Where to Find Native Plants
From neighborhoods to national parks
Where do native plants live in California? Almost everywhere! You can find native plants in your community, in parks and public spaces, and on public lands like Chuckwalla National Monument or national parks like Yosemite National Park. Find out how you can start seeing them too.
Your local CNPS chapter can help you learn about the native plants that grow where you live. Chapters host garden tours, wildflower shows, plant sales, nature walks, and more. You may also be able to take a walk through your neighborhood and see native plants like California poppy (Eschscholzia californica), coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia), and Cleveland sage (Salvia clevelandii) growing in gardens or public spaces.
A walk in a state park, regional park, or local nature preserve can reveal a variety of native plant species. Thanks to local organizations and volunteer groups (including CNPS chapter members), these areas may be home to protected native plants (including native plants that have been restored). If you’d like to get involved in hands-on work to restore or care for habitat, contact your local chapter to find out what projects they are involved in.
National monuments and national parks are public lands, meaning that they are protected from development and managed to preserve their natural habitats and cultural significance. These are also lands for everyone to visit and enjoy. Three national parks in California are named for the native plants that grow there—Redwood National Park, Sequoia National Park, and Joshua Tree National Park. Visiting a national monument like Carrizo Plain, or a national park like Death Valley, allows you to see landscapes that are among the last remaining intact habitats for native plants and wildlife.
Interested in starting a native plant garden? Calscape, the CNPS gardening website, will guide you every step of the way.
Find a CNPS Chapter event near you or online
