Native Trees of California

The forests of California are magical.

Time seems to stand still and the laws of proportion are

thrown out the window. Ancient, wind swept trees curl

and twist on rocky slopes, displaying textures and forms

thousands of years in the making. Giant redwoods loom

like sky scrapers and inspire daydreams of living inside

their enormous trunks likes elves and fairies. California is

home to record setting legends. Within its parks grow the

worlds tallest tree, the world's biggest tree, and some of

the world's oldest trees.

The current world champion for tallest tree is a coastal

redwood named Hyperion, which stands at almost 380

California

The Golden State, 'Eureka! (I have found it!)'

™

Native Trees of California

-Color denotes a tree that is rare or endangered

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Home>Browse by State>California

• California Native Trees A to Z

• California Tree Facts

• California Tree Families and Species

• Endangered/Threatened Species

• Tree Nurseries in California

State Tree: California Redwood

California Tree Facts

Forested acres: 33.2 million
Percent of land forested: 40%
Number of National Forests: 18, more than any other state.
Number of State Parks/Forests: 70
Number of Tree city USA communities: 148
Number of invasive trees: 75 (see state list for noxious/invasive plants)
Damaging agent of concern: Sudden Oak Death
Number of tree families in our collection: 25
Number of endangered or threatened species in our collection: 1

References: USDA Forest Service, General Tech. Report, Nov. 2008
California Official Site, www.ca.gov
The Forest Foundation:California
Arborday.org

Additional state resources:
California Department of Parks and Recreation
US Forest Service- California
The Forest Foundation:California

California Tree Families and Genera

click to enlarge.

Useful information while browsing species:

• How to read a botanical name

• How to use our species boxes:

-Color denotes a tree that is rare or endangered

Please note: This is not a complete list of all native tree families and species found in California. We are constantly working towards a more comprehensive list and will add families and their species as completed.

Additional Resources:

North American Native Tree Families
North American A to Z List by Scientific Name
North American A to Z List by Common Name

Follow the links to view species native to California. If the genus is not linked, species are listed on the family page.

Aceraceae, Maple
Arecaceae, Palm
Betulaceae
     Betula, Birch
Bignoniaceae, Trumpet Creeper
     Chilopsis, Desert Willow
Caprifoliaceae, Honeysuckle
    Sambucus, Elderberry
    Viburnum, Viburnum
Cornaceae, Dogwood
    Cornus, Dogwood
    Nyssa, Tupelo
Cupressaceae- Cypress
    Calocedrus, Incense Cedar
    Juniperus, Juniper
    Hesperocyparis, Western Cedar
    Sequoia, Redwood
    Sequoiadendron, Giant Sequoia
    Thuja, Arborvitae

Fabaceae, Pea
Fagaceae, Beech
    Quercus, Oak
Hamamelidaceae, Witch-hazel
Hippocastanaceae, Horse-chestnut
Juglandaceae, Walnut
    Juglans, Walnut
Lauraceae, Laurel
Moraceae, Mulberry
    Morus, Mulberry
Oleaceae, Olive Family
    Fraxinus, Ash
Pinaceae, Pine
    Abies, Fir
    Pinus, Pine
    Pseudotsuga, Douglas-fir

Rhamnaceae, Buckthorn
Rosaceae, Rose
    Crataegus, Hawthorn
    Malus, Crab-apple
    Prunus, Plum/Cherry
Rubiaceae, Madder
Salicaceae, Willow
    Populus, Cottonwood
    Salix, Willow
Taxaceae, Yew
Ulmaceae, Elm
    Celtis, Hackberry
    Ulmus, Elm
Yucca, Yucca

California Endangered or Threatened Tree Species

Additional Resources:

North American Rare and Endangered Trees

External Links:
USDA PLANTS Database

This is not a comprehensive list but we are always working on adding more and will update accordingly.

Threatened Tree Species:

Hesperocyparis goveniana, Gowen cypress

Endangered Tree Species:

Cercocarpus traskiae, Catalina Island mountain mahogany
Fremontodendron mexicanum, Mexican flannelbush
Hesperocyparis abramsiana, Santa Cruz cypress
Opuntia basilaris, Trelease's beavertail pricklypear

Looking for a nursery near you?
Check out our nursery listing by county below!

Sorry, we do not currently have any tree nursery listings for this state. We do update these lists, so please check back.

treesforme.com Webutation

Sequoia sempervirens, Redwood trees, towering giants

Photo courtesy: National Park Service, Museum Management Program and Redwood National Forest,

www.cr.nps.gov/museum See usage requirements.

feet tall! Another redwood, named Lost Monarch, is over 23 feet in diameter. That is as wide as a high school football goal post! Another gem of California is found in the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest of the White Mountains. There, a Great Basin Bristlecone Pine tree, named Methuselah, grows and is 4,843 years old. Probably the most famous tree in all of California, however, is a Giant Sequoia named General Sherman in the Giant Forest of Sequoia National Park. It is the largest (by volume) single stemmed living tree in the world.
California has plenty more to offer the nature lover other than the redwoods. It has more native conifers than any where else in North America and is rivaled only by Florida and Texas in overall diversity. There are pine cones weighing 5 pounds and others that are 2 feet long. Douglas-fir, the bushy foxtail pine, ponderosa pine, and incense cedar are common sights throughout the mountainous or elevated areas, while palm trees, sugar pines, redwoods and sequoias dot the coastlines and lower elevations. It's not just the flora of California that is special, it is also the fauna. The pronghorn antelope, the endangered California Condor, and the mascot favorite banana slug, all call California home. One animal you won't find, however, is the official state animal- the California grizzly bear. In August 1922, the last known bear was killed in Tulare County.
While visiting, you could spend the weekend hiking 22 miles up Mount Whitney and enjoy the view from the highest elevation in the contiguous United States, or head to Death Valley- the lowest point in North America. Other than hiking, the outdoor enthusiast can go white water rafting, fishing, boating, camping or just relax by the beach. California boasts a rich and definitely scenic landscape with many unique wonders which anyone, not just nature lovers, would enjoy.

Tree lists:
•A-Z by scientific
name
•A-Z by common
name
•By Family

For state A-Z list click state name below.

Ebenaceae, Ebony
Diospyros, Persimmon
Ericaceae, Heath

Platanaceae, Plane-tree
Platanus, Sycamore

Made the official State Tree of California in 1937 by the State legislature, Redwoods can be found along the upper two-thirds of the California coastline. Within the various State and National parks, many of the old growth redwoods still remain and are protected from logging or poaching. There are two varieties of redwood, Coastal Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens), and Giant Redwood (Sequoiadendron giganteum), but the state does not specify one over the other as the State Tree. Both are fast growing conifers and may grow as much as 60 feet in the first 20 years. Other than their impressive size, another interesting fact about redwood trees is that as much as 25% of their required precipitation comes in the form of fog, or fog drip to be more precise.

At one time, coastal redwoods extended into Japan, Asia, Europe, and Greenland. Disappearing from the fossil record about 3 million years ago, now the only remaining populations are those along the Pacific coast of the United States. Redwoods are long lived and having been around for millions of years, are quite resistant to fire, water, insects and diseases.
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