Maybe we should back up: Did you know the City of Los Angeles has an official plant? Okay, as of this week, we do. And what is that honored bit of botany? It's the Toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia), and it's about to be all over the city's main civic grounds, City Hall. more ›

The U.S. economy, agricultural industry, and native flora and fauna have all been spared the damage of one of the world's most destructive crop pests thanks to an interception by federal border agents working at Los Angeles International Airport. more ›

Plant F-ing is a new Ask LAist series about growing food and flora at home--especially for those renters who do not have access to the luxuries of a yard and only have windows and patios to work with. If you've got a question, please send it to editor[@]laist.com and our in-house garden guru, aka Hand of Gardener, will answer. more ›

Last week, a team of National Park Service botanist were surveying for sensitive and endagnered species near Sandstone Peak, the tallest point in the Santa Monica Mountains, when they came upon something out of place. It was whisker brush (Leptosiphon ciliatus), which is typically found at higher elevations in the Sierras, not in Southern California, even around 3,000 feet elevation. more ›

Over the past few years, the exotic Sahara mustard plant has been aggressively spreading across the Joshua Tree National Park, possibly threatening the desert ecosystem and leaving irreversible damage. Perhaps the most noticeable damage to a visitor is the affect to the beautiful annual wildflower blooms. more ›