What's the Name of That Book??? discussion

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Her Father's Daughter
SOLVED: Adult Fiction
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SOLVED. Western setting, Orphan sisters, California, Botany. [s]
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I read this around 6-10 years ago, but I feel that it may be a classic. I was reading Willa Cather, Grace Livingston Hill, and Gene Stratton Porter at the time.
Younger sister is being raised by her older sister. The parents were killed in a car crash- unusual, because cars haven't been around very long.
Younger sister has taken up their father's botany interest. She taught me that one can eat a yucca stem.
I remember something about finding construction- and her fight against their building in her beloved habitat.
Thanks for any help you can give! I'd not be surprised if it were written by one of those authors I mentioned. I've looked and not gotten anywhere.