Thriving on sunny, dry, low fertility soils, Needlegrass is valued for its soil stabilization and revegetating strengths. Named for its spike-like seeds. It could star in naturalized areas with little foot traffic or in a corner as a native ornamental grass. It is found on very dry, rocky sites in the west.

Large-flowered agoseris is found on thin-soiled upland prairies and rocky balds. It has a large rosette of cut-leaves and dandelion-type flowers that close by mid-morning. The flowers become a big white ball of fluff when in seed. As with our lawn dandelion, it will re-flower after it is cut. 1-2 ft.

It has bright rose to purple urn like flowers. Taper-tip onion grows on rocky outcrops and dry prairies with annuals such as blue-eyed Mary and rusty popcorn flower. Key nectar species for Fenders Blue Butterfly.

Native up and down the West Coast, with pale pink to white flowers this little onion is a cinch to grow. Native pollinators love the showy long lived flowers. Freely reseeding, large bunches of these flowers are colorful over 6 weeks. 8 in. tall. Key nectar species for Fenders Blue Butterfly.

Narrow-leaf milkweed attracts butterflies and bees and is smaller in stature than showy milkweed. It tolerates very dry conditions and is, typically, found in thin rocky soil areas in the Willamette Valley. It is a host plant for Monarch butterflies.

Late-flowering lily with violet-purple, vase-shaped flowers in a loose umbel. Harvest brodiaea is found in wet prairies and vernal pools often with other members of the lily family such as camas, slim-leaved onion, and hyacinth brodiaea. 6-10" tall.

It has been very rewarding developing some of the lesser Willamette Valley forbs into commercial crops, like the Cat’s ear. In late spring and early summer foliage is followed by extremely fuzzy, white or pale pink flowers. Ample winter rainfall with sparse summer irrigation is best. Low growing to 4 in. Little blossoming size bulbs. Key nectar species for Fenders Blue Butterfly and Taylor's Checkerspot.

A robust spring-blooming perennial with bright blue flowers, our native camas once clothed Oregon valleys in waves of striking color. Settlement and agriculture over the past 150 years have pushed it to marginal small pockets in wetlands, roadsides, and areas unsuited to cropping. Two ft. tall in blossom. Occasional nectar species for Fenders Blue Butterfly.

With intensely blue, starry flowers in dense spikes in a carefree package the camas is a useful addition to gardens. It will gently reseed itself given light shade to full sun and some spring moisture. Dormancy starts in June so it is a great candidate for mixing with other perennials. 18 in. tall. Occasional nectar species for Fenders Blue Butterfly.

Chamisso sedge is natives to western North America and is found in many types of habitats. It can tolerate drier conditions than most of our native sedges. It grows in wet prairies but also on forest edges.

This one of our few upland prairie sedges. It forms large clumps and has delicate nodding flower heads.

This very showy annual blooms in late-summer and persists on restoration sites along side perennials. It has relatively large pink or magenta flowers with dark pink patterning, 3-4 ft tall.

Smaller flowers than C. amoena but still very pretty with pink to magenta flowers, 3-4 ft tall.

Pretty annual with more delicate flowers than C. amoena with clawed petals. Found most often in dry, rocky habitat. A great addition to a rock garden. 2-3 ft tall.

Delicate blue "snapdragon" shaped flowers, 0.5-2 ft tall. A winner in the restoration world, persisting on sites as the perennials fill in. Found in dry rocky sites and upland prairies.

Gorgeous! Salmon pink flower heads, very showy! 2-3 ft tall. The blue pollen colors the legs of tiny native bumblebees that forage on the flowers.

Low-growing bunch grass with only a few nodding flower spikes, 1-1.5 ft in flower. A versatile grass found in both wet and dry prairies.

A tight cluster of purple lily flowers grace the top of long stems. 1-2 ft tall.

Our native Willamette Valley shooting star adorns our wetland prairies in the spring with a splash of hot pink. Combined with common camas, the landscape in April resembles an impressionist painting. There are multiple flowers on top of 15 inch stems. The brown seed pods also add early summer interest when used in landscape plantings.

This small, decumbent native annual is found in the vernal wet areas. It has bright blue flowers and blooms early-summer most often with other annuals such as popcorn flower and monkey flower.

This native annual is found in wet prairies and ditches. It has tall spikes of magenta flowers that provide late summer color.. The small seeds are attractive to goldfinches during their breeding season. 2-4 ft tall

Provides a very long-lived showing of golden daisies to the mid-spring and summer landscape. The wooly leaves form a dense, nearly evergreen mat 1-2' tall. It is excellent as a border perennial or a groundcover and is one of the matrix species in the Willamette Valley prairies. Nectar species for Fenders Blue Butterfly and Field Cresent.

The pale ivory flowers with elegantly recurved tips occur on tall stems. Showy mottled leaves. Plant deeply and grow in sun or shade. They will go dormant early in the season, so it is a great plant to mix into groundcover plantings.

The flowers seem to float above the greenery in the Willamette Valley, where it grows among taller grass. Our iridescent solitary bees are very common sight on the large purple-violet flowers that are presented over a long period; June through early July. 16" tall, 20" wide. Key nectar species for Fenders Blue Butterfly.

The leaves are tough, dark, grass-like, and nearly evergreen on this showy iris. It blooms in a spectacular color range from almost white to purple and all hues of blue in between. It is clump forming, blooming April-May, it is only 14 in. tall. This is an excellent, easy, very drought tolerant garden plant that is used far too infrequently. Nectar species for Dusky Wing and, occasionally, Fenders Blue Butterfly.

This small tufted annual is found in both wet and dry prairies where there is little competition from other vegetation. It has both white and pink flowers and needle-like leaves.

Unusual leaves, blue/green in color and bulbous, pale-yellow flat-top inflorescence, spiritual significance to Native Americans, 1-3 ft tall. This species does very well on restoration sites.

With dark green finely dissected leaves, this biscuitroot produces new growth in the fall and blooms in May with a seemingly never-ending supply of brilliant gold-yellow flowers. It produces an outstandingly beautiful show. It is drought resistant.

Very delicate annual pea, multi-colored flowers, 0.5-1 ft tall. Does best without competing vegetation.

Soft, hairy leaves, pink-white flowers, long bloom time, 2 ft tall. This annual does very well in both wet and dry prairie restorations even in areas with perennial competition.

Small, blue pea flowers in a dense spike, pretty flowers, blooms in spring, 1-2 ft tall. Most-often found on roadsides and thin-soil sites in Western Oregon. Does best without competing vegetation.

This small prairie rush in found on both wet and dry sites. It has flat, grass-like leaves and soft hairs at the collar and along the leaf margins.

Flowers small and yellow but spicy foliage is attractive. Flowers close by mid-morning, 2-4 ft tall.

This small annual has a variety of forms from tufted to slender and erect. It has pink, tubular flowers that are self-pollinated. It grows in moist or dry soils at all elevations typically in areas without much competing vegetation.

This species of wild carrot is native to western North America and was an important and often a staple food plant for many Native American groups. In Western Oregon, it is found in both wet and dry prairies. The stems are very tall, but delicate often reaching 5 feet at peak flowering.

Although the flowers are not brightly colored, this plant in the waterleaf family attracts a wide-variety of native bees making this a must for both upland restorations and native gardens. The flowering stems elongate as they mature with new flowers opening in long succession in mid-summer. Found in dry, rocky habitat at low and high elevations.

Rusty popcorn flower is most often found in dry grasslands and open woodlands. In western Oregon, it can be found growing in rock outcrops with Oregon white oak and madrone and other annuals such as blue-eyed Mary and rosy plectritis creating quite a beautiful natural rock garden.

Rosy plectritis is an outstanding annual for restorations. Its bright pink flowers are attractive to numerous pollinators including spring butterflies. It grows best on thin soils of upland sites or in wet prairies with low competition from perennials. Key nectar species for Taylor's Checkerspot Butterfly.

Sulfur-yellow flowers, pinnately divided leaves, sticky, flowers and foliage turn red as they mature, 2-3 ft tall. Found in dry prairies throughout the west.

Just as the common name says, this plant produces a graceful 1' mound of lacy fretted palmate foliage with sunshine yellow flowers. In western Oregon, it is a key species in both our wet and dry prairies and its long bloom-time in June attracts numerous native pollinators.

Our native self-heal, Oregon sunshine, and yarrow, are the work-horse species of restoration sites. The small seeds are attractive to goldfinches. Good bedding plant in the garden (short-rhizomes), purple spikes of flowers, medicinal plant "self-heal" used for many ailments, 0.5-2 ft tall. Nectar species for Sonora skipper and many other long tongued butterflies.

This native buttercup blooms April through mid-May and is an early shining star of our prairies. Very persistent due to self-sowing. It also makes a nice addition to native gardens giving our native bees important resources early in the season.

Scurf-pea is native to many parts of the west. It is a low, bushy perennial with pretty clusters of cream colored pea-flowers. It has deep, woody roots (rhizomatous) and grows on dry edges of woods and in upland prairies where it flowers in late-spring and summer. The flowers are attractive to many of our native bumblebees. The dark-green, leathery foliage persists into late summer along with the papery bracts of the seed heads making it an attractive bedding plant for wildlife gardeners. IT'S A HUMMING BIRD PLANT!

Like a miniature hollyhock with vibrant pink flowers, in a garden, this checkermallow works best near the front of a border as its only 2 ft. tall. Blooming May-June, cut it back and irrigate to get more flowers. As with tall checkermallow, it shines on upland restoration sites. Establishing quickly and persisting over the long-haul. Hose plant for Checkered Skippers and Gray Hairstreak and key nectar species for Fenders Blue and Taylor's Checkerspot butterflies.

Blue-eyed grass is a key component of our wet prairies. The deep-blue flowers attract bees early in the day but close by mid-morning making them hard to spot in the landscape. The dark, clustered seed heads and slender, iris-like leaves make it reappear when the prairie turns a golden-tan in mid-summer.

Meadow deathcamas may have a bad rap for due to its toxicity to mammals but as a habitat plant for pollinators it is incredibly important. It grows in many habitats though out the west from dry sage-brush steppe to upland prairies. It has abundant star-like, cream-colored flowers bloom in late-spring and attract many species of bees. Death camas is unrelated to Camassia species which were an important food plant for Native Americans

Low-growing annual pea with pretty purple/white flower heads, and tri-foliate leaves. Grows best in rocky habitat without competition.

This early blooming species has delicate blue flowers nestled in tufts of dark green leaves. In a wildlife garden, the long-bloom period makes it a great bedding plant. Hookedspur violet is a used a both a nectar and larval host for a variety of butterflies. It does best on upland restoration sites where competition from invasive plants and grassy thatch are kept to a minimum. 4-8 inches tall.