Plants that were native in and around San Jose

Here are some of the plants that were native around the San Jose Area of California. This list is not complete, but most of the common natives that you would use in a garden or notice in the wildland are listed. View as a pamphlet of native plants of the San Jose Area.
Click on the links for more info or to buy, click on image for larger image.

Acer macrophyllum, Big Leaf Maple

The flowers on Acer negundo. - grid24_12

Acer negundo californicum, California Box Elder

Achillea millefolium (Common yarrow) - grid24_12

Achillea millefolium californica, Yarrow

Actaea rubra, Snakeberry

Adenostoma fasciculatum, Chamise

Adiantum jordanii, California Maiden-Hair Fern

Buckeye trees are used as a nectar source for many native butterflies. Spring Azure/ Echo blue uses Aesculus californica as a larval food source. Native plant equals native insect or bird. - grid24_12

Aesculus californica, California Buckeye

Agoseris grandiflora, Mountain dandelion

Alnus rhombifolia south of Big Bear, 6500 feet - grid24_12

Alnus rhombifolia, White Alder

Ambrosia psilostachya, Western Ragweed

Amelanchier utahensis, Utah Service Berry

Aquilegia formosa Crimson Columbine, Western Columbine, or Red Columbine flowers. - grid24_12

Aquilegia formosa, Western Columbine

Arbutus menziesii, Madrone

Artemisia californica, California Sagebrush

Artemisia douglasiana,Mugwort

Asclepias fascicularis, Narrow leaf Milkweed

Aster chilensis, California Aster

Baccharis douglasii, Marsh Baccharis

Bowlesia incana weird carrot. - grid24_12

Bowlesia incana and Cardamine californica

Acmon Blue, Plebejus acmon on Brickellia californica - grid24_12

Brickellia californica, Brickellbush

Brodiaea pulchella, or Dichelostemma capitatum, Wild Hyacinth, flowers in very early spring, and so provides nectar for pollinators, when not much else is flowering. - grid24_12

Brodiaea pulchella, Wild Hyacinth

Coyote Bush as a hedge looks natural. But man disturbed the area and created a site for the Coyote Bush. Is that natural? - grid24_12

Baccharis pilularis consanguinea, Coyote Brush

Mule fat, Baccharis viminea flowers in the winds. - grid24_12

Baccharis viminea, Seep Willow

Calochortus albus rubeillus up by one of our water tanks. - grid24_12

Calochortus albus, Fairy Lantern

Calystegia purpurata, Purplish Morning Glory

Castilleja affinis

Castilleja foliolosa, Woolly Indian Paintbrush

The white form of Buckbrush on w hillside in interior San Luis Obispo county. - grid24_12

Ceanothus cuneatus, Buckbrush

This Ceanothus sorediatus in bloom - grid24_12

Ceanothus sorediatus, Blue Blossum moutain lilac and Ceanothus papillosus, Wart Stem California Lilac

Cercocarpus betuloides in the wild. This Mountain Mahogany is about 30 years old. In most areas of California Mountain Mahogany makes a 5-6 ft. drought tolerant hedge. Useful in places like Los Angeles where green seems to be missing. - grid24_12

Cercocarpus betuloides, Mountain Mahogany

Chenopodium californicum, Indian lettuce

Farewell to spring, Clarkia purpurea is also known as Purple Clarkia or Winecup Clarkia - grid24_12

Clarkia purpurea, Winecup clarkia

Clarkia unguiculata, Mountain Garland

These Clematis were growing along the trail on top of Cuesta Ridge.climbing over Cercocarpus betuloides. - grid24_12

Clematis lasiantha, Pipestem Clematis

Western White Clematis, Clematis ligusticifolia looks like a vine with white fireworks. - grid24_12

Clematis ligusticifolia, Western White Clematis

Cchisese Houses, Collinsia heterophylla is a pretty little wildflower. - grid24_12

Collinsia heterophylla, Chinese Houses

Corethrogyne filaginifolia, Silver carpet, Common Corethrogyne with Metal Mark butterfly. - grid24_12

Corethrogyne filaginifolia, California Corethrogyne

Cupressus sargentii, Sargent Cypress

The Magpies like to land on slow moving things that attract flies. - grid24_12

Cuscuta californica and Cryptantha flaccida

Cyperus eragrostis, Nutsedge, Umbrella Sedge

Delphinium nudicaule, Canyon delphinium

Sticky Monkey flower is native to coastal California and parts of the Sierras - grid24_12

Diplacus aurantiacus, Sticky Monkey Flower

dodecatheon hendersonii flowers - grid24_12

Dodecatheon hendersonii, Broad leafed shooting star

Dudleya lanceolata - lanceleaf liveforever, Southern California dudleya growing out of wall - grid24_12

Dudleya lanceolata, Liveforever

This was a planting down by our bridge. I thought the Giant Rye / Buckwheat mix was wonderful. - grid24_12

Elymus condensatus, Giant Wild Rye

Elymus glaucus, Blue Wildrye

Leymus triticoides - creeping wild rye, Valley Wild rye, alkali rye down at the end of our road in Santa Margarita - grid24_12

Elymus triticoides, Alkali Rye

California Buckwheat, Eriogonum fasciculatum foliolosum on a hillside above the nursery. - grid24_12

Eriogonum fasciculatum foliolosum, California Buckwheat

Eriogonum angulosum; Anglestem Buckwheat

Eriogonum roseum; Wand Buckwheat - grid24_12

Eriogonum gracile,(E.vargatum) Wild Buckwheat

Eriogonum gracile var. gracile
Slender Buckwheat is an annual buckwheat that is native all over the Santa Margarita property. - grid24_12

Eriogonum roseum,Wand buckwheat

Eriophyllum confertiflorum, Golden Yarrow

Wallflower, Erysimum capitatum comes in many shapes , sizes and colors - grid24_12

Erysimum capitatum, Western Wallflower

Fragaria californica, Wood Strawberry

Frankenia grandiflora, Alkali Heath

Gnaphalium californicum, California Pearly Everlasting

Galium andrewsii, Andrew's bedstraw,
Galium aparine,
and Gilia achilleifolia, California gilia

Back side of Grindella hirsutula, Hairy gumplant - grid24_12

Grindelia hirsutula, Hairy gumplant

Helenium puberulum What happened to the Flower? - grid24_12

Helenium puberulum, Sneezeweed

Heleocharis macrostachya, Common Spike Rush

Heliotropium curassavicum, Wild Heliotrope

Helianthus californicus, California sunflower.

Toyon has red berries that are relished by many bird species. - grid24_12

Heteromeles arbutifolia, Toyon

Heterotheca grandiflora, Telegraph Weed

Hordeum brachyantherum, Meadow barley

Iris macrosiphon, Ground Iris

Isocoma venetus, vernoniodes Isocoma

Juglans hindsii, Northern California walnut

Juncus patens, Common Rush

Koeleria macrantha, June Grass

Lasthenia glabrata, Goldfields

Lathyrus jepsonii, californicus

Lathyrus vestitus, Wild Pea

Layia platyglossa, Tidy Tips

Lepechinia calycina, California Pitcher Plant

Lithophragma heterophylla,Woodland Star

Lonicera hispidula, California Honeysuckle

Lupinus bicolor, Pigmy-leaved Lupine

Lupinus formosa, Summer Lupine - grid24_12

Lupinus formosus, Summer Lupinus

Lupinus latifolius, Broad Leaf Lupine

Field Lupine, Lupinus nanus, and they are fragrant - grid24_12

Lupinus nanus, Sky Lupine

Lupinus succulentus, Arroyo Lupine

Mahonia nervosa occurs from about San Jose North in both the coast ranges and Sierras. - grid24_12

Mahonia nervosa, Longleaf Mahonia,

Mahonia pinnata, Shinyleaf Mahonia

Melica imperfecta, California Melic

Mentzelia lindleyi, Blazing Star

Mimulus guttatus, Seep Monkey Flower

Coyote Mint, Monardella villosa flowers. - grid24_12

Monardella villosa, Coyote Mint

Montia perifoliata, Miner's Lettuce

Orthocarpus exserta, Owl's Clover

Oso Berry in the wild. Berries taste like a bland Blueberry with a large seed. - grid24_12

Osmaronia cerasiformis, Oso Berry

Pellaea andromedifolia, Coffee Fern

Pellaea mucronata, Bird's Foot Fern

Penstemon heterophyllus is a Foothill Penstemon. It's grows in slightly less rainfall the Penstemon heterophyllus australis. Flowers are deeper blue. - grid24_12

Penstemon heterophyllus, Foothill Penstemon

Phacelia imbricata, Pine Bee Flower

Phacelia tanacetifolia, Lacy Phacelia

Pinus sabiniana, Digger Pine, aka gray pine - grid24_12

Pinus sabiniana, Gray Pine

Gold back fern, Pityrogramma triangularis, growing between the granite rocks. - grid24_12

Pityrogramma triangularis, Goldenback Fern

Plagiobothrys nothofulvus (rusty popcornflower) - grid24_12

Plagiobothrys nothofulvus(image only)

Plantago erecta - Dot-seed Plantain - grid24_12

Plantago erecta, Plantain

California sycamore, Platanus racemosa down the road a little on Las Pilitas road. Fall color - grid24_12

Platanus racemosa, California Sycamore

Platystemon californicus, Cream Cups

Poa scabrella, Pine bluegrass

Ripe fruit on the Hollyleaf Cherry, Prunus ilicifolia - grid24_12

Prunus ilicifolia, Holly-Leafed Cherry

Quercus agrifolia, Coast Live Oak

Scrub Oak, Quercus berberidifolia - grid24_12

Quercus berberidifolia, Scrub Oak

Quercus douglasii, Blue Oak

Quercus durata as a mature bush-tree. - grid24_12

Quercus durata, Leather Oak

A 30 year old Quercus lobata, Valley Oak about 35 foot tall. - grid24_12

Quercus lobata, White Oak

Ranunculus californicus, Buttercup, Crowfoot

Coffeeberry, Rhamnus californica, with berries. Native plants attract native birds. - grid24_12

Rhamnus californica, Coffeeberry

Rhamnus crocea, Redberry

Rhamnus crocea ilicifolia, Hollyleaf Redberry

Ribes californicum, Hillside Gooseberry

Ribes speciosum, Fuchsia-Flowered Gooseberry, here showing wonderful contrast between the red flowers, shiny green leaves, and the white plaster 1940's era house wall in King City, California. Fuchsia Flowered Gooseberry grows well in much of California, Oregon, and coastal Washington, but it is native from about San Jose, south. - grid24_12

Ribes speciosum,Fuchsia-Flowering Gooseberry

Rosa californica, California wild rose

Rosa spithamea, Ground Rose

Salix laevigata, Red Willow

Salix lasiolepis, Arroyo Willow

Black Sage, Salvia mellifera used to cover most of central and Southern California's coastal mountains from about San Jose and Livermore south to Baja. - grid24_12

Salvia mellifera, Black Sage

Elderberry,
Mexican Elderberry, Western Elderberry berries can be eaten raw by some, other folks will be violently ill if they eat them raw. If cooked, all seem to be fine with them. - grid24_12

Sambucus mexicana, Tapiro

Sanicula bipinnatifida

Sanicula crassicaulis, Pacific blacksnakeroot, Pacific Sanicle - grid24_12

Sanicula crassicaulis,Snakeroot

Harry the dog yawning as he's asking are we done yet. - grid24_12

Saxifraga californica

Scrophularia californica, California Figwort

Senecio douglasii, Butterweed

Sisyrinchium bellum, Blue-Eyed Grass

Stachys ajugoides rigida, Bugle Hedgenettle commonly has polka dot flowers - grid24_12

Stachys ajugoides, Hedge Nettle

Stachys albens, White hedge nettle

Stipa lepida, Foothill Stipa

Stipa pulchra, Purple Stipa

Poison Oak, Toxicodendron diversilobum, berries are white when ripe. Most of us would die, or at least think had, if we ate them, but the wildlife likes them. Bluesbirds in particular seem to like them. - grid24_12

Toxicodendron diversilobum, Poison oak

Typha domingensis, Southern Cat-Tail

Umbellularia californica, Bay Laurel

Verbena lasiostachys, Western Vervain

Viola pedunculata, Violet

Zauschneria california, Epilobium, Uvas Canyon is a California fuchsia that grows very will in a large pot or container garden. It was originally collected between San Jose, Santa Cruz and Gilroy. - grid24_12

Zauschneria californica, California Fuchsia

This page was complied from the copyrighted images of LasPilitas.com, information from the Consortium of California Herbaria, checked against "Flora of the Mount Hamilton Range of California, by Helen Sharsmith, 1982 and Flora of the Santa Cruz Mountains of California, by John Hunter Thomas, 1961.