New Idria's Flora

The region's woodland ecosystem is most easily classified as a pine/chaparral type that is defined primarily by two geological features: a nonserpentine area and a serpentine area. Idria is located exclusively within the nonserpentine area but bounded on its southern edge by serpentine. This creates a unique and diverse ecosystem that includes all of the expected species of chamise, California scrub oak, Mexican manzanita and foothill (or gray) pine, and a rare forest combination of conifer species. Cottonwoods and tamarisk grow in the San Carlos Creek's riparian zone that passes south to north across the center of Idria.

This woodland also hosts a diversity of wildflowers and annual grasses. In fact, this region of California is renowned for it beautiful natural spring wildflower display that includes several endangered species such as the San Benito evening primrose that grows nowhere else in the world.