Tolerates almost any soil type. Prefers sun or part shade in coastal sites, and part shade or shade in inland sites. Selected for the garden.

Horticultural selection from Frangula californica from san Bruno Mountain south of san Francisco. The Mound San Bruno coffeeberry is a small low growing, evergreen shrub that has stunning red twigs and bark, offset by intense green foliage. This shrub is a cultivar from the San Bruno Mountain area, and is ideal for small, 5'ft x 5'ft cool spaces in the garden or hedge. San Bruno requires minimal water and is less tolerant of heat and drought than other varieties of coffeeberry. The shrub flowers in the mid to late spring, with berries fading from bright red to black in the fall. Grows best in sandy, coarse-grained or other fast draining soil. Prefers sun or part shade in coastal sites, and part shade or shade in inland sites.

Tolerates almost any soil type. Prefers sun or part shade in coastal sites, and part shade or shade in inland sites. Selected for the garden.

Rhamnus purshiana (Cascara Buckthorn, Cascara, Bearberry, and in the Chinook Jargon, Chittam or Chitticum; syn. Frangula purshiana, Rhamnus purshianus) is a species of buckthorn native to western North America from southern British Columbia south to central California, and inland to western Montana. It is the largest species of buckthorn, occasionally growing up to 15 meter tall, though more commonly a large shrub or small tree 5-10 meter tall, with a trunk 20-50 centimeter in diameter. The bark is brownish to silver-grey with light splotching. The leaves are deciduous, alternate, clustered near the ends of twigs; they are oval, 5-15 centimeter long and 2-5 centimeter broad with a 0.6-2 centimeter petiole, dark shiny green on top, fuzzy and paler green below. The flowers are tiny, 4-5 millimeter diameter, with five greenish yellow petals; the flowering season is brief, disappearing by early summer. The fruit is a berry 6-10 millimeter diameter, bright red at first, quickly maturing deep purple or black, and containing three seeds.

The perennial herb Frankenia salina, often called Alkali Heath or Alkali Seaheath, is a member of the Frankeniaceae family that is native to California. It is occasionally found in Nevada and Mexico. In California it is found along the coast, in the mountain, central valley, and other wetland locations, including salt marsh and alkali flats. Its common name refers to its preference for saline or alkaline soils. It is a squat flowering bush that forms a twiggy thicket near beaches and estuaries. The leaves are tiny and somewhat succulent. It has the ability to excrete salt as an adaptation for living in saline habitats. The flowers are white, pink or fuchsia in color. It spreads by rhizome and can cover large areas but remains very low. It is not a common garden plant but can be a useful ground cover at the edges of ponds or streams, in bioswales, or in areas of saline soil.

California ash (Fraxinus dipetala) is a beautiful flowering tree or shrub native to the California Coast Ranges and Sierra foothills, growing at elevations of 300 to 4,300 feet. It has light to dark green serrated leaves and produces sweetly scented white flowers in fluffy clusters. The fruit is a long, winged seed (samara) that hangs in bunches.

This drought-adapted tree thrives in various soils, including heavy clay, and benefits from occasional summer water. It also supports wildlife, serving as a host plant for the pale tiger swallowtail butterfly, whose larvae overwinter in rolled-up leaves. With pruning, it can be shaped into a lovely multi-trunked specimen tree.

Fraxinus velutina (Velvet Ash or Arizona Ash or Modesto Ash) is a species of Fraxinus native to southwestern North America, in the United States from southern California east to Texas, and in Mexico from northern Baja California east to Coahuila and Nuevo Len. It is a small deciduous tree growing to 10 meter tall, with a trunk up to 30 centimeter diameter. The bark is rough gray-brown and fissured, and the shoots are velvety-downy. The leaves are 10-25 centimeter long, pinnately compound with five or seven (occasionally three) leaflets 4 centimeter or more long, with an entire or finely serrated margin. The flowers are produced in small clusters in early spring; it is dioecious, with male and female flowers on separate trees. The fruit is a samara 1.5-3 centimeter long, with an apical wing 4-8 millimeter broad.

Grows best in sandy, coarse-grained or other fast draining soil. Selected for the garden from F. californicum var. crassifolium and named after a site in the santa Cruz Mtns.

Hybrid of Fremontia californicum and Fremontia mexicanum. One of the most beautiful large native shrubs. California Glory is an abundantly flowering shrub whioh will make a grand statement in your landscape. The masses of 3" golden yellow flowers bring warmth and life to the garden. Leaves are dark green and covered with tiny hairs. Growing to 15'-20' height and up to 15' wide, this shrub needs some space and course, well draining soil to thrive. Be very sure not to overwater once this shrub is established. If possible, plant your Fremontodendron in late fall so that it is established before the summer, avoiding the danger of overwatering. The dry hairs on the leaves can be irritating to skin, so it is best to plant this away from high-traffic areas.

Hybrid, random; origin = seed (1949) R. californicum x F. mexicanum, Theodore Payne Foundation; intro Rancho santa Ana Botanic Garden 1962. Grows best in sandy, coarse-grained or other fast draining soil. Hybrid of F. californicum x F. mexicanum. Introduced by Rancho santa Ana Botanic Garden.

Hybrid of Fremontia decumbens and Fremontia 'California Glory'. Grows best in sandy, coarse-grained or other fast draining soil. Hybrid between F. decumbens x F. 'California Glory'.

Fremontodendron hybrid. 'Ken Taylor' offers all the stunning beauty of the Fremontodendron californica, but in a more compact form suitable for smaller gardens. This hybrid reaches about 5' high and spreads to about 8'. Attractive blooms of deep gold, with a darker orange outside adorn the shrub in spring and into summer. Leaves are deep green. Ideal for planting on slopes, where the soil drains well. This shrub will not need supplemental water after establishment. If possible, plant your Fremontodendron in late fall so that it is established before the summer, avoiding the danger of overwatering. The dry hairs on the leaves can be irritating to skin, so it is best to plant this away from high-traffic areas.

Fremontodendron 'Ken Taylor' was created by Ken Taylor of Aromas, California and is thought to be a cross of Fremontodendron califronica ssp. decumbens and Fremontodendron 'California Glory'. Grows best in sandy, coarse-grained or other fast draining soil. Selected for the garden.

Hybrid of Fremontodendron californicum and Fremontodendron mexicanum, a cultivar by Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden. It is a large, robust plant reported to reach 15 - 20 feet tall, and grows in an upright to vase shape. However, we have noticed that this hybrid grows more slowly and stays smaller than the original and may be more suitable for smaller spaces. Pacific Sunset has large, fuzzy, 3 inch wide yellow flowers that have an orange-red blush, as opposed to the original full yellow. The leaves of the plant are fairly sturdy like a geranium's, and have a similar shape. Called Flannel Bush due to the leaves, stems, and flower bracts all being covered in thick, visible hairs. The hairs can cause allergic reactions or allergies for some people. This is a stunning plant when in bloom in spring, and is an interesting evergreen texture in winter. Fremontodendron 'Pacific sunset' does well on slopes since it favors sandy, rocky, exceptionally well-draining soil. It needs full sun to light shade, and dry conditions. 'Pacific sunset' is drought tolerant and needs no supplemental water in summer once established.

Hybrid of Fremontia californicum and Fremontia mexicanum. Grows best in sandy, coarse-grained or other fast draining soil. Selected for the garden. Hybrid of F. mexicanum X F. californicum introduced by Rancho santa Ana Botanic Garden.

A low growing member of the flannel bush family, Fremontodendron 'West Hills' spreads about 8' wide and grows up to about 4'. An excellent and showy, no maintenance groundcover , 'West Hills' does best where it has perfect drainage, such as a rocky slope or canyonside. This flannel bush offers large, yellow-orange flowers in spring and has attractively lobed leaves on arching branches. It is a mounding evergreen shrub that would do well with some supplement water after planting in autumn, but then no more water as it is drought tolerant. Flannel bushes are tough as nails in dry conditions, but susceptible to rot from overwater, so be sure the proposed planting site has excellent drainage. Please note, the fuzzy leaves are actually covered in hairs that can irritate human skin---plant this native away from walkways, more up on a bank or less trafficked area. 'West Hills' needs full sun to part shade, and is frost resistant. Grows best in sandy, coarse-grained or other fast draining soil. Hybrid between F. decumbens x F. 'California Glory'.

Best known for its spectacular bright yellow flowers during spring blooming season, Flannel Bush (Fremontodendron californicum) is an eye-catching large evergreen shrub. The vibrant blooms attract bees and butterflies. This plant gets its name from fuzzy hairs that cover its leaves. These hairs can be an irritant to eyes and skin.

Flannel Bush has unique moisture and site-selection requirements. In its natural environment, it grows in sandy or chalky soil, about 10 feet away from a water source. In the garden, plant it at a similar distance from any type of irrigation. It is fast growing, and under ideal conditions, it can reach 20 feet tall and 20 feet wide in five years.

It is notably intolerant of summer water and should stay dry, even when it looks like it needs water. Supplemental irrigation that's too close to a Flannel Bush can kill it. This plant depends on its long roots to reach moisture at a distance, so be sure to plant it near other low-moisture plants.

This flannel bush is a cross between classic F. californicum and F. mexicanum, and is a cultivar brought about by Rancho santa Ana Botanic Garden. It is a large, robust plant reported to reach 2 to 3 feet tall, and grows in a wide vase shape for a width of 15 to 2 feet. However,we have noticed that this hybrid grows more slowly and stays smaller than the original and may be more suitable for smaller spaces. Pacific sunset has large, fuzzy, 3" yellow flowers that have an orange- red blush, as opposed to the original full yellow. The leaves of the plant are fairly sturdy like a geranium's, and have a similar shape. Fremontodenron is given the common name "flannel bush" due to the leaves, stems, and flower bracts all being covered in thick, visible hairs. This is a stunning plant when in bloom in spring, and off bloom is an interesting evergreen texture in the water wise garden. Fremontodendron 'Pacific sunset' does well on slopes since it favors sandy, rocky, exceptionally well-draining soil, needs full sun to light shade, and dry conditions. 'Pacific sunset' is drought tolerant and needs no supplemental water in summer once established.

Pine Hill Fremontia (Fremontodendron californicum ssp. decumbens) is a rare native shrub that grows in Central California, primarily in the High Sierra Nevada region. It tends to grow in dry sandy washes, at elevations from 1300-6600 feet.

Fremontodendron mexicanum is a rare species of shrub in the mallow family known by the common name Mexican flannelbush. It is known from about ten occurrences in northern Baja California and adjacent San Diego County, California, but it has most recently been confirmed to exist in only two of those locales today. In 1993, fewer than 100 individuals were thought to exist. In the United States it is a federally listed endangered species. The shrub grows in chaparral and coniferous forests among Tecate cypress trees, generally on alluvial plains. It is grown as an attractive ornamental plant in gardens and has occasionally been seen growing in the wild as a garden escapee. It is an erect, flowering shrub or multi-trunked small tree reaching 6-15 feet (1. 8-4. 6 m) high, with branches spreading to 10 feet (3. 0 m) wide. The leathery and furry olive green leaves are up to 5 centimeters long and divided into several wide lobes. The solitary flowers, each about 6 centimeters wide, appear spread along the branches. The showy flowers are made up of five bright orange sepals and have no true petals.

Fremontodendron mexicanum is cultivated as an ornamental plant by specialty plant nurseries, for planting in native plant, drought tolerant, and wildlife gardens, and in natural landscaping and habitat restoration projects.

Fritillaria affinis (checker lily, chocolate lily) is a highly variable species in the genus Fritillaria, native to western North America, in California, Klamath Ranges, the north coast ranges, Cascade Ranges, north Sierra Nevada foothills, and the San Francisco Bay Area, north to British Columbia and Idaho. It is found at elevations ranging from sea level to 5,000 ft. It grows from a bulb, which resembles a small mass of rice grains. The stems are 10-120 centimeter tall. The flowers are produced in the spring, nodding, 1-4 centimeter, yellowish or greenish brown with a lot of yellow mottling to purplish black with little mottling, or yellow-green mottled with purple. The leaves are in whorls. Like many other native geophytes, it needs either a dry summer dormancy or very well drained soil. Given its wide range in the wild, it should be easy to grow. However, people report varying results in the garden.

Fritillaria biflora (Chocolate Lily) is a species in the Liliaceae (Lily) family that is endemic to California and northern Baja. It is found along the coast from Montery County south. Fritillaria biflora is called "Chocolate Lily" because its bell-shaped flowers resemble the color of chocolate. It should not be confused with Arthropodium strictum, which is also called "chocolate lily" but which resembles the scent of chocolate rather than the color. It is an extraordinarily beautiful flower but infrequently available and not easy to grow. It is grown from a bulb that should be planted fairly deep, around 4 in. It needs fast drainage and requires a dry summer dormancy.

Fritillaria recurva, the Scarlet Fritillary, is a herb in the Liliaceae family. It is native to southwest Oregon from Douglas County south into California where it grows in the Klamath Mountains, Northern Coast Ranges, Cascade Range, and Sierra Nevada. It grows in dry, open woodlands and chaparral from 300 to 2200 meters, and it blooms in spring from February to July. Throughout its range it is distinguishable from other Fritillaria species by its scarlet red color, checkered with yellow on the inside, and recurved petals. Its leaves are arranged in whorls and are linear to narrowly lance-shaped. In southwest Oregon it is similar to the rare Fritillaria gentneri. The latter can be distinguished from F. recurva by its branching style and longer nectary glands. Additionally, it blooms about two weeks after Scarlet Fritillary and has a different reddish color.

Galium angustifolium is a species of flowering plant in the coffee family known by the common name narrowleaf bedstraw. It is native to California and Baja California, where it is most commonly found in low elevation mountains. This is a stocky perennial herb or small shrub growing from a woody base and producing sprawling stems from a few centimeters to nearly a meter in length. Leaves grow in whorls of four about the stem at intervals, and the stem may branch at these points. The flower cluster is a panicle containing several flowers. The plant is dioecious, with male and female flowers similar in appearance with greenish-yellow flower parts. The fruit is a nutlet covered in long bristly white or yellowish hairs.

Tolerates almost any soil type. Selected from Cedros Island (Baja CA) by Carol Bornstein & Elizabeth Collins, santa Barbara Botanical Garden.

Tolerates almost any soil type. Selected for the garden. Introduced by Tree of Life.

Island Snapdragon (Gambelia speciosa) is a somewhat vine-like perennial plant native to the Channel Islands and to Guadalupe Island, Mexico. It has trumpet-shaped red flowers that attract birds, especially hummingbirds. Under the right conditions it can bloom almost year round.

Island Snapdragon is easy to grow, fast growing and beautiful, a perennial widely available in native California nurseries. It prefers sun or part shade (more shade inland), but you will get more flowers in full sun. It likes rocky slopes and seaside conditions and will tolerate a variety of soils. It tolerates occasional summer water, up to twice a month. Good in containers, and hummingbirds are attracted to the flowers and the plant is a larval food source for the Checkerspot butterfly. 

It was formerly categorized under the genus Galvezia, and some sources still list it that way. 'Firecracker' is a popular horticultural variety.

Tolerates almost any soil type. Prefers sun or part shade in coastal sites, and part shade in inland sites. Selected for the garden.

Horticultural selection from Gambelia speciosa. This selection boasts the bright red flower of its parent Galvezia speciosa but with a bushier, more compact habit. This is a versatile plant for borders, containers, banks or under larger native shrubs. It is a great plant to have under oak trees and is a favorite with hummingbirds. For the lushest growth you should soak deeply occasionally.

Horticultural selection G. Speciosa: origin = seedling (1984) selected from trials; intro Tree of Life Nursery. Tolerates almost any soil type. Prefers sun or part shade in coastal sites, and part shade in inland sites. Selected for use in the garden; introduced by Tree Of Life Nursery.

Horticultural selection from Gambelia speciosa. Tolerates almost any soil type. Prefers sun or part shade in coastal sites, and part shade in inland sites. Selected for the garden.

Coast silktassel (Garrya elliptica) is an evergreen shrub that flowers in January or February, with very long flower clusters that cascade downward as catkins. The pendant male catkins are much more showy. They are about a foot long and grey-green. The female catkins are shorter and silver-grey. The leaves have a tough leathery feel, glossy green on top and remain year round. This shrub also has a dense and tidy form, growing moderately fast to about 12 feet tall and 6 to 10  feet wide. 

It takes full sun, except in hot inland locations where it likely will need some shade, and infrequent to occasional summer water. It prefers well-draining soil but tolerates clay and serpentine soil. It makes a great informal hedge or small tree and can be cut back (espaliered) to grow almost flat against a wall or fence. 

Horticultural selection from Garrya elliptica. This large shrub has beautiful creamy white catkins that appear during the spring. It would make a great option for a bird garden because of the denser foliage than other tassel bushes. This shrub-like appearance and white catkins make it an appealing option for larger plants in a bird garden. Grows best in sandy, coarse-grained or other fast draining soil. Prefers sun or part shade in coastal sites, and part shade in inland sites. Selected for the garden.

Horticultural selection from Garrya elliptica. This large shrub or small tree produces long, showy flower tassels up to 12' in length in winter. Its spectacular flower show, combined with sturdy evergreen foliage and a tolerance of pruning make this a popular landscape specimen. It is ideally suited to the coast, which is its natural environment but will tolerate inland planting, where some light or partial shade is recommended. Plant in well draining soil and add some supplemental water. You should expect a mature height of around 12' and a similar spread in a garden situation in southern California.
Horticultural selection G. elliptica: origin = cuttings (19__) by James Roof, Prairie Creek state Park, Humboldt Co.; intro saratoga Horticultural Foundation. Tolerates almost any soil type. Prefers sun or part shade in coastal sites, and part shade in inland sites. Selected for the garden.

Gaultheria shallon is a leathery-leaved shrub in the heather family (Ericaceae), related to Manzanitas and Madrone. It is native to western North America as far north as Alaska. In California it is found primarily along the coast from Pt. Conception northwards. The foliage is dark green and attractive, sometimes used in commercial flower arrangements. The flowers are pink to white and urn-shaped, much like Manzanitas. The dark blue fruit is edible. Gaultheria shallon is very tolerant of both open sun and shady conditions. It occurs as a sprawling ground cover or a medium height shrub, depending on local growing conditions. It is a common coniferous forest understory species and may dominate large areas. In coastal areas it can form deep, nearly impenetrable thickets. It would be a nice addition to a woodland garden on the central or northern coast.

For other uses, see Desert Sunflower (disambiguation). Geraea canescens is also known as the desert sunflower, hairy desert sunflower, or desert gold. It is a dicot and annual of the Aster (Asteraceae) family. "Geraea" in its scientific name comes from the Greek geraios ("old man"), referring to the white hairs on the fruits.

California Gilia (Gilia achilleifolia ssp. achilleifolia) is a native annual herb that grows in Southern and Central California, primarily in the SF Bay, the South Coast Range and South Coast regions. It tends to grow in grassy places in sandy or rocky soil, at elevations from 200-3900 feet.

Gilia capitata is a species of flowering plant in the Polemoniaceae (Phlox) family known by the common names bluehead gilia and blue field gilia. It is native to much of western North America from Alaska to northern Mexico, and it can be found on the eastern side of the continent as an introduced species. In California it is widespread, occurring along the coast and in the Sierras. It grows in many habitats, especially in sandy or rocky soils. This wildflower is somewhat variable in form and appearance, with eight recognized subspecies. The branching, leafy stems reach anywhere from 10 to 90 centimeters in maximum height and sometimes having hairy hairs on the fleshy herbage. The leaves are divided into toothed or lobed leaflets. Atop the branches of the thick stem are spherical flower clusters of 50 to 100 small flowers. Each flower has a throat opening into a spreading corolla which may be white, pink, lavender, or light blue. The stamens protrude slightly from the flower's mouth and are white with white, blue, or pink anthers. In the garden it is best use in a meadow-like setting with other annuals. It is frequently included in wildflower seed mixes.

Dune Gilia (Gilia capitata ssp. chamissonis) is a rare native annual herb that grows in Central and Northern California, primarily in the Central Coast region. It tends to grow in open and sandy rocky places, at elevations from 0-600 feet.

Gilia leptantha is a species of flowering plant in the phlox family known by the common name fineflower gilia. It is native to California and southern Nevada, where it grows in open mountain and desert habitat. It is a small, mostly erect herb with a hairy stem often coated in cobwebby fibers. The leaves are arranged in a rounded basal rosette, each leaf divided sharply into many subdivided lobes. The top of the stem is an flower cluster of a few pink to lavender flowers with yellow and white throats. The base of the flower is a thin, hairy tube.

Purpus' Gilia (Gilia leptantha ssp. purpusii) is a native annual herb that grows in Southern and Central California, primarily in the Sierra Nevada Foothills and High Sierra Nevada regions. It tends to grow in open rocky or sandy places, at elevations from 2300-8500 feet.

Tricolor gilia (Gilia tricolor) is an annual with a long blooming period. Starting in spring, each plant produces hundreds of half-inch white flowers with blue or lavender edges.  Though small, these flowers look very pretty when massed. They grow on upright stems, about 18 inches tall, surrounded by soft, lacy foliage.

This plant is very easy to grow. It takes full sun, low water and tolerates many different types of soil including clay. It can be planted from seed and re-seeds itself the next spring reliably, and is very attractive to native bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects. Tricolor gilia is also known as bird's-eyes, bird's-eyes gilia. If you sow related but different types of gilia together they will hybridize. 

Grayia is a monotypic genus of plants containing the sole species Grayia spinosa, which is known by the common names hop sage and spiny hop sage. This plant is widely distributed across the western United States, where it grows in a number of desert and mountain habitats. It is a small, multibranched, brambly shrub generally under a meter in height. The grayish branches have spiny, pointed ends and stiff twigs. During the growing season the branches are covered in small oval-shaped, flat to scooplike leaves mostly under 3 centimeters in length. The shrub is dioecious, with male individuals flowering in clumps of a few flowers surrounded by leaflike leafs, and female individuals producing flower clusters of bright pink, yellow, or white fruiting leafs surrounding tiny petalless pistillate flowers. Female flower clusters are much larger than male and make the plant one of the more colorful shrubs in the springtime habitat. The fruit is a utricle only a few millimeters wide. The shrub sheds its leaves and flowers by the summer in hot or dry areas and becomes a woody gray thicket; it is evergreen in some regions. The genus was named after the botanist Asa Gray.

Grindelia camporum is a species of flowering plant in the daisy family known by the common names Great Valley gumplant and Great Valley gumweed. The plant is native to California and Baja California, where it can be found in a number of habitats including chaparral and woodlands. Its range may extend into Nevada. It is hardy plant that also readily grows in disturbed and altered areas such as ditches and roadsides. Grindelia camporum is a gangly perennial up to 2 m (6 ft. ) in maximum height but usually less. Its erect, branching stems are lined with many stiff, wavy-edged, serrated leaves 2 to 3 cm long. Atop the stem branches are inflorescences of a single large flower head up to 3 cm wide. The head is a vaguely thistlelike cup of green clawlike phyllaries that bend downward. The centre of the head is filled with yellow disc florets and there are usually many yellow ray florets around the circumference. The flower head fills with a copious white exudate, especially during the early stages of blooming. It is a traditional Native American medicinal plant, used by the Indigenous peoples of California and also a major pollinator attractant.

Grindelia hirsutula is a North American species of flowering plant in the daisy family known by the common names hairy gumplant and hairy gumweed. Grindelia hirsutula is native to North America, widespread across Canada and in California and Oregon. The species is highly variable, and many local populations have been named as varieties or as distinct species. All these taxa do, however, intergrade with one another. Grindelia hirsutula is an erect perennial herb or subshrub sometimes as much as 250 cm (100 inches or 8 1/3 feet) tall but usually much shorter. The plant is usually green but the stems are often red or purplish-brown and the leaves can be somewhat yellowish to reddish. The plant can produce numerous flower heads in branching arrays at the top of the plant. Each head is 2 or 3 centimeters (0. 8-1. 2 inches) wide with hemispheric cups of greenish phyllaries around the base, the bracts claw-like and bent away from the flowers. The center of the head is filled with many small yellow disc florets surround by numerous golden ray florets. The head produces a thick white exudate, especially in new flower heads. Varieties: Grindelia hirsutula var. maritima - San Francisco Gum Plant, San Francisco gumplant, coastal gumweed; endemic to coastal California in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Tolerant of recycled water.

Grindelia stricta is a species of flowering plant in the Asteraceae (Sunflower) family known by the common names Coastal Gumweed and Oregon Gumweed. It is native to the west coast of North America from California to Alaska, where it is a resident of coastal plant communities such as those in marshes and beaches. In California it is found from the Channel Islands northwards, typically in close proximity to the coast. There are three recognized Varieties: This plant is variable in appearance, taking the form of a weedlike perennial herb forming low clumps to a sprawling subshrub growing erect to heights exceeding one meter. Its foliage and stems are green to rusty red or purplish and the plant may be hairy to hairless. The fleshy leaves are green, often with red edges and veining, and are up to 15 centimeters in length on large plants. The flower cluster holds one or more flower heads each up to 5 centimeters wide. The flower head is a cup of thick erect or recurved green phyllaries. Yellow disc florets fill the center of the flower head and there is a fringe of yellow ray florets around the circumference. The head produces copious white exudate, especially in the early stages of blooming. This exudate was used by native people as an adhesive.

Marsh Gumplant (Grindelia stricta var. angustifolia) is a native perennial herb that grows in northern, southern and central California. It tends to grow in tidal flats, at elevations from 0-1600 feet.

Gumweed (Grindelia stricta var. platyphylla) is a native perennial herb that grows in Southern and Central California, primarily in the Central Coast region. It is a member of the Asteraceae and has typical sunflower floral structure with yellow disk flowers and ray flowers. It tends to grow in tidal flats, coastal strand, and coastal sage scrub typically very near the ocean, at elevations from 0-700 feet. There are three recognized varieties of Grindelia stricta; var. platyphylla is broadly distributed along the coast from Del Norte County to Los Angeles County and the northern Channel Islands. The flower bud is distinctive in having large amount of sticky white sap which native people use as an adhesive. The plant has a prostrate, sprawling habit and roots as it spreads. It performs best in coastal gardens with sandy soil.

Oregon Gumweed (Grindelia stricta var. stricta) is a native perennial herb that grows in northern, southern and central California. It tends to grow in tidal flats, at elevations from 0-700 feet.

Grusonia parishii (Orcutt) Pinkava is a species of cactus known by the common names matted cholla and Parish club cholla. It is native to the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts of California and Arizona. Grusonia parishii grows in spreading mats along the sandy ground no more than about 20 centimeters tall. The segments are up to 9 centimeters long by 3 wide and is surfaced in fleshy tubercles bearing many spines each up to 5 centimeters in length. The flower is yellowish and the fruit is yellow and up to 8 centimeters long. Synonyms. Grusonia parishii (Orcutt) Pinkava, J. Arizona-Nevada Acad. Sci. 32: 50. 1999. Grusonia stanlyi (Engelm. ex B. D. Jacks. ) H. Rob. , Phytologia 26(3): 176. 1973. Opuntia parishii Orcutt, W. Amer. Sci. 10: 81. 1896. Corynopuntia parishii (Orcutt) F. M. Knuth, Kaktus-ABC 115. 1935. Corynopuntia stanlyi var. parishii (Orcutt) Backeberg, Die Cactaceae 1: 361. 1958. Opuntia stanlyi Engelm. ex B. D. Jackson, Notes of a Military Reconnaissance 157, f. 9. 1848. Opuntia stanlyi Engelmann var. parishii (Orcutt) L. D. Benson, Cacti of Arizona (ed. 2) 39. 1950.

Gutierrezia californica is a species of flowering plant in the Asteraceae (Sunflower) family known by the common names San Joaquin snakeweed and California matchweed. It is native to California and Baja California, where it grows on slopes and plains in a number of habitats. It is found in the Coast Ranges, Transverse Range and Peninsular Range, coming fairly close to the coast in Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego Counties. It is often seen in very arid settings. This is a small subshrub reaching up to about half a meter in height. It grows clumpy or gangly and generally erect stems in shades of gray and red which are lined with small linear green leaves. At the end of each branch of the stem is an flower cluster of one to three small flower heads just a few millimeters wide. The head contains several yellow disc florets with long, protruding styles and several yellow ray florets around the edge.

Hazardia detonsa is a rare species of shrub in the daisy family known by the common name island bristleweed. It is endemic to three of the eight Channel Islands of California. This is a bushy shrub reaching 60 centimeters to 2.5 meters in height. It has densely woolly, hairy herbage of thick, serrated, oval-shaped leaves up to 14 centimeters long. At the ends of its whitish stems it produces bell-shaped flower heads each about a centimeter long. Each flower head has several rows of white woolly phyllaries and an open end revealing disc florets and longer protruding ray florets. The florets are yellow and may age to red or purple. The main threat to this species on Santa Cruz Island was the presence of feral Santa Cruz sheep. The sheep were removed, allowing the plant to begin its recovery there.

Hazardia squarrosa is a species of shrub in the Asteraceae (Sunflower) family known by the common name Sawtooth Goldenbush. It is native to California and Baja California, where it grows in coastal and inland scrub and chaparral habitats from Monterey County southward. This is a shrub of variable size, from low and clumpy to sprawling over two meters tall. It is covered in thick, sharply toothed leaves a few centimeters long and is generally not very hairy or woolly. It bears discoid flower heads covered in greenish, pointed phyllaries and opening into an array of long yellow to slightly reddish disc florets and no ray florets. There are three recognized varieties with largely overlapping ranges. In the garden it provides long lasting summer color and is popular with many insects including butterflies. Also valuable in restoration projects.

Saw Toothed Goldenbush (Hazardia squarrosa var. grindelioides) is a native sub-shrub in the Asteraceae (Sunflower) family that grows in southern and central California. It is found along the coast, in the foothills, valleys, and coastal mountains from Monterey County to northern Baja at elevations from 300-4300 feet. It is also commonly found along roadsides, trail edges, and other disturbed places. The flower head consists of only disc flowers. The flowers have great color and a long bloom time. There are two other recognized varieties of this species that differ primarily in leaf shape. This plant is good for "wild" gardens and for restoration projects.

The daisylike plant Helenium bigelovii is known as Bigelow's sneezeweed. It is a plant of meadows and marshes that bears flowers that are usually bright yellow in color. It grows in moist areas. It is found at moderate elevation in the foothills and low mountains of California. Cultivars are raised as ornamentals.

Helenium puberulum is a species of flowering plant in the daisy family known by the common name rosilla. It is native to California and Baja California, where it can be found in moist habitats such as riverbanks and meadows. This is an annual or perennial herb varying in size and shape from a low stem with few branches to an erect, spindly stem nearing 1.5 meters tall. Most of the leaves are on the lower part of the plant, with the upper occupied by naked peduncles bearing flower clusters of several daisylike flower heads. Each head is mainly a spherical bunch of disc florets which are yellow when new and darken with age. Some heads also have a few to many yellow ray florets. The fruit is a hairy achene one to two millimeters long.

Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) is a robust annual in the Asteraceae (sunflower) family, widely seen across California. Often found in disturbed areas like road shoulders, edges of farm fields, and vacant lots, it is also a striking addition to gardens when given ample space, direct sun, and regular watering.

This plant produces stout stalks topped with large, cheerful flower heads. The flower head is a composite of numerous small florets, with outer ray florets in shades of yellow, maroon, orange, or other colors, and inner brown disc florets that mature into seeds. Horticultural varieties like 'Autumn Beauty' offer additional color variations.

Sunflowers are excellent habitat plants, offering nectar and pollen for a wide array of bees and butterflies. Their seeds are a valuable food source for birds, making them a wonderful choice for wildlife-friendly gardens.

Tolerates almost any soil type. RsABG introduction.

Helianthus californicus is a species of sunflower known by the common name California sunflower. It is native to California and Baja California, where it grows in many types of habitat. This wild sunflower is an erect perennial growing from a network of tough, woody roots with small rhizomes. It is a sprawling, gangly plant, sending a thin stem to heights between one and three meters or more. The lance-shaped leaves may be 20 centimeters long and are smooth or slightly toothed along the edges. The flower cluster holds several flower heads. Each head is supported by a base covered in long, pointed phyllaries that bend back as the head ages and develops fruit. The flower head has a fringe of golden yellow ray florets, each two or three centimeters long, and a center filled with curly yellow and brown disc florets. The achene is about half a centimeter long.

Slender Sunflower is a species in the Asteraceae (Sunflower) family that is native to central and southern California and Baja California, where it is a member of the chaparral and yellow pine forest habitats. This is a perennial herb growing from a thick taproot to heights anywhere between one half and two meters. The lance-shaped, pointed leaves are smooth-edged or slightly toothed and up to about 11 centimeters long. The long, slender stems and foliage are covered in rough hairs. The flower cluster bears flower heads with an array of short, hairy phyllaries behind a thick center of yellow to red-brown disc florets. The golden ray florets around the edge are one to three centimeters long. Grows well in chaparral and yellow pine forest habitats.

Cow Parsnip (Heracleum maximum) is a member of the Apiaceae (Carrot) family and the only member of this genus native to North America. Cow Parsnip is distributed throughout the continental United States and Alaska except the Gulf Coast and a few neighboring states. It is the only native member of this family to occur throughout the U.S. In California it occurs primarily in the northern half of the state. It is relatively large for an herb and features a large flower head consisting of the typical flat-topped umbels of the Carrot family. Chemicals in the plant may cause dermatitis in some individuals. It may be weedy or invasive in portions of its range.

Hesperocallis is a genus of flowering plants that includes a single species, Hesperocallis undulata, the desert lily, found in the desert areas of the southwest of North America. Hesperocallis has traditionally been classified in Liliaceae but until recently its relationships have been unclear. Other classifications have included it in Hemerocallidaceae or Funkiaceae. In 1972, Hamilton Traub created the family Hesperocallidaceae with Hesperocallis as the sole included genus. The APG II system includes it in the family Asparagaceae in the order Asparagales in the monocots clade but allows for the optional segregation of Hesperocallidaceae as a monophyletic family when several other families are likewise segregated. Recent molecular systematic studies have confirmed a close relationship with Agave and its inclusion in family Agavaceae has been recommended (Pires et al. 2004).

Tecate Cypress (Herpericyparis forbesii) is a species of cypress native to Southern California and Mexico. This is a relict species from a time when southern California's climate was cooler and wetter. It survives in a few, isolated locations in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Diego Counties, as well as northern Baja. It depends on intermittent fire for reproduction, but too frequent fires kill seedlings and threaten the survival of the species.

The foliage is bright green with reddish bark. Young trees are pyramidal in shape, becoming more rounded or contorted with age. It is very drought adapted; excessive supplemental water will make it floppy. In recent years, Tecate Cypress has become a fairly popular small tree for Southern California gardens. It makes a great specimen tree for larger landscapes, remaining tight and symmetrical.

The northernmost stand, comprising a very large area on the upper limits of Coal Canyon and Sierra Peak in Orange County, California, burned in a 2006 wildfire. Very few mature trees survived, but hundreds, if not thousands, of new plants are appearing as regeneration. Another devastating wildfire before seedlings are able to reach cone-producing age (which can be quite old for this species), could easily extirpate this stand.

Some refer to Tecate Cypress as a variety of Guadalupe Cypress (Cupressus guadalupensis), which occurs on Guadalupe Island, though that island is well over 250 miles from any Tecate Cypress stand. Aside from the ease of surmising that Tecate Cypress is genetically different from Guadalupe Cypress due to the two species being separated by ocean waters, molecular testing has shown the latter to be slightly more closely related to Cuyamaca Cypress (Hesperocyparis stephensonii).

Moreover, Guadalupe Cypress, when mature, makes a much taller and more massive tree than Tecate Cypress. Tecate Cypress has very green foliage, while Guadalupe Cypress has waxy pale, somewhat blueish tinted foliage. Finally, though cones of Tecate Cypress will not open without heat (unlike any other California native Cypress), those of Guadalupe Cypress will open without fire.