Plant ID Notebook

Family: Flacourtiaceae

Type: Evergreen shrub

Avg. Height: 15'–25'

Avg. Width: 15'

Leaf: 

Green to yellow-green

New leaves are bronze

Ovate

Serrated

Pointed apex

1½"–3"

Shiny and soft

Thin and flexible

Flower:

Yellow-green

Small

Attract bees

Fruit:

Black

Very small

Wildlife: Attracts bees

Plant Factor: M

Irrigation Group: 1

Pests & Diseases: 

Shot Hole Borer

Giant Whitefly

Scales

Spider Mites

Thrips

Misc. Notes:

Mounding habit

Rarely produces flowers or fruit

Family: Bignoniaceae

Type: Evergreen shrub

Avg. Height & Width: 6'–8'

Leaf: 

Dark green to bright green

Pinnately compound

5–7 leaflets

Glossy

Toothed margin

Flower:

Red to orange

Trumpet shaped

2"

Fruit:

Cluster of narrow seed pods with papery seeds

Bark:

Light brown or gray

New growth stems are green with lenticels

Wildlife: 

Hummingbirds

Plant Factor: M/L

Irrigation Group: 2

Misc. Notes:

Can get much taller with support

Fast growing

Family: Anacardiaceae

Type: Evergreen shrub or tree

Avg. Height: 15'–20'

Avg. Width: 25'–30'

Leaf: 

Green to dark green

Glossy

Leathery

Alternate

Pinkish reddish petiole

Ovate and pointed

1"–2"

Flower:

White or pink

Clusters

Fragrant

Blooms early spring

Fruit:

Pink or red berry

Fuzzy and coated in sugary sap

Eaten by birds

Bark:

Light brown or gray

Wildlife: 

Birds

Bees

Butterflies

Plant Factor: L/VL

Irrigation Group: 2

Misc. Notes:

Fast growth rate

Family: Fagaceae

Type: Evergreen tree

Avg. Height & Width: 40'–50'

Leaf: 

Dark green

White underneath

Alternate

Intermittent spines on margin

1"–3"

Flower:

Yellowish- green

Tassel-like

Blooms late spring

Fruit:

Acorn

Dark brown

½"–¾"

Matures in summer

Bark:

Light gray

Wildlife: 

Squirrels

Mammals

Birds

Plant Factor: M/L

Irrigation Group: 2

Pests & Diseases: 

Anthracnose

Drippy oak

Root rot

Phytophthora ramorum

Aphids

Mites

Scales

Spider mites

Resistant to armillaria

Resistant to verticillum

Misc. Notes:

Upright habit for first 15–20 years before rounding and broadening

100–200 year lifespan

Family: Fabaceae

Type: Evergreen to semi-deciduous tree

Avg. Height & Width: 10'–40'

Leaf: 

Dark to light green

Bipinnately compound

Many small feathery leaflets

Alternate

Flower:

Yellow to white

Catkins

2"–3"

Fragrant

Blooms spring to summer

Fruit:

Seed pod

Brown, starts out green

3"–8"

Bark:

Dark gray or dark brown

Fissured

Wildlife: 

Bees

Birds

Plant Factor: M/L

Irrigation Group: 2

Misc. Notes:

Thorn on most species

Pictured: Prosopis chilensis, Chilean Mesquite

Family: Pittosporaceae

Type: Evergreen shrub or tree

Avg. Height & Width: 6'–15'

Leaf: 

Dark to bright green

Glossy

Whorled

Slightly curved/cupped margin

Ovate

3"–4"

Flower:

Cream or white

Clusters

Fragrant, like orange blossoms

Fruit:

Green pea sized seed pod

Bark:

Gray

Smooth

Wildlife: 

Bees

Plant Factor: M

Irrigation Group: 1

Pests & Diseases: 

Pytophthora

Sooty mold

Aphids

Scales

Resistant to armillaria

Family: Myrtaceae

Type: Evergreen tree

Avg. Height: 25'–40'

Avg. Width: 15'–25'

Leaf: 

Gray-green

Narrow

Lance shaped

Alternate

2"–3"

Fragrant

Flower:

Cream colored

Brush-like clusters

On the end of stems

2"–3"

Fragrant

Blooms in spring and fall

Fruit:

Woody pods attached to branches

Remain attached for several years

Bark:

Tan and white

Peeling layers

Soft and spongy texture like a foam sheet

Wildlife: 

Bees

Birds

Plant Factor: M

Irrigation Group: 1

Pests & Diseases: 

Phytophthora

Root rot

Misc. Notes:

The bark can be peeled off in layers

Family: Sapindaceae

Type: Evergreen shrub or tree

Avg. Height: 12'–18'

Avg. Width: 6'–12'

Leaf: 

Green to purple

Leathery

Narrow

Obovate-oblong

3"–4" long

Flower:

Green, yellow

Flowers in spring

Fruit:

Papery seed capsule

Purple-reddish that dries out to tan

Plant Factor: M/L

Irrigation Group: 2

Misc. Notes:

Tough and adaptable plant

10–15 year lifespan

Pictured: Dodonaea viscosa 'Purpurea', Purple Hopseed Bush

Family: Rosaceae

Type: Evergreen shrub

Avg. Height: 8'–10'

Avg. Width: 10'–12'

Leaf: 

Dark green top

Whitish or gray underneath

Broadly elliptic, ovate

Leathery

Impressed veins

Alternate

Flower:

White

2"–3" clusters

Spring

Fruit:

Red berry

Clusters

¼"

Eaten by wildlife

Bark:

Gray

Lenticels on stems

Mounding

Plant Factor: M

Irrigation Group: 1

Family: Rutaceae

Type: Evergreen shrub

Avg. Height & Width: 3'–5'

Leaf: 

Green

Needle-like

Fragrant

Soft

Flower:

Small

White or pink

5 petals

Blooms in winter and spring

Bark:

Smooth

Wildlife: 

Bees

Butterflies

Pollinators

Plant Factor: M

Irrigation Group: 1

Misc. Notes:

Flower color and growth habit depends on the species

Pictured is Coleonema pulchellum, Pink Breath of Heaven

Family: Fabaceae

Type: Evergreen shrub

Avg. Height: 3'–4'

Avg. Width: 4'–5'

Leaf: 

Dull green to dull dark green

Compound, many tiny leaflets

1"

Flower:

Red puff of stamens

Blooms year-round

Fruit:

Seed pod

2"–3"

Bark:

Dense irregular growth

Upright and somewhat curving branches

Wildlife: 

Hummingbirds

Bees

Butterflies

Plant Factor: M/L

Irrigation Group: 2

Family: Lamiaceae

Type: Evergreen shrub

Avg. Height: 2'–6'

Avg. Width: 1'–4'

Leaf: 

Narrow, needle-like

Green to dark green on top

Pale underneath

½"–1½"

Fragrant

Edible

Flower:

Blue to purple

Small, ¼"–½"

Wildlife: 

Bees

Butterflies

Birds

Pollinators

Plant Factor: M/L

Irrigation Group: 2

Misc. Notes:

Used in cooking

Aromatic oil

Has many different cultivars, can be grown as a hedge, groundcover, or hanging off walls or over pot edges

Family: Myrtaceae

Type: Evergreen tree

Avg. Height: 40'–70'

Avg. Width: 25'–35'

Leaf: 

Green top

Yellow underneath

Yellow midrib

Leathery

Alternate to whorled arrangement

4"–6"

Flower:

Creamy white

¾"

Clusters

Blooms late spring

Fruit:

Bell shaped woody capsule

Brown or green

½"

Bark:

Brown-red trunk and branches

Flaking

Smooth and lighter color underneath

Plant Factor: M

Irrigation Group: 1

Pests & Diseases: 

Phytophthora

Root rot

Scales

Misc. Notes:

Produces a lot of litter

Family: Proteaceae

Type: Evergreen tree

Avg. Height: 40'–75'

Avg. Width: 25'–30'

Leaf: 

Dark green top

White underneath

Pinnately compound

6"–12"

Flower:

Orange or yellow

Large clusters

6"–8"

Blooms in spring

Bark:

Dark brown

Fissured

Wildlife: 

Bees

Birds

Plant Factor: M/L

Irrigation Group: 2

Pests & Diseases: 

Phytophthora

Root rot

Scales

Misc. Notes:

Messy litter

~50–65 year lifespan

Not a good street tree, needs lots of open space

Wood is brittle

Classified as potentially invasive in specific parts of California by the Cal IPC

Family: Bignoniaceae

Type: Evergreen vine

Avg. Height: 20'–30'

Avg. Width: 5'–30'

Leaf: 

Green

Glossy

Oblong with point

3"–4"

Tendril

Flower:

Bright red with yellow

Tubular

4"–6" long

2" across

Blooms spring to fall

Plant Factor: M

Irrigation Group: 1

Misc. Notes:

The tendril is a modified leaflet

Doesn't always have many tendrils

Family: Fabaceae

Type: Evergreen tree

Avg. Height & Width: 25'–50'

Leaf: 

Dull green

Alternate arrangement

Pinnately compound

4–10 leaflets, oppositely attached

Almost circular leaflets

1"–2" long leaflets

Flower:

Red

Small

Flowers on old wood

Female trees have a strong scent

Blooms in spring

Fruit:

Long seed pods

Start green in the summer and turn dark brown

5"–7" long

Carob is used as a chocolate substitute

High in sugar and protein

Only on female trees

Bark:

Gray

Can become warty

Broad canopy

Wildlife: 

Birds

Plant Factor: M/L

Irrigation Group: 2

Pests & Diseases: 

Armillaria

Root rot

Misc. Notes:

75–125 year lifespan

High root damage potential

Family: Apocynaceae

Type: Evergreen shrub

Avg. Height & Width: 6"–10'

Leaf: 

Dark green

Oval

Leathery and thick

1"–3"

Thorns 1"–2"

Flower:

White flowers

Fragrant

Star shaped, 5 petals

2" across

Bloom year round

Fruit: 

Red to reddish purple

1"–1½"

Edible

Summer

Cranberry-like flavor

Plant Factor: M

Irrigation Group: 1

Misc. Notes:

Upright mounded habit

Used as a barrier hedge