Our Plants (List)

The common sun rose is one of California’s miracle plants that thrives and blooms generously in some of our harshest environments. One often encounters it along crest trails in exposed sunny sites from the SF Bay Area to San Diego County, and in the central Sierra Nevada. Locally, it can…

The Catalina crossosoma is a rare plant in California, a rare find on Catalina Island, San Clemente Island and Isla Guadalupe off the coast of Baja, Mexico. It also makes a sparse appearance on the mainland on the Palos Verdes Peninsula. It grows as a large shrub with multiple upright…

The silver cholla is one of several members of the genus Cylindropuntia found in the Mojave and Sonora deserts in southeastern California and beyond. The dense covering of silvery spines almost glow in the abundant sunlight of the silver cholla’s native range, inspiring its common name. It grows in a…

Houndstongue is native to the lower foothills of the Sierra and coastal mountains from San Luis Obispo County north into Oregon. It is common in shady areas of woodlands and chaparral. The wide, dark leaves grow from the taproot in winter. In early spring a flower stock rises above the…

California oatgrass is one of those plants that should remind us of what our neighborhoods looked like in 1750. It grows as a small bunchgrass in open areas, preferring areas with high seasonal moisture which receive substantial cooling from the Pacific. Those are the areas also favored for both agriculture…

Indian rhubarb is encountered in moist areas in the northern Sierra and Cascade ranges. After winter dormancy it sends up an umbel of light pink flowers which are soon followed by the large, dark green leaves. Indian rhubarb grows in an expanding patch via shallow rhizomes. While the species can…