4 parts compost
1 part perlite
1 part vermiculite
2 parts peat moss
That there is little to no nutrition in the mix, because seeds come with their own, built-in nutrition. (“A seed is a baby plant in a box, with it’s lunch.”)
Seed starting mix is finer than other mixes, so it’s important that the compost used is very fine. ~Sherri Morgan, Master Gardener & AGC Board Member
Photo by: Carlotta Lucas, AGC Board Member
Plant Name: Cornus sericea
Common name: Red Twig Dogwood
Plant Type: Deciduous Shrub
Plant Height: 6’ – 9’
Plant Width: 8’ – 12’
Bloom Time: May – June
Flower Color: White
Exposure: Full Sun to Part Shade
Soil Requirements: Tolerates Clay Soil; Organically Rich, Fertile, Moist Soil.
Water Need: Medium to Wet
Attributes: Showy Flowers; Good Fall Color; Attracts/Hosts Birds/Butterflies; Winter Interest; Deer Resistant;
Larval Host to Spring Azure.
Firewise: Score 5, Plant 60 feet from structures
Uses: Hedge; Rain Garden; Shrub Border; Bird/Butterfly Gardens.
Note: Suckering Roots; Remove 20-25% of oldest stems in spring to stimulate new, best color growth; Susceptible to Leaf & Twig Blight/Canker & Leaf Spot.
Native to: North America
Oregon Native: YES
USDA Hardiness Zone: 3 – 8
Report by: Viki Ashford and Carlotta Lucas
Photo one by: Smith, R.W.
Plant Name: Solidago californica
Common name: Goldenrod
Plant Type: Evergreen Perennial
Plant Height: 1.5’ – 2’
Plant Width: .5’ – 1’
Bloom Time: Summer -Fall
Flower Color: Yellow
Exposure: Full Sun to Full Shade
Soil Requirements: Medium Draining, Tolerates a variety of soils
Water Needs: Wet in Winter/Spring, Dry in summer
Fire Resistance: Score 8, Plant 30 feet from structures
Attributes: Attracts Birds & Pollinating Insects.
Note: May become Invasive due to Creeping Root stock; Deadhead or Leave Faded Flowers for Seed.
Uses: Bee/Butterfly Gardens, Native gardens, Pollinator Gardens
Native to: Oregon & California
Oregon Native: YES
USDA Hardiness Zone: 6 – 10
Report by: Viki Ashford and Carlotta Lucas
Photo by: Stickpen, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Plant Name: Dicentra formosa
Common name: Pacific Bleeding Heart
Plant Type: Herbaceous Perennial
Plant Height: 6” – 18”
Plant Width: 3’
Bloom Time: March – July
Flower Color: Pink
Exposure: Sun, Part Shade, Shade
Soil Requirements: Moist, Well-Drained, Humus Soil.
Water Need: Low
Fire Resistance: Score 10 (Good). Plant Zone 1 within 10 feet of structures
Attributes: Attracts Hummingbirds; Conspicuous Flowers; Food Plant for Butterfly Larvae; Deer Resistant.
Uses: Accent Plant; Ground cover; Cottage Garden; Beds & Borders, Pollinator Gardens, Native Landscapes, Firewise Landscapes.
Note: Keep Mulched with Decaying Humus; Extensive Rhizome System; All Plant Parts Poisonous. Deadheading Extends Bloom; May Go dormant in summer after flowering, Re-appears in fall to flower again.
Native to: Western North America
Oregon Native: YES
USDA Hardiness Zone: 3 – 9
Report by: Viki Ashford and Carlotta Lucas
Photo by: brewbooks from near Seattle, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Plant Name: Iris chrysophylla
Common name: Yellow Leaf Iris
Plant Type: Perennial
Plant Height: 1.2” – 8.4”
Plant Width: Narrow
Bloom Time: April – June
Flower Color: Creamy White to Pale Yellow
Exposure: Sun to Part Shade
Soil Requirements: Acidic Soil with Good Drainage
Water Need: Low
Attributes: Deer Resistant; Drought Tolerant; Attracts Beneficial Insects.
Fire Resistance: Score 10 (Good). Plant 10 ft of structures.
Uses: Native Landscapes, Rock Gardens, Perennial beds, Pollinator Gardens, Wildlife Habitats
Note: Divide & Transplant in October
Native to: NW California & Western Oregon
Oregon Native: YES
USDA Hardiness Zone: 4 – 9
Report by: Viki Ashford and Carlotta Lucas
Photo from: Klamath Siskiyou Seeds https://klamathsiskiyouseeds.com/product/iris-chrysophylla-yellowleaf-iris/
Crabapple cultivars are versatile; they are available in various sizes, flower colors, fruit colors and fruit sizes. Flower colors vary from white, light pink, deep pink and magenta, these blossoms are showy, often fragrant, and they attract pollinators. Crabapple fruit differ in sizes from ¼-inch to 1 ½-inch, and ripening times range from July through November. For fruit colors you can chose a tree that produces bright red, deep red, maroon, rose red, pink, deep pink, rose pink, golden orange or yellow-green fruit. Crabapple apples provide an abundant food source for birds during the winter, and they provide winter interest in your landscape. Look for trees labeled with “persistent” fruit, meaning fruits stay on the tree extending garden interest and food for birds.
Crabapples are hardy in Zones 4-8.
Sun Exposure: Full Sun 6+ hours, Part Sun 4-6 hours, Full Shade up to 4 hours. Select disease resistance varieties best for your growing area. Selecting disease resistance varieties should be a 1st priority for successful growing.
Semi-dwarf Crabapples (15ft-18 ft High)
Sugar Tyme
Sugar Tyme Crabapple: 18ft H x 15ft W; Upright spreading oval form. Foliage: Green. Flowers: Pale Pink buds, Fragrant Single White Flowers. Fruits: Red, ½-inch, Persistent. Disease resistant ratings-Excellent: Mildew & Cedar Apple Rust. Good: Fire Blight & Scab.
Red Jewel
Red Jewel Crabapple: 15 ft H x 12 ft W; Tree is upright pyramidal form. Foliage: Green. Flower: Pure White, Single Flowers. Fruit: Brilliant Red, ½-inch, Very Persistent, in mild winters fruits often hold on until new buds appear. Disease resistant ratings – Excellent: Mildew & Cedar Apple Rust. Good: Scab. Fair: Fire Blight.
Indian Magic
Indian Magic Crabapple: 15 ft H x 15 ft W; upright spreading branches. Foliage is dark green. Flowers: Deep pink 1 ½ inch singles. Fruit: Orange Red, ½-inch, Persistent. Disease resistant ratings- Excellent: Mildew. Good: Cedar Apple Rust & Fire Blight. Fair: Scab
Coral Burst
Coralburst Crabapple: 15ft H x15 ft W; slow growing tree forming a compact dense rounded head. Foliage: Dark Green. Flowers: Coral Pink buds, Double Rose Flowers. Fruit: Yellow-green, 1/8-1/2- inch. Disease resistant ratings- Excellent: Mildew, Cedar Apple Rust & Fire Blight. Fair: Scab.
Standard Size (20 feet or higher)
Royal Raindrops
Royal Raindrops Crabapple: 20 ft H x 15 W; upright and spreading with good branching habit, deeply lobed leaves. Foliage: Purple, Cut-leaf lob, turning orange/red in the fall. Fruit: Bright Pinkish-Red, 1/4-inch, Persistent. Disease resistant ratings-Excellent: Scab & Cedar Apple Rust. Good: Mildew & Fire Blight.
Donald Wyman
Donald Wyman: 20 ft h x 24 ft W; Tall and wide rounded shape. Foliage: Glossy Green. Flowers: Single, White. Fruit: Bright Red, 3/8-inch, Abundant, Highly Persistent. Disease resistant ratings-Excellent: Mildew & Cedar Apple Rust. Good: Scab. Fair: Fire Blight.
Note: Where fire blight is a concern, avoid spring pruning (when bacterium can enter fresh open cuts).
Article by: Carlotta Lucas
Resource: Forest Farms, Williams Oregon https://www.forestfarm.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=crabapple&cat=&order=genus_species_cultivar&dir=asc
Resource: J. Frank Schmidt & Son, Growers, Boring Oregon
Chart: https://www.jfschmidt.com/pdfs/JFS_CRAB_CHART.pdf