The vegetation of coastal scrub communities is mostly composed of resilient short shrubs with flexible branches growing from a rigid, woody base.
This diversity is likely owed in a large part to the harsh conditions of the environment as they force plants to make adaptations in order to retain a viable population.
[2] Particularly Characteristic shrubs include coyote brush (Baccharis pilularis), California yerba santa (Eriodictyon californicum), coast silk-tassel (Garrya elliptica), salal (Gaultheria shallon), and yellow bush lupine (Lupinus arboreus).
[2] Fire was a common feature of many California landscapes prior to Western settlement, whether as a result of Indigenous land management practice or natural causes such as lightning.
[5] There are certain species which sprout and spread more quickly after low intensity fires which will then dominate the landscape until other plants are able to establish themselves.
In general, the resilience of Coastal scrub may cause plants to occupy areas that have been stripped by fire or landslides.