Pacific Northwest Wildflowers

Arts & Crafts Botanicals

These ceramic tiles of Pacific Northwest wildflowers are based on the botanical watercolors done by Albert Robert Valentien between 1898 and 1918. I am currently working on this section. Coming: Wild Ginger, Western Azalea, American Vetch, Checker Mallow, Oregeon Oxalis, Hound's Tongue, Chicory, Cow Parsnip, Kinnickinick (Whiteleaf) Manzanita, Mountain Lady Slipper, Fawn Lily, Mount Hood Lily.

Pacific Bleeding Heart (Decentra formosa)

Oregon Bleeding Heart

The Pacific Bleeding Heart, which Valentien calls the Oregon Bleeding Heart, has pink to purple to red and white flowers and grows as far north as British Comumbia and into the western slopes of the Slierra Nevada into the Coast ranges and central California. The subspecies we know as Oregana, is rare and has pale yellow or cream flowers. It grows in a small area of northwest California and southwest Oregon.

Western Azalea

Valentien's Western Azalea is white, but the pink and white variation is more common.

Checker Bloom (Sidalcia malviflora)

Checker Bloom

Checker Bloom is a small native mallow that grows from Washington to central California and even parts of Baja California, but is limited to the Western US.

Mountain Lilac

Mountain Lilac is attractive to pollinators and thrives in well-drained soil with little to no summer water.

Blue Elderberry

Blue Elderberry is native from Oregon to Baja California and as far east as Texas. Its berries are one of the most importat food sources for birds in California and the Pacific Northwest.

Deer Brush

Mountain Lilac

Deer Brush is native to Arizona, New Mexico, California, Oregon, and Washington. The flowers are usually white or blue, and far less often, the pink that Valentien's specimen displayed. It grows in mixed forests, west and east of the Cascades and in the Columbia River Gorge, as well as into California.

Seep Monkey Flower

Monkey Flower

Monkey Flower grows along the banks of streams and seeps in Western North America and through Oregon and California. It is well-beloved by hummingbirds and pollinators.

Showy Milkweed

Showy Milkweed is native to much of the western US. A perennial, it grow sto about 4 feet tall. It is crucial to the survival of the endangered Monarch butterfly. Alkaloids in the plant make the caterpillars taste bad to predators.

Western Columbine

Western Columbine is native to Western North America, from Alas to Baja California and east to Montana and Wyoming. It prefers moist locations such as stream banks and needs summer water and light shade in the afternoon.

Lewisa Cotelydon

Lewisa Cotyledon is named after Merriwether Lewis, of the Lewis and Clark expedition. This pant can be found clinging to rocky outcrops, wedged into crevices, and in cracks on canyon walls. Its candy-stripe flowers rest against dark green leaves. It's a threatened species in northern California.