Northern California Native
Plants
Valley Oak
Quercus lobata, commonly called the Valley oak, grows into the largest of North American oaks.
It is endemic to California, growing in the hot interior valleys and foothills. Mature specimens
may attain an age of up to 600 years. This deciduous oak requires year-round access to
groundwater.
Its thick, ridged bark is characteristic and evokes alligator hide. The Valley oak's deeply lobed
leaves assist in identification.
Coast Live Oak
Quercus agrifolia, the Coast Live Oak, is an evergreen oak (highly variable and often shrubby),
native to the California Floristic Province. It grows west of the Sierra Nevada from Mendocino
County, California, south to northern Baja California in Mexico. It is classified in the red oak
section.
California Sycamore Tree
Platanus racemosa is a species of sycamore tree known by several common names, including
California sycamore, Western sycamore, California plane tree, and in Spanish Aliso. It is native
to California and Baja California, where it grows in riparian areas, canyons, floodplains, at
springs and seeps, and along streams and rivers in several types of habitats.
Umbellularia californica is a large hardwood tree native to coastal forests of California and
slightly extended into the state of Oregon.[1] It is endemic to the California Floristic Province. It
is the sole species in the genus Umbellularia.
California Bay Laurel
The tree was formerly known as Oreodaphne californica. In Oregon, this tree is known as Oregon
Myrtle, while in California it is called California Bay Laurel, which may be shortened to California bay or
California laurel. It has also been called pepperwood, spicebush, cinnamon bush, peppernut tree,
headache tree, mountain laurel, and Balm of Heaven. The tree's pungent leaves have a similar flavor to
bay leaves, though stronger, and it may be mistaken for Bay Laurel. The dry wood has a color range from
blonde (like maple) to brown (like walnut). It is considered a world-class tone wood and is sought after
by musical instrument makers and woodworkers. The tree is a host of the pathogen that causes sudden
oak death.
Lupine
Lupinus, commonly known as lupin or lupine (North America), is a genus of flowering plants in
the legume family. The genus comprises about 280 species, with major centers of diversity in
South and Western North America, parts of the Southern Hemisphere (New Zealand and parts
of Australia) and the Andes and secondary centers in the Mediterranean region and Africa.
Greasewood or Chaparrel
Adenostoma fasciculatum (chamise or greasewood) is a flowering plant native to California
and northern Baja California. This shrub is one of the most widespread plants of the chaparral
biome. Adenostoma fasciculatum is an evergreen shrub growing to 4m tall, with dry-looking
stick-like branches. The leaves are small, 4–10 mm long and 1mm broad with a pointed apex,
and sprout in clusters from the branches. These clusters are known as fascicles, and give the
species its Latin name. The leaves are shiny with flammable oils, especially in warmer weather.
The branches terminate in bunches of white tubular flowers five mm diameter, with five petals
and long stamens. The fruit is a dry achene. The oily leaves give rise to the common name
greasewood.
California Poppy
Eschscholzia californica (California poppy, golden poppy, California sunlight, cup of gold) is a species of
flowering plant in the family Papaveraceae, native to the United States and Mexico, and the official state
flower of California. It is a perennial or annual growing to 5–60 in (13–150 cm) tall, with alternately
branching glaucous blue-green foliage. The leaves are ternately divided into round, lobed segments. The
flowers are solitary on long stems, silky-textured, with four petals, each petal 2 to 6 cm (0.79 to 2.4 in)
long and broad; flower color ranges from yellow to orange, with flowering from February to September.
The petals close at night or in cold, windy weather and open again the following morning, although they
may remain closed in cloudy weather. The fruit is a slender, dehiscent capsule 3 to 9 cm (1.2 to 3.5 in)
long, which splits in two to release the numerous small black or dark brown seeds. It survives mild
winters in its native range, dying completely in colder climates.
Purple Awn
Aristida purpurea is a species of grass native to North America which is known by the common name
purple three-awn. This grass is fairly widespread and can be found across the western two thirds of the
United States, much of southern Canada and parts of northern Mexico. It is most abundant on the
plains. This is a perennial bunchgrass, growing erect to under a meter-3 feet in height, and the flower
glumes often assume a light brown to reddish-purple color. There are several varieties with overlapping
geographical ranges. This is not considered to be a good graze for livestock because the awns are sharp
and the protein content of the grass is low.
Giant Wild Rye
Leymus condensatus, with common name is Giant wildrye and syn. Elymus condensatus, is a wild rye
grass native to California and northern Mexico. Leymus condensatus grows in bunches or clumps, a
bunch grass, stays green all year, and has a distinctive silver blue foliage. It is drought tolerant, growing
in coastal sage scrub, chaparral, the California oak woodlands of southern oak woodland and foothill
woodland, and Joshua tree woodlands, rarely in wetlands. It often hybridizes with Leymus triticoides,
producing the common hybrid grass Leymus x multiflorus.
California Fescue
Festuca californica is a species of grass known by the common name California fescue. It is native to the
US states of California and Oregon where it is a member of many plant communities, including chaparral.
This fescue is a clumping bunch grass perennial without rhizomes. It reaches anywhere from 40 to 120
centimeters in height. The rough leaves are narrow but can be quite long. The inflorescence holds spikelets which are each one to two centimeters long. The plant reproduces from seed and from buds located
at the base of the clump. This is a California native grass which is used for re-vegetating grassland that
has been cleared or claimed by non-native grasses.
Red Fescue
Festuca rubra is a species of grass known by the common name red fescue or creeping red fescue. It is
found worldwide and can tolerate many habitats and climates. It is best adapted to well-drained soils in
cool, temperate climates; it prefers shadier areas and is often planted for its shade tolerance. Wild
animals browse it, but it has not been important for domestic forage due to low productivity and
palatability. It is also an ornamental plant for gardens.
Poison Oak
Is that plant poison oak or not? Poison oak is a great imitator, its leaves take on the shape of those
nearby.
Leaves of Three, Let it Be: The one thing that doesn't vary is the pattern of three leaflets branching
from a single, independent stem. Two leaves are attached directly to the stalk opposite each other.
The third leaf juts out from them at a right angle, so the 3-leaf pattern forms a triangle. There are no
additional leaves on the same stalk.
The leaves may be serrated, round, or oak-like depending on what other foliage is around the poison
oak plants. They may be shiny, or not. They may have a red tinge, or not. Be wary, or you're in for a
week of itchy torture.