Native Plant Communities
Topics
Bees and Other PollinatorsBirdsButterfliesClassesEventFruits and Berriesgarden restorationgarden tourGardening with WildlifeGrowing Plants from SeedHabitat GardeningHarmony with NatureHome LandscapingMonarchs and MilkweedNative Plant CommunitiesPlant Nurseryplant salePropagating PlantsSeed CollectingTending Your GardenUseful Nonnative PlantsWater conservationWatershed Approach to LandscapingWildflowers
Poison Oak and Its Relatives
A native plant that we all know (or certainly should!) is Poison Oak (Toxicodendron diversilobium) because it is so widespread in the Bay Area. Many people get a very uncomfortable rash if they touch any part of the plant, so knowing how to identify it and avoid...
Some Other Common Brushfoots (Nymphalidae)
The Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa) is fairly common in Marin, and adults can be seen flying almost any time during the year. This species is also found in Europe; on the British Isles it is known as the Camberwell Beauty, and considered the rarest of British...
The Swallowtails
Within the family Papilionidae are some of the largest and most spectacular butterflies in the world. Four species are commonly seen in Marin; each one associated with a particular type of habitat. Three are yellow with black markings; the Western Tiger Swallowtail,...
The “Whites”
One of the most common butterflies we see around Marin is the Cabbage White; and it has the distinction of being the only naturalized exotic butterfly in our area. This species has successfully established itself over the entire continent since its apparent...
The Other “Ladies”
There are three closely related ‘Ladies’ that are easy to provide for in a habitat garden; the Painted Lady, the American Lady, and the West Coast Lady; however, they are not always easy to tell apart. Personally, I’m happy to see any and all of the...