Why choose native plants? Pacific Northwest native plants know how to live here and how to thrive here. They often need much less water and less fertilizer. They spread slowly and are not invasive. They support a wide diversity of wildlife. And best of all, they look great!
This very showy annual naturally occurs in vernal pools and other poorly drained sites on both sides of the Cascades, and from British Columbia to California. From extensively branching stems, elegant calicoflower grows a profusion of small purple and white flowers (and occasionally all-white flowers), typically remaining less than a foot or so in height. This is the perfect rain garden or bioswale plant, and surprisingly isn’t used more often in such settings. In naturally damp locations, the blooms tend to start in late spring through mid-summer as the soil dries out. For a perfect mix of striking wildflowers for damp locations, combine it with Douglas meadowfoam and western buttercup. Image courtesy of Northwest Meadowscapes. For a colorful 11×17 poster of all the PNW Native Annuals we offer, click here.
