Presidio Wildflowers

Select a flower above or a link at left to learn more

The Presidio's natural areas with their many wildflowers are remnants of what was once an extensive and dynamic coastal ecosystem found throughout San Francisco. For thousands of years before the Europeans arrived, a wide variety of native plants were harvested for ceremony, medicine and sustenance by Native Californians. These large indigenous populations managed their plant resources through gathering, tending, and burning. The first European explorers documented this already altered landscape. The web pages at this site discuss native and non-native wildflower species found at the Presidio today, and some of their ethnobotanical uses by Native Californians.

Sailing along the California coastline as the setting sun reflected off shiny petals, Spanish mariners saw California poppies upon the coastal ranges, exclaiming, "This is the land of fire," and called them "copa de oro" or "cup of gold." The same scene later fueled the imagination of the '49ers on their way to the gold fields of the Sierra Nevada. Early botanists arrived on explorers' ships and began compiling 'floras' or catalogues of the new world plants. Adelbert von Chamisso and Johann Eschscholtz arrived in 1816 and scientifically described and named many native California plant species right here in the Presidio. Those species named here, including California Poppy, are noted on these web pages.

Although the landscape of the Presidio has been greatly altered through the centuries, many natural habitats remain relatively intact compared to the urban surroundings. Through the efforts of a dedicated staff and thousands of volunteers, these native plant communities are being restored and preserved, ensuring that our beautiful wildflowers and their dependent animal and insect species will continue to thrive. Some of our native wildflowers also support threatened or endangered species.

The Presidio is in a national park, therefore plant and other material gathering is prohibited. Wildflowers are the reproductive organs of plants, so removing them can destroy the reproductive success of a plant for an entire year. Please take home only photographs and memories.

Credits and Resources