I am a light green shrub with bendy branches. When brushed, I have a strong aroma which is spicy and herbal. I am adapted for fire and can grow back from my roots after burning. I grow well on slopes and can help hold soil in place during the winter rains. Do you hear something like the sound of a cat meowing? It may be the California gnatcatcher, one of many threatened bird species that I provide a home for. While I am well adapted to handle the extreme climate events ahead, the coastal sage scrub ecosystem of plants that I am a part of are threatened by development and introduced species, making it harder to persist and thrive into the future.