Calscape review
by Jackie Scheidlinger
From the Ground Up
Camarillo, CA
Let me introduce you to Calscape—a very useful addition to your toolbox. Managed by the non-profit organization California Native Plant Society (CNPS), this website provides you with the data to help you and your clients to understand which California native plants will thrive in your geographic region, and which ones will struggle to survive.
As we all know, the state of California covers a lot of territory and a wide variety of geographic climates. As a consequence, we have a very environmentally diverse population of native plants and wildlife that have co-evolved together. The particular plants and insects that have adapted to grow in the coastal regions are completely different than those in the interior valleys. What Calscape does is to track the occurrence of native plant species in the different regions and aggregate data from a variety of sources (including academic institutions, Jepson Flora Project, Theodore Payne, Las Pilitas). They use that data to create maps and a searchable database for locating the plants that are native to your specific region, and that attract the butterflies, moths, and other pollinators that feed upon those plants. They also list all the nurseries where you can purchase these plants or their seeds.
Here’s how it works: you enter your address in the Advanced Search, and check off the specific plant characteristics and site conditions that apply to your situation. To check it out, I typed in my home address, and selected trees, shrubs, and grasses for my plant categories; in full sun or part shade; low, very low, or extremely low water requirements; and fast to medium drainage. I chose a pretty wide variety of colors, and checked off spring, summer, and fall for the flowering season. Then I checked off every nursery from the list of nurseries that was within a reasonable driving distance. My search results turned up eight plant selections, four of which I was already familiar with, and four of which I was not. I felt I wanted a larger selection, so I went back and added succulents and annual herbs to my plant categories, and this time the search came back with seventeen choices. There is a separate search available for butterflies. When I entered my address, I found out that there were 67 types of native butterflies that could potentially visit indigenous plants in my geographic area!
Anyone who is interested in native plants can benefit from using this website. It’s very popular among researchers, educators, and people involved in land management and environmental analysis.
It does not cost anything to access the Calscape data, but they do ask that you register, which helps them keep track of how many people are using the website. You can also participate as a contributor, where you aid them in observing plant life in the wild and tracking its location. The program depends on volunteers, or as they put it, “a community of interested and engaged users” to help them keep their information up to date. They welcome your participation.