Plants of the San Marcos Foothills Preserve

As of the latest publication date of this page (11/2/23) 306 plants have been documented on the San Marcos Foothills (188 are native and 118 are
non-native). New photos of the plants are being added regularly.

The "*" indicates a non-native species. All photography on this page is copyright Ken Owen unless otherwise noted. Click on the links below to view a page for each photographed plant.

You can also click here for a PDF version of the list

Click on a header below to sort by scientific name or by common name

Plants By Scientific Name	Plants By Common Name
Achyrachaena mollis	blow wives
Acmispon glaber var. glaber	deerweed
Acmispon maritimus var. maritimus	coastal lotus
Acmispon strigosus	Hairy lotus
Acmispon wrangelianus	chilean trefoil
Acourtia microcephala	sacapellote
Adenostoma fasciculatum var. fasciculatum	chamise
Adiantum jordanii	California maindenhair fern
Agrostis pallens	thin grass
Ambrosia psilostachya	western ragweed
Amaryllis belladonna *	Belladonna lily *
Amsinckia intermedia	common fiddleneck
Apium graveolens *	celery
Araujia sericifera *	bladder-flower
Artemisia californica	California sagebrush
Artemisia douglasiana	mugwort
Asclepias fascicularis	narrowleaf milkweed
Asparagus asparagoides *	bridal creeper, smilax
Atriplex semibaccata *	Australian saltbush
Avena barbata *	slender wild oat
Avena fatua *	wild oat
Azolla filiculoides	mosquito fern
Baccharis pilularis ssp. consanguinea	coyote brush
Baccharis plummerae ssp. plummerae	plummer baccharis
Baccharis salicifolia ssp. salicifolia	mulefat
Bidens pilosa *	beggarticks
Bloomeria crocea ssp. crocea	golden stars
Borago officinalis *	Borage *
Brachypodium distachyon *	false brome
Brassica nigra *	black mustard
Brassica rapa *	field mustard
Brickellia californica	California brickellbush
Brodiaea terrestris ssb. kernensis	Kern brodiaea
Bromus carinatus var. carinatus	California brome
Bromus diandrus *	ripgut brome
Bromus hordeaceus *	soft chess
Bromus madritensis ssp. rubens *	red brome
Calandrinia menziesii	red maids
Calochortus catalinae	Catalina mariposa lily
Calystegia macrostegia ssp. cyclostegia	coastal morning-glory
Camissoniopsis bistorta	California sun cup
Camissoniopsis hirtella	hairy sun cup
Camissoniopsis micrantha	miniature suncup
Capsella bursa-pastoris *	shepherd's purse
Cardionema ramosissimum	sand mat
Carduus pycnocepnalus *	Italian thistle
Carex sp.	sedge
Castilleja densiflora spp. gracilis	Graceful owl’s clover
Castilleja exserta ssp. exerta	purple owl's clover
Ceanothus crassifolius	snowball
Ceanothus megacarpus var. megacarpus	bigpod ceanothus
Ceanothus spinosus	greenbark ceanothus
Centaurea melitensis *	tocalote
Ceratophyllum demersum	hornwort
Cercocarpus betuloides var. betuloides	birch-leaf mountain mahogany
Chenopodium album *	lambsquarters
Chenopodium californicum	soaproot
Chenopodium murale *	nettle leaf goosefoot
Chlorogalum pomeridianum var. pomeridianum	small soap plant
Cirsium vulgare *	bull thistle
Clarkia purpurea	clarkia
Claytonia perfoliata ssp. perfoliata	miner's lettuce
Clematis lasiantha	pipestem clematis, chaparral clematis
Clematis ligusticifolia	creek clematis
Collinsia heterophylla	Purple Chinese houses
Conium maculatum *	poison hemlock
Convolvulus arvensis *	bindweed
Corethrogyne filaginifolia	California aster
Cortaderia jubata *	jubata grass
Cortaderia selloana *	pampas grass
Crassula connata	pygmy weed
Crocanthemum scoparium var. vulgare	peak rush-rose
Croton setigerus	dove weed
Cryptantha intermedia var. intermedia	common forget-me-not
Cucurbita foetidissima	calabazilla
Cuscuta subinclusa	canyon dodder
Cynara cardunculus *	artichoke thistle
Cynodon dactylon *	bermuda grass
Cyperus eragrostis	umbrella-sedge
Cyperus involucratus *	African umbrella-sedge
Datura wrightii	jimson weed
Deinandra fasciculata	fasciculed tarplant
Delairea odorata *	cape-ivy
Descurainia pinnata	tansy mustard
Dipterostemon capitatus	blue dicks
Diplotaxis muralis *	annual wallrocket
Drymocallis glandulosa var. glandulosa	sticky cinquefoil
Dryopteris arguta	coastal wood fern
Dudleya lanceolata	lanceleaf live-forever
Ehrharta erecta *	veldtgrass
Eleocharis macrostachya	spikerush
Elymus condensatus	giant rye
Elymus glaucus subsp. glaucus	blue wild rye
Emmenanthe penduliflora var. penduliflora	whispering bells
Encelia californica	California bush sunflower
Epilobium brachycarpum	Annual fireweed
Epilobium canum ssp. canum	California fuchsia
Epilobium ciliatum ssp. ciliatum	willow herb
Erigeron canadensis	horseweed
Erigeron foliosus var. foliosus	leafy fleabane
Eriodictyon crassifolium var. nigrescens	yerba santa
Eriogonum elongatum	longstem buckwheat
Eriogonum fasciculatum var. foliolosum	California buckwheat
Eriophyllum confertiflorum var. confertiflorum	golden yarrow
Erodium botrys *	Broad leaf filaree
Erodium cicutarium *	redstem filaree
Erodium moschatum *	white stemmed filaree
Eschscholzia californica	California poppy
Eucalyptus camaldulensis *	river red gum
Eucalyptus citriodora *	lemon-scented gum
Eucrypta chrysanthemifolia var. chrysanthemifolia	common eucrypta
Euthamia occidentalis	western goldenrod
Festuca bromoides *	slender fescue
Festuca myuros *	rattail sixweeks grass
Festuca perennis *	Italian rye grass
Foeniculum vulgare *	sweet fennel
Fraxinus uhdei *	shamel ash
Galium angustifolium ssp. angustifolium	common bedstraw
Galium aparine	Catchweed bedstraw
Galium californicum ssp. flaccidum	flaccid bedstraw
Galium cliftonsmithii	Santa Barbara bedstraw
Galium nuttallii	nuttall's bedstraw
Genista monspessulana *	French broom
Geranium dissectum *	dissected geranium
Hazardia squarrosa var. squarrosa	sawtooth goldenbush
Hedera sp. *	ivy
Helminthotheca echioides *	bristly ox-tongue
Hesperoyucca whipplei	chaparral yucca
Heteromeles arbutifolia	toyon
Heterotheca grandiflora	telegraph weed
Hirschfeldia incana *	summer mustard
Hordeum brachyantherum ssp. californicum	California barley
Hordeum intercedens	vernal barley
Hordeum marinum ssp. gussoneanum *	mediterranean barley
Hordeum murinum spp. leporinum *	hare or foxtail barley
Hordeum murinum ssp. glaucum *	summer barley
Horkelia cuneata var. cuneata	wedgeleaf horkelia
Hypochaeris glabra *	smooth cat's-ear
Hypochaeris radicata *	rough cat's-ear
Isocoma menziesii var. vernonioides	coastal goldenbush
Isolepis cernua	low bulrush
Juglans californica	southern Calif. black walnut
Juncus bufonius var. bufonius	toad rush
Juncus occidentalis	western rush
Juncus patens	spreading rush
Keckiella cordifolia	heartleaf penstemon
Lactuca serriola *	prickly lettuce
Laennecia coulteri	Coulter's horseweed
Lamarckia aurea *	goldentop
Lamium amplexicaule *	henbit
Lasthenia gracilis	Common goldfields
Lathyrus vestitus var. vestitus	wild sweetpea
Layia platyglossa	Tidy tips
Lepidium nitidum	shining or common peppergrass
Linaria maroccana *	Annual toadflax *
Logfia filaginoides	California cottonrose
Logfia gallica *	Narrowleaf cottonrose *
Lolium perenne *	Perennial ryegrass *
Lonicera subspicata var. subspicata	Santa Barbara honeysuckle
Lupinus bicolor	bicolored lupine
Lupinus hirsutissimus	stinging lupine
Lupinus nanus	sky lupin
Lupinus sparsiflorus	few-flowered lupine
Lupinus succulentus	arroyo lupine
Lupinus truncates	blunt leaved lupine
Lysimachia arvensis *	scarlet pimpernel
Lythrum hyssopifolia *	hyssop loosestrife
Malacothamnus nuttallii	Ojai bushmallow
Malacothrix saxatilis var. saxatilis	cliff aster
Malosma laurina	laural sumac
Malva nicaeensis *	bull mallow
Malva parviflora *	cheeseweed
Marah fabacea	California manroot
Marah macrocarpa	wild cucumber
Marrubium vulgare *	horehound
Matricaria discoidea	pineapple weed
Meconella denticulata	Smallflower fairypoppy
Medicago polymorpha *	burclover
Melica frutescens	woody melicgrass
Melica imperfecta	coast range melic
Melilotus albus *	white sweet-clover
Melilotus indica *	yellow sweet-clover
Mimulus aurantiacus var. pubescens	bush monkeyflower
Mirabilis laevis var. crassifolia	California wishbone bush
Moraea polystachya *	Karoo tulp *
Myoporum laetum *	myoporum
Nasturtium officinale	water cress
Navarretia atractyloides	hollyleaf pincushionplant
Nicotiana glauca *	tree tobacco
Nicotiana quadrivalvis	indian tobacco
Nuttallanthus texanus	blue toadflax
Oenothera xenogaura *	Drummond's gaura
Olea europaea *	olive
Opuntia ficus-indica *	mission cactus/tuna cactus
Opuntia littoralis var. littoralis	coast prickly pear
Oxalis albicans	California wood sorrel
Oxalis pes-caprae *	Bermuda buttercup; sour grass
Oxalis pilosa	hairy wood sorrel
Paeonia californica	California peony
Parkinsonia aculeata *	Retama *
Pectocarya linearis ferocula	Narrow-toothed pectocarya
Pelargonium grossularioide *	Coconut geranium *
Pennisetum clandestinum *	Kikuyu grass
Pennisetum setaceum *	fountain grass
Pentagramma triangularis	Sticky goldback fern
Phacelia cicutaria var. hispida	caterpillar phacelia
Phacelia distans	Common phacelia
Phacelia grandiflora	Large-flowered phacelia
Phacelia hubbyi	Hubby's caterpillar phacelia
Phacelia ramosissima	branching phacelia
Phacelia viscida var. albiflora	sticky phacelia or white phacelia
Phalaris aquatica *	harding grass
Pholistoma auritum var. auritum	Fiesta Flower
Pholistoma racemosum	white fiesta flower
Pittosporum undulatum *	victorian box
Plagiobothrys nothofulvus	rusty popcornflower
Plantago erecta	California plantain
Plantago lanceolata *	narrowleaf plantain
Plantago major *	common plantain
Platanus racemosa	western sycamore
Poa annua *	annual bluegrass
Polygonum aviculare subsp. depressum *	common knotweed
Polypodium californicum	California polypody
Polypogon monspeliensis *	rabbitsfoot grass
Populus trichocarpa	black cottonwood
Primula clevelandii var. clevelandii	shooting stars
Prunus ilicifolia	Hollyleaf cherry
Pseudognaphalium biolettii	two-color rabbit-tobacco
Pseudognaphalium californicum	green everlasting
Pseudognaphalium luteoalbum *	cudweed everlasting
Pseudognaphalium microcephalum	white everlasting
Pteridium aquilinum var. pubescens	western bracken fern
Quercus agrifolia var. agrifolia	coast live oak
Ranunculus californicus	California buttercup
Raphanus sativus *	wild radish
Rhamnus crocea	redberry
Rhus integrifolia	lemonade berry
Ribes amarum	bitter gooseberry
Ribes speciosum	fuchsia-flowered gooseberry
Ricinus communis *	castor bean
Rosa californica	California wild rose
Rubus ursinus	California blackberry
Rumex conglomeratus *	green dock
Rumex crispus *	curly dock
Rumex pulcher *	fiddle dock
Salix laevigata	red willow
Salix lasiolepis	arroyo willow
Salsola australis *	russian thistle
Salvia apiana	white sage
Salvia leucophylla	purple sage
Salvia mellifera	black sage
Salvia spathacea	hummingbird sage
Sambucus nigra ssp. caerulea	blue elderberry
Samolus parviflorus	water pimpernel
Sanicula arguta	sharp toothed sanicle
Sanicula crassicaulis	pacific sanicle
Schinus molle *	Peruvian peppertree
Schinus terebinthifolius *	Brazilian pepper
Scrophularia californica	California figwort
Selaginella bigelovii	Bigelow's spike-moss
Senecio vulgaris *	common groundsel
Sidalcea malviflora	checker bloom
Sidalcea sparsifolia	Southern checkerbloom
Silene gallica *	windmill pink
Silene laciniata subsp. laciniata	Mexican pink
Silybum marianum *	milk thistle
Sisymbrium irio *	London rocket
Sisyrinchium bellum	blue-eyed grass
Solanum douglasii	Douglas nightshade
Solanum elaegnifolium *	white horse-nettle
Solanum rostratum*	Buffalobur nightshade
Solanum xanti	chaparral nightshade
Sonchus asper *	spiny sowthistle
Sonchus oleraceus *	common sow-thistle
Spergula arvensis *	Corn Spurry
Spergularia villosa *	hairy sandspurry
Stachys bullata	California hedge-nettle, wood mint
Stellaria media *	common chickweed
Stephanomeria sp.	wirelettuce
Stipa cernua	Nodding needlegrass
Stipa lepida	foothill needlegrass
Stipa miliacea var. miliacea *	smilo grass
Stipa pulchra	purple needlegrass
Symphoricarpos mollis	snowberry
Symphyotrichum chilense	pacific aster
Tamarix ramosissima *	tamarisk, saltcedar
Taraxacum officinale *	common dandelion
Thalictrum fendleri	meadow rue
Torilis arvensis *	hedge parsley
Toxicodendron diversilobum	poison oak
Tragopogon porrifolius *	oyster plant, salsify
Trichostema lanceolatum	vinegarweed
Trifolium depauperatum var. amplectens	pale sack clover
Trifolium hirtum *	rose clover
Typha domingensis	southern cattail
Typha latifolia *	broad-leaved cattail
Urospermum picroides *	prickly goldenfleece
Urtica dioica ssp. holosericea	giant creek nettle
Urtica urens *	dwarf nettle
Venegasia carpesioides	canyon sunflower
Verbena lasiostachys var. lasiostachys	western vervain
Vicia sativa *	spring vetch
Vinca major *	periwinkle
Xanthium spinosum *	spiny clotbur
Xanthium strumarium	cocklebur
Yucca gigantea *	Spineless yucca *