Washington is a state of flora. Naturally, it is helped by its temperate climate – the eastern part of the state enjoys a semi-arid climate. In contrast, its western side is a cool oceanic one. On top of that, roughly half of Washington is covered in forests. The state is overall known for its vast flora – sagebrush, tumbleweeds, Russian olive trees, and many more species have their home here. In the following lines, you’ll find out more about the state’s native plants. Let’s dive in!
What Is a Native Plant?
A native plant is a species that has lived naturally in a region or area for thousands of years and is now essentially part of the surrounding ecosystem. In contrast to introduced plants, indigenous ones have developed and adapted according to the region’s climate, soil, and light conditions, to name a few. In short, native plants have had their home in a certain area for quite a long time!
11 Native Plants in Washington
1. Common Yarrow
The common yarrow is commonly known as the devil’s nettle, old man’s pepper, or the soldier’s woundwort, among many other names. It is a plant native to the world’s temperate regions of North America, Europe, and Asia. This is a perennial plant whose roots produce several stems that can grow between 8-40 inches (0.2-1 m) tall. Its leaves can grow up to 2-8 inches (5-20 cm) long and are either tripinnate or bipinnate. The flowers of the common yarrow are ray- or disc-type flowers organized in a cluster.
2. Yellow Sand Verbena
Abronia latifolia is known as the coastal or yellow sand verbena – its scientific name can also experience some variation, with the naming Abronia arenaria often being used. The plant is common in Oregon, California, and Washington, as well as in British Columbia. The main characteristic of the plant is its bright yellow cluster of flowers. However, they are more than just flowers – they bear no petals. Instead, they feature bracts (these are the yellow elements) that are clumped together and form the plant’s calyx.
3. Western Mountain Heather
Western mountain heather is more commonly known as the white mountain heather – the former name is a rarely used one. The plant grows in the subalpine regions of the western part of North America. Cassiope mertensiana is a rather small shrub with branches that form patches while growing. The plant is characterized by scalelike leaves and stunning, bell-shaped flowers attached to red pedicels. It is usually found in rocky crevices.
4. Red Baneberry
The red baneberry, also known as chinaberry, is a native North American plant. It is known for being poisonous! Red baneberry specimens usually grow up to 16-31 inches (40-80 cm) tall. The plant is characterized by variety. Namely, it can develop three compound leaves and one flowering stalk or three separate leaves that branch near the top of the plant. If you’re purposely hunting this plant, you should look for the two variations! Actaea rubra flowers grow in clusters on branched stems. Each flower has about 3-5 obovate sepals that mimic petals.
5. Fairy Slipper
Calypso bulbosa is an orchid part of the Calypso genus (it contains a single species, namely the one in question here). The fairy slipper is often called the calypso orchid or Venus’s slipper, mainly thanks to the shape of its flower. The plant usually grows up to 3.1-7.8 inches (8-20 cm) tall. It is known for having a single leaf located at the plant’s bottom, stalked up to roughly 2.7 inches (7 cm) long. A leaf can grow to about 2.3 inches (6 cm) long and 1.9 inches (5 cm) wide. The fairy slipper features a red, pinkish, purple, or pink flower with a white lip, a yellow beard, and dark purple spottings. You can’t miss it!
6. Western Serviceberry
The western serviceberry is also called Saskatoon berry, western shadbush, and even western juneberry, among a few other names. The plant is native to North America and, luckily for some plant enthusiasts, is equipped with edible fruit. Amelanchier alnifolia is a shrub that can grow as tall as 3-26 feet (1-8 m). However, it can sometimes reach heights of about 33 feet (10 m). Its pure white flowers feature five separate petals and just as many sepals that grow up to 1-2 inches (2.5-5 cm) in diameter. They are gathered on racemes in numbers as low as three or as high as 20.
7. Great Camas
Called great or large camas, Camassia leichtlinii is part of the Camassia genus of hyacinths. The plant is native to western North America and is close to being at risk in terms of its conservation status. The great camas can grow up to 24-48 inches (61-122 cm) tall and features long and narrow leaves. The plant can be easily identified by its deep blue-purple flowers, which grow in the form of a spike-like cluster that sits on a stem without leaves.
8. Rayless Arnica
The rayless arnica is a member of the sunflower family. However, as its name suggests, it doesn’t feature any rays after reaching maturity – the flower head has only disc florets, which sometimes resemble ray florets. The plant can be commonly found throughout Washington, California, and Oregon. Arnica discoidea features a tall 7.8-23.6 inches (20-60 cm) stem covered in hair. It is characterized by an inflorescence riddled with flower heads also covered in hairs. Contrary to expectations, the rayless arnica does produce fruit! The fruit of Arnica discoidea is incredibly small – about ¼ inch (7 mm) long.
9. Western Wood Anemone
Commonly known as the Oregon anemone or blue windflower, the western wood anemone is part of the buttercup family. Thanks to its bright purple flowers, you can easily spot it in Washington’s forests – although the plant’s size can make things a bit difficult. The flower cluster is characterized by three bracts resembling leaves and a single flower’s presence. The latter doesn’t have any petals and is instead equipped with blue or purple sepals (about 5-7 of them). In rare cases, the sepals can be white, pink, red, or bicolored. The western wood anemone usually grows up to 2-12 inches (50-300 mm) but can sometimes reach about 14 inches (350 mm) tall.
10. White Pasqueflower
The white pasqueflower is also called the western pasqueflower and is part of the Ranunculaceae family (buttercup family, just as the previous plant). A white pasqueflower specimen usually grows up to 3.9-23.6 inches (10-60 cm) tall. Its main characteristic is the fruit it bears, named achene. The fruit of the white pasqueflower has an ellipsoid shape and is covered with hairs known as villous. It develops from a flower riddled with about 200 stamens.
11. Orange Agoseris
Part of the Asteraceae family, Agoseris aurantiaca is often called mountain dandelion or the fancier name of orange agoseris. It can be easily found throughout the western part of North America. The plant can grow up to 24 inches (60 cm) tall and is characterized by its flower head that is covered by either hairy or glabrous phyllaries. The flower head is usually orange, but if you’re lucky enough, you might come across orange agoseris plants with red, pink, purple, or yellow flowers. Unlike the rayless arnica, the orange agoseris does have ray florets but lacks disc florets.
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