INTRODUCTION 
California has the most remarkable native flora of all the states 
in the Union. There are more plants native to California than to any 
other State. This is not hard to understand when we stop to con- 
sider the size and shape of California. The long coastline, the high 
mountains and the interior deserts. The greatest variation in ecli- 
matic conditions prevail here from the fog belt of the north coast 
section to the semi-tropical climate of the southern part of the 
state; the severe cold of the high mountains to the intense heat of 
the deserts. This great variation in climatic conditions is productive 
of a large and varied flora. There are about one hundred kinds of 
trees, nearly one thousand shrubs and shrubby plants and several 
thousand annual and perennial wild flowers found in California. Yet 
with all this native plant material right at hand, we have ransacked 
the entire globe for plants to bring here. It is doubtful whether 
there is any country in the world where there are plants from so 
many different parts of the globe as are to be seen in the gardens 
of Southern California. All this time, we have neglected many of the 
most beautiful and certainly the most appropriate—our own native 
plants—the plants that were placed here by nature herself, the first 
and greatest of all gardeners. These plants have been especially 
adapted by nature to our climatic conditions and withstand our dry 
hot summers better than any others. Also there is a certain charm 
and interest connected with these plants because they belong here 
and are truly Californian. The introduction of so many foreign trees 
into our landscapes is greatly to be regretted: There is only one 
California and it is being rapidly destroyed. Our greatest asset is 
California itself. We should keep California, California. We should 
preserve our native landscapes, our wild flower areas, our landmarks 
and everything pertaining to the history and romance of this great 
and glorious country. 
There are no more beautiful trees anywhere in the world than 
our live oaks and our syeamores. We should plant them freely in 
our gardens, parks and public grounds and along our highways, 
not in straight rows but in natural groups or clumps with some 
single specimens and some open spaces. We should plant our native 
shrubs and wild flowers wherever we can. In this way we may re- 
store and preserve much of the beauty of old California. The real 
California. The purpose of this booklet is to bring before the public 
a knowledge of some of the most desirable of our California plants, 
trees and shrubs for use in landscaping home grounds, etc. Where 
homes are built in canyons and on hillsides the native plant ma- 
terial is especially appropriate. Dry banks and hillsides can be cov- 
ered with native shrubs at a comparatively low cost and if watered 
for one or two seasons will take care of themselves thereafter. Some 
of the native shrubs do not tolerate much artificial watering while 
others stand ordinary garden treatment. Many valuable notes on the 
uses and treatment of native plants will be found in this booklet. 
