List

Anthony Chabot Regional Park

(695 plants)

Thanks to East Bay Regional Parks Department for this excellent list.


Alkali Bulrush Bolboschoenus maritimus CA Bloom Aug - Sep Flat, narrow stems to about four feet tall. Found near the edge of salt water. Widespread in California and around the world. CA native	Flowers dark brown with tan bristles.	Flowers group in the joint of flat stems.	Stands erect with noticeable brown 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.
American Dogwood Cornus sericea CA Bloom Jun - Aug White 4-petaled flowers in round bunches White berries Medium tall shrub grows to 12 feet Opposite leaves, green above and hairy grey below Found in damp areas CA native	Opposite leaves, strong veins, pointed tips.	Showy clumps of flowers turn into white berries.	4-petaled white flowers grow in clumps at the end of stems.
American Vetch Vicia americana CA Bloom May - Jun Flowers with pink, violet and white parts. Tendrils, modified leaves, allow the plant to climb on other plants. Alternate compound leaves. A widespread understory plant. CA native	Purple pea-like flowers	Alternate compound leaves.	Vine grows to a foot long. One inch pea pods for fruit.
American Vetch (1) Vicia americana ssp. americana Height 1 - 2 ft. CA Bloom May - Jun Flowers with pink, violet and white parts. Tendrils, modified leaves, allow the plant to climb on others. The vine stem can grow to 4 feet long, but the plant is generally under 2 feet tall. Alternate compound leaves. Widespread understory plant. CA native	Small but bright flowers	Lots of small compound leaflets.	Long thin leaves and purple flowers make this a vetch.
Andean Pampas Grass Cortaderia jubata Perennial Single-Stem Grass 7-23 ft. Inflorescence branched 12"-3 ft. 2-8 florets per spikelet No awns CA Bloom Sep - Feb (a winter bloomer) Showy tops start purple, and become cream-colored with age. Thin sharp-edged leaves. Each plant produces millions of seeds. Not CA native. Highly Invasive	Tall stems (up to 20 feet) and showy tops make this plant stand out.	Many stems join at the root.	Grass stem is hairy. Leaves connect to the stem in a sheath.
Annual Beard Grass Polypogon monspeliensis Annual Single-Stem Grass 8"-3 ft. Inflorescence a spike to 7" 1 floret per spikelet Floret awns to 0.2" Glume awns to 0.4" CA Bloom May - Jun Found in wetlands and disturbed areas. Not CA native Somewhat Invasive	Annual Beard Grass is topped by large, fluffy spikes. They're framed by flat, rough, green leaves to 8" long.	Soft, dense spikelets are green until they mature. There are lots of spikelets in the spike, each producing 3 awns.	Long awns let light through around the edge but the center is opaque.
Annual Blue Grass Poa annua Annual Bunch Grass 1-8" 3-6 florets per spikelet No awns CA Bloom Apr - May Poa is an ancient Greek word for "fodder". This sweet grass is grazed by farm animals. Seeds are distributed 8 months a year. Not CA native	Bright green or yellow-green leaves are soft, generally flat and come to a blunt point at the tips.	Like all Bluegrasses, the inflorescence is open and spikelets have no awns. Florets are membranous.	Annual Blue Grass grows quickly in disturbed areas. Plants are small but have many leaves.
Annual Hairgrass Deschampsia danthonioides Annual Single-Stem Grass 5-24" Inflorescence branched to 10" Floret awns to 0.4" Spikelets small, < 1/8". CA Bloom Apr - May Leaves are about 3" long and are inrolled. Widespread in California. CA native	This meadow grass has spreading spikelets with awns, giving it a fuzzy appearance, thus Hairgrass. Spikelets sometimes have purple tips.	Hairgrass grows singly or in loose clumps. Spikelets grow on narrow, spreading, ascending branches.	Two large bracts surround 1-3 florets. Each floret has a long awn that bends in the middle.
Annual June Grass, Bristly Koeleria Koeleria gerardii CA Bloom Apr - Jul Not CA native
Annual Stinging Nettle Urtica urens CA Bloom Jan - Apr Also called Dwarf Nettle, this plant grows to about 2 feet tall. Stinging nettles, in general, produce a stinging sensation when touched. However, EFlora says that this specie's sting is not very strong. Found in shady areas. Not CA native	Leaves are hairy, dark green, have large teeth, and end in a point.	Leaves are opposite. Veins make indentations in the leaves.	Small green flowers look like little balls.
Aquatic Pygmy Weed Crassula aquatica CA Bloom Mar - Jun This tiny succulent plant grows in areas that are frequently submerged in water. Pink flowers have four petals and are less than 1/4" wide. Leaves are opposite, succulent, thin and pointed. Found in wetlands across California. CA native	A succulent with tiny short pointed leaves less than 1/4 inch long.	Likes to be submersed in water (salt or fresh). Grows erect when exposed to air.	Tiny pink flower less than 1/4 inch wide. Leaves can be red as well as green.
Arroyo Lupine Lupinus succulentus Grows to 3 ft. on erect, sparsely hairy stems. CA Bloom Feb - May This annual flower produces 6" clusters of purple pea flowers. Wide-tipped leaflets grow on long (2-6") stalks. It is abundant in open or disturbed areas, and is often seeded on road banks. CA native	Look for radial leaflets that are wider near the tip. Their fleshy top feels rubbery.	Here's a closeup of the flower. The yellow pistil is just sticking out of the right-hand keel. The left part is the banner.	Stacks of whorled flowers have white banner spots that turn magenta with age.
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.
Australian Brass Buttons Cotula australis CA Bloom Jan - May A small plant that grows low to the ground. Many tiny flowers form a yellow "Button". Flowers have no petals. Leaves are finely divided. Grows in disturbed places Not CA native	Small flower head is made up of many tiny petal-less flowers.	Leaves divide into many little lobes. Grows low to the ground.	Green phyllaries behind a yellow flower head.
Australian Fireweed Senecio glomeratus CA Bloom Apr - Sep Yellow composite flowers group at the top of a branched 6 foot plant. Leaves are alternate and deeply lobed. Found in disturbed sites below 1,000 feet, generally near the coast. Not CA native Moderately Invasive	Composite flowers group at the top of the stem. They have no "petals" ( ray flowers).	Leaves clasp the stem, grow to about 6 inches, and are deeply lobed.	Grows to 6 feet or so, with lots of flowers near the top of the stem.
Baby Blue Eyes Nemophila menziesii var. menziesii CA Bloom Mar - Jun Distinctive with blue petals, white center and black dots in the center. Opposite leaves are lobed, especially near the base. Found in grasslands and woodland. CA native	Pale blue to dark blue petals.	Five separate blue petals with a white center, usually with black dots.	Grows a couple of inches above the ground, with opposite, lobed leaves.
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.
Barnyard Grass Echinochloa crus-galli CA Bloom Jul - Oct Not CA native
Beaked Hazelnut Corylus cornuta CA Bloom Feb - Mar Tiny petals Alternate leaves Streambanks slopes CA native
Bearded Clover Trifolium barbigerum Height to 1 ft. CA Bloom Feb - May Brown, pink, violet, white flower Irreg petals Alternate leaves CA native
Bearded Sprangletop Leptochloa fusca ssp. fascicularis CA Bloom Jun - Oct CA native
Beardless Wild Rye Elymus triticoides A tough and woody perennial bunch grass 18"-4 ft. Inflorescence a spike that is flat, 2-8" 3-7 florets per spikelet Floret awns to 0.1" CA Bloom Jun - Jul Stabilizes soil with extensive rhizomes, creating dense colonies. More on Elymus. CA native	This rye has 2-ranked spikelets that connect directly to the stem. There is space between each alternating spikelet.	Hollow stems (like straws) connect at solid joints. Leaves are about 1/4" wide and a foot long.	Prominent blue-green leaves are 4-12" long and grow away from the stem. Found in moist habitats with heavy soils.
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.
Bentgrass Agrostis exarata Perennial Bunch Grass 3"-3 ft. Inflorescence a dense cluster 2-12" 1 floret per spikelet Floret awns to 0.1" CA Bloom May - Jun Agrostis is based on a Greek word for "pasture". This grass provides food for many wild animals. This classic California bunch grass does well on moist ground. CA native	Spikelets form a dense, slender column with short stalks. At maturity, the column opens up a bit. Awns are so short you may not notice them.	Leaf blades are about 1/4" wide and 6" long. The ligule is prominent, membranous and not hairy.	Leaves mostly ascend from the base of the plant. A long, narrow inflorescence rises above them, turning purple and then brown late in the season.
Bermuda Grass Cynodon dactylon Perennial Single-Stem Grass 4-16" Inflorescence branched 1-2" 1 floret per spikelet No awns CA Bloom Apr - May This rough lawn grass is weedy in disturbed areas. Not CA native Moderately Invasive	Spikelets are tiny (<1/10") and purple. Tight colonies of plants are connected by rhizomes and stolons.	Two rows of spikelets connect to one side of finger-like branches that all join at the top of the stem.	The ligule is white and hairy. Leaf blades are short, flat and fleshy.
Big Leaf Mistletoe Phoradendron leucarpum ssp. macrophyllum Shrub Green flower Tiny petals Opposite leaves CA native
Big Scale Balsam Root Balsamorhiza macrolepis CA Bloom Mar - Jun Yellow flower Many petals Basal leaves Slopes CA native Endangered (CNPS 1B)
Big Squirrel Tail Grass Elymus multisetus Perennial Bunch Grass 6-24" Inflorescence a spike 1-8" 2-4 florets per spikelet Floret awns to 3.9" Each glume is cleft into 3-9 awns to 7.9" CA Bloom May - Jul As the inflorescence ages, the awns bend sharply outwards. More about Elymus CA native	Dense inflorescences with long, purplish awns resemble squirrel tails, especially when they mature.	Here's a closeup of a squirrel tail. It's crowded with spikelets, each producing 8-22 awns!	Leaves are narrow and long. Found in open, sandy or rocky areas.
Big Tarweed Blepharizonia plumosa CA Bloom Jul - Oct CA native Endangered (CNPS 1B)
Big-Leaf Maple Acer macrophyllum Height 50 - 100 ft. CA Bloom Apr - May This is the only California maple with big leaves. It has opposite leaves that turn yellow in the fall. In spring, small greenish-yellow flowers hang in clusters near the end of branches. It likes water and dappled shade. You'll find it near stream banks, in canyons and in open forests. CA native	Leaves are quite large, many over 8" wide, with deep indents. No other maple in California has these big leaves.	Flowers droop from branches in long clusters.	Groups of two-winged fruits (called Samoas) replace the flowers. The wings help carry the fruit in the wind.
Bioletti Cudweed Pseudognaphalium biolettii CA Bloom Jan - May Flowers are white on the outside and yellow on the inside. Alternate leaves are wide at the base and clasp the stem. Leaves and stem are covered with short fine hair, not sticky but sharply scented. Found in coastal chaparral and in mixed evergreens in the foothills. CA native	Shiny papery phyllaries surround tiny yellow aster flowers.	Many tiny brown fruits.	Grows to 3 feet, sometimes woody at the base.
Birch Leaf Mountain Mahogany Cercocarpus betuloides var. betuloides CA Bloom Mar - May Lots of small white flowers in clusters, with a mild scent. Five petals Alternate leaves are smooth at the base and toothed above, with distinct veins. CA native	Leaves have smooth edges near the base, but become toothed about half way up. Rounded tips.	Fruit shaped like a fuzzy twisted tail.	Shrub grows 3 to 20 feet tall, on dry slopes.
Bird's Eye Speedwell Veronica persica Height 4 in. - 1 ft. CA Bloom Feb - May This is a small, beautifully marked wildflower. Leaves are opposite and small, often with serrated edges. It's found in disturbed areas, often near agriculture. Not CA native	The small (1/4"), 4-petaled flower has darker blue, radiant stripes. Notice how the petal sizes vary. 2 purple-tipped stamens and a green tinged center invite pollinators to visit.	Leaves are opposite. Flowers cluster at the top of the stem. The plant is often recumbent, lying along the ground.	This beautiful plant is easy to overlook because of its small size, but a pleasure to find.
Bird's Foot Fern Pellaea mucronata var. mucronata Grow near rocks on hot dry slopes. Frond leaves curl over.. with smooth edges, pointed at the end. Often full of small spores underneath. CA native	Grows on hot, exposed rocks and rocky slopes.	Individual leaves are separated.	Leaves curl under, protecting spores.
Bird's Foot Lotus Acmispon brachycarpus Height 6 in. - 1 ft. CA Bloom Mar - Jun Yellow flower Pea petals Alternate leaves CA native
Bird's Foot Trefoil Lotus corniculatus Height to 8 in. CA Bloom May - Jul Height to 8", but often prostrate and lower. Yellow pea flowers. Fruit forms a tiny cluster of pods (hence Bird's Foot) Thin compound leaves along the stem. Found in open grasslands, wetlands, and commonly in compacted soil along roads and trails. Other Trefoils Not CA native	Pea flowers grouped at the end of the stem.	Tiny plant. Fruit pods on the left, compound leaves in the middle, and flower head on the right.	Often prominent in grasslands. Sometimes vine-like, with stems up to 20 inches.
Bitter Cherry Prunus emarginata CA Bloom Apr - May White 5-petaled flowers about 1/2" across smell nice. Leaves yellow-green with tightly-spaced veins. A shrub to medium-sized tree. Canyons, slopes, ridges, open woods in nutrient-rich soil. CA native	3-10 small flowers per cluster, 5 separate petals, long stamens.	Leaves to 3 inches long with bumpy edges. Red cherries, each with its own stalk.	Bitter Cherry forms thickets on sunny hillsides.
Black Cottonwood Populus trichocarpa CA Bloom Feb - Apr A large riparian tree with alternate leaves Leaf stems are round (Fremont Cottonwood's is flattened). Widely distributed in California, except the central valley. CA native	Leaf tops are glossy dark-green. Undersides are pale. Leaves are long and pointed, with small teeth on the edge.	Alternating secondary veins connect to a central one.	Grows near running water. Trunks get very large, and the tree height often exceeds 100 feet.
Black Locust Robinia pseudoacacia CA Bloom Mar - Jun White flower Pea petals Alternate leaves Not CA native Somewhat Invasive
Black Mustard Brassica nigra CA Bloom Apr - Jul Yellow flower Four petals Alternate leaves Not CA native Moderately Invasive
Black Sage Salvia mellifera CA Bloom Mar - Jul Violet, white flower Irreg petals Opposite leaves CA native	Mint flowers and leaves in whorls around the stem.	Seed groups s become woody.	Basal leaves much longer than wide, with a strong central vein. Flowers in whorls around the upper stem.
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.
Bloomer's Buttercup Ranunculus orthorhynchus var. bloomeri CA Bloom Mar - May Yellow flower Five petals Alternate, basal leaves CA native
Blue Blossom Ceanothus thyrsiflorus var. thyrsiflorus Height to 30 ft. CA Bloom Mar - May Blueblossom is an evergreen shrub with a prodigious display of sweet-smelling flowers. Look for grooves running the length of the stem. Grows well on poor soil. Found in a variety of habitats. CA native	Blueblossom is full of tiny, fragrant flowers when it blooms in spring.	Alternate leaves have 3 veins that join at the base. The underside is dull and the top is shiny.	Leaves are shiny and dark green on top, growing to 2 inches long. They have glandular bumps on the side.
Blue Dicks Dipterostemon capitatus CA Bloom Feb - Apr Look for a tight bunch of 6-petaled flowers on a single stem, about 1 foot tall. Flowers can be purple, pink or white. This common springtime flower is widespread where there is sun. Compare to Ookow CA native	A tight bunch of 6-petaled flowers appears at the top of a tall, wavy stalk.	The centers of the flowers feature a forked, white sheath that surrounds yellow-tipped stamens.	Long, narrow leaves grow from the base of the plant. Below, the roots connect to food-storing corms.
Blue Elderberry Sambucus mexicana CA Bloom Mar - Jul A large shrub with clusters of white flowers, plus compound leaves indicate an Elderberry. Berries are black but appear blue because of a waxy covering. Grey bark with vertical furrows. Common on stream banks and open places in forests. CA native	White flat-topped clusters of flowers are easy to spot.	Berries with a waxy covering makes them look powdery.	Compound leaves with 5 - 9 toothed leaflets.
Blue Field Gilia Gilia capitata CA Bloom Feb - Apr Blue, violet, white flower Five, no petals Alternate, basal leaves Coastal CA native
Blue Fiesta Flower Pholistoma auritum var. auritum CA Bloom Mar - May This vine is covered with recurved stiff hairs that stick to passersby. The stem breaks easily. Leaves are opposite near the base and alternate higher up the vine. It's common in coastal and Sierra foothills, primarily south of the Bay Area. CA native	This bright flower is about 1" across, with a pale ring around a dark throat.	Sepals are pointed and hairy, alternating bent forward and backward.	Leaf stalks have wings on their sides and wrap around the stem. Leaves are long with lots of narrow lobes that stick out sideways.
Blue Gum Eucalyptus globulus Height to 200 ft. CA Bloom Oct - Mar Flower nestled between stem and leaf. Leaves long, thin and dark green. Common, found in disturbed areas. Not CA native Somewhat Invasive	Flower has many white stamens surrounding a central knob, and smells of honey.	Mature leaves are narrow and curved, growing to a foot long. Woody fruits with 5 notches, grow to 1 inch across.	Heavy trunks with bark that peals in large strips.
Blue Witch Solanum umbelliferum CA Bloom Jan - Jun Look for a pentagon-shaped flower with a bright yellow center. Branches and leaves are quite hairy. Green fruits turn purple when ripe. This distinctive shrub is widespread in chaparral and oak woodlands. CA native	Blue Witch flowers are lavender or blue, pentagon-shaped, and have a yellow center.	Leaves are hairy and smooth edged. Flowers sport green spots at the base of their petals.	Blue Witch is a small shrub that grows to 3 feet. Every part of it is poisonous to eat.
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.
Boccone's Sand Spurry Spergularia bocconi CA Bloom Apr - May Pink, white flower Five petals Opposite leaves Not CA native
Bog Yellow Cress Rorippa palustris CA Bloom Apr - Jun Yellow flower Four petals Alternate, basal leaves CA native
Bog Yellowcress Rorippa palustris ssp. palustris CA Bloom Apr - Jun Yellow flower Four petals Alternate leaves CA native
Box Elder Acer negundo Height 25 - 66 ft. CA Bloom Feb - Mar Opposite leaves Streambanks CA native
Bracken Fern Pteridium aquilinum var. pubescens Bracken Fern's overall shape is a large triangle, which is easy to spot. It's green in the spring and brown in the fall and winter. It grows to four feet tall. Widespread and common, it's found in shaded forest and on open hillsides. CA native	Bracken Fern frond segments are long at the base and quite short near the top, creating an overall triangle shape.	Segments have regular rounded lobes. The similar Sword Fern has a "thumb" near its midrib.	New growth forms in a fiddlehead, and then opens up.
Branched Indian Clover Trifolium dichotomum CA Bloom Mar - May Black, brown, pink, white flower Irreg petals Alternate leaves CA native
Branching Phacelia Phacelia ramosissima CA Bloom May - Aug Violet, white flower Five petals Alternate leaves Coastal CA native
Brass Buttons Cotula coronopifolia CA Bloom May - Oct Green, yellow flower Tiny petals Alternate leaves Not CA native Somewhat Invasive