprevivas'') is a genus of succulent plants in the stonecrop family, Crassulaceae, consisting of about 68 taxa in southwestern North America and Guadalupe Island. The species come in mu ...

s'' * Chalk lettuce (''Dudleya pulverulenta'') - garden-plant * Coast dudleya (''Dudleya caespitosa'') - A endemic* 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 ;''

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 succul ...

s'' * 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 patch ...

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 Urban sprawl (also known as suburban sprawl or urban encroachment) is defined as "the spreading of urban developments (such as houses and shopping centers) on undeveloped land near a city." Urban sprawl has been described as the unrestricted growt ...

, 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 adv ...

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 p ...

, 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 f ...

, 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
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