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.