Native Trees - Chico

At least 13 trees are native to the land within Chico's city limits, including a rare walnut tree.¹ Chico's native trees are described below.

Bigleaf Maple

Bigleaf maple (Acer macrophyllum) on the Feather River North Fork, near Strawberry Valley. Photo by queerbychoice. Bigleaf maple is a 30- to 100-foot-tall, deciduous maple tree (in the soapberry family) that prefers shade and can be found in riparian areas. You can read more about it at the Las Pilitas Nursery website and USDA Conservation Plant Characteristics, see pictures of it on CalPhotos, Flickr, and Picasa, and find out where to buy it at the California Native Plant Link Exchange.

California buckeye (Aesculus californica) in the California State University Sacramento arboretum. Photo by queerbychoice. California buckeye is a 20- to 40-foot-tall, deciduous, white-flowering tree (in the soapberry family) that prefers full sun and good drainage. You can read more about it at the Las Pilitas Nursery website and USDA Conservation Plant Characteristics, see pictures of it on CalPhotos, Flickr, and Picasa, and find out where to buy it at the California Native Plant Link Exchange.

In February, pink buds cover the bare trunk of a Western redbud (Cercis occidentalis) in a garden in Marysville. Photo by queerbychoice. Western redbud is a 15-foot-tall, deciduous, purple-flowering tree or tall shrub (in the pea family) that prefers full sun. You can read more about it at the Las Pilitas Nursery website, see pictures of it on CalPhotos, Flickr, and Picasa, and find out where to buy it at the California Native Plant Link Exchange.

Oregon ash (Fraxinus latifolia) in the American River Parkway. Photo by queerbychoice. Oregon ash is a 35- to 70-foot-tall, deciduous tree (in the olive family) that prefers sun or partial shade. You can read more about it at the Las Pilitas Nursery website and USDA Conservation Plant Characteristics, see pictures of it on CalPhotos, Flickr, and Picasa, and find out where to buy it at the California Native Plant Link Exchange.

California Walnut (Juglans californica) in the American River Parkway. Photo by queerbychoice. California walnut is a 15- to 30-foot-tall, deciduous tree (in the walnut family) that prefers sun or partial shade. You can read more about it at the Las Pilitas Nursery website, see pictures of it on CalPhotos, Flickr, and Picasa, and find out where to buy it at the California Native Plant Link Exchange.

Gray pines (Pinus sabiniana) in Hammon Grove Park display characteristically rounded tops, with mostly bare trunks below. Photo by queerbychoice. Gray pine (also called foothill pine but still, and unfortunately, commonly referred to as Digger Pine) is a 20- to 80-foot-tall, evergreen, coniferous tree (in the pine family) that prefers full sun and moderate to good drainage. You can read more about it at the Las Pilitas Nursery website and USDA Conservation Plant Characteristics, see pictures of it on CalPhotos, Flickr, and Picasa, and find out where to buy it at the California Native Plant Link Exchange.

Western sycamore (Platanus racemosa) next to the 10th Street Bridge in Yuba City. Photo by queerbychoice. Western sycamore is a 20- to 75-foot-tall, deciduous tree (in the sycamore family) that prefers full sun and moderate to good drainage. You can read more about it at the Las Pilitas Nursery website and USDA Conservation Plant Characteristics, see pictures of it on CalPhotos, Flickr, and Picasa, and find out where to buy it at the California Native Plant Link Exchange.

Fremont's cottonwood (Populus fremontii) in the American River Parkway, with cotton-like seeds. Photo by queerbychoice. Fremont's cottonwood is a 50- to 90-foot-tall, deciduous tree (in the willow family) that prefers full sun. You can read more about it at the Las Pilitas Nursery website and USDA Conservation Plant Characteristics, see pictures of it on CalPhotos, Flickr, and Picasa, and find out where to buy it at the California Native Plant Link Exchange.

The small, shallowly lobed leaves of blue oak (Quercus douglasii) in Hammon Grove Park. Photo by queerbychoice. Blue oak is a 20- to 60-foot-tall, deciduous white oak tree (in the beech family) that prefers full sun. You can read more about it at the Las Pilitas Nursery website and USDA Conservation Plant Characteristics, see pictures of it on CalPhotos, Flickr, Picasa, and find out where to buy it at the California Native Plant Link Exchange.

Valley oak (Quercus lobata) in Beckwourth Riverfront Park Complex. Photo by queerbychoice. Valley oak is a 35- to 100-foot-tall, deciduous red oak tree (in the beech family) that prefers full sun and moderate to good drainage. You can read more about it at the Las Pilitas Nursery website and USDA Conservation Plant Characteristics, see pictures of it on CalPhotos, Flickr, and Picasa: Valley Oak, and find out where to buy it at the California Native Plant Link Exchange.

The holly-like leaves of interior live oak (Quercus wislizeni) in Hammon Grove Park. Photo by queerbychoice. Interior live oak is a 10- to 30-foot-tall, evergreen red oak tree or tall shrub (in the beech family). You can read more about it at the Las Pilitas Nursery website, see pictures of it on CalPhotos, Flickr, and Picasa, and find out where to buy it at the California Native Plant Link Exchange.

Blue elderberry (Sambucus mexicana) laden with berries, in the California State University Sacramento arboretum. Photo by queerbychoice. Blue elderberry is a 23-foot-tall, white-flowering, deciduous tree or tall shrub (in the honeysuckle family) that prefers sun or partial shade and moderate to good drainage. You can read more about it at the Las Pilitas Nursery website and USDA Conservation Plant Characteristics, see pictures of it on CalPhotos, Flickr, and Picasa, and find out where to buy it at the California Native Plant Link Exchange.

California bay laurel (Umbellularia californica). Photo by queerbychoice. California bay laurel is a 30- to 80-foot-tall, deciduous tree (in the laurel family) that prefers shade. You can read more about it at the Las Pilitas Nursery website and USDA Conservation Plant Characteristics, see pictures of it on CalPhotos, Flickr, and Picasa, and find out where to buy it at the California Native Plant Link Exchange.