Monardella nana is a species of flowering plant in the mint family known by the common name yellow monardella. It is native to the Peninsular Ranges of southern California and northern Baja California, where it grows in several local habitat types, such as chaparral and mountain forest. Monardella nana is a rhizomatous perennial herb forming a tuft or mat of slender stems lined with hairy to hairless oval leaves up to 3 centimeters long. The inflorescence is a head of several flowers blooming in a cup of pink-tinged white bracts. The tubular flowers are white to pale pink in color and up to 3 centimeters long. Monardella nana is a rhizomatous perennial herb forming a tuft or mat of slender stems lined with hairy to hairless oval leaves up to 3 centimeters long. The inflorescence is a head of several flowers blooming in a cup of pink-tinged white bracts. The tubular flowers are white to pale pink in color and up to 3 centimeters long. There are several subspecies of this plant, all limited to the mountains straddling the border between California and Baja California.

Monardella glauca is a species of flowering plant in the mint family known by the common name pale monardella. It is native to the western United States where it grows in many types of habitat. It is quite variable in appearance. In general, it is a perennial herb producing one or more greenish, grayish, or purplish stems which may be hairy to hairless, waxy, or bristly in texture. The oval leaves are oppositely arranged about the stem. The flower cluster is a head of several flowers blooming in a cup of purple-tinged leafs. The flowers are purple to reddish in color and one to two centimeters long.

Monardella palmeri is a species of flowering plant in the mint family known by the common name Palmer's monardella. Monardella palmeri is endemic to California, where it is known only from the Santa Lucia Mountains of the California Coast Ranges in Monterey and San Luis Obispo Counties. It grows in local habitat types such as chaparral and forest, often on serpentine soils. Monardella palmeri is endemic to California, where it is known only from the Santa Lucia Mountains of the California Coast Ranges in Monterey and San Luis Obispo Counties. It grows in local habitat types such as chaparral and forest, often on serpentine soils. Monardella palmeri is a rhizomatous perennial herb forming a tuft of slender, decumbent purplish stems up to about 30 centimeters long. The leathery lance-shaped leaves are 1 to 2 centimeters long. The inflorescence is a head of several flowers blooming in a cup of leathery purple bracts roughly 3 centimeters wide. The pinkish purple flowers are up to 2 centimeters long with tips divided into five narrow lobes.

Monardella purpurea is a species of flowering plant in the mint family known by the common names Siskiyou monardella and serpentine monardella. It is native to the mountains of northern California and southern Oregon, including the Klamath Mountains, where it grows in chaparral and forest, often on serpentine soils. It is a perennial herb producing an erect, purple stem up to about 40 centimeters in maximum height. The oppositely arranged leaves are leathery, widely lance-shaped, and up to 3 centimeters long. The flower cluster is a head of several flowers blooming in a cup of leathery purplish leafs. The pinkish purple flowers are just over a centimeter long, narrow and tubular in shape with pointed lobes and protruding stamens.

Monardella sheltonii is a species of flowering plant in the mint family known by the common name Shelton's monardella. It is native to the mountains of northern California and southern Oregon, including the Klamath Mountains and Sierra Nevada, where it grows in chaparral, forest, and other habitat, often on serpentine soils. Monardella sheltonii is a rhizomatous perennial herb producing an erect stem lined with pairs of oppositely arranged lance-shaped leaves. The inflorescence is a head of several flowers blooming in a cup of leaflike bracts 1 to 3 centimeters wide. The five-lobed purple flowers are 1 to 2 centimeters long.

Coyote Mint is a spreading subshrub distinguished by its fragrant mint-scented foliage and delicate lavender flowers. During the summer blooming season, the flowers are attractive to bees and especially butterflies. The 'Russian River' cultivar is a popular nursery selection.

Coyote mint does best in well-drained soil. It is drought tolerant, but bloom and foliage quality improve with some summer irrigation, particularly inland. Light pruning helps maintain a neat appearance.

In traditional medicine, the leaves are made into a tea that treats upset stomach and other ailments.

San Francisco coyote mint (Monardella villosa ssp. franciscana) is a subspecies of coyote mint limited to the San Francisco area where it is found in the Presidio, above Laguna Honda Reservoir, and on Bernal Heights, Twin Peaks, Mt. Davidson, Bayview Hill, and Yerba Buena Island. Coyote mint is a clumping perennial in the Lamiaceae or mint family. It develops into a low mound from a woody base, has small pleasantly fragrant leaves and bears tubular lavender flowers from June through August. 

San Francisco coyote mint is not adapted to sandy soils, preferring soil that is a little heavier. It requires good drainage to prevent rotting in winter. Avoid summer watering. Light pruning helps maintain a neat appearance.

The flowers are attractive to bees and butterflies.

Grows best in sandy, coarse-grained or other fast draining soil. Selected for the garden. Introduced by Cal Flora Nursery from sonoma County (Russian River).

Monardella antonina is an uncommon species of flowering plant in the mint family known by the common name San Antonio Hills monardella. It is endemic to California, where its two subspecies are restricted to narrow sections of the Central Coast Ranges. The distribution of ssp. antonina is unclear, but it is mainly found in chaparral and wooded slopes in Monterey County. The rarer ssp. benitensis, the San Benito monardella, is a serpentine soils endemic which is mainly limited to the barren hills near the ghost town of New Idria in San Benito County. This is a pale green, rhizomatous, hairy perennial herb coated in whitish hairs. The oppositely arranged leaves are oval in shape and generally toothed. The flower cluster is a head of several flowers up to 1.5 centimeters wide with a base of leaflike leafs. Each flower is lavender in color. It has two long upper lobes and three lower with four long, protruding stamens at the center.

Willowy Monardella (Monardella viminea) is an extremely rare native perennial herb in the Lamiaceae (Mint) family that grows exclusively in San Diego County. Most of the world's willowy mint grows on the eastern side of the Miramar marine base or in nearby canyons. Its habitat consists of ephemeral streams: the bed, the edge, or the bench within a few feet of the bed. This species was formerly classified as a subspecies of Monardella linoides, and some sources still list it that way.

Despite its rarity and protected status, this plant is easy to grow in gardens and is often available from nurseries. It has a delightful mint fragrance. The pink to lavender flowers are attractive and does well in containers. Monthly irrigation keeps it evergreen and enables it to rebloom at any time of the year.

This native bunchgrass, Deergrass (Muhlenbergia rigens) is a popular plant choice for groundcover and lawn replacement applications. It's an attractive, low-water grass that's very easy to grow. Deergrass does best in sandy soil and full sun, but it is versatile enough to tolerate shade and a variety of soil types.

The leaf blades are pale green, and in spring the plant produces tall spikes of yellow flowers. The seeds provide food for birds in summer. Plant this large mounding grass in groups for an impressive display.

Opuntia fragilis is a prickly pear cactus known by the common names brittle prickly pear and little prickly pear native to much of North America. It occurs in several Canadian provinces. It is known from farther north than any other cactus, occurring near the Arctic Circle in Alberta. There is an isolated and possibly genetically unique population in Eastern Ontario known as the "Kaladar Cactus". Brittle Prickly Pear is a small decumbent cactus that grows to a maximum height of 10 centimeters. Both the common and scientific names refer to the easily detached stem segments. This is known to be a means of plant dispersal. Opuntia fragilis, Haw. A small, prostrate plant, rarely more than 4 inches high: joints tumid, fragile, easily detached, oval, elliptical, or subglobose, 1-2 inches long and nearly as thick as broad, bright green: areoles - inches apart, with whitish wool and a few white to yellow bristles, which are much longer and more abundant on older joints; spines 1-4, occasionally a few small additional ones, weak, dark brown, the upper one usually longer and stronger than the others, rarely an inch in length: flowers greenish yellow, 1-1 inches wide: fruit ovate to subglobose. with few spines or bristles, mostly sterile, an inch or less long; seeds few and large. Rocky Mountain region from Canada to New Mexico.

Opuntia phaeacantha is a species of prickly pear cactus known by the common names tulip prickly pear and desert prickly pear. It is found across the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. It has a characteristic prickly pear appearance, with flattened green pads bearing wool and spines. The spines are brown, reddish-brown, or gray, and often over 3 centimeters in length. The flowers are usually bright yellow with reddish centers, and sometimes peach, pinkish or reddish overall. The edible fruits are red or purple with green flesh. The pads and fruit bear tiny glochids which can lodge in the skin and cause irritation. The plant forms dense but localized thickets. There are several varieties of this particular species, and it also hybridizes easily with other prickly pears, making identification sometimes tricky.

Opuntia polyacantha is a common species of cactus known by the common names plains pricklypear, hairspine cactus, panhandle pricklypear, and starvation pricklypear. It is native to North America, where it is widespread in Western Canada, the Great Plains, the central and Western United States, and Chihuahua in northern Mexico. This cactus grows in a wide variety of habitat types, including sagebrush, Ponderosa pine forest, prairie, savanna, shrublands, shrubsteppe, chaparral, pinyon-juniper woodland, and scrub. Opuntia polyacantha grows up to 40 centimetres (16 in) tall. It forms low mats of pads which may be 2-3 metres (6. 6-9. 8 ft) wide. Its succulent green pads are oval or circular and reach 27 by 18 centimetres (10. 6 by 7. 1 in) wide. Its areoles are tipped with woolly brown fibers and glochids. Many of the areoles have spines which are quite variable in size and shape. They may be 0. 4 to 18. 5 centimetres (0. 16 to 7. 28 in) in length, stout or thin, straight or curling, and any of a variety of colors. The flowers are 2. 5 to 4 centimetres (0. 98 to 1. 57 in) long and may be yellow or magenta in color. The fruit is cylindrical, brownish, dry and spiny. The cactus reproduces by seed, by layering, and by resprouting from detached segments. Uses. Native Americans used it as a medicinal plant, with different parts treating various symptoms. This pricklypear provides food for many types of animals. It provides over half the winter food for the black-tailed prairie dog in one area. Pronghorn deer eat it, especially after the spines are burned off in wildfires. Ranchers intentionally burn stands of the plant to make it palatable for livestock when little other food is available. It will also grow in waste areas where good forage will not take hold. In fact, an abundance of the cactus indicates land that is poor in quality. Several insects attack the cactus, including the cactus moth Melitara dentata, the blue cactus borer Olycella subumbrella, and the cactus bug Chelinidea vittiger.

Penstemon azureus is a species of penstemon known by the common name azure penstemon. It is native to the mountains of Oregon and northern California, where it grows in coniferous forests and woodlands. It is a perennial herb, woody toward the base, with many thin branches reaching up to about 70 centimeters in maximum height. The oppositely arranged leaves are linear or lance-shaped, the ones higher on the plant clasping the stem. The flower cluster produces several hairless tubular flowers in shades of blue to lavender measuring up to 3.5 centimeters long.

Azure Penstemon (Penstemon azureus var. angustissimus) is a native perennial herb that grows in central and northern California. It tends to grow in moist, open places, at elevations from 1000-2300 feet.

Azure Penstemon (Penstemon azureus var. azureus) is a native perennial herb that grows in central and northern California. It tends to grow at elevations from 1600-8200 feet.

Scarlet bugler (Penstemon centranthifolius) is a striking perennial herb in the plantain family (Plantaginaceae), known for its bright red to orange-red tubular flowers that are irresistible to hummingbirds. Native to California, it grows widely across northern, southern, and central regions.

This drought-adapted plant thrives in rocky, well-drained soils, making it a perfect addition to rock gardens, slopes, and pathways. It requires little supplemental water once established and blooms profusely in the spring. The upright, slender stems can reach over a meter in height, with thick, smooth leaves arranged in pairs along the stem.

Beyond hummingbirds, scarlet bugler also attracts bees and butterflies, contributing to a vibrant and pollinator-friendly garden. Its vivid flowers and minimal water needs make it an excellent choice for low-maintenance native plant landscapes.

Penstemon clevelandii is a species in the Plantaginaceae (Plantain) family known by the common name Cleveland's Beardtongue. It is native to southern California and Baja California, where it grows in mountain and desert habitat such as scrub, woodland, and chaparral. It is found primarily on the eastern slope of the Peninsular Range. It is a perennial herb with upright, branching stems 70 centimeters in maximum height. The thick leaves are oval in shape, sometimes toothed, 2-6 centimeters in length, and sometimes clasping or encircling the stem. The flower cluster produces tubular flowers with expanded, lipped mouths. The flower is pink to magenta in color, up to 2.4 centimeters in length, and somewhat hairy on the outer surface. The flowers are very attractive to hummingbirds and butterflies. Overall this is a very attractive, hardy plant for inland southern gardens.

Penstemon deustus is a species of penstemon known by the common names hotrock penstemon and scabland beardtongue. It is native to much of the northwestern United States from the Pacific Northwest to Wyoming, where it grows in many types of forest and open plateau habitat, often on soils heavy in volcanic rock or on limestone outcrops. It is a perennial herb with upright branches approaching 40 centimeters in maximum height. The thick leaves are lance-shaped to oval or round, and are sharply toothed. Most leaves occur low on the plant. The flower cluster produces tubular flowers with lipped, five-lobed mouths. The hairy flower is cream in color with dark lining and reaches 1.5 centimeters in length. This plant is used in wilderness revegetation and landscaping projects in its native region. It is favored for its low water needs and its abundant flowers which attract pollinators, including honey bees, bumblebees, sweat bees, and leafcutter bees.

Firecracker penstemon (Penstemon eatonii) is a striking perennial with bright red, tubular flowers that attract hummingbirds. Native to Southern and Central California, it thrives in desert mountains and the Mojave Desert at elevations of 4,900–9,200 feet.

This heat-loving, drought-tolerant plant is ideal for rock gardens, desert landscapes, and interior valleys. Its long, scarlet flower spikes add vibrant color while supporting pollinators in dry, sunny gardens.

Penstemon fruticiformis is a species of penstemon known by the common name Death Valley beardtongue. It is native to the deserts and nearby mountains of eastern California and western Nevada, where it grows in rocky scrub and woodland habitat. It is known from scattered occurrences around Death Valley, and only one of the two varieties occurs on the Nevada side of the border. It is a perennial herb producing spreading, multibranched, hairless and waxy stems 30 to 60 centimeters tall. The thick leaves are generally lance-shaped, folded and rolled, and up to 6.5 centimeters in length. The flower cluster produces several white or pale pinkish-lavender flowers between 2 and 3 centimeters long. The mouth of the flower bears a stark, dark line on each of its three lower lobes, nectar guides for its pollinators which probably include native bumble bees.

Penstemon grinnellii is a species of penstemon known by the common name Grinnell's beardtongue. It is endemic to California, where it can be found in several mountain ranges from those around the San Francisco Bay Area to the Sierra Nevada to the Peninsular Ranges near the Mexican border. It is a perennial herb producing upright stems growing to 85 centimeters in maximum height. The leaves are oblong, up to 9 centimeters in length, folded lengthwise and curved backward. The hairy flower cluster produces several tubular purple-tinged white or violet flowers 1 to 2 centimeters long. The mouth of the flower has three lower lobes streaked with dark lines, a hairy throat and a long-haired, protruding staminode.

Foothill penstemon (Penstemon heterophyllus) is a stunning perennial with profuse clusters of blue to magenta tubular flowers. Foothill penstemon can be found in all major coastal mountain ranges and the northern Sierra Nevada foothills. It occurs in many local habitat types from grassland to chaparral to forests.

Foothill penstemon is a wonderful addition to front of borders. Blooming begins in May and continues for a month or two. Taking off dead flower stalks will induce more flowering. The plant’s stems can exceed 3 feet and may become woody at the base. Several cultivars have been developed for use in summer-dry climate and other low-water-use gardens, including 'Electric Blue,' 'Margarita BOP,' and 'Blue Springs' which may grow only 12 to 18 inches tall. 

This is a fast-growing, easy and hardy flowering plant that requires moderate water and sun to light shade. It is adaptable to different types of soil so long as drainage is good.  

Grows best in sandy, coarse-grained or other fast draining soil. Prefers sun in coastal sites, and sun or part shade in inland sites. Selected for the garden.

Grows best in sandy, coarse-grained or other fast draining soil. Prefers sun in coastal sites, and sun or part shade in inland sites. Selected for the garden.

Margarita BOP Penstemon is a low-growing, evergreen perennial prized for its long-lasting, vibrant blue-to-rose-purple flowers. Thought to be a hybrid of Penstemon heterophyllus and Penstemon laetus, its name comes from where it thrived with little care—“Bottom of the Porch.”

This adaptable plant flourishes in various garden settings, from borders to rock gardens and slopes. It is drought-adapted once established and benefits from cutting back spent flower spikes to encourage reblooming. A magnet for hummingbirds and butterflies, margarita BOP penstemon is an excellent choice for pollinator-friendly landscapes.

Penstemon newberryi is a species of penstemon known by the common name mountain pride. It is native to the mountains of northern California, Oregon, and Nevada, where it grows in rocky habitat, often at high elevation, such as talus. It is a bushy, mat-forming subshrub growing up to 30 centimeters tall. The leaves are mostly basal on the plant, oblong or oval and toothed, measuring 1 to 4 centimeters in length, with a few smaller pairs along the stem. The hairy flower cluster bears showy magenta flowers 2 to over 3 centimeters in length. The flower is generally tubular or funnel-shaped and has a coating of short to long and curly hairs in the mouth and on the staminode.

Newberry's Penstemon (Penstemon newberryi var. newberryi) is a native perennial herb that grows in central and northern California. It tends to grow at elevations from 4300-11500 feet.

Sonoma Beardtongue (Penstemon newberryi var. sonomensis) is a rare native perennial herb that grows in Central and Northern California, primarily in the North Coast and North Coast Range regions.

Grows best in sandy, coarse-grained or other fast draining soil. Prefers sun in coastal sites, and sun or part shade in inland sites. Selected by Nevin smitth.

Palmer's Penstemon (Penstemon palmeri) is a member of the Plantaginaceae (Plantain) family, notable for its showy, rounded flowers. This plant grows erect and may reach two meters in maximum height but more often less. The leaves are generally oppositely arranged and have toothed margins. The flower cluster is a panicle or raceme with small leaves. The flower has a five-lobed calyx of sepals and a cylindrical corolla with may have an expanded throat. The flower is pink to blue-purple, and occasional specimens are red, yellow, or white. The staminode is partially hairy. There is one recognized variety, P. palmeri var. palmeri. Both are found in the arid mountains of Inyo and San Bernardino counties.

Hybrid of Penstemon palmeri and P. spectabilis. Grows best in sandy, coarse-grained or other fast draining soil. Selected for the garden.

Penstemon procerus is a species of penstemon known by the common name littleflower penstemon. It is native to western North America from Alaska to California to Colorado, as far east in Canada as Manitoba, where it grows in mountain habitat such as meadows, often in alpine climates. It is a perennial herb forming mats of herbage with some erect stems reaching about 40 centimeters in maximum height. There are several varieties which vary in morphology, some more decumbent than others, several which are known commonly as pincushion penstemons for their matted forms. In general, the leaves are lance-shaped to oval, plentiful around the base of the plant with smaller ones arranged in opposite pairs along the stem. The flower cluster is made up of one or more clusters of tubular flowers with lipped, lobed mouths. Each flower is no more than one centimeter in length and is purple to blue in color, often with a white throat. The outside of the flower is generally hairless, while the inside may be lined with white or yellowish hairs.

Western Small Flowered Penstemon (Penstemon procerus var. formosus) is a native perennial herb that grows in Central and Northern California, primarily in the Klamath Mountain Range and High Sierra Nevada regions. It tends to grow in meadows, at elevations from 8200-11800 feet.

Penstemon pseudospectabilis is a species in the Plantaginaceae (Plantain) family known by the common name Desert Beardtongue or Desert Penstemon. It is native to the southwestern United States, where it grows in desert and plateau habitat types, such as sandy washes, scrub, and woodland. In California it is found primarily in the Mojave Desert. The plant is generally a shrub growing to a maximum height of one meter, with many erect stems. The thin leaves are roughly oval with wide pointed tips and serrated edges. They are arranged oppositely in pairs and many pairs are completely fused at the bases about the stem, forming a disc. The flower cluster bears tubular flowers with expanded, lobed mouths and hairy hairs on most surfaces, except the hairless staminode. The flower may be up to 2.5 centimeters long and is reddish pink in color.

Like most Penstemons, this species is very showy when in flower. Though native to hot, arid locations it is adaptable to most of southern California and is tolerant of garden conditions. give it plenty of sun and fast drainage, When in bloom it will be constantly in use by bees, butterflies and hummingbirds.

Penstemon rostriflorus is a species of penstemon known by the common name Bridge penstemon, or Bridges' penstemon. It is native to the southwestern United States, where it grows in many types of sagebrush, scrub, woodland, and forest habitat. It is a perennial herb growing in clumps of many erect stems from a woody base. It may reach one meter in height. The leaves are linear to lance-shaped, smooth-edged, and up to 7 centimeters long. The hairy flower cluster bears tubular red to orange-red flowers 2 to 3 centimeters long. The mouth of the flower has a hooded upper lip and a three-lobed lower lip.

Rydberg's Penstemon (Penstemon rydbergii) is a native perennial herb that grows in Central and Northern California, primarily in the High Sierra Nevada region. It is moderately fast growing and moderately long-lived. It grows in an upright form to a height of 3 feet, with active growth during the spring. Flowers are blue and striking, and bloom in the mid summer. Leaves are medium green and deciduous. It tends to grow in moist meadows and streambanks, at elevations from 3,900-10,200 feet.

Royal Penstemon is native to the western United States where it can be found in many types of habitat, including plateau and foothill scrub and sub-alpine mountain forests. It is a perennial herb growing erect to a maximum height near 60 centimeters. The leaves are usually lance-shaped and sometimes folded lengthwise, measuring up to 9 centimeters long. They are arranged oppositely and often clasp the stem at the bases. The showy flower cluster bears tubular flowers with expanded mouths, the largest reaching nearly 4 centimeters in length. The flowers come in many shades of light to deep blue, lavender, and purple, and usually have white throats.

Showy penstemon (Penstemon spectabilis) lives up to its name, being the showiest of the penstemons. It grows fast, reaching 2 to 4 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide. This perennial bears spectacular wide-mouthed, tubular violet or purple-blue flowers from its first year on. In good conditions it may flower late winter into summer.

Showy penstemon is beautiful and easy to grow. It likes full sun and tolerates a variety of soils, including clay. If planted in an area that holds water better, it usually doesn't need supplementary summer water. The plant will flower more abundantly with occasional summer water (once per month) but may be shorter lived. It is fairly short lived even under the best of circumstances, typically lasting 5 to 10 years. However, it often self seeds.

This deer-resistant plant is great for wildlife, attracting a variety of native bees and hummingbirds for nectar. It is a larval host for a likely total of 13 butterfly and moth species.

Grows best in sandy, coarse-grained or other fast draining soil. Prefers sun in coastal sites, and sun or part shade in inland sites. Selected for the garden.

Grows best in sandy, coarse-grained or other fast draining soil. Selection made by TpF from a chance seedling.

Horticultural selection from Penstemon spectabilis. A variation of the gorgeous Penstemon spectabilis, or showy penstemon, P. Spectabilis 'Snow Dragon' is a rare beauty, flaunting petals of sparkling white instead of the sunset violet-blue of the species. 'Snow Dragon' also tends to grow more vigorously and have a fuller, bushier form than showy penstemon. The pure white blooms are abundant in spring and summer about April through June, contrasting nicely against the luxuriant green foliage. This perennial native plant grows to be about 3 feet high and wide, a nice addition to the back of a flowerbed or tucked into a rock garden. Penstemons tend to grow naturally in dry, rocky, well-draining places, often found basking in full sun on gravelly hill sides. Penstemon 'Snow Dragon' may tolerate a little shade, but produces the most flowers when given full sun. Fast growing and hardy, once established this flowering native needs supplemental water about once a month.

Penstemon thompsoniae is a species of penstemon known by the common name Thompson's beardtongue. It is native to the southwestern United States where it grows in woodlands and other desert and plateau habitat, to the subalpine climate of local mountains. It is a mat-forming perennial herb, ashy gray-green with a thick coating of hairs, growing no more than 15 centimeters tall from a woody base. The oval or spoon-shaped leaves are up to 2 centimeters long. The short flower cluster bears wide-mouthed tubular purple flowers up to 2 centimeters in length. They are hairy on the outer surface and somewhat hairy on the inner, the staminode coated in long orange hairs. Of the two subspecies of this plant, only ssp. thompsoniae occurs throughout the species' range. Jaeger's beardtongue, ssp. jaegeri, is endemic to southern Nevada.

The Knobcone Pine (Pinus attenuata) is a tree that grows in mild climates on poor soils. It ranges from the mountains of southern Oregon to Baja California with the greatest concentration in northern California and the Oregon-California border. This pine reaches heights of 8-24 m; however, it can be a shrub on especially poor sites. It prefers dry rocky mountain soils. The crown is usually conical with a straight trunk. The bark is smooth, flaky and gray-brown when young, becoming dark gray-red-brown and shallowly furrowed into flat scaly ridges. The twigs are red-brown and often resinous.

The Coulter Pine or Big-cone Pine (Pinus coulteri) is a native of the coastal mountains of southern California (United States) and northern Baja California (Mexico). Isolated groves are found as far north as the San Francisco Bay Area in Mt. Diablo State Park and Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve. The species is named after Thomas Coulter, an Irish botanist and physician. The size ranges from 10-24 meter (30-80 feet) tall, and a trunk diameter up to 1 meter (3 feet). The trunk is vertical and branches horizontal to upcurved. The leaves are needle-like, in bundles of three, waxy pale gray-green, 15-30 centimeter (6-12 inches) long and stout, 2 millimeter (0.01 inch) thick. The outstanding characteristic of this tree is the large, spiny cones which are 20-40 centimeter (8-16 inches) long, and weigh 2-5 kg (4-10 lbs) when fresh. Coulter Pines produce the largest cones of any pine tree species (people are actually advised to wear hardhats when working in Coulter Pine groves), although the slender cones of the sugar pine are longer. The large size of the cones has earned them the nickname "widowmakers" among locals. The wood is weak and soft, so that the species is little used other than for firewood. It is also occasionally planted as an ornamental tree in parks and large gardens.

The Colorado Pinyon, Two-needle Pinyon or Pion Pine (Pinus edulis) is a pine in the pinyon pine group whose ancestor was a member of the Madro-Tertiary Flora (a group of drought resistant trees) and is native to the United States. The range is in Colorado, southern Wyoming, eastern and central Utah, northern Arizona, New Mexico, and the Guadalupe Mountains in westernmost Texas. It occurs at moderate altitudes from 1600-2400 meter, rarely as low as 1400 meter and as high as 3000 meter. It is widespread and often abundant in this region, forming extensive open woodlands, usually mixed with junipers. The Colorado pinyon (pion) grows as the dominant species on 4.8 million acres (19,000 km) in Colorado, making up 22% of the state's forests. The Colorado pinyon has cultural meaning to agriculture, as strong pion wood "plow heads" were used to break soil for crop planting at the state's earliest known agricultural settlements. There is one known example of a Colorado Pinyon growing amongst Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmannii) and limber pine (Pinus flexilis) at nearly 3,170 meters (10,400 feet) on Kendrick Peak in the Kaibab National Forest of northern Arizona.

The Limber Pine (Pinus flexilis; family Pinaceae) is a species of pine tree that occurs in the mountains of the Western United States and Canada, specifically the subalpine areas of the Rocky Mountains from southwest Alberta south to the Mexican border; the Great Basin mountains of Nevada and Utah; and the White Mountains, the east slope of the Sierra Nevada and the San Bernardino Mountains in California with a small disjunct population in the Black Hills of South Dakota. It is typically a high-elevation pine, often marking the tree line either on its own, or with Whitebark Pine, either of the bristlecone pines, or Lodgepole Pine. In favourable conditions, it makes a tree to 20 meter, rarely 25 meter tall, but on exposed tree line sites only 5-10 meter tall. It is also called Rocky Mountain White Pine. Limber Pine is a member of the white pine group, Pinus subgenus Strobus, and like all members of that group, the leaves ('needles') are in fascicles (bundles) of five, with a deciduous sheath. This distinguishes it from the Lodgepole Pine, with two needles per fascicle, and the bristlecone pines, which share five needles per fascicle but have a semi-persistent sheath.

Jeffrey Pine (Pinus jeffreyi), named in honor of its documenter John Jeffrey, is a North American pine related to Ponderosa Pine. It occurs from southwest Oregon south through much of California, including the Sierras, Coast Ranges, Transverse Range and Peninsular Range, to northern Baja California, Mexico. It is a high altitude species; in the north of its range, it grows widely at 1,500 to 2,100 meter (4,900 to 6,900 feet) altitude, and at 1,800 to 2,900 meter (5,900 to 9,500 feet) in the south of its range. The Jeffrey Pine is a large tree, reaching 25 to 40 meter (82 to 131 feet) tall, rarely up to 53 meter (174 feet) tall, though smaller when growing at or near tree line. The leaves are needle-like, in bundles of three, stout, waxy pale gray-green, 12 to 23 centimeter (4.7 to 9.1 inches) long. The cones are 12 to 24 centimeter (4.7 to 9.4 inches) long, dark purple when immature, ripening pale brown, with thinly woody scales bearing a short, sharp inward-pointing barb. The seeds are 10 to 12 millimeter (0.39 to 0.47 inches) long, with a large (15 to 25 millimeter (0.59 to 0.98 inches)) wing. In the Sierras and Peninsular Range it grows primarily on granite, but in the Coast Ranges it is found largely on Serpentine soils. The bark has a distinctive fragrance described as reminiscent of vanilla, lemon, pineapple, violets, apple, or butterscotch. It is tolerant of drought, cold and heat.

Pinus lambertiana (commonly known as the sugar pine or sugar cone pine) is the tallest and most massive pine tree, and has the longest cones of any conifer. It is native to the mountains of the Pacific coast of North America, from Oregon through California to Baja California. The sugar pine occurs in the mountains of Oregon and California in the western United States, and Baja California in northwestern Mexico; specifically the Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, Coast Ranges, and Sierra San Pedro Martir. The sugar pine is the largest species of pine, commonly growing to 40-60 meters (130-200 ft) tall, exceptionally up to 82 m (269 ft) tall, with a trunk diameter of 1. 5-2. 5 m (4. 9-8. 2 ft), exceptionally 3. 5 m (11 ft). Pinus lambertiana is a member of the white pine group, Pinus subgenus Strobus, and like all members of that group, the leaves ('needles') are in bundles (fascicles) of five, with a deciduous sheath. They are 6-11 cm (2. 4-4. 3 in)ch) long. Sugar pine is notable for having the longest cones of any conifer, mostly 25-50 cm (9. 8-19. 7 in) long, exceptionally up to 66 cm (26 in) long (although the cones of the Coulter pine are more massive). The seeds are 10-12 mm (0. 39-0. 47 in) long, with a 2-3 cm (0. 79-1. 18 in) long wing that aids wind dispersal. The seeds of the sugar pine are also a type of pine nut and are edible.

The Bishop Pine (Pinus muricata) is a pine with a very restricted range: mostly California, USA, including some offshore islands, and a few locations in Baja California, Mexico, and always on or near the coast, from Trinidad Head in Humboldt County, California south to San Vicente in Baja California. The mature trees grow to a height of 15-25 meter, rarely up to 34 meter, with a trunk diameter of up to 1.2 meter. The species is often smaller, stunted and twisted in coastal exposures. It is drought-tolerant and grows on dry, rocky soil. P. muricata has been used in plantations with resultant growth rates higher than in the wild, but with adverse impacts to biodiversity. The common name Bishop Pine resulted from the tree having been first identified near the Mission of San Luis Obispo. This tree has a large number of common names and other prior scientific names, due primarily to numerous variant forms. Other English names that have occasionally been used are: Obispo Pine, Santa Cruz Pine, Dwarf Marine Pine, and Pricklecone Pine.

Pinus ponderosa, commonly known as the Ponderosa Pine, Bull Pine, Blackjack Pine, or Western Yellow Pine, is a widespread and variable pine native to western North America. It was first described by David Douglas in 1826, from eastern Washington near present-day Spokane. It is a dominant tree in the Kuchler plant association Ponderosa shrub forest. Like most western pines, the ponderosa is associated with mountainous topography. It is found on the Black Hills and on foothills and mid-height peaks of the northern, central and southern Rocky Mountains as well as the Cascades and Sierra Nevada. Modern forestry research identifies four different taxa of Ponderosa Pine, with differing botanical characters and adapted to different climatic conditions. These have been termed "geographic races" in forestry literature, while some botanists historically treated them as distinct species. In modern botanical usage, they best match the rank of subspecies, but not all of the relevant botanical combinations have been formally published.

Monterey Pine (Pinus radiata) is a coniferous evergreen tree with upward-pointing branches and a rounded top. It can to 50 to 100 ft in height in the wild but up to 200 ft in cultivation in optimum conditions. The leaves ('needles') are bright green, in clusters of three (two in var. binata), slender, up to 3 inches long and having a blunt tip.

The cones are 3 to 6.5 inches long, brown, ovoid (egg-shaped), and usually set asymmetrically on a branch, attached at an oblique angle. The bark is fissured and dark grey to brown.

This pine is adapted to cope with stand-killing fire disturbance. Its cones are serotinous, that is, they remain closed until opened by the heat of a forest fire. The abundant seeds are then discharged to regenerate on the burned forest floor. Cones may also burst open in hot weather.

It is native to three very limited areas located in Santa Cruz, Monterey, and San Luis Obispo Counties in California, and also to Guadalupe and Cedros Islands in Mexico. Although Monterey Pine is extensively cultivated around the world for lumber, the version of the tree used in the lumber industry is vastly different from the native tree. In its natural state, Monterey Pine is a rare and endangered tree; it is twisted, knotty and full of sap/resin and not suitable for lumber.

In its native range, Monterey Pine is associated with a characteristic flora and fauna. It is the co-dominant canopy tree, together with Cupressus macrocarpa which naturally occurs only in coastal Monterey County.

One of the pine forests in Monterey was the discovery site for Hickman's potentilla (Potentilla hickmanii), an endangered species. Yadon's Rein-orchid (Piperia yadonii), a rare species of orchid, is endemic to the same pine forest adjacent to Pebble Beach. In its native range, Monterey Pine is a principal host for the dwarf mistletoe Arceuthobium littorum. A remnant Monterey Pine stand in Pacific Grove is a prime wintering habitat of the Monarch butterfly.

Grow this plant only along the coast well within the coastal fog bank. In inland areas, it will grow fast if given water but typically dies after around five years. One of the few native plants that the California Invasive Plant Council has determined is invasive in regions outside its natural range. it has invaded coastal scrub, prairie, and chaparral.

The Torrey pine (Pinus torreyana) is the rarest pine in the U.S., found only along San Diego's coast and on two Channel Islands. This endangered tree grows 26–56 feet tall with long, gray-green needles in clusters of five and large, edible pine nuts in stout cones. It thrives in dry, sandy soils and coastal fog, often developing twisted, sculptural forms from wind exposure.

The pine nuts are a valuable food source for birds, small mammals, and other wildlife. Its dense canopy also provides nesting and shelter for birds.

Historically limited to about 100 trees in the early 20th century, conservation efforts have helped the wild population recover to around 3,000. Torrey pines are now planted in drought-tolerant landscapes and protected by local ordinances near their native range. In gardens with richer soil and more water, they can grow over 100 feet tall.

Sierra Bog Orchid (Platanthera dilatata var. leucostachys) is a native perennial herb that grows in northern, southern and central California. It tends to grow at elevations from 0-11000 feet.

The Western Sycamore (Platanus racemosa), a species of plane tree native to California, is a tall, distinctive tree that stands out in any landscape. This tree is known for its bark, which is mottled in shades of pale tan, gray, and white. The bark peels as it ages. It has twisting branches and large leaves which turn orange-yellow in the fall. It produces seed balls after blooming. It's an important host plant for the Western Tiger Swallowtail butterfly.

Naturally found in moist areas near rivers and streams, this tree requires a significant amount of water to thrive. When not planted near a water source, it needs regular irrigation. The Western Sycamore tolerates different soil types and does best in full sun. It can grow up to 100 feet tall and 50 feet wide, so be sure to give new trees a large planting area.