The Identification System
All of the native plants displayed on this site I found and identified while hiking around the Bay Area. For a more convenient identification system, each plant is sorted into one of five categories: trees, shrubs, herbs & wildflowers, or ferns. While you probably know the basic definition of some of these plant categories (particularly trees) it is beneficial to review these terms to make sure the categories are clear. If you are interested in learning more about how I identified plants, see the "Identification Methodology" section below.
Trees
Some of the most common, and most notable, plants alive, trees are characterized by their woody main trunk and spreading branches. Compared with other plants, trees are large and long-lived, supported by their intricate underground root system and photosynthetic foliage. There are over 3.04 trillion trees on the planet, each and every one of which provides us with much-needed oxygen, clean air, purified water, and wildlife habitat.
Shrubs
A shrub, or bush, is a small to medium sized woody perennial plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have several persistent woody stems with either deciduous or evergreen foliage. Typically shorter than a tree but larger than a herb, shrubs usually grow less than 10 meters tall. For the sake of order, arborescences, intermediates between shrubs and trees which typically range closer to tree height, will be classified in the shrub category. Subshrubs, short-lived, less woody, herbaceous shrubs, will be classified either as herbs or shrubs depending on the individual species’ characteristics.
Herbs and Wildflowers
Herbs are small, short-lived plants with soft, delicate stems. They do not develop persistent woody tissue like shrubs or trees, instead they grow tender stems, which live only one or two seasons before dying back. Herbs are usually short and multi-stemmed, though some species can grow up to 3 meters. Most wildflowers — perhaps the most beloved of all native plants — are herbs; as such, the title of this category has been adjusted to reflect this popularity.
Ferns
Similar to flowering plants, ferns have roots, stems, and leaves; however, ferns primarily reproduce with tiny airborne spores, rather than flower pollen. The root structure of ferns are also distinct, with a horizontal spreading root system. Many ferns also have a unique frond-like leaf structure with leaf blades unfurling from a central stem.
Identification Methodology
While I hope that you trust my identifications, I understand that every ID must be treated with a grain of salt. Hopefully, I can reassure you by explaining my identification methodology. I begin every identification with photographs. I take multiple photographs of every plant I encounter in the wild. Those images help me determine the plant's identity. I can establish a hesitant identification in multiple ways. I can plug the image into a plant ID app, such as Picturethis, enter the characteristics onto a plant ID website where I can then compare images, or I compare the image against a photo list of local plants. I can also, in certain situations, use known plant information, such as that the plant is a lupine, compared with location, to narrow my search. A list of the websites I frequently used to establish a hesitant, and ultimately final, identification is provided on the 'Resources' page. Once I have a hesitant identification, I then confirm said ID by cross-checking it against multiple websites, though primarily Calscape, which allows me to determine native status, as the site only features CA native plants.
Plant List
Here is a full alphabetical order list of every plant identified on this site, organized by plant category:
Trees
Bigleaf Maple, Acer macrophyllum
Box Elder, Acer negundo
California Buckeye, Aesculus californica
White Alder, Alnus rhombifolia
Madrone, Arbutus menziesii
Creek Dogwood, Cornus sericea
Oregon Ash, Fraxinus latifolia
Northern California Walnut, Juglans hindsii
Tanoak, Notholithocarpus densiflorus
Fremont Cottonwood, Populus fremontii
Hollyleaf Cherry, Prunus ilicifolia
Douglas Fir, Pseudotsuga menziesii
Coast Live Oak, Quercus agrifolia
Blue Oak, Quercus douglasii
Valley Oak, Quercus lobata
Shining Willow, Salix lasiandra
Arroyo Willow, Salix lasiolepis
Blue Elderberry, Sambucus nigra ssp. cerulea
Coastal Redwood, Sequoia sempervirens
California Bay Laurel, Umbellularia californica
Shrubs
Common Deerweed, Acmispon glaber
Chamise, Adenostoma fasciculatum
California Sagebrush, Artemisia californica
Coyote Brush, Baccharis pilularis
Buck Brush, Ceanothus cuneatus
Blueblossom, Ceanothus thyrsiflorus
Sticky Monkeyflower, Diplacus aurantiacus
California Buckwheat, Eriogonum fasciculatum
Flannel Bush, Fremontodendron californicum
Salal, Gaultheria shallon
Toyon, Heteromeles arbutifolia
Ocean spray, Holodiscus discolor
White Pitcher Sage, Lepechinia calycina
Silver Bush Lupine, Lupinus albifrons
Coastal Bush Lupine, Lupinus arboreus
Manycolored Lupine, Lupinus variicolor
Pacific Ninebark, Physocarpus capitatus
Hillside Gooseberry, Ribes californicum
Red Flowering Currant, Ribes sanguineum
Western Thimbleberry , Rubus parviflorus
Pacific Blackberry, Rubus ursinus
Black Sage, Salvia mellifera
Bluewitch Nightshade , Solanum umbelliferum
Common Snowberry, Symphoricarpos albus
Poison Oak, Toxicodendron diversilobum
Ferns
California Maidenhair Fern, Adiantum jordanii
Coastal Woodfern, Dryopteris arguta
Giant Horsetail, Equisetum telmateia
Coffee Fern, Pellaea andromedifolia
Goldenback Fern, Pentagramma triangularis
California Polypody, Polypodium californicum
Western Sword Fern, Polystichum munitum
Western Brackenfern, Pteridium aquilinum
Herbs & Wildflowers
Common Yarrow, Achillea millefolium
Mexicali Onion, Allium peninsulare
Coast Angelica, Angelica hendersonii
Western Columbine, Aquilegia formosa
California Mugwort, Artemisia douglasiana
Nuttall's Milkvetch, Astragalus nuttallii
White Globe Lily, Calochortus albus
Pacific False Bindweed, Calystegia purpurata
Hillside False Bindweed, Calystegia subacaulis
Indian Paintbrush, Castilleja affinis
Soap Plant, Chlorogalum pomeridianum
Ruby Chalice Clarkia, Clarkia rubicunda
Miner's Lettuce, Claytonia perfoliata
San Francisco Collinsia, Collinsia multicolor
Western Houndstongue, Cynoglossum grande
California Larkspur, Delphinium californicum
Blue Dicks, Dipterostemon capitatus
California Fuchsia, Epilobium canum
Coastal Buckwheat, Eriogonum latifolium
Golden Yarrow, Eriophyllum confertiflorum
Seaside Wooly Sunflower, Eriophyllum staechadifolium
Scarlet Monkeyflower , Erythranthe cardinalis
Seep Monkeyflower, Erythranthe guttata
California Poppy, Eschecholzia californica
Beach Strawberry, Fragaria chiloensis
Checker Lily, Fritillaria affinis
Common Cleavers, Galium aparine
Climbing Bedstraw, Galium porrigens
Rosilla, Helenium puberulum
Cow Parsnip, Heracleum maximum
Telegraph Weed, Heterotheca grandiflora
Douglas Iris, Iris douglasiana
Pacific Pea, Lathyrus vestitus
Coastal Tidy Tips, Layia platyglossa
Miniature Lupine, Lupinus bicolor
Broadleaf Lupine, Lupinus latifolius
Chick Lupine Lupinus microcarpus
Arroyo Lupine , Lupinus succulentus
Starflower, Lysimachia latifolia
Spring Madia, Madia elegans
Wild Cucumber, Marah fabacea
Pacific Oenanthe, Oenanthe sarmentosa
Common Evening Primrose, Oenothera elata
Redwood Sorrel, Oxalis oregana
Windpoppy, Papaver heterophyllum
Warrior's Plume, Pedicularis densiflora
Silverweed, Potentilla anserina
Henderson's Shootingstar, Primula hendersonii
Common Heal-All, Prunella vulgaris
California Buttercup, Ranunculus californicus
Pacific Sanicle , Sanicula crassicaulis
Bee Plant, Scrophularia californica
Western Blue-Eyed Grass, Sisyrinchium bellum
Greenspot Nightshade , Solanum douglasii
California Hedgenettle, Stachys bullata
Meadow Rue, Thalictrum fendleri
Chaparral Zygadene, Toxioscordion fremontii
Giant Wakerobin, Trillium chloropetalum
Ithuriel's Spear, Triteleia laxa
Common Nettle, Urtica dioica
Western Heart's Ease, Viola ocellata
Narrow Leaf Mule Ears, Wyethia angustifolia
Gray Mule's Ears, Wyethia helenioides