List

Sunol Regional Wilderness (NRDB)

(605 plants)

East Bay Parks Regional Wilderness. Thanks to NRDB.org for this list.


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 Brooklime Veronica americana Height to 1 ft. CA Bloom Jul - Aug Blue or violet 4-petaled flowers Opposite leaves Round stems Grows in fresh-water wetlands, such as stream banks Stem runs along the ground, up to 2 feet long. CA native	Look for 4 petals and opposite leaves with a round stem. Green center guides in pollinators.	4 pale-blue petals with 4 green sepals behind them.	Opposite leaves up to 3 inches long. Flowers in groups at the end of stalks.
American Vetch 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.
American Wild Mint Mentha arvensis CA Bloom Mar - May Pink, violet, white flower Four, irreg, irreg, irreg petals Opposite, simple leaves CA native
Angled Stem Buckwheat Eriogonum angulosum CA Bloom Jan - Dec Brown, pink, red, white flower Six petals Alternate, whorled leaves CA native
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 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.
Annual Yellow Sweetclover Melilotus indicus Height to 2 ft. CA Bloom Apr - Oct Spikes of tiny yellow pea flowers. Leaves in threes like clovers, but serrated. Compound leaves stand away from the stem on petioles. Wide ranging across the world, common in many areas. Not CA native	Yellow pea flowers in a thin spike.	3-part leaf, with serrations. Each compound leaf stands apart from the stem on a petiole.	A common sight by the side of the road, these yellow flowers are easy to spot.
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.
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.
Baltic Rush Juncus balticus ssp. ater Perennial Rush 14"-4 ft. Inflorescence branched No awns CA Bloom May - Jun Grows in lines or loose arrangements from long, unbranched rhizomes. CA native	Flowers cluster at the top of the stem, with a stem-like bract extending above.	This closeup shows brown tepals, yellow anthers on short filaments, and pinkish stigmas over a superior ovary.	Found near streams and other moist locations.
Barnyard Grass Echinochloa crus-galli CA Bloom Jul - Oct Not CA native
Beaked Cryptantha Cryptantha flaccida Height 6 in. - 2 ft. CA Bloom Mar - May This tiny annual has a green stem covered in flat, aligned hairs. It's found on dry, open slopes and flats. CA native	This small annual flower has several spikes of tiny flowers at the top of the stem.	Flowers have 5 white petals around a central cavity that contains a nutlet.	The petals and nutlet are protected by green, hairy bracts.
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.
Ben Lomond Buckwheat Eriogonum nudum var. decurrens CA Bloom Jun - Oct Pink, white, yellow flower Six petals Basal leaves Coastal CA native Endangered (CNPS 1B)
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 Berry Manzanita Arctostaphylos glauca Height 3 - 26 ft. CA Bloom Jan - Feb Taller than many manzanitas, the large red-brown trunks and branches are beautiful. Bunches of white or pink urn-shaped flowers hang down. Alternate leaves on short stalks stand erect from the stem. Found in chaparral and woodland slopes. CA native	Grows to 20 feet tall, with smooth red-brown bark.	White urn-shaped flowers hang in bunches. Leaves have a waxy coating.	Berries are sticky, with an oval shape. Leaves are gray-green and somewhat stiff.
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.
Bigelow's Moss Fern Selaginella bigelovii Fern CA native
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.
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 Vetch Vicia cracca CA Bloom May - Jun Blue, violet flower Pea petals Alternate leaves Not CA native
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 Eyes Gilia tricolor CA Bloom Apr - Aug Pink, violet, white flower Five petals Alternate leaves Slopes CA native
Bird's Eyes(1) Gilia tricolor ssp. diffusa CA Bloom Jun - Aug Pink, violet, white flower Five petals Alternate leaves CA native
Bird's Eyes(2) Gilia tricolor ssp. tricolor CA Bloom Jun - Aug Pink, violet, white flower Five petals Alternate leaves CA native
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
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 Mustard Brassica nigra CA Bloom Apr - Jul Yellow flower Four petals Alternate leaves Not CA native Moderately Invasive
Black Oak Quercus kelloggii CA Bloom May - Jun Alternate leaves with deep lobes and pointed tips. This is a core plant in its ecosystems, providing food and nesting for many insects and birds. CA native	Black Oak leaves have deep lobes with points at the tip. They're darker on top than on the bottom.	Early leaves are bright red, making the tree easy to spot in the spring.	Grows to 80 feet with a beautiful spreading canopy.
Blow Wives Achyrachaena mollis Height 2 in. - 2 ft. CA Bloom Apr - May This eye-catching bright-white flower is not a flower at all. As you look closer, you'll see that the "petals" are actually the flat scales of a seed head. A California endemic, this plant grows natively nowhere else in the world.	Here is the classic Blow Wives look. Flat, scaly pappus forms a wind parachute for each seed.	Yellow or orange ray florets point straight up. Inside them, many disc florets grow without petal-like rays.	Leaves are narrow and grow up to 6" long. They're erect and fuzzy.
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 Fescue Festuca idahoensis Perennial Bunch Grass 12"-3 ft. Flower cluster 2-8" 3-9 florets per spikelet Floret awns to 0.4" CA Bloom Jun - Jul Blue Fescue is an important component in California native grasslands. Leaves are stiff, rough, and inrolled. More on Festuca. CA native	Found in dry, open or shady places, Blue Fescue may appear bluer than plants around it.	Spikelets are about 1/2" long. There's enough room between spikelets to see wavy branches.	Spikelets are flattish, with 2-ranked florets. They're held close to the stem until mature. Awns are thread-like.
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 Oak Quercus douglasii Height 20 - 65 ft. CA Bloom Mar - May Blue-green leaves with wavy edges, plus corn flake bark, are quick way to identify this oak. Leaves are relatively small and sparse, allowing it to tolerate more sun and dryer places than other California deciduous oaks. CA native. Found only in California.	Leathery blue-green leaves often have shallow lobes. They have a short petiole (stalk) and are generally 2 - 3 inches long.	Bark is pale and checkered by medium-size cracks. It reminds me of corn flakes.	This moderately sized oak has a heavy trunk and branches. It's common in dry, hot places that have some water.
Blue Wild Rye Elymus glaucus ssp. glaucus A tough and woody perennial bunch grass 12"-5 ft. Inflorescence a spike 2-8" 2-4 florets per spikelet Floret awns to 1.2" CA Bloom May - Jul Found at the margins of woods and in open areas. More about Elymus CA native	This grass can grow to 5 feet tall and has a tight spike of spikelets at the top of the stem.	Rye spikelets grow tight to the stem, about 1/4" apart, making a woven pattern. 2-4 straight awns come out of each spikelet.	Leaves are fairly wide, flat, soft, and blue-green. The blade has tiny "ears" (auricles) that wrap around the stem.
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.
Bowlesia Bowlesia incana CA Bloom Mar - Apr Green, white flower Five petals Opposite leaves Slopes 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.
Bracted Allocarya Plagiobothrys bracteatus CA Bloom Apr - May White flower Five petals Alternate, basal leaves CA native
Brass Buttons Cotula coronopifolia CA Bloom May - Oct Green, yellow flower Tiny petals Alternate leaves Not CA native Somewhat Invasive
Brewer's Phacelia Phacelia breweri CA Bloom Mar - Jun Blue, violet flower Five petals Alternate, basal leaves CA native
Brewer's Ragwort Packera breweri CA Bloom Apr - May Yellow flower Many petals Alternate, basal leaves Slopes CA native
Brewer's Rockcress Boechera breweri ssp. breweri CA Bloom Feb - May Violet flower Four petals Alternate, basal leaves CA native
Bristly Goldenaster Heterotheca sessiliflora ssp. echioides CA Bloom Mar - Dec 10 to 30 inches tall. This is a late-summer blooming plant that thrives in California and Northern Mexico. It has two kinds of hairs that protect it from browsers and create a strong smell when touched. It's common in open areas in chaparral and grassland. CA native	Here's a yellow-on-yellow aster with a dozen or so petal-like ray flowers and many tiny central disk flowers.	Several layers of narrow, green phyllaries surround the flower head. All green parts are quite hairy.	Bright yellow flower heads turn brown with pappus after pollination. Older leaves turn grey as their hairs become bristly.
Bristly Ox-Tongue Helminthotheca echioides Height to 7 ft. CA Bloom Jun - Dec A tall dandelion-like flower, covered in bristles. Leaves have large bumps on them. Lots of seed in the fall - you'll see it blowing in the air. Not CA native. Somewhat Invasive	Leaves have stiff bristles and bumps, giving it its name. Dandelion-like flowers top each branch.	Dandelion-like flowers are surrounded by distinctive, triangular, upward pointing, bristly green bracts.	Plants are tall, with many branches.
Broad Leaf Filaree Erodium botrys CA Bloom Feb - May Many wild geraniums share this flower's lavender color. Leaves are hairy and fairly wide. Fruit beaks grow over 4 inches long! Common in clay or gravel soil. Not CA native.	Small flowers have five overlapping lavender petals, purple radiating lines, and yellow center.	Wide leaves have a strong central vein. Edges have rounded lobes of varying sizes.	Fruits are topped with a pointed beak up to 4 inches tall.
Broad Leaf Lupine Lupinus latifolius var. latifolius This perennial has an erect stem up to 4 feet tall. CA Bloom Apr - May Blue and purple flowers have a white banner spot that ages to magenta. Found in dry rocky areas, this plant needs some shade and seasonal moisture. CA native	The inflorescence can get really tall - up to 2 feet long. Flowers have an open arrangement.	Broad Leaf Lupine has broad leaves. They feel rubbery on top and slick underneath.	Leaves (up to 4" for each finger on stalks up to 8" long) dwarf the individual 1/2" flowers.
Broad Toothed Monkeyflower Erythranthe latidens CA Bloom Apr - Jun Pink, white flower Five petals Opposite leaves CA native
Brome Fescue Festuca bromoides Single-Stem Grass to 20" Inflorescence branched 1-6" 4-7 florets per spikelet Floret awns to 0.5" CA Bloom Apr - Jun Like other fescues, the leaf sheath is open and the collar is hairless. This uncommon grass is found in dry, disturbed places. Not CA native	Brome Fescue is a short grass with small spikelets that turn a straw-like color as they age. Fescue is Latin for "straw".	Each floret produces an awn about the length of the rest of the spikelet.	The inflorescence is densely populated with spikelets on short stalks. Spikelets and awns point sideways as they mature, giving a tangled appearance.
Brown Headed Rush Juncus phaeocephalus var. phaeocephalus Perennial Rush 4-20" Stem cross section is flat No awns CA Bloom Apr - Jun This variety has a few, many-flowered heads. Other varieties have more heads. Found in wet meadows, dune hollows and marsh edges near the coast. CA native	These rushes grow closely together on wet ground. Dark brown or purple flower heads grow near the top of flattened stems.	Flower heads have many dark-brown six-part flowers. Anthers (white) and stigmas (pink) stick out beyond the flowers to aid wind pollination.	Leaves are flat and have ribs that grow part-way across them. They have pointed tips.