Native Plants of California
6,969 native plants and wildflowers grow naturally in California. Filter for the bees, or for plants the deer and rabbits tend to leave alone.
Welcome! We're so glad you're here. California is home to nearly 7000 native plant species, and they're all around us. You might already know some favorites like the bright California poppy or the cheerful orange bush monkeyflower. These plants have thrived here for thousands of years, and they're perfect for our climate and soil.
Native plants are wonderful for your garden and for nature too. They attract bees, birds, and butterflies that need local plants to survive. When you grow natives, you're creating a haven for wildlife right in your own yard. Let's explore together and discover the beauty these plants bring to California gardens.

Alkali seaheath
Frankenia salina
FrankeniaceaeSubshrubAlpine sheep sorrel
Rumex paucifolius
PolygonaceaeForb/herbAlpine sheep sorrel
Rumex paucifolius
PolygonaceaeAmerican milkvetch
Astragalus americanus
Fabaceae
American vetch
Vicia americana
FabaceaeForb/herb, Vine
American wild carrot
Daucus pusillus
ApiaceaeForb/herbArboles milkvetch
Astragalus oocalycis
FabaceaeForb/herb
Arizona lupine
Lupinus arizonicus
FabaceaeForb/herb
Arroyo willow
Salix lasiolepis
Salicaceae
Baby blue eyes
Nemophila menziesii
HydrophyllaceaeForb/herb
Bajada lupine
Lupinus concinnus
FabaceaeForb/herb
Bastardsage
Eriogonum wrightii
PolygonaceaeForb/herbBearded milkvetch
Astragalus villosus
FabaceaeForb/herb
Beavertail pricklypear
Opuntia basilaris
CactaceaeTree, ShrubBeckwith's milkvetch
Astragalus beckwithii
FabaceaeForb/herbBellshape gilia
Linanthus campanulatus
PolemoniaceaeForb/herb
Beloperone
Justicia californica
AcanthaceaeShrub
Bigberry manzanita
Arctostaphylos glauca
EricaceaeTree, Shrub
Bigleaf maple
Acer macrophyllum
AceraceaeBirdfoot cliffbrake
Pellaea mucronata
PteridaceaeForb/herb
Black sage
Salvia mellifera
LamiaceaeShrub, Subshrub
Blue fiestaflower
Pholistoma auritum
HydrophyllaceaeForb/herb, Vine
Blue oak
Quercus douglasii
FagaceaeTree
Blue wildrye
Elymus glaucus
PoaceaeGraminoid
Blueblossom
Ceanothus thyrsiflorus
Rhamnaceae
Bluehead gilia
Gilia capitata
PolemoniaceaeForb/herbBluewitch nightshade
Solanum umbelliferum
SolanaceaeBluntleaved orchid
Platanthera obtusata
OrchidaceaeForb/herbBolander's linanthus
Leptosiphon bolanderi
PolemoniaceaeForb/herbBranched noseburn
Tragia ramosa
EuphorbiaceaeShrub, Subshrub, Vine
Branched pencil cholla
Cylindropuntia ramosissima
CactaceaeShrub
Branching phacelia
Phacelia ramosissima
HydrophyllaceaeSubshrub, Forb/herbBraunton's milkvetch
Astragalus brauntonii
FabaceaeForb/herbBrewer's milkvetch
Astragalus breweri
FabaceaeForb/herb
Brittlebush
Encelia farinosa
AsteraceaeSubshrub, Shrub
Broadleaf lupine
Lupinus latifolius
FabaceaeForb/herb
Broadleaf stonecrop
Sedum spathulifolium
CrassulaceaeForb/herbBrown fritillary
Fritillaria micrantha
LiliaceaeForb/herb
Buckbrush
Ceanothus cuneatus
RhamnaceaeShrub
Burrobush
Ambrosia dumosa
AsteraceaeSubshrub, ShrubBush's skullcap
Scutellaria bushii
LamiaceaeForb/herb
Bushy spikemoss
Selaginella bigelovii
SelaginellaceaeForb/herb
Butterfly mariposa lily
Calochortus venustus
LiliaceaeForb/herb
California barrel cactus
Ferocactus cylindraceus
CactaceaeShrub
California black oak
Quercus kelloggii
FagaceaeTree, Shrub
California blackberry
Rubus ursinus
RosaceaeSubshrub
California brickellbush
Brickellia californica
AsteraceaeSubshrub, Shrub
California brittlebush
Encelia californica
AsteraceaeSubshrub, Shrub
California buckeye
Aesculus californica
HippocastanaceaeTree, Shrub
California buckthorn
Frangula californica
RhamnaceaeShrub, Tree
California buttercup
Ranunculus californicus
RanunculaceaeForb/herb
California croton
Croton californicus
Euphorbiaceae
California false hellebore
Veratrum californicum
LiliaceaeForb/herb
California fetid adderstongue
Scoliopus bigelovii
LiliaceaeForb/herb
California figwort
Scrophularia californica
ScrophulariaceaeForb/herb
California foothill pine
Pinus sabiniana
PinaceaeTree
California huckleberry
Vaccinium ovatum
EricaceaeSubshrub, ShrubCalifornia juniper
Juniperus californica
CupressaceaeTree, Shrub
California laurel
Umbellularia californica
LauraceaeTree, Shrub
California live oak
Quercus agrifolia
FagaceaeTree, Shrub
California maidenhair
Adiantum jordanii
PteridaceaeForb/herbCalifornia manroot
Marah fabaceus
CucurbitaceaeForb/herb, VineCalifornia mistmaiden
Romanzoffia californica
HydrophyllaceaeForb/herbCalifornia mountain ash
Sorbus californica
RosaceaeShrubCalifornia penstemon
Penstemon californicus
ScrophulariaceaeSubshrub, Forb/herb
California peony
Paeonia californica
PaeoniaceaeForb/herbCalifornia polypody
Polypodium californicum
Polypodiaceae
California poppy
Eschscholzia californica
PapaveraceaeForb/herb
California sycamore
Platanus racemosa
PlatanaceaeTree
California wildrose
Rosa californica
RosaceaeSubshrub
California yerba santa
Eriodictyon californicum
HydrophyllaceaeShrub
Canyon live oak
Quercus chrysolepis
FagaceaeShrub, Tree
Canyon liveforever
Dudleya cymosa
CrassulaceaeForb/herb
Cardinal catchfly
Silene laciniata
CaryophyllaceaeForb/herb
Caterpillar phacelia
Phacelia cicutaria
HydrophyllaceaeForb/herb
Chalk dudleya
Dudleya pulverulenta
CrassulaceaeForb/herb
Chamise
Adenostoma fasciculatum
Rosaceae
Chaparral currant
Ribes malvaceum
GrossulariaceaeShrub
Chaparral whitethorn
Ceanothus leucodermis
RhamnaceaeShrub
Chaparral yucca
Hesperoyucca whipplei
AgavaceaeForb/herb, Shrub, Subshrub
Checker lily
Fritillaria affinis
LiliaceaeForb/herbChestnut milkvetch
Astragalus castaneiformis
Fabaceae
Chia
Salvia columbariae
LamiaceaeForb/herbCisco milkvetch
Astragalus sabulosus
FabaceaeForb/herbClammy groundcherry
Physalis heterophylla
SolanaceaeForb/herb
Clasping Venus' looking-glass
Triodanis perfoliata
CampanulaceaeForb/herbClay buckwheat
Eriogonum argillosum
PolygonaceaeForb/herb
Clearwater cryptantha
Cryptantha intermedia
BoraginaceaeForb/herbCleftleaf wildheliotrope
Phacelia crenulata
HydrophyllaceaeForb/herb
Cliff desertdandelion
Malacothrix saxatilis
AsteraceaeSubshrub, ShrubClokey's gilia
Gilia clokeyi
PolemoniaceaeForb/herb
Coast Indian paintbrush
Castilleja affinis
ScrophulariaceaeSubshrub, Forb/herb
Coastal cholla
Cylindropuntia prolifera
CactaceaeShrub
Coastal sagebrush
Artemisia californica
AsteraceaeShrubCoastal sand verbena
Abronia latifolia
NyctaginaceaeForb/herb
Coastal sandbur
Cenchrus spinifex
PoaceaeGraminoid