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Plant Guide - By Location - Coastal Sage Scrub

  • White Alkali Mallow flower
    Common Name:

    Alkali Mallow

    Scientific Name:

    Malvella leprosa

    Family Name:

    Malvaceae

  • single yellow flower
    Common Name:

    Bermuda Buttercup (not native)

    Scientific Name:

    Oxalis pes-caprae

    Family Name:

    Oxalaceae

  • A large cluster of flower heads
    Common Name:

    Bicolor Everlasting

    Scientific Name:

    Pseudognaphalium biolettii

    Family Name:

    Asteraceae

  • shrub
    Common Name:

    Big Saltbush

    Scientific Name:

    Atriplex lentiformis

    Family Name:

    Chenopodiaceae

  • yellow pea-shaped flower with insect
    Common Name:

    Bishop’s Lotus

    Scientific Name:

    Acmispon strigosus

    Family Name:

    Fabaceae

  • Cluster of yellow Black Mustard flowers off the Santa Inez trailhead
    Common Name:

    Black Mustard (not native)

    Scientific Name:

    Brassica nigra

    Family Name:

    Brassicaceae

  • blooming Black Sage bushes at the Rios trailhead
    Common Name:

    Black Sage

    Scientific Name:

    Salvia mellifera

    Family Name:

    Lamiaceae

  • yellow flower bush
    Common Name:

    Bladderpod

    Scientific Name:

    Peritoma arborea

    Family Name:

    Cleomaceae

  • Blue dicks growing next to Black Eyed Susans
    Common Name:

    Blue Dicks

    Scientific Name:

    Dichelostemma capitatum

    Family Name:

    Themidaceae

  • small ground bush with long stringy green leaves and purple flowers
    Common Name:

    Blue-eyed grass

    Scientific Name:

    Sisyrinchium bellum

    Family Name:

    Iridaceae

  • long tube like stems with tiny orange flower on top
    Common Name:

    Branching Phacelia

    Scientific Name:

    Phacelia ramosissima

    Family Name:

    Boraginaceae

  • close up of reddish-orange bush monkey flowers
    Common Name:

    Bush Monkeyflower

    Scientific Name:

    Mimulus aurantiacus

    Family Name:

    Phrymaceae

  • cluster of yellow bush sunflowers on hillside
    Common Name:

    Bush Sunflower

    Scientific Name:

    Encelia californica

    Family Name:

    Asteraceae

  • Side view of pink California Bee Plant Blossom
    Common Name:

    California Bee Plant

    Scientific Name:

    Scrophularia californica

    Family Name:

    Scrophulariaceae

  • branch with succulent leaves and red berries
    Common Name:

    California Box Thorn

    Scientific Name:

    Lycium californicum

    Family Name:

    Solanaceae

  • California Brickellbushes lining the Rios trailside
    Common Name:

    California Brickellbush

    Scientific Name:

    Brickellia californica

    Family Name:

    Asteraceae

  • small white California Buckwheat blossoms
    Common Name:

    California Buckwheat

    Scientific Name:

    Eriogonum fasciculatum

    Family Name:

    Polygonaceae

  • male California Croton plant with two leaves and small flowers
    Common Name:

    California Croton

    Scientific Name:

    Croton californicus

    Family Name:

    Euphorbiaceae

  • bright orange tangled tendrils of California Dodder
    Common Name:

    California Dodder

    Scientific Name:

    Cuscuta californica

    Family Name:

    Convolvulaceae

  • close up of dry pappus cream and brown colored flower
    Common Name:

    California Everlasting

    Scientific Name:

    Pseudognaphalium californicum

    Family Name:

    Asteraceae

  • large leafed plant, leaves have multiple leaves extend out
    Common Name:

    California Polypody

    Scientific Name:

    Polypodium californicum

    Family Name:

    Polypodiaceae

  • field with orange-yellow flowers scattered throughout
    Common Name:

    California Poppy

    Scientific Name:

    Eschscholzia californica

    Family Name:

    Papaveraceae

  • soft green sagebrush leaves
    Common Name:

    California Sagebrush

    Scientific Name:

    Artemisia californica

    Family Name:

    Asteraceae

  • three circular yellow flowers
    Common Name:

    California Sun Cup

    Scientific Name:

    Camissoniopsis bistorta

    Family Name:

    Onagraceae

  • bright pink flowers with white centers
    Common Name:

    Canchalagua

    Scientific Name:

    Zeltnera venusta

    Family Name:

    Genianaceae

  • red flowers clustered together on a branch
    Common Name:

    Castor Bean (not native)

    Scientific Name:

    Ricinus communis

    Family Name:

    Euphorbiaceae

  • white succulent looking plant with long stems
    Common Name:

    Chalk Dudleya

    Scientific Name:

    Dudleya pulverulenta

    Family Name:

    Crassulaceae

  • light purple flowers on a branch
    Common Name:

    Chaparral Mallow

    Scientific Name:

    Malacothamnus fasciculatus

    Family Name:

    Malvaceae

  • White flowers with purple tips
    Common Name:

    Chaparral Yucca

    Scientific Name:

    Hesperoyucca Whipplei

    Family Name:

    Agavaceae

  • close-up of purple flowers
    Common Name:

    Chinese Houses

    Scientific Name:

    Collinsia heterophylla

    Family Name:

    Plantaginaceae

  • bunch of white and purple flowers in bushes
    Common Name:

    Climbing Milkweed

    Scientific Name:

    Funastrum cynanchoides

    Family Name:

    Apocynaceae

  • Common Name:

    Coast Cholla

    Scientific Name:

    Cylindropuntia prolifera

    Family Name:

    Cactaceae

  • field of curled stems with yellow flowers sprouting from the top
    Common Name:

    Coast Fiddleneck

    Scientific Name:

    Amsinckia intermedia

    Family Name:

    Baraginaceae

  • field with cobweb covered weed-like plants
    Common Name:

    Cobwebby Thistle

    Scientific Name:

    Cirsium occidentale

    Family Name:

    Asteraceae

  • leaves and pods in a bush
    Common Name:

    Cocklebur

    Scientific Name:

    Xanthium strumarium

    Family Name:

    Asteraceae

  • close up of dark and light purple flowers
    Common Name:

    Collared Lupine

    Scientific Name:

    Lupinus truncatus

    Family Name:

    Fabaceae

  • Patch of small white flowers in a field
    Common Name:

    Common Cryptantha

    Scientific Name:

    Cryptantha intermedia

    Family Name:

    Boraginaceae

  • Green bush with small white flowers
    Common Name:

    Common Eucrypta

    Scientific Name:

    Eucrypta chrysanthemifolia

    Family Name:

    Boraginaceae

  • Light purple flowers
    Common Name:

    Common Phacelia

    Scientific Name:

    Phacelia distans

    Family Name:

    Boraginaceae

  • bush shedding fluffy white seeds
    Common Name:

    Coyote Brush

    Scientific Name:

    Baccharis pilularis

    Family Name:

    Asteraceae

  • single white flowers on top of stems in a field
    Common Name:

    Cream Cups

    Scientific Name:

    Platystemon californicus

    Family Name:

    Papaveraceae

  • pointy, hairy bulb
    Common Name:

    Dark-tip Bird’s Beak

    Scientific Name:

    Cordylanthus rigidus

    Family Name:

    Orobanchaceae

  • bush of orange and yellow tube-shaped flowers
    Common Name:

    Deerweed

    Scientific Name:

    Acmispon glaber

    Family Name:

    Fabaceae

  • 3 single light pink flowers with yellow pollen center
    Common Name:

    Del Mar Sand Aster

    Scientific Name:

    Corethrogyne filaginifolia

    Family Name:

    Asteraceae

  • white flowers on top of green stems
    Common Name:

    Dot-seed Plantain

    Scientific Name:

    Plantago erecta

    Family Name:

    Plantagonaceae

  • green scrub with blue-purple flowers
    Common Name:

    Dove Lupine

    Scientific Name:

    Lupinus bicolor

    Family Name:

    Fabaceae

  • low-growing doveweed plants in a field
    Common Name:

    Doveweed

    Scientific Name:

    Croton setiger

    Family Name:

    Euphorbiaceae

  • Small green leaves
    Common Name:

    Dwarf Nettle (not native)

    Scientific Name:

    Urtica urens

    Family Name:

    Urticaceae

  • swath of low plants
    Common Name:

    Everlasting Nest Straw

    Scientific Name:

    Stylocline gnaphaloides

    Family Name:

    Asteraceae

  • long stem with tall flowers
    Common Name:

    Fennel (not native)

    Scientific Name:

    Foeniculum vulgare

    Family Name:

    Apiaceae

  • bright purple Fiesta Flowers five round petals
    Common Name:

    Fiesta Flower

    Scientific Name:

    Pholistoma auritum

    Family Name:

    Boraginaceae

  • small cluster of blooming flower heads of the Fragrant Everlasting
    Common Name:

    Fragrant Everlasting

    Scientific Name:

    Pseudognaphalium beneolens

    Family Name:

    Asteraceae

  • White flowers with green center
    Common Name:

    Fremont’s Star Lily

    Scientific Name:

    Toxicoscordion fremontii

    Family Name:

    Melanthiaceae

  • hanging pink flowers surrounded by green seashell leaves of the fuscia-flowered gooseberry
    Common Name:

    Fuchsia-flowered Gooseberry

    Scientific Name:

    Ribes speciosum

    Family Name:

    Grossulariaceae

  • Giant wild rye often towers above surrounding begetation
    Common Name:

    Giant Wild Rye

    Scientific Name:

    Elymus condensatus

    Family Name:

    Poaceae

  • small yellow flowers with 5 petals
    Common Name:

    Golden Yarrow

    Scientific Name:

    Eriophyllum confertiflorum

    Family Name:

    Asteraceae

  • large bush with small yellow flowers
    Common Name:

    Goldenbush

    Scientific Name:

    Isocoma menziesii

    Family Name:

    Asteraceae

  • field filled with tall stems and yellow flowers
    Common Name:

    Hooker’s Evening Primrose

    Scientific Name:

    Oenothera elata

    Family Name:

    Onagraceae

  • open flower cluster with tiny daisy-like flowers
    Common Name:

    Horseweed

    Scientific Name:

    Erigeron canadensis

    Family Name:

    Asteraceae

  • small green tube plants on trail wall
    Common Name:

    Ladies’-fingers

    Scientific Name:

    Dudleya edulis

    Family Name:

    Crassulaceae

  • flower cluster of lance-leaved dudleya
    Common Name:

    Lance-leaved Dudleya

    Scientific Name:

    Dudleya lanceolata

    Family Name:

    Crassulaceae

  • tiny white flowers on tree branch
    Common Name:

    Laurel Sumac

    Scientific Name:

    Malosma laurina

    Family Name:

    Anacardiaceae

  • pink pods on branch
    Common Name:

    Lemonade Berry

    Scientific Name:

    Rhus integrifolia

    Family Name:

    Anacardiaceae

  • field of thin sticks and stems with small white flowers on them
    Common Name:

    Long-stem Buckwheat

    Scientific Name:

    Eriogonum elongatum

    Family Name:

    Polygonaceae

  • small white flowers inside green circular leaf
    Common Name:

    Miner’s Lettuce

    Scientific Name:

    Claytonia perfoliata

    Family Name:

    Montiaceae

  • yellow upside down flowers
    Common Name:

    Mojave Yucca

    Scientific Name:

    Yucca schidigera

    Family Name:

    Agavaceae

  • male and female Narrow Leaf Bedstraw plants
    Common Name:

    Narrow-Leaf Bedstraw

    Scientific Name:

    Galium angustifolium

    Family Name:

    Rubiaceae

  • close up of purple Nuttall's Snapdragon blossoms
    Common Name:

    Nuttall’s Snapdragon

    Scientific Name:

    Antirrhinum nuttallianum

    Family Name:

    Plantaginaceae

  • Cluster of blooming Ocean Locoweed Blossoms amid fern like leaves
    Common Name:

    Ocean Locoweed

    Scientific Name:

    Astragalus trichopodus

    Family Name:

    Fabaceae

  • Small white flower in tangle of stems
    Common Name:

    Palmer’s Grapplinghook

    Scientific Name:

    Harpagonella palmeri

    Family Name:

    Boraginaceae

  • Long green leaves and a bundle of yellow flowerheads
    Common Name:

    Palmer’s Sagewort

    Scientific Name:

    Artemisia palmeri

    Family Name:

    Asteraceae

  • Close up cluster of three Parish's Nightshades with visible yellow insides
    Common Name:

    Parish’s Nightshade

    Scientific Name:

    Solanum parishii

    Family Name:

    Solanaceae

  • tall plants with white flowers
    Common Name:

    Poison Hemlock (not native)

    Scientific Name:

    Conium maculatum

    Family Name:

    Apiaceae

  • young rosy leaves
    Common Name:

    Poison Oak

    Scientific Name:

    Toxicodendron diversilobum

    Family Name:

    Anacardiaceae

  • small red and green succulents on Harbaugh Seaside trail
    Common Name:

    Pygmy Stonecrop

    Scientific Name:

    Crassula connata

    Family Name:

    Crassulaceae

  • white flowers on top of stem
    Common Name:

    Rattlesnake Weed

    Scientific Name:

    Daucus pusillus

    Family Name:

    Apiaceae

  • Common Name:

    Redstem Filaree (not native)

    Scientific Name:

    Erodium cicutarium

    Family Name:

    Geriananceae

  • white flower with tiny spikes all over it
    Common Name:

    Ropevine Clematis

    Scientific Name:

    Clematis pauciflora

    Family Name:

    Ranunculaceae

  • white flower with spikes on end
    Common Name:

    Sacred Datura

    Scientific Name:

    Datura wrightii

    Family Name:

    Solanaceae

  • green leaf covered in salt
    Common Name:

    Salt Grass

    Scientific Name:

    Distichlis spicata

    Family Name:

    Poaceae

  • leaves of four related species
    Common Name:

    San Diego Fiesta Flower

    Scientific Name:

    Pholistoma membranaceum

    Family Name:

    Boraginaceae

  • field with tall yellow flowers
    Common Name:

    Sea Dahlia

    Scientific Name:

    Leptosyne maritima

    Family Name:

    Asreraceae

  • cluster of yellow flowers from Shaw's Agave
    Common Name:

    Shaw’s Agave

    Scientific Name:

    Agave shawii

    Family Name:

    Agavaceae

  • white flowers on thin branches
    Common Name:

    Slender Buckwheat

    Scientific Name:

    Eriogonum gracile

    Family Name:

    Polygonaceae

  • pink thin stem plant with green seed pod
    Common Name:

    Small Flowered Soap Plant

    Scientific Name:

    Chlorogalum parviflorum

    Family Name:

    Agavaceae

  • small cream colored flowers on branches
    Common Name:

    Southern Honeysuckle

    Scientific Name:

    Lonicera subspicata

    Family Name:

    Caprifoliaceae

  • red flower with long skinny petals
    Common Name:

    Southern Pink

    Scientific Name:

    Silene laciniata

    Family Name:

    Caryophyllaceae

  • cluster of round red berries and round leaves
    Common Name:

    Spiny Redberry

    Scientific Name:

    Rhamnus crocea

    Family Name:

    Rhamnaceae

  • large tan branches intertwined
    Common Name:

    Sugar Gum (not native)

    Scientific Name:

    Eucalyptus cladocalyx

    Family Name:

    Myrtaceae

  • yellow flowers clumped together on a branch with multiple branches extending
    Common Name:

    Tarweed

    Scientific Name:

    Deinandra fasciculata

    Family Name:

    Asteraceae

  • yellow flowers on plant
    Common Name:

    Telegraph Weed

    Scientific Name:

    Heterotheca grandiflora

    Family Name:

    Asteraceae

  • Two small flowers
    Common Name:

    Thread-Leaved Woolly-Star

    Scientific Name:

    Eriastrum filifolium

    Family Name:

    Polemoniaceae

  • large tree growing from side of cliff
    Common Name:

    Torrey Pine

    Scientific Name:

    Pinus torreyana

    Family Name:

    Pinaceae

  • bush with green leaves and red berries over all of it
    Common Name:

    Toyon

    Scientific Name:

    Heteromeles arbutifolia

    Family Name:

    Rosaceae

  • bush with spiked stems all over
    Common Name:

    Tread Lightly

    Scientific Name:

    Cardionema ramosissimum

    Family Name:

    Caryophyllaceae

  • tree with branches and sporadic leaves
    Common Name:

    Tree Tobacco (not native)

    Scientific Name:

    Nicotiana glauca

    Family Name:

    Solanaceae

  • spiked pink and green stem
    Common Name:

    Tumbleweed (not native)

    Scientific Name:

    Salsola tragus

    Family Name:

    Chenopodiaceae

  • purple flower on twig branches
    Common Name:

    Twiggy Wreath Plant

    Scientific Name:

    Stephanomeria spp.

    Family Name:

    Asteraceae

  • showy, yellow flower
    Common Name:

    Western Prickly Pear

    Scientific Name:

    Opuntia cf. x occidentalis

    Family Name:

    Cactaceae

  • plants in late afternoon light
    Common Name:

    Western Ragweed

    Scientific Name:

    Ambrosia psilostachya

    Family Name:

    Asteraceae

  • yellow flowers in field
    Common Name:

    Western Wallflower

    Scientific Name:

    Erysimum capitatum

    Family Name:

    Brassicaceae

  • leaves of four related species
    Common Name:

    White Fiesta Flower

    Scientific Name:

    Pholistoma racemosum

    Family Name:

    Boraginaceae

  • white flowers on plant branch
    Common Name:

    White Sage

    Scientific Name:

    Salvia apiana

    Family Name:

    Lamiaceae

  • Green spikey ovals in tree
    Common Name:

    Wild Cucumber

    Scientific Name:

    Marah macrocarpa

    Family Name:

    Cucurbitaceae

  • white flowers in bushes
    Common Name:

    Wild Morning Glory

    Scientific Name:

    Calystegia macrostegia

    Family Name:

    Convolvulaceae

  • purple flowers with 4 petals on stem
    Common Name:

    Wild Radish (not native)

    Scientific Name:

    Raphanus sativus

    Family Name:

    Brassicaceae

  • bushes along trail
    Common Name:

    Wild Tarragon (native status uncertain)

    Scientific Name:

    Artemisia dracunculus

    Family Name:

    Asteraceae

  • orange flower with 4 petals
    Common Name:

    Wind Poppy

    Scientific Name:

    Papaver heterophyllum

    Family Name:

    Papaveraceae

  • bush with tiny white flowers and textured green leaves
    Common Name:

    Winter Currant

    Scientific Name:

    Ribes indecorum

    Family Name:

    Grossulariaceae

  • bright purple wishbone bushes surrounding brush
    Common Name:

    Wishbone Bush

    Scientific Name:

    Mirabilis laevis

    Family Name:

    Nyctaginaceae

  • bright yellow pincushion flower tilting toward the sun
    Common Name:

    Yellow Pincushion

    Scientific Name:

    Chaenactis glabriuscula

    Family Name:

    Asteraceae