Tag Archives: Oregon Wildflowers

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:  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

Oregon Native: Iris chrysophylla

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Plant Name:  Iris chrysophylla
Common name:  Yellow Leaf Iris
Plant Type:  Perennial
Plant Height:  1.2” – 8.4”
Plant Width:  Narrow
Bloom Time: April – June
Flower Color: Creamy White to Pale Yellow
Exposure:  Sun to Part Shade
Soil Requirements:  Acidic Soil with Good Drainage
Water Need: Low
Attributes: Deer Resistant; Drought Tolerant; Attracts Beneficial Insects.
Fire Resistance: Score 10 (Good). Plant 10 ft of structures.
Uses: Native Landscapes, Rock Gardens, Perennial beds, Pollinator Gardens, Wildlife Habitats
Note:  Divide & Transplant in October
Native to:  NW California & Western Oregon
Oregon Native:  YES
 USDA Hardiness Zone: 4 – 9

Report by: Viki Ashford and Carlotta Lucas

Photo from: Klamath Siskiyou Seeds https://klamathsiskiyouseeds.com/product/iris-chrysophylla-yellowleaf-iris/

Oregon Native Wildflower: Anemone drammondii

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Plant Name:  Anemone drammondii
Common name:  Drummond’s Anemone
Plant type:  Perennial Wildflower
Height:  9.5”
Bloom Time: June – August
Flower Color:  White tinged with Blue
Exposure: Full Sun to Part Shade
Soil Requirements:  Rocky, Scree Soil; Well-drained.
Water Needs: Low
Attributes:  Attracts Insect Pollinators
Note: Plant at Deciduous Stage; Tap Root
Uses:  Wildflower Gardens; Rock Gardens.
Native to:  Western North America
Oregon Native: YES
USDA Hardiness Zone:  2a-8b

Report by: Viki Ashford, AGC member and Master Gardener

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

Oregon Native: Amelanchier pallida

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Plant Name:  Amelanchier pallida
Common name:  Pale Serviceberry
Plant type:  Deciduous Shrub
Height:  10’
Bloom Time: April – June; Fruiting – July – September
Flower Color:  White
Exposure: Sun to Part Shade
Soil Requirements:  Moist Soil; Tolerates Sandy/Loamy/Clay Soils.
Water Needs: Medium
Attributes:  Hosts Butterflies & Moths.
Note: Self Fertile; Edible Fruit, but Birds will strip plant before ripe.
Deer eat leaves & twigs, Bears eat the berries.
Uses:  Pollinator Garden, Woodland Garden, High elevation plant, Along stream beds.
Native to:  Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Nevada
Oregon Native: YES
USDA Hardiness Zone:  3 – 8

Additional Information: https://calscape.org/Amelanchier-pallida-()

Report by: Viki Ashford, AG Member and Master Gardener

Photo: http://www.intermountainnursery.com

Oregon Native: Grindelia nana

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Plant Name:  Grindelia nana
Common name:  Idaho Gumweed
Plant Type:  Perennial Wildflower
Plant Height:  6” – 2’
Bloom Time: June to September
Flower Color:  Yellow
Exposure: Full Sun
Soil Requirements:  Sharply draining, rocky, gravelly soil.
Water Need:  Low.
Attributes: Highly attractive to native bees & butterflies; Drought tolerant; Deer resistant; Resinous & sticky leaves that appear to sparkle.
Uses: Wildflower Gardens; Drought Tolerant Gardens; Pollinator Gardens.
Native to:  Western US
Oregon Native:  YES
USDA Hardiness Zone:  8

 

Report by: Viki Ashford, AGC member

Photo from: American West website: https://www.americansouthwest.net/plants/wildflowers/grindelia-nana.html