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.
Amsinckia menziesii var. intermedia (Common Fiddleneck)
Common fiddleneck is found in both wet and dry prairies and has bristly hairs on the foliage. The large, elongating flower stems are bright orange and curl at the ends (like the head of a fiddle). The seed is a favorite food on our native goldfinches. It does best in disturbed habitats and areas of low competition.
Asarum caudatum f. album (White-flowered Western Ginger)
Forming dense evergreen mats, this super ground cover shines all year round in shade. Adaptable to some drought, it looks even better if given a little summer irrigation. Short, to only 4 in., tall.
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.
The Monarch butterfly host plant with great retail appeal, so it's easy to sell. It is unusual and showy with 3-in., globes of pink-tinged, star-shaped flowers. This increasingly rare plant is the only genus on which Monarch butterflies will deposit eggs. The nectar-filled flowers, opening late summer, exude a pleasing sweet fragrance and produce magnificent seed pods. 2-3 ft. tall.
This native rocket is a biannual or perennial found in wetter meadow habitats and ditches in the Willamette Valley. It has small yellow flowers and clasping pinnately divided leaves.
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.
Camassia leichtlinii var. suksdorfii (Leichtlin's or Great Camas)
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.
This sedge is commonly found in wet prairies and ditches. It is 12-30" tall, has yellowish-green foliage, is densely bunched, and has compact flower heads. It adds great texture to a garden when planted along a drainage.
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.
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.
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
Eriophyllum lanatum var. leucophyllum (Oregon Sunshine)
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.
Because this is the dominant native bunchgrass in the upland prairies west of the Cascades from southern British Columbia to central California it is an easy choice for mass plantings. With its fine thread-like leaves of steely blue-gray that form tussocks 10 in. height, it is very beautiful too, even planted individually in the landscape. No concern over ecological invasiveness. Drought and deer resistant.
This tall perennial wildflower (up to 4 ft tall) of wetland prairies has clusters of bright yellow flowers in August that attract a host of late-season wet prairie butterflies and bees.
Tall, robust native perennial in the carrot family found often in roadside ditches and wet seeps in prairies. The large, bright white flowers in late-May attract numerous non-bee pollinators and beneficial insects. A perfect hedge-row plant!
This clump forming rush grows between 12 and 24 inches tall in flower depending on the amount of moisture. It is native to most of the United States and grows in mesic to wet prairies conditions.
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.
This low-growing pea has striking yellow flowers with white tips and is an integral part of our wet prairies. It is found mostly in vernal wet areas with other perennials such as Allium amplectens and Triteleia hyacinthina, and Dodecatheon pulchellum and annuals such as Plagiobothrys figuratus, and Mimulus guttatus.
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.
This integral part of our meadows is very well branched, forming a dense mound of attractive silvery green foliage with many tall, 10" flowering stems. Usually pale blue; some plants have white flowers while others can be dark blue. Over all a great plant. 20" tall. Nectar species for Fenders Blue Butterfly.
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.
Beautiful legume. Long, showy blue/purple to creamy white flowering stems, and large showy leaves, 4-6 ft. tall! Commonly found in our wet prairie sites.
Robust and showy lupine with dark blue/purple flowers and deep green leaves. Does well in poor soil. 3-4 ft tall. Often found on disturbed, gravelly sites.
Flowers are large and beautiful, fringed, bright yellow, and often with a magenta center. The foliage is aromatic (sweet), it flowers for an extended period (up to 2 mo.) but flowers close by mid-morning, 4-5 ft tall (in garden or without competition). The seed is a small sunflower seed that attracts many birds.
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.
Common monkey flower has bright yellow, snapdragon flowers that attract many types of bees. It is often found in the wettest portions of prairies and meadows as well as roadside ditches.