Wildflowers of the Pacific Northwest

One of the most diverse regions of the country, both in climate and vegetation, is the Pacific Northwest. From mountain ranges and valleys to seacoasts and deserts, the vegetation of this area exhibits a great diversity of ecological habitats in response to variations in latitude, proximity to the ocean, rainfall, and temperature from east to west and north to south. Forests west of the Cascades, for instance, are moist coastal rainforests dominated by conifers, while forests east of the Cascades are more like the Rocky Mountains, with a mixture of conifers and deciduous trees. Woodland wildflowers, many of which are unique to this region, abound in the shady forests, while desert and grassland species thrive in the warm, dry conditions of the interior valleys. Coastal areas offer a completely different palette of wildflowers. This collection includes some of the most common wildflowers encountered in various habitats of the Pacific Northwest.


Scientific Name Common Name Duration Habit Sun Water
Aquilegia formosa Western Columbine, Crimson Columbine, Scarlet Columbine, Red Columbine Perennial Herb Sun, Part-shade Moist, Dry
Balsamorhiza hookeri Hooker's Balsamroot, Hairy Balsamroot Perennial Herb Sun Dry
Calochortus elegans Elegant Mariposa Lily Perennial Herb
Calochortus luteus Yellow Mariposa Lily Perennial Herb
Camassia quamash Small Camas, Common Camass, Swamp Sego Perennial Herb Sun Moist
Chamerion angustifolium ssp. angustifolium Fireweed, Narrow-leaf Fireweed, Willow Herb Perennial Herb Sun Moist
Chimaphila umbellata Pipsissewa Perennial Subshrub Shade Dry
Clarkia amoena Farewell To Spring, Farewell-to-spring, Herald-of-summer Annual Herb Part-shade
Cypripedium montanum Mountain Lady's Slipper Perennial Herb
Epipactis gigantea Stream Orchid, Chatterbox Orchid, Giant Hellebore Perennial Herb Shade, Part-shade Wet, Moist
Eriophorum angustifolium Tall Cottongrass Perennial Grass/Grass-like Sun Wet
Eriophyllum lanatum Common Woolly Sunflower, Oregon Sunshine Annual Herb Sun Dry
Erythronium grandiflorum Yellow Avalanche-lily, Yellow Fawn-lily, Yellow Dogtooth Violet, Glacier Lily Perennial Herb Part-shade Moist
Erythronium montanum White Avalanche-lily, Avalanche-lily Perennial Herb
Eschscholzia californica California Poppy, California Gold Poppy Annual Herb Sun Dry
Eurybia integrifolia Thickstem Aster Perennial Herb
Fritillaria affinis Checker Lily, Chocolate Lily Perennial Herb
Fritillaria pudica Yellow Fritillary, Yellow Missionbells, Golden Bells Perennial Herb Part-shade Dry
Iris douglasiana Douglas Iris, Mountain Iris, Western Iris Perennial Herb Part-shade Moist
Layia platyglossa Coastal Tidytips Annual Herb Sun Dry
Lilium columbianum Columbia Lily, Columbian Lily, Oregon Lily, Wild Tiger Lily Perennial Herb Part-shade
Lupinus bicolor Miniature Lupine, Miniature Annual Lupine, Pygmy-leaved Lupine Annual Herb Sun
Lupinus polyphyllus Bigleaf Lupine, Blue-pod Lupine, Meadow Lupine, Bog Lupine Perennial Herb Sun, Part-shade Moist, Dry
Lysichiton americanus American Skunkcabbage, Yellow-skunk-cabbage, Swamp Lantern Perennial Herb Part-shade Wet
Maianthemum racemosum Feathery False Lily Of The Valley, False Solomon's Seal, Feathery False Solomon's Seal, False Spikenard, Solomon's Plume, Smilacina Perennial Herb
Penstemon newberryi Mountain Pride Perennial Herb, Subshrub Part-shade
Penstemon procerus Littleflower Penstemon, Littleflower Beardtongue Perennial Herb, Subshrub Sun Moist
Phlox diffusa Spreading Phlox, Mat Phlox Perennial Herb Sun Dry
Phyllodoce empetriformis Pink Mountain Heath, Pink Mountain Heather Perennial Shrub Part-shade Moist
Ranunculus californicus California Buttercup Perennial Herb
Rhododendron macrophyllum Pacific Rhododendron, California Rhododendron, California Rosebay, Red Rhododendron Perennial Shrub Shade, Part-shade Moist, Dry
Xerophyllum tenax Common Beargrass, Western Turkeybeard, Bear Lily, Pine Lily, Elk Grass, Squaw Grass, Beargrass, Turkeybeard Perennial Herb Sun