These attractive fruits, loved by birds, grow on a woody plant common in most of Washington, and often planted in landscapes… Why, it’s… Red osier dogwood (Cornus sericea) The often bright red stems stand out in the winter, especially a winter like we’ve […]
Desert Buckwheats: Star Qualities but Often Overlooked
Cushion buckwheat (E. ovalifolium) Desert or wild buckwheats (Eriogonum sp.), members of the Buckwheat family (Polygonaceae), are native to North America with the greatest numbers in the arid regions of the West, particularly in the Great Basin and California. There are about 250 species in total, with at least 17 in Washington and 11 in […]
Showy milkweed – common and extraordinary
Most residents of Eastern Washington are familiar with this plant, whether they know it or not. Often growing in rather bare areas or along roads, the tall plants with the large, leathery leaves stand out in the landscape, even more so when the big seed pods open and release their seed to the winds. It […]
Columbia lewisia – cheerful and helpful!
Central Washington has some gorgeous species from the Portulacaceae, among them the Western spring beauties (Claytonia lanceolata) that begin the season, the striking flowers of bitterroot (Lewisia rediviva) that appear to pop out of rocks, the awesome Tweedy’s lewisia (Lewisia tweedyi), and the rare and unforgettable alpine spring beauty (Claytonia megarhiza), one I was introduced […]
Paxistima
Over the winter I root cuttings of several species in heated beds, and we will be potting them up in the next week or so. One the main ones is Paxistima myrsinites, commonly known as mountain boxwood, Oregon boxwood or mountain lover. It’s a charming and often overlooked low, evergreen shrub. On the east side of the Cascades […]