OregonFlora

Azure penstemon (Penstemon azureus var. azureus) is a pretty wildflower found in more or less moist woodlands and open forest in southwestern Oregon and the northern half of California. Penstermon flowers have 5 stamens, 4 of which are fertile. The shape of the anthers and how they open is often used to identify many penstemon species. The staminode (the long white tube resting on the lower opening of the flower tube) is the fifth and infertile stamen. Its tip is often hairy, but this one lacks any hairs, another characteristic used to distinguish penstemon species from one another. The style can be seen at top curving down between the anthers. A pollinating bee enters the flower tuber in search of nectar, rubbing its wings and abdomen on the anthers and releasing pollen. When it enters the next flower, the pollen can be transferred to that flowers stigma/style and pollination occurs.

Image by Gerald D. Carr from June 12, 2007 from about 2.6 miles northwest of O'Brien, OR.

To view additional images of azure penstemon along with a range map of its distribution, please visit OregonFlora at:

https://oregonflora.org/taxa/index.php?taxon=14003

Here's a new blog post about the flora of one of the Cascade peaks from Tanya Harvey, who is layout editor for the Flora of Oregon as well as writing some floral treatments.

https://westerncascades.com/2026/06/03/a-very-early-spring-at-loletta-peak/?fbclid=IwY2xjawSOdi5leHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeL7pRemhDmqczBCvkLSuWnaFo1Y4Egz7YMpGAV_tIOm7YaPETFfri3kU2qVM_aem_tHdBhVds3DZfkieOjGXcCg

A Very Early Spring at Loletta Peak Looking southeast from the summit of “Loletta Peak,” there’s little evidence of fire. The sharp point of Mt. Thielsen can be seen 25 miles away. Nearby on the right side of the photo is north end of the Balm Mountain rdge. Spreading phlox is abundant all over the summit area.

Royal penstemon (Penstemon speciosus) is quite the showy wildflower with deep, electric blue flowers in a long one-sided inflorescence. It can be found from the eastern base of the Cascades eastward in both Oregon and Washington, with populations squeezing west of the Cascade Mountains in the Siskiyou region of Oregon.

If you can find the plants, they would make quite a show-stopping display in the middle of a sunny garden.

Here's the Garden Fact Sheet for royal penstemon as seen on the OregonFlora Grow Natives website:

https://oregonflora.org/taxa/garden.php?taxon=7103 #

Image taken yesterday west of Wenas, WA, west of the junction of Audubon Rd and Wenas Rd.

Wagner's wild ginger (Asarum wagneri) as photographed by Gerald D. Carr on July 6, 2011 along the Moon Point Trail, off USFS Rd. 439, about13 air miles SSE of Oakridge, OR. This pretty wildflower is endemic to the southern Cascade Mountains of Oregon (from SE Lane County south to the mountains north of OR 66.)

To view additional images, a range map, and brief written description of this unique wildflower, please visit OregonFlora at:

https://oregonflora.org/taxa/index.php?taxon=3014