Today in the garden: Member Viki Ashford’s Garden Photos by Viki
Plant Name: Rubus ursinus
Common name: Pacific Blackberry, or Dewberry
Plant Type: Evergreen, Semi Evergreen Shrub or Low Trailing
Plant Height: 6’ – 10’
Spread: 6’
Bloom Time: February to May
Flower Color: White to Pink
Exposure: Sun to Shade
Soil Requirements: Medium to Slow Drainage.
Water Needs: Moderate to High
Attributes: Hosts several Butterflies & Moths. Leaves can be used to make herbal tea. Produces Edible Berries. Sometimes plants are referred to as ground berries.
Note: 1st Year Stems (Primocanes) produce only leaves; 2nd Year Lateral Branches (Floricanes) produce flowers & fruit. Canes are very prickly; Prune during winter dormancy.
Uses: Ground Cover; Bird Garden; Native Gardens; Pollinator Gardens, Native Berries.
Native to: Western North America
Oregon Native: YES
USDA Hardiness Zone: 7 – 10
Report by: Viki Ashford & Carlotta Lucas, AGC Members
Photo Credit: Wikipedia / CC BY-SA (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)
Plant Name: Phacelia tanacetifolia
Common name: Lacy Phacelia, Fiddleneck
Plant Type: Annual
Plant Height: 1’ -3’
Spread: 1.5’
Bloom Time: March – May
Flower Color: Lavender Blue
Exposure: Sun
Soil Requirements: Rocky, Sandy, Dry Soil.
Water Needs: Medium
Attributes: Value to Bumble, Honey, & Native Bees; Good Insectary Plant; Deer Resistant; Drought Tolerant; Attracts Butterflies
Note: May produce skin irritation.
Uses: Bee & Butterfly Gardens; Cover Crop & Nitrogen Fixer; Water-wise gardens; Mediterranean-style Gardens, Cottage Garden, Container Gardening, Wildflower Gardens, Natural areas, Pollinator gardens
Native to: California & Southwest US
Oregon Native: NO
USDA Hardiness Zone: 1 – 10
Report by: Viki Ashford
Photo Credit: Zanchetta Fabio (faxstaff) / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5)
Plant Name: Nemophila menziesii 
Common name: Baby Blue Eyes
Plant Type: Trailing Annual
Plant Height: 6”
Spread: 1’
Bloom Time: February – June
Flower Color: Bright Blue Petals with White Centers
Exposure: Full Sun to Part Shade
Soil Requirements: Moist, Fertile, Well-Drained.
Water Needs: Low
Attributes: Attracts Insects, Butterflies, Native Bees.
Note: Watch for Aphids, Powdery & Downy Mildew.
Uses: Borders, Rock Gardens, Cascading for Containers.
Native to: Oregon, California
Oregon Native: YES
USDA Hardiness Zone: 2 – 11
Report: Viki Ashford, AGC Member & Master Gardener
Photo credit: glmory / CC0 – https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nemophila_menziesii,_Baby_Blue_Eyes_2.jpg
Plant Name: Penstemon strictus
Common name: Rocky Mountain Penstemon
Plant Type: Evergreen Perennial
Plant Height: 1’ – 4’
Spread: 3’
Bloom Time: May – June
Flower Color: Royal Blue to Purple
Exposure: Full Sun to Part Shade
Soil Requirements: Dry, Light, Well-Drained Soil, but will tolerate Heavy Soil.
Water Needs: Low
Attributes: Supports Native Bees; Attracts Birds & Hummingbirds.
Note: Spreads by Stolons.
Uses: Native Gardens
Native to: California, Wyoming, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah.
Oregon Native: NO
USDA Hardiness Zone: 4 – 9
Report by: Viki Ashford
Photo Credit: Jerry Friedman / CC BY-SA (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)
Plant Name: Polystichum munitum
Common name: Western Sword Fern
Plant Type: Evergreen Fern
Plant Height: 1.5’ – 5.5’
Spread: 2’ – 3’
Bloom Time: N/A
Flower Color: N/A
Exposure: Full Shade to Part Shade
Soil Requirements: Tolerates variety of soils with adequate moisture.
Water Needs: Weekly deep watering; drought tolerant once established.
Attributes: Fronds live 1.5 – 2.5 years; hosts butterflies & moths; Deer Resistant.
Note: Cut back dead fronds.
Uses: Ground Cover; Beds & Borders; Woodland Garden.
Native to: Western North America
Oregon Native: YES
USDA Hardiness Zone: 6 – 8
Report by: Viki Ashford, AGC member, Master Gardener
Photo Credit: brewbooks from near Seattle, USA / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Western_sword_fern_(Polystichum_munitum)-_Flickr-_brewbooks.jpg
-_Flickr-_brewbooks.jpg){kind=link}