Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
New growth of this native pine appears purple as new cones form the next generation of
Monterey pines.
Chaparral
Comprising dense thickets of hardwood shrubs with stiff evergreen leaves, chaparral
is unquestionably the dominant plant community in Big Sur, particularly in the
Ventana and Silver Peak Wildernesses.
The predominant species of this fire-loving vegetation type is chamise, or grease-
wood (
Adenostoma fasciculatum
). This member of the rose family features a tough,
woody stem, wiry branches, and bundles of needlelike evergreen leaves. It is named
for its oily wood, which emits a pungent odor when brushed against. This brush spe-
cies is a favorite perch for ticks, which wait to hitchhike on unsuspecting passersby.
The majority of chaparral in the Santa Lucias can be divided into two types:
chamise chaparral and mixed chaparral. Chamise can grow in pure stands, while other
plants grow in association with chamise to form mixed chaparral, where species such
as ceanothus and manzanita dominate. The community includes manzanita species
(
Arctostaphylos spp.
), buck brush (
Ceanothus cuneatus
), wartleaf (
Ceanothus papil-
losus
), California coffeeberry (
Rhamnus californica
), monkeyflower (
Mimulus bi-
