Plant Information · Plants of Santa Cruz

Redwood Sorrel

Shade-loving, perennial groundcover with edible, clover-shaped leaves and white to pink flowers - native to the West Coast. The leaves, stems, and flowers of this native food are all edible raw or cooked and have a tangy lemony flavor. Often confused with clovers. Flowers in the spring and summer. Leaves need shade so bad they naturally turn downwards when in sunlight.

Three heart shaped leaves, connected at the center. Carpets heavily shaded redwood areas

Perennial, Native, Edible

Poison Oak

The worst plant in the universe. A woody vine or shrub that thrives in shady and dappled light through full and direct sunlight conditions. Contains a poisonous oil called urushiol that cause painful and blistering rashes after contact.

Leaves of three, rounded like a cloud around edges.

Native, Dangerous

Pacific Trillium

Rare find in moist dark forested areas. White, pink, or purple 3-petaled flowers sit on a long stem, atop 3 pointed oval leaves. Not to be confused with the giant trillium, which has upright petals.

Three large smooth leaves with small flower growing out of middle.

Perennial

Lemon Balm

Great for making tea, can support depression, anxiety, insomnia and more! It can also act as a natural mosquito repellent by clapping your hands with leaves and rubbing onto skin.

Leaves very fuzzy to the touch, always growing opposite eachother. Small purple flowers when in bloom.

Edible, Invasive, Perennial

Deer Fern

Found in damp, shaded forest areas such as Redwood Forest and Mixed Evergreen Forest. Commonly mistaken with the western sword fern. Less common than sword

Large single columns growing with leaves directly connected to stem.

Native, Perennial

Coastal Redwood

Tall, red-colored bark

Native

California BlackBerry

A wide, spreading shrub or vine-bearing bush with prickly branches, white flowers and edible fruits. The sweet-tart fruits are dark purple to black and up to 2 centimeters in length. They can be eaten raw, baked in pie or cobbler, or frozen

Small dark thorns on the vines stem and red or black berries in spring and summer. Coarse toothed ridges on edges of leaves.

Fruit-Bearing, Edible, Native

False Solomon’s seal

Little white buds in the spring followed by starry flowers, green and black striped berries, and finally deep red berries in the fall. Requires shade or part shade and moist soil - often found in woody areas. It’s fleshy roots have been used to flavor foods (similar to onion) - common in all USA states except Hawaii

Smooth deeper green alternate pinnate leaves. Often 2-3 large veins running down length of leaf.

Perennial, Herb

Bracken Fern

Western bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum, meaning “eagle-like”) thrives in many ecosystems around the globe and is a resident of the coast redwood forest. A perennial plant, it survives over winter as a dormant root system. Bracken fern reproduces clonally through soil by expanding lateral rhizomes. Then, in the early spring, new fern fronds poke up into the sunlight as unfurling fiddleheads. Bracken ferns are a polarizing topic as some claim they are a delicacy and others that you should never consume them due to a Carcinogen called Ptalquilaside. You can identify bracken as unique from lady fern because it is widest at the base and tapers towards the end (whereas lady fern is widest In the middle)

Widest at base, 2-3x pinnate leaves.

Perennial, Invasive

Blessed Milk Thistle

Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) is a thorny plant presenting decorative leaves with a white pattern of veins and purple flower heads. The plant originates from mountains of the Mediterranean region, where it forms scrub on a rocky base. It is considered an invasive weed and can now be found throughout the world.

Looks spiky, purple flowers and shiny pale green leaves with white veins. larger purple flower than italian thislte

Invasive, Annual, Weed

Italian Thistle

Italian thistle is a winter annual broadleaf weed that is similar in appearance to slenderflower thistle, and the blessed milkthistle. The plant grows up to six feet tall with spiny-winged stems - found in riparian areas like Pogonip.

Spiky long stems, small spiky looking purple flowers in the spring and summer

Invasive, Weed, Annual

Lady Fern

You can identify Lady Fern as it is widest in the middle and tapers towards base (whereas bracken is widest at base)

Widest at middle, 2-3x pinnate

Perennial

Thimbleberry

Dense shrub with large palm sized leaves. Thimbleberry produces an edible fruit in mid to late summer that ripen to a bright red.

5-pedaled white flowers, large leaves, slightly fuzzy stems

Perennial, Fruit-Bearing, Edible

Wolf’s milk slime

Grows in groups on dead wood, especially large logs. Thought it may seem like one, this species isn't actually a mushroom or fungus. It belongs to a group called slime molds, or myxomycetes—a group of funguslike organisms that at one time were regarded as animals, then thought to be plants, then fungi. Now, because of DNA studies, slime molds are believed to be closer to the protozoa.

Bright pink, goo like balls on fallen logs. Can turn an Olive brown with maturity

British Columbia Wild Ginger

Often found in colonies or clusters near the ground, this plant spreads via rhizomes. Can be toxic if eaten, recommended to wear gloves if handling. In spring, it develops distinct hirsute (hairy) cup-shaped, brown-purple to green-yellow flowers which terminate in three long gracefully curved lobes, often concealed by leaves. May emit ginger aroma when rubbed

Palm sized heart shaped leaves growing close to ground

Dangerous

Beaked Hazelnut

Gets its is named from its fruit, which is a nut enclosed in a husk with a tubular extension 2 - 4 centimeter long that resembles a beak. The spherical nuts, which are surrounded by a hard shell, are edible. Whereas the majority of plants have flowers with both the male and female pieces necessary for reproduction, the hazelnut shrub has separate male and female flowers present on the same shrub.

Round leaves with coarse toothed edges, 3-5 foot tall shrub

Edible

Mountain sweet cicely

Osmorhiza berteroi

Part of the carrot family, the Mountain Sweet Cicely is a flowering plant that is native to much of western and North America (as well as Argentina and Chile). Aromatic herb with small white flower cluster when blooming. Used by Native Americans for herbal medicine and food - The root was eaten, and also used as a medicinal treatment for coughs and colds

Trifoliate (three leaflets) toothed or lobed leaves. Small white flower cluster when in bloom

Perennial, Native

Three leaf Foamflower

Tiarella Trifoliata

Native to the low to moderate elevenation moist forests. Tiarella "flowers" are actually inflorescences; a collection of many small bell-shaped or spidery florets on a single floral structure.

Small white bell shaped flowers on towering stem, grows low to ground (often near water)

Perennial, Native

Hypnum Moss

Often found on fallen redwoods and logs, it is a common and widespread species of moss belonging to the genus Hypnum. It is found in all continents except Antarctica and occurs in a wide variety of habitats and climatic zones

Protruding about 1/2 inch from fallen log, looks feathery and soft

Native

Coal Fungus / Cramp Balls

As with other fungi the light spores are distributed globally and the fungi develop wherever conditions are suitable - it lives on dead and decaying wood, and is a common, widespread saprotroph (which means it “eats” by processing decaying organic matter.

All black fungus found usually on fallen trees.

Pacific Madrone

The plants have a widely spreading root system and they quickly reestablish after disturbance by re-sprouting from the stump. Grow slow and live long. Pacific madrone trees provide edible berries and habitat for many bird species including robins, cedar waxwings and bandtailed pigeons. The Salinan, Miwok, Pomo, and other California tribes have long used the berries of Pacific madrone for food and to make cider.

Smooth red, often peeling bark.

Native, Annual, Fruit-Bearing, Edible

Arctic Butterbur

One large single leaf growing out of a single stem. Near water sources. Wooly fuzz on underside of leaf

Native, Perennial

Western Maidenhair Fern

Beautiful black stems, fan-like pinnate leaves.

Perennial, Native

Coast Live Oak

Coast live oaks stabilize soil on slopes, provide an organic-rich litter, and contribute to a habitat for a diversity of insects, birds, and mammals. They also produce edible acorns which are an important food source for local wildlife. Coast live oak is particularly well adapted to fire. Branches may produce new shoots after having been lightly burned. Trunks exposed to moderate fires often resprout from the base. Like most oaks, it has an obligate relationship with mycorrhizal fungi, which provide critical moisture and nutrients

Smaller, sharp poky ridged leaves in comparison to the tan oak.

Native

Tan Oak

The tan oak produces edible acorns which were a staple food supply for Native American peoples. Tanoak wood is of high quality, being of good strength and hardness with a fine grain, however the wood is not widely used because of limited supply. A single tanoak tree can produce over 200 pounds of acorns in a good year and produces at least a partial crop every year

Larger leaves than coastal live oak (but still poky sides)

Native

Sword Fern

Very similar to deer fern but leaves are connected to the stem via a very small stem - much more common in Henry cowbell in comparison to deer fern as well.

Licorice Fern

Very similar to other polypody ferns but grows from a single stem. May grow in patches, but all individuals. Leaves connected to stem like deer fern but deer fern looks more similar to the sword.

Native, Perennial

California Bay Laurel

Endemic (found only in this part of the world) native hardwood evergreen tree. Trunk often divides at its base when growing in poor soil, creates an olives like fruit that is yellowish when ripe and has one large seed

small round and green berry lightly spotted with purple and turning orange on maturity

Native, Endemic, Fruit-Bearing

Big Leaf Maple

The biggest leaves of any maple tree, this tree is found in riparian areas and the redwoods

Large maple leaves - paired wing helicopter twirly seeds.

Native

Broadleaf forget-me-not

Small purple flowers, long leaf with darker somewhat pronounced vein down middle.

Red Baneberry

Red berries that blossom in spring or summer can be highly toxic, do not eat!

Bright red berries in the spring and summer, leaves are large and (maybe) pinnate with ridged edges. Small veins. Tall white stem of flowers before berries.

Fruit-Bearing, Dangerous

Black Raspberry

Very similar to the California blackberry, this plant creates a delicious edible fruit

Edible, Native, Fruit-Bearing

Pacific Sanicle

Also known by the name pacific black snakeroot

Heavily veined the leaflet leaves

Native, Perennial

Douglas Fir

When Douglas firs grow in dense forests, they self-prune their lower branches so the conical crown starts many stories above the ground. Trees growing in open habitats, especially younger trees, have branches much closer to the ground. After the sequoias, Douglasfir with it straight regular trunk is our largest tree and some can grow over 300 feet There are two varieties of this species, coast Douglas fir and Rocky Mountain Douglas fir. Coast Douglas firs are the faster-growing and larger of the two varieties

2 to 4 inch cones, narrow three pointed bracts between scales on cone.

Broad leaved Dock

Native to Europe, this weed of considered introduced though not necessarily invasive.

Large oval shaped being single leaves pointed at the end. Low to the ground growth.

Invasive

Trooping Crumble Cap

Edible but of low quality, this mushroom does not dissolve into black ink as do many other coprinoid mushrooms.

Growing in small patches, small domed head with a great color.

Honey comb coral slime mold

Slime mold found on decaying wood. Slime mold plasmodia creep about over the surfaces of materials, engulfing bacteria, spores of fungi and plants, protozoa, and particles of nonliving organic matter. slime molds form structures called plasmodia which are naked (i.e., without cell walls) masses of protoplasm which can move and engulf particles of food in an amoeboid manner

whitish and translucent with a fuzzy appearance

California Spikenard

Only Native plant in the ginseng family to California. Their thick tap roots extend straight down for many feet into ground water in order to stay moist during the region’s extremely dry summers and to stay put against raging flood waters. Some use their leaves to create a tea that aides those with chronic stress.

Large smooth looking oval leaves in tall shoots and groups growing near water.

Velvet Grass

Also known as the yorkshire fog this is an invasive species in North America.

Topped with a large purple stem like flower with multiple purple folds.

Grass, Perennial, Invasive

Big Quaking Grass

Used often in bouquets, this invasive grass is deer resistant!

White little (flowers?) growth that look like a rattle on rattle snake, purple and darker on the top.

Annual, Grass, Invasive

Pineapple Weed

Its yellow pineapple like flowers are actually corollas and they smell sweet when crushed. Needs full sun.

Small little clusters of yellow like flower things that look like mini pineapples.

Invasive, Annual

Slender Oat

Can grow up to 2-2.5 feed with bristly spiklets.

Grass, Annual

Orange-bush Monkey Flower

Also known as the sticky monkey flower this plant has sticky green leaves to the touch. The flowers can actually occur in a vareity of shades from white to red though the most common is of course orange. Blossoms in spring and summer.

Orange flowers and underside of leaves are sticky to the touch.

Native, Annual

Narrow Leaved Clover

The tower like flower hardens into bristles as the plant dies, grows among grasses and is in the legume family.

Annual, Invasive

American Vetch

Bears two light brown peas within a hairless flat pod, this is a climbing perennial forb.

Perennial, Native

Common Holly

Evergreen woody stemmed shrub that lives about 5 years. When in bloom it has white four lobed flowers. Holly makes great firewood

Dark green very poky leaves (similar to the coast live oak but more pronounced spikes on leaves, darker green, and a bit bigger)

Perennial

Pink Honeysuckle

Can look like a vine and in Henry Cowell is often found intertwined with the interior live oak shrub/tree. Berries are edible but can be bitter.

Uppermost pairs of leaves are fused at the bases to surround the stem and are followed by the pink honeysuckle blossoms or red fruits.

Perennial, Edible

Evergreen Huckleberry

Produces a small edible blue berry and is also known as the winter huckleberry or california huckleberry.

Small little pinnate leaves the turn whitish and then purple at the very tips (new growth) Little blue berries when ripe. Little pink bell flowers before berries.

Native, Perennial, Edible

Interior Live Oak

Very similar to coast live oak but found in sandhills area of Henry Cowell

Leaves are slightly smaller than the coast live oak and the plant can look far more shrub-like, also found commonly in the sandhill areas of Henry Cowell.

Perennial

Sandhills Poppy

A potentially unique-to the sandhills plant - should be examined by taxonomists. Even if itis found not to merit taxonomic recognition as unique species at this time, Sandhills populations likely represent evolution in process and should be protected as such.

Singular four-petaled yellow flowers growing in the top high sun area of the sandhills.

Perennial

Silverbush Lupine

Bacteria that fix atmospheric nitrogen are found on or around the roots of the silver bush lupine. The symbiotic bacteria increase availability of nitrogen, which is important for plant growth and scarce in Zayante soils. Sandhills plants provide the bacteria with energy in the form of carbon created through photosynthesis.

Small (12inch) stems with small purple flowers jutting out of a mint-green/silver bush.

Perennial

Yellow Yarrow

North american species of plant in the sunflower family that is native to California. Wooly leaves when young.

Large clump of very small yellow flowers with almost fuzzy looking center

Perennial, Native

California Broom

During the summer, perennial species can drop their leaves to reduce transpirational water loss, as observed in the drought-deciduous California broom

Small stems of yellowish flowers carpeting direct sun sandhill areas.

Santa Cruz Mountain Manzanita

Pretty and edible light yellow-green berries, and rich red-brown bark. It does not like summer water, growing in shallow or sandy soils where rainfall in summer is scarce (native to the Santa Cruz mountains and old sand dunes)

Reddish ghost looking fuzzy stems with green oval shaped leaves with red outlining and red vein.

Ponderosa Pine

Very unique to the sandhills, these trees are normally found at much higher elevations (3000 feet or more) while the sand hills are approximately 600 feet

Pine tree with spread out cones.

Cones, Native

Golden Chinquapin

This is a tree that can grow up to 148 feet tall. Has separate male and female flowers on the same bush.

Spiny burrs growing on the end, longer oval shaped leaves that sometimes curl.

Perennial, Native

Himalayan BlackBerry

Can grow up to 33 feet tall in its first year, in the second year it has several side shoots with smaller leaves that then produces flowers with five petals (whtie or pink) before berries.

Larger leaves than the California blackberry bush with a very thick stem at parts.

Perennial

Western Starflower

Small purple star-shaped flower groing out of single quad leaved plants close to ground.

Native

California Goldenbush

Flowering shrub in the daisy family, grows in sand dunes and some coastal hills.

When blooming, small yellow flowers at the end of each stalk, wide bush low to the ground.

Native

Cretan Brake ?

Evergreen fern native to Europe, Asia, and Africa.

Perennial, Invasive

Blue Elderberry

A California native deciduous shrub or tree growing 15-25' tall forming an irregularly rounded to spreading form with multiple stems arising from an older trunk. Old trees have thick trunks but the wood making up the canopy is usually fairly young as suckers arise along the trunk or flat lying branches. Usually found near water, but seems to be pretty tolerant of dry soils.

Ends of this large shrub are covered with a puffy blast of small white flowers or blue elderberries dependent on the season.

Native

California Wild Rose

Fruit of the wild rose, known as the hip, is said to contain more vitamin C, calcium, phosphorus, and iron than oranges. During WWII in England, hips were gathered for their abundance of these vitamins and minerals. Hips can be dried for tea, or used for jelly or sauce. They resemble a small, dry apple in appearance and taste. Flowers have long been used in folk recipes for butter, perfume, candy, jelly, and tea. Grows up and down coastal ranges in California and Oregon. Likes shade to partial shade in lower elevations. Higher elevations (up to 6,000 ft.) and near coast, sun is preferred. Found along roads, meadows, and streams.

Open faced flat 5-petal flowers (often pink) with characteristic rose leaves.

Perennial

Chaparral Pea

Usually sprouts from seed, usually sends up new shoots from mother stem. Bears pods containing pea like seeds.

Unique shaped pink flowers, tall stems of a pale/mint green with small leafs jutting our opposite each other.

Native

Chamise

Stick like branches with small small leaves pointing upwards. Small white tubular flowers when in bloom.

California Yerba Santa

The ones in the Sandhills in Henry Cowell have some sort of disease/virus turning their leaves black.

Leathery long leaves leading up to deep but small bell shaped purple flowers.

Perennial

Coffeeberry

Red stems with longer green downturned (in the shape of a U) leaves. Dark blue or purple berries when in bloom.

Native

Smooth Cats Ear

Long large ribbed leaves growing along ground out of stem with very tel stem leading to dandelion looking flower.

Annual

Sensitive Manzanita

Found by observation deck in Sandhills Henry Cowell.

Native

Manzanita (maybe brittle leaved)

Found by observation deck in Sandhills Henry Cowell.

Scarlet Pimpernel

Low growing annual plant, invasive to the area and widely spread throughout the world accidentally or intentionally by humans. It does not compete well so it favours places where the soil is almost free of other plants

Very small 5 petaled orange flowers with yellow stamen, goes very low to ground. No more than 1 inch high.

Annual, Invasive

Poison Hemlock

Invasive weed native to Europe and North Africa. Highly poisonous due to its similar look to carrots and parsley many livestock accidentally eat it.

Tall stems topped with small bunches of white flowers. Leaves almost look like a fern.

Dangerous, Invasive

Seaside Daisy

Light purple many mini petals, 10-15 flowers a plant.

Native

Bluff Lettuce

Also known as powdery live forever, this is an important hummingbird plant in its native areas.

Reddish and green succulent star plant near ground with rising stem of same color.

Seaside Buckwheat

Milky white small flowers with same color stem.

Native

Wall Barley

Invasive

French Broom

Woody shrub and a legume, very invasive.

Small yellow flowers growing throughout stem, can grow tall and in big patches.

Common Yarrow

Common yarrow is a poisonous weed, which has been listed as noxious weeds in the United States, Germany, France and the United Kingdom. It is also a kind of flower plants. It's very common, so it's very likely to be touched. Please note that exposure to it may cause allergies.

Small, almost fern like tiny leaves, growing low to ground.

Dangerous

Sea Bindweed

Supports the morning glory plume moth, flower in the spring.

Growing in the sand, light purple flowers with white streaks and dark green heart shaped flowers.

Native

Silver burr ragweed.

Supports the ambrosia plume moth and also known as Beach bur.

Growing directly in sand, sprawling and covering large portions.

Shortpod or Black Mustard ?

Native to mediterranean basin.

Thin and long stems ending in small yellow flowers.

Invasive

Pale Dewplant

Small carpet of purple flowers over small succulent bed.

Woodland Strawberry

Woodland strawberry is a plant that spreads by runners that put down roots as they go. This ever bearing strawberry produces fruit all year long that is small but edible. Because the fruit is so small, cultivated woodland strawberry is typically used more as an ornamental or ground cover.

Three leaved plant, distinct triangle ridges.

Edible

Redwood Violet

Carpets the floor underneath redwoods in a similar manner to sorrel. Small circular leaves with small yellow flowers.

Native

California Milkwort

Small oval leaves, purple flowers, near to ground.

California Poppy

Deep orange/golden petals.

Native

Giant Chain Fern

Similar to lady fern but only 2x pinnate and larger individual leaflets spaced farther apart.

Native

Broad leaved helleborine

Terrestrial species of orchid.

Grows straight up, large leaves. Funny bushy leaf thing at top.

European Searocket

Yellow Bush lupine

Bull thistle

Similar in size to milk thistle but no white washed leaves.

Redwood inside out flower

Stinging Nettle

Stinging nettle although less toxic, is still a dangerous plant. Its bristle contains a variety of irritating compounds. If it is accidentally touched, it will appear redness, itching, numbness, pain and other symptoms. Please stay away from this plant. If you accidentally come across, please seek medical treatment in time.

Similar looking to lemon balm but much larger height and leaves

Dangerous, Invasive

Fragrant Bedstraw

Very small growing close to the ground with perfectly 5 star shaped towered leaves

Big leaf Periwinkle

Frequently used as ground cover in landscaping. Contains highly toxic alkaloids. Should not be eaten.

Invasive

Hookers Fairybells

Other names include “drops of Gold”

Similar to the star false lily of valley but smaller and doesn’t grow in a single big stalk.

Tutsan

Since ancient times it has been used to treat ailments of all kinds.

Small yellow flowers at tips when in bloom

Introduced

Woodland Madia

Milkmaid

One of the very first flowers to bloom in the early early spring, small four Petaled white flowers with two types of leaves (broader at base and skinnier near flower)

Annual, Native

Herb Robert

Similar looking leaves to the mountain sweet cicily, but the plant is overall smaller with a Small 5 petaled vibrant purple flower.

Invasive

Black Oak

Oak species, similar to the valley oak