In the Garden: October 22
Photos by: Carlotta Lucas, AGC Member
October Color
Tag Archives: plants for pollinators
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: Lilies
Plant Name: Lilium species
Common name: Lilies
Plant Type: Herbaceous Bulb
Plant Height: 1’ – 4’
Plant Width:12” – 2’
Bloom Time: Late Spring to Early Autumn
Flower Color: Range of Colors: White/Yellow/Orange/Pink/Red/Purple
Exposure: Blooms in the Sun; Bulbs in the Shade.
Soil Requirements: Good Drainage; Moderately Acidic.
Water Needs: Moderate
Fire Resistant:YES; Zone 1 – Plant 10+ feet from Structure
Attributes: Good Cut Flower; Attracts Large Pollinators; Fragrant.
Uses: Herbaceous Border; Container.
Note: Plant Twice as Deep as the Height of the Bulb.
Native to: Old World; New World
Oregon Native: YES
USDA Hardiness Zone: 3 – 8
Report by: Viki Ashford, AGC Member/Master Gardener
Photos by: Carlotta Lucas, AGC Member
Firewise Plant: Heuchera sanguinea
Plant Name: Heuchera sanguinea 
Common name: Coralbells
Plant Type: Herbaceous Perennial
Plant Height: 12” – 20”
Plant Width: 12” – 15”
Bloom Time: June – September
Flower Color: Red, White, Pink; Foliage Dark Green, Maroon, Reddish, or Gold.
Exposure: Light Shade
Soil Requirements: Humusy, Rich, Organic, Well-Drained Soil.
Water Needs: Moist
Fire Resistant: YES
Attributes: Attractive Foliage in Dark Green, Maroon, Reddish, or Gold; Attracts Hummingbirds; Nectar Source for Bees; Deer Resistant.
Uses: Rock Gardens; Borders; Containers; Edger along Walkways.
Note: Divide Clumps every 3 – 4 years in spring; Remove Faded Flowers to Encourage More Blooms.
Native to: New Mexico/Arizona to Mexico
Oregon Native: NO
USDA Hardiness Zone: 3 – 8
Photo from:
Annie’s Annuals & Perennials https://www.anniesannuals.com/plants/view/?id=5153
Firewise Plant: Red-Hot Pokers
Plant Name: Kniphofia uvaria
Common name: Torch Lily or Red-Hot Poker
Plant Type: Perennial
Plant Height: 1’ – 4’
Plant Width: 2’ – 3’
Bloom Time: June – August
Flower Color: Multi Color: Orange/Yellow/White/Green
Exposure: Full Sun
Soil Requirements: Good Drainage; Sandy Soil; Favors Bog & Marsh Land.
Water Needs: Heavy in Spring & Summer.
Fire Resistant: YES: Zone 1 – Plant 10+ feet from Structure.
Attributes: Deer Tolerant; Attracts Butterflies, Hummingbirds, Pollinators; Cut Flower.
Uses: Border, Foundation, Container, Rock Garden.
Note: Spreads by Rhizomes
Native to: South Africa
Oregon Native: NO
USDA Hardiness Zone: 4 – 9
Today in the Garden
Madia elegans: Elegant tar weed. This is blooming right now. It is a sun-loving native annual that self-sows widely. Drought and deer tolerant. Blooms morning and evening, but closes up during the middle of the day. See the bumble bee getting pollen off the flowers. The plant is about 3′ high and 1 1/2′ high.
Epilobium canum, or California Fuchsia. It used to be called Zauschneria californica. It is a later blooming perennial. It is drought and deer resistant. This one is right near an alley and a driveway, and is fine with hot, dry soil. Hummingbirds love it. I plant it with dark blue Bachelors’ Buttons, annuals which seed around.
Gaillardia , or Blanket Flower. It is a long-blooming perennial with interesting round seed heads. If some of the seed heads are left on, it will self-sow. This particular plant is probably a hybrid, called Gaillardia x grandlora ‘Goblin’, which is a more compact cultivar. The native is Gaillardia aristata. It is drought tolerant and deer resistant.
Praying Mantis on Verbena, previously seen eating a bee from the head down. After crawling up on this bloom, she crawled down on the stem and basically disappeared, lurking until another insect came along.
Photos and article by Sherri Morgan, AGC Vice President