Common name

Scientific name

Height

Color

Flowering Period

Light Requirement

Moisture Requirement

Description

Common yarrow

Achillea millefolium

8-16”

white

June-September

Perennial herb with feathery, lance-shaped leaves that are evenly distributed along stem.  Flowers clustered, forming flat white top. 

Rosy pussytoes

Antennaria rosea

8-18”

pink to rose

Early summer

Mat-forming perennial with white or grey woolly leaves; attractive foliage through Fall. 
Common in the high desert of eastern Cascades, extends up in elevation to pine and Douglas fir forests.  Often found on dry, rocky alpine ridges.

Western Columbine

Aquilegia formosa

<36”

red

spring

Tap-rooted perennial; delicate looking divided leaves. Good hummingbird, butterfly, pollinator plant.

Balsamroot

Balsamorhiza sagittata

12-24”

yellow

May

Large, long lived, tap-rooted perennial; numerous sunflower-like flowers heads.

Blue mountain prairie clover 

Dalea ornata

<18”

Lt. pink/
magenta

June-August

Perennial.  Flowering head up to 2 in. long.  Habitat:  rocky sandy places often with sagebrush.  Native to Oregon.

Purple prairie clover

Dalea purpurea

12-36”

Dark pink to purple

May-September

Numerous flowers on cylindrical spike 1-2 inches long.  Native to central US.  Deep rooted, nitrogen fixing plant.

Fireweed

Epilobium angustifolium

4 -6’

Dark pink

July-September

Perennial herbaceous plant.  Showy 1” flowers on terminal spike. 

Threadleaf fleabane

Erigeron filifolius

<12”

Light purple

Mid summer

Perennial with many erect and spreading leaves with grayish hairs.  Multiple purplish white flowers with yellow centers.  Grow in dry prairie and rocky sites; often in sagebrush steppe.

Yellow desert daisy

Erigeron linearis

<8”

yellow

May-June

Tap-rooted, clumping perennial with multiple yellow, aster-like flowers.  Grows in dry, rocky sites; often in sagebrush steppe.

Cushion fleabane 

Erigeron poliospermus

<6”

White to lavender

May

Small, short lived clumping perennial growing to 6 inches; 1 inch composite flowers.  Good rock garden plant.

Oval leaved Buckwheat 

Eriogonum  ovalifolium

4-8”

White, pink, light yellow

July-August

Mat-forming perennial; Oval-shaped leaves silvery white.  Single head of creamy white flowers on leafless stalk.  Habitat:  Sagebrush steppe to alpine ridges.

Creamy Buckwheat 

Eriogonum heracleoides

4-16”

White to yellow

Mid summer

Clump-forming perennial with linear, grayish woolly leaves in whorls at base of stems; flowers turn rosy ting with age.  Habitat:  Common in sagebrush steppe and grasslands, and dry open forests. 

Round Headed Buckwheat

Eriogonum sphaerocephalum

<16”

White to yellow

Mid spring to summer

Perennial, shrub or sub shrub growth form.  Flower heads round (popcorn-like).

Thyme leaved Buckwheat 

Eriogonum thymoides

<6”

Whitish pink to yellow

May-June

Low growing perennial; woody, mat-forming sub-shrub with tiny grayish green, narrow linear leaves.

Sulfur Buckwheat 

Eriogonum  umbellatum

4-12”

White to bright yellow, reddish

May-June

Tap-rooted, mat forming perennial; Leaves oblong or spatula-shaped in whorls at base of stems are woolly beneath.  Leaves turn showy red/maroon in autumn; flowers turn rosy ting with age.  Common in sagebrush steppe and grasslands, and dry open forests in central Oregon.

Oregon Sunshine

Eriophyllum lanatum

12-18”

yellow

May-August

Perennial with clumping growth form of grayish green leaves.  Common in dry open habitats.

California poppy

Eschscholzia californica

12”

orange

May-August

Hardy annual; Divided fern like leaves.  Will produce many blooms with minimal irrigation.

Sticky geranium 

Geranium viscosissimum

16-36”

white to deep purple-magenta 

May-July

Perennial; Stems and leaves densely covered with sticky, glandular hairs.  Habitat:  dry grasslands and open forests.

Prairie Smoke

Geum triflorum

<18”

pink

May-June

Rhizomatous perennial Flowers urn-shaped; Fruits feathery clusters of seeds with plume-like bronze to purplish styles.  Habitat: dry open forests, grasslands, and dry gravelly soils.

Sagebrush sunflower

Helianthella uniflora

<18”

yellow

June-July

Meadow alumroot

Heuchera chlorantha

16-40”

White

Early summer

Rhizomatous perennial with clumps of leaves at base.  Flowers on tall stalks.  Grows in moist meadows and forest edges.

Alumroot

Heuchera cylindrica

12-24”

white

July-August

Evergreen perennial; green kidney shaped basal leaves.  Usually found in rocky outcrops or gravelly talus slopes.

Mountain hollyhock

Illiamna rivularis

3-5’

Pink

May - July

Robust multi-stemmed perennial; large maple like leaves. Abundant 2-3” blooms.

Scarlet gilia

Ipomopsis aggregata

<36”

Red

Late spring through summer

Biennial or short-lived perennial; Highly dissected leaves on numerous stems.  Habitat: open rocky slopes, grasslands, open forests, plains, dry meadows and mountain slopes.

Blue Flag Iris

Iris missouriensis

12-24”

Blue to purple

May-July

Perennial; rhizomatous with grass-like foliage and showy flowers.  Prefers seasonally wet areas; moisture important through flowering period.

Bitterroot

Lewisia rediviva

1-2”

White to pink

Late spring

Low growing perennial from a tap root. Small succulent, needle like foliage often gone when flowering.  Flowers large 1.5-2 inches.  Found growing in harsh rocky/gravelly sites.  Great for rock gardens.

Lewis flax

Linum lewisii

18-24”

Blue to purple

May-July

Native, semi-evergreen perennial.  Grows in sagebrush steppe to open ponderosa pine forests. 

Blue flax

Linum perenne

18-24”

Blue to purple

May-July

Introduced from Eurasia.  Naturalized throughout US. 

Silver lupine 

Lupinus argenteus

18 - 36”

Purple

June-August

Grayish green foliage, silvery underneath; shrubby growth form Flowers growing on spike (raceme) up to 5”. 

Broad leaved lupine 

Lupinus latifolius

12 - 48”

Purple

May-June

Broad leaved. Perennial with bushy growth habit.  Showy flowers growing on tall spike (raceme), 4-12”.  Heavy nitrogen fixer; does well in nutrient poor soils.

Large leaved lupine

Lupinus polyphyllus

<48”

Blue - Purple

June to July

Large leaves up to 6 inches in diameter.  Showy flowers growing on tall spike (raceme), 6 to 18”.  Prefers moist soil; found in riparian areas.

Prairie lupine

Lupinus lepidus

<5”

blue

Early summer

Low growing; foliage dense silky gray.  Tolerant of gravelly soils.

Yellow monkeyflower

Mimulus guttatus

<36”

yellow

May-August

Showy 1’ wide, 5 lobed flowers with orange spots on lower lip.  Habitat includes wet seeps and draws, moist forest openings, and streamsides.

Pink monkeyflower

Mimulus lewisii

12-32”

pink

July to September

Perennial with showy, large 2-lipped, trumpet shaped flower.  Habitat includes wet seeps and draws, moist forest openings, and streamsides.

Scorched penstemon

Penstemon confertus

<20”

Yellow to cream

May-August

Perennial with numerous yellow, tubular flowers.  Habitat: fairly good soil or rocky sites from forest to low meadows to subalpine. 

Davidson’s penstemon

Penstemon davidsonii

<12”

lavender

June-August

Shrubby, mat-forming perennial. Found in rocky outcrops.

Firecracker penstemon

Penstemon eatonii

<36”

red

Spring to early summer

Habitat: dry open areas, sagebrush plains to ponderosa pine forests. 

Shrubby penstemon

Penstemon fruiticosus

<18”

Blue to lavender

May - August

Woody perennial, generally prostrate and mat forming; Leaves leathery and shiny.  Habitat: open rocky slopes to moderately dense forest from the foothills to high mountains. 

Lowly penstemon 

Penstemon humilis

<14”

Blue to purple

May - August

Herbaceous to woody sub-shrub perennial with small, numerous tubular flowers.  Habitat ranges from sagebrush steppe to highly elevation in forest openings.

Cutleaf penstemon 

Penstemon richardsonii

8-32”

Pink to lavender

May - August

Numerous sprawling stems arise from shrubby base with serrated leaves.  Habitat:  open rocky places and cliff sides. 

Rydberg’s penstemon

Penstemon rydbergii

<24”

Blue to purple

May- July

Beautiful when planted in masses.  Prefers early season moisture.  Habitat: meadows to moist open slopes from foothills to mid-montane. 

Rock penstemon

Penstemon rupicola

<6”

pink

June-July

Semi-evergreen perennial: shrubby at base; leaves bluish and leathery.  Basalt rock cliffs or rock outcrops.

Rocky Mountain penstemon

Penstemon strictus

24-36”

Blue to purple

May-July

Semi-evergreen perennial with tall stems and multiple showy flowers.

Showy penstemon

Penstemon speciosus

<36”

Blue to purple

May-July

Perennial with showy flowers, 1-1.5” long.  Habitat sagebrush prairies to ponderosa pine forests to subalpine. 

Alpine penstemon

Penstemon venustus

<20”

purple

May - August

Perennial with showy flower and foliage.  Habitat: fairly good soil or rocky sites from forest to low meadows to subalpine. 

Whipple’s penstemon

Penstemon whippleanus

<24”

blue-purple to wine red

July to August

Perennial with showy flowers up to 1 inch. 

Oregon Checkermallow

Sidalcea oregana

<24”

Light pink

July to September

Perennial with flowers growing in spike.  Host plant for butterflies.  Eastern Cascade species growth habitat ranges from sagebrush steppe to seasonally wet meadows to ponderosa pine forests. 

Blue-eyed grass

Sisyrinchium idahoense

6-12”

Blue to purple

Mid summer

Grass-like leaves with purple flowers.  Prefers seasonally wet soil.

Gooseberry leaved globemallow

Sphaeralcea grossulariifolia

<12-30”

Orange

June-August

Tap-rooted, short-lived (2-3 years) perennial with silvery foliage.  Flowers on short, dense, terminal spikes.

Scarlet globemallow

Sphaeralcea munroana

24-30”

Orange

May-August

Tap-rooted, perennial with grayish green foliage.  Multiple flowers on long stems; long bloom period.

Showy townsendia

Townsendia florifer

2-6”

White to pinkish white

June

Short-lived perennial with several stems containing dense, short hairs.  Flowers numerous.