SEARCH TIPS - how to use the Search for Plants page
The Calflora Database contains information on approximately 9,000 ferns, conifers
and flowering plants known to be native or naturalized in the wild in California.
Our species database also contains nearly 1,000 records for species-level plant names
(so called "parent" records) where two or more subspecies occur in California, bringing the total
number of taxon records to more than 10,000.
Parent level records include characteristics from all "child" subspecies.
This basic search form allows you to search by family name, common name, scientific name, county, elevation range, growth form, native status, rarity status, plant community, and more.
(To search for plants by exact scientific name, use the
Name Status page.)
To find a specific
plant (or a list of plants) that match your criteria:
- You do not need to
fill in all fields on the search form. Filling in more fields
will narrow your search and produce fewer results. Filling in
fewer fields will broaden your search and produce more results.
If your search becomes too narrow,
or you fill in
mutualy exclusive fields (i.e.
Rare native plants that are noxious weeds) there will be no
- If you wish to select
more than one option from a list, hold down the ctrl (Win) or
shift (Mac) button on your keyboard. Multiple selections with
be "OR'ed" together in a non-exclusive search.
- Look for links in
the search results to pages with more information from Calflora and other
- To create a checklist
of all plants matching your criteria, select characteristics other than
plant name. Example: select "Marin county"
and "ferns" to see a list of ferns that are known from the wild
in Marin County. Select "Native plants", "perrenial plants" and
"Redwood forest" to see the native perennial plants that might
be suitable for growing under redwoods.
- Calflora contains
information on wild California plants. It does not contain information
on all plants cultivated in California, only those that grow
in the wild in California.
- If you
are having trouble getting a search to work, please contact us.
- If you have a complex
query that can not be performed on our web forms, such as
plants are common to both Alameda and Marin Counties, but absent
from Contra Costa County?
Please contact us
with your detailed question and we will try to assist you.
- You can get additional help
accessing this information here: