Native trees of California.

There are so many native trees in California. I'll try to cover the basics so you can get a feel for what is native in the state and what you can choose from in the trade.
Fir trees are native to the middle to higher elevations or higher rainfall areas of California. Native fir trees do ok in most California gardens with extra water. BUT, they are slowww. I had a customer decades ago that had one in a half of wine barrel and moved it in for Christmas each year, worked for about twenty years.
Fir trees are native to the higher moutains and and higher rainfall areas of California.Abies amabilis,  Pacific Silver Fir
Abies bracteata, Santa Lucia Fir
Abies concolor,  White Fir
Abies magnifica
Abies procera, Noble Fir



Maple trees are native in the mountain areas or riparian areas of California.Maple trees are native mostly near water. In California they are native throughout the state along the creeks, rivers and wetter north slopes.
Acer circinatum, Vine Maple
Acer glabrum, Mountain Maple
Acer macrophyllum, Big Leaf Maple
Acer negundo, californicum California Box Elder
Acer negundo californicum Bert's Toy Box
Our native  Betula occidentalis, Water Birch tree grows in creeks and north slopes. It's not very big..


Buttonwillow can grow into a small tree. It is native throughout the world. Celtis reticulata, Hackberry  is a small native tree that follows many of the creeks and washes along the edge of the Mojave desert south into San Diego County,  and east into Texas and North into Idaho.

Cephalanthus occidentalis californica, Buttonwillow  grows throughout the world along the edge of creeks, ponds and waterways.






The Palo Verdes are different. The C. floridum grows in desert washes, the C. microphyllum grows on hillsides. Both are cool trees.
Western Redbud is a wonderfully small native tree. Cercidium floridum, Palo Verde
Cercidium microphyllum,  Littleleaf Palo Verde

 Cercis occidentalis, Western Redbud  is a very cool little native tree. Fun and beautiful.


Desert willow is a small native tree along the Colorado riverChilopsis linearis, Desert Willow , a small tree that flowers in summer? If you have heat and a little water, you have a winner. Desert Willow is native mostly along the Colorado River.

Cornus nuttallii, Western Dogwood is the only Dogwood that is native in California and could be called a tree.
Corylus cornuta californica, Western Hazelnut
Crataegus douglasii, Western Thorn Apple
The Cypress are really quick bushes that grow into trees.
Cupressus bakeri, Fast and furious native trees.
Cupressus forbesii, Tecate Cypress
Cupressus goveniana ssp. goveniana, Gowen Cypress
Cupressus macnabiana,
Cupressus macrocarpa, Monterey Cypress
Cupressus nevadensis, Piute Cypress
Cupressus sargentii, Sarget Cypress

Juglans californica, California Walnut
California junipers are slow native bushes that slowly become trees. Juglans hindsii,Northern California walnut
Juniperus californica,  California Juniper
Juniperus  occidentalis, Western Juniper
Libocedrus decurrens,  Incense Cedar
Lyonothamnus floribundus ssp. asplenifolius, Catalinia Ironwood
Picea engelmannii, Engelmann Spruce 
Pinus attenuata, Knobcone Pine
Pinus attenuataXradiata Monty Knob
Pinus balfouriana, Foxtail Pine
Pinus californica. California Pine
Some native pines are green, some gray. Beach Pine is small and green. Pinus contorta contorta, Beach Pine
Pinus coulteri, Coulter Pine
Pinus edulis, Pinyon Pine
Pinus flexilis,  Limber Pine 
Pinus jeffreyi, Jeffrey Pine
Pinus lambertiana, Sugar Pine
Pinus longaeva, Bristlecone Pine 
Some of the native pines are slow, some are fast. Pinus monophylla is slow. Pinus monophylla Pinyon Pine 
Pinus muricata, Bishop Pine 
Pinus murrayana Lodgepole Pine 
Pinus ponderosa Ponderosa Pine 
Pinus quadrifolia, Parry Pinyon 
 Pinus radiata, Monterey Pine 
Pinus radiata macrocarpa Cambria Pine 
Pinus remorata, Island Bishop Pine 
California has a lot of native pine trees. Pinus sabiniana,  Gray Pine 
Pinus torreyana, Torrey Pine 
Pinus washoensis, Washoe Pine 
Populus angustifolia, Mammoth Narrow Leaf Cottonwood
Populus fremontii, Western Cottonwood 
Populus tremuloides Quaking Aspen
Populus trichocarpa Black Cottonwood 
Prosopis glandulosa torreyana, Honey Mesquite 
Prosopis pubescens, Screwbean Mesquite
Big Cone Spruce grows north of Los Angeles in many different native habitats. Pseudotsuga macrocarpa, Bigcone Spruce 
Pseudotsuga menziesii, Douglas Fir 






We have a series of pages that review the oaks that are native to California..
Quercus acutidens x Scrub Oak 
Oaks are probably the most common native tree in California. Quercus agrifolia, Coast Live Oak
Quercus alvordiana, Eastmans Oak
Quercus berberidifolia, Scrub Oak 
Quercus chrysolepis, White live Oak
Quercus cornelius-mulleri,  Mullers Scrub Oak
Quercus douglasii, Blue Oak 
Quercus dunnii 
Quercus engelmannii, Mesa Oak
Quercus garryana, White oak
Quercus john-tuckeri,  Tuckers Oak
Kellogg oak is one of California's and the west most attractive native tree. Quercus kelloggii Kellogg Oak
Quercus lobata,  White Oak
Quercus tomentella, Island Oak
Quercus wislizenii, Interior Live Oak



Salix goodingii, San Joaquin Willow 
Salix goodingii variabilis, San Joaquin Willow
Salix laevigata, Red Willow
Salix lasiandra, Pacific willow
Salix lasiolepis, Arroyo Willow
Salix lasiolepis bracelinae
Salix melanopsis, Longleaf Willow
Sequoia sempervirens, Coast Redwood
Redwoods are our biggest native trees. Sequoiadendron giganteum, Giant Sequoia 
Shepherdia argentea, Silver Buffaloberry
Staphylea bolanderi, Bladder Nut
Torreyacalifornica, California Nutmeg
Umbellularia californica, Bay Laurel
Washingtonia filifera, California Fan Palm
Yucca brevifolia, Joshua Tree

Last edited on 2012-01-08 18:09:29.

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