This is a wonderful hardy annual from the central California coast ranges and foot hills. Its closely allied to our native Clarkia amoena var lindleyi and though a bit taller the most conspicuous difference is the base of large pink cup shaped flowers are stained in bright red. Thats where it gets its descriptive common name of Claret Cup Farewell to spring. To 32″ tall if forms a candelabra of 2″ flowers that point upwards. The bright red on the base of the petals act as a nectary guide, think of this as landing lights for pollinators. Blooms June to August and it makes a large plant. The flowers spikes make long lasting cut flowers. LOVED by carpenter bees who will cut circles out of the petals to line their nests. So cute. Re seeds in open disturbed sites or even better a gravel mulch. Mix with all other native hardy annuals. Great long blooming container plant. No supplemental irrigation required. Very long blooming. Seeds germinate in early autumn and overwinter as tiny plants.
Foliage Season: Summer Deciduous
Clarkia purpurea ssp. quadrivulnera
AKA Four spot Clarkia or Four spot wine cup, also Godetia. This charming little native hardy annual occupies warm, somewhat dry spots at low elevations west of the Cascades. The flowers are slightly smaller than Clarkia amoena var. lindleyi but it is profuse. Flowers line thin stems and inbetween the very willowy leaves a cup shaped flower with four petals. It ranges from light to dark pink and there is a darker pink swish at the base of each petal. This is known as a nectary guide and its like a landing pad for pollinators. Blooms appear from late May through July. To 14″ tall on average, depending upon the fertility of the soil. Re-seeds happily and the first seedlings which are slightly downy will appear after fall rains begin. Full sun to the very lightest shade. Flowers close on cloudy days. No supplemental water is necessary . Mix with Gilia capitata, Limnanthes alba. and Plectritis congesta with whom it decorates undisturbed meadows. Not a good cut flower, very feral but beautiful and losing its native environment very fast. Excels in a gravel mulch. Excellent for native pollinators and very important to native bees. Oregon native plant
Heracleum maximum
Cow parsnip is a widespread bold perennial;that can be found around western North America. Its a familiar large plant of the west side of the Cascades where it can be found in just about every biome in cool moist soil. This and other members of this genus have sap that can cause a rash, avoid exposure to skin. Larger in rich conditions it can exceed 6′ tall with ample moisture The leaves become enormous up to 18″ in favorable conditions. Adapted to clay soils as well and this large perennial is common under the drip zone in the shade of oaks in the Willamette Valley. The plant erupts out of the ground in very early spring and then extends to reveal large (6″) wide pure white umbels of flowers. Best to place this native away from paths, It is a integral pollinator perennial as well as food source for butterflies. Long lived deep rooted perennial. Goes deciduous with true heat and can leave a candelabra of dead stems through winter Very competitive with invasive grasses. Blooms May-July. Associated plants are Quercus garryana, Fraxinus latifolius, Viburnum ellipticum, Delphinium trollifolium. Oregon native plant.
Dodecatheon pulchellum var. macrocarpum
This is the second and less common shooting star native in the Willamette Valley locally into the Gorge, its more common to the north. AKA Alaska shooting star it has several important differences. The flower structure and petal color are very similar to Dodecatheon hendersonii foothill shooting star but they are closer to pink than purple and the color gets darker at the base of the petal. The face of the flower is white and yellow with a bright orange filament around the center. And the leaves are large and distinctively long. As for culture this species is endemic to rich soils that retain moisture in the moist parts of meadows in full sun to very light shade Near Eugene where i grew up this was the wet loving shooting star that you could find along moist stream banks. The more common D. hendersonii is almost exclusively an upland perennial. Loved by early pollinators when the striking flowers appear April-June. To 18″ tall in bloom. The whole plant retreats into dormancy with hot weather- it disappears. This more moisture tolerant species is easier to cultivate with more traditional perennials. In habitat its close friends are Camassia quamash maxima and Camassia l. suksdorfii, Plagiobothyrs figuratus , Mitella oregana and Delphinium trollifolium. Excellent perennial for a rain garden. Nice cut flower too. Oregon native plant.
Ranunculus orthorhynchus var. orthorhynchus
Birds foot buttercup is one of the more common varieties in Oregon. Larger (taller) than Ranunculus occidentalis it also has a darker almost maroon gray coloring on the back of each petal. Birds foot buttercup thrives in areas that are often submerged in winter Though it favors wet sites in will easily accommodate dry conditions as well and is happy in upland situations. Short lived perennial (3-5 years). Blooms about three weeks after western buttercup. in April to June. The whole plant goes quickly summer dormant after setting seed in conspicuous spiked capsules. Easy to grow in gardens as this species is used to regular moist soil. To 14″ x 18″wide. Very forgiving native that will happily reseed if given room. Excellent applications in a rain garden. It makes a pleasant cut flower too with the same reflective inner petals. Not bothered by deer or rabbits. Rich to average soils and especially heavy clay soils. Good native pollinator plant. Oregon native plant.
Hosackia pinnata
Bog deer vetch is a beautiful native perennial found in wet to seasonally wet sites throughout Oregon, but primarily Western Oregon. This rhizomatous perennial erupts from the ground in early spring with pinnate leaves that are deep purple. As the plant extends it changes to dark green and begins to bloom in crowns of pea flowers that are yellow and white. Very pretty. The symmetry of the flowers is especially attractive. To 2′ tall x 3′ wide. Blooms April to June. Lovely native perennial for boggy sites. Amenable to average culture in rich soil with regular H20 in summer. Easy to grow long lived perennial for meadows, swales, vernally wet sites. Excellent perennial for a rain garden. Takes dry conditions when established and goes deciduous with summer heat. Competes well with invasive grasses. Possibly deer resistant. Often seen along streams in NW Oregon. Riparian perennial. Oregon native plant.
Lupinus bicolor
Dwarf Lupine or Pacific Lupine is a widespread small hardy annual that is found all along the west coast from British Columbia to Mexico. In the Willamette Valley its most conspicuous home is along the disturbed soil and gravel of highways/roads. Thats where you see masses of this diminutive lupine that rises to just 1′ tall. The intricate flowers erupt from the top and are mostly blue with purple and the bottom has a white lip. These are displayed above very furry palmate leaves. It forms a small rounded plant. Loved by all pollinators this tough little plant can inhabit the worst, shallow soils and still thrive. If given richer conditions this nitrogen fixer will soar to 1′ tall with a much larger flowers. Excellent in annual containers – it blooms for a long time April-August or until the ground goes completely dry. Horizontal bean pods hold three seeds each. Self sows in open disturbed sites with little competition from other plants. Only water if it is planted from a container otherwise no supplemental irrigation necessary. Very beloved by hummingbirds and butterflies. Mixes well with other long blooming hardy native annuals such as Madia elegans or Clarkia amoena. Seed that is released in summer germinates in autumn with the first fall rains. Easy to spot the palmate leaves. Oregon native plant.
Luzula subsessilis
Prairie wood rush is such poetic name for a sedge that is widespread on the west side of the Cascades from BC to N.California.The common name describes its love of both open conditions as well as woodlands. Its adapted to winter wet summer dry conditions and is found in a lot of different biomes. Soft green leaves terminate in a blunt tip. The leaves are covered with fine hairs. In spring wiry stems grow to 11″ tall with tawny black flowers followed by seed heads. that are swollen and brown. A component of oak woodlands in part shade to the verge of wetlands where it is found in full sun. Forms a wispy clump that expands slowly. As with most sedges it will respond to better conditions vigorously. Excellent for insect and wildlife. Semi evergreen., especially if drought stressed, (plants much be established well to do this and survive). Part shade to full sun with regular irrigation to establish then little to none in subsequent years. Pretty wispy sedge with a poetic name. Oregon native plant.
Delphinium menziesii
Menzie’s Larkspur is one of the most widespread species west of the Cascades. That doesn’t mean it easy to grow, and as a crop it can be a pain, That said its one of the ultimate spring flowers and its lost immense amounts of its range in the Willamette Valley to development. This widespread perennial is a grassland Delphinium that can be found in oak woodlands with Dodecatheon hendersonii, and Plectritis congesta and Romanzoffia californica. The soils that it inhabits run the gamut from sand near the beach to xeric clay in and around the Willamette Valley. This can be a tricky species to establish, my best advice is to double dig a wide area where there is very little competition from other plants. Add a small amount of all organic fertilizer to the hole. Water in well and water again once a week until June. Then you can permanently taper off. That means in subsequent years it will rely on natural rainfall alone. Upright perennial to 20″ tall multiple brilliant blue flowers often with a lighter bee. I’ve also seen them in a deep black/blue velvet purple. Sets seed and goes dormant in mid-summer. Its very very important to protect the emerging plant or seedling from snails and slugs. Bait heavily when you first see growth in late winter. Though widespread but no longer common this Delphinium seems to adapt best to cultivation with a light gravel mulch. This protects the plant from slugs and provides a perfect medium to germinate the seeds. Very popular pollinator plant visited by all sorts of bees, fly bees, hover flies, butterflies and more. The seedlings are conspicuous and the leaves mimic the parent plant. Full sun to light shade. Oregon native plant.
Sanicula crassicaulis
Pacific Snakeroot is a fascinating native perennial that is native west of the Cascades from British Columbia south -to the tip of South America. A summer deciduous perennial whose presence is really from January to July- before slipping into summer/dry dormancy. This unique plant forms handsome palmate leaves that are edged in black when young. As summer approaches the plant elongates up to 30″ tall and begins to bloom. Tight gold/charteuse inflorescence that must attract very specific pollinators. I know for a fact that it draws butteries because I vividly remember them visiting this plant in the country. I’ve always found this easy growing plant pleasant and I have to admit that it is present in just about every biome west of the Cascade Crest. At the coast it is nearly evergreen – no need for summer dormancy. The small spiny seeds that perch at the top of plant are carried away by animals. Adapted to a LOT of soil conditions including compacted xeric clay. Forms increasing rosettes to 18″ across. More than likely you will find seedlings. Found in the Willamette Valley with Dodecatheon, Camassia, Rosa, and in shade with Symphoricarpos and Polystichum. Full sun to full shade. Not eaten by deer. Oregon native plant.