California is home to 6,500 native plant species, including some that are truly iconic, like coast redwoods, giant sequoias, bristlecone pines, and California poppies. If you're like me, you have a lot of questions about this wide variety of plants, like: What is it that makes native plants so important? What's the difference between a native plant and an endemic one? Why are some plants more beneficial for wildlife than others? How many rare plants do we have in California? What's important to know about gardening with natives?  How can we each help increase biodiversity in our own neighborhoods and beyond?

In this episode, join me and botanist Naomi Fraga from the California Botanic Garden as we discuss native plants, Global Biodiversity Hotspots, why some parts of the Mojave Desert are so wet, how to survive fieldwork in Death Valley, the swampy past of Los Angeles, and what each of us can do to ensure that the botanical richness of our state continues for generations to come. 

Rare plants mentioned by Naomi: 

Amargosa Niterwort 

Tecopa Bird's-Beak

Aphyllon Validum (rock creek broomrape) 

Kelso Creek Monkeyflower 

Links: 

California Botanic Garden 

California Native Plant Society

Calflora

Calscape

CNPS Inventory of Rare Plants 

Seven Forms of Rarity

Springs and Seeps (Mojave Wetlands) 

Svalbard Global Seed Vault 

Native Plant Societies in North America

Home Grown National Park (about) (map) 

Los Angeles and Palm Trees 

Outdoor Equity Groups 

Disparities in Nature Loss and Access to Nature 

Biodiversity Hotspots 

Kids Outdoors 

Support GSN on Patreon! 

My Instagram and TikTok are both @goldenstatenaturalist

My website is www.goldenstatenaturalist.com 

The theme song is called "i dunno" by grapes, and you can find the Creative Commons License here.