Muir Woods Plants

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         (147 plants)

Redwood Violet
This guide covers trees, shrubs, flowers, ferns and grasses you're likely to find at Muir Woods.

Start by entering what you know - plant type, flower information, leaf information, etc., to get to a short list of possibilities.

Then read through the illustrated ID tips to find your plant. If you find a likely match, click the plant name to see lots of information and photos for that plant.

Thanks to the National Parks Service for their brochure "Wildflowers of Muir Woods" which has provided many of these plants. Thanks also to Gladys L. Smith for her "Flowers and Ferns of Muir Woods", which has many excellent plant descriptions.

Have fun with it!

    
Trees





Arroyo Willow
Salix lasiolepis
  • Height 7 - 35 ft.
  • CA Bloom Feb - May
  • This is the most common willow in California.
  • It's deciduous and is found near water.
  • Look for narrow leaves that are wider near the tip than at the base.
  • CA native.



Leaves are about 5 inches long, smooth-sided and narrow. They're pale/hairy underneath, and wider near the tip than near the base.

Classic pussies with yellow stamens. The buds are fused together (not overlapping) before they open.

This willow has many trunks, sometimes growing as a tree, and sometimes as a tangled shrub.
Big-Leaf Maple
Acer macrophyllum
  • Height 50 - 100 ft.
  • CA Bloom Apr - May
  • You'll probably notice the maple leaves first; they're large and grow opposite each other.
  • Leaves are green in the summer, yellow in the fall, and absent in the winter.
  • In spring, small greenish-yellow flowers hang in clusters below newly emerging leaves.
  • Big Leaf Maples do well near water and in dappled shade.
  • CA native



Leaves are quite large, up to 12" wide, with deep indents. No other maple in the U.S. has leaves this big.

Flower clusters droop from emerging leaves.

Two winged fruits grow side by side, creating a helicopter-like lift when they're blown away on the wind.
Blackwood Acacia
Acacia melanoxylon
  • Height 50 - 100 ft.
  • CA Bloom Feb - Mar
  • This acacia tree has twisted reddish-brown pods.
  • The trunk has high levels of tannin, which causes dark stains when people handle it (thus Blackwood).
  • Generally found in coastal disturbed areas.
  • Not CA native
  • Somewhat Invasive


Pale yellow spherical flowers show many stamens. These develop into reddish-brown pods.

Mature leaves are generally wide but occasionally have divided fern-like tips. Young leaves are divided too.

Blackwood Acacia grows to be a substantial tree.
California Bay Laurel
Umbellularia californica
  • CA Bloom Nov - May
  • Height to 60 feet.
  • The foliage of this classic California tree smells like bay leaves.
  • Clusters of small flowers grow at the end of branches where new leaves emerge.
  • Flowers turn into a plump 1 inch fruit resembling avocados, to which the tree is related.
  • CA Native - endemic to the California Floristic Province.



Leaves are fairly narrow, with a central vein and smooth edges, ending in a point. They have a leathery feel, and a spicy smell when crushed.

Green fruit turns purple when mature. Leathery skin covers oily flesh that surrounds a pit (similar to avocado).

Bay Laurels can grow to be substantial trees, thickly covered with their spicy-smelling leaves.
California Buckeye
Aesculus californica
  • Height 12 - 40 ft.
  • CA Bloom May - Jul
  • Buckeye trees are conspicuous from afar; pale green leaves in early spring, full of flowers in early summer, and bare-branched well before other trees lose their leaves in the fall.
  • Each aromatic flower has 4 pink or white petals and long stamens.
  • The fruit resembles a buck's eye - brown and about 2 inches across.
  • CA native



Buckeye trees become covered with columns of sweet-smelling flowers.

5-part compound leaves are palmate (shaped like a hand). Leaf edges are finely-toothed and bud in early February.

Trees in the open form a dome shape, often growing 40 feet tall and 40 feet wide. They can live 250 years.
California Nutmeg
Torreya californica
  • This is an evergreen yew tree.
  • Its flat needle arrangement can be mistaken for redwood until you feel the tips of the hard, sharp needles.
  • Although a conifer, seeds are contained in a fleshy fruit rather than a cone.
  • Found in shady canyons, widely interspersed among other trees.
  • CA native



Aromatic needles are arranged on a flat plane like a redwood, but they're hard and quite sharp at the tips.

Female trees produce a green 1.5 inch fruit that matures to purple in about 18 months.

Nutmeg is a moderate-sized tree that grows on cool wet slopes.
Coast Live Oak
Quercus agrifolia var. agrifolia
  • CA Bloom Feb - Mar
  • Height to 40 feet.
  • This beautiful tree has a thick trunk and heavy arching branches.
  • Trunks are silver grey in color.
  • These trees live near the coast, from Mendocino county to Baja California.
  • CA native



When unrestricted, Live Oaks grow wide and tall, with a thick canopy of evergreen, leathery leaves.

Leaves often curl under and have spiny edges. Acorns grow at the end of twigs.

Male flowers are pale green. Female flowers are hard to find, inconspicuous at the base of new leaves.
Coast Redwood
Sequoia sempervirens
  • Coast Redwoods are huge, growing over 200 feet tall, with trunks over 20 feet in diameter.
  • They thrive in foggy valleys with lots of moisture, where they form dense stands of straight-trunked trees.
  • Redwoods are native to the coastal fog belt from Monterey to southern Oregon.



Interlocking roots create a strong foundation for these huge, columnar giants – the tallest living things on earth.

Needles form a flat surface, about 1" across. They taper to a point at the end of each year's growth.

Look for distinctive tan needles on the ground. Thick bark and vigorous sprouting help redwoods survive dozens of fires over their lives.
Douglas Fir
Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii
  • These huge conifer trees can exceed 200 feet and live over 500 years.
  • Their needles are short and grow in all directions.
  • Cones have distinctive "mouse-tails" between the scales.
  • Douglas Fir is common in the Northern California coastal ranges and Sierras.
  • CA native.



Needles are about 1" long and grow in all directions.

The cone has "mouse tails" coming from under each scale.

Trunks grow straight and tall. Branches stick out like ladder rungs.
Holly
Ilex aquifolium
  • CA Bloom Feb - Mar
  • Here's the holly we associate with Christmas.
  • It has small white flowers with four petals.
  • Flowers turn into bright red shiny berries in the fall.
  • Alternate leaves have spines near the ground, but are smooth up high.
  • Found in cool wooded areas.
  • Not CA native
  • Moderately Invasive


Evergreen Holly leaves have spiny teeth, are shiny dark green on top and lighter underneath.

Bright red berries and shiny dark green leaves are a Christmas decoration staple.

This shrub can grow to tree size if it has plenty of light and water.
Madrone
Arbutus menziesii
  • Height 25 - 130 ft.
  • I like every part of the Madrone - its smooth brown bark, its thick waxy oval leaves, its delicate clusters of urn-shaped flowers, and its red berries.
  • It's found on the edge of forests where it can find light and water.
  • CA native. Its native range extends along the coast north to British Columbia.



A beautiful tree with a smooth brown trunk, wide spreading limbs, and dark green leaves.

Tiny white urn-shaped flowers hang down on little stalks. The leaf is fairly smooth-edged and waxy.

Red berries show up nicely in front of dark green leaves.
Red Alder
Alnus rubra
  • Height to 75 ft.
  • CA Bloom Feb - Mar
  • Like other Alders, this substantial tree is riparian, finding a home in or near water.
  • Its leaves are alternate and strongly veined.
  • Red Alder is an early settler in areas opened up by logging or other human activity.
  • CA native



Leaves are wide at the base and come to a point at the tip. Leaf edges are toothed with strong veins going to each tooth.

Here you can see the white bark of Red Alder, which is often bigger than the other stream-side vegetation around it.

A deciduous tree with white bark, Red Alder stands out in the center of this picture. Creek dogwood below and to the left has red twig tips.
Tanbark Oak
Notholithocarpus densiflorus
  • CA Bloom Jun - Oct
  • Although not a member of the Oak genus (Quercus), Tanbark Oak shares many characteristics with "true" oaks.
  • Its distinctive leathery evergreen leaves are 3-5 inches long.
  • They have indented veins ending in small bumps on the leaf margin.
  • They have acorns but with spiky tops.
  • CA native



Look for a leathery leaf with many strong veins, each leading to a point on the edge of the leaf. Edges are often curled under.

The underside of the leaf is often fuzzy, a good quick ID characteristic.

Acorn tops are woody, covered with slender scales that point outwards and recurve.
Shrubs





Baneberry
Actaea rubra
  • Height 8 in. - 3 ft.
  • CA Bloom May - Jul
  • Baneberry is a shrub that grows to about 3 feet tall.
  • Leaves are coarsely toothed.
  • Bright red or white berries are hard to miss, and warn animals that they're poisonous.
  • White showy flower clusters.
  • Found in shady, moist woodland.
  • CA native



Leaves have deeply toothed margins. Poisonous berries are red or white, with a black dot.

White showy clusters of flowers stand out on their own stalks. Each flower has many long stamens.

Leaves are compound and sharply toothed. Leaves and flowers are on separate stalks.
Blueblossom
Ceanothus thyrsiflorus
  • CA Bloom Mar - May
  • This shrub is covered with evergreen leaves and produces prodigious display of sweet-smelling flowers.
  • Look for grooves running the length of the stem.
  • It comes in a variety of sizes, up to 30 feet tall.
  • Does well on poor soil. Found in a wide variety of settings.
  • CA native



Hundreds of sweet-smelling tiny flowers form lavender balls of color accented with white or yellow.

Leaves have 3 parallel veins. The underside is dull, but the top is a shiny dark green.

Blueblossom is full of flowers when it blooms, March to May.
California Blackberry
Rubus ursinus
  • Height 3 - 6 ft.
  • CA Bloom Feb - May
  • This shrub forms an impenetrable thicket of branches, full of narrow prickles.
  • You'll notice bright white flowers with many stamens.
  • Found in canyons, coastal stream banks and disturbed areas
  • CA native



Separate petals, with green leafy sepals in between. This male flower has many stamens.

Prickles are short, narrow, and plentiful. Himalayan Blackberry has wider, longer, and less densely-packed prickles.

Red fruit turns black with maturity. Leaves in 3s, coarsely toothed, are hairy and have spines. Veins are indented on the leaves.
California Hazelnut
Corylus cornuta ssp. californica
  • CA Bloom Jan - Mar
  • This shrub has open branching, and grows to 10 feet.
  • Leaves are soft, alternate, and deeply veined.
  • The stem changes direction at each leaf node.
  • Found on stream banks and slopes
  • CA native



Soft fuzzy leaves have toothed edges. Veins are indented. Leaves fall off in the winter.

The flower matures to a hazelnut, protected by a hard shell and fuzzy sheath.

Male catkins form in the fall and last until spring.
California Honeysuckle
Lonicera hispidula
  • CA Bloom Apr - Jul
  • This is a woody vine that can climb 30 feet into trees. You'll notice them hanging down from branches.
  • Vines end in pink trumpet flowers whose lips fold back to reveal long stamens.
  • Common in canyons, stream sides and woodlands, especially near the coast.
  • CA native. Endemic to the California Floristic Province.



Vines end in pink flowers, full of nectar (thus, Honeysuckle). Hummingbird and bees pollinate the flowers in their search for the nectar.

Pollinated flowers turn into bright-red translucent berries.

Leaves near the flower wrap around the stem. Leaves further down are opposite.
Canary Ivy
Hedera canariensis
  • CA Bloom Aug - Nov
  • This evergreen vine climbs up to 100 feet tall on trees, cliffs and walls.
  • Its ivy-shaped leaves are up to 8 inches wide, leathery, and glossy dark green.
  • Spheres of small yellow-green flowers turn into black berries.
  • Found in woodland and disturbed areas.
  • Not native.
  • Highly Invasive




Canyon Gooseberry
Ribes menziesii
  • CA Bloom Jan - Apr
  • Gooseberries and Currants are small shrubs with beautiful flowers and berries.
  • Canyon Gooseberry grows about 6 feet tall, with moderately-spaced thin stems full of prickles.
  • Beautiful hanging flowers develop into purple gooseberries.
  • CA Native



Leaves are hairy and soft, and remind me of small (less than 2" across) maple leaves.

The flower has purple sepals that fold backwards, short white petals that hang down, and stamens that stick out the bottom.

Thin prickles along the stem make this a Gooseberry. Currants look similar but don't have prickles.
Climbing Bedstraw
Galium porrigens var. porrigens
  • Height to 5 ft.
  • CA Bloom Mar - Apr
  • Climbing Bedstraw has whorls of four leaves regularly spaced along the stem.
  • It is covered in prickly hairs, good for climbing over itself and other objects.
  • CA native. Found only in California and nearby.



Look for whorled leaves in groups of 4, small yellow flowers with 4 petals, a square stem, and white berries.

Flowers are small, about 1/10" across.

Square stems and leaves have prickly hairs, good for clinging.
Coffeeberry
Frangula californica ssp. californica
  • Height to 15 ft.
  • CA Bloom Apr - Jun
  • Leaves are evergreen, about 3 inches long, pointed, and have a strong central vein.
  • Berries are a variety of colors, finishing at red or black at maturity.
  • Stems are often red
  • CA native. Endemic to California.



Coffeeberry is a dense shrub, often darker green than the surrounding plants. Look for shiny narrow leaves.

Flowers, and later berries, nestle at the base of the leaves, which are long and pointed.

Berries are round, and end up being red or black.
Coyote Brush
Baccharis pilularis
  • CA Bloom Sep - Jan
  • Coyote Brush, a common evergreen shrub, is often the tallest plant in its neighborhood.
  • Its leaves are distinctive, sort of rectangular and with bumpy sides.
  • Male flowers grow on separate plants from female.
  • CA native



Coyote Brush has many 1-inch green leaves growing on a thicket of brittle, woody branches.

1-inch leaves are leathery and stay wide until the very end. Their margins show triangular bumps.

In the winter, pollinated flowers develop seeds that float away on the wind.
Creek Dogwood
Cornus sericea ssp. sericea
  • CA Bloom Mar - May
  • Creek Dogwood creates a thicket of red stems near streams - especially visible in the winter when the leaves are off.
  • Small 4-petaled white flowers grow in clusters, and turn into clusters of white berries in the fall.
  • Found along streams.
  • CA native



Clusters of 4-petaled flowers turn into white berries. Red stems stand out near creeks in the winter.

Leaves are deciduous, opposite, and smooth-edged. Their veins curve to parallel with the edge. Early leaves fold inward.

Red bark is quite visible in winter. Creek Dogwood grows to 12 feet tall.
Creeping Snowberry
Symphoricarpos mollis
  • CA Bloom Apr - Jul
  • Small pink flowers hang in small bunches.
  • Distinctive white berries
  • Thin, small, smooth-edged leaves.
  • CA native



Smally light pink flowers in a cluster.

Plant low to the ground.

Delicate roundish leaves and prominent white berries.
English Ivy
Hedera helix
  • CA Bloom May - Jun
  • A common vine that can take over ground areas, trees, and walls.
  • Found in moist shady areas.
  • Not CA native
  • Highly Invasive


This evergreen vine forms a solid ground cover, as well as climbing up tall trees and walls.

Groups of flowers turn into yellow or purple berries in winter.

Notice flower and berry stalks all coming from a common point ( umbels). Leaf stalks ( petioles) are long.
Flowering Currant
Ribes sanguineum var. glutinosum
  • CA Bloom Jan - Mar
  • Currants have no spines, while Gooseberries do.
  • Flowers are pink and white.
  • Currant and Gooseberry leaves are similar - wrinkled with many veins.
  • CA native



This woody shrub has no spines. Tight hanging clusters of pinkish flowers turn into dark purple berries.

Flowers form hanging clusters. Leaves are wrinkled with many veins and have a resinous smell.

5-petaled flowers are pink and white, growing closely together.
French Broom
Genista monspessulana
  • CA Bloom Mar - May
  • French Broom covers hillsides with brilliant sprays of yellow pea flowers.
  • Leaves are short and oval, in 3s.
  • Fuzzy seed pods.
  • Lots of space between branches.
  • Not CA native
  • Highly Invasive


Groups of 4 to 10 flowers appear at the end of short stalks. Slight fragrance.

3 leaflets. Stem is round with 8 to 10 ridges along the outer edge.

French Broom is invasive, covering hills and valleys.
Himalayan Blackberry
Rubus armeniacus
  • CA Bloom Apr - Aug
  • This invasive blackberry produces an impenetrable tangle of prickly canes and showy pink flowers.
  • Stems are 5-sided with large prickles. Our local native Blackberry (Rubus ursinus has round stems with many tiny prickles.
  • Leaves are dark green above and pale below.
  • Not CA native.
  • Highly Invasive


Flowers are about 1 inch wide, with 5 petals and many dark-tipped stamens. Stout prickles.

Leaves are in patterns of 5 the first year, and in groups of 3 on second year side branches.

Stout prickles are spaced out on a thick (up to 1 inch wide) cane. (Native blackberry has smaller prickles, closer together).
Huckleberry
Vaccinium ovatum
  • Height to 9 ft.
  • CA Bloom Feb - Jun
  • Evergreen leaves are thick, toothed, and about 1 inch long, ending in a point.
  • Leaves and stems are often red.
  • Tight clusters of 1/4" berries ripen in June and stay on the bush through the fall.
  • CA native



Bunches of small, pink and white, urn-shaped flowers hang down, indicating a member of the Heath Family.

The Huckleberry berry is delicious. It starts out green, then red, and ends up purple-black. All sorts of animals eat them.

This dark and shiny-leaved shrub does well in acidic soil at the edges of mixed evergreen and conifer forests.
Modesty
Whipplea modesta
  • CA Bloom Mar - May
  • Technically a shrub, this vine with bark on its main stem looks more like a flower, with flowers and leaves attached to vegetative side stems.
  • Opposite leaves
  • Found in shady places
  • CA native



Modesty is modest - a small low-growing plant that is mostly leaves, with flowers forming little white balls at the top of short stems.

Up close, the flower is beautiful and fragrant. It has 5 separate petals and white-tipped stamens around a yellow center.

Notice the opposite leaves on a plant that grows perhaps 6 inches above its woody vine stem.
Old Man's Beard
Clematis vitalba
  • Old Man's Beard has showy flowers with four white petals and many long stamens.
  • The flowers of this species have both stamens and pistils.
  • Look for opposite heart-shaped leaves and a grooved stem.
  • Not CA native.
  • Moderately Invasive


This vigorous vine drapes over plants. Its showy seeds make it easy to spot.

Heart shaped leaves, roughly serrated.

Grooved stem. Opposite leaves.
Oregon Grape
Berberis nervosa
  • CA Bloom Apr - May
  • Flowers grow in low, erect clusters, each with six petals.
  • Holly-like leaves grow taller than the flowers. They're opposite, and their veins spread from the base, rather than from a central vein.
  • Found in conifer forests.
  • CA native



Opposite leathery sharp-toothed evergreen leaflets, shiny on top, like holly leaves. Underneath is paler.

Flowers grow in clusters low to the ground. They grow into a dark purple berries.

Leaf stalks can grow many feet long. Flower bunches are generally under 1 foot tall.
Pitcher Sage
Lepechinia calycina
  • Height to 7 ft.
  • CA Bloom Mar - Jun
  • This Mint Family shrub smells like a mint and has 4 ribs along the stem.
  • Bark, stem and leaves are covered in long hairs.
  • Widespread in the coastal foothills and eastern Sierras, it grows above 400 feet and below 2,900.
  • CA native.



Evergreen leaves are coarse, bumpy and hairy. The flower is an open trumpet shape.

The flower's bottom lip is larger than four others that curl back. Brown papery sepals protect the base of the flower.

Crinkled leaves are opposite and have indented veins. Flowers grow along the top of the stem.
Poison Oak
Toxicodendron diversilobum
  • CA Bloom Mar - Jun
  • Poison Oak can cause a rash if you touch it.
  • Leaves are distinctive, with 3 lobed leaflets.
  • It grows both as a woody shrub (to 12 feet) and as a vine (to 100 feet), so you may find it hanging down from trees.
  • CA native



Leaves are in 3 parts and are often red by late summer. They're shiny and lobed like some oak leaves.

In winter, look for stiff alternate branches which point away from the stem. "Short sticks - up to their old tricks."

Small, greenish-cream flowers connect to the stem on a stalk. They produce a berry-like fruit.
Red Elderberry
Sambucus racemosa var. racemosa
  • CA Bloom Jul - Aug
  • Red Elderberry has large clusters of fragrant white flowers that grow into rounded bunches of bright red berries.
  • Each flower has 5 separate white petals and long stamens.
  • They also have large compound leaves that have a strong odor when crushed.
  • CA native



Large compound leaves with 7 leaflets. Each leaflet can be up to 6 inches long. Edges are irregularly serrated.

Fragrant flower clusters are rounded (not flat topped like other Elderberries).

Bright red berries form a rounded cluster.
Salal
Gaultheria shallon
  • CA Bloom Apr - May
  • This coastal evergreen shrub has beautiful urn shaped flowers and edible berries.
  • It grows to 6 feet or more, sometimes erect and sometimes sideways.
  • The stem zigzags between leaves and flowers.
  • Found at the edge of moist forests.
  • CA native



Delicate pink urns hanging along one side of a stalk. Leaves are dark green and shiny on top and lighter and rough below.

Alternate leaves are 4" long, and have small serrations. They're wide at the base and pointed at the tip.

Flowers develop into dark blue berries, slightly hairy, and showing star-shaped creases at the bottom.
Spreading Gooseberry
Ribes divaricatum var. pubiflorum
  • CA Bloom Mar - May
  • Like all Gooseberries, this plant has mitten-like leaves and thorns.
  • Spreading Gooseberry is a deciduous shrub growing to 9 feet tall.
  • Found on coastal bluffs and forest edges.
  • CA native



Leaves are "mitten-shaped. Red and white flowers hang down with stamens protruding. Thorns.

Red sepals point back while white petals point down. Yellow-tipped stamens hang below the petals.

Flowers and edible berries are on branching stalks.
Sticky Monkey Flower
Diplacus aurantiacus
  • Height to 4 ft.
  • CA bloom Mar - Aug
  • Sticky Monkey Flower is an easy plant to learn, with its orange flowers and sticky dark green leaves.
  • Leaves are are 2 to 3 inches long, narrow and evergreen.
  • Found in brushy areas and open woodlands.
  • CA native. Endemic to the California Floristic Province.



This common shrub has many orange trumpet flowers. Feel the leaves - they're sticky!

Leaves are opposite. Flower stalks (pedicels), at leaf nodes, support orange trumpet-shaped flowers.

Leaves are dark green, leathery, narrow and sticky. Their edges often roll under. The underside is a lighter color and hairy.
Thimbleberry
Rubus parviflorus
  • CA Bloom Mar - May
  • Flowers are about 2" across, and turn into raspberry-like berries.
  • Leaves are big (up to 8" wide) and remind me of fuzzy maple leaves.
  • Grows to 8 feet tall.
  • This is a common understory plant in damp places.
  • CA native



White star-shaped flowers, 2" wide, stand out against the delicate green leaves that cover this mid-size shrub.

The leaf (up to 8" wide) is like a fuzzy maple leaf with deep veins.

Raspberry-shape berries are hollow in the center, like a thimble (thus its name).
Toyon
Heteromeles arbutifolia
  • CA Bloom Jun - Aug
  • This evergreen shrub (or small tree) grows to 15 feet or more.
  • Leaves are about 3 inches long, shiny dark green above and paler below.
  • Bright red berries (pomes) appear Nov - Feb
  • Toyon is found along the coast and the western Sierra foothills, in chaparral and mixed oak woodlands. It is drought tolerant.
  • CA native



Shiny, dark-green, toothed leaves and large clusters of red berries make this plant easy to spot.

White 5-petaled flowers cluster at the end of branches in summer.

Flowers turn into orange and red berries, which stay on the plant well into winter.
Western Azalea
Rhododendron occidentale
  • CA Bloom May - Jun
  • Look for Rhododendron flowers - 5 white or pink petals often with a yellow spot on one of the petals.
  • Alternate leaves are large, up to 4 inches long, and deciduous.
  • Found along stream banks and other wetlands.
  • CA native



Fragrant flowers about 2 inches across, often with yellow on the inside.

Leaves about an inch wide and 4 inches long.

Shrub, grows to 16 feet tall.
Western Burning Bush
Euonymus occidentalis
  • CA Bloom Apr - Jun
  • This shrub has thin widely-spread branches growing to 15 feet.
  • It has beautiful small flowers made up of a variety of reds and browns.
  • Leaves vary from 1 to 5 inches long, are opposite, narrow and pointed.
  • Found on stream banks and canyons.
  • CA native



Bright red 3-part fruits are conspicuous in the late summer.

Leaves are narrow and pointed, and are arranged in opposite pairs

Small brown or pink flowers are about 1/4" across and have nectar in the center.
Wood Rose
Rosa gymnocarpa
  • Height to 6 ft.
  • CA Bloom May - Jun
  • Small pink rose flowers (about 1" across) grow singly or in small clusters on branchlets throughout the shrub.
  • Slender stems have thin, straight prickles, densely grouped.
  • Found in shady places from British Columbia to California.
  • Similar plants.
  • CA native



5 separate petals open up about 1 inch across. Many yellow-tipped male stamens surround 5-10 female pistils in the center.

Stems protect themselves with many needle-like prickles. Compound leaves form 3 or 4 opposite pairs plus a terminal leaflet.

Gymnocarpa means naked fruit. This rose hip has no leafy sepals attached, which is unusual for roses.
Flowers





Alum Root
Heuchera micrantha
  • CA Bloom May - June
  • Alum Root sends wispy stems two feet in the air, supporting dozens of tiny white or pink flowers.
  • Leaves at the base of plant are shaped like mittens.
  • Found in wet areas, often near moss.
  • CA native



Tiny flowers on leafless wispy stems about 2 feet tall.

Leaves connect to the base of the plant on long stalks. They're fuzzy and roundish.

Leaves form a thick basal cluster, with tiny flowers appearing to be suspended in air above them.
Bee Plant
Scrophularia californica
  • Height 2 - 4 ft.
  • CA Bloom Feb - May
  • Bee plant is tall, with prominent triangular leaves and tiny brownish-red flowers.
  • Small flowers are less than 1/2" across and have a nectar disk to reward pollinating bees.
  • Opposite leaves have stalks that connect to the stem.
  • Found in moist places below 8,000 feet.
  • CA native



This view of the flower from below shows two rounded petals on top, two side petals, and one folded out like a tongue.

A square stem supports large, opposite, toothed leaves. This might make you think "Mint" but it's not.

Bee Plant grows several feet high with opposite, narrow leaves sticking straight out. Flowers are on horizontal stalks near the top.
Blue Windflower
Anemone grayi
  • Height 4 in. - 1 ft.
  • CA Bloom Feb - Jun
  • This lovely flower, named for the wind, is a treat to find on the forest floor.
  • It generally has 5 "petals" (actually they're sepals).
  • Found in coastal areas in Northern California.
  • CA native



The flower has 5 or 6 white or blue "petals" and tall stamens reaching above a cluster of green pistils.

Leaves are deeply divided and radiate sideways below the flower.

Found on moist shaded evergreen forest floors. A single flower sits atop a 12-inch stalk.
Blue-Eyed Grass
Sisyrinchium bellum
  • Height 1 - 2 ft.
  • CA Bloom Mar - May
  • This is not a grass but an iris.
  • At the top of each stem are violet flowers with darker purple lines leading to a yellow center.
  • It's common in open, usually moist areas.
  • CA native. Endemic to the California Floristic Province.



Beautiful 1/2" wide flowers have blue to violet petals and a golden yellow center to guide pollinators in.

Leaves are grass-like, narrow with parallel veins.

The ovary is below the flower and, if pollinated, develops into a capsule-like fruit.
Broadleaf Helleborine
Epipactis helleborine
  • CA Bloom Apr - Dec
  • Leaves are distinctive, with indented parallel veins.
  • Orchid flowers are a variety of pinks and browns.
  • Found in shady woods, on dry banks.
  • Not CA native



Leaves are broad and ribbed. Showy nodding orchid flowers grow along an erect stem.

Upper orchid petals shelter the flower, with a lower labellum making a landing platform for pollinators.

Grows to 3 feet tall.
Brook Foam
Boykinia occidentalis
  • CA Bloom Jun - Aug
  • A loose cluster of tiny white star-like flowers grows on a two-foot stalk.
  • Large roundish toothed leaves grow on their own stalks, nearer the ground.
  • Found on shady stream banks.
  • CA native



A spray of tiny white 5-petaled flowers grows above large leaves (4" wide) that are roundish and deeply toothed.

Flowers (less than 1/4" across) have 5 pointed white petals.

Each flower base is a narrow cup surrounded by green sepals, which opens up into white petals.
Bull Thistle
Cirsium vulgare
  • CA Bloom June - Sept
  • This thistle has spiny everything.
  • A pear-shaped spiny base supports a 2-inch-tall purple flower.
  • Dead flowers with many spines stay on the plant for a long time.
  • Bull Thistle is common in disturbed areas.
  • Not CA native.
  • Moderately Invasive


A fairly thin pear-shaped spiny bulge below flower is a good way to distinguish this species.

Bull Thistle has big spines all the way up the stem, on the leaves, and around the flower.

Here is a basal rosette of thick, toothed leaves.
California Buttercup
Ranunculus californicus
  • Height 6 in. - 2 ft.
  • CA Bloom Feb - May
  • This bright yellow flower is 1" across, with 7 to 22 shiny petals.
  • Buttercups flower in early spring, and die back (including the leaves) in the summer.
  • Found on coastal bluffs, grassland, woodland and moist meadows.
  • CA native



The buttercup looks like butter, with 7 to 22 elliptic, overlapping, shiny yellow petals.

Each buttercup flower gets its own stalk. The center is a half sphere of packed green pistils, surrounded by dozens of yellow stamens.

Long-stalked basal leaves have 3 deeply- lobed leaflets. Leaves on the flower stems have narrow divisions.
California Harebell
Asyneuma prenanthoides
  • CA Bloom Jun - Jul
  • This lovely flower is tiny (less than 1/2" across) but worth a close look.
  • Five narrow petals often curl back above five green sepals that form a cup at the base of the flower.
  • Alternate leaves, over 2 inches long, have large teeth.
  • Found in redwood forests.
  • CA native



5 narrow flower petals surround a long style. Green sepals below the flower form a cup topped with 5 spreading points.

Flowers are tiny (1/2" across), and connect to a stiff stem.

Leaves or roughly oval and have large teeth. Stems are rigid. Grows to four feet.
California Hemp
Hoita macrostachya
  • CA Bloom Jun - Jul
  • California Hemp is an erect shrub topped by bunches of purple pea flowers.
  • This hairy plant has widely-spaced three-part leaves.
  • The fruit is a hairy brown pod.
  • Found in a variety of moist areas.
  • CA native



Pea-like flowers bunch tightly together on sturdy stalks.

Compound leaves are on long stalks, leaving a lot of space around them.

Grows to 6 feet tall, shown here in a stream bed where it can get plenty of water.
California Poppy
Eschscholzia californica
  • CA Bloom Feb - Sep
  • Height to 18".
  • Flowers have four large overlapping petals. They're orange most places, but usually yellow with an orange center along the coast.
  • CA native, and the state flower



Thin orange petals overlap each other. Notice the sheath covering the young bud. Petals close at night and open in the morning.

Leaves are grey-green and are much divided. The round flat base just below the petals is distinctive and edged in rose-pink.

Across the state, California Poppies fill grassy areas with an orange display from April to July.
Checker Lily
Fritillaria affinis
  • Height 1 - 3 ft.
  • CA Bloom Mar - May
  • Nodding brown and green flowers are about 2 inches across. They have a nice musky smell.
  • Several whorls of leaves appear near the bottom of the stem.
  • Common in woodlands and grasslands in the Pacific Northwest.
  • CA native



Flowers have 6 brown or green tepals with mottled yellow and green areas. They hang upside down like bells from a drooping stalk.

Narrow leaves are whorled near the bottom, and then grow next to flower stalks near the top of the stem.

Leaves are parallel veined. The stem is erect and grows from a bulb.
Chickweed
Stellaria media
  • CA Bloom Feb - Sep
  • This low-lying plant forms green mats with distinctive white flowers.
  • Each petal is deeply divided, making a "mouse ears" effect.
  • Opposite leaves have obvious veins.
  • Found in disturbed areas in woodlands and meadows.
  • Not CA native



5 deeply lobed white petals often look like 10. Green pointed sepals between the petals.

Opposite leaves are oval and come to a point.

Grows to a foot or so. Lies along the ground in dense mats.
Coast Hedge Nettle
Stachys chamissonis
  • CA Bloom May - Oct
  • This is not Stinging Nettle. Although it has hairs, Coast Hedge Nettle doesn't sting.
  • It smells like mint.
  • Deep pink trumpet flowers have purple bases.
  • Leaves are opposite, large, hairy and aromatic.
  • It grows in hedges in wet, swampy areas.
  • CA native



Dark-pink trumpet flowers connect along the stem. Notice their hairy purplish bases.

Leaves have indented veins and wavy edges, up to 7 inches long.

The stem is square in cross section, hairy, and erect to about 8 feet tall.
Coast Man-Root
Marah oregana
  • CA Bloom Mar - Jun
  • This is a cucumber plant with a root the size of a man.
  • It grows rapidly right after rain, and has very large leaves - up to 8" across.
  • Male flowers appear in groups near the top of the stem. Female flowers usually appear individually.
  • Found in shrubby or open areas.
  • Similar to California Manroot.
  • CA native



Flowers, on horizontal stalks, have 5 separate greenish-white petals that come to a point. The center is yellow.

Leaves are quite large and glossy. Tendrils allow the vine to drape itself over other shrubs.

The fruit is a roundish cucumber covered with spines.
Coastal Burnweed
Senecio minimus
  • CA Bloom Jun - Sep
  • Small yellow or purple aster flowers cover this attractive but invasive bush.
  • Toothed leaves are narrow and up to 8 inches long.
  • Found in disturbed coastal areas
  • Not CA native



One plant can develop over 100 aster-like flowers, shown here in seed. Grows to 7 feet tall.

When flowers mature the fruit develops a pappus to help it float away in the wind.

When the fruits blow away you can see the white receptacles where they sat, and the brown phyllaries that used to protect the flowers.