Viola pednuculata (California Golden Violet)

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Plant Name:  Viola pednuculata
Common name:  California Golden Violet
Plant Type:  Perennial
Plant Height:  1.3’
Bloom Time:  March – April
Flower Color: Yellow
Exposure:  Full Sun to Part Shade
Soil Requirements:  Rich Soil
Water Need: Moderate to High, but NO Water in summer.
Attributes: Insect Pollinators; Evergreen; Hosts Butterflies & Moths; Deer Resistant
Uses: Butterfly Garden; Pollinator Gardens, Native Garden, Perennial Gardens,  Waterwise Gardens, Wildflower Gardens
Native to:  California
Oregon Native:  NO
USDA Hardiness Zone:  7 – 10

Report by; Viki Ashford
Photo by: Joe Decruyenaere, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Oregon Native: Mountain Snowberry

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Plant Name:  Symphoricarpos oreophilus
Common name:  Mountain Snowberry
Plant Type:  Perennial Shrub
Plant Height:  3’ – 6’
Bloom Time: May – August
Flower Color: Pink
Exposure:  Part Shade
Soil Requirements:  Moderate to Well-Drained
Water Need:  Low
Fire Resistance: Zone 1, code 8, plant 30 feet from home
Attributes: Aromatic Blooms; Fruit for Birds;
Uses: Erosion Control; Ground Cover; Understory;
Note:  Spreads from Root System; Fruit & Leaves Mildly Toxic to Children
Native to:  Western/Central North America
Oregon Native:  YES
USDA Hardiness Zone: 4a-10b

Report by Viki Ashford

Photo by: Wasowski, Sally and Andy, Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=SYOR2

Oregon Native: False Lily of the Valley

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Plant Name:  Maiathemum dilatatum
Common name:  False Lily of the Valley
Plant Type:  Perennial
Plant Height:  2” – 4”
Plant Width:  1’8”
Bloom Time:  May – July
Flower Color: White with Red Berries
Exposure:  Shade
Soil Requirements:  Moist, Wet.
Water Need:  Medium to High
Firewise: Yes
Attributes: Pollinated by Insects; Evergreen; Hosted by Butterflies & Moths.
Uses: Ground Cover.
Note:  Spreads by Underground Roots; Can Become Invasive.
Native to:  Western North America
Oregon Native:   YES
USDA Hardiness Zone:  5a – 9b

Report by: Viki Ashford and Carlotta Lucas
Photo by: Qwert1234, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Oregon Native: Western Serviceberry

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Plant Name:  Amelenchier alnifolia
Common name:  Saskatoon/Western Serviceberry
Plant Type:  Perennial Shrub
Plant Height:  3’ – 18’
Plant Width:  6’ – 8’
Bloom Time:  April – June
Flower Color: White Flowers Followed by Blue Berries
Exposure:  Full Sun to Shade
Soil Requirements:  Well-Drained; Tolerant of Sand, Loam, Clay.
Water Need: Medium
Fire Resistance: Zone 2 – Resistant Code 5 (plant 60 ft from home)
Attributes: Fall Color; Some Drought Tolerance; Attracts Birds/Butterflies; Larval Host for Some Butterflies; Value to Native Bees.
Uses:  Ornamental Shrub; Hedge; Native Gardens; Foundation Planting.
Note:  Prone to Root Sucker; Prune to an Open Form for Light & Air Circulation to reduce chance of Disease.
Native to:  North America
Oregon Native:  YES
USDA Hardiness Zone:  2 – 7

Report by: Viki Ashford and Carlotta Lucas

Photo by: Walter Siegmund, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Recipe for Seed-Starting Mix

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Basic Recipe for Seed-Starting Mix

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

Oregon Native: Cornus sericea ( Red Twig Dogwood)

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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.