Our region is a hotspot for rare and endemic plants, meaning they are native and specific to a certain place, soil, or conditions. Endemic plants can be found in almost every ecosystem —along the coast, throughout oak savannas, and in mountainous serpentine outcroppings. Below we have highlighted some species that grow in a variety of habitats represented in our area.
Kalmiopsis leachiana
A relict species from before the ice ages, this enchanting pink flower is the smallest member of the rhododendron family and is endemic to the Kalmiopsis Wilderness, its namesake. It was first discovered in 1930 by Lilla Leach, who later wrote of the moment, “[I] dropped to my knees … I had never seen anything so beautiful before” (The Oregon Encyclopedia, 2019).
Western Lily – Lilium occidentale
These striking flowers only grow in a narrow strip within four miles of the coast in the poorly draining soil of scrub or prairie, in spruce forest openings, or along the edges of wetlands, bogs and fens. Western lilies are now listed as “endangered” due to wetland development or conversion to farm or ranchland, but our county boasts one of the highest remaining populations!
Silvery Phacelia – Phacelia argentea
This once-prevalent coastal plant is now extremely rare, largely due to the rapid spread of European beachgrass – as well as coastline development and off-road vehicle use on the beach. It grows in open sandy dunes and is an indicator of good snowy plover habitat as well!
Brewer Spruce – Picea breweriana
Also called the weeping spruce because of the way its branches and needles hang towards the ground, this is the rarest American spruce. It is found only in a small section of northern California and southern Oregon at elevations above 4,000 feet. The northernmost population of this rare tree can be found in the Iron Mountain Botanical Area, at the top of our Elk River watershed.
Cobra Lily – Darlingtonia californica
While not particularly rare, this amazing carnivorous plant is always a fun one to find! It represents a plant community dependent on bog, fen, and seep habitats, which includes other cool plant species such as sundews, lady’s slipper orchids, and Volmer’s lily.
We could go on and on… there are so many amazing plants in this area! If you are a plant nerd or aspiring botanist, we recommend Pojar’s Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast and Rare Plants of Southwest Oregon (the latter recently put out by the US Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management). Also, consider visiting the proposed Veva Stansell Botanical Area. Happy botanizing!