Native Plant ID (formerly Keying with Natives)

Native Plant ID (formerly Keying with Natives) is a Chapter group that works together to learn plant identification using botanical keys and other resources. Join us as we look at plant samples collected from local gardens and practice methods of identifying the native plants of our region. Bring in plant samples if you have some from property where you have permission to collect or just come and work with the materials provided. We will use a variety of plant books and online resources as we endeavor to improve our understanding of botanical terms used in plant identification. The chapter has 10x hand lenses and dissecting microscopes that we can use to look at small plant parts or bring your own lens. Also bring any of the following reference books that you have:

• The Jepson Manual, 2^nd Edition, Willis Linn Jepson, available in hardcover or digital version
• Plants of the San Francisco Bay Region: Mendocino to Monterey, Third Edition, Linda H. Beidleman and Eugene N. Kozloff
• Pacific States Wildflowers, Theodare F. Niehaus and Charles L. Rippe
• A Sierra Nevada Flora, Norman F. Weeden
• Spring Wildflowers of the San Francisco Bay Region and Flora of the Mount Hamilton Range, Helen K. Sharsmith
• Wildflowers of the West, Mabel Crittenden and Dorothy Telfer
• Plant Identification Terminology, An Illustrated Glossary, by James G. Harris and Melinda Woolf Harris, 2nd Edition

Native Plant ID meets the fourth Tuesday of the month at the Peninsula Conservation Center, 3921 E Bayshore Rd, Palo Alto. Join other native plant enthusiasts in a fun and educational atmosphere, as we hone our skills at plant identification (aka “keying”).  For details, contact Janet Hoffmann at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 

Additional Resources

Dee Himes (former CNPS SCV board member, Field Trip Chair, chapter Treasurer, “Weed Warrior” at Edgewood County Park and Preserve and Adjunct Instructor of horticulture at Foothill College, in their Environmental Horticulture and Design program, which she also graduated from with an A.S. in 2006) recorded two online classes that go over the basics of Plant Morphology and the basics of Plant Taxonomy. They cover the basic principles of morphology, which is the study of the form, external structure and development of plants; and the basic principles of taxonomy, which is to learn and look at different plant families. The classes are a good resource for learning the terminology of plant identification.

• Basics of Plant Morphology: https://youtu.be/phvVMbk01CA. Slides are available here.
• Basics of Plant Taxonomy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxu9u9bsBaU

Additional online resources:

• https://vplants.org/portal/plants/glossary/index.php
• https://plantid.net (lecture about this resource: https://www.youtube.com/live/Xb4NvT_GghY?si=S8rxvMj6epCbeMdO)
• https://inaturalist.org
• https://calflora.org

Seed Packet Information: Hills of California

Hills of California

We hope you enjoy your seeds from the CNPS SCV Wildflower Ambassadors program. This plant mix is designed to provide flowers over a period of three months in the spring and early summer in a sunny area. 

Planting Instructions

Fall through winter is the ideal time to start growing California native wildflowers as these have adapted to capitalize on the fall and winter rains (October-February is best) and bloom in spring. They may be planted through April, but after that it is best to wait until at least September to plant them as they do not do well when planted in late spring or summer.

Choose A Site & Prepare Your Soil

1. Choose a spacious site in full sun.
2. Prepare your soil (or several very large pots), by removing all existing growth and debris. If your soil is clay, break it up with some compost or cactus soil (sold at nurseries).
3. Water thoroughly to help seeds settle into the soil. Continue to water a few times a week, unless it rains, so they don’t dry out after germinating. Seeds should sprout in one to three weeks. 
4. After you plant your seeds, let the area ‘go natural’ by leaving the leaf litter on the ground. While many butterflies go into chrysalis on stems or other hard surfaces like branches, many others go into chrysalis in the debris. If you rake or blow it, you could accidentally kill or throw them away.

Avoid using pesticides anywhere in your garden, it will kill the beneficial insects such as bees, butterflies, moths, and ladybugs that you are trying to attract. Try to ignore bugs, as they are part of the ecosystem (for instance, hummingbirds eat aphids). If you hose the plant or try to remove pests you may dislodge butterfly or ladybug eggs or kill tiny caterpillars.  Avoid using herbicides as they also poison the ecosystem you are trying to nurture.

Plants In The Hills Of California Mix

• Farewell to Spring, Clarkia amoena (hosts White Lined Sphinx Moth, Clark’s Day Sphinx Moth)   
• Mountain Garland, Clarkia unguiculata (hosts White Lined Sphinx Moth, Clark’s Day Sphinx Moth)
• Chinese Houses, Collinsia heterophylla (hosts Variable Checkerspot)
• California Poppy, Eschscholzia californica (useful to pollinators, hosts Acmon Blue, Dotted Blue, Mormon Metalmark, etc.)
• Globe Gilia, Gilia capitata (host to Fairy Longhorn Moth)
• Goldfields, Lasthenia glabrata (hosts Small Heliothodes Moth)
• Tidy Tips, Layia platyglossa (hosts Small Heliothodes Moth)
• Blue Flax, Linum lewisii (hosts Variegated Fritillary)
• Miniature Lupine, Lupinus bicolor (hosts Painted Lady, Acmon Blue, Gray Hairstreak)
• Sky Lupine, Lupinus nanus (hosts Orange Sulphur, Painted Lady, Acmon Blue, Gray Hairstreak)
• Arroyo Lupine, Lupinus succulentus (hosts West Coast Lady, Painted Lady, Acmon Blue, Gray Hairstreak)
• Five Spot, Nemophila maculate (hosts Funereal Duskywing)
• Baby Blue-Eyes, Nemophila menziesii (hosts Owlet Moth)
• Lacy Phacelia, Phacelia tanacetifolila – (hosts Bilobed Looper Moth, beloved by bees)

The list of moths and butterflies hosted by these plants is just a sample, these plants are a host to many more - a comprehensive list of butterflies each plant hosts, and details about the plants and butterflies, can be found at Calscape.org

*”Host” = key food source for the caterpillars of these particular butterflies, that co-evolved to specialize over thousands of years. Butterflies die out without these plants.

Seed Packet Information: California Shady Wildflower Mix

California Shady Wildflower Mix

We hope you enjoy your seeds from the CNPS SCV Wildflower Ambassadors program. This plant mix is designed to provide flowers over a period of three months in the spring and early summer in a shady area. 

Planting Instructions

Fall through winter is the ideal time to start growing California native wildflowers as these have adapted to capitalize on the fall and winter rains (October-February is best) and bloom in spring. They may be planted through April, but after that it is best to wait until at least September to plant them as they do not do well when planted in late spring or summer.

Choose A Site & Prepare Your Soil

1. Choose a spacious site in full sun.
2. Prepare your soil (or several very large pots), by removing all existing growth and debris. If your soil is clay, break it up with some compost or cactus soil (sold at nurseries).
3. Water thoroughly to help seeds settle into the soil. Continue to water a few times a week, unless it rains, so they don’t dry out after germinating. Seeds should sprout in one to three weeks. 
4. After you plant your seeds, let the area ‘go natural’ by leaving the leaf litter on the ground. While many butterflies go into chrysalis on stems or other hard surfaces like branches, many others go into chrysalis in the debris. If you rake or blow it, you could accidentally kill or throw them away.

Avoid using pesticides anywhere in your garden, it will kill the beneficial insects such as bees, butterflies, moths, and ladybugs that you are trying to attract. Try to ignore bugs, as they are part of the ecosystem (for instance, hummingbirds eat aphids). If you hose the plant or try to remove pests you may dislodge butterfly or ladybug eggs or kill tiny caterpillars.  Avoid using herbicides as they also poison the ecosystem you are trying to nurture.

Plants In The California Shady Wildflower Mix

• Mountain Garland, Clarkia unguiculata (hosts Clark's Day Sphinx Moth)
• Chinese Houses, Collinsia heterophylla (hosts Variable Checkerspot)
• Baby Blue-Eyes, Nemophila menziesii (hosts Owlet Moth)
• Five Spot, Nemophila maculate (hosts Alfalfa Looper Moth)
• Farewell to Spring, Clarkia amoena (hosts White Lined Sphinx Moth)
• Punchbowl Godetia, Clarkia bottae (hosts Mariposa Forester)
• Bird’s Eye Gilia, Gilia tricolor (hosts Spotted Sun Straw Moth)
• Grand Linanthus, Linanthus grandifloras (hosts Buckwheat Borer Moth)

The list of moths and butterflies hosted by these plants is just a sample, these plants are a host to many more - a comprehensive list of butterflies each plant hosts, and details about the plants and butterflies, can be found at Calscape.org

*”Host” = key food source for the caterpillars of these particular butterflies, that co-evolved to specialize over thousands of years. Butterflies die out without these plants.

Seed Packet Information: California Pollinator Seed Mix

California Pollinator Seed Mix

We hope you enjoy your seeds from the CNPS SCV Wildflower Ambassadors program. This plant mix provides a variety of sun loving California native annuals and perennials that sustain pollinators over a long season.. 

Planting Instructions

Fall through winter is the ideal time to start growing California native wildflowers as these have adapted to capitalize on the fall and winter rains (October-February is best) and bloom in spring. They may be planted through April, but after that it is best to wait until at least September to plant them as they do not do well when planted in late spring or summer.

Choose A Site & Prepare Your Soil

1. Choose a spacious site in full sun.
2. Prepare your soil (or several very large pots), by removing all existing growth and debris. If your soil is clay, break it up with some compost or cactus soil (sold at nurseries).
3. Water thoroughly to help seeds settle into the soil. Continue to water a few times a week, unless it rains, so they don’t dry out after germinating. Seeds should sprout in one to three weeks. 
4. After you plant your seeds, let the area ‘go natural’ by leaving the leaf litter on the ground. While many butterflies go into chrysalis on stems or other hard surfaces like branches, many others go into chrysalis in the debris. If you rake or blow it, you could accidentally kill or throw them away.

Avoid using pesticides anywhere in your garden, it will kill the beneficial insects such as bees, butterflies, moths, and ladybugs that you are trying to attract. Try to ignore bugs, as they are part of the ecosystem (for instance, hummingbirds eat aphids). If you hose the plant or try to remove pests you may dislodge butterfly or ladybug eggs or kill tiny caterpillars.  Avoid using herbicides as they also poison the ecosystem you are trying to nurture.

Plants In The California Pollinator Seed Mix

• Yarrow, Achillea millefolium (hosts Northern Scurfy Quaker, Olive Arches, Yarrow Plume Moth, Smeathmann's Aethes Moth)
• Mountain Garland, Clarkia unguiculata (hosts Clark's Day Sphinx Moth)
• Fort Miller Clarkia, Clarkia williamsonii (hosts Clark's Day Sphinx Moth, White-lined Sphinx, Pacific Green Sphinx Moth, Mariposa Forester)
• California Poppy, Eschscholzia californica (useful to pollinators, hosts Acmon Blue, Dotted Blue, Mormon Metalmark, etc.)Lupinus micrantha densiflorus himes crop small
  Central Valley Gumplant, Grindelia camporum (hosts Orange Tortrix Moth, Cremastobombycia grindeliella)
• Dense-flowered Lupine, Lupinus microcarpus var. densiflorus (hosts Painted Lady, Acmon Blue, Boisduval's Blue, Silvery BLue, Orange Sulphur)
• Rock Phacelia, Phacelia californica (hosts Oidaematophorus phaceliae, Clepsis fucana, Bilobed Looper Moth, Orange Tortrix Moth)
• Great Valley Phacelia, Phacelia ciliata (hosts Bilobed Looper Moth, Orange Tortrix Moth, Geranium Plumed Moth)
• Bolander's Phacelia, Phacelia bolanderi (hosts Bilobed Looper Moth, Orange Tortrix Moth, Geranium Plumed Moth)
• Serpentine Sunflower, Helianthus bolanderi (hosts Painted Lady, Milbert's Tortoiseshell, California Patch)

The list of moths and butterflies hosted by these plants is just a sample, these plants are a host to many more - a comprehensive list of butterflies each plant hosts, and details about the plants and butterflies, can be found at Calscape.org

*”Host” = key food source for the caterpillars of these particular butterflies, that co-evolved to specialize over thousands of years. Butterflies die out without these plants.

CNPS SCV Wildflower Ambassadors

CNPS SCV Wildflower Ambassadors (WFA) hand out free native seeds and information at events and library talks, join and assist with tours of local native gardens, enjoy seed packing parties together, pitch in at pollinator gardens and restoration projects and promote native gardening on social media. Above all, they have a good time while inspiring people to start their own native gardens and create habitat for our native bees, butterflies, birds and more. 

For more information and questions email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. We can only accomodate seed requests for our chapter area. If you are not in Santa Clara County or southern San Mateo County, please contact your local CNPS chapter. Want to sign up? Join the group: https://cnps-scv-groups.groups.io/g/WFA.

Seed and Garden Information

Did you receive a free wildflower seed packet from us? Go here for more information about the seeds you received.

Learn more about habitat gardens and native plants on this webpage. 

Wildflower Seed Planting

Grow Wildflowers!

CNPS Santa Clara Valley Chapter is promoting biodiversiity by giving free wildflower seeds to native plant gardeners in our chapter area (Santa Clara and San Mateo counties) to re-energize the ecosystem in their home gardens. Together, we can bring back butterflies, bees, and birds. Find our Wildflower Ambassadors at events to receive free seeds.

Each seed packet you receive from us contains California native wildflowers in rich hues of gold, orange, pink, purple and blue that will cover three to four square feet or several large pots. You can scatter these seeds in an area planted with native grasses for a meadow effect. 

Scattering a packet of native wildflower seeds is a joyful way to restore lost essential habitat while enhancing your gardening experience. We hope you revel in the beauty of the flowers, colorful caterpillars, variety of pollinators, baby birds, and the dance of life in your garden.

Planting Instructions

1. Choose a site in full sun to partial shade.
2. Prepare your soil by removing all existing growth and debris. If your soil is clay, break it up with some compost or cactus mix (sold at nurseries).
3. Scatter your seeds over the prepared area. For more even coverage, you can mix your seeds with a little sand before scattering them.
4. Water thoroughly to help seeds settle into the soil. Continue to water a few times a week, unless it rains, so they don’t dry out after germinating. Seeds should sprout in one to three weeks. 
5. After your plants are several inches tall, let the area ‘go natural’ by leaving the leaf litter on the ground. While many butterflies go into chrysalis on stems or other hard surfaces like branches, many others go into chrysalis in the debris. If you rake or blow it, you could accidentally kill or throw them away.

The beauty, color, and scent of flowers bring us joy. However, it's crucial to remember that for bees, butterflies, and birds, flowers serve as a vital source of nourishment for their survival. Plants and flowers provide bees with pollen, butterflies and moths with nectar, and caterpillars with essential food in the form of leaves. Butterflies, for instance, sip nectar from various flowers but lay their eggs exclusively on certain host plants that will nourish their offspring. The Variable Checkerspot, Silvery Blue, and other butterflies and moths depend on these plants as a food source for their caterpillars. In turn, these caterpillars play a crucial role in the survival of local birds, as 96% of the birds that visit your yard rely on caterpillars to feed their young. To learn more about this fascinating relationship, consider reading Nature's Best Hope by Doug Tallamy or watching this video. Share this information with your friends and neighbors. Some neighborhoods are even creating "butterfly corridors" by planting patches of wildflowers and native plants in their gardens. So, take a moment to appreciate the beauty and importance of flowers in our ecosystem.

Want more seeds? Check our list of places to buy native seeds.

Contact us with questions at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Resources for Gardeners

The California Native Plant Society (CNPS) is a science-based organization founded in 1965 with a mission to conserve California native plants and their natural habitats, and increase understanding, appreciation, and horticultural use of native plants. The Santa Clara Valley chapter covers Santa Clara County and southern San Mateo County. Check out the great resources on our website and the numerous talks on native plant gardening and native plant science on our YouTube channel. We also have chapter fieldtrips, online plant sales, and other exciting events like our annual Growing Natives Garden tour. The CNPS state website also has excellent resources and information to get you started with native plant science or gardening. 

Want to find more California Native plants specific to your area, and the butterflies that use them as host plants? Then check out the wonderful CNPS Calscape website, which includes descriptions and planting information about every California native plant and links to native plant nurseries all over the state. For a user guide to using this amazing resource, watch this talk.

Discover flora and fauna in your region and across the globe, and even post your own observations on the iNaturalist app.

Seek answers to questions:

Why should we grow native plants to save birds and butterflies?  Listen to Susan Karasoff here. 

How can you restore nature in your garden? Dennis Mudd shares his insights

Where can you find more information about pollinator plants? Juanita Salisbury is an expert who talks about this. 

When should you plant, water, prune, or leave things alone? Helen Popper shares a month-by-month guide for California gardeners.

What planting methods and soil will ensure success? Haven Kiers from UC Davis shares some research. 

Need Plants? Find nurseries and plant sales using our list.

Seeking a few more butterfly resources? The Xerces Society is a great resource as well as the Bay Area Wildlife resource website. 

Looking for a list of great books for gardening with native plants and ifor wildlife? Go to our resource page for books.

Need help getting started with a native plant garden? Tips are available in this video

Want to see most of California’s native habitats in one location? Check out the Regional Botanic Garden in Tilden Park. 
Here is a list of public gardens with native plants.

Field Trip! Chapter field trips are listed here or on our Meetup page.

Contact us with questions at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

2020 CNPS SCV Native Plant Lecture Series

The CNPS SCV Native Plant Lecture Series was started during the pandemic in 2020. Talks in the series cover a wide range of native plant related topics -- conservation, rare plants, gardening, plant science, tours of botanical hot spots, and more. The talks were live presentations followed by Q&As with the viewing audience. 

Project 467: Enhancing Native Plant Diversity at Edgewood, Stuart B. Weiss Ph.D.

Wednesday, December 16, 2020

Watch on YouTube.

Edgewood Natural Preserve near Redwood City is famous for its flower-filled serpentine grasslands. But the 467 acres of Edgewood support great biodiversity in the chaparral, oak woodlands, and grasslands on more fertile soils. The 100+ acres of fertile grasslands are by far the most weed-invaded habitat, and have been the focus of successful control of “macroweeds.” Learn how the Friends of Edgewood and Creekside Science are pursuing the goal of decreasing “microweeds” and increasing native cover and diversity.

A Rapid Assessment Plot (RAP) inventory with over 80 plots documented more than 90 native species in the fertile grasslands, albeit often at low cover. They are investigating treatments to reduce annual weed seedlings just after germination, including hydromechanical pulverization (HMP) -- basically pressurewashing the grassland, and close-mowing with string cutters.

Besides commercially available local seeds, they are using more than 15 species of “boutique” seeds grown at Edgewood Farms and the Native Garden. They are trying to develop a long-term “indigenous” approach to restoration, whereby a beautiful, colorful diversity of native plants is established and can spread naturally given occasional management.

Stu Weiss, Ph.D. (Stanford University) is Chief Scientist of Creekside Science, which provides scientific and conservation expertise to diverse organizations as they cope with the rapidly changing 21st Century environment. He has researched the Bay checkerspot butterfly and serpentine grasslands since 1979, and has authored numerous scientific papers concerning climate/microclimate, population dynamics, nitrogen deposition, and conservation ecology. Creekside Science executes many hands-on restoration projects, including butterfly reintroductions, propagation of endangered plants, and habitat monitoring and management. His research and advocacy were instrumental in the development of the Santa Clara Valley Habitat Plan, and he is Science Advisor for the Bay Area Conservation Lands Network. For more information see www.creeksidescience.com

Native Plants for Year-Round Color, a talk by Madeline Morrow

Thursday, December 3, 2020

Watch on Youtube

Learn how to select and group plants with varying bloom times so your garden is never without color. You’ll enjoy it and so will the bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds! See how to choose different plant forms and include beautiful bark, berry, and seed producing species for maximum interest all year long.

Madeline Morrow is a past President of our CNPS Chapter and current board member. A former computer programmer, she now volunteers in her community and works extensively on her native garden. Her garden was featured in Bay Nature magazine in March 2013; and she solved her drainage problem by installing a rain garden.

Nature’s Best Hope, A talk by Doug Tallamy

Saturday, November 14, 2020 5:00pm

Watch on Youtube

Recent headlines about global insect declines and three billion fewer birds in North America are a bleak reality check about how ineffective our current land management practices have been at sustaining the plants and animals that sustain us. Such losses are not an option if we wish to continue our current standard of living on Planet Earth. The good news is that none of this is inevitable. Doug Tallamy will discuss simple steps that each of us can and must ̶ take to reverse declining biodiversity and will explain why we, ourselves, are nature’s best hope.

Doug Tallamy is a professor in the Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Delaware, where he has authored 103 research publications and has taught insect related courses for 40 years. Chief among his research goals is to better understand the many ways insects interact with plants and how such interactions determine the diversity of animal communities. His book Bringing Nature Home: How Native Plants Sustain Wildlife in Our Gardens was published by Timber Press in 2007 and was awarded the 2008 Silver Medal by the Garden Writers' Association. The Living Landscape, co-authored with Rick Darke, was published in 2014. Doug’s new book, Nature’s Best Hope, released by Timber Press in February 2020, is a New York Times Best Seller.

Wildlife of the Bay Area, a talk by Ameet Zaveri

October 26, 2020 7:30pm

Watch on Youtube

CNPS Vegetation Program: Fine-scale inventory and mapping, a talk by Julie Evens

Wednesday, October 21, 2020 7:30pm

Watch on Youtube

Julie Evens, the Vegetation Program Director of CNPS, will give an overview of CNPS's Vegetation Program and our broader collaborations on fine-scale vegetation classification and mapping in California to document our state’s incredible vegetation diversity. Julie helps maintain standard methods for surveying, classifying, and mapping vegetation in California and works with agencies, conservancies, and CNPS chapters on vegetation assessment projects, including current projects in the Greater Bay Area, Mojave and Sonoran Deserts, Sierra Nevada foothills, North Coast, Modoc Plateau, among other regions. She is a co-author with John Sawyer and Todd Keeler-Wolf of A Manual of California Vegetation, 2nd edition (http://vegetation.cnps.org), and she is a co-editor with Michael Barbour et al. of California’s Botanical Landscapes: A Pictorial View of the State’s Vegetation. She also helped compile the CNPS Fire Recovery Guide, 1st edition (available for download here: https://www.cnps.org/give/priority-initiatives/fire-recovery). Julie has a M.A. degree from Humboldt State University, and she has two B.A. degrees from the University of California–Santa Cruz.

Planting Demo, Nursery Tour and QA session

Saturday, October 10, 2020 10am

Watch on Youtube

There's a twist on our Going Native Garden Tour session in October -- rather than our usual garden visits, we'll be visiting the CNPS SCV and Grassroots Ecology Nurseries. Our 2020 fall plant sale is going to be online and will start immediately after the session (more information about the CNPS SCV plant sale at http://cnps-scv.org/2020-plant-sale, and Grassroots Ecology's at: https://www.grassrootsecology.org/online-plant-sales). Since you won't be able to come to the nursery to pick your plants out, we're doing our best to bring the nursery to you. This session includes a planting demonstration by Krzysztof Kozminski and tour of the nursery followed by a QA session with knowledgeable native plant gardeners from both nurseries so that you can ask for advice and get answers to questions about specific plants that will be available at their sales.

CNPS Explorers: A Botanical Quest in Asia & Europe, by Ken and Dee Himes

September 24, 2020

Watch on Youtube

Join Ken and Dee Himes as they highlight their 2019 travels from May to November: a journey to Hong Kong, Borneo, Singapore, Penang, India and parts of Europe, on a botanical quest to compare flora and geological features with those of California. The main botanical focus of the trip was in Munsyari, the southern side of the Himalaya in the state of Uttarakhand, India. They will share some of their experiences from a once-in-a-lifetime trek in the Himalaya with three other Chapter members: Arvind Kumar, Ashok Jethanandani, and Joe Cernac. See a surprising geological feature in Hong Kong; orangutans in Borneo; amazing flora in the Himalayas; and other botanical interests in the other countries visited. Of course there will be some interesting insect and bug photos as well.

Ken and Dee Himes have been Chapter members since 1974 (Ken) and 2007 (Dee). Ken is a CNPS Fellow who has held nearly every Chapter position, in addition to leading long-term habitat restoration efforts at Edgewood. Since joining CNPS, Dee has been our Chapter treasurer, field trip chair and board member, a member of the CNPS State Board; and has inspired many with her exceptional photography skills. Ken and Dee were married in 2016, and have continued to celebrate by enjoying interesting plants and habitats wherever they travel.

GNGT: Matadero Garden and Bol Park

September 15, 2020

Watch on Youtube

View two fabulous native plant gardens in Palo Alto with talks and Q&A sessions by their owners and designers. This is a terrific opportunity to get ideas for your own garden and receive advice from experienced gardeners and designers.

Matadero Garden, http://gngt.org/MataderoOaks_GNGT, Melanie Cross & Stephanie Morris

Bol Park Native Garden, http://gngt.org/BolPark_GNGT, Melanie Cross & Claire Elliott

GNGT: Hernandez Backyard & Butterfly House Native Garden

September 2, 2020

Watch on Youtube

Going Native Garden Tour (GNGT - http://gngt.org) - virtual visits to two of the garden on the tour.

Hernandez Backyard in San Jose, http://gngt.org/Hernandez_GNGT

Carrie Levin, Butterfly House Native Garden in Sunnyvale, http://gngt.org/ButterflyHouse_GNGT

Plant ID for the Curious, a talk by Bruce Homer-Smith

Thursday, August 27, 2020

Watch on Youtube

PlantID.net is a website for people who see a plant in the wild and wonder about it. You enter what you know about your plant (where you are, plant type, color, leaf arrangement, deciduous, has berries, etc.) to get a short illustrated list of possibilities. Then you dive down into photos and captions to learn about your plant.

Bruce is a retired database developer. He loves to learn about plants in the wild because it helps him notice more when he’s out. Since 2012 he’s spent about half of his time programming and adding content to PlantID.net – a labor of love. He works with a large community of plant enthusiasts, adding ID tips and stories to make PlantID.net an extraordinary place to learn about California plants.

Death Valley ̶ Botanizing High and Low, a talk by Matt Berger

Thursday, July 16, 2020

Watch on Youtube

Matt Berger has hiked from the lowest to the highest points of Death Valley National Park, observing and recording flora throughout its diverse environments. Matt provides an overview of the biogeography and microhabitats of the park, and shares his photos of the limestone endemics and other rare plants. Hear a few of his secrets to finding rare plants in the desert and mountains.

Matt is preceded by the recipient of the CNPS SCV 2019 Graduate Research Scholarship, Lacey Benson from San Jose State University. She describes her research doing a morphometric analysis comparing western sword fern (Polystichum munitum) pinnae size across the coast redwood ecological gradient. Analysis of pinnae morphology will be compared to climate data and will aid in understanding how the longevity of this fern may be affected by climate change.

Matt Berger received his BS in horticulture and and his MS in plant pathology at West Virginia University. Matt is a passionate backpacker having thru hiked the Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail twice, Continental Divide Trail, Arizona Trail and other long distance trails for a total of over 11,000 miles in the last 8 years. Matt is an accomplished photographer of the plants, fungi and animals that he encounters on his adventures. You can find his photos on Instagram at @sheriff_woody_pct and on YouTube at sheriff_woody_pct.

CNPS SCV Native Plant Lecture Series

The CNPS SCV Native Plant Lecture Series has something for everyone -- whether you're curious about native plants, an experienced or aspiring native plant gardener or a professional botanist, you will find something to interest and educate you in our offerings. From gardening to plant science to conservation to tours of botanical hot spots, if you're interested in California's native plants, there's something here for you. Most of our lectures are on Wednesday evening. Our talks are live presentations followed by Q&As with the viewing audience. They are live streamed simultaneously to Zoom and YouTube.

View past talks on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/CNPSSantaClaraValley

Upcoming Talks

Wednesday, September 21, 2022, 7:30pm

Finding and Appreciating Bay Area Plant Galls, a talk by Michael Hawk and Merav Vonshak

Galls are intriguing plant structures induced by insects (usually), creating a sheltered home for the larval stages of the inducing organism. They have diverse and sometimes incredible shapes and colors, and their natural history is equally fascinating, with complex life cycles, tiny parasites, and more!

Michael Hawk (Nature's Archive podcast and Jumpstart Nature) and Dr. Merav Vonshak (BioBlitz Club) will talk about gall biology, common host plants and gall inducers. They will discuss how you can find and identify galls, with numerous examples including gall look-alikes.

This talk will be live streamed on Zoom (requires advance registration) and YouTube (registration NOT required).

Recent Talks

Locally Native Plants for Bay Area Gardens, a talk by Arvind Kumar

September 7, 2022

Watch on YouTube

Slides from the talk.

August 10, 2022

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For thousands of years the Native people of California's Central Coast managed, stewarded, and sustained ecosystems and plant populations. This talk focuses on the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band's efforts to revitalize their culture through the relearning of traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) and the formation of the Amah Mutsun Land Trust.

Rick Flores is the Director of Horticulture and Steward of the Amah Mutsun Relearning Program (AMRP) at the UCSC Arboretum & Botanic Garden where he has worked for more than 20 years. He holds both a B.A. and M.A. in Environmental Studies from UCSC. He is also a Reseach Associate for the Amah Mutsun Land Trust and a Board member at Pie Ranch.

California Native Trees: Climate Change and Adaptation, a talk by Dave Muffly

July 13, 2022

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CNPS SCV 2021-2022 Research Scholarship Projects

June 1, 2022

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Lauren Hamm, UC Berkeley (Graduate Scholarship Winner) Evolutionary Dynamics of Climate Stress ̶ Responsive Mobile Elements in Yellow Monkeyflower  Yellow monkeyflower can be found surviving anywhere water is available. However, the steadily increasing temperatures  and hyper-variability in climate across California may affect the survival of these populations as water becomes scarcer. Lauren will be using collections of monkeyflower from locations around the state to investigate how climate change affects the movement of transposable elements, also affectionately known as “jumping genes” because of their ability to replicate and move around the genome.   

California Ethnobotany for Learners of All Ages, a talk by Jane Rieder

May 11, 2022

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