California Native Plant Society, Orange County Chapter

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California Native Plant Society, Orange County Chapter

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California Native Plant Society, Orange County (OCCNPS)
is part of a state-wide organization of 36 chapters Membership is open to everyone.

Originally formed in 1965 in the east bay region, the California Native Plant Society (CNPS) is a statewide non-profit organization of amateurs and professionals with a common interest in California's native plants. The Society, working through its local chapters and statewide programs, seeks to increase understanding of California's native flora and to preserve this rich resource for future generations. Our members have diverse interests including natural history, botany, ecology, conservation, photography, drawing, hiking, plant uses, land use, horticulture and gardening, and a love of California’s natural landscapes.

10/26/2026

Discover the beauty and significance of Orange County’s landscapes with conservationist Fred Roberts at our upcoming chapter meeting.

From 1999 to 2023, Fred explored nearly 24,000 acres, uncovering rare plants and unique stories that shaped the now preserved lands of OC. Along the way, we’ll meet intermediate mariposa lily (Calochortus weedii var. intermedius), Catalina mariposa lily (Calochortus catalinae), many-stemmed dudleya (Dudleya multicaulis) and more!

Thursday, November 19
Doors open at 6:30 p.m. | Presentation begins at 7 p.m.
Duck Club at the San Joaquin Marsh
Join us in person or via Zoom.

Don’t miss this chance to connect with nature and be inspired by Fred’s adventures in conservation. Let’s celebrate the beauty of our public lands together!

Annual chapter voting for members will take place at the beginning of the meeting.

10/24/2026

Thank you so much to everyone who came out to enjoy CNPS-Orange County Chapter Annual Membership Day with us at Environmental Nature Center today!

So many new native CA plants are going to new homes and we even signed up some new CA Native Plant Society members!

Thank you to Environmental Nature Center for hosting us and Moosa Creek Nursery and Californica Nursery for growing so many gorgeous native plants for the sale.

Not a member?! Sign up online (link in bio or on our website). Members get first access to all our events, discounts on plants, and copies of Flora and Artemisia magazine mailed directly to their door.

10/13/2026

Southern California is home to a plethora of habitats, which support a staggering amount of biodiversity. Today, we have many tools to capture images of that diversity, including smartphones, mirrorless cameras, and other camera types.

Join us as Bob Allen presents a tour of nature photographs threaded with a discussion of the fundamentals, including composition, lighting, observation, and how to find your subjects.

Extra! Extra! Show up early for a short photographic walkabout of the marsh. Since the formal meeting begins at 7 pm, let’s meet by 5:30 pm in front of the Duck Club.

10/04/2026

Nature journaling invites us to slow down, pay attention, and really see the natural world around us. 🌿

Join internationally recognized botanical artist and scientific illustrator Deborah Shaw for a hands-on exploration of nature journaling.

Sunday, October 11th
9:00 am - 11:00 am
Located at the Environmental Nature Center

Cost:
$30 CNPS members
$35 Non-members

Advance registration is required. Visit www.chapters.cnps.org/oc for tickets or find the link in our stories.

Participants will learn a variety of techniques for observing and recording the natural world, including drawing, perspective “tricks,” diagrams, and other ways to capture observations, questions, and discoveries.

We’ll spend time both outdoors on the ENC grounds and indoors as Deb shares practical, approachable techniques for developing a nature journaling practice of your own.

No art or nature journaling experience is necessary.
This workshop is about observation and curiosity—not creating a perfect drawing.

09/23/2026

The Environmental Nature Center and the California Native Plant Society Orange County Chapter are coming together for a special Fall CNPS Membership Day & Plant Sale at ENC! Fall is the best time to plant California natives, and we’re working to assemble a diverse selection of native plants for gardens of all sizes and growing conditions.

You do not need to be a member of ENC or CNPS to attend or purchase plants, but both ENC and CNPS members will receive a 10% plant discount during the sale. Just bring proof of current membership to receive your discount.

Come browse the plants, talk with fellow native plant enthusiasts, learn more about ENC and CNPS, and discover plants that can add beauty, biodiversity, and habitat value to your landscape.

Environmental Nature Center
1601 E. 16th Street, Newport Beach

09/16/2026

Join us for a live food demonstration exploring one of California’s most overlooked native superfoods: the acorn. Acorns are a dietary staple for California’s Indigenous peoples, prepared through time-honored techniques passed down across generations. Abe Sanchez will guide us through this rich culinary tradition and show how acorns can be utilized in today’s kitchens.

Within the culinary lesson, Abe will cover the cultural history and significance of acorns as a native food source, how to gather and identify different species of acorns, and break down proper acorn preparation.

Whether you’re a native plant enthusiast, a forager, or simply curious about California’s Indigenous food traditions, this program offers a fascinating look at how an ancient food source is finding new life on our tables today.

Thursday, September 17
Duck Club at the San Joaquin River Marsh, Irvine
Doors open 6:30 PM | Presentation 7 PM
Join us on Zoom: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/pCHWRghyTlSiFweAIlsqEw

08/24/2026

The story of Dudleya chasmophyta highlights the important role CNPS Orange County has played in monitoring and documenting this extraordinarily rare Orange County endemic, helping scientists understand its population and habitat over more than a decade. Once thought to be part of another Dudleya species, years of field observations, botanical study, and genetic research established it as a distinct species, found nowhere else in the world.

Read more on our blog!
https://buckwheatbringsbutterflies.com/2026/07/21/into-the-chaparral-conserving-dudleya-chasmophyta/

07/21/2026

'Howard McMinn' Manzanita has been a California garden favorite for decades. It's sculptural burgundy bark, evergreen foliage, late winter blooms, and adaptability, make it the "everyman's manzanita."

Whether you're new to native gardening or looking for a dependable evergreen shrub, 'Howard McMinn' may be a great addition to your home-grown habitat.

Read this month's Plant of the Month by guest author Dan Songster on our blog.

https://buckwheatbringsbutterflies.com/2026/07/14/howard-mcminn-manzanita-an-ideal-evergreen-shrub/

07/14/2026

just gutted protections for TWO national monuments in Utah, threatening land sacred to Indigenous communities, wildlife habitat, outdoor access, and local watersheds. Take action TODAY: monumentsforall.org/monuments

The administration drastically reduced protections for Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments.

What happens when these lands are opened to oil, gas, and mining development?

🏜️ Sacred cultural sites bulldozed over
🧗‍♀️ Outdoor recreation access impacts
💧 Local drinking water polluted
🐾 Wildlife habitat lost forever
💵 Local tourism economies damaged

In the case of Bears Ears, weakening monument protections also affect years of work by the Coalition Tribes and federal agencies on collaborative management.

Please join us to take action!

07/12/2026

Applications are officially open for the 2027 Orange County California Native Garden Tour, and we’re looking for gardens that inspire others to imagine what’s possible.

Your garden doesn’t have to be perfect. In fact, we love gardens that are still evolving.

We’re looking for gardens that showcase mostly California native plants, welcome visitors with safe pathways, and reflect the personality of the people who care for them.

Most importantly, we’re looking for people who are excited to share their experience and encourage others to grow with native plants.

If that sounds like you, we’d love to hear from you.

Applications are open now through October 15. Visit occnps.org to learn more and submit your application.

We can’t wait to see your garden!

Address

1601 E 16th St
Newport Beach, CA
92663

Website

https://chapters.cnps.org/oc/

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