Details are slowly being added to the list - thank you for your patience!
| Scientific Name | Common Name | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Achillea millefolium | Common yarrow | deciduous, 1-2 ft., sun, moist - dryish; ferny foliage, white flowers, medicinal, long-lasting, attracts butterflies (Asteraceae) |
| Achlys triphylla | Vanillaleaf | deciduous, 6-12 in., moist, part shade; lush woodland ground cover, small, white flowers on stalk above leaves (Berberidaceae) |
| Allium cernuum | Nodding onion | deciduous, 1-1.5 ft., mostly sun, moist-dryish; nodding pink flowers, edible, good in butterfly garden (Liliaceae) |
| Anaphalis margaritacea | pearly everlasting | deciduous, 1-2.5 ft., sun, moist / dryish; small, white flowers papery, long-lasting, attracts butterflies (Asteraceae) |
| Anemone multifida | Cliff anemone | deciduous, 6-16 in., sun, dryish; finely divided leaves, cream/pinkish flowers (Ranunculaceae) |
| Anemone patens (A. nuttalliana) | Pasque flower | deciduous, 1-2 ft., sun, moist - dryish; finely divided leaves, purple flowers followed by silvery, plumed fruits (Ranunculaceae) |
| Angelica lucida | Sea-watch | deciduous, 3-5 ft., sun, moist; divided leaves, flat-topped clusters of tiny, white flowers; butterflies (Apiaceae) |
| Antennaria microphylla (A. rosea) | Rosy pussytoes | deciduous, 4-16 in., sun, dryish; silvery leaves, papery, pinkish flowers; butterflies, good ground cover among rocks (Asteraceae) |
| Aquilegia formosa | Red columbine | deciduous, 1.5-3 ft., part shade, moist; graceful plants, red and yellow spurred flowers attract hummingbirds, chickadees like the seeds (Ranunculaceae) |
| Artemisia ludoviciana | Western wormwood | deciduous, 1-5 ft., mostly sun, moist-dry; silvery, aromatic foliage, small flowers; good in a wildflower meadow, butterfly garden or perennial bed (Asteraceae) |
| Aruncus sylvester | Sylvan goatsbeard | deciduous, 3-5 ft., shade, moist; big and lush with divided leaves and many tiny white flowers in branching inflorescence at top of plant (Rosaceae) |
| Asarum caudatum | Wild ginger | evergreen, 7-10 in., shade, moist; beautiful ground cover with dark, heart-shaped leaves, maroon flowers under leaves, ginger scented (Aristolochiaceae) |
| Asclepias fascicularis | Narrow-leaf milkweed | deciduous, 1-2.5 ft., hot sun, moist - dryish; dark pink flowers in rounded clusters, attracts butterflies, host plant for Monarch larvae (Asclepiadaceae) |
| Asclepias speciosa | Showy milkweed | deciduous, 1.5-4 ft., hot sun, moist - dryish; pink and white flowers in large, rounded clusters attract butterflies, host plant for Monarch larvae, but needs the hottest part of the garden west of the Cascades (Asclepiadaceae) |
| Aster modestus | Great northern aster | deciduous, 1-3 ft., part sun, moist; blooms late summer, blue and yellow "daisies" attract butterflies; good in a wildflower meadow, butterfly garden or perennial bed (Asteraceae) |
| Aster subspicatus | Douglas' aster | deciduous, 8-30 in., mostly sun, moist-dryish; blooms late summer, blue and yellow "daisies" attract butterflies; good in a wildflower meadow, butterfly garden or perennial bed (Asteraceae) |
| Camassia leichtlinii | Great camas | deciduous, 1.5-3 ft., moist winter / dryish summer; larger than common camas, both yellow and blue-flowered phases occur. A big, beautiful lily flowering late spring to early summer (Liliaceae) |
| Camassia quamash | Common camas | deciduous, 1-2 ft., moist winter / dryish summer; Perhaps best known for it's important use as a food plant by indigenous people in many parts of the west. Vast fields of camas were once fairly common in the PNW, the stalks covered with hyacinth-like flowers give a convincing illusion of blue water (Liliaceae) |
| Darmera (Peltiphyllum) peltatum | Indian rhubarb, umbrella plant | deciduous, 1-4 ft., some sun, wet; huge, lush leaves to 2 ft., branched clusters of small, pink flowers, great in boggy spots (Saxifragaceae) |
| Delphinium trolliifolium | Trollius-leaved delphinium | deciduous, 2-5 ft., mostly shade, moist; beautiful, blue flowers bloom early, but plants poisonous (Ranunculaceae) |
| Dicentra formosa | Pacific bleeding-heart | deciduous, 8-20 in., some shade, moist / wet; fern-like foliage and delicate purple-pink, heart-shaped flowers, spreads by rhizomes, utilized by butterflies (adults and larvae) (Fumariaceae) |
| Disporum hookeri | Hooker's fairybell | deciduous, 1-3 ft., some shade, moist; bell-shaped white flowers hang from beneath the branches of this graceful lily relative, showy orange berries ripen late summer-early fall (Liliaceae) |
| Disporum smithii | Smith's fairy lantern | deciduous, 1-3 ft., some shade, moist; bell-shaped white flowers hang from beneath the branches of this graceful lily relative, showy orange berries ripen late summer-early fall (Liliaceae) |
| Epilobium angustifolium | Fireweed | deciduous, 3-8 ft., sun, moist / dryish; gorgeous in bloom, but rowdy in habit, magenta flowers attract many insects, great for margins of a big, sunny meadow, or harsh, dryish location, but can be a rank monster in a fertile, moist flower garden (Onagraceae) |
| Erigeron glaucus | Seaside fleabane daisy | deciduous, 10-12 in., some sun, moist-dryish; blooms summer, blue and yellow "daisies" attract butterflies (Asteraceae) |
| Erythronium oregonum | White fawn lily | deciduous, 6-16 in., mostly shade, moist; blooms early spring with graceful, nodding white lilies, leaves mottled (Liliaceae) |
| Erythronium revolutum | Pink fawn lily | deciduous, 6-16 in., mostly shade, moist; blooms early spring with graceful, nodding pink lilies, leaves mottled (Liliaceae) |
| Fragaria chiloensis | Beach strawberry | evergreen, 4-10 in., some sun, moist-dryish; white flowers, small, red fruits, good ground cover, but can be aggressive (Rosaceae) |
| Fragaria vesca | Woods strawberry | evergreen if mild, 5-12 in., some shade, moist-dryish; white flowers, small, red fruits, good ground cover in woods (Rosaceae) |
| Fragaria virginiana | Broadpetal strawberry | evergreen if mild, 5-12 in., some shade, moist-dryish; white flowers, small, red fruits, good ground cover in woods (Rosaceae) |
| Fritillaria lanceolata | Chocolate, checker lily | deciduous, 1-2.5 ft., mostly shade, moist; blooms early spring with graceful, nodding maroon-mottled lilies (Liliaceae) |
| Gaillardia aristata | Blanket flower | deciduous, 1-3 ft., sun, moist; showy yellow and burnt-orange flower heads make this a garden favorite; the flowers attract butterflies and hummingbirds; seeds are eaten by birds (Asteraceae) |
| Geum macrophyllum | Oregon avens | deciduous, 2-3 ft., some shade, moist-dryish; yellow flowers, good woodland wildflower, can be aggressive (Rosaceae) |
| Geum triflorum | Prairie smoke | deciduous, 4-20 in., sun, moist-dryish; reddish flowers, showy, plume-like seed heads, good in dry meadow (Rosaceae) |
| Goodyera oblongifolia | Western rattlesnake-plantain | evergreen, 6-18 in., shade, moist-dryish; small, white flowers, mottled green and white leaves, a small orchid of the forest floor (Orchidaceae) |
| Grindelia integrifolia | Puget Sound gumweed | deciduous, 6-30 in., mostly sun, moist; bright yellow flower heads late summer, fall, flowers attract butterflies, good in wildflower meadow (Asteraceae) |
| Heuchera micrantha | Small-flowered alumroot | evergreen, 1-3 ft., some shade, moist; delicate sprays of tiny, white flowers attract butterflies, good in rock garden or perennial border (Saxifragaceae) |
| Hydrophyllum tenuipes | Slender-stemmed waterleaf | deciduous, 1-2 ft., some shade, moist; bold, toothed leaves lush in early spring, flowers whitish, good in woodland shade garden (Hydrophyllaceae) |
| Iris tenax | Oregon iris | deciduous, 8-16 in., mostly sun, moist-dryish; small, graceful iris of open meadows, flowers blue, purple, white or other colors (Iridaceae) |
| Lilium columbianum | Tiger, Columbia lily | deciduous, 2-5 ft., some sun, moist; blooms summer with nodding orange, maroon-spotted lilies on branched stalks, lovely in moist wildflower meadow (Liliaceae) |
| Linnaea borealis | Twinflower | evergreen, 2-6 in., some shade, moist-dryish; beautiful little ground cover with pairs of tubular, pink flowers and small, rounded leaves (Caprifoliaceae) |
| Linum perenne var. lewisii | Wild blue flax | deciduous, 1.5-2 ft., sun, moist-dryish, delicate grayish foliage, small, blue flowers all summer, good in dry wildflower meadow (Linaceae) |
| Lupinus albicaulis | Sickle-keel, pine lupine | deciduous, 3-5 ft., mostly sun, moist; stalks of blue flowers on large plants, good for bees in wildflower meadow; fixes Nitrogen (Fabaceae) |
| Lupinus latifolius | Broadleaf lupine | deciduous, 1.5-3.5 ft., mostly sun, moist-dryish; stalks of blue pea-flowers attract bees, a must in the wildflower meadow; fixes Nitrogen (Fabaceae) |
| Lupinus polyphyllus | Large-leaved lupine | deciduous, 2-4 ft., mostly sun, moist-wet; tall stalks of blue pea-flowers attract bees, a must in the wildflower meadow; fixes Nitrogen (Fabaceae) |
| Lupinus rivularis | Streambank lupine | evergreen if mild, 3-5 ft., mostly sun, moist, stalks of blue flowers on large plants, good in large meadow, will re-seed; fixes Nitrogen (Fabaceae) |
| Maianthemum dilatatum | False lily-of-the-valley | deciduous, 3-12 in., shade, moist; lush ground cover with heart-shaped leaves, stalks of small, white flowers followed by mottled, reddish berries, can be aggressive (Liliaceae) |
| Mertensia paniculata | Tall bluebells | deciduous, 1-4 ft., some shade, moist-wet; lovely perennial for the shady border, tubular, blue flowers, lush foliage (Boraginaceae) |
| Mimulus guttatus | Yellow monkey flower | deciduous, 1-2 ft., sun, wet; yellow "snapdragons" bloom in early summer, good along sunny stream or pond, re-seeds (Scrophulariaceae) |
| Mimulus lewisii | Pink monkey flower | deciduous, 1-3 ft., mostly sun, moist-wet; pink "snapdragons" bloom in summer, good along stream or pond, attracts hummers (Scrophulariaceae) |
| Mitella caulescens | Leafy mitrewort | deciduous, 8-15 in., some shade, moist; small, lacy greenish flowers, interesting woodland plant (Saxifragaceae) |
| Oxalis oregana | Oregon oxalis | deciduous, 2-10 in., shade, moist; lush woodland ground cover with "shamrock" leaves and pale pink flowers with darker veins, can be aggressive (Oxalidaceae) |
| Penstemon cardwellii | Cardwell's penstemon | evergreen, 6-18 in., sun, fast-draining,dry; small, shrub-like plants with large purple flowers in summer, great in rock garden, attracts hummers (Scrophulariaceae) |
| Penstemon davidsonii | Davidson's penstemon | evergreen, 2-4 in., sun, fast-draining,dry; small, low-growing plants with large purple flowers in summer, great in rock garden, attracts hummers (Scrophulariaceae) |
| Penstemon euglaucus | Glaucous penstemon | evergreen, 6-18 in., mostly sun, dryish; stalks or blue flowers attract hummers, great in dryish wildflower meadow (Scrophulariaceae) |
| Penstemon fruticosus | Shrubby penstemon | evergreen, 8-16 in., sun, fast-draining,dry; small, shrub-like plants with large purple flowers in summer, great in rock garden, attracts hummers (Scrophulariaceae) |
| Penstemon ovatus | Broadleaf penstemon | deciduous, 1.5-3 ft., sun, fast-draining, dryish; stalks of blue flowers attract hummers, great in dryish wildflower meadow (Scrophulariaceae) |
| Penstemon richardsonii | Richardson's, cut-leaf penstemon | deciduous, 1.5-3 ft., sun, fast-draining,dry; long branches often grow in rocky cliffs, making it great for rock gardens; hot pink flowers attract hummers (Scrophulariaceae) |
| Penstemon serrulatus | Cascade penstemon | deciduous, 8-24 in., some sun, moist; a penstemon that takes moisture and some shade; purple summer flowers attract hummers (Scrophulariaceae) |
| Penstemon subserratus | Small-toothed penstemon | deciduous, 1-2 ft., sun, fast-draining, dryish; stalks of blue flowers attract hummers, great in dryish wildflower meadow (Scrophulariaceae) |
| Phacelia nemoralis | Woodland phacelia | deciduous, 2-5 ft., some sun, moist-dryish; interesting woodland plant with whitish flowers, attracts hummers (Hydrophyllaceae) |
| Potentilla anserina ssp. pacifica | Pacific silverweed | deciduous, 8-16 in., mostly sun, moist-wet; bright yellow flowers, divided leaves silvery beneath, spreads by runners like strawberry (Rosaceae) |
| Potentilla glandulosa | Sticky cinquefoil | deciduous, 1-2 ft., sun, moist-dryish; creamy flowers and divided leaves, good in dryish wildflower meadow (Rosaceae) |
| Potentilla gracilis | Graceful cinquefoil | deciduous, 1-2 ft., sun, moist; yellow flowers and divided leaves, good in moist wildflower meadow (Rosaceae) |
| Sedum divergens | Spreading stonecrop | evergreen, 3-6 in., mostly sun, fast-draining,dryish; great in rock gardens, attracts butterflies (Crassulaceae) |
| Sedum laxum | Lax stonecrop | evergreen, 6-12 in., mostly sun, fast-draining, dryish; great in rock gardens, attracts butterflies (Crassulaceae) |
| Sedum oreganum | Oregon stonecrop | evergreen, 3-6 in., mostly sun, fast-draining, dryish; great in rock gardens, attracts butterflies (Crassulaceae) |
| Sedum oregonense | Creamy stonecrop | evergreen, 4-8 in., mostly sun, fast-draining, dryish; great in rock gardens, attracts butterflies (Crassulaceae) |
| Sedum spathulifolium | Broadleaf stonecrop | evergreen, 2-6 in., mostly sun, fast-draining, dryish; great in rock gardens, attracts butterflies (Crassulaceae) |
| Sedum stenopetalum | Wormleaf stonecrop | evergreen, 2-6 in., mostly sun, fast-draining, dryish; great in rock gardens, attracts butterflies (Crassulaceae) |
| Sisyrinchium bellum (S. angustifolium) | Blue-eyed grass | deciduous, 4-16 in., some sun, moist-dryish; delicate, blue flowered iris relative for rock garden or perennial border (Iridaceae) |
| Sisyrinchium californicum | Golden-eyed grass | deciduous, 6-18 in., some sun, wet-dryish; small iris relative produces bright yellow flowers all summer; great for the wildflower garden or border, but it can be aggressive (Iridaceae) |
| Solidago canadensis | Canada goldenrod | deciduous, 2-5 ft., mostly sun, moist; bright yellow plumes of tiny flowers attract butterflies late summer and fall, good for wildflower meadow or perennial bed (Asteraceae) |
| Solidago occidentalis | Western goldenrod | deciduous, 2-6 ft., mostly sun, moist; golden yellow clusters of tiny flowers attract butterflies late summer and fall, good for wildflower meadow or perennial bed, but aggressive (Asteraceae) |
| Smilacina (Maianthemum) racemosa | False Solomon's-seal | deciduous, 1-3 ft., some shade, moist; bold and graceful with spring plumes of small, fragrant white flowers followed by red berries, great in woodland garden or forest edge (Liliaceae) |
| Smilacina (Maianthemum) stellata | star-flowered Solomon's plume | deciduous, 6-18 in., some shade, moist; delicate white flowers followed by red berries, great in woodland or shade garden (Liliaceae) |
| Stachys cooleyae | Cooley's hedge-nettle | deciduous, 2-4 ft., some shade, moist-wet; pink flowers in summer look like tiny orchids, good in bog garden (Lamiaceae) |
| Syntheris reniformis | Snow queen | evergreen if mild, 4-6 in., some shade, moist-dryish; one of the earliest to bloom, usually in Feb. with bright blue flowers and rounded leaves, great in many garden settings (Scrophulariaceae) |
| Tellima grandiflora | Fringecups | evergreen if mild, 1.5-3 ft., some shade, moist-dryish; stalks of flowers with fringed petals open white, age pink, great in woodland garden, but will re-seed and can be aggressive (Saxifragaceae) |
| Thalictrum occidentalis | Western meadowrue | deciduous, 1.5-3 ft., some shade, moist; delicate, ferny foliage and small drooping, often purplish flowers make this a perfect plant for the shade garden (Ranunculaceae) |
| Tiarella trifoliata | Trefoil foamflower | evergreen if mild, 6-18 in., some shade, moist; small white flowers bloom most of the summer, lovely along a woodland path (Saxifragaceae) |
| Tolmiea menziesii | Piggy-back plant, youth-on-age | evergreen if mild, 1-2 ft., shade, moist-wet; also grown as foliage houseplant, new plantlets form at the junction of leaf blade and petiole, maroon flowers in spring (Saxifragaceae) |
| Trillium chloropetalum | Giant trillium | deciduous, 6-18 in., some shade, moist; 3 upright petals, cream or reddish, 3 large leaves often mottled purplish, great in woodland or shade garden (Liliaceae) |
| Trillium ovatum | Western trillium | deciduous, 6-18 in., some shade, moist; a classic woodland or shade garden plant with 3 large leaves and 3 petals that open white, age pink (Liliaceae) |
| Vancouveria hexandra | Inside-out flower | deciduous, 6-16 in., some shade, moist-dryish; good perennial under big trees, leaflets "duck foot" shaped, white flowers with petals flared back, like shooting stars (Berberidaceae) |
| Veratrum californicum | California false hellebore, corn lily | evergreen, 2-4 in., mostly sun, moist-wet; like a big corn plant with bold, ribbed leaves, clusters of small whitish flowers at shoot tips, great in a wet meadow, but poisonous (Liliaceae) |
| Viola adunca | early blue violet | deciduous, 2-4 in., some sun, moist / dryish; small blue violets in spring, great along shady path (Violaceae) |
| Viola glabella | stream, yellow wood violet | deciduous, 6-18 in., mostly shade, moist-wet; bright yellow violets on leafy stems in spring, great at the edge of a bog or stream (Violaceae) |
| Viola sempervirens | evergreen, trailing yellow violet | evergreen, 2-4 in., some shade, moist; yellow violets in spring appear among leaves, spreads slowly by runners, great along woodland path (Violaceae) |