The Author

Michael Mitchell is one of the authors of several field guides to local Monterey wildflowers, including most recently Monterey County Wildflowers – a field guide, co-authored with Dr Rod Yeager. He is also the author of the second edition of Mary Ann Matthews’ The Plants of Monterey County – an illustrated Field Key. 

English by birth, he became naturalized in Monterey County (but hopefully not invasive).  Formerly a tax lawyer by profession, he has since his retirement discovered the joys of the local wildflowers, photographing and learning to identify them.  His early struggles convinced him of the need for a user friendly guide, both in print form and online.

He has been a volunteer naturalist with the Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District, a member of the Board of the Monterey Bay Chapter of the California Native Plant Society, and co-Chairman of the annual Spring Wildflower Show held in Pacific Grove.

Webmaster  Cliff Halverson currently manages this site, following Michael’s return to England.  He is a retired science teacher.  With his wife, Laurie, he loves hiking, flowers and birds.   He also enjoys outdoor photography, and making music.

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The author and his wife Sharon, without whose inspiration, encouragement and patience none of this would have happened

This website

… is the successor to Monterey Peninsula Wildflowers, Shrubs & Trees, a photographic guide by Michael Mitchell and Rod M Yeager MD.  For technical reasons, we needed to create a new website.  At the same time, we decided to expand the scope of the site to cover the entire Monterey County, and to make the site navigation a little more intuitive.  Plant names and families follow the authority of The Jepson Manual.  It is is most easily accessed online at Jepson eflora, which is updated periodically, far more often than the large printed version.  The website you are viewing now has been updated to include Revision 12 (December, 2023).

Many thanks to the Monterey Bay chapter of California Native Plants Society for their help supporting this project!  If you appreciate this website, consider joining CNPS.  They have many activities and resources for native plant lovers.  For more info, visit their website.

All photographs are by Michael Mitchell, except where indicated.  Photos credited to CJH are by Cliff Halverson.

If you have any questions or suggestions for improving this site, including correcting the errors which will inevitably have crept in, please do contact the webmaster
Note: Express permission is required to reproduce any material for commercial purposes.  Permission is granted to reproduce photographs for personal or educational purposes.
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