Native Plants
November Native Plant of the Month – Deer Fern
Stuthiopteris spicant (formerly Blechnum spicant)
by Marilee Henry​​
​Image (c) 2014 Thomas Belfield; Fish Lake Way Trail, Yakima County
"Deer Fern among vanilla leaf"
​
​
​
​
​
​
In many of the moist forests of the PNW, among towering conifers and moss-laden maples, an understory of woodland ferns retain a lush verdant carpet in winter. Especially in coastal forests, but on up to mid-elevation boggy areas on both sides of the Cascades, deer fern, along with western sword fern, are commonly the major green elements in these wild places during the cold season. Evergreen ferns are graceful additions to urban gardens in all seasons but add special attraction with their lacy forms and greenery in winter.
Found in North America from Alaska to California mostly west of the Cascade and Coastal Ranges, and from SE British Columbia into southern Idaho, deer fern is a circumpolar species, growing to about 3 feet in height and 2 feet in width from short rhizomes. In moist shady habitats it can be recognized by its relative size and by its distinctive form having two types of fronds: an evergreen basal rosette of sterile fronds which in winter lie mostly flat against the ground, and a group of fertile fronds that rise vertically out of the center of the basal clump. Sword fern, a common companion in moist understory, is much larger at maturity and has only one type of frond which is fertile. The sterile fronds of deer fern are specialized for photosynthesis, having 35 to 70 pairs of bright green leaflets (pinnae) that are fully attached to the frond stem at their bases, each about ¼ inch wide and up to 2 inches in length. Its fertile fronds have narrower, less dense pinnae along each darker-colored stem and produce two rows of sori on their undersides. Spores inside the sori mature from June to August. After the spores disperse the fertile fronds die back for winter.
Ferns are more ancient terrestrial plants than the conifers (gymnosperms) and the flowering plants (angiosperms), differing from them in that they do not reproduce directly from seeds. Instead, a mature spore can, under moist shady conditions, first grow into a tiny intermediate form called a gametophyte, which can then produce both sperm and egg cells. Again, under the right moisture and temperature regimes, a sperm cell can unite with an egg cell becoming a fertilized egg or zygote. This stage, called a sporophyte, can now develop into a mature plant which we recognize as a fern. This fascinating life cycle is depicted here and in this video.
Though currently known to be host to the larvae of only a few moth species and other insects such as sawflies, deer fern is an important constituent of healthy forest floor microhabitats, creating moist shelter under its fronds for insects, amphibians, small birds and other animals. Birds have been known to use the fronds for nesting material. Though chemicals in these plants can be mildly toxic when eaten in large quantities, which usually discourages browsing (even by rabbits!), deer fern can be a critical food source for deer, moose, bighorn sheep, mountain goats and elk in winter when other forage is scarce.
Indigenous peoples used all parts of this plant as food, but mostly in emergencies, and usually cooked to neutralize its toxicity from thianamines. Leaves were chewed as treatment for cancer, lung problems, and stomach disorders, and a decoction was made to relieve diarrhea. Fronds were also applied to skin sores. On long journeys leaves were chewed to alleviate thirst. See this site for ethnobotanical references.
In historic times, vast blankets of deer fern were known to have grown in the understory of huge red cedars in Washington’s coastal rainforests, both linked to a specific type of micorrhizae that facilitated the exchange of nutrients and sugars among plants, fungi, and soil. These symbiotic associations are especially important in rainforests and other habitats where soils are poor in critical elements such as phosphorous or sulfur. Check out this article for more details on how plant roots and fungi work together below the ground.
​
This elegant fern is a "must have" for any western Washington garden, adding beauty plus structural diversity in various settings. Though its preferred placement is in moist partial shade in humus-rich acidic soil (pH 3.5 to 6.5) with good drainage, it can tolerate highly acidic to neutral pH, heavy clay to light sandy soils, mossy and boggy areas, and deep shade to morning sun exposures. Deer fern has good winter hardiness, is fairly disease and pest free, and is somewhat drought tolerant in partial shade once established. It does not tolerate full sun. Mulching with fallen leaves is recommended to preserve soil moisture and provide necessary nutrients through their slow decomposition.
In the landscape deer fern is beautiful nestled among rocks, beside logs, along pathway borders, along streambanks, and at pond edges. It is a natural in wooded areas among other native understory plants such as vine maple, rhododendron, evergreen and/or red huckleberry, red-flowering currant, sword fern, trillium, vanilla leaf, and bleeding heart, just to name a few. Deer fern will thrive under red cedar or Douglas fir where other plants may struggle in the acidic environment. It is stunning planted densely as a ground cover – space ferns about 2 feet apart – being a wonderful substitute for harmful invasives such as English ivy, yellow archangel, or vinca (Periwinkle).
Propagating deer ferns from spores can result in many new plants within about a year's time but does require frequent monitoring and patience, as shown in this video and in another here. A faster method that produces fewer new plants is by division of healthy 2 to 5 year old ferns in early spring, just as new shoots are beginning to grow. Follow these instructions to easily divide, plant, and enjoy new deer ferns. Or share with your neighbors – there's always a spot for a deer fern!
​​​​
Always remember, YOU are nature’s best hope! – Doug Tallamy
​​
​
October Native Plant of the Month –
Hairy (or Pink) Honeysuckle
(Lonicera hispidula)
by Marilee Henry
​​
​​​
​
Images (c) Marilee Henry, 2025, Kirkland garden​​​​​
In my garden this month hairy honeysuckle is showing off its ruby-red clusters of ripe berries, gleaming like jewels and inviting numerous birds such as juncos, robins, finches, and flickers to snag them for a juicy meal! Last June, growing in a verdant mass intertwined with clematis over my backyard fence, the flowers attracted hummingbirds, bumblebees, and other beneficial insects while the lush foliage provided safe shelter and nesting sites for small birds. It is an important larval host for at least several dozen species of moths and butterflies, including the garden tiger moth (Artica caja), the white-lined sphinx moth (Hyles lineata), and the geranium plume moth (Amblyptilia pica), all of which are critical food sources for hungry baby birds. This beautiful native vine is a star performer in the landscape while benefiting many native pollinators and wildlife.
Indigenous peoples used the hollow stems of hairy honeysuckle for stems on their pipes. The ashes from burnt stems were also made into a black pigment applied in tattooing. The berries, however, were not a food source as they are mildly toxic to humans.
​
In natural settings, hairy honeysuckle is found at low elevations west of the Cascade crest, most abundantly in the Puget Sound lowlands in Washington State, and ranges mostly in coastal regions from British Columbia to just north of Los Angeles, with pockets in the Sierra foothills. Found in forest understories and edges to open woodlands, thickets, balds, or along streambanks, this native is very adaptable to various moisture regimes from those that are moist most of the year to those that are drier in summer with minimal supplemental water.
Lonicera hispidula (hairy honeysuckle) can be identified by its “viny” form, its pinkish-white (sometimes yellowish to white) hairy-throated tubular flower clusters with blooms that are 0.5 inch to 0.75 inches in length, and its bluish-green leaves that range in length from 0.75 to 2.8 inches which may also be hairy. Lonicera ciliosa (orange honeysuckle), our other western Washington honeysuckle vine species, has longer bright reddish-orange corolla tubes of up to 1.5 inch in length and larger, lighter green leaves of up to 4 inches in length. The berries of hairy honeysuckle are a bright, almost translucent red color, and tend to hang away from the terminal leaf pair on a visible stem, while orange honeysuckle berries are more orange, not translucent, and cluster closer to or cradle in the terminal leaves. Both vines have opposite leaves along their stem lengths, the terminal one or two pairs of leaves being fused together at their bases, and blooms having 5 prominent yellow stamens that extend beyond their corollas. Three other native plants in the honeysuckle family that occur west of the Cascade crest are shrubs, not easily confused with the native viny honeysuckles.
One might think that honeysuckle nectar can only be accessed by pollinators such as long-beaked hummingbirds or long-tongued bumblebees due to their lengthy corolla tubes. But do not underestimate Mother Nature! Many insects without long appendages are able to chew a hole through the corolla from the outside near the nectaries (or use a hole another created) in a
behavior called “nectar robbing” by which they can get to the prize while supposedly bypassing pollinating the flower. Recent studies have discovered however, that nectar-robbing insects are frequently pollen collectors as well, and though not as efficient as long-tongued insects, do in fact sometimes pollinate the plant through that and other behaviors.
​
Ideal garden planting locations for hairy honeysuckle are in partial sun/partial shade exposures in slightly acidic soil that is moist for much of the year but drier during the summer. However, its tolerance for a range of conditions enables it to adapt to various niches such as rock gardens with some irrigation, pollinator gardens, and forest understories. Usually deciduous in our region, hairy honeysuckle may be evergreen through winter in milder climates or in sheltered locations. It may take the form of a trailing vine along the ground, or if given support, it can reach up to 20 feet in height with a spread of 8 feet. Dense hedges on fences, trellises, or pergolas can be created given the honeysuckle’s natural twining habit or aided with imaginative pruning. Interesting effects result when it is allowed to climb up other trees and shrubs. It can tolerate clay soils and is reputed to be deer resistant. Even the bunnies have left it alone in my yard!
Hairy honeysuckle is easy to grow from seeds: gather the ripe red berries in fall, clean the fruit from the seeds, and plant outside in pots or directly in the ground for cold stratification over the winter. Plants may also be grown from hardwood cuttings taken in fall, or from softwood cuttings of new growth in spring. Yearly pruning of dead material will keep your honeysuckle in good health providing more sunlight and adequate airflow to all parts of the plant.
Finally, a word of caution: hairy honeysuckle has been known to be a foliar host to the pathogen Phytophthora ramorum, a water mold that causes sudden oak death (SOD) in vulnerable oak species such as tanoak and coast live oak in Oregon and California. White oaks, which include our native Garry oak, do not appear to be susceptible to SOD. But many other favorite garden plants are vulnerable. To date, few outbreaks have occurred in Washington state, most related to infected nursery stock. Pruning dead or diseased parts from plants, watering only in early morning, and providing good drainage are precautions that should keep your hairy honeysuckle and all your garden plants healthy and thriving! ​​​​​​
​
Always remember, YOU are nature’s best hope! – Doug Tallamy
​​
​
September Native Plant of the Month –
Douglas’ Aster
(Symphyotrichum subspicatum)
by Marilee Henry
​​
​​​
​
Images (c) August 2025 Marilee Henry, Digger wasp on Douglas' Aster in Finn Hill urban
garden, Kirkland. Stand of Douglas' Aster at McAuliffe Park, Kirkland.
​​​​​
Toward the end of summer most of our native plants still in bloom are in the sunflower family Asteraceae, making them very valuable late-season food sources for pollinators. This month’s spotlight is on Douglas’ Aster, native to western North America but named after the famous Scottish botanist David Douglas who collected plant specimens in this region in the early 1800’s.
Douglas’ Aster (Symphyotrichum subspicatum) is one of Washington’s most frequently encountered native Asteraceae species, occurring on both sides of the Cascades in a variety of environments such as meadows, moist stream banks, coastal bluffs, and forest openings from low to mid-level elevations. It ranges from Alaska’s Aleutian Islands south into California and eastward into Idaho and Montana.
This green leafy perennial can reach 4 feet in height, with multiple branching stems topped with bluish-purple and gold daisy-like flowerheads. Alternate lance-shaped leaves, smooth-edged or shallowly toothed, grow up to 4 inches in length along the erect stems. As with many species in the sunflower family, a Douglas’ Aster flowerhead is composed of two different types of individual flowers: compact bisexual disk flowers packed into the center, and strap-like female ray flowers radiating outwards toward the edge. When plucking petals from a daisy chanting “...he/she/they loves me…loves me not…” you are pulling out the ray flowers.
​
Hardy and easy to grow, Douglas’ aster is a perfect choice for urban gardens as well as restoration projects. Though it prefers full sun with slightly moist soil conditions and good drainage, it can adapt to partial shade, clay or silty soils, and moderate drought once established. Tolerance for saline environments allows it to populate coastal lowlands and bluffs. It is at home in a wide range of moisture regimes from wet and occasionally flooded rain gardens and bioswales to drier sunny borders and even rock gardens. Large swaths of goldenrod and Douglas’ aster look gorgeous together against a fence or in a border since they thrive in similar conditions and overlap in their bloom times of August through September.
This species has many wildlife benefits, its blooms attracting numerous native bees, butterflies, moths, syrphid flies, hummingbirds, and other important pollinators. It is host to the larvae of several butterflies including the painted lady, northern crescent, and field crescent, and to the Isabella tiger moth’s familiar black and orange caterpillars known as “woolybears”. Though this plant’s greens are considered moderately resistant to browsing, deer may nibble the flowers if other food sources are scarce. However, rabbits can browse plants heavily, so caging young seedlings is advised.
Indigenous peoples made a tea from the whole plant to treat wounds, and a tea from the roots to alleviate fevers and intestinal distress.
Fall is the best time to plant Douglas’ Aster and any other natives so they can develop robust root systems during winter when above-ground growth has ceased. Since this species needs to be cross-pollinated, be sure to place at least three individuals together, preferably where they can eventually form a large clump as they spread slowly by rhizomes. If you have clay or silty soil, amending it with sand or organic compost can help to improve drainage. Like most native species, Douglas’ Aster does not need heavy fertilizing. One to two inches of compost or leaf mulch on top of the soil each year will slowly break down to add necessary nutrients.
Douglas’ aster is easily grown from seed collected in late fall when the flowerheads have turned into little fuzzballs. Even though they do not require cold stratification for germination, seeds planted in fall one to two months before the first hard frost have a better chance of producing flowers the following summer than if planted in spring. More details for planting seeds can be read here. Be sure to leave the stems and seedheads on the plants throughout the winter as they provide food for hungry birds, refuges for bees and other insects during the cold season, and soft nesting material come spring!
Always remember, YOU are nature’s best hope! – Doug Tallamy
September Plant Sales and Events:
9/6/2025 Oxbow Farm & Conservation Center Fall Plant Sale, 10am-4pm
9/13/2025 Arboretum Foundation Fall Plant Sale, 10am - 2pm
9/14/2025 Master Gardener Foundation of King County Plant Sale and Lectures, 9:30am – 4pm, Bellevue Botanical Gardens, map and schedule details here.
9/17/2025 WNPS Salal Chapter Plant Sale, online sales open 10am, plant pickup near Mt Vernon 9/26-27/2025. Details and plant list link here.
​​
​
August Native Plant of the Month –
Western Canada Goldenrod
(Solidago lepida)
by Marilee Henry
​​
​​​
Images (c) July 2025 Marilee Henry, Goldenrod stand at Juanita Bay Park;
Hoverflies on Solidago lepida
​​​​​
Goldenrods, in the genus Solidago, are a very important group of plants that are host to 59 different species of moth and butterfly larvae in North America. They are also important sources of pollen and nectar for many of our beneficial insects including bees, flies, butterflies, beetles, and wasps. One recent sunny morning I counted 3 different species of bees and 4 different species of hoverflies busily working one of my goldenrod plantings.
Washington state has 6 native species of goldenrod, most of which occur on both sides of the Cascades. Our pick of the month, Western Canada goldenrod, is widespread in Washington state, and ranges from Alaska to California, east to the Rockies, and across Canada to the Atlantic coast. Beginning in late July and lasting through August or later, one can spot stunning golden yellow stands of this 4 to 6 foot perennial in mountain meadows, riparian areas, forest openings, and along roadsides and railroad tracks. According to Arthur Lee Jacobson, goldenrod can still be found among the wild plants growing in Seattle’s vacant lots and unmaintained spaces.
This species is recognized by its bright yellow terminal flower clusters, approximately 6 inches wide, that are roughly pyramidal in shape, making up the top 6 to 10 inches of the stem, and by its lack of basal leaves. The numerous small flowers themselves being 1/8 inch or less are crowded along the cluster branchlets that may be recurved. The lanceolate stalkless leaves, shallowly toothed or smooth along their edges, are usually dried up on the lower parts of the stems by bloom time.
Many indigenous peoples used goldenrod for medicines and charms, including infusions to relieve diarrhea, fevers, and sleeplessness. For a more complete list, refer to this website. The bright yellow flowers are a source for dyes of natural plant fibers such as wool and cotton. Thomas Edison found goldenrod to contain a significant amount of latex, and was actively researching its use as an alternate source for rubber production before he died in 1931.
Found at most native plant sales, western Canada goldenrod is easily grown in the home garden and is spectacular in large stands against a wall, fence, or any location where you would like a tall colorful late summer accent. It prefers full sun exposure but can tolerant partial shade. It can be grown in moist to dry conditions and most soil types. If you start with one plant, you will soon have a cluster as they readily spread by rhizomes. Dig up any unwanted outliers in the fall and give them to your neighbors!
It is commonly believed that goldenrod pollen may exacerbate asthma or hay fever symptoms. However, goldenrod pollen is heavy and is distributed by insects, not wind. Most autumn allergies are due to other species such as ragweed, whose light-weight pollen is wind-borne and can travel significant distances. So don’t let this myth keep you from growing this fabulous native. If you think you might be sensitive to it, just plant the goldenrod downwind of your house!
Goldenrods are so wonderful to have near vegetable gardens or rose beds as they attract hoverflies whose larvae are voracious natural predators of aphids! Watch this video to learn about these beneficial insects, and why it is so important to NOT USE any pesticides, herbicides, or fungicides in your garden that invariably harm non-target species! Having a toxin-free garden with diverse native species will provide food for birds and other animals while keeping nature healthy and in balance.
​
Always remember, “You are nature’s best hope!” - Doug Tallamy.​​​​​​
​
July Native Plant of the Month –
Showy Fleabane
(Erigeron speciosus)
by Marilee Henry
​​
​​​Image (c) June 2025 Marilee Henry, Showy fleabane at Juanita Bay Park
​​​​​
​
Summer months are the showcase for flowers in the daisy/aster family. And there are so many native beauties to grow! Fleabanes (daisies) differ from asters in general in that fleabanes usually have more numerous, narrower ray flowers, are less leafy, and flower slightly earlier. Both groups of natives are important hosts for butterfly and moth larvae/ as well as being good nectar and pollen sources for many pollinators. On top of that, most of these groups are easy to grow and provide beautiful color spots in the garden. What’s not to like?
My favorite fleabane, blooming June to July in western Washington, is Erigeron speciosus, or showy fleabane. This plant is medium in height, growing to about 2 to 3 feet, each stem supporting 1 to 20 terminal blooms of colorful purplish-blue (occasionally pink to white) male (pistillate) ray flowers, accented by bright yellow bisexual flowers in the central disk. This perennial occurs on both sides of the Cascades in Washington, ranging from British Columbia south to Arizona, and east to the Northern Rockies and Great Plains. Its natural habitats are prairies and forest openings from sea level to mid elevations.
Showy fleabane is long lived and can tolerate a range of soil types, sun exposures, and moisture regimes, making it a favorite for urban gardens as well as for restoration projects. It attracts many pollinators such as bees, flies, butterflies, and moths. An important mid-summer nectar and pollen source, it is also a host for 20 species of moth or butterfly larva, a critical high-nutrient food for raising baby birds. It is grazed by deer, pocket gophers, ground squirrels, mountain goats, greater sage-grouse, and domestic sheep. The Thompson and Navajo indigenous peoples made decoctions of it for ailments such as menstrual and abdominal cramps, sore throats, and as a salve for swellings.
The genus Erigeron has an interesting propagation strategy: 1) it can reproduce sexually by the combination of genes from a male sperm cell in pollen and a female egg cell in the ovary, 2) it can reproduce asexually by spreading rhizomes, and 3) it can also reproduce asexually through a process called apomixis where the female egg cell develops into an embryo without the mixing of its genes with those from a male sperm cell. This last process produces a daughter plant that is identical to the parent plant, the same as one produced by a rhizome. Though most of showy fleabane’s spread is through sexual reproduction, the addition of two other asexual processes aid it in the successful growth of its populations.
Erigeron speciosus is a very popular species easily found at many native plant sales and in native plant nurseries. For best success in your garden, grow this species in full sun with good drainage, though it can tolerate some light shade. Showy fleabane is most attractive in large drifts, in clusters in meadows, along borders, or against backdrops such as logs, fences or buildings. Always plant more than one close together, as they thrive when cross-pollinated with other individuals of their same species. Be sure to leave the spent flowerheads on the plants through fall and winter so they can develop seeds that birds and other animals may use for food. Cut the stems in late spring to about 12 to 18 inches in length so they can house bees and other insects over the following winter.
You can also collect some seeds for propagation about a month after blooming when the flowerheads look like fluffy little balls that readily pull off their stems. The ripe seed at the end of the fluffy pappus will be brown. Though this species does not strictly require cold stratification to initiate germination, it usually shows greater germination success when planted outside in the ground or in containers in the fall, getting exposure to cold over the winter. With minimal effort, you can fill your garden with numerous patches of these cheerful native daisies while creating needed habitat for birds and beneficial insects!
​
Always remember, “You are nature’s best hope!” - Doug Tallamy.​​​​​​
​
June Native Plant of the Month –
Subalpine Spirea
(Spiraea splendens)
by Marilee Henry
​​
​​​Image taken 4/02/2023: (c) Marilee Henry 2023
​
​​​
Though many of you may be familiar with Douglas’s spirea, which is a tall bush with terminal pink pyramidal flower clusters that can form large thickets in moist wild areas, several other species of spirea, smaller and less aggressively spreading, are beautiful compact plants well-suited for an urban garden.
A member of the rose family, subalpine spirea (Spiraea splendens), pictured above, occurs naturally on both sides of the Cascades ranging from British Columbia to California. It is found in moist, sunny to partially-shaded middle to subalpine elevations, but can also thrive in the same moisture and sun regimes in well-draining spots in our lowland western Washington gardens. At maturity this shrub stands between 3 to 4 feet tall with a similar spread. It’s cool blue-green alternate leaves that are toothed at their ends, together with shocking-pink flat-topped flower clusters, are a winning combination. The long pink stamens rising above the flower petals give the clusters a luscious fuzzy appearance reminding me of cotton candy! Perfect elements for flower gardens, borders, meadows, or forested openings, even in winter this deciduous shrub’s red-brown bark provides very attractive contrast. Avoid locations in direct hot afternoon sun and mulch well after planting.
Another spirea species well suited to our area but preferring a drier garden location is shiny-leaf spirea (Spiraea lucida.) Similar in height but thinner in spread, this plant features flat-topped creamy-white flower clusters and works well as an understory addition in partially sunny wooded margins or as a grouping of several plants in more open locations.
All of our native spirea species are beautiful attractors for native pollinators, being host plants for 57 species of moth or butterfly larvae and for providing nectar and pollen for many native bees, bumblebees, and flies in our region. And remember, those larvae are a critical source of dense high-energy nutrition for baby birds! If this food source is not available locally, our birds cannot feed enough chicks to keep their populations stable. You can look up some moths and butterflies that use these and other native plants by inputting your zip code here.
Please note that when buying native plants, be sure to get native species from this region, not cultivars which have been changed to suit human preferences that then may not be useful to native insects or other pollinators. Native species of this region, when planted in appropriate sites, are also best suited to our climate and soils and will require less maintenance in your garden once established.
Always remember:
YOU are nature’s best hope! – Doug Tallamy, “Nature’s Best Hope”, and “How Can I Help? Saving Nature with Your Yard”.
June Native Plant Events:
June 7, 2025, Juanita Garden Tour, 10am - 3pm
WNPS native plant landscaping and native nursery vendors lists
UW-SER Garden Tours and Plant Sale Calendar
​​​​​
​
​​May 2025 Native Plant of the Month – Western Trillium
(Trillium ovatum)
by Marilee Henry
​​
​​​Image taken 4/16/2025 Kirkland urban garden: (c) Marilee Henry 2025
​
​​​
​
A main attraction on many springtime hikes in western Washington is spying stately trilliums displaying their exquisite blooms among the forest understory or along shaded trailsides. Also known by the common name “wakerobin”, western trillium celebrates the return of robins and the glorious renewal of spring.
Trillium ovatum is the most abundant trillium species in our state and also in western North America, where it ranges from British Columbia to California, and east to Alberta and Montana with pockets in Wyoming and Colorado. It is found in moist varied habitats of open to dense mixed conifer forests to oak woodlands at low to mid elevations in the mountains.
Though once classified as a lily, trilliums are now placed in the hellebore family along with death-camas and beargrass. Though it is not considered highly toxic, it is not recommended that any part of the plant should be eaten as that could result in mild gastric distress.
Western trillium blooms between March and June, and is easily identified by a whorl of 3 large ovate-shaped pointed leaves, 2 to 6 inches in length, attached directly to a single naked stem, topped by a shorter stem bearing 3 narrow sepals and the large 3-petaled flower containing 6 stamens and 3 stigmas. The flowers are a bright white when they first open, but usually turn pink to purple as they age. This change of color occurs when pigments known as anthocyanins, which cause hues from pinks to purples in the corolla, increase as they receive triggers from chemicals produced during aging of the flower and after successful pollination.
Lack of mottling on the leaves and the short stem above the leaf-whorl supporting the flower distinguishes T. ovatum from the one other (rare) species found in western Washington, T. albidum. Three other species of trillium are found in eastern Washington, and all can be compared here.
Trillium have complex lives, going through 5 stages to reach maturity. It takes a minimum of 2 winters once planted for a seed to germinate and show its first leaf above ground, and then 3 (under optimal conditions) or more years to bloom. They grow from a thickened rhizome (or bulb) which can spread slowly to produce new plants with 1 to 2 stems per rhizome. The plants go dormant in late summer, leaves and stems dying back to ground surface. But plants may occasionally remain dormant for a year or more, failing to show during the current growing season but returning for future ones. Mature plants may also randomly revert to a vegetative stage, growing just the leaf whorl without flowering. In wild populations about 20% of the plants may experience either vegetative or dormant states in any given year.
Trilliums have long been highly desirable plants for urban gardens, looking gorgeous nestled among rhododendrons and in the understory of mixed native trees and shrubs, or along the north and east sides of buildiings shaded from the hot afternoon sun. Their tolerance for shade, and their hardiness and long life once established (one Oregon trillium was known to have lived to 72 years of age!) make them favorites for western Washington landscaping. They attract important pollinators such as bumblebees, moths, honeybees, beetles, and crab spiders, and host the larvae of moths that are a critical food source for raising baby birds. Trillium seeds each contain a rich packet of fats and proteins called an eliaosome which attract ants and wasps who take the seeds to their hives. The ants and wasps benefit from this important food source while increasing trillium seed dispersal, thus helping to create new populations. The seed pods are also like candy to deer and other small mammals.
Trillium ovatum thrives in shade to partial sun in a moist and organic-rich but well-draining soil that is slightly acidic. If your soil is lacking organic matter, add compost or humus on the surface after planting and mulch well with leaves to help preserve moisture while slowly adding nutrients. If starting from seed, collect them as soon as the seed pods start to open. Sow at a depth twice the seed diameter. Supplemental watering in early summer for the first few years will encourage growth to maturity in less time. Reduce watering seeds after late summer and all plants after they become dormant. Mature clusters may be carefully dug up in late summer to very early spring before growth starts, dividing the rhizomes such that each has at least one bud, and immediately replanting or repotting each division at the same depth the parent rhizome was found.
Trilliums are under threat from numerous causes. Logging kills the plants as well as the ants that help disperse their seeds, requiring as long as centuries to repopulate a second growth forest. Fragmentation reduces populations as more and more habitats are destroyed for residences and businesses. Deer and elk may overgraze them as their food sources are diminished. Harvesting by humans for landscaping or medical uses is another problem. And last but not least, climate-change-caused drought is reducing their available habitats.
Because they take so many years to establish from seed, and considering all the above threats, trilliums should NEVER BE COLLECTED FROM THE WILD, unless it is certain the plants are otherwise doomed, as in the case of housing development. There is such demand for this species that many native plant nurseries are growing it from seed under optimal conditions that produce beautiful mature plants in 3 to 4 years, making them available at most native plant sales. Attempted salvaging of the fragile bulbs can result in their death and/or that of those growing nearby. Also remember that picking a wildflower results not only in its quick demise, but robs the environment of future generations that might have grown from seeds that will now never develop. In the specific case of trillium, picking the flower will reduce photosynthesis (by the sepals and/or leaves) needed to store energy in the rhizome for the next season’s growth. Admire this stunning species in the wild with eyes or camera but do not touch. Help preserve the species by growing Trillium ovatum in your own garden!
And always remember, “You are nature’s best hope!” - Doug Tallamy.
Native plant sale events coming soon:
Pacific Rim Institute, Coupville, Wa. Prairie Days Native Plant Sale
May 2, 3, & 4 details here
Snohomish County Master Gardener Plant Sale
May 10, 2025, 9am – 2pm, Monroe Fairgrounds
MsK Nursery at Kruckeberg Botanic Garden, Shoreline
Mother’s Day Plant Sale
May 9, 10, & 11, 2025, 10am – 5pm
Lake Forest Park Garden Club Plant Sale
May 17, 2025, 9am – 1pm
Lake Forest Park Elementary School
​​​
​
​
April 2025 Native Plant of the Month –
Red Flowering Currant
(Ribes sanguineum)
by Marilee Henry
​
​​​Image taken 4/15/2025 Finn Hill urban garden: (c) Marilee Henry 2025
Red Flowering Currant among Douglas Fir
​
Since mid-March, red flowering currants have been bursting with blooms throughout western Washington, attracting migrating Rufus and other species of hummingbirds with their scented rose-colored flower clusters filled with nutritious nectar for the birds’ northward spring flights along the Pacific Flyway. These beautiful shrubs occur naturally mostly west of the Cascade Crest from British Columbia to California, with isolated pockets in Idaho, from sea level to mid elevations in the mountains. They can thrive in a wide variety of habitats, from open woodlands to rocky slopes, in moist to dry conditions.
Ribes sanguineum has been a favorite for urban horticulture for almost 200 years. Introduced to Britain in 1826 by the Scottish botanist David Douglas, it became so popular in landscaping throughout the British Empire that some countries now consider it invasive! For our region this stunning species is a well-deserved desirable native for gardeners, restoration ecologists and wildlife alike.
Red flowering currant is an upright unarmed deciduous shrub that can reach 12 feet in height with a spread of 6 to 10 feet and a vase-shaped form. It is characterized by reddish-brown bark, and alternate 1 to 3 inch maple-like leaves having 5 lobes, deeply incised palmate veins, and finely toothed outer edges. Blossoms hang in pendant clusters of 10 to 30 pink to red (rarely white) tubular flowers, each about ¼ inch long and wide, having 5 sepals, 5 petals, and 5 stamens, the petals usually lighter in color than the sepals. Bloom time is typically late February to April in western Washington, with round blue-black glaucous berries ripening in August through September.
In autumn the leaves turn yellow to reddish before going dormant, providing contrast at evergreen forest borders or hedgerows.
​
Besides being important for migrating hummingbirds, red flowering currant is a favorite for our resident Anna’s hummingbird, and it is a particularly critical early spring nectar source for early-emerging queen bumblebees and orchard Mason bees. Other pollinators include many native bees, bumblebees, butterflies, and moths. This plant is host to the larvae of over 24 species of moths and butterflies, including the zephyr butterfly Polygonia gracilis zephyrus and the ceanothus silkmoth Hyalophora euryalus. The larvae of moths and butterflies are highly nutritious foods for birds rearing young chicks, and are needed in vast numbers to keep bird populations from declining further. For example, chickadee parents need to feed a clutch of 4 babies between 6000 to 9000 caterpillars before they are fully fledged! As wild habitats decline, we need more than ever to add native larval host plants as well as those supplying nectar to our private lands. Red flowering currant meets both these needs and also provides shelter for birds and small animals, and occasional browse for deer and elk. The berries, which persist as a food source for several months, are consumed by many birds and animals including grouse, quail, finches, towhees, robins, cedar waxwings, deer and elk.
The berries are edible for humans as well, though many consider them insipid eaten raw. Indigenous peoples used them mostly in cooking. They contain pectin and are therefore good in jams and preserves, especially with added sugar. The flowers are also said to be edible and can lend a floral flavor to salads, desserts, syrups, and gin!
This versatile shrub is a must for western Washington gardens! Though its preference is a location in partial to full sun in well-draining soil, its tolerance for a range of soil types from acidic to alkaline and sun exposures makes it suitable for rock gardens to woodland borders to pollinator beds. It can be used in hedgerows – space plants at least 6 feet apart for adequate air circulation – or as upland plants in streambank or wetland areas. If grown in full sun, supplemental water will be needed for the first year or two. Once well established, this species is hardy to cold, frost, and drought.
Red flowering currant, or any Ribes species (currants or gooseberries), should not be planted in close proximity to any white pine species – these are the five-needled pines – as plants in the genus Ribes may carry the white pine blister rust pathogen. For our area, western white pine (Pinus monticola) is the only species of concern you are likely have in your garden. Shore pine (P. contorta) and Ponderosa pine (P. ponderosa) are two- and three-needled pines respecitively, that should not be affected.
Red flowering currant is easily propagated by seed. Gather ripe berries in the fall, remove the surrounding fruit, and sow the small dark seeds directly into the ground or into containers that are set outside to get cold stratification during the winter. Hardwood cuttings taken in fall can also be rooted in moist sandy soil. This species is self fertilizing, but more plentiful fruit is reported when several plants are grown close enough for cross-pollination to occur. Note that if you happen to plant golden currant (Ribes aureum) near your red flowering currant, their seeds may produce hybrid offspring that have a salmon-pink hue!
Since red flowering currant has been such a favorite in landscaping for so long, many cultivars of this species are available. It is not a good idea to trust that changing the characteristics of a plant to suit human tastes will result in one that is effective as a food/nectar/pollen source for the animals that evolved with the original native. It is recommended that you only plant unaltered native species if you wish to help our struggling wildlife populations.
Always remember, “You are nature’s best hope!” - Doug Tallamy.
Native plant sale events coming soon:
​
NW Chapter North American Rock Garden Society Plant Sale
April 12, 2025, 10:am – 1:00pm, Bellevue Botanical Garden
SER-UW native plant sale
online April 14th – 18th; in person April 27th 2025
WNPS Central Puget Sound Chapter Spring Plant Sale
April 26, 2025, 10am, Bellevue Botanical Garden
Lake Wilderness Arboretum Plant Sale
April 25th 10am – 6pm, and April 26th, 10am - 4pm
​
​
​
​
March 2025 Native Plant of the Month –
Pacific Bleedingheart
(Dicentra formosa)
by Marilee Henry
​​​Image taken 4/17/2024 Finn Hill urban garden: Pacific bleedingheart among
oxalis, wild ginger, ladyfern, and hairy honeysuckle (c) Marilee Henry 2024
​
On a spring walk through our moist woodlands one is likely to spy swatches of lacy blue-green fronds spread among the understory in the dappled sunlight, with clusters of pink heart-shaped flowers drooping on succulent leafless stalks rising above the fern-like leaves. Easily recognized and a favorite native in western Washington, Pacific bleedingheart can be found forming lush carpets in forests and urban gardens alike.
This native grows chiefly in moist woods west of the Cascade crest at low to mid-level elevations in the mountains, with pockets also occurring in the Columbia Gorge and in the southeastern corner of the state. Outside of Washington it ranges from British Columbia to northern California, and parts of northeastern Oregon into adjacent Idaho. A beautiful but rare subspecies, Dicentra formosa ssp. oregona, having yellow outer petals with magenta sepals and inner petals, grows in serpentine soils of the Siskyou Mountains in Oregon.
Our species in Washington is technically Dicentra formosa ssp. formosa.Two other uncommon but interesting species of Dicentra occur in eastern Washington: Dutchman’s-breeches (D. cucullaria) and long-horn steer’s-head (D. uniflora), but unfortunately they do not grow well in our region.
Pacific bleedingheart’s familiar blossoms, about 1 inch in length, are composed of four petals, the outer 2 heart-shaped petals covering two inner ones, connected at the tip where the outer petals flare. Two slender pointed sepals are attached to the outer petals at their base.
The flowers vary in color from pale to deep pink, and are occasionally white, forming clusters of 5 to 15 blooms nodding atop 12 to 18 inch long fleshy hairless stalks. The bloom period may begin as early as March and last through June. Deeply cut fern-like leaves are usually 3-, sometimes 4-times divided and are also hairless. Both flower and leaf stems are unbranched, arising from the plant’s brittle rhizome. Fruit capsules, looking like miniature pea pods up to 2 inches in length, set in the fall and contain numerous small black seeds.
Each seed has a small attached appendage called an “elaiosome” which is a nutrient-filled sac intended to attract ants. The ants carry the seeds back to their nests where the elaiosomes are consumed by their larvae and/or the adults. The undamaged seeds are then removed to the nest’s garbage area or “midden” where they are likely to germinate in the midden’s rich humus. Dispersal of seeds by ants is called “myrmecochory”. It can be a mutually beneficial behavior whereby the ants procure highly nutritious food for their young in exchange for seeds being protected from predation by other animals while being transported to rich soil pockets away from parent populations. A number of other woodland species depend on myrmecochory, including trillium, violas, and wild ginger. Here is a picture of an ant dragging a trillium seed by its elaiosome.
Pacific bleedingheart is an important source of spring nectar and/or pollen for hummingbirds, bumblebees, bees, syrphid flies, butterflies, and other pollinators. It is a host plant for the larva of Parnassius clodius butterflies.
Amphibians, arthropods, reptiles, birds, and other small animals shelter in its thick leafy cover.
Indigenous people chewed the roots of Pacific bleeding-heart for toothache, made an infusion used as a wash to promote hair growth, and fashioned a decoction from crushed roots for deworming. However, it is not recommended that you try these remedies! Warning: this plant contains toxic alkaloids that can cause poisoning if ingested in large quantities, which can be fatal to cattle and horses. Do not plant it in your pasture!
Pacific bleedingheart’s vegetation can be mistaken for that of a very invasive weed called herb Robert, or stinky Bob (Geranium robertianum). Especially when not in bloom, well-intentioned but unknowing gardeners may unfortunately “weed out” the native. But the differences are obvious once pointed out. Bleedingheart has heart-shaped drooping flowers, hairless non-branched non-jointed leaf stems, has no foul odor when crushed, has roots that are brittle rhizomes, and produces light green smooth peapod-like seed capsules, whereas herb Robert has 5-petaled symmetric blooms ~ ½ inch across, has hairy, jointed stems that get a reddish tinge in fall or bright light conditions, has a foul odor when crushed (hence the “stink” in “stinky Bob”), has fibrous shallow roots, and produces seeds in brown teardrop-shaped capsules with a “crane’s beak” protrusion.
Native Pacific bleedingheart is a must-have for urban woodland areas, but is also terrific in flower borders, as a groundcover between shrubs, or even in rock gardens not located in hot sun. It prefers partial shade and moist (but not soggy!) rich soils. Plants may go dormant during drought, but supplemental consistent watering during the dry season can encourage rebloom in the fall. Great companion understory plants include Pacific waterleaf, trillium, false Solomon’s seal, wild ginger, red huckleberry, evergreen huckleberry, salal, western sword fern and ladyfern.
Pacific bleedingheart will easily reseed itself (with help from the ants!) but can also spread by rhizomes in non-compacted soils. Seeds can be collected in late summer or early fall when pods are plump and well-formed. They should be planted as soon as possible in rich potting soil, as their viability declines upon drying out. Roots may also be propagated by division: carefully dig up the root ball in early spring or late fall, hydrate it for a few days, cut root ball into sections with each containing one or more new buds, and replant all in moist rich soil.
Always remember, “You are nature’s best hope!” - Doug Tallamy.
Native plant sale events coming soon:
Snohomish Conservation District plant sale
Evergreen State Fairgrounds, Monroe, March 1-2, 2025
Limited walk-up sales
Bothell Library Seed and Plant Swap
March 29, 2025, 1:00pm – 3:00pm
Oxbow Farm and Conservation Center Native Plant Sale
April 5, 2025, 10am - 4pm
WNPS Central Puget Sound Chapter Spring Plant Sale
April 26, 2025, 10am, Bellevue Botanical Garden
​
​
February 2025 Native Plant of the Month –
Osoberry (a.k.a. Indian Plum)
(Oemleria cerasiformis)
by Marilee Henry
​
“No other westside shrub better celebrates the spring rebirth of our lowland landscapes.” Arthur Kruckeberg, in Gardening with Native Plants of the Pacific Northwest, 1996, regarding Oemleria cerasiformis.
Within a few short weeks, maybe even days, the brilliant greens of osoberry’s bursting new leaves and pendulous clusters of greenish-white blossoms will be enlivening the dull winter tones of forests and open woodlands at low elevations throughout western Washington and parts of the Columbia Gorge. This early blooming characteristic makes osoberry easy to spot in our region in the still chilly temperatures of February, as it will be the first native shrub to flower.
Osoberry is an erect deciduous multi-stemmed shrub or small tree, ranging from British Columbia to northern California, that grows up to 20 feet in height. Its bright green, alternate, lance-shaped leaves, 2 to 5 inches in length, have smooth margins, pointed tips, and duller green undersides. When crushed, young leaves can smell like cucumber or watermelon rind. Its stems of purplish-brown bark are dotted with obvious yellow-orange lenticels, soft tissues that aid in the exchange of gases and water, facilitating photosynthesis and stem hydration. The chambered pith inside its stems provides storage space for water and/or nutrients, an advantage during summer drought or seasonal low-nutrient periods, as well as adding structural flexibility and strength.
Fragrant, faintly almond-scented flowers having 5 greenish sepals and 5 whitish petals hang in clusters of 10 to 20 blooms from the ends of leafy branch tips. Flowers may open just before or as the young leaves are emerging in late winter. Since osoberry is dioecious, each individual plant will have either male or female flowers containing 15 stamens or 5 pistils respectively – you can see the differences here. Though the female flowers may appear to also have stamens, they are usually stunted and non-functional.
One-seeded whitish-tan fruits (“drupes”) form only on the female plants, turning orange to red to purple as spring progresses. They are bitter to the taste at this stage, containing small amounts of cyanide compounds to discourage consumption before seeds are mature. (Warning: unripe fruit ingested by pets or children may be toxic. ) The fruits become palatable only when they are fully ripe and blackish-blue in color; in western Washington this may occur as early as May. Their flesh is said to then taste like watermelon or cherries.
Osoberry is a wonderful plant for wildlife, hosting at least 10 species of moth and butterfly larvae in our region. Its early blooming habit provides critical late-winter-to-early-spring sources of nectar and pollen for bees, bumblebees, flies, moths, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Its early fruit is so popular with many birds, foxes, coyotes, deer, bears (“oso” means “bear” in Spanish), and other mammals that they quickly disappear upon ripening.
Indigenous peoples had numerous uses for this native. The ripe berries were consumed raw, cooked, or dried in small quantities. The strong yet flexible and fine-grained character of its wood made stems ideal for bows and arrows, and for small carved objects such as combs, spoons, and knitting needles. Bark and twigs could be seeped for tea or included in medicines.
Osoberry is very interesting botanically in its being dioecious and precocious. Approximately 6% of all flowering species are dioecious. The advantage of dioecy, forcing cross-pollination between different plants of the same species, results in greater genetic diversity in the offspring. However, it has its disadvantages as well. Dioecious plants require pollinators to move pollen from male plants to female plants for germination, whereas in non-dioecious plants, germination can result from the movement of a pollinator from any flower to another or even within a single bloom. Also, in a given population of dioecious plants, only half their number can produce seeds, whereas in non-dioecious species any plant can reproduce. So one might think that in the struggle for survival, dioecious plants are at a great reproductive disadvantage to non-dioecious species within their habitats. But in evolving toward dioecy, species have also developed precocious strategies to overcome these disadvantages. In the case of osoberry, an understory woodland species, its leaves and flowers emerge in late winter before the overstory trees leaf out to shade it. So it gets the sunlight and early pollinators all to itself. Its male plants produce more biomass in flowers and pollen than females in flowers, attracting more pollinators first to themselves and thereby increasing the direction of pollen movement from male to female plants. Osoberry starts producing fruit at a young age, as early as 2 years after planting, maximizing reproductive life span. Producing fruit that both matures earlier than that of other shrubs and trees and is tasty to many animals ensures widespread dispersal of its seeds. Research shows that given these precocious strategies, osoberry populations can be maintained in roughly the same numbers as non-dioecious species. For more details, read this.
In restoration projects osoberry is important for its wildlife values as well as for its fast growth, its ease of inexpensive propagation by cuttings or seeds, and for its fibrous roots that enhance slope stability and erosion control. Though it prefers part shade and fertile, moist, well-drained soils, it is tolerant of most soil types and moisture regimes, the exception being water-saturated areas.
In urban landscaping, osoberry is most striking planted on the borders of conifer groupings where its early leaves and flowers create maximum contrast in late winter. Osoberry can also be placed in the understory in full shade, though it flowers and fruits best in sunnier spots. Supplemental watering during the first 1 or 2 years while getting established may be required due to its rapid growth and shallow roots, especially when planted in full sun.
Because male plants produce larger, showier flowers than females, some gardeners prefer to plant only males. But in doing so, they will be excluding the highly prized fruit that attracts birds and other wildlife to their backyard habitats! So plant groups of 3 or more osoberry together, spacing them 8 to 10 feet apart and having at least one female for every 2 or 3 male plants in borders with morning sun for numerous blooms and good fruit production.
Remember, “You are nature’s best hope!” - Doug Tallamy.
Native plant sale events coming soon:
Snohomish Conservation District plant sale
Online ordering continues through Feb 7, 2025
Pickup at Evergreen State Fairgrounds, Monroe, March 1-2, 2025
Arboretum Spring Plant Sale April 6, 2025
Oxbow Farm & Conservation Center Spring Native Plant Sale April 20, 2025
WNPS Native Plant Sale April 26, 2025, BBG