Tag Archives: Plants for Native Bees

Firewise Plant: Blanket Flower (Gaillardia)

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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

Horticulture Report: Rock Rose

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Plant Name:  Helianthemum nummularium

Common name:  Sun Rose or Rock Rose

Plant Type: Herbaceous Perennial

Plant Height:  8” – 10”

Plant Width:  12” – 16”

Bloom Time:  June – August

Flower Color:  Red, Pink, Yellow, Orange, Multicolored

Exposure: Full Sun

Soil Requirements: Dry, Alkaline, Rocky, Sandy Soil;

Water Needs: Dry; Low

Fire Resistant:  YES – Zone 1:    Plant 30+ feet from Structure

Attributes: Mounding Growth Habit; Drought Tolerant; Evergreen with Grey-Green Foliage; Attracts Bees/Butterflies.

Uses:  Rock Gardens; Edging Plant; Ground cover; Border Front.

Note: Shear Plants after flowering to encourage additional growth; each flower opens for only one day.

Native to: Europe; Asia Minor

Oregon Native:   NO

USDA Hardiness Zone: 4 – 7

Horticulture Report: Chives

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Plant Name:  Allium schoenoprasum

Common name:  Chives

Plant Type:  Perennial Bulb

Plant Height:  1’ – 1.5’

Plant Width:  1’ – 1.5’

Bloom Time: June – August

Flower Color: Pale Purple

Exposure: Full Sun to Part Shade.

Soil Requirements: Average, Medium, Well-Drained.

Water Needs:  Medium

Fire Resistant: YES – Zone 1 – Plant 10’+ from house.

Attributes:  Showy Flower with Fragrant Leaves; Deer/Drought Tolerant; Attracts Butterflies, Bees, Pollinators; Consistent performer

Uses: Herb; Herb/Vegetable Gardens; Rock Gardens; Containers.

Note:  Self seeds unless spent flowers are deadheaded; Harvest Leaves by clipping at base of plant; Root Rot may occur in poorly drained soil. 

Native to: Temperate Northern Hemisphere

Oregon Native:   YES

 USDA Hardiness Zone: 4 – 8

Chives

Report by: Viki Ashford, AGC Board Member

Photo by: Carlotta Lucas, AGC Board Member

Horticulture Report: Dead Nettle

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Plant Name:  Lamium species
Common name: Dead Nettle
Plant Type:  Prostrate Herbaceous Perennial
Plant Height:  8” – 12”
Plant Width:  12” – 36”
Bloom Time:  May – June
Flower Color: Pink, White, Purple
Exposure:  Part Shade to Shade
Soil Requirements: Moist, Rich, Humus Rich, Well-Drained Soil.
Water Need:  Medium
Fire Resistant: YES; Zone 1-8 – 30’+ from house.
Attributes: Attractive Foliage; Attracts Bees; Variety of Foliage Colors & Textures; Deer Resistant, Drought Tolerant.
Uses:  Spiller in Containers; Dead Bulb Foliage Cover; Groundcover.
Note: Trailing Type Growth; Cut Back or Shear to Stimulate New Growth; Roots Where Stems Touch Ground.
Native to: Europe, Western Asia, North Africa
Oregon Native:  NO
USDA Hardiness Zone: 3 – 8

Report by: Viki Ashford, AGC Member/ Master Gardener

Photo by: Franz Xaver, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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 Plant: Salmonberry

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Plant Name:  Rubus spectabilis
Common name:  Salmonberry
Plant Type:  Deciduous Shrub
Plant Height: 3’ – 10’
Spread:  3’ – 6’
Bloom Time: March – June; Fruit June to August.
Flower Color: Red or Rose; Fruit Color is Yellow, Orange, or Red
Exposure: Sun or Shade
Soil Requirements:  Tolerant of Sandy or Clay Soil with Various Soil Drainage.
Water Needs: Moderate to High
Attributes:  Nectar for Bees, Butterflies, Other Insect, Hummingbirds; Deer Resistant.
Note: Biennial Stems: The 1st year only leaves; 2nd year develop lateral shoots which bear fruit.
Uses: Thickets for Birds; Bank Stabilization from Deep Rhizomatous Root Growth.
Native to:  Western North America
Oregon Native:  YES
USDA Hardiness Zone: 5 – 9

Report by: Viki Ashford, AGC Member, Master Gardener

Berry with leaf – Photo by: Margalob / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)

Flower – Photo by :Walter Siegmund / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)