Rancho Palos Verdes in Los Angeles County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)

Palos Verdes Peninsula Habitat

Photographed by Eric Polk, January 9, 2008

1. Palos Verdes Peninsula Habitat Marker

Inscription. The Palos Verdes Peninsula supports a plant community called coastal bluff scrub that contains elements of coastal sage scrub. Coastal sage scrub communities are composed of soft, witty sub-shrubs. Coastal sage scrub seen at this site is dominated by lemonadeberry (Rhus integrifolia), California sagebrush (Artemisia californica), California buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum) and small amounts of cactus.

The California sagebrush and California buckwheat are the natural habitat of a bird called the coastal California Gnatcatcher. Indigenous to the coastal zones of California, the California Gnatcatcher is a threatened species that feeds on insects gleaned from California sagebrush and buckwheat. The California Gnatcatcher maintains a year-round territory but stays within the home range during the breeding season. Since these areas of the Peninsula maintain California sagebrush, keep an eye out for a California Gnatcatcher, like the one pictured to the left.

Erected 2000.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Animals • Horticulture & Forestry.

Location. 33° 44.598′ N, 118° 22.776′ W. Marker is in Rancho Palos Verdes, California, in Los Angeles County. It is on Palos

Paid Advertisement

Click or scan to see
this page online

Verdes Drive, South ¼ mile east of Sea Cove Drive. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Rancho Palos Verdes CA 90275, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Greater Los Angeles

and in the Transverse Ranges.

It is also on the American Pacific Coast.

Globally, it is in North America,

on the Ring of Fire,

in the Pacific Rim,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain

and also Mexico’s Alta California.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Portuguese Bend (here, next to this marker); Santa Catalina Island (here, next to this marker); Harden Gatehouse (approx. 0.4 miles away); Villa Francesca (approx. 0.6 miles away); Portuguese Bend Whaling Station (approx. 1.6 miles away); Point Vicente Lighthouse (approx. 1.8 miles away); Point Vicente Rifle Range (approx. 1.9 miles away); Site of the First Japanese American Farm on the Palos Verdes Peninsula (approx. 2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Rancho Palos Verdes.

Photographed by Eric Polk

2. Palos Verdes Peninsula Habitat Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on January 30, 2023. It was originally submitted on March 25, 2015, by Eric Polk of Lakewood, California. This page has been viewed 709 times since then and 11 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on March 25, 2015, by Eric Polk of Lakewood, California. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.