Combined from 141 covered cities

North American native plants in California

144 plants with Sow catalog pages across the published city lists in the state. Each badge shows how many covered cities include that plant.

This is a statewide union, not a claim that each plant’s North American native range covers the whole state. Use the city count and local guidance to narrow the list for your site.

Showing 144 plants

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Trees11

Canopy and structure

Sensation Boxelder

Acer negundo 'Sensation'

118 cities

Toyon

Heteromeles arbutifolia

117 cities Photo: Chuck Wilson · CC0 1.0

Common Chokecherry

Prunus virginiana

35 cities Photo: Indio Brown · CC BY 4.0

Bubba Desert Willow

Chilopsis linearis 'Bubba'

26 cities

Douglas Fir

Pseudotsuga menziesii

20 cities Photo: DeeF · CC BY 4.0

Western Redbud

Cercis occidentalis

19 cities Photo: Matt Berger · CC BY 4.0

Sugar Hackberry

Celtis laevigata

7 cities Photo: lanechaffin · CC0 1.0

White Fir

Abies concolor

5 cities Photo: Rod · CC0 1.0

Ponderosa Pine

Pinus ponderosa

5 cities Photo: CK2AZ · CC BY 4.0

Parry's Nolina

Nolina parryi

2 cities Photo: delbrooks · CC0 1.0

Dallas Form California Fan Palm

Washingtonia filifera 'Dallas Form'

1 city

Shrubs46

Backbone planting

Sacred Datura

Datura wrightii

131 cities Photo: Rachel Smith · CC0 1.0

Pigeon Point Dwarf Coyote Bush

Baccharis pilularis 'Pigeon Point'

117 cities

Red Twig Dogwood

Cornus sericea 'Red Twig'

117 cities

Toyon

Heteromeles arbutifolia

117 cities Photo: Chuck Wilson · CC0 1.0

Chester Blackberry

Rubus ursinus 'Chester'

106 cities

White Sand Lupine

Lupinus albifrons

84 cities Photo: Sam Kieschnick · CC BY 4.0

Snowberry

Symphoricarpos albus

81 cities Photo: Owen McElroy · CC0 1.0

Hummingbird Sage

Salvia spathacea

78 cities Photo: Dan Horowitz · CC0 1.0

White Sage

Salvia apiana

74 cities Photo: Rod · CC0 1.0

Golden Crownbeard

Verbesina encelioides

71 cities Photo: Center for Urban Ecology · CC0 1.0

Fragrant Sumac

Rhus aromatica

70 cities Photo: Susan Berry · CC0 1.0

Matilija Poppy

Romneya coulteri

66 cities Photo: barranquer · CC BY 4.0

Pozo Blue Sage

Salvia x leucophylla 'Pozo Blue'

62 cities

Golden Currant

Ribes aureum

56 cities Photo: Jeff D Hansen · CC BY 4.0

Ocean Spray

Holodiscus discolor

53 cities Photo: CK2AZ · CC BY 4.0

Cleveland Sage

Salvia clevelandii 'Winifred Gilman'

51 cities

Ella Nelson's Yellow Buckwheat

Eriogonum nudum 'Ella Nelson's Yellow'

50 cities

Autumn Amber Prostrate Three-leaf Sumac

Rhus trilobata 'Autumn Amber'

45 cities

False Indigo Bush

Amorpha fruticosa

39 cities Photo: Dmitry Trutsko · CC BY 4.0

Blue Springs Penstemon

Penstemon heterophyllus 'Blue Springs'

37 cities

Sugar Shack Buttonbush

Cephalanthus occidentalis 'Sugar Shack'

35 cities

Pacific Ninebark

Physocarpus capitatus

35 cities Photo: Lyrae · CC BY 4.0

Common Chokecherry

Prunus virginiana

35 cities Photo: Indio Brown · CC BY 4.0

Pink-Flowering Currant

Ribes sanguineum 'glutinosum'

29 cities

Oregon Grapeholly

Mahonia aquifolium

28 cities Photo: Bennett Grappone · CC BY 4.0

Bubba Desert Willow

Chilopsis linearis 'Bubba'

26 cities

Lemony Lace Elderberry

Sambucus racemosa 'Lemony Lace'

22 cities

California Lilac

Ceanothus thyrsiflorus

20 cities Photo: Nelson Balcar · CC BY 4.0

Western Redbud

Cercis occidentalis

19 cities Photo: Matt Berger · CC BY 4.0

Desert Mallow

Sphaeralcea ambigua

16 cities Photo: Rod · CC0 1.0

Sea Thrift

Armeria maritima

12 cities Photo: GBIF contributor · CC BY 4.0

Green Ephedra

Ephedra viridis

12 cities Photo: Marcus Tamura · CC0 1.0

Grasses12

Movement and texture

Blue Arrows Soft Rush

Juncus effusus 'Blue Arrows'

86 cities

Alkali Sacaton

Sporobolus airoides

84 cities Photo: Steve Matson · CC BY 4.0

Deergrass

Muhlenbergia rigens

82 cities Photo: Leah Gardner · CC0 1.0

Carman's Grey Rush

Juncus patens 'Carmans Grey'

43 cities

Tufted Hairgrass

Deschampsia cespitosa

33 cities Photo: Татьяна Горбушина · CC0 1.0

Woolly Sedge

Carex pellita

32 cities Photo: Patrice Dupont · CC BY 4.0

Foothill Sedge

Carex tumulicola

27 cities Photo: Chris Fluit · CC BY 4.0

Variegated Reed Canary Grass

Phalaris arundinacea 'Luteo Picta'

24 cities

Path Rush

Juncus tenuis

18 cities Photo: Stephen James McWilliam · CC0 1.0

Bushy Bluestem

Andropogon glomeratus

14 cities

Comosa Sedge

Carex comosa

7 cities Photo: infiniteuniverse · CC0 1.0

California Meadow Sedge

Carex pansa

2 cities Photo: Matt Berger · CC BY 4.0

Perennials79

Seasonal colour

Common Sunflower

Helianthus annuus

140 cities Photo: Francesco Santoro · CC BY 4.0

Common Yarrow

Achillea millefolium

137 cities Photo: rappman · CC BY 4.0

California Poppy

Eschscholzia californica

136 cities Photo: klicklo · CC BY 4.0

Sacred Datura

Datura wrightii

131 cities Photo: Rachel Smith · CC0 1.0

White Baby Blue Eyes

Nemophila menziesii 'Snow White'

131 cities

narrowleaf milkweed

Asclepias fascicularis

130 cities Photo: Ryan Donnelly · CC BY 4.0

Tidy Tips

Layia platyglossa

124 cities Photo: Adam J. Searcy · CC BY 4.0

Scouring Rush

Equisetum hyemale

121 cities Photo: GBIF contributor · CC BY 4.0

Woodland Clarkia

Clarkia unguiculata 'Woodland Clarkia'

117 cities

Hairy Gumweed

Grindelia hirsutula

117 cities Photo: Mary K. Hanson · CC BY 4.0

Globe Gilia

Gilia capitata

114 cities Photo: Judi Sanders · CC BY 4.0

Western Blue-eyed Grass

Sisyrinchium bellum

113 cities Photo: jen · CC0 1.0

Chinese Houses

Collinsia heterophylla

110 cities Photo: joergmlpts · CC BY 4.0

Bird's Eyes

Gilia tricolor 'Bird's Eyes'

107 cities

Arroyo Lupine

Lupinus succulentus

103 cities Photo: Ike Ikemori · CC BY 4.0

Lacy phacelia Bluebell phacelia

Phacelia tanacetifolia

101 cities Photo: Steve Woodward · CC0 1.0

Tufted Poppy

Eschscholzia caespitosa

98 cities Photo: Leah Gardner · CC0 1.0

Rosilla Sneezeweed

Helenium puberulum

97 cities Photo: Ken-ichi Ueda · CC BY 4.0

Tiny Lupine

Lupinus microcarpus 'microcarpus'

89 cities

California figwort

Scrophularia californica

88 cities Photo: Casey H. Richart · CC BY 4.0

Tarragon

Artemisia dracunculus

84 cities Photo: Jesse Rorabaugh · CC0 1.0

Checker Mallow

Sidalcea malviflora 'Rosaly'

83 cities

California Poppy

Platystemon californicus

79 cities Photo: Leah Gardner · CC0 1.0

Hummingbird Sage

Salvia spathacea

78 cities Photo: Dan Horowitz · CC0 1.0

Western Thistle

Cirsium occidentale

77 cities Photo: Mike Butler · CC BY 4.0

Parry's Phacelia

Phacelia parryi

72 cities Photo: John Cowles · CC0 1.0

Common Madia

Madia elegans

71 cities Photo: Irene · CC0 1.0

Golden Crownbeard

Verbesina encelioides

71 cities Photo: Center for Urban Ecology · CC0 1.0

California Buttercup

Ranunculus californicus

61 cities Photo: lazarus · CC BY 4.0

Beach Strawberry Chilean Strawberry

Fragaria chiloensis 'Carole Ann'

60 cities

Poached Egg Plant

Limnanthes douglasii

53 cities Photo: Anne Parsons · CC0 1.0

Ella Nelson's Yellow Buckwheat

Eriogonum nudum 'Ella Nelson's Yellow'

50 cities

Vines1

Verticals and screens

Roger's Red Grape

Vitis x californica 'Roger's Red'

52 cities

Ferns4

Shade and damp

Water Clover

Marsilea vestita

116 cities Photo: Steve Matson · CC BY 4.0

Southern Maidenhair Fern

Adiantum capillus-veneris

78 cities Photo: Martin Purdy · CC BY 4.0

Lady Fern

Athyrium filix-femina

28 cities Photo: Jon Mortin · CC BY 4.0

Western Sword Fern

Polystichum munitum

27 cities Photo: John A Haskins · CC BY 4.0

Succulents6

Dry and architectural

Whipple's Yucca

Hesperoyucca whipplei

63 cities Photo: Skyler K · CC BY 4.0

Canyon Liveforever

Dudleya cymosa 'Orange Form'

43 cities

Chalk Dudleya

Dudleya pulverulenta

35 cities Photo: Mike Butler · CC BY 4.0

Powdery Liveforever

Dudleya farinosa

9 cities Photo: Jessica · CC BY 4.0

Sea Lettuce

Dudleya caespitosa

5 cities

Desert Agave

Agave deserti

1 city Photo: Alan Weakley · CC0 1.0

Covered cities in California

The state list is the union of these 141 published city pages.

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