Native Plants Dazzle in the Santa Cruz Mountians - California Native Plant Society (original) (raw)
The official magazine of the California Native Plant Society
FLORA MAGAZINE | PICTORIAL ESSAY
Pictorial Essay: From Foggy Forest to Sandhills
Exploring the Santa Cruz Mountains
Spring/Summer 2024
Story and photos by Mike Heine
Like the backbone of an elk, the Santa Cruz Mountains stretch out along the San Francisco Peninsula from Montara Mountain just south of San Francisco to the banks of the Pajaro River. First named “Sharp Ridged Mountain of the Eagle,” or Mak-sah-re-jah in the Utian language of the Mutsun Ohlone Tribe, these mountains are a plant lover’s dream. A plethora of climactic, geologic, and human influences have shaped the region’s biodiversity, from wildfire to the tropical moisture of the Pineapple Express. Here, foggy redwood forests give way to sandhills; wind-lashed coastal scrub intermingles with ribbons of riparian forests; and serpentine barrens dominate mountaintops.
The region was severely burned in the 2020 CZU Lightning Complex Fire. Over the last three years, a team of ecologists from the California Department of Fish & Wildlife, UC Santa Cruz, and CNPS have monitored the regeneration of plant communities across the landscape. CNPS’s efforts were supported by funding from California State Parks Foundation, Mary A. Crocker Trust, and Save the Redwoods League. As the region continues to recover, we’ve documented some of its special plants and places.
Clockwise from top left: Checker lilies (Fritillaria affinis) are swayed by the gentle coastal breeze. Humboldt County milkvetch (Astragalus agnicidus, CRPR 1B.1) was found for the first time in the Santa Cruz Mountains after the CZU Complex Fire, expanding its known occurrence range south by hundreds of miles. While redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens) persist farther south in the deep, cool valleys of Big Sur, the Santa Cruz Mountains are their southern stronghold, where they are nurtured by heavy winter rains and cool summer fog. Pacific hound’s tongue (Adelinia grande) stretches toward the sun.
Clockwise from top left:
Checker lilies (Fritillaria affinis) are swayed by the gentle coastal breeze. Humboldt County milkvetch (Astragalus agnicidus, CRPR 1B.1) was found for the first time in the Santa Cruz Mountains after the CZU Complex Fire, expanding its known occurrence range south by hundreds of miles.
While redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens) persist farther south in the deep, cool valleys of Big Sur, the Santa Cruz Mountains are their southern stronghold, where they are nurtured by heavy winter rains and cool summer fog.
Pacific hound’s tongue (Adelinia grande) stretches toward the sun.
The oak woodlands in the Santa Cruz Mountains commonly feature coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia), Shreve oak (Quercus parvula var. shrevei), and blue oak (Quercus douglasii).
Above: The oak woodlands in the Santa Cruz Mountains commonly feature coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia), Shreve oak (Quercus parvula var. shrevei), and blue oak (Quercus douglasii).
Clockwise from top left: One of the crown jewels of the range, the Santa Cruz sandhills, formed when plate tectonics lifted the ancient seafloor. Today, they support species and communities found nowhere else. The pinefoot (Pityopus californicus, CRPR 4.2), previously known only from north of the Bay and the Sierra, has been discovered in recent years in the sandhill habitat. The chaparral communities of the Santa Cruz Mountains contain common and rare plants like the endemic Montara manzanita (Arctostaphylos montaraensis, CRPR 1B.2) and California larkspur (Delphinium californicum). The local endemic Bonny Doon manzanita (Arctostaphylos silvicola, CRPR 1B.2) with nearby sandstone endemic Santa Cruz cypress (Hesperocyparis abramsiana, CRPR 1B.2), and a separate, single population of Butano cypress (H. abramsiana var. butanoensis) shows signs of recovery after being almost completely burnt in the CZU Complex Fire. A bright cluster of bush chinquapin (Chrysolepis chrysophylla var. minor).
Clockwise from top left:
One of the crown jewels of the range, the Santa Cruz sandhills, formed when plate tectonics lifted the ancient seafloor. Today, they support species and communities found nowhere else. The pinefoot (Pityopus californicus, CRPR 4.2), previously known only from north of the Bay and the Sierra, has been discovered in recent years in the sandhill habitat.
The chaparral communities of the Santa Cruz Mountains contain common and rare plants like the endemic Montara manzanita (Arctostaphylos montaraensis, CRPR 1B.2) and California larkspur (Delphinium californicum).
The local endemic Bonny Doon manzanita (Arctostaphylos silvicola, CRPR 1B.2) with nearby sandstone endemic Santa Cruz cypress (Hesperocyparis abramsiana, CRPR 1B.2), and a separate, single population of Butano cypress (H. abramsiana var. butanoensis) shows signs of recovery after being almost completely burnt in the CZU Complex Fire.
A bright cluster of bush chinquapin (Chrysolepis chrysophylla var. minor).
Carpets of Ben Lomond spineflower (Chorizanthe pungens var. hartwegiana, CRPR 1B.1) can be found during good rain years in the sandhills.
Above: Carpets of Ben Lomond spineflower (Chorizanthe pungens var. hartwegiana, CRPR 1B.1) can be found during good rain years in the sandhills.
Sacred to the Amah Mutsun, Mt. Umunhum’s summit has been restored back to a more natural state and reopened after decades of use by the military. Serpentine is common along its flanks.
Above: Sacred to the Amah Mutsun, Mt. Umunhum’s summit has been restored back to a more natural state and reopened after decades of use by the military. Serpentine is common along its flanks.
Fragrant fritillary (Fritillaria liliacea, CRPR 1B.1), bristly jewelflower (Streptanthus glandulosus ssp. glandulosus), and Loma Prieta hoita (Hoita strobilina, CRPR 1B.1) all grow in chaparral and woodland habitats, often with serpentine soils. Fragrant fritillary belongs to the lily family of native plants, bristly jewelflower is part of the mustard family, and Loma Prieta hoita is a member of the legume family.
Above (L-R): Fragrant fritillary (Fritillaria liliacea, CRPR 1B.1), bristly jewelflower (Streptanthus glandulosus ssp. glandulosus), and Loma Prieta hoita (Hoita strobilina, CRPR 1B.1) all grow in chaparral and woodland habitats, often with serpentine soils.
Fragrant fritillary belongs to the lily family of native plants, bristly jewelflower is part of the mustard family, and Loma Prieta hoita is a member of the legume family.
(L-R): Canyon liveforever (Dudleya cymosa ssp. cymosa) can be found in the more forgiving soils of Mt. Umunhum. A Butano Ridge cypress (Hesperocyparis abramsiana var. butanoensis) seedling two years after the CZU Complex Fire. Primarily in the eastern portion of the range’s foothills, along I-280 and the Sierra Azul Range, serpentine habitat is challenging to many plants that need more water and nutrients than the species able to thrive in this unique environment.
Above (L-R): Canyon liveforever (Dudleya cymosa ssp. cymosa) can be found in the more forgiving soils of Mt. Umunhum.
A Butano Ridge cypress (Hesperocyparis abramsiana var. butanoensis) seedling two years after the CZU Complex Fire.
Primarily in the eastern portion of the range’s foothills, along I-280 and the Sierra Azul Range, serpentine habitat is challenging to many plants that need more water and nutrients than the species able to thrive in this unique environment.