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Home | Plant Communities | Channel Islands Flora

The Channel Islands include 8 islands. Located off the coast of Orange and Los Angeles counties are, south to north, San Clemente, Santa Catalina, Santa Barbara and San Nicholas Islands. Located off the coast of Ventura and Santa Barbara counties are, south to north, Anacapa, Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa and San Miguel. The flora of each island is individual and often quite different than the species found on the mainland. This plant community grows under similar conditions as Coastal Sage Scrub (high humidity) with 15" - 20" of rainfall annually.

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Catalina Island Cherry

Prunus ilicifolia ssp. lyonii; Rose Family

• evergreen shrub or small tree (up to 45 feet in height) with a broad crown of spreading branches
• thick, dark green leaves, 2" - 5" long, oval shaped, mostly without teeth
• small white flowers bloom May - June, followed in autumn by a 1/2" - to 1" dark purple cherry
• after careful preparation including grinding and soaking, the Tongva (Gabrielino) Native Americans ate the thin layer of meat of this cherry
• host plant for the Western Tiger Swallowtail, Pale Swallowtail, California Hairstreak, Variable Checkerspot, and Lorquin's Admiral

Torrey Pine

Pinus torreyana; Pine Family

• sprawling tree with irregularly fissured bark
• stiff, dark green leaves in bundles of 5 are 7" - 11" long
• ovoid cones 4" - 6" long
• native only to Santa Rosa Island and Del Mar, which are separated by 175 miles of ocean
• resin was chewed for sore throats and made into a tea to treat colds
• young needles used in tea

Catalina Ironwood

Lyonothamnus floribundus; Rose Family

• evergreen tree
• bark is thin, grayish and scaly and peeling in narrow strips (beneath the peeling bark, the color is reddish brown)
• leaves are pinnately compound, with 7 - 15 leaflets
• purple pea-shaped flowers appear from April - May; followed by a brown pod (fruit)
• seeds taste like peanuts, and can be ground into flour
• Native Americans used this extremely hard wood to make tools

Island Tree Mallow

Layatera assurgentiflora; Mallow Family

• evergreen, erect, bushy shrub, can grow to 15 feet
• leaves are alternate, and shaped similarly to maple leaves; grayish-green on top, with a silvery (but not shiny) green color underneath
• flowers primarily April to August, but at the ENC, flowers can be seen year round
• native to the Santa Barbara & Santa Catalina Islands
• fruits are good in salads; young leaves are eaten raw or boiled and seasoned