Tag Archives: Attracts Butterflies

Oregon Native: Kinnikinnick

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Plant Name:  Archtostaphylos uva ursi
Common name:  Kinnikinnick
Plant Type:  Trailing Evergreen Shrub
Plant Height:  6” – 12”
Plant Width:  10’
Bloom Time:  March – June
Flower Color:  Pink to White
Exposure: Sun to Partial Shade
Soil Requirements: Rocky, Sandy, Acidic Soil
Water Need:  Low
Fire Resistant: YES
Attributes: Red Berries Succeed Through Winter; Reddish-Purple Fall Color; Papery, Reddish, Exfoliating Bark; Attracts Butterflies, Hummingbirds, & Other Birds; Larval Host for Butterflies & Moths; Drought Tolerant; Deer Resistant
Uses:  Large Scale Groundcover with Year-round Interest; Control Soil Erosion; Border Margin; Native Plant Garden; Rock Garden
Note:  Slow Growing; Trailing Stems Send Out Small Roots;
Native to: Almost All of North America
Oregon Native: YES
USDA Hardiness Zone:  2 – 6

Report by: Viki Ashford, AGC Member, Master Gardener

Posted by: Carlotta Lucas

Southern Oregon Native: Ceanothus thyrsiflorus

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Plant Name:  Ceanothus thyrsiflorus
Common name:  Blue Blossom Wild Lilac
Plant Type:  Evergreen Groundcover or Shrub
Plant Height: 4’ – 12’; Creeping Blue Blossom grows slowly 2’ – 3’ high & 15’ wide. 
Plant Width:  5’ – 6’
Bloom Time:  April – June
Flower Color: White, Light Blue, Dark Blue, Purple
Exposure:  Full Sun to Part Shade
Soil Requirements: Tolerates Clay or Sand, but Needs Good Drainage
Water Need:  Low
Firewise: Very Flammable; within Defensible Space, keep individual plants trimmed back with no dead material & separate plants. 
Attributes: Attracts, Bees, Birds, Butterflies, Parasitoid/Predatory Insects; Pleasant Fragrance; Shade Tolerant; Nitrogen Fixer.
Uses:  Ground Cover; Hedge; Bee/Bird/Butterfly Gardens.
Note:  Do Not Fertilize; Tip Pruning maintains compact shape; Remove Leafless Interior Branches to Encourage New Growth; Prune in Dry Season.
Native to:  California & SW Oregon
Oregon Native: YES
USDA Hardiness Zone:  5 – 9

Report by: Viki Ashford

Photo Credit: Hedwig Storch CC BY-SA 3.0 – NC State Extension website https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/ceanothus-thyrsiflorus/

Posted by: Carlotta Lucas

Oregon Native: American Red Raspberry

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Plant Name: Rubus idaeus var. strigosis
Common name:  American Red Raspberry
Plant Type:  Semi-Evergreen Shrub
Plant Height:  3’ – 9’; Erect to Spreading
Plant Width:  3’ –  9’
Bloom Time:  April – May; Fruit Matures July to September.
Flower Color:  White to Greenish White
Exposure: Full Sun to Part Shade.
Soil Requirements: Well-Drained, Moist, Loamy Soil
Water Need:  Medium
Firewise: Resistant
Attributes: Provides Food & Shelter for Birds, Mammals; Pollinated by Bees & Birds; Attracts Butterflies; Showy Flower.
Uses:  Erosion Control; Rock Garden; Bird Gardens; Pollinator Garden; Screening.
Note:  Has Thorns; Prune Out Fruiting Canes for Summer & Everbearing Cultivars in Summer After Fruiting – Cut Back Tips of Everbearers that Fruited Last Fall but Leave Rest of Cane for Summer Fruiting – In Late Winter Remove Any Canes Damaged by Winter; Fungal Diseases May Cause Serious Problems that Necessitate Chemical Treatments; Cane & Crown Borers are Serious Pests.
Native to:  North America
Oregon Native: YES
USDA Hardiness Zone- 4-8

Report by: Viki Ashford

Photo Credit: Superior National Forest, CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Posted by: Carlotta Lucas

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: 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

Oregon Native:  Solidago californica ( Goldenrod)

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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