Each month, our Conservation Team shares on social media (X, Facebook, and Instagram) a Species Spotlight that highlights a native plant or animal that calls the San Diego County region home.

Today, we are excited to share a more detailed look into a plant that lives along our region’s coast – the Nuttall’s Lotus (Acmispon prostratus).

The Nuttall’s Lotus is only found along on sandy dunes along the slender coastal strip between Oceanside and Northern Baja California. At less than three feet tall, it has wiry stems that cover the ground and extend up to three feet outward from the plant’s taproot (the primary root system at its center).

The plant’s vibrant yellow petals, kissed by streaks of crimson, are said to paint a mesmerizing picture against the coastal canvas. The Nuttall’s Lotus has adapted to its beach and dune environment – which varies from dry, wet, windy, and salty – with a strong root system that keeps it in place when the wind blows and small, thick, waxy leaves that prevent water loss.