Sweet little evergreen shrublet with fine blue foliage. Atop a rounded form in spring, masses of light pink flowers are incredibly showy for such a diminutive plant. To about 8″ x 1′ forming a bun. This member of the brassica tribe is excellent in rock gardens or even on hot dry sunny slopes. Full sun and average, well drained soil. Light to little summer water. Blooms for 3-4 weeks in mid to late spring. Cut back hard after blooming- new blue foliage will flush out almost immediately. Troughs, rock gardens. Low care rock garden classic.
Family: Brassicaceae
Cardamine trifolia
Don’t let this cute little demure ground cover fool you. This is one tough little plant. An evergreen mounding perennial that throws up 6″ clouds of white flowers in very early spring. So fresh and welcome along side other early bloomers for part shade to shade. Very slow growing to 1′ wide for rich, well drained soil with regular summer water. However, if you skip watering this little gem no harm will come. Incredibly drought adapted. I mean withering drought. And it may wilt a little but it seems to recover from just about anything. Deep green leaves. Bait for slugs if needed. SE Europe.( kar-DAM-ih-nee )
Caulanthus inflatus
DESERT CANDLES. This fascinating annual thrills us. Most often seen in the wild in its native California, and is commonly seen in the wildflower mecca of Carrizo Plain. Poppies, gillias, Brodiaea accompany this relative of brassicas. A small rosette of fleshy leaves gives way to an extending inflated hollow spike. Its colored bright yellow/chartreuse and glows from a distance. The MAROON flower not only cluster at the top they symmetrically line the tall stems. All together a glowing sentinel of a plant that is almost never seen for sale. The period of exceptional showiness is brief – 4-6 weeks but it such a bizarre and showy display that we wouldn’t be without it for early/mid spring containers. Might self sow in open disturbed sites. Better to save your own seed. Such a cool west coast native it needs to be appreciated for its unique and luminous beauty. To 30″ tall. Draws native insects including hover flies. Sets seed and dies in early summer completing its life cycle.
Erysimum capitatum
Western Wallflower is a very widespread biennial or short lived perennial. It occurs from Alaska to nearly Mexico and throughout the west coast. The first season is spent as a rosette of thin undulating leaves. In the second year it extends, forms branches and achieves multiple flower spikes. The species is best described as yellow/orange with some slight variation in these seed grown plants. In Oregon its is widespread but it has all but disappeared from some biomes, the Willamette Valley for instance, a victim of non native invasives. To 22″ tall in bloom. You may get a third season but it is much less of a show.Best to let this plant set seed and die ensuring a new generation of plants. Leave open disturbed sites for re-sowing. A gravel mulch will encourage this as well and it appreciates average to enriched soil and light consistent water to establish. The following year it can rely on only what fall from the sky. Blooms appear for several weeks in late spring. Loved by pollinators with a special draw to butterflies. Common associates in the wild are Dodecatheon hendersonii, Mitella , Ranunculus occidentalis, Nemophila. Oregon native plant