Difference Between Coastal Sage & Chaparral

Coastal Sage Characteristics

• Coastal scrub is often described as coastal sage because of the numerous sage species that appear in these communities. Many species in these regions are deciduous and occur at a lower elevation than chaparral. Plants may receive varying moisture levels depending on the amount of coastal fog they receive. With plenty of fog present, they can grow to more than 6 feet tall; otherwise, they may reach just 9 inches. In any case, the Mediterranean dry summers compel them to shed their foliage during times of drought. The soil in which they grow is more dry and shallow than that of chaparral.

Coastal Sage Species

• There is plenty of variation among coastal sage species. While most species are deciduous, a few are evergreen species. Many species have aromatic oils that make them sticky and strongly scented, as with coyote bush and sticky monkeyflower. Compared with chaparral, coastal scrub species tend to be herbaceous. Common species in the coastal scrub of California include California buckwheat, black sage and Western poison oak. Others include the wild cucumber vine, California coffeeberry, California peony and hummingbird sage. The wild cucumber vine is a deciduous vine that appears in open and shrubby areas or near streams.

Chapparal Characteristics

• Chaparral communities exist all over the world, but they share similar characteristics in all regions. Among chaparral communities, you find an entangled mass of evergreen shrubs and small trees between 4 and 12 feet tall. These plants occur at elevations between 200 and 5,000 feet above sea level, so they are found at a higher elevation than coastal scrub. They are generally evergreen and broad-leafed. Instead of dropping their leaves during drought, they simply moderate their water intake throughout the year. One of the notable characteristics of these communities is their resilience to fire, with some plants producing seeds that germinate after fire scarification.

Chapparal Species

• Chaparral plants exhibit various means to survive times of drought, either through reduced leaves, defoliation or other methods. Common plants in California's chapparal include greasewood, buckbrush, black sage and leather oak. Understory plants are not frequently seen, but include the soap plant and melic grass. Greasewood is an evergreen shrub with small, needle-like leaves. The Christmas berry is an important food source for wild life and appears in both chaparral and oak woodland communities.