native plants for southwestern oregon
DESCRIPTION
This is a propgram prepared for OSU Master Gardeners in Josephine County Oregon highlighting plants native to that area that are recommended for home gardensTRANSCRIPT
Native Plants for Southwestern OregonLinda McMahanOSU ExtensionYamhill County
Scarlet monkeyflower, Mimulus cardinalis (SW Oregon & CA)
Southwestern Oregon is Unique Rainfall high in winter,
low in summer Warmer high temps
than most of OR but can be colder in winter
Shares some features & plants with Northern CA
Shares many plant species with the rest of the Pacific Northwest
Oceanspray, Holodiscus discolor, shared with much of OR
Southwestern Oregon is Unique Share some species
with Cascades and/or Eastern OR
The region is amazingly diverse, with high mountains, soil variations, fertile river valleys, and rocky outcrops
Wikipedia.org
Today’s Goal Feature plants native
to Josephine County Many share plant
distributions with other parts of the Oregon or California
Some plants native to Oregon but not common in Josephine County may also be grown here, but we will not cover those today
Rocky Mtn maple, Acer glabrum, shared with Cascades and Eastern OR
Plants Unique to Inner Southwestern OregonSome will also occur in neighboring counties or in Northern California
California fuchsia, Epilobium canum (Zauchneria californica) Native to California
as well A mounding and
spreading sub-shrub for full sun or very light shade
Many cultivars available
Attracts hummingbirds
Wayne’s silver form
Scarlet monkey flower, Mimulus cardinalis Herbaceous
perennial Prefers part-shade
and moist soils Native to SW OR
and into CA and other SW US states
M. cardinalis is shown with native yarrow form (Achillea millefolium)
Skunkbush, Rhus trilobata Sun to light shade Shrub 2-8 feet and
spreading Zone 3/4 Food and cover for
wildlife Drought tolerant, good
for sunny and dry spots
Yes it is related to poison oak but OK for gardens http://oregonstate.edu/dept/
ldplants/rhtrilob.htm
CA black oak, Quercus kellogii
Deciduous tree, 40-80 ft. with open, rounded crown
Sun or light shade Drought resistant,
succeeds in dry, sandy, or gravelly soil
USDA Zone 7 Mostly SW OR but
does go north to Lane County
http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ldplants/quke.htm
Jeffrey pine, Pinus jeffreyi Conifer to 80 or more
feet USDA Zone 6 Mountains from
southern Oregon to Sierra Nevada's
Fragrant needles—three needle bundles, larger cones than Ponderosa pine
Can grow on serpentine soils (low calcium-magnesium ratio, high in heavy metals)
http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ldplants/pijef.htm
Giant Chain Fern – Woodwardia fimbriata
“Choice” large fern, each frond to 6 feet
Evergreen Needs regular moisture
and part-shade to sun Possibly needs frost
protection, depending on the site
Share distribution with northern California
Unique spore structures on frond undersides Photos: Wikipedia.org
California wild grape, Vitis californica Native to California and
SW Oregon Cultivars available,
‘Roger’s Red’ is one available-may be a hybrid
Vigorous deciduous vine popular in landscapes
Red fall color Propagates easily from
cuttings
Photo: Wikipedia.org
Golden inside-out-flower, Vancouveria chrysantha Perennial evergreen
herbaceous plant spreading by rhizomes
Golden blooms in spring
Sometimes called the Siskyou inside-out-flower
Considered to be “choice” by some gardeners so worth looking for
Photo: Mrs. WD Bransford, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Univ. Texas at Austin
Plants Shared with Cascades and/or Eastern OregonMany of these are commonly available in the plant trade
Green manzanita, Arctostaphylos patula Evergreen shrub,
to 7 ft, dark bark Sun or light shade Best on well-
drained soils, does well on dry sites
USDA Zone 5 SW Oregon to
Mountains north and south http://oregonstate.edu/dept/
ldplants/arpat.htm
Rocky Mountain maple, Acer glabrum
Small broadleaf deciduous tree to 30 ft, often multi-stemmed
Sun to part shade USDA Zone 4 Distribution shared
with Cascade Mtns and Eastward
http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ldplants/acgl.htm
Mountain mahogany, Cercocarpus ledifolius Broadleaf
evergreen shrub or small tree to 15 ft
Sun and dry, well-drained soil
USDA Zone 6 Distribution shared
with mountains and areas to the East
http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ldplants/celed.htm
Creeping Oregon grape, Berberis (Mahonia) repens – Evergreen
shrub/ground cover
Spreads underground
USDA Zone 5 Works well with
snow cover
http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ldplants/mare.htm
Rabitbrush – Ericamera (Chrysothamnus) nausosa
Shares distribution with mountains and east of the Cascades
Grey foliage Drought tolerant USDA Zone 7 Neutral to slightly
alkaline soil
Sulfur buckwheat, Eriogonum umbellatum Drought tolerant
buckwheat, needs good drainage
Low-growing Flowers variable
yellow/gold Needs good
drainage to thrive
Photo: Stan Shebs, Wikipedia.org
Fremont silk tassel, Garrya fremontii Evergreen shrub,
many-branched, 5 to 15 feet
Sun or part shade, drought tolerant
USDA Zone 6 Requires good
drainage Perhaps better
adapted to the area than G. elliptica
Photo: A. Barra, Wikipedia.org
Mahala mat, Ceanothus prostratus
Woody groundcover Needs good
drainage Blue flowers cover
plant under favorable conditions
Full sun or filtered shade
Especially good for a rock garden
Sitka Mtn ash, Sorbus sitchensis
Deciduous shrub or multi-trunked small tree to 10 ft
Sun or light shade USDA Zone 5 Flat topped, white
flowers, red fruits and good fall color
Photos: top, Linda R McMahan, bottom, http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ldplants/sosit.htm
Pink flowered wood sorrel, Oxalis oregana var. smalliana Now classified just
as O. oregana Pink flowered form
less aggressive and slightly larger than white flowered form
Pink flowered form more local to SW Oregon
Plants Shared with Willamette Valley and NorthThese are usually commonly available in the nursery trade and generally will do well in SW Oregon
Umbrella plant, Darmera peltata
Herbaceous water-loving plant with giant leaves
Spreads on ground-level rhizomes
Magnificent foliage and flowers
Flowers emerge before leaves
Photos: Linda McMahan on the Rogue River and in cultivation
Private Garden, Beaverton Oregon
Sword fern (Polystichum munitum) and groundcover oxalis (Oxalis oregana) in a side garden path
Red Flowering CurrantRibes sanguineum, February/March bloomer attracts hummingbirds, also bees. Blue/black berries are edible and a bird favorite, many cultivars available
Wild bleeding heart, Dicentra formosa
Spreading ground cover, spring blooms
Deciduous in summer without supplemental irrigation
Cultivars are available
Camas Camassia leichtlinii
Sometimes available as a bulb in garden centers
Require wet winters and dry summers
Prefers full sun but part-shade OK
A native Indian heritage plant
Red twig dogwood, Cornus sericeaWet or dry locations, large to 12-15 ft, prune from the base, berries attract birds, butterfly host plant
Inside-out flower, Vancouveria hexandraShade-loving deciduous groundcover, yellow fall color
Stream VioletViola glabella, Accent or groundcover, drought tolerant, butterfly host plant
Mock orange, Philadelphus lewesiiAvailable at native plant nurseries and SWCD sales, fragrant and easy—sun to part shade, moderate water
Fairy bells, Prosartes (Disporum) hookeri or P. smithii
Shady, moist sites Good for woodland
garden Spring flowers,
summer fruits Easy to grow from
seeds
Sedum spathulifoliumBest native sedum, easy for containers or well-drained soil, available at many retail nurseries, cultivars available
Vine Maple, Acer circinatumBest in part shade, some have good fall color, bird-friendly
Check out the recommended requirements for each species
Provide water to establish, even if the species is drought-hardy
Refrain from too much fertilizer-native plants are usually adapted to our typical soils
Cultural Requirements
Douglas iris (Iris douglasiana) and Viola adunca
Leave enough space—some natives may grow larger than anticipated
Many can be pruned, but some gardeners prefer the natural forms
Prune multi-stemmed shrubs from the base
Cultural Requirements
Desert parsely (Lomatium sp.) and snowberry (Symphoricarpos sp.)
Don’t assume plants are “deer-proof”
If you want plants to self-seed or provide berries for wildlife, don’t
Cultural Requirements
Ocean spray (Holodiscus discolor) and osoberry (Oemleria cerasiformis)
For More Information! Kruckeberg, Arthur R. 1996. Gardening with
Native Plants of the Pacific Northwest, 2nd edition, University of Washington Press, Seattle, WA
Yamhill County, OSU Extension Ecogardening at: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/yamhill/eco-gardening
Selecting native plants for home landscapes in Central Oregon at: http://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/1957/19858/ec1623-e.pdf
Oregon Flora Project (interactive maps and photos) at: http://www.oregonflora.org/
Thankyou! Except noted, photos are by the author
and can be used freely for educational purposes.
Photos from Oregon State University Woody Plant Identification site used by permission of Pat Breen, © Oregon State University.
Other photographs are in the public domain with sources noted.