California’s diverse landscapes support a remarkable variety of native plants, many uniquely adapted to thrive only within the state's boundaries. These plants serve as essential building blocks for healthy ecosystems, enriching biodiversity and providing critical habitat for wildlife across California’s deserts, mountains, coastlines, and valleys.
Why Native Plants Matter
California's native plants range from majestic trees such as Redwoods and Sequoias to delicate wildflowers such as the endangered Monterey clover and threatened Inyo rock daisy. They have adapted to the state's diverse habitats—from coastal cliffs and deserts to mountain meadows, forests and valley grasslands.
But California's native plants are facing major threats, such as habitat destruction, competition from invasive non-native species and climate change.
The Monterey clover (Trifolium trichocalyx) received a 5-year species review in 2023, the same year the Inyo rock daisy (Laphamia inyoensis) was designated threatened.
California native plants provide numerous ecological benefits:
- Habitat & Food: Essential to pollinators, birds, mammals, and insects.
- Biodiversity: Maintain ecosystem resilience and stability.
- Soil & Water Conservation: Reduce erosion, filters pollutants, and improves water retention. Often need less water than other plants.
- Cultural Significance: Integral to California's natural heritage and indigenous cultures.
Protection Under California Law
California recognizes the importance of native plants through legislation aimed at protecting rare, threatened, and endangered species. Currently, 222 native plant taxa are officially designated as rare, threatened, or endangered under California state law, with more than 2,000 additional species identified as conservation concerns.
Permits from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) may be necessary for activities involving protected plant species, especially for scientific, educational, or ecological management purposes.
Conservation Efforts
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife actively engages in conservation, research, and mapping efforts to protect native plant species. Efforts include:
- Species Mapping & Surveys: Tracking populations and habitats via the California Natural Diversity Database (CNDDB).
- Partnerships: Collaborating with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and botanical gardens to advance research and off-site conservation.
- Public Outreach: Raising awareness about conservation efforts, such as the Western Joshua Tree Conservation initiative and tax-time donations to protect rare plants.
Plant-related Programs at CDFW
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) manages and protects the state’s abundant botanical resources, including roughly 6,500 native plant species, subspecies, and varieties. Below, you'll find an overview of CDFW's initiatives dedicated to studying and conserving California’s native plants and natural communities, along with links to each specific program.
Complete list of plant-related programs
The programs and descriptions below are transcribed verbatim from the official California Department of Fish and Wildlife website:
CDFW’s Regions each cover a geographic area of California, and are CDFW’s primary interface with the public. Botanists, biologists, and environmental scientists in each of CDFW’s regions have specialized knowledge of the local wildlife, including plants, and deal with issues varying from land management, enforcement, and research to conservation planning and environmental review.
The Native Plant Program is a component of CDFW’s Habitat Conservation Planning Branch. The Native Plant Program coordinates CDFW’s statewide plant conservation efforts, issues scientific, educational and management permits for state-listed plants, manages grants for plant research and conservation through the Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund (section 6)(opens in new tab) of the federal Endangered Species Act, evaluates petitions to protect plant species under the California Endangered Species Act(opens in new tab), and provides education and outreach regarding California’s native plants.
The California Natural Diversity Database (CNDDB) is part of a nationwide network of programs that provide location and natural history information on plants, animals, and natural communities to the public, other agencies, and conservation organizations. CDFW’s CNDDB is unparalleled as a source for the most current information available on California’s most imperiled native plant species. Species occurrences can be viewed using the free-to-use CNDDB Quick Viewer. More robust maps and detailed data on documented plant occurrences are available with a subscription.
CDFW’s Vegetation Classification and Mapping Program (VegCAMP) develops and maintains a standardized vegetation classification and mapping system in California, and implements it through assessment and mapping projects in high-priority conservation and management areas, through training programs, and through working continuously on best management practices for field assessment, classification, and fine-scale mapping.
California Natural Diversity Database Resources
The California Natural Diversity Database (CNDDB) provides a comprehensive record of the status and geographic locations of rare plant and animal species throughout California. The CNDDB team collaborates with partners to regularly update species lists and manage an expanding database featuring detailed GIS mapping of species locations.
| Resource | Description |
|---|---|
| CNDDB Management Framework (PDF) | A general overview of the CNDDB, its background, products, and proper use |
| CNDDB Key Facts (PDF) | Important information to read prior to working with CNDDB data |
| Maps & Data | Online map viewers, RareFind, and other products |
| Plant & Animal Information | Rare lists, T&E lists, survey guidelines, photos, and more |
| Submitting Data to the CNDDB | Detailed instructions on submitting data to the CNDDB |
| Subscribe to the CNDDB | Subscription information |
| CNDDB Training | Tutorial documents and training course information |
| Spotted Owl Observations Database | Additional information about the Spotted Owl Observations Database |
| Natural Communities & Vegetation | Vegetation Classification and Mapping Program |
Learn More & Get Involved
Whether you're curious about specific native plants, conservation efforts, or how to comply with state regulations, additional resources are available. For further information or to support native plant conservation, please contact the Native Plant Program at nativeplants@wildlife.ca.gov.