We are a non-profit, volunteer-only and community based Nature Center and Museum. Our mission is to provide education and community surrounding Napa's native natural environment to people of all ages. The Center is named for Carolyn Parr, whose generous bequest provided for its establishment in 1981.All programs are free to members of the Nature Center, and only $10 per adult for non-members. Group tours and school classes can be scheduled during the week by calling the Nature Center.

Snakes

Saturday October 3rd, 2026

Join us for a spectacular snake presentation with Joe Lam of JnW Reptile Rescue and Rattlesnake Removal.

Bats!

Saturday, October 17th, 2026

Come see Corky Quirk and her live bats!

Alex Lyman

Alex is passionate about museums and public education. He visited the Center often as a child, and was excited to bring his expertise when he moved back to Napa.

Rabbit Hardt

Rabbit began volunteering in March 2023. She enjoys teaching visitors about wildlife conservation and appreciation. She is an avid birder and hiker, and works with our partners at the Napa Wildlife Rescue.

Joyce Nichols

Joyce began volunteering in 2001, spurred by her daughter and friends. Joyce's love for native plants and educating our community set a standard that we all strive for.

Karen Swain

Began volunteering in 2000, Karen has enjoyed the Center's ability to help her share her long lasting love for the outdoors and knowledge of animals and their behavior.

Nancy LaFortune

Nancy began volunteering July 2023, currently serving as CFO, she enjoys chatting with visitors and is very involved in Napa's history and genealogy.

Stephanie Dahl

Stephanie began volunteering in Fall 2024, after visiting with her grandson. Sharing her love and knowledge of nature with him has extended to our community. She currently serves as board president.

Dan Kriedt

Shortly after the 2014 Napa earthquake, Dan was walking past the Center and saw that our facility had fallen off of the foundation. He stopped in to see if he could help and has been here ever since!

Adrienne Molieri

Adrienne has been volunteering at the Nature Center since 2018. Her interests in birding and ecology started in high school and continued through college in Ohio. Bringing awareness of the beauty of nature to adults and children is her goal.

Could Be You!

Contact us through email or our Join Us tab to start volunteering with the Center!

California Buckeye

Aesculus californica - The seeds can be processed to eat similar to acorns. Seeds were buried by Native Americans in cold swampy ground during the winter to release their bitter taste. Like the Soap Lily root, unripe seeds can be crushed and scattered into a stream to temporarily stun fish. Medicinally the leaves were steeped as a tea remedy for congestion of the lungs and varicose veins. The wood is good for fires. (Icon: food, medicine)

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California Lilac

Ceanothus spp. - Native Americans used the seeds as food. Medicinally, the blossoms were used as a lather when rub briskly on the skin. Bark and roots are used as an astringent and tonic. The plant can still be used as a blood coagulant, for coughing and tonsillitis, and as a stimulant for mucous membranes. It helps with digestion of food and calms acute inflammation of the liver and spleen. The leaves are suitable as tobacco. Used as red dye. (Icon: medicine, crafts, food)

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Red Elderberry

Sambucus racemosa - Birds eat the red berries but can cause nausea in humans if consumed in large quantities. (Icon: food, pollinator)

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Ocean Spray

Holodiscus discolor - Also called Cream Bush and Ironwood. Dried seed heads were frequently roasted or parched, also commonly ground into flour or meal and used as a staple or additive in other traditional dishes. California Native peoples historically prized the wood for its incredible density and strength. It was used to fashion weapons (arrows and spears), digging sticks, and even strong joining pins (wooden nails) used in pre-nail construction. It is a vital host plant for native butterfly caterpillars, including the Lorquin's admiral and the pale tiger swallowtail. The seeds and flowers were steeped in boiling water to make an effective tea to treat diarrhea, while a poultice from the bark and leaves was used to soothe burns and sores. (Icon: craft, food, medicine, pollinator)

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Fescue

Festuca idahoensis - Seeds gathered and used in pinole, a nutrient-dense, roasted flour. (Icon: food)

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Islay

Prunus ilicifolia - Holly-leaved cherry. Fruit has tough, leathery skin and a very large seed. Do not eat it if it tastes too bitter. It contains toxins which form hydrocyanic acid. In small amounts this highly poisonous compound stimulates respiration, improves digestion and gives a sense of well-being. (Icon: food, medicine)

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Mahonia

Berberis spp. - Also known as Barberry. The fruits were used by both Native Americans and settlers for drinks and preserves. Some tribes dried the fruits for winter use. Probably the most important use of these plants was in making a good yellow dye for baskets, buckskins and fabrics by crushing and boiling the roots and stems. Medicinally, the bark was used as a laxative and to make a lotion for skin diseases. A bitter tonic was made from the roots for a blood purifier. Leaves were boiled as a tea to cure general aches and pains. Used for yellow dye. (Icon: craft, food, medicine)

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Manzanita

Arctostaphylos spp. - Early settlers used green berries to make a drink or jelly. The Native Americans usually collected the ripe berries. Several of the tribes celebrated the harvest with a feast and dancing. Often the berries were eaten raw but a large amount was dried and stored. Even the seeds of the berries were pounded into a flour and made into bread. Medicinally Manzanita leaves were used to make a lotion to cure inflammation from poison oak. A tonic was made to cure colds, applied externally and a poultice made for sores. The wood was used in building shelters, carrying bundles, various utensils and tobacco pipes. (Icon: craft, food, medicine, pollinator)

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Miner's Lettuce

Claytonia perfoliata - Purslane family. Tender leaves eaten raw or cooked by Native Americans, boiled in teas as a laxative. Gold miners ate in salads as a convenience food. (Icon: food, medicine)

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Common Monkeyflower

Mimulus guttatus - Figwort family. California Native peoples used young stems and leaves for salad greens. Root of yellow Mimulus used as an astringent. Raw leaves and stems were crushed to use on rope burns and wounds as a poultice. (Icon: food, medicine, pollinator)

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Coast Live Oak

Quercus agrifolia - Acorn soup was the chief daily food of 3/4 of California Native peoples. The bark had medicinal uses, also used in curing hides and making dye. Kellogg or Black Oak used as fuel for parching seed, long slow burn with no flames. Galls on Valley Oak collected for juice, diluted for eyewash. Put rusty iron into it and a black dye or ink is made. Used to dye Redbud - Cercis occidentalis, for basket making. Fishermen on Catalina Island used the bark for tanning their nets and sails. (Icon: craft, food, medicine)

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Giant Wildrye

Leymus condensatus - Also known as 'Canyon Prince'. Spreads by shallow rhizomes; perfect for erosion control or acting as a visually appealing groundcover. (Icon: craft)

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Sage

Salvia spp. - Leaves used for flavorings and teas. (Icon: food, medicine, pollinator)

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Whirly Blue Sage

Salvia clevelandii - Also known as 'Whirly Blue'. The striking purple-blue blooms are a massive draw for pollinators like hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies. (Icon: pollinator)

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Sonoma Sage

Salvia sonomensis - Deer resistant with pleasant fragrance. (Icon: pollinator, medicine)

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Purple Sage

Salvia leucophylla - The highly aromatic pink, lavender and purple flowers attract a variety of birds and insects, with several butterflies and moths hosted. (Icon: pollinator, medicine)

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California White Sage

Salvia apiana - Highly aromatic evergreen shrub. Indigenous communities in California have revered Salvia apiana as a staple of their culture. Its seeds were ground into flour for pinole, and its leaves were utilized in medicinal teas, shampoos, and ceremonies. Its scientific name, apiana, is derived from the Latin word apis (meaning "bee"). The plant's flowers feature a unique lever mechanism that pivots to dust pollinators with pollen. (Icon: food, medicine, pollinator, craft)

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Snowberry

Symphoricarpos albus - An important wild-life food as berries remain on bush most of year. Birds use bushes as protective shelter. Not a first-rank shrub but valued for its tolerance of drought, poor soil, urban air, shade and erosion control. It is fairly important as a honey plant, producing white honey. Native Americans made a decoction for colds and stomach aches by pounding and steeping the roots. The fruits act as a strong laxative. Saponin, a poisonous drug, is contained in its leaves only. (Icon: medicine, pollinator)

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Toyon

Heteromeles arbutifolia - aka Christmas Berry. The bright scarlet berries were collected by many Native tribes. They were usually cooked by roasting over hot coals as they were being gathered or tossed into a cooking basket with hot pebbles or wood coals. Spanish Californians also cooked them by boiling, steaming them or roasting them in an oven sprinkled with sugar. A cider was made by the early settlers. Medicinally, a tea was made in some areas from the bark and leaves which was used to cure stomach aches and other pains. (Icon: food, medicine, pollinator)

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Red Buckwheat

Eriogonum grande var. rubescens - It is a magnet for local pollinators, particularly butterflies, and the leftover seeds feed birds. (Icon: pollinator)

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Saffron Buckwheat

Eriogonum crocatum - Because of its extremely limited natural range, it carries a California Rare Plant Ranking of 1B.2, making it a conservation priority. It is an invaluable nectar source for local butterflies, bees, and other pollinators. (Icon: pollinator)

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California Wild Grape

Vitis californica - Berries eaten fresh or dried. (Icon: food, pollinator)

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Woodland Strawberry

Fragaria vesca - Red berries eaten fresh and dried. (Icon: food, pollinator)

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Deer Grass

Muhlenbergia rigens - This 3' long, wiry grass was used by most California Native peoples in making the foundation of their coiled basketwork. Used exclusively by some groups who traveled long distances to gather it and at just the right time. Farther north groups had different methods and different materials. (Icon: craft)

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Iris

Iris douglasiana - Iris leaves were gathered in huge bundles and a single silky fiber was taken from each margin of the leaf. None of the other fibers were used. After careful cleaning by the women and twisting by the men, this fiber makes a beautiful and pliable cord or rope, used to make fishing nets, camping bags as well as snares for catching deer, birds and other game. It took nearly 6 weeks to make a 12' rope. The soft green leaves were also used to wrap babies while mothers were on hot dry hillsides collecting manzanita berries. The flowers are a crucial early-to-mid spring nectar producer that attracts native bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. (Icon: craft, pollinator)

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Small-flowered Alumroot

Heuchera micrantha - Saxifrage family. Native Americans ate leaves early in spring, boiled and steamed. Some are dried and stored for future uses. Medicinally, roots pounded for use on sores and swellings, steeped as an eyewash and small amounts for diarrhea. Also used to stop fever, as an antiseptic, astringent, and for nausea and vomiting. (Icon: food, medicine)

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California Coffeeberry

Frangula californica - aka 'California Buckthorn'. Foliage and fruits considered staple graze for big game, livestock and particularly birds, but unusually deer resistant. Coffeeberry bark is a popular herbal remedy for chronic constipation. Preparation involves aging for a year, followed by extensive heat treatment and tincture preparation, so not to be chewed raw. Berries were gathered by Native Americans for food and medicinal purposes. They are sweet and edible, eaten fresh or dried, but no proven coffee substitute. The seeds in the berries, however, make a caffeine-free drink superior to chicory. Leaves or bark can be used to treat poison oak and the berries to treat burns. (Icon: food, medicine, pollinator)

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California Flannel Bush

Fremontodendron californicum - Has been brewed to relieve irritation of the throat. Inner bark mucilaginous when wet and used as demulcent for poultices, very soothing. Cattle will graze the twigs which are very nutritious. (Icon: medicine, pollinator)

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California Fuchsia

Epilobium canum - Leaves reported used as detergent in washing, and a dusting powder for cuts, wounds and sores on horses. Natives also used for tuberculosis, kidney and bladder trouble and running sores. (Icon: medicine, pollinator)

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Goldenrod

Solidago californica - Native Americans boiled leaves, used decoction to wash wounds and ulcers, then sprinkled powdered leaves on wounds. The same treatment was used for saddle sores for horses. A yellow dye can be made with flowers. (Icon: craft, medicine, pollinator)

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Climbing Penstemon

Keckiella cordifolia - The tubular flowers range from pale orange to deep scarlet and appear from spring through summer, creating a stunning display that attracts hummingbirds, butterflies, and other pollinators. (Icon: pollinator)

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Foothill Beardtongue

Penstemon heterophyllus - It provides vital food for native butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees. Boil flowering tops for kidney trouble. Also used for running sores, colds and burns. (Icon: medicine, pollinator)

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Redbud

Cercis occidentalis - Has astringent bark which provides treatment for diarrhea and dysentery. The bark of young shoots is used for basketry. Buds can be used in salads or made into pickles. The wood polishes nicely. (Icon: craft, food, medicine, pollinator)

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Sonoma Coast Yarrow

Achillea millefolium - Leaves used wet and dry for many illnesses and troubles from falling hair to indigestion. (Icon: medicine, pollinator)

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Soaproot

Chlorogalum pomeridianum - Asparagaceae family, aka Amole. The fibers surrounding the bulb were widely used, bound together, to make small brushes. Extracts of the bulbs can also be used as a sealant or glue. The juices of the bulb contain Saponins that form a lather when mixed with water. Both California Native peoples and settlers used the bulbs as a kind of soap or shampoo, especially effective against dandruff. Saponins are much more toxic to some other animals such as fish. Bulb juices were used to kill or stun them so they could be caught easily. Food- the young leaves can be used as food for people and other animals (deer like them, too). They are in the asparagus family and the young flower stalks are tasty. Saponins in the bulbs make them toxic though poorly absorbed by the body. The poisons and soap taste can be destroyed by thorough cooking, like in hot rock ovens, roasting overnight. Then they taste more like sweet potatoes, and can be stored for winter food. Medicinally used both externally in a poultice, as an antiseptic, or rubbed on for rheumatism; and internally as decoctions used for many purposes including as a diuretic, as a laxative and against stomach ache. (Icon: craft, food, medicine)

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Narrow-leaf Milkweed

Asclepias fascicularis - Milk was collected from the pierced or broken stems, heated and rolled or stirred until it was firm enough for chewing gum. Salmon fat or deer grease was added to make it more lasting. The plant leaves are poisonous to cattle and sheep but rarely to horses. Native Americans dried stalks and removed a fiber sheath which was used for string and fish nets. Green young plant was boiled in two waters and eaten as greens. Pods, stems and roots were boiled and eaten with meat. Sometimes boiled plant was added to manzanita cider as a thickening agent. The juice was used as a healing agent for wounds, cuts and tattooing. Milk applied to warts supposedly cured them. (Icon: craft, food, medicine, pollinator)

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Showy Milkweed

Asclepias speciosa - Native to California (Icon: pollinator, craft, medicine)

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California Bay Laurel

Umbellularia californica - aka Bay, Peppernut, Oregon myrtle wood. Fruits can be roasted and eaten. Animals like squirrels eat them raw. Leaves are used to flavor foods such as spaghetti sauce and stews. Hang up with garlic to dry prevents molding. Medicinally used to cure headaches, oil of leaves and seeds used as anesthetic. Also used for nervous and intestinal disorders. Used as insecticide, to drive away fleas, lice and mites. (Icon: food, medicine, craft)

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Coast Gum Plant

Grindelia stricta - Many uses for roots, flowers and leaves in various preparations. Root in spring dried and powdered, makes a fine medicine for purging or hemorrhages. Decoction of whole plant is famous for wounds. Boiled down buds and flowers were drunk for kidney trouble. For rheumatism, fresh plant was crushed and applied to body part. Native Americans boiled root and drank tea for the liver; buds on the plant were dried for use with small pox; a decoction of leaves was made for running sores; flowering tops were used for a blood purifier and to relieve throat and lung trouble. Other uses were for tooth aches, measles and pneumonia. A veritable medicine cabinet! (Icon: medicine, pollinator)

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Yerba Mansa

Anemopsis californica - The peppery aromatic root was used by Spanish settlers by drying it and then chewing it raw for ills of the mucus membrane or powdered and put on knife cuts. Mostly, a tea brewed from the root, it was used as liniment for skin diseases, cuts, bruises or sores of both man and animal. The tea was also taken for indigestion and asthma. Among the Mexicans it was thought to be a cure-all and widely used. Leaves were heated to make a poultice for swellings and a bath made to relieve muscular pains and sore feet. (Icon: medicine)

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Western Bleeding Heart

Dicentra formosa - The seeds feature a fleshy, oil-rich appendage called an elaiosome. This acts as a delicious snack that entices ants to carry the seeds back to their nests, helping the plant spread. This acts as a delicious snack that entices ants to carry the seeds back to their nests, helping the plant spread. (Icon: pollinator)

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Wire Grass

Juncus acutus subsp. - Leopoldii aka Leopold's Rush is a perennial grasslike herb (rhizomatous) that is native to California, and also found elsewhere in western North America. California Rare Plant Rank: 4.2 (limited distribution). Cahuilla Tribe - Fiber, Basketry. Rushes made into baskets used for collecting foods, leaching acorn meal and finely woven baskets. It bears inconspicuous clusters of flowers that yield yellow-brown capsule fruits containing seeds enjoyed by birds. (Icon: craft)

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Pacific Ninebark

Physocarpus capitatus - Member of the rose family, it produces dense, rounded clusters of white or pinkish blossoms that closely resemble spirea flowers and are highly attractive to pollinators. (Icon: pollinator)

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Twinberry

Lonicera involucrata - aka 'Coast twinberry', 'Twin berry', 'Twinberry honeysuckle'. The plant's fruit structure is highly unique. It produces pairs of shiny black berries seated right inside two large, leafy, reddish-purple bracts. When ripe, this distinct arrangement closely resembles a little red nest holding two dark eyes, giving it a striking, almost cartoonish appearance. The tubular flowers bloom from late spring through summer, providing rich nectar for hummingbirds, orioles, and native bees. It serves as a vital host plant for the Gillette's Checkerspot butterfly, whose caterpillars feed on its foliage. Waxwings, thrushes, and other birds are major fans of the fruit, often flocking to the shrubs to gorge on the berries. Tribes like the Quileute and Kwakwaka'wakw used the mashed berries to create a black paint and pigment, while the Haida used them as a black hair dye. Various tribal groups made teas and poultices from the leaves and bark to help treat colds, sore eyes, and minor skin ailments. (Icon: craft, medicine, pollinator)

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False Solomon's Seal

Maianthemum racemosum - aka Solomon's plume. Fragrant. (Icon: pollinator)

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Pitcher Sage

Lepechinia fragrans - Endemic (limited) to California. It attracts hummingbirds and insects and hosts two species of moth and butterfly. The Miwok used an extract of the leaves of the white pitcher plant to treat fever and headache. (Icon: medicine, pollinator)

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Coyote Bush

Baccharis pilularis - Shrub found only slightly beyond California borders. Infusion of plant used as a general remedy by Costanoan tribe, light and pithy wood formerly used for arrows by Mendocino tribes. (Icon: craft, medicine, pollinator)

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Western Azalea

Rhododendron occidentale - Pomo used flowers for dance wreaths. Madesi tribe used for antidote to poisoning. (Icon: craft, medicine, pollinator)

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Western Sword Fern

Polystichum munitum - Rhizomes eaten, boiled or baked in coals by Costanoan tribe. Fronds used to line an earth baking oven or sand leaching basin by Pomo. Leaves used for bedding by Yurok. (Icon: craft, food)

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California Polypody

Polypodium californicum - (Icon: medicine)

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Gian Chain Fern

Woodwardia fimbriata - (Icon: craft)

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Western Maidenhair Fern

Adiantum aleuticum - (Icon: medicine, craft)

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California Maidenhair Fern

Adiantum jordanii - (Icon: medicine, craft)

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Red-flowering Currant

Ribes sanguineum - Berries eaten mainly to quench the thirst by Mahuna tribe. (Icon: food, pollinator)

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Yerba Buena

Clinopodium douglasii - is a perennial herb. Poultice or tea used for colds, fevers, toothaches, aphrodisiac, perfume, insomnia, pinworms, kidneys, colic, upset stomach, sleep. (Icon: medicine, food, pollinator)

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California Yampah

Perideridia californica - (Icon: food)

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King's Eyelash Grass

Blepharidachne kingii - is a perennial grasslike herb that is native to California. (Icon: craft)

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Purple Needlegrass

Stipa pulchra - is a perennial grasslike herb that is native to California (Icon: craft)

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Golden Blue-eyed Grass

Sisyrinchium californicum - is a perennial herb that is native to California. (Icon: pollinator)

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Blue-eyed Grass

Sisyrinchium bellum - Infusion of washed roots taken for asthma, upset stomach, heartburn and ulcers by Pomo. (Icon: medicine, pollinator)

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Woolly Sunflower

Eriophyllum lanatum - is a perennial herb. Used as a poultice of leaves bound over aching parts of body by Miwok. (Icon: medicine, pollinator)

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Matilja Poppy

Romneya coulteri - is a perennial herb (rhizomatous) that is native to California, and endemic (limited) to California. Watery substance in the stalk used as a beverage by Cahuilla tribe. (Icon: food, pollinator)

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California Poppy

Eschscholzia californica - Native to California and the state flower. California Native peoples (including the Cahuilla and Luiseno) used it as a mild sedative and pain reliever, especially for headaches and toothaches. (Icon: medicine, pollinator)

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Hummingbird Sage

Salvia spathacea - The Chumash and other tribes used it for colds, coughs, and as a calming tea. (Icon: medicine, pollinator, food)

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Columbine

Aquilegia spp. - California Native peoples used parts of the plant medicinally, often for heart conditions or as a love charm, though uses varied by tribe. (Icon: medicine, pollinator)

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Wild Rose

Rosa californica - California Native peoples used rose hips as a vitamin C-rich food, and stems for tools and basketry. (Icon: craft, food, pollinator)

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Coreopsis

Coreopsis spp. - Indigenous groups used certain species for natural dyes and medicinal teas. (Icon: craft, medicine, pollinator)

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Wild Ginger

Asarum caudatum - Used by Californa Native peoples as a spice substitute and medicinally for stomach ailments (used carefully). (Icon: food, medicine)

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Yellow Stem Dogwood

Cornus sericea - California Native peoples used the bark for medicinal teas, and stems for basketry and arrows. (Icon: craft, medicine, pollinator)

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Dutchman's Pipevine

Aristolochia californica - Important host plant for the California pipevine swallowtail butterfly; used cautiously in traditional medicine due to toxicity. (Icon: medicine, pollinator)

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Spirea

Spiraea spp. - Some species are native to California. California Native peoples used it medicinally for pain relief; the name "aspirin" is linked to compounds found in related plants. (Icon: medicine, pollinator)

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Mint

Mentha spp. - Some species are native, many are introduced. Widely used by California Native peoples for digestive issues, colds, and teas. (Icon: food, medicine, pollinator)

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Cinquefoil

Potentilla spp. - Native to California (some species), others non-native depending on species (Icon: medicine, pollinator)

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Coyote Mint

Monardella villosa - Native to California (Icon: food, medicine, pollinator)

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Lady Fern

Athyrium filix-femina - Native to California (Icon: craft, medicine)

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California Honeysuckle

Lonicera hispidula - Native to California (Icon: pollinator)

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Southern Maidenhair Fern

Adiantum capillus-veneris - Native to California (Icon: medicine, craft)

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Butterfly Bush

Buddleja davidii - Non-native; naturalized in some areas of California (Icon: pollinator)

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Rosy Pussytoes

Antennaria rosea - Native to California (Icon: pollinator)

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Silk Tassel Bush

Garrya elliptica - Native to California (Icon: pollinator)

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Mexican Lobelia

Lobelia laxiflora - Non-native to California (Icon: pollinator, medicine)

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California Fescue

Festuca californica - Native to California (Icon: craft)

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Catalina Perfume

Ribes viburnifolium - Native to California (Icon: pollinator)

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Fuchsia-flowering Currant

Ribes speciosum - Native to California (Icon: pollinator)

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Purpletop Verbena

Verbena bonariensis - Non-native; naturalized in parts of California (Icon: pollinator)

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Rose Campion

Silene coronaria (formerly Lychnis coronaria) - Non-native; naturalized in California (Icon: pollinator)

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Clemantis Ground Cover

Clematis spp. - Status varies by species; some native to California, others non-native or naturalized (Icon: craft, medicine, pollinator)

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California Buttercup

Ranunculus californicus - Native peoples, including groups like the Miwok, Pomo, and Nisenan, utilized the seeds by gathering, drying, and roasting them. These seeds were then ground into a nutrient-rich flour (pinole) used to make bread, cakes, and porridge, yielding a nutty flavor often compared to popcorn.Contains a toxin (ranunculin) that makes the raw plant, fresh leaves, and seeds highly poisonous and acrid, causing severe stomach upset, vomiting, and skin irritation. Native groups utilized specialized processing and parching to safely neutralize these toxins before consumption. Highly beneficial to pollinators. Its bright yellow, glossy blooms emerge early in the spring, making them an essential early-season food source for hungry beneficial insects after winter.

Island Snapdragon

Gambelia specieosa - The plant's primary utility is ecological, as its brilliant red, tubular flowers provide a vital, year-round nectar source for hummingbirds. It also acts as a larval food source for the Checkerspot butterfly.

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Spicebush

Calycanthus occidentalis - The shrub is deer-resistant and provides excellent refuge and nesting sites for small birds and local pollinators. Native Californian peoples, including groups across the Coast Range and Sierra Nevada foothills, traditionally utilized the flexible wood of the Western spice bush to craft straight, durable arrow shafts.

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Forget-me-not

Myosotis spp - Non native.

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Pineapple Sage

Salvia elegans - Non-native to California. The leaves and flowers are edible and have a sweet pineapple-like fragrance and flavor. They are commonly used fresh in teas, fruit salads, desserts, jellies, and beverages. Its bright red tubular flowers are highly attractive to hummingbirds, butterflies, bees, and other pollinators, especially in late summer and fall when nectar sources may be scarce. In its native range of Mexico, pineapple sage has also been used traditionally in herbal remedies for anxiety, digestive discomfort, and respiratory ailments.

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