Plants of Eaton Canyon

Eaton Canyon Natural Area Park lies at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains, at the mouth of Eaton Canyon, whose upper reaches start near Mt. Wilson. Eaton Canyon creek usually has year-round water, but becomes an intermittent stream near the Mt. Wilson Toll Road bridge.  Eaton Canyon wash, which runs through the park, has water only part of the year.  You can find an abundance of different plant species, because the area consists of five plant communities: Coastal Sage Scrub, Chaparral, Southern Oak Woodland, Riparian Woodland, and Alluvial Scrub, plus their ecotones at their edges, where the communities blend together.

Below is a partial list of the most common and naturally occurring plants found in the park and the area along the creek north of the park, as far at the Eaton Canyon waterfall.

Plants that have an asterisk (*) after their names are those that are not native to Eaton Canyon.  They have been introduced, intentionally or accidently, from other parts of California or beyond. Some are considered to be invasive.

Click any plant for details.

Photos © Gabi McLean

Trees

Big-leaf Maple

Acer macrophyllum

Black Cottonwood

Populus trichocarpa

Black Willow

Salix gooddingii

Blue Elderberry

Sambucus mexicana

California Bay

Umbellularia californica

California Black Walnut

Juglans californica

California Buckeye*

Aesculus californica*

Canyon Oak

Quercus chrysolepis

Coast Live Oak

Quercus agrifolia

Engelmann Oak

Quercus engelmannii

Mexican Fan Palm*

Washingtonia robusta*

Red Willow

Salix laevigata

Western Sycamore

Platanus racemosa

White Alder

Alnus rhombifolia

Shrubs

Arroyo Willow

Salix lasiolepis

Basket Bush

Rhus aromatica

Black Sage

Salvia mellifera

Bush Sunflower

Encelia californica

California Brickellbush

Brickellia californica

California Buckwheat

Eriogonum fasciculatum

California Sagebrush

Artemisia californica

California Wild Rose

Rosa californica

Castor Bean*

Ricinus communis*

Century Plant*

Agave americana*

Chamise

Adenostoma fasciculatum

Chaparral Whitethorn

Ceanothus leucodermis

Chaparral Yucca

Hesperoyucca whipplei

Coffeeberry

Frangula californica

Coyote Bush

Baccharis pilularis

Fuchsia-flowered gooseberry

Ribes speciosum

Golden Currant

Ribes aureum

Hairy Ceanothus

Ceanothus oliganthus

Heart-leaf Penstemon

Keckiella cordifolia

Hillside Gooseberry

Ribes californicum

Hoaryleaf Ceanothus

Ceanothus crassifolius

Hollyleaf Cherry

Prunus ilicifolia

Holly-leaf Redberry

Rhamnus ilicifolia

Laurel Sumac

Malosma laurina

Leather Oak

Quercus durata

Little-leaf Redberry

Rhamnus crocea

Mission Cactus*

Opuntia ficus-indica*

Mountain Mahogany

Cercocarpus betuloides

Mulefat

Baccharis salicifolia

Nevin's Brickellbush

Brickellia nevinii

Pine Goldenbush

Ericameria pinifolia

Poison Oak

Toxicodendron diversilobum

Prickly Pear Cactus

Opuntia vaseyi

Purple Nightshade

Solanum xanti

Scale Broom

Lepidospartum squamatum

Southern Honeysuckle

Lonicera subspicata

Spanish Broom*

Spartium junceum*

Sugar Bush

Rhus ovata

Thick-leaved Yerba Santa

Eriodictyon crassifolium

Toyon

Heteromeles arbutifolia

Tree Spurge*

Euphorbia dendroides*

Tree Tobacco*

Nicotiana glauca*

White Nightshade

Solanum douglasii

White Sage

Salvia apiana

Wildflowers (and other non-woody plants)

Arroyo Lupine

Lupinus succulentus

Arundo*

Arundo donax*

Baby Blue Eyes

Nemophila menziesii

Blue Dicks

Dipterostemon capitatus

Branching Phacelia

Phacelia ramosissima

California Croton

Croton californicus

California Everlasting

Pseudognaphalium californicum

California Fuchsia

Epilobium canum

California Lace Fern

Aspidotis californica

California Poppy

Eschscholzia californica

Canyon Liveforever

Dudleya cymosa

Chia

Salvia columbariae

Chinese Houses

Collinsia heterophylla

Cliff Aster

Malacothrix saxatilis

Coast Morning Glory

Calystegia macrostegia

Cobweb Thistle

Cirsium occidentale

Collar Lupine

Lupinus truncatus

Common Phacelia

Phacelia distans

Coulter's Lupine

Lupinus sparsiflorus

Creek Monkeyflower

Erythranthe guttata

Creek Senecio

Senecio flaccidus

Deer Plant

Acmispon glaber

Dodder

Cuscuta californica

Turkey Mullein

Croton setiger

Elegant Clarkia

Clarkia unguiculata

Eupatory*

Ageratina adenophora*

Felt-leaf Everlasting

Pseudognaphalium microcephalum

Giant Wild Rye

Elymus condensatus

Golden Aster

Heterotheca sessiliflora

Golden Yarrow

Eriophyllum confertiflorum

Hooker's Evening Primrose

Oenothera elata

Horehound*

Marrubium vulgare*

Horseweed

Erigeron canadensis

Indian Pink

Silene laciniata

Lanceleaf Liveforever

Dudleya lanceolata

Large-flowered Phacelia

Phacelia grandiflora

Leafy Fleabane

Erigeron foliosus

Maidenhair Fern

Adiantum capillus-veneris

Maltese Star Thistle*

Centaurea melitensis*

Matilija Poppy

Romneya coulteri

Mediterranean Mustard*

Hirschfeldia incana*

Milk Thistle*

Silybum marianum*

Miner's Lettuce

Claytonia perfoliata

Moth Mullein*

Verbascum blattaria*

Mugwort

Artemisia douglasiana

Oriental Mustard*

Sisymbrium orientale*

Popcorn Flower

Cryptantha muricata

Prickly Phlox

Linanthus californicus

Purple Clarkia

Clarkia purpurea

Red-gland Spurge

Euphorbia melanadenia

Redstem Filaree*

Erodium cicutarium*

Sacred Datura

Datura wrightii

Scarlet Larkspur

Delphinium cardinale

Scarlet Monkeyflower

Erythranthe cardinalis

Showy Penstemon

Penstemon spectabilis

Southern Sun Cup

Camissoniopsis bistorta

Sticky Monkeyflower

Diplacus longiflorus

Stinging Lupine

Lupinus hirsutissimus

Tansy Mustard

Descurainia pinnata

Telegraph Weed

Heterotheca grandiflora

Wand Buckwheat

Eriogonum elongatum

Water Cress

Nasturtium officinale

Wavyleaf Paintbrush

Castilleja applegatei

Western Columbine

Aquilegia formosa

Western Wallflower

Erysimum capitatum

Wild Canterbury Bells

Phacelia minor

Wild Cucumber

Marah macrocarpa

Wild Sweet Pea

Lathyrus vestitus

Yellow Pincushion

Chaenactis glabriuscula

Yerba Mansa

Anemopsis californica