California yampah facts for kids

Perideridia californica is a special kind of flowering plant often called the California yampah. It belongs to the Apiaceae family, which is also known as the carrot or parsley family. This plant is endemic to California, meaning it grows naturally only in California and nowhere else in the world. You can find it in the Central Coast Ranges and parts of the Sierra Nevada foothills. It loves to grow in moist soil, especially near streams.

What is California Yampah?

The California yampah is a type of plant called a perennial herb. This means it lives for more than two years and does not have a woody stem like a tree or bush. It can grow quite tall, sometimes reaching up to 1.5 meters (about 5 feet) in height.

How Does it Grow?

The plant grows from long, cylinder-shaped roots called tubers. These tubers can be up to 12 centimeters (about 5 inches) long. A slender, straight stem grows upwards from these tubers.

Leaves and Flowers

The leaves near the bottom of the plant can be very long, up to 40 centimeters (about 16 inches). They are divided into many flat, narrow sections. Leaves higher up on the stem are smaller and less divided.

The flowers of the California yampah grow in a special arrangement called a compound umbel. This looks like many small, round clusters of tiny white flowers grouped together. After the flowers bloom, they produce ribbed, oblong-shaped fruits that are less than a centimeter long.