Daucus pusillus

A very small wild carrot. The flowerheads can be batter-fried for a carrot-flavored treat and the aromatic seeds can be used as a flavoring. The roots can be eaten raw, steamed or roasted for eating, dried for later use, or roasted and ground like coffee. The only other wild carrot found in this area of southwest Oregon is the non-native Daucus carota (Queen Anne’s Lace), which is much larger and generally easy to identify.

#SWOregon #Kalmiopsis #NativePlants

Ranuncular occidentalis - Western Buttercup

Western buttercup grows easily in full sun and partial shade, blanketing any spot with at least a bit of soil cover. There is a toxin present in all parts of the plant that can blister the skin.

#Kalmiopsis #SWOregon #NativePlants

Sidalcea asprella

Del Norte checker mallow has absolutely gorgeous deep pink flowers with rose-colored stems. Grows in full sun but needs some soil - not found in bare gravelly/sandy spots. Even on the same plant, leaf shapes can vary widely in how deeply lobed they are. This is a wonderful garden flower - beautiful plant, can bloom for months, and attracts butterflies.

#Kalmiopsis #SWOregon #NativePlants

Purple snakeroot (Sanicula bipinnatifida) is a tiny but very striking deep purple flower that blooms in spring. It seems to prefer direct sunlight, and is often found on serpentine soil. There are no other plants in the area with leaves or flowers like this. This species may be poisonous and taste noxious. A decoction of the root was used as a cure-all by people in Native tribes.

#SWOregon #Kalmiopsis #NativePlants

Death camas (Toxicoscordion micranthum) is a poisonous plant to be aware of; it grows in gravelly or grassy areas in full sun or partial shade. There are 3 Toxicoscordion species found in my part of SW Oregon; this one is the one generally found on serpentine, and also the only species I’ve come across yet.

#SWOregon #Kalmiopsis #NativePlants

The low growing evergreen shrub, #Kalmiopsis leachiana, is a great plant with these absolutely lovely pink flowers. It is a rare plant native only to the Siskiyou Mountains in southwest Oregon. Always obtain rare plants from reputable nurseries, never collecting in the wild. Kalmiopsis does not like to be moved once planted, so plan ahead where you really want it to be forever in your garden.
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Although C. tolmiei flower color is variable especially with flower age (from mostly white to mostly red-purple), no other Calochortus species have quite the same flower colors. The closest may be C. howellii, a rare species found in the Illinois Valley. ID Tips: C. howellii has rounded tips on its petals, holds its seed pods upright, and a green tinge at the inner base of the flower, while C. tolmiei has pointed petal tips, pendant seed pods, and no green.

#SWOregon #Kalmiopsis

Iris thompsonii is a beautiful iris with perennial leaves that grows in grassy or wooded areas. The strong-fibered leaves can be used in weaving baskets or cordage. There are other Iris species in the area, and may even hybridize with this one, but none have the same colors in the flower. These are apparently a difficult species to grow in gardens, so if you have them growing naturally, treasure them.

#SWOregon #Kalmiopsis

Dichelostemma congestum - ookow - is a beautiful flower I find in partially shaded grassy meadow areas. When growing from seed, it takes 4 years for the plant to mature enough to flower. The bulbs can be harvested early in the spring and eaten raw, or boiled and dried. People from local Native American tribes have used them as an important food source. #SWOregon #Kalmiopsis

Allium bolanderi - I’ve only seen it growing in gravel scree on fully exposed hillsides. Occasionally a plant will have white instead of reddish-purple flowers. The leaves can be plucked and used fresh to flavor cooking, and the bulb can also be used in a similar manner to cultivated onions. #SWOregon #Kalmiopsis