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Here are plants that are native in the Temecula and Murrieta area.

I've included pictures and links to the ones that we sometimes grow in our native plant nurseries. Others may be available in seed form from other sources. This is not a complete list, but I've included most of the common native plants you might see in the hills and valleys around Temecula and Murrieta.
Alnus rhombifolia south of Big Bear, 6500  feet - grid24_12
Alnus rhombifolia, White Alder occured along Temecula - Murrieta Creek.
Ambrosia psilostachya Western Ragweed - grid24_12
Ambrosia psilostachya, Western Ragweed also occured along Temecula - Murrieta Creek.
Amorpha fruticosa L. Indigo bush or False Indigo Bush flowers - grid24_12
Amorpha fruticosa,  False Indigo occurs in western Riverside county.
Antirrhinum coulterianum (syn. Sairocarpus coulterianus) is native locally in disturbed areas of Southern California. - grid24_12
Antirrhinum coulterianum, Coulters Snapdragon was found in Temecula Canyon.
Antirrhinum kelloggii (syn. Neogaerrhinum strictum) Climbing Snapdragon - grid24_12
Antirrhinum kelloggii, Climbing Snapdragon  is all around Temecula Valley but it only shows up where there are no weeds.
Antirrhinum nuttallianum Nuttall's Snapdragon flowers - grid24_12
Antirrhinum nuttallianum,  Nuttall's Snapdragon also only shows up where there are no weeds.
Arctostaohylos glandulosa flower and bush - grid24_12
Arctostaphylos glandulosa,  Eastwood's manzanita occurs east of Temecula.
Arctostaphylos glauca Ramona Manzanita with pinkish flowers because of the cold early winter makes a great little bush or hedge. - grid24_12
Arctostaphylos glauca, Big Berry Manzanita  used to be common in the Temecula and Murrieta area.
A male Anna's Hummingbird working the flowers of Mexican manzanita. - grid24_12
Arctostaphylos pungens, Pointleaf Manzanita occured south of Temecula.
Rainbow manzanita makes a cute little bush. - grid24_12
Arctostaphylos rainbowensis,  Rainbow Manzanita occurs along the west side of Riverside County.
Argemone munita, Prickly Poppy, growing in one of its natural open, sunny habitats, chaparral edges.   - grid24_12
Argemone munita,  Prickly Poppy  in the Peninsular Range, Agua Tibia Mountains.
 Aristida purpurea var. nealleyi (blue threeawn) in the wild eastb of Barstow - grid24_12
Aristida purpurea, Purple 3-awn was found in the Vail Lake area.
Astragalus Douglasii,  Douglas milkvetch plant - grid24_12
Astragalus Douglasii, Douglas milkvetch along Temecula Creek Canyon.
Coyote Bush in a vacant lot in Salinas. - grid24_12
Baccharis pilularis consanguinea, Coyote Brush is common in disturbed native areas.
Mule fat, Baccharis_viminea

 - grid24_12
Baccharis viminea, Seep Willow occurs in the Peninsular Range E of Temecula.
Baileya multiradiata, Desert marigold in flower. - grid24_12
Baileya multiradiata, Desert Marigold grows in weed free areas around Temecula and Murrieta.
Bloomeria crocea Golden Stars - grid24_12
Bloomeria crocea, Golden Stars occurs in Temecula Canyon.
Bowlesia incana weird carrot. - grid24_12
Bowlesia incana is an annual in the carrot family.
Brickellia californica growing out of rocks along hwy 38 at about Angel Oaks. Brickellia used to be in most of the mountains around Los Angeles. If you planted a few 100,000 of these native plants back, Los Angeles might smell good again. - grid24_12
Brickellia californica, Brickellbush has been found on the south side of Temecula Gorge.
Calandrinia ciliata Red Maids - grid24_12
Calandrinia ciliata, Red Maids still appears in fields in spring.
Calochortus weedii Weeds Mariposa - grid24_12
Calochortus weedii,  Weeds Mariposa and Calochortus splendens live in native areas on the hills around Temecula.
Calystegia macrostegia, California  Morning Glory - grid24_12
Calystegia macrostegia,  California Morning Glory is a big flowered vine west of the area between Temecula and Murrieta.
Carex praegracilis (clustered field sedge) - grid24_12
Carex praegracilis Clustered Field Sedge grows along Temecula Creek.
Castilleja foliolosa Woolly Indian Paintbrush - grid24_12
Castilleja foliolosa, Woolly Indian Paintbrush is semiparasitic on Adenostoma species.
Ceanothus crassifolia covers many of the hills between Orange and Riverside counties. - grid24_12
Ceanothus crassifolius, Hoary-leaved Ceanothus occurs in Southwestern Riverside Co.
Ceanothus leucodermis, White bark Ceanothus in the wild - grid24_12
Ceanothus leucodermis,  White Bark California Lilac is common south and west of Temecula.
Ceanothus tomentosus, Woolly Leaf Mtn. Lilac has deep blue flowers. - grid24_12
Ceanothus tomentosus, Woolly Leaf Mtn. Lilac is west of Temecula and south to Baja.
This is a young Mountain Mahogany after a couple of years with no water. It is mixed in with Trichostema and Chamise here. But nearby it's mixed with scrub oak and Pitcher sage. - grid24_12
Cercocarpus betuloides, Mountain Mahogany is a common native scrub on the slopes.
Winecup Clarkia - grid24_12
Clarkia purpurea, Winecup Clarkia is an annual wildflower that used to cover the fields around Temecula and Murrieta.
Montia perifoliata Miner's Lettuce - grid24_12
Claytonia perifoliata, Miner's Lettuce used to grow under all those native oaks.
Clematis pauciflora - grid24_12
Clematis pauciflora is a little vine that used to grow on north slopes and along the wash in Temecula.
Here is a population of Collinsia heterophylla, Chinese Houses,east of the Santa Lucia mountains, California.  - grid24_12
Collinsia heterophylla, Chinese Houses grows on north slopes.
Croton californicus,  Croton plant - grid24_12
Croton californicus,  Croton grows as a flat mat with lemon flavored leaves in weed free areas.
Cucurbita foetidissima Coyote Melon - grid24_12
Cucurbita foetidissima, Coyote Melon grows in sandy spots.
Cucurbita palmata in gully east of Barstow - grid24_12
Cucurbita palmata,  Coyote Gourd grows in sandy spots.
American Wild Carrot. This one was in a pot and very happy so the flowers are very large. In the wild they can be  a centimeter across on a little dinky plant.  - grid24_12
Daucus pusillus, American Wild Carrot
Delphinium parishii, Sky Blue Larkspur, is shown here in the central oak woodland of California, amongst the weeds, and other wildflowers.  - grid24_12
Delphinium parishii, Sky Blue Larkspur
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
Dichelostemma capitatum,Wild Hyacinth is a small wildflower of native areas.
Red Monkey flower on a foggy spring morning - grid24_12
Diplacus puniceus, Red Monkey Flower
Dryopteris arguta Wood Fern - grid24_12
Dryopteris arguta Wood Fern North slope of Temecula Canyon.
Lady Fingers (Dudleya edulis)  in rock - grid24_12
Dudleya edulis, San Diego Dudleya on the steep slopes of Murrieta Creek and Temecula Creek,
Dudleya pulverulenta, Chalk Liveforever with developing flower spikes, no flowers yet - grid24_12
Dudleya pulverulenta, Chalk Liveforever weed free rocky outcrops.
Heleocharis macrostachya Common Spike Rush - grid24_12
Heleocharis macrostachya, Common Spike Rush in the Temecula River.
Heleocharis montevidensis - grid24_12
Heleocharis montevidensis in the Temecula River.
Heleocharis palustris, Spikerush, is here shown in its natural habitat.  - grid24_12
Eleocharis palustris.
Heleocharis parishii (Eleocharis parishii),  Parish's Spike Rush, is a lovely, delicate, diminutive spike rush, that grows well on small pond edges.  - grid24_12
Eleocharis parishii, Parish's Spike Rush
Leymus condensatus, Giant wildrye and syn. Elymus condensatus is more like a small bush - grid24_12
Elymus condensatus, Giant Wild Rye
Elymus glaucus Blue wild rye, Blue wildrye with seed heads - grid24_12
Elymus glaucus, Blue Wildrye
Leymus triticoides - creeping wild rye, Valley Wild rye, alkali rye west of Mckittrick - grid24_12
Elymus triticoides, Alkali Rye in seasonally wet spots.
 Emmenanthe penduliflora (whisperingbells), I don't know, they've never whispered anything to me. - grid24_12
Emmenanthe penduliflora, Whispering Bells
Acton Encelia, Mountain Bush Sunflower, Encelia actoni  - grid24_12
Encelia actoni, Mountain bush sunflower occurs on higher spots east of Temecula and Murrieta .
Encelia californica - California encelia, California brittlebush, bush sunflower  - grid24_12
Encelia californica, Coast Sunflower occurs west of Temecula and Murrieta
encelia-farinosa-variations - grid24_12
Encelia farinosa, Incienso occurs east of Temecula and Murrieta .
Eriodictyon crassifolium (Thick Leaved Yerba Santa with Checkerspot - grid24_12
Eriodictyon crassifolium, Felt leaved Yerba Santa
California Buckwheat, Eriogonum fasciculatum foliolosum at Santa Margarita - grid24_12
Eriogonum fasciculatum foliolosum, California Buckwheat
Eriogonum roseum; Wand Buckwheat  - grid24_12
Eriogonum gracile, Wild Buckwheat
Eriophyllum confertiflorum, Golden Yarrow, is shown here in full flower in a sunny open area of the California chaparral. - grid24_12
Eriophyllum confertiflorum, Golden Yarrow grows in weed free areas through the area.
California Poppies are covering a slope in in Central California. Plant a poppy into a native garden and you can make it come alive with small wildlife. - grid24_12
Eschscholzia californica, California Poppy
Eucrypta chrysanthemifolia flowers - grid24_12
Eucrypta chrysanthemifolia, Spotted hideseed occurs in weed free native areas.
Forestiera neomexicana, Desert Olive, is growing here in a moist swale in overgrazed rangeland in the eastern Sierra Nevada mountains of California. - grid24_12
Forestiera neomexicana, Desert Olive grows in Temecula Canyon.
Frankenia grandiflora, Alkali Heath - grid24_12
Frankenia grandiflora, Alkali Heath occurs along Murrieta Creek
Gnaphalium californicum California Pearly Everlasting - grid24_12
Gnaphalium californicum, California Pearly Everlasting
Snakeweed or Broom Snake weed is a nice little bush. - grid24_12
Gutierrezia sarothrae, Snakeweed
Haplopappus linearifolius (Ericameria linearifolia, Stenotopsis linearifolia), Narrowleaf Golden Bush  - grid24_12
Haplopappus linearifolius, Narrowleaf Goldenbush
Helianthemum scoparium Sun Rose - grid24_12
Helianthemum scoparium, Sun Rose gows in weed free native soils.
Here is a very old photo, circa 1979, of Helianthus gracilentus, Slender Sunflower, a very short-lived perennial sunflower. - grid24_12
Helianthus gracilentus, Slender Sunflower
Heliotropium curassavicum - grid24_12
Heliotropium curassavicum, Wild Heliotrope
Christmas berry or Toyon with berries is what Hollywood was named after. Toyon will grow in most of Los Angeles with no water after first year. - grid24_12
Heteromeles arbutifolia, Toyon used to grow west of Temecula and Murrieta and in seasonally washes.
Heterotheca grandiflora, Telegraph Weed flowers - grid24_12
Heterotheca grandiflora, Telegraph Weed is a great insect plant.
A close up of Isocoma - grid24_12
Isocoma venetus vernoniodes, Isocoma
Here is a closeup of the inflorescence of Isomeris arborea, Bladderpod. - grid24_12
Isomeris arborea, Bladderpod seems to flower all year, every year.
Juncus xiphioides Iris Leaved Rush - grid24_12
Juncus xiphioides, Iris Leaved Rush grows in wet spots.
Keckiella antirrhinoides Yellow Bush Snapdragon and Yellow Bush Penstemon. - grid24_12
Keckiella antirrhinoides, Yellow Bush Snapdragon grows in sandy spots near Temecula Creek.
There are some pretty native plants growing in Southern California. - grid24_12
Keckiella cordifolia, Heart Leaved Penstemon along the north slopes of Temecula Canyon.
Field lupines and Goldfieilds are common wildflowers in the central oak woodland. These little annuals act to hold the system together until the shrubs and trees can file in. They are the first level of section. - grid24_12
Lasthenia californica, Goldfields grows is open native fields.
Lathyrus laetiflorus alefeldii San Diego Sweetpea - grid24_12
Lathyrus laetiflorus alefeldii, San Diego Sweetpea
Layia platyglossa, Tidy Tips, growing with goldfields, and other wildflowers, makes a lovely carpet, with Quercus douglasii,  in the interior of San Luis Obispo county, California.  - grid24_12
Layia platyglossa, Tidy Tips
Lomatium utriculatum Common Lomatium - grid24_12
Lomatium utriculatum, Common Lomatium
Lonicera subspicata denudata, San Diego Honeysuckle makes a nice small groundcover. - grid24_12
Lonicera subspicata denudata, San Diego Honeysuckle
Lotus purshianus, Spanish clover, Spanish Lotus  - grid24_12
Lotus purshianus, Lotus
This photo shows the shape, the height, the width, and the flowering pattern of Lotus scoparius, Deerweed, in our Santa Margarita garden.  - grid24_12
Lotus scoparius, Deerweed
lotus strigosus flowers - grid24_12
Lotus strigosus, Annual Lotus
Silver Bush Lupine has a mix of pastels and is a stunner in a Southern California Garden. This lupine does not like water and is very drought tolerant. - grid24_12
Lupinus albifrons, Silver Bush Lupine
Lupinus bicolor. - grid24_12
Lupinus bicolor,  Pigmy-leaved Lupine
Grape Soda Lupine in our garden - grid24_12
Lupinus excubitus, Grape soda lupine
 	Lupinus hirsutissimus, Hairy or Stinging Lupine - grid24_12
Lupinus hirsutissimus
Lupinus truncatus, . blunt leaved lupine, collared annual lupine, truncate leaf lupine. - grid24_12
Lupinus truncatus, Blunt leaved lupine
Waterjacket. - grid24_12
Lycium andersonii, Waterjacket
Mahonia nevinii, (syn. Berberis nevinii) Nevin's Barberry flowers with a nectarine behind it. - grid24_12
Mahonia nevinii, Nevin's Barberry
Wow! What a bush mallow!! - grid24_12
Malacothamnus densiflorus, Many Flowered Bushmallow
Malacothamnus fasciculatus,  Bush Mallow, here shown in full flower in the summer time in our Santa Margarita, garden.  - grid24_12
Malacothamnus fasciculatus, Bush mallow
Melica imperfecta, California Melic seed heads - grid24_12
Melica imperfecta, California Melic
Mirabilis californica, Wishbone Bush flowers - grid24_12
Mirabilis californica, Wishbone Bush
Mournful Duskywing butterfly on Monardella lanceolata - grid24_12
Monardella lanceolata
Muhlenbergia rigens,  Deer Grass, is shown here with flowering stalks on the edge of a garden path. This native grass has all sorts of uses. - grid24_12
Muhlenbergia rigens, Deer Grass
Baby Blue Eyes needs bare ground and ants to grow. The weeds have been forcing it out here. - grid24_12
Nemophila menziesii, Baby Blue Eyes
Oenothera californica California Evening primrose, and it smells GOOD - grid24_12
Oenothera californica, California Evening primrose
Oenothera hookeri,  Hooker's Evening Primrose.  - grid24_12
Oenothera hookeri, Hooker's Evening Primrose
Opuntia littoralis, Prickly-Pear flowers - grid24_12
Opuntia littoralis, Prickly-Pear
Paeonia californica, California Peony, is somewhat difficult in gardens, as most gardens are watered year-round, and this plant goes completely dormant in late summer.   - grid24_12
Paeonia californica, California Peony
Pedicularis densiflora Indian Warrior - grid24_12
Pedicularis densiflora, Indian Warrior
Pellaea mucronata, Bird's-Foot Fern, is growing here near granite rocks in the central coast ranges of California.   - grid24_12
Pellaea mucronata, Bird's Foot Fern
Penstemon centranthifolius, Scarlet Bugler, has a natural vase-like shape, which allows all the leaves and flowers to access the most sunlight, and the hummingbirds to feed most efficiently.  - grid24_12
Penstemon centranthifolius, Scarlet Bugler
Penstemon spectablis, Showy Monkey flower with an Anna Hummingbird. Hard to beleive this used to be common in the Santa Monica Mtns, Los Angeles, Pasadena, Eagle Rock  and most of Southern California. - grid24_12
Penstemon spectabilis, Showy Penstemon
Phacelia distans becomes whitish inland. - grid24_12
Phacelia distans
Phacelia imbricata, Pine Bee Flower - grid24_12
Phacelia imbricata, Pine Bee Flower
Pityrogramma triangularis, Goldback Fern, or Pentagramma triangularis ssp. triangularis, is an amazing plant, growing in shade in central oak woodland, Santa Margarita, California. - grid24_12
Pityrogramma triangularis, Goldenback Fern
In this photo you can see the pattern of the bark of a Platanus racemosa, California Sycamore, growing in Arroyo Grande, California.  - grid24_12
Platanus racemosa, California Sycamore
a Populus fremontii ,Carrizo Fremont Cottonwood tree - grid24_12
Populus fremontii, Western Cottonwood
Prosopis glandulosa torreyana, Honey Mesquite - grid24_12
Prosopis glandulosa torreyana,Honey Mesquite
This scrub oak has smooth leaves - grid24_12
Quercus acutidens, Scrub Oak
Quercus agrifolia, Coast Live Oak, catkins, flowers - grid24_12
Quercus agrifolia, Coast Live Oak
Scrub Oak, Quercus berberidifolia - grid24_12
Quercus berberidifolia, Scrub Oak
Quercus engelmanni leaves - grid24_12
Quercus engelmannii, Mesa Oak
California buttercup - grid24_12
Ranunculus californicus, Buttercup, Crowfoot
Rhamnus crocea ilicifolia Hollyleaf Redberry - grid24_12
Rhamnus crocea ilicifolia, Hollyleaf Redberry
Rhus ovata, Sugar Bush leaves and buds. - grid24_12
Rhus ovata, Sugar Bush
Rhus trilobata, Squaw Bush Sumac with the fall color of red. - grid24_12
Rhus trilobata, Squaw Bush Sumac
White Chaparral Currant, Ribes indecorum is native from southern Monterey Co., to San Diego, it used to be a common shrub throughout the Los Angeles basin and the Santa Monica Mountains. - grid24_12
Ribes indecorum, White flowering currant
Rosa californica California wild rose - grid24_12
Rosa californica, California wild rose
Salix exigua Narrowleaf Willow - grid24_12
Salix exigua, Narrowleaf Willow
Salix lasiandra Pacific willow - grid24_12
Salix lasiandra, Pacific willow
White sage, Salvia apiana has incredible leaves. - grid24_12
Salvia apiana, White Sage
Salvia carduacea, Thistle Sage flowers. - grid24_12
Salvia carduacea, Thistle Sage
Salvia clevelandii, Alpine cleveland sage makes a small border or hdege. Native to San Diego and up into Riverside County it will grow in most of California with little or no water. - grid24_12
Salvia clevelandii, Cleveland Sage Musk Sage
Chia instead of weeds. - grid24_12
Salvia columbariae, Chia
A twenty year old Salvia mellifera, Black sage - 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, Mexican elderberry
Sanicula crassicaulis, Pacific blacksnakeroot, Pacific Sanicle - grid24_12
Sanicula crassicaulis, Snakeroot
Another view of Checkerbloom flowers - grid24_12
Sidalcea malvaeflora, Checkerbloom
Silene laciniata angustifolia, Red Catchfly side view - grid24_12
Silene laciniata angustifolia, Red Catchfly
Simmondsia chinensis, Jojoba in flower - grid24_12
Simmondsia chinensis, Jojoba
Sisyrinchium bellum, Blue-Eyed Grass flowers are lavender blue. - grid24_12
Sisyrinchium bellum, Blue-Eyed Grass
Solanum douglasii White Nightshade - grid24_12
Solanum douglasii, White Nightshade
Solanum umbelliferum incanum Bluewitch - grid24_12
Solanum umbelliferum incanum, Bluewitch
Yellow Butterfly Weed,  Solidago confinis - grid24_12
Solidago confinis, Yellow Butterfly Weed
Stachys ajugoides,  Persnickety Pink Pink Hedge Nettle - grid24_12
Stachys ajugoides ajugoides, Persnickety Pink Pink Hedge Nettle
Stipa cernua, Nodding needlegrass is a little perennial - grid24_12
Stipa cernua, Nodding Needlegrass
Stipa coronata depauperata Parsh's Needle Grass - grid24_12
Stipa coronata depauperata, Parsh's Needle Grass
Stipa pulchra, Purple Stipa in an opening in Central oak woodland, not a true grassland. - grid24_12
Stipa pulchra, Purple Stipa
Styrax officinalis fulvescens, Southern Snowdrop bush in flower. - grid24_12
Styrax officinalis fulvescens, Southern Snowdrop bush
Urtica holosericea Hoary Nettle - grid24_12
Urtica holosericea, Hoary Nettle
Venegasia carpesioides, Canyon Sunflower can be found on the north slopes and peaks of the Santa Monica Mountains and throughout greater Los Angeles. - grid24_12
Venegasia carpesioides, Canyon Sunflower
Viola pedunculata, Violet clump - grid24_12
Viola pedunculata, Violet
Vitis girdiana, Southern California Grape used to live in the riparian areas throughout the Los Angeles basin. - grid24_12
Vitis girdiana,  Southern California Grape
 Wyethia ovata, Southern Mule  Ears  with Monarch Butterfly. - grid24_12
Wyethia ovata, Southern Mule Ears
This Xylococcus bicolor was in flower for Christmas. - grid24_12
Xylococcus bicolor, Mission Manzanita
California fuchsia, aka, Zauschneria californica mexicana, AKA Epilobium canum mexicanum flowers growing on a foot high suckering ground cover. California fuchsia likes to be mowed to the ground in January. - grid24_12
Zauschneria californica mexicana, Common California Fuchsia
Zigadenus fremontii, Star Lily - grid24_12
Zigadenus fremontii, Star Lily
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Edited on Jun 21, 2013. Authors:
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