California rock parsnip, Lomatium californicum, is a perennial herb of California and Oregon which grows in partial shade on low elevation mountains and hillsides. Drought tolerant once established, California rock parsnip grows roughly 1 foot tall and has a unique blue-green foliage with broad umbels of yellow flowers which rise above the foliage 6 to 8 […]
Quercus vaccinifolia, or Huckleberry oak, is an important oak species of high mountain forests in the Sierra Nevada and Cascade ranges from California north into southern Oregon. This impressive evergreen, or live oak, grows slowly as a prostrate shrub attaining typical dimensions of 1 foot high by 4 foot wide, and more with age. The leaves of the huckleberry […]
Western mountain ash, Sorbus scopulina, is a medium sized erect shrub attaining hights not usually above 12 feet. Its new growth emerges sticky, with whitish stemmed glands. The attractive foliage is a deep green color, leaves are alternate with between 9 and 13 narrow, fine-toothed, sharply acuminate leaflets 1 to 3 inches long. The large inflorescence consists of […]
Erigeron speciousus is a showy drought tolerant member of the Aster family. Known commonly as showy, or aspen, fleabane daisy, this versatile and carefree plant is an excellent choice for any garden. Native from British Columbia down through Northwest Oregon and throughout the inter-mountain west south to New Mexico and Arizona, showy fleabane grows in open woods, thickets, […]
Anaphalis margaritacea, or western Pearly Everlasting, is a member of the Aster family and is the only species of the genus Anaphalis native to North America. A highly successful species, Pearly Everlasting is native to all parts of North America barring the areas bordering the Gulf of Mexico. Caution must be taken in the garden, in fact many […]
A brutally spiny plant, Oplopanax horridus has been widely regarded as one of the most important plants, medicinally and spiritually, for the indigenous groups in its native range. For more extensive information regarding it’s ethnobotanical values, there is a great publication at HerbalGram, through the American Botanical Society. It’s common name, devil’s club, is most likely […]
