A Nod to Our Natives

If you live here in western Oregon, you already know this: our early spring has us nature lovers in a buzz! Not only are we enjoying a banner year for daffodils and other early garden blooms, but our native plants are also popping out left and right - I mentioned a couple of these in my last post and want to share a few more in this one. By the end of this month, so many natives will be blooming that I won't be able to keep up. But not to worry, my goal here is not to capture every possible bloom, but to relate the enjoyment of the journey and to gain some knowledge in the process!

It is also gratifying to know we live in a place where so many people appreciate the value and importance of native plants, their habitats, and are willing to act for their protection. I won't hop onto my planter box here, but in that vein, if you are in a planting mood, there are many resources available for choosing the best natives for your location.

There are a number of groups that host native plant shows, festivals, and sales in the coming months. The Native Plant Society of Oregon has a good list of these events on their website, under Wildflower Shows. Locally, Jackson Bottom Wetlands has a native plant sale coming up on April 18th. Portland Audubon has their sale on April 11 and 12 along with experts to answer any questions.

On to the photos now! These spring beauties are all growing in our local parks and/or natural areas, so you'll probably spot them as quickly as we did.

One of my favorite oddly named plants is small (4 - 8 in. high), has a wonderful subtle purple color, and can easily be missed if you are not looking for it: Oaks Toothwart (Cardamine nuttallii var. nuttallii). Lewis & Clark found it growing along the Sandy River on April 1, 1806. It's one of 44 species named after Thomas Nuttall, a U.K. botanist who lived in the U.S. from 1808-1841.

Oaks Toothwart - Cooper Mountain Nature Park - 3/05/2015

For sheer mass, color, and odor, the venerable Skunk Cabbage (Lysichiton americanus) is a local champion! Standing up to a foot tall, these bog dwellers resemble pop art periscopes - native tribes used the large leaves as a kind of wax paper for lining baskets, etc.   

Bog at Ecola State Park - 3/06/2015. Leaves are about a foot
 tall on these, but will get larger.

Skunk Cabbage Flower

Another early blooming highlight showing its stuff right now is the flamboyant Red Flowering Currant (Ribes sanguineum). This tall shrub is covered with bright red cluster blossoms and is somewhat of a celebrity. David Douglas sent seeds back to London where the plants grew and became an instant hit. It is said that The Royal Horticultural Society of London recouped its investment in his expedition from this plant introduction alone!

Red Flowering Currant - Oregon
 Garden - 3/09/2015

We found several Coltsfoot (Petasites frigidus) blooming at the coast, near a fresh water creek in Ecola State Park (3/06/2015). This was the first time we've seen these in bloom so we were struck by the large, softball sized flower clusters. These bloom later at higher elevations as well.

 

And last but not least, any school child in western Oregon can readily identify this forest favorite: Western Trillium (Trillium ovatum). With its three big leaves and three brilliant white flower petals, it jumps out from the semi-shady tree cover as if to say "look at me." The petals gradually fade to purple, adding to the allure of this noteworthy species.

At Noble Woods Park - 3/12/2015

At Noble Woods Park - 3/12/2015. Sword ferns in background.