Native Habitat:
Moist meadows, open forests, streambanks, and forest edges throughout western North America, including the Willamette Valley.
 
Bloom Time:
April – July
 
Growth Habit & Mature Size:
Perennial herb, 1–3 feet tall, with delicate, lobed foliage and nodding red and yellow spurred flowers. Spreads by short rhizomes to form loose clumps.
 
Light & Soil Requirements:
Partial shade to full sun; moist, well-drained soils. Tolerates a range of soil types but prefers slightly acidic, fertile soils.
 
Willamette Valley Native Companion Plants:
Camassia quamash, Achillea millefolium, Eriophyllum lanatum, Sidalcea campestris, Tolmiea menziesii.
 
Urban Garden Function:
Adds striking color and whimsical, architectural form to urban meadows, pollinator gardens, and shaded borders. Its nodding flowers provide visual interest while layering beautifully with grasses and other spring-summer perennials. Works well along pathways, in rain gardens, or naturalized urban plantings, offering vertical accents and seasonal focal points in small and large gardens.
 
Wildlife Supported:
Flowers attract hummingbirds, bumblebees (Bombus spp.), and long-tongued solitary bees. Leaves provide shelter for small insects and larvae of native butterfly species.
 
Historical Use:
Used by Indigenous peoples for medicinal teas, ceremonial purposes, and as an ornamental plant.