Horticulture Report: Allium acuminatum

Plant Name: Allium acuminatum
Common Name:  Hooker’s onion
Plant type : Deciduous Perennial Herb
Height: 0’ – 2’
Spread: 0’ – 1’
Bloom Time: May – July
Flower Color: Purple, White, Pin
Exposure: Sun to Part Shade
Soil Requirements: Dry, well-drained; sandy/loamy
Water Needs: Occasional Summer Water
Attributes: Bulblets reproduce easily; strong onion smell; deer resistant; attracts pollinators: bats, butterflies, birds; nectar source for butterflies
Note: Flowers appear on long stalks after leaves have died; goes dormant in summer after going to seed
Uses: Rock Garden; Dry Open Meadows; Habitat Restoration; Green Roof
Native to:  Western United States
Oregon Native: YES
USDA Hardiness Zone 5 – 9

Firewise Plant: Arctostaphylos uva-ursi ‘Point Reyes’

Plant Name:  Arctostaphylos uva-ursi ‘Point Reyes’
Common name:  Point Reyes Bearberry Manzanita
Plant type: Groundcover
Height: 12” – 18”
Spread: 1’ – 6’
Bloom Time:  Winter – Spring
Flower Color: Pink
Exposure: Sun to Part Shade
Soil Requirements: Well Draining; Tolerant of Most Soil Types.
Water Needs: Low to Moderate
Attributes:  Insects & Hummingbirds Attracted to Flowers; Fruit & Seed Eating Birds Attracted to Fruit ; Deer Resistant.
Firewise:  YES; Zone 5 – Plant 60’+ from House.
Note:  Prune in Early Spring as Needed to Contain Spread.
Uses:  Slope Stabilizer; Bee, Bird, Hummingbird Gardens; Lawn Substitute.
Native to: Alaska to Canada to Western United States
Oregon Native:   YES

USDA Hardiness Zone:  6 – 10

 

 

Article by Viki Ashford, AGC Member & Master Gardener

 

Photos by OSU https://landscapeplants.oregonstate.edu/plants/arctostaphylos-uva-ursi-point-reyes

Firewise Plant: Blanket Flower (Gaillardia)

Plant Name:  Gaillardia varieties
Common name:  Blanket Flower
Plant Type:  Perennial
Plant Height:  8” – 36”
Plant Width:  12” – 24”
Bloom Time:  June – September
Flower Color:  Red, Gold, Burgundy
Exposure: Full Sun
Soil Requirements: Well-Drained
Water Needs: Low
Fire Resistant:  YES; Zone 1-8, Plant 30’+ from House.
Attributes: Drought Tolerant; Deer Resistant; Attracts Birds & Butterflies; Other Pollinators.
Uses:  Good Cut Flower; Container Plant; Borders; Butterfly Gardens;
Note: Deadhead for Continuous Bloom; Keep Some Seed Heads for Birds; Cutting Back Clumps in Late Summer Increases Chance of Winter Survival; Divide Clumps Every 2 – 3 Years in Spring or Early Fall for Plant Vigor; Susceptible to Powdery Mildew, Leafspot, & Leafhoppers.
Native to: Western North America
Oregon Native:  YES
USDA Hardiness Zone:  3 – 10

Report by: Viki Ashford, AGC Member/Master Gardener

Photo credit: Lazaregagnidze, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Firewise Plant: Aurinia saxatilis (Basket-of-Gold)

Plant Name:  Aurinia saxatilis
0Common name:  Basket-of-Gold
Plant Type:  Herbaceous Perennial
Plant Height:  8” – 18”
Plant Width:  1’ – 2’
Bloom Time: April – May
Flower Color:  Gold to Light Yellow
Exposure: Full Sun
Soil Requirements: Average to Sandy, Well-Drained Soil; Intolerant of Clay Soil.
Water Needs: Low
Fire Resistant:  YES; Zone 8 = 30’+ from house.
Attributes: Attracts Butterflies; Deer Resistant; Showy Flower; Drought Tolerant; Nectar Source for Beneficial Insects.
Uses:  Rock Gardens; Ground Cover; Border Fronts.
Note:  Prune After Flowering to Maintain Shape; Possible Aphid Problem.
Native to: Central & Southeastern Europe
Oregon Native:  NO
USDA Hardiness Zone:  3 – 7

Report by: Viki Ashford, AGC Member/ Master Gardener

Photo credit: Meneerke bloem, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Firewise Plant: Geranium cinereum

Ballerina Cranesbill

Plant Name:  Geranium cinereum
Common name:  Cranesbill
Plant Type:  Semi-Evergreen Perennial
Plant Height:  4” – 6”
Plant Width:  10” – 12”
Bloom Time:  May – September
Flower Color:  Pink, White, Magenta
Exposure: Full to Part Sun
Soil Requirements: Chalk, Loam, Sand; Good Drainage.
Water Needs: Low to Average
Fire Resistant:  YES – Zone 1-8, Plant 30’+ from House.
Attributes: Deer Resistant; Attracts Butterflies.
Uses:  Ground Cover; Rock Gardens; Border Edging; Containers.
Note: Shear Plants by One-Half in Mid Summer to Encourage Bushy Growth & Repeat Blooming.
Native to: Pyrenees Mountains
Oregon Native:  NO
USDA Hardiness Zone:  4 – 9

Firewise Plant: Prairie Coneflower

Plant Name:  Ratibida columnifera
Common name:  Prairie Coneflower or Mexican Hat
Plant Type:  Herbaceous Perennial
Plant Height: 18” – 24”
Plant Width:  12” – 24”
Bloom Time: July – October
Flower Color:  Yellow or Red with Distinct Tall Center.
Exposure:  Full Sun
Soil Requirements: Dry to Moist Well-Drained; Loamy/Sandy.
Water Needs: Medium
Fire Resistant:  YES; Zone 2 – Plant 40’+ from House.
Attributes: Drought Tolerant; Deer Resistant; Long Bloom Season; Nectar for Bees, Butterflies, Insects; Seeds for Birds.
Uses: Sunny Borders; Rock Gardens; Native Plant Gardens; Containers.
Native to: Most of North America, but NOT Oregon
Oregon Native:   NO
USDA Hardiness Zone:  4 – 9

 

 

Report by: Viki Ashford, AGC Member/Master Gardener

Photo courtesy of: Stickpen, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons