California Brittlebrush

Encelia californica is a member of the daisy family native to southern California. This sprawling shrub can reach heights of up to 4 feet. The thin branches are covered with wide, diamond-shaped leaves. The flower heads are bright yellow, and are a favorite of butterflies and bees. Brittlebrush can be found in coastal sage habitats as well as on inland foothills and along the shoreline.

California Buckwheat

Fagopyrum esculentum, despite its name, is not related to wheat but sorrel and rhubarb. The plant is cultivated for its grain-like seeds and as a cover crop. First cultivated in Southeast Asia, it was one of the earliest crops introduced by Europeans to North America. The plant grows quickly, reaching up to 50 inches in height. Buckwheat is an herbaceous plant, with a knotted, hollow stem and a perfumed bloom with two kinds of flowers: one with long stamens and one with short. The seeds have a tough brown ring and are three-sided.

California Sagebrush

Artemisia californica can be found in coastal scrub, dry foothill, and chaparral communities. Native to California, this shrub reaches heights of between 5 and 8 feet. The plant has flexible, hairless, slender stems and and pinnately-divided, light green-to-gray leaves. The bloom consists of a leafy, narrow inflorescence. California Sagebrush contains aromatic terpenes, which make the plant unpleasant to predators.

California Sycamore

Plantanus racemosa is a sycamore tree also known as the "Western sycamore" and in Spanish, "Aliso". Native to California and Baja, the tree can grow up to 115 feet tall with a trunk diameter reaching almost 3.5 feet. The bark has an interesting pattern of white, beige, grey and brown. This deciduous tree sports bright green, woolly leaves which turn golden-to-orange before dropping in the fall. Sycamores can be found in riparian, canyon and floodplain habitats.

Coast Live Oak

Quercus agrifolia is a highly variable, shrubby evergreen native to California. This red oak can reach heights of up to 85 feet, and can live to be as old as 250 years. The trunk can reach up to 13 feet in diameter, with a characteristically gnarled and contorted appearance. The dark green, ovular leaves are covered in thistly fibers. The fruit consists of reddish brown acorns.

Deerweed

Lotus scoparius is a sub-shrub belonging to the pea family. The plant colonizes disrupted or damaged ecosystems, making it a pioneer species of southwestern North America. The stems are green and branched, with small deciduous leaflets and small yellow flowers which become reddish with maturity. It can be found in most dry areas, including chaparral, coastal sage scrub and coastal sand habitats.

Mexican Elderberry

Sambucus mexicans is a large shrub which can grow to tree-like proportions (up to 20 feet in diameter and 30 feet in height). With hairless, pointed leaves, the plant produces creamy flowers forming a flat-topped, unpleasant-smelling inflorescence. The fruit consists of blue-to-black, round drupes occurring in large clusters.

Monkeyflower

Diplacus gets its common name from certain species bearing yellow flowers shaped like a monkey’s face. They can be found in rock outcroppings and require very little moisture, preferring full sun but adaptable to partial and even full shade.

Prickly Pear Cactus

Opuntia is a standout in the cactus community for its brightly-colored fruit. The prickly pear usually grows in thick, tangled groups and can be found all over San Diego County. These cacti are tough, tolerating cold conditions and growing in many types of habitats. The "pear" comes in different colors: pink, red, green and even yellow. The fruit is delicious, but tricky to eat since it must be peeled carefully to remove the spines.

San Diego Sunflower

Viguiera laciniata is a member of the daisy family also known as the San Diego Alpinegold. Native to the area, this flowering herb can be found in open areas, particularly after wildfire. The plant can reach over 3 feet in height, with hairy stems and abundant, scoop-shaped leaves. The large blooms are yellow with fringed florets and a dark brown capitulum (center disk).

Torrey Pine

Pinus torreyana is the rarest pine species in the US, growing exclusively in San Diego and on one of the Channel Islands. This broad, open-coned tree can grow up to 50 feet tall with bluish needles between 10 and 12 inches long. The cones are heavy and broad containing large, edible pine nuts. Found in the coastal sage scrub community, trees battered by coastal winds can resemble large bonsai.

White Sage

Salvia apiana is an evergreen shrub native to the southwestern US. Growing between 4 and 5 feet and around 4 feet wide, the plant requires full sun, dry soil, and very little water. It occurs on coastal sage scrub and chaparral slopes, as well as in yellow-pine forests. The leaves are whitish and secrete strong-smelling (pleasant) oils and resins. The pale lavender-to-white flowers are attractive to bees and other pollinators. White sage is used by many Native American groups along the Pacific coast in everything from food to ritual ceremonies.

Yucca

Asparagaceae agavoideae consists of 40 to 50 species of pointy evergreens native to dry climates of the Americas and the Caribbean. The plant consists of rosettes of sword-shaped leaves and a large terminal inflorescence of whitish flowers. Yuccas are highly adaptable, with a broad range of habitat: rocky deserts, badlands, grasslands and prairies, mountains and coastal sands.