Large camas (Camassia leichtlinii)

Written by Klamath-Siskiyou Native Seeds on April 15, 2018. Posted in Uncategorized.

Flowering now!

Large camas (Camassia leichtlinii) is a spring-flowering bulbous perennial wildflower that is beautiful enough for the most high-end ornamental garden, yet adaptable and ecologically important enough to be included in habitat restoration projects within its range. Purple, lavender, or blueish-purple, star-shaped flowers open sequentially (bottom to top) in an upright terminal raceme, on thick stems that reach 2.5′-3.5′ tall. 2′ long, strap-shaped leaves rise from the clumping bulbs and wither after flowering. A lover of moist conditions, especially winter through late spring, large camas can dry out in the late summer months when the bulbs go dormant. In the wild, large camas is typically found growing in vernally moist meadows, grasslands, and on moist slopes or along rivers and streams. Tolerant of a wide variety of soil types, including clay, as long as there is adequate moisture in the spring. Camas provides valuable, early-season nectar and pollen for a variety of native pollinators. Camas was a staple food for many Native American tribes. The bulbs were harvested in the fall and either pit roasted or boiled and eaten, or dried and pounded into a flour.

Klamath-Siskiyou Native Seeds has large camas (Camassia leichtlinii) seed available. Check out our online shopping cart today!

Spring Garden Fair

Written by Klamath-Siskiyou Native Seeds on March 24, 2018. Posted in Uncategorized.

Save the dates!

Klamath-Siskiyou Native Seeds will once again offer a wide selection of native plants and native plant seeds at the Spring Garden Fair. See you there!

Bigelow's sneezeweed (Helenium bigelovii)

Native Seed Germination Chart

Written by Klamath-Siskiyou Native Seeds on March 2, 2018. Posted in Uncategorized.

Western redbud (Cercis occidentalis)

Bigelow’s sneezeweed (Helenium bigelovii)

Silver lupine (Lupinus albifrons)

Oregon checkermallow (Sidalcea oregana)

Klamath-Siskiyou Native Seeds

Native Seed Germination Chart

(Click on the title to view and download the chart in Excel format.)

It can be difficult to find information regarding seed germination for native plant species. Through our own native plant propagation and growing experience, as well as long-term seed germination experimentation, we have developed a seed germination chart for species we often have in our inventory. This chart specifies the pretreatment needs for seed through cold-moist stratification (chilling requirements) or heat treatment, for natural or artificial seed germination, as well as recommendations for planting seed outside for natural seed germination. Germination rates can vary so your own personal experimentation is encouraged!

Common Name	Botanical Name	Seed Germination Instructions
Vine maple	Acer circinatum	30-60 days warm-moist stratification followed by 90-120 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall.
Common yarrow	Achillea millefolium	No pretreatment required. Sow in fall or spring on or just below the soil surface. Needs warm soil and light to germinate.
Vanillaleaf	Achlys triphylla	60 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall to late winter.
Columbia monkshood	Aconitum columbianum	60 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall to late winter.
Horse mint	Agastache urticifolia	30-60 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall to late winter.
Western joepiweed	Ageratina occidentalis	No pretreatment required. Sow outside in fall to early spring. Germination may be improved with 30 days cold stratification
California dandelion	Agoseris grandiflora	No pretreatment required. Sow outside in fall to early spring. Germination may be improved with 30 days cold stratification.
Tapertip onion	Allium acuminatum	30-60 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall to late winter.
Pacific mountain onion	Allium validum	60-90 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall to late winter.
Menzies’ fiddleneck	Amsinckia menziesii	60 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall for best germination.
Sharptooth angelica	Angelica arguta	60 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall to late winter.
Woodland madia	Ansiocarpus madioides	30-60 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall to late winter.
Western columbine	Aquilegia formosa	60 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall to late winter.
California spikenard	Aralia californica	90-120 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall for best germination.
Goat’s beard	Aruncus dioicus	30-60 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall to late winter. Plant on soil surface or lightly cover. Seed needs light to germinate.
Heartleaf milkweed	Asclepias cordifolia	60 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall to early spring.
Narrowleaf milkweed	Asclepias fascicularis	60 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall to early spring.
Showy milkweed	Asclepias speciosa	60 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall to early spring.
California harebell	Asyneuma prenanthoides	60 days cold-moist stratification. Sow in fall to late winter. Sow on soil surface or lightly cover. Seed needs light to germinate.
Deltoid balsamroot	Balsamorhiza deltoidea	90 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall.
Tall Oregon grape	Berberis (Mahonia) aquifolium	90 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall to late winter.
Cascade Oregon grape	Berberis (Mahonia) nervosa	60 days cold-moist stratification. Sow in fall to late winter.
California brome	Bromus carinatus	No pretreatment required. Sow outside in fall to early spring.
Chinook brome	Bromus laevipes	No pretreatment required. Sow outside in fall.
Tolmie’s cats ear	Calochortus tolmiei	30-60 days cold-moist stratification. Sow in fall to late winter.
Marsh marigold	Caltha leptosepala	60-90 days cold-moist stratification. Sow in fall to late winter.
Large camas	Camassia leichtlinii	60-90 days cold-moist stratification. Sow in fall to late winter.
Deer brush	Ceanothus integerrimus	Soak in hot (not boiling) water for 24 hours, then 60-90 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall to late winter.
Birch leaf mountain mahogany	Cercocarpus betuloides	60 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall to late winter.
Soaproot	Chlorogalum pomeridianum	No pretreatment required. Sow outside in fall to early spring.
Fireweed	Chamerion angustifolia	60 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall to late winter.
Western redbud	Cercis occidentalis	Soak in hot (not boiling) water for 24 hours, then 60-90 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall to late winter.
Western clematis	Clematis ligusticifolia	30-60 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall to late winter.
Hound’s tongue	Cynoglossum grande	30-60 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall to late winter.
Mountain larkspur	Delphinium glaucum	90-120 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall.
Meadow larkspur	Delphinium nuttallianum	90-120 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall.
Henderson’s shooting star	Dodecatheon hendersonii	60-90 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall to late winter.
Squirreltail grass	Elymus elymoides	No pretreatment required. Sow outside in fall to early spring.
Blue wildrye	Elymus glaucus	No pretreatment required. Sow outside in fall to early spring.
Capitate sandwort	Eremogone congesta	60-90 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall to late winter.
Tall wooly buckwheat	Eriogonum elatum	60 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall to late winter.
Arrowleaf buckwheat	Eriogonum compositum	60 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall to late winter.
Barestem buckwheat	Eriogonum nudum	60 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall to late winter.
Sulphur flower buckwheat	Eriogonum umbellatum	60 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall to late winter.
Oregon sunshine	Eriophyllum lanatum	30 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall to late winter.
Henderson’s fawn lily	Erythronium hendersonii	90 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall.
Scarlet monkey flower	Erythranthe (Mimulus) cardinalis	No pretreatment required. Sow outside in fall to early spring. Seeds need light to germinate, surface sow.
Yellow seep monkey flower	Erythranthe (Mimulus) guttata	No pretreatment required. Sow outside in fall to early spring. Seeds need light to germinate, surface sow.
California poppy	Eschscholzia californica	30 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall or early spring.
Western goldentop	Euthamia occidentalis	No pretreatment required. Sow outside in fall to early spring.
California fescue	Festuca californica	30 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall or early spring.
Roemer’s fescue	Festuca roemeri	30 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall or early spring.
Cascara	Frangula purshiana	60-90 days cold-moist stratification. Sow in fall to late winter.
Bluehead gilia	Gilia capitata	30 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall.
White rushlily	Hastingsia alba	60-90 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall to late winter.
Bigelow’s sneezweed	Helenium bigelovii	30 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall to late winter.
Cowparsnip	Heracleum maximum	120 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall.
Alum root	Heuchera micrantha	60 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall. Seeds need light to germinate, surface sow.
Oceanspray	Holodiscus discolor	90-120 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall.
Broad leaved lotus	Hosackia crassifolia	Soak in hot (not boiling) water for 24 hours, then 60-90 days cold-moist stratification. Sow in fall to late winter.
Scarlet gilia	Ipomopsis aggregata	30 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall to early spring.
Red beardtongue	Keckiella corymbosa	30 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall or early spring.
Bush beardtongue	Keckiella lemmonii	30 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall or early spring.
Bolander’s tarweed	Kyhosia bolanderi	30-60 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall to late winter.
Siskiyou lewisia	Lewisia cotyledon	30-60 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall to late winter.
Blue wild flax	Linum lewisii	30 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall or early spring.
California lomatium	Lomatium californicum	60 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall to late winter.
Fernleaf biscuitroot	Lomatium dissectum	60 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall.
Bigseed biscuitroot	Lomatium macrocarpum	60 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall to late winter.
Nineleaf buscuitroot	Lomatium triternatum	60 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall to late winter.
Common lomatium	Lomatium utriculatum	60 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall to late winter.
Pink honeysuckle	Lonicera hispidula	60-90 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall.
Sickelkeel lupine	Lupinus albicaulis	Soak in hot (not boiling) water for 24 hours, then 30 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall to early spring.
Silver bush lupine	Lupinus albifrons	No pretreatment required. Sow outside in fall to early spring.
Velvet lupine	Lupinus leucophyllus	Soak in hot (not boiling) water for 24 hours, then 30 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall to early spring.
Elegant tarweed	Madia elegans	No pretreatment required. Sow outside in fall to early spring.
Large false Soloman’s seal	Maianthemum racemosum	Seed takes two years to germinate. Sow outside in fall. 6 months cold-moist stratification, followed by 4 months warm-moist stratification, followed by another 5 months cold-moist stratification.
Giant blazingstar	Mentzelia laevicaulis	60-90 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall.
Coyote mint	Monardella odoratissima	30 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall to late winter.
Coyote tobacco	Nicotiana attenuata	No pretreatment required. Sow outside, or start in a greenhouse in spring.
Indian tobacco	Nicotiana quadrivalvis	No pretreatment required. Sow outside, or start in a greenhouse in spring.
False turtlehead	Nothochelone nemorosa	60-90 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall.
Douglas’ grasswidow	Olsynium douglasii	90-120 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall.
Siskiyou Mountains owl’s clover	Orthocarpus cuspidatus	90 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall.
Indian warrior	Pedicularis densiflora	30 days cold-moist stratification. Sow in fall. Hemiparasite, needs host plant to thrive. Parasitic on members of the heath family, such as manzanita or madrone.
Siskiyou penstemon	Penstemon anguineus	60-90 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall to late winter.
Hot rock penstemon	Penstemon deustus	60-90 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall to late winter.
Mountain blue penstemon	Penstemon laetus	60-90 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall to late winter.
Small flowered penstemon	Penstemon procerus	60-90 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall to late winter.
Western sweet coltsfoot	Petasites frigidus	No pretreatment required. Sow outside in fall to early spring.
Varilieaf phacelia	Phacelia heterophylla	30 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall or early spring. Seeds need light to germinate, surface sow.
Tall phacelia	Phacelia procera	30 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall. Seeds need light to germinate, surface sow.
Mock orange	Philadelphus lewisii	90-120 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall.
Pacific ninebark	Physocarpus capitatus	30 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall or early spring.
Hooker’s fairybells	Prosartes hookeri	60-90 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall.
Chokecherry	Prunus virginiana	90-120 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall.
Bitter cherry	Prunus emarginata	90-120 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall.
Golden currant	Ribes aureum	90 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall.
Wax currant	Ribes cereum	90-120 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall.
Sierra gooseberry	Ribes roezlii	90-120 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall.
Sticky currant	Ribes viscosissimum	90 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall.
Thimbleberry	Rubus parviflorus	30 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall or early spring.
Waxy coneflower	Rudbeckia glaucescens	30 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall or early spring.
Western coneflower	Rudbeckia occidentalis	30 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall or early spring.
Blue elderberry	Sambucus nigra spp. caerulea	60-90 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall.
Pacific blacksnakeroot	Sanicula crassicaulis	30-60 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall or early spring.
Lambstongue ragwort	Senecio integerrimus	30-60 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall to late winter.
Arrowleaf ragwort	Senecio triangularis	30-60 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall or early spring.
Oregon checkermallow	Sidalcea oregana	60-90 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall.
Bell catchfly	Silene campanulata	30-60 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall to late winter.
West coast Canada goldenrod	Solidago elongata	No pretreatment required. Sow outside in fall to early spring.
Western mountain ash	Sorbus scopulina	90-120 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall.
Douglas’ spiraea	Spiraea douglasii	30-60 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall to late winter.
Subalpine spiraea	Spiraea splendens	30-60 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall to late winter.
Lemmon’s needlegrass	Stipa lemmonii	90 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall.
Claspleaf twistedstalk	Streptopus amplexifolius	Seed takes two years to germinate. Sow outside in fall. 6 months cold-moist stratification, followed by 4 months warm-moist stratification, followed by another 5 months cold-moist stratification.
Leafybract aster	Symphyotrichum foliaceum	No pretreatment required. Sow outside in fall to early spring.
Fringe cups	Tellima grandiflora	30 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall or early spring.
Western false asphodel	Triantha occidentalis	60-90 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall.
Vinegarweed	Trichostema lanceolatum	60-90 days cold-moist stratification. Sow in fall to late winter.
California false hellebore	Veratrum californicum	30-60 days warm-moist stratification followed by 90-120 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in early fall.
Western verbena	Verbena lasiostachys	30-60 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall or early spring.
American vetch	Vicia americana	No pretreatment required. Sow outside in fall to early spring.
Narrowleaf mule’s ears	Wyethia angustifolia	90 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall.
Beargrass	Xerophyllum tenax	90-120 days cold-moist stratification. Sow outside in fall.

Community Seed Swap

Written by Klamath-Siskiyou Native Seeds on February 26, 2018. Posted in Uncategorized.

Klamath-Siskiyou Native Seeds is happy to sponsor the 2018 Community Seed Swap in Ashland, OR coming up on March 31st. We will be there as a vendor selling native plant seeds! See you there!

GROW NATIVE—GROW WILD

Native Seed Production Manual for the Pacific Northwest

Written by Klamath-Siskiyou Native Seeds on February 22, 2018. Posted in Uncategorized.

Corvallis PMC Native Seed Production Manual for the Pacific Northwest

Looking for some detailed information on native seed propagation and plant propagation? This manual is a great resource. Although the manual is more focused on species that grow to the north of the Klamath-Siskiyou, there are still many native plants to our area included, and even having information on related species can be very helpful.

Klamath-Siskiyou Native Seeds is working hard to update our website to include more detailed plant information and seed germination instructions for all of the species we offer. Stay tuned, but for now, take a look at this manual for both information and inspiration!

To view the manual you can click on the title above or view and download from clicking here.

Sampson Creek Preserve Seed Collection and Native Planting

Written by Klamath-Siskiyou Native Seeds on January 8, 2018. Posted in Uncategorized.

Native planting and seeding into prescribed burn area at Sampson Creek Preserve for monarch butterfly habitat restoration November 2017.

Planting and seeding in the prescribed burn area in upland grassland and oak savanna habitat at the Sampson Creek Preserve.

In November Klamath-Siskiyou Native Seeds (KSNS) took part in a major native planting project for monarch butterfly habitat on the Sampson Creek Preserve outside Ashland, OR, near Emigrant Lake. The Sampson Creek Preserve is managed by the Selberg Institute as a nature preserve that encompasses nearly 4,800 acres of undeveloped grasslands, woodlands and forest. The preserve was a former cattle ranch and long-term cattle grazing has had an impact on the herbaceous native plant community in what is otherwise a stunningly beautiful and highly valuable habitat that borders the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument. The Selberg Institute is taking steps to combat invasive species and restore the native plant diversity on the preserve.

SOU Environmental Education Majors helped out with the monarch habitat planting along Sampson Creek.

Planting native plants for monarch butterfly habitat in the riparian area at the Sampson Creek Preserve.

The Sampson Creek Preserve planting is part of a larger project partially funded by a $193,786 grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s Monarch Butterfly Conservation Fund. A coalition that included the Selberg Institute, Southern Oregon Monarch Advocates, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Forest Service, BLM, and Lomakatsi Restoration Project secured the grant in order to do restoration work on a wide variety of sites in southwest Oregon, and across a large geographic area. Sites include Forest Service land in Agness, BLM/TNC land on Table Rocks, Forest Service land in Butte Falls, private land in the Colstein Valley and Ashland areas, as well as the Sampson Creek Preserve. This landscape-scale project is likely the largest effort to restore western monarch butterfly habitat in the West.

Planting native milkweed and other native herbaceous plants into the prescribed burn area at the Sampson Creek Preserve.

The overall goal of the project is to restore monarch butterfly habitat on 300 acres in southwest Oregon. The Sampson Creek Preserve portion of the project includes 40 acres of restoration within riparian habitat as well as upland, grassland habitat with an oak savanna component. Twenty acres of the grassland and oak savanna had a prescribed burn in the fall prior to planting and seeding. With help from KSNS, Southern Oregon Monarch Advocates (SOMA) and the Selberg Institute designed and implemented the planting and seeding at the Sampson Creek Preserve.

The planting at the Sampson Creek Preserve included a wide-variety of community partners, organizations, and volunteers: Pollinator Project Rogue Valley, Southern Oregon University students, SOMA, BLM botany interns, KSNS, the Selberg Institute, local monarch and pollinator advocates, and retired BLM and Forest Service staff, all pulled together to make it happen!

Seeding into prescribed burn area at Sampson Creek Preserve for monarch butterfly habitat restoration November 2017.

Maia Black, Executive Director of the Selberg Institute, mixing and planting seeds collected by Klamath-Siskiyou Native Seeds in the prescribed burn area.

Custom, site-specific seed mixing of native seeds collected at the Sampson Creek Preserve for seeding into the prescribed burn area.

Over the last two years KSNS has collected seed from various habitat types at Sampson Creek Preserve for growing out nursery stock and direct seeding. We collected seeds from 48 native species in 2017. See the full list here: 2017 SCP Seed Collection List

We took care to collect ethical amounts of seed from various collection locations on the Preserve to ensure the long-term viability of existing native plant populations. We collected, dried, and cleaned the seed, returning the seed to the Selberg Institute for the current monarch butterfly restoration work, and future restoration needs. It is important for local, genetically appropriate, site-specific native plant seed to be used for habitat restoration to ensure genetic diversity and local adaptation. We commend the Selberg Institute for their commitment to using local native plant seeds for their projects.

Over 7,000 native plants were planted for monarch butterfly habitat at the Sampson Creek Preserve, with a good portion of the seed used for the nursery-grown plants collected on-site at the preserve by Klamath-Siskiyou Native Seeds. The majority of the plants were milkweed for monarch caterpillars, but there was also a large, diverse selection of native nectar plants for adult monarchs planted as well. This work will benefit monarchs, but it will also benefit many other species of pollinator and wildlife at the preserve.

Tolmie’s cat’s ear (Calochortus tolmiei) seed capusules

Oregon sunshine (Eriophyllum lanatum), Tolmie’s cat’s ear (Calochortus tolmiei), Harvest brodiaea (Brodiaea elegans) seed collected at the Sampson Creek Preserve by Klamath-Siskiyou Native Seeds.

If you are interested in contracting Klamath-Siskiyou Native Seeds seed collection services for a project, please contact us early, as our summer seed collection season fills up fast!

Give the Gift of Native Wildflowers!

Written by Klamath-Siskiyou Native Seeds on December 13, 2017. Posted in Uncategorized.

KSNS Gift Certificate — Klamath-Siskiyou Native Seeds Gift Certificate

Give the gift of native wildflowers this holiday season.

Klamath-Siskiyou Native Seed Gift Certificates are now available.

Plant now for springtime seed germination!

To order a gift certificate just send us an email at klamathsiskiyou@gmail.com

After wildfire come wildflowers: A boon for pollinators

Written by Klamath-Siskiyou Native Seeds on December 11, 2017. Posted in Uncategorized.

Wildflowers on the Siskiyou Crest following the 2012 Fort Goff Fire — An abundance of wildflower species growing along the Boundary Trail
in the Red Buttes following the 2012 Goff Fire, part of the Fort Complex Fire.

After wildfire come wildflowers: A boon for pollinators

BY SUZIE SAVOIE

Published: Winter 2017 Applegater Newspaper

People who hiked the Boundary Trail through the Red Buttes at the headwaters of the Applegate River after the 1987 wildfires reported massive floral displays on the Siskiyou Crest within the burned area. After the 2012 Fort Complex Fire, which also burned in the Red Buttes, I saw for myself the same thing: more wildflowers than anyone had seen in decades—and happy pollinators, too. The diversity and color of wildflowers responding to the Fort Complex Fire was truly staggering. Before the fire, much of the area was covered in dense stands of montane chaparral. The Fort Complex Fire burned in a natural mosaic of high-severity fire in the montane chaparral, burning off large patches and encouraging a lush growth of wildflowers where the chaparral had once been. The wildflowers benefited from the wildfire. After the Fort Complex Fire, wildflowers were blooming at the base of burned-off woody shrubs, responding to the lack of shrubby competition. Typically, before the fire, bluehead gilia (Gilia capitata) was seen only in the occasional rocky bald, but after the fire it carpeted the Boundary Trail in a spectacular display. Indian paintbrush (Castilleja spp.) and Oregon sunshine (Eriophyllum lanatum) bloomed in abundance—some areas were so thick with blooming Oregon sunshine that you could see the golden-yellow hue from miles away. Parish’s nightshade (Solanum parishii) also appeared more abundantly. This species is strongly fire-adapted and often associated with chaparral habitat. Considered relatively rare in Oregon, this species is more abundant in California. Chinese houses (Collinsia spp.) were found in dense masses on thin, rocky soils throughout the fire-affected area; however, it was phacelia (Phacelia spp.) that stole the show. Where stands of montane chaparral were consumed by high-severity fire, the area was transformed into flower fields dominated by phacelia. Over the next couple of years, we are likely to see the same amazing wildflower response within the fire-affected areas of this year’s Miller Complex Fire, which burned throughout the headwaters of the Applegate River as well as in the Red Buttes Wilderness. The majority of the Miller Complex Fire in the Applegate watershed burned at low to moderate severity, but some places, such as Azalea Lake in the Red Buttes Wilderness, did sustain some high-severity fire effects in the fire-adapted lodgepole pine forest. The trail into Azalea Lake will surely be a carpet of wildflowers within a couple of years, and it will be a boon for our native pollinators, creating colorful pollinator habitat out of the ashes. Wildfires are a natural and necessary part of the ecosystem in the Siskiyou Mountains. Because the flora is fire-adapted—having evolved with natural lightning-caused wildfire and indigenous burning over millennia—many species of wildflowers respond positively to wildfires and often produce larger plants and more abundant flowers. Wildfires can rejuvenate the landscape. Many plant species need the heat of fire to reproduce or their populations will dwindle. For example, knobcone pinecones can remain closed for 80 to 100 years without fire, and rare Baker’s cypress seeds are also released from their cones from the heat of wildfire. Intense heat can break down seed coats and clear away competing vegetation, allowing wildflower seeds to germinate and the plants to thrive and grow. Recent studies have shown that chemicals from charred wood in the soil following wildfire also stimulate seed germination and plant growth. The seeds of many wildflower species can lie dormant in the soil for decades and then germinate by the millions following wildfire. The plants may have been there long ago, but the area has since turned into chaparral or forest; after a fire the seeds finally have the right opportunity to germinate. Wildfires enhance the world-class biodiversity in the Siskiyou Mountains. The massive floral displays following wildfires are not only beautiful but are also bountiful feasts for hungry pollinators reliant on nectar and pollen from wildflowers for food. Wildfires can increase the available food for native bees, butterflies, moths, hummingbirds, and other pollinators. I look forward to continuing my exploration of the fire-affected areas in the Miller Complex Fire over the next couple of years. The flowers are going to be bee-eautiful! Suzie Savoie, Conservation Chair, Siskiyou Chapter Native Plant Society of Oregon

Luke on the Boundary Trail in the Kangaroo Roadless Area, on the edge of the Red Buttes Wilderness. This wonderful profusion of wildflowers followed the Fort Goff Complex fire of 2012.

An abundance of wildflower species growing along the Boundary Trail in the Red Buttes following the 2012 Goff Fire, part of the Fort Complex Fire.

Pollinator habitat restoration on public land along the Applegate River

Written by Klamath-Siskiyou Native Seeds on December 3, 2017. Posted in Uncategorized.

Planting native pollinator plants on public land along the Applegate River.

Hot rock penstemon (Penstemon deustus) plants grown at the Dorena Forest Service nursery from seeds collected by Klamath-Siskiyou Native Seeds.

The Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest has been implementing pollinator habitat restoration projects on public land along the Applegate River. Over the last two years many sites along the Applegate River have been planted with native flowering plants beneficial to native pollinators such as bees, butterflies, moths, hummingbirds, beetles, and pollinating flies and wasps. Monarch butterfly conservation has been a particular focus of the project, and many of the native plants will provide crucial nectar resources for monarch butterflies as they migrate along the Applegate River.

Tall wooly buckwheat (Eriogonum elatum var. villosum)

Bush pestemon (Keckiella lemmonii)

Many of these pollinator plants have been grown at the Forest Service’s Dorena Nursery, from seeds collected by Klamath-Siskiyou Native Seeds (KSNS). The seeds were collected from native pentemons, buckwheats, milkweed, western verbena, bluehead gilia, bush penstemons, and bicolor annual lupines that grow in the vicinity of the project areas, making the seed ideally suited for site-specific habitat restoration. Some of the seed was used for growing containerized plants at the nursery for out-planting, and some of the seed has been direct seeded at the project sites.

Planting native plants for pollinator habitat on public land along the Applegate River.

Planting milkweed for monarch butterfly conservation on public land along the Applegate River.

At KSNS, we are happy to be part of this important work. We have also volunteered to help plant some of the plants alongside Forest Service staff, Southern Oregon Monarch Advocates, Applegate Neighborhood Network, and local Applegate community members. We look forward to seeing these areas with abundant flowers and pollinators in the near future, and we hope our public land managers continue implementing projects that benefit native plant and pollinator conservation.

Native Equivalents for Common Nursery Plants

Written by Klamath-Siskiyou Native Seeds on December 1, 2017. Posted in Uncategorized.

Come learn more about using native equivalents for common nursery plants in our upcoming presentation in southern Oregon, hosted by Pollinator Project Rogue Valley.