Article/ Photos by Peter Finkle, AGC member
Here’s a new favorite for a sunny spot: Long-blooming, pollinator friendly and brightly colored, Gaillardia x grandiflora has been blooming in my West-facing garden since June, and is still putting out new buds. It’s a hybrid on a Western native, Gaillardia aristata. The common name is Blanket Flower. The colors often remind me of the state flag of Arizona: yellow, scarlet, bronze. The flowers are 2-3 “ across, and the seed heads are attractive, too. Gaillardia is easy to grow and to maintain. I just prune off the dried seed heads when they look tatty. Another option, though, is to leave at least some in place at the end of the season, because these plants reseed, so you can have more for free next Spring. There are several cultivars available. I have the original, which is about 24” x 24”. I also have the dwarf form, called ‘Goblin’, which is about 1 foot high and wide. Needs full sun, moderate water and fast drainage.
~Sherri Morgan, AGC Member
I found a surprise in my garden today. This white flower appears to be a begonia, but I don’t recall planting it. Friends and neighbors do give me plants which often need help, so perhaps this one came to me as a sad root in a pot without an identity. It’s a lovely surprise on this smokey October day. I really like the happy ball-shaped yellow centers. I felt like it was a gift from the garden fairies when I saw it. ~Carlotta Lucas, AGC Member
Plant Name: Rubus leucodermis
Common name: Whitebark Raspberry or Blackcap Raspberry
Plant Type: Deciduous Shrub-Vine, Arching or Trailing
Plant Height: 1’ – 6.6’
Spread: 3’
Bloom Time: Spring; Fruit Ripens July – Aug
Flower Color: White
Exposure: Sun to Part Shade
Soil Requirements: Tolerant of Sand, Loam, & Clay.
Water Needs: Moderate to High
Attributes: Host to some Butterflies & Moths.
Note: Thorny Shoots; Crown is Perennial, Canes are Biennal; First Year Stems (Primocanes) are non-flowering; Flowers form on 2ne Year Lateral Stems (Floricanes).
Uses: Bird Gardens; Fruit Gardens.
Native to: Western North America
Oregon Native: YES
USDA Hardiness Zone: To Zone 5
Report by: Viki Ashford, AGC Member, Master Gardener
Photo by: Aleazrocha / Public domain https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rubusleucodermis2.jpg
Plant Name: Sambucus nigra caerulea
Common name: Blue Elderberry
Plant Type: Deciduous Shrub or Small Tree
Plant Height: 6’ – 20’
Spread: 6’ – 20’
Bloom Time: Spring to Fall
Flower Color: Cream or Yellow Flowers & Blue Berries in Fall.
Exposure: Part Shade to Full Sun.
Soil Requirements: Tolerates a variety of moist soils,
but prefers well-
drained.
Water Needs: Regular Irrigation.
Attributes: Food Source for Birds; Deer Resistant; Attracts Bees & Butterflies.
Note: Accepts Pruning Easily; Susceptible to Canker, Powdery Mildew, Leaf Spot, Spider Mites, Aphids, Borers.
Uses: Bee, Bird, Butterfly Gardens; Bank Stabilization; Hedge; Pond/Steam Edge Planting.
Native to: Western North America
Oregon Native: YES
USDA Hardiness Zone: 4 – 9
Report by: Viki Ashford
Photos from: Oregon State University https://landscapeplants.oregonstate.edu/plants/sambucus-nigra-subsp-cerulea