In late winter, before any seeds have germinated in the nursery, we are out in the snow with loppers and clippers in hand. Our objective? Collecting live stakes and cuttings from stands of willows and cottonwoods. A cutting bed at Derby Canyon Natives of McKenzie willow (Salix prolixa), with Hobbes We make these collections while the […]
Opening soon (I hope!)
The pictures above and below were taken March 8th. At this time the previous four years we had the hoop houses covered with poly and little seedlings were emerging. Not this year! While much of the nation has experienced record high temperatures over the past month, and spring is arriving earlier then ever, our corner of […]
A Good Season Winds Down
Colorful fall leaves on red osier dogwood (Cornus sericea) With autumn weather (rain!) and colors upon us it’s good to take some time to look back at the season that is winding down. It is gratifying to see loads of plants leaving the nursery; the plants we’ve grown from seeds and cuttings and nurtured for […]
Willows galore
At Derby Canyon Natives I grow close to 140 species of plants but the bulk of my revenue comes from about 12 species that we sell in large numbers for restoration projects. Many projects, particularly those in riparian areas, call for one or more species of willows. Hobbes in the MacKenzie willow cutting bed There are many species […]
Orange honeysuckle
You can find orange honeysuckle (Lonicera ciliosa) climbing trees and clambering over the ground in the woods on both sides of the Cascades; in our area east of the mountains I see it mostly above 2000′ in mixed Ponderosa pine-Douglas fir forest. The bright orange-red flowers really stand out in their late May to June […]