Willamette Valley white Meadowfoam is such an unassuming plant with an incredible tough streak. Finely divided grass green leaves are completely obscured by the copious cup shaped white flowers. Opulent bloom begins in April and extends to early June. Forms connecting mounds that knit together into one sheet of ivory petals. Native to the central and southern Willamette Valley. It can be seen occasionally on road cuts and the gravel on street margins. But planted en masse it is spectacular. Excellent plant for tough, compacted, clay soils. To 4″ tall and each plant is about 1’wide. Leave spent dried stems where you want the next years display to be. Germination in autumn precedes most cold season weeds and forms an effective cover crop. Though prolific its well behaved enough to live between shrubs and even perennials. Excellent mixed with Baby Blue Eyes and Yellow and white Limnanthes douglasii. Water containerized plants at installation then none necessary. Self sown seedlings are MUCH more drought adapted and can germinate on soil as hard as concrete. Moderate deer resistance. Beautiful native wildflower.
Genus: Limnanthes
Limnanthes douglasii
Meadow foam is a native hardy annual that occupies the flood zones in the valleys in most of Central and northern California up to the southern Willamette Valley, mainly in seeps and floodplains, To 4″ tall and up to a foot wide the grass green finely divided leaves are a great backdrop to the yellow flowers which are cleanly tipped white at the edge of the petals. Vigorously reseeds in any soil in full sun to part shade. Leave the dead straw to disperse the seeds or simply shake it where you would like next years display to be. And it WILL RESEED PROLIFICALLY- by early autumn you will achieve an enormous patch. Don’t worry if they are crowded the seedlings seem to work it out. This is a fantastic method for inhibiting winter weeds- YOU get to chose your weeds and this is an easy to deal with plant. A great annual to eclipse the fading foliage of bulbs. No supplemental water required. Completes its life cycle by the heat of summer and has already set hundreds of seeds for the following years crop. This from just one 4″ pot. Winter weeds are the worst cause we aren’t out there on patrol so this is greatly helpful. And the cycle begins again each year. Meadowfoam honey is wonderful btw. Very sweet with a sharp clover tang. Oregon native plant
See video click on IMG 4574
Limnanthes douglasii var. nivea
White meadow foam is a prolific native hardy annual that covers the bottom of inland west coast valleys in white in mid- late spring. Demure plants are actually a floral power house with tons of pure white flowers creating a foaming ivory carpet in bloom. By the heat of summer this true annual ends its life cycle but not before producing millions of seeds to renew the display for the next year. Takes all kinds of soil including compacted dry clay. No additional water is required once established. Each plant is 4″ tall by 6″ wide and they grow together to form an impenetrable layer. One planted potted plant yields hundreds of seedling. White meadow foam is a stunning western native that deserves more use. Native to the Portland city limits. Oregon native plant.