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California Wetland

SoFA Urban Garden

Located at 450 South First Street

Wetlands are found where land and water meet. Common plants that make up riparian zones include grasses, shrubs, and trees that can tolerate a changing aquatic environment. Riparian habitats are found in many cities and are important for water storage, flood control, water quality protection, recreation, nutrient cycling, and habitat for fish and wildlife. This is a common ecosystem in San Jose, such as the Guadalupe River Park, which runs through downtown San Jose, providing lots of urban wildlife to the city’s center.

California Wetland

Roger’s Red Grape

 

Scientific Name: Vitis ‘Roger’s Red’

Native Habitat: Found in the foothills of Northern and Central California

Roger’s Red Grape is a hybrid wild grape that is used mainly for landscaping. This variation is not found in the wild, but was made from wild Californian grape species. It is great to use for growing plants on walls, fences, or shade structures.  

Rough Horsetail

 

Scientific Name: Equisetum hyemale

Native Habitat: Found in northern North America, Europe, and northern Asia. Prefers to live in wetlands and riparian zones with seasonal flooding. 

The Rough Horsetail is a prehistoric looking plant that grows multiple green straw-like stems instead of a typical leaf. These stems are hollow inside and grow in dense clumps like bamboo. Rough Horsetail is commonly used in water gardens and stormwater management, but can also be found in ornamental urban planters. 

Roger’s Red Grape

 

Scientific Name: Vitis ‘Roger’s Red’

Native Habitat: Found in the foothills of Northern and Central California

Roger’s Red Grape is a hybrid wild grape that is used mainly for landscaping. This variation is not found in the wild, but was made from wild Californian grape species. It is great to use for growing plants on walls, fences, or shade structures.  

Rough Horsetail

 

Scientific Name: Equisetum hyemale

Native Habitat: Found in northern North America, Europe, and northern Asia. Prefers to live in wetlands and riparian zones with seasonal flooding. 

The Rough Horsetail is a prehistoric looking plant that grows multiple green straw-like stems instead of a typical leaf. These stems are hollow inside and grow in dense clumps like bamboo. Rough Horsetail is commonly used in water gardens and stormwater management, but can also be found in ornamental urban planters. 

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Redwood Forest

Redwood forests are among the oldest in the world. The redwoods in the Bay Area were also used to construct many early buildings in their surrounding cities and played an integral part in the Bay Area’s development in the 1800s. In Downtown San Jose, one coastal redwood can be found in Plaza de Cesar Chavez.
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California Grassland

California’s hills are famous for their decorated wildflowers and grasses. During the spring, these beautiful grasslands emit a wonderful array of colors from orange to purple. The state flower, the California Poppy, is a recognizable native plant that is adopted into the California Theater’s historic and iconic sign on South First Street.
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Oak Woodland

The oak woodland is an expansive ecosystem in California, especially here in the Bay Area and large portion of open space around San Jose. Plant species here are very well adapted to dry climates and can survive California’s hottest days. The oaks provide shelter and nutrients for animals including turkeys, coyotes, mountain lions, deer and large birds of prey.
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Coastal Sage Scrub

The coastal sage scrub uniquely exists along California’s coast, Baja California and islands just offshore. The plant community is dominated by shrubs similar to chaparral habitats. The main differences are that coastal sage scrub plants are much shorter and less woody compared to chaparral plants.
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California Chaparral

California’s chaparral landscape is home to many of the state's drought-tolerant plants that include woody shrubs, oak trees, and wild grasses. These species are often found in urban and residential landscapes, too, due to their low water usage and survivability during heat waves. The chaparral landscape is known for its distinctive Mediterranean-like appearance, and is a common site while driving through California’s rolling foothills. San Jose is also home to many chaparral open spaces due to the city’s warmer climate.
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Urban Garden Main Page

Experience SoFA District’s newly imagined landscape along First St. that offers the public a self guided botanical garden tour decorated with plants native to California. Each planter is installed with QR-code signs that connect visitors and the local community to a smartphone accessible online exhibit. Information in our online exhibit can also serve as a source of information about each plant community’s ecology, history, and cultural significance.
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28 N. First St., Suite 1000
San Jose, CA 95113
(408) 279-1775

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