“You know a place is home when you can name the native trees and shrubs around you.” Join Arvind Kumar and Stephen Rosenthal for a beginner’s plant ID walk at Rancho Cañada del Oro Open Space Preserve. We will take the Mayfair Ranch Trail and return via the Longwall Canyon Trail. The distance covered will be 4.3 miles with 500’ of elevation gain.

We will walk through a variety of native habitats: grassland, oak woodland, sage-chaparral scrub, and riparian. We expect to see fruiting plants such as a variety of oaks, bay laurel, madrone, bigberry manzanita, toyon, coffeeberry, buckeye, holly-leaved cherry and snowberry. Trail vista points will offer spectacular views of the Diablo Range and Mt. Hamilton.

Beginners interested in plant identification are welcome; prior knowledge of native plants or botany is not required. Bring a hat, water and a bag lunch. Dress in layers, and appropriately for late fall weather. Heavy rain cancels.