UC Davis Natural Reserve System
Stebbins Cold Canyon Reserve

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Common Chaparral Plants

PoisonOakBush.JPG (3733 bytes)

T. diversilobum

Photo: Laura Kindsvater

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T. diversilobum

Photo: Michele Johnson

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T. diversilobum

Photo: Laura Kindsvater

Poison oak (Toxicodendron diversilobum) is very common at Cold Canyon, so watch out for leaves of three. In winter, though, there are no leaves, so avoid any woody shrubs that you cannot identify. In springtime, as pictured here, the first red leaves unfurl. Later in the summer the leaves may be lushly green or even shiny.

Courtesy of PLB 102 web site (1)

Toyon or Christmas Berry (Heteromeles arbutifolia). This shrub draws attention with its bright red berries and distinctive elongated, toothed leaves. The berries are bitter-tasting; Native Americans cooked them before eating. They also made a tea from the bark and leaves as a cure for stomachaches and other aches and pains.

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chamiseBush1.jpg (18533 bytes)

Photos: Laura Kindsvater

Chamise (Adenostoma fasciculatum) has leaves that are short, narrow and needle-like (to prevent water loss) and 5-petaled white flowers.

Photo: Laura Kindsvater

Scrub oak (Quercus berberidifolia) is a bushy shrub with evergreen leaves that have abruptly pointed teeth. It is very difficult to distinguish this oak from the shrub form of interior live oak, Quercus wislizenii, because both oaks are evergreen.

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Photos: L. Kindsvater

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Note the 3 distinctive veins branching from the base of each leaf.

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Also pictured here are the fruits of the Ceanothus.

Buck brush (Ceanothus cuneatus var. cuneatus) is one of two "California lilacs" growing in the reserve.

(1) These photos are courtesy of Dr. Ellen Dean and http://herbarium.ucdavis.edu/pltbio102/index.html

Last Updated 03/09/06