Native wildflowers step in where other plants struggle to. They offer nectar and pollen to specialist and generalist insects; specialists require certain species’ flowers, while generalists buzz from species to species without issue. Most non-native ornamentals only feed generalists, as native insect species don’t recognize their flowers.
Wildflowers abound in Washington, meaning you have no shortage of native plant options. There are herbaceous perennials for freezing winter zones and maritime climates close to the coast. These perennials grow wild in natural spaces from Spokane to Seattle.
Another reason to choose native wildflowers is for their hardiness. They need less water, care, and protection than non-native plants, especially if they’re endemic to your zone. They may want extra water their first year but are drought-tolerant from then on.
Invite biodiversity, life, and wellness to your garden with these 21 Washington native wildflowers.
Camas
Plant them in an area that receives spring rain and summer drought.
Camas are a welcome sight throughout Washington. They lie dormant all winter in bulbs below the soil. When warm spring weather arrives, they sprout by the dozens in meadows, grasslands, and open forests. Bright purple to light pink star-shaped blossoms erupt on three-foot-tall flower spikes from late spring through summer.
Camas attract native bees, insects, and butterflies with their delicious nectar and pollen. Plant them in an area that receives spring rain and summer drought. These perennials go dormant once rains stop and temperatures rise.
Cow Parsnip
Sow cow parsnip seeds during the fall for seedlings by early spring.
Cow parsnip looks similar to giant hogweed. However, this native Washington wildflower is much more beneficial for the environment than its non-native weedy relative. It grows tall stalks with white flower umbels that bumblebees land on to rest and feed.
This herbaceous perennial may cause a photosensitive rash on your skin; wear gloves to protect yourself. Sow cow parsnip seeds during the fall for seedlings by early spring.
False Lily Of The Valley
The dense foliage provides cover for ground-dwelling mammals like voles, moles, and gophers.
Round, green leaves decorate this low-spreading ground cover. False lily of the valley blooms white flowers in clusters that attract pollinators. The dense foliage provides cover for ground-dwelling mammals like voles, moles, and gophers.
This shade lover appreciates moist, rich soil throughout the growing season. Give it plenty of compost every fall and spring to keep your colony happy.
False Solomon’s Seal
This perennial grows below forest canopies in humus-rich soil.
A close relative of the false lily of the valley, false Solomon’s seal is another shade dweller that spreads over time. It reaches three feet tall, with white flowers on stem tips in spring. Enjoy its strappy, flat leaves from spring through summer.
This perennial grows below forest canopies in humus-rich soil. Mimic these conditions in your garden, and it’ll thrive annually. Compost also helps this Maianethemum species. Apply it during dormancy in fall or spring.
Canada Goldenrod
They’re a hardy herbaceous perennial that works well in full-sun locations with little summer moisture.
Goldenrods erupt sunshine-yellow flower spikes in late summer after most plants have stopped flowering or gone dormant. They’re a hardy herbaceous perennial that works well in full-sun locations with little summer moisture. When flowering, they lure bees with pollen. Later, they make seeds that attract small birds.
Canada goldenrod spreads through rhizomes and seeds and can quickly overrun sections of your garden. Grow it in a wild setting where it can creep and spread without hurting your weaker ornamental species.
Douglas Aster
Plants need more water during flowering than other parts of the year.
Fall-blooming wildflowers are a special treat! Gardeners and pollinators treasure them as rare things. Douglas aster is one of these late bloomers. It sprouts purple petalled flowers with yellow centers. They’re rich with pollen, providing a late summer snack to bumblebees and honeybees.
Grow Douglas asters in full sun with humus-rich soil. They also thrive in partial shade, albeit with less blooms. Plants need more water during flowering than other parts of the year, although once established, they tolerate drought well.
Farewell To Spring
Seeds germinate during warm temperatures and sprout into seedlings.
Farewell to spring decorates open landscapes during late summer. It blooms at the same time as Douglas asters and goldenrods, providing nectar and pollen during food-scarce times. Increase your yard’s biodiversity with a few of these annuals spread about—they’ll reseed when they’re happy.
Sow this native Washington wildflower in your yard during fall or early spring. Seeds germinate during warm temperatures and sprout into seedlings. Young plants require some moisture, but they’re drought-hardy when they bloom.
Coastal Hedgenettle
Grow it in a container, or plant it in a wild pollinator garden where it can mix with other hardy species.
This mint relative pockets wet creeks, rivers, and lakesides throughout the Pacific Northwest. It sprouts purple-pink flowers with unique patterns on each one. They invite bees, butterflies, and beetles to the site with pollen, nectar, and edible leaves.
Like mint, coastal hedgenettle spreads readily through underground rhizomes and aboveground with seeds. Grow it in a container, or plant it in a wild pollinator garden where it can mix with other hardy species.
Nodding Onion
The stalks sprout out of bulbs that reside below the soil.
This onion relative sprouts pink-white nodding blossoms on short stalks. They dangle, offering nutritious resources to pollinators who visit. The stalks sprout out of bulbs that reside below the soil. They help nodding onions resist drought, freeze, and hungry creatures.
Grow nodding onions amongst your vegetables for natural pest resistance. They’ll keep your tender tomatoes, corn, and peppers safe from insects.
Pacific Bleeding Heart
Pacific bleeding heart appreciates moist, humus-rich soil like the false lily of the valley.
An iconic Washington wildflower, this shade-loving native grows along the Pacific coast from California to British Columbia. It thrives in maritime forests with wet, coastal air. Pacific bleeding heart appreciates moist, humus-rich soil like the false lily of the valley. Apply compost each year to satiate their hunger.
Pacific bleeding heart spreads through seeds and rhizomes to cover bare soil. Plant them in a shady garden where they can roam about.
Pacific Waterleaf
This herbaceous perennial is cold hardy down to zone 6, although it may survive colder winters with mulch protection.
Pacific waterleaf thrives near moist, boggy sites, as its name suggests. Its fleshy leaves gather energy in early spring, then they use it to create white flower clusters in globes. It spreads underground and through seeds when it likes the site, so give it plenty of space from other ground covers or low-growing perennials.
This herbaceous perennial is cold hardy down to zone 6, although it may survive colder winters with mulch protection. Apply compost or a similar amendment on top of the Pacific waterleaf’s root zone after it enters dormancy during fall.
Fireweed
Start fireweed from seeds during fall or spring.
Fireweed is famous worldwide. It’s the flower that brought life back to war-torn Britain after World War II. It thrives on disturbed ground, growing seeds and rhizomes easily without competition from other species. Find it along roadsides, clearings, abandoned lots, and land recently burnt by wildfires.
Start fireweed from seeds during fall or spring. Seedlings need water while they grow, although they’re drought-tolerant once they establish themselves.
Fringe Cups
Fringe cups need shade, water, and good airflow to thrive.
A Heuchera look-alike, fringe cups sprout nodding flowers that differ from other species strangely. They have frilly petals that look like spiderwebs coming out of green sepals. They look like mini tomatillos! Small pollinating flies, beetles, and bees love these flowers for their delicious-tasting pollen.
Fringe cups need shade, water, and good airflow to thrive. These unique native Washington wildflowers grow well alongside bunchberry, false lily of the valley, and Pacific bleeding heart.
It naturally thrives near creeks, rivers, and lakes where it roots in fertile, porous soil.
Western coltsfoot is a tall ground cover with large, hand-shaped leaves. It sprouts white blossom clusters in early spring that drive native pollinators wild! Let it creep in your shade garden—it uses strong, stout roots below the dirt to start growing in new areas.
Western coltsfoot needs regular water during the growing season. It naturally thrives near creeks, rivers, and lakes where it roots in fertile, porous soil.
Beach Strawberry
They appreciate well-draining soil, low water, and direct sunlight for at least three hours daily.
Beach strawberry spreads slowly, blanketing bare soils with white flowers in spring. When they receive pollen, they morph into small, red strawberries that taste delicious at their ripest. Eat them fresh, or throw them in jams, jellies, and syrups.
Beach strawberries appreciate well-draining soil, low water, and direct sunlight for at least three hours daily. They do surprisingly well in dry shade throughout the Pacific Northwest.
Chocolate Lily
They appreciate full sun to partial shade, well-drained soil, and regular water during the growing season.
Chocolate lilies grace natural landscapes with their nodding, polka-dot blossoms. The chocolate lily is in the genus Fritillaria and resembles its relatives the crown imperial and checkered lily. Chocolate lilies differ in flower color—the petals vary from dark maroon to light green with spotting throughout.
Grow chocolate lilies like you would Columbia lilies. They appreciate full sun to partial shade, well-drained soil, and regular water during the growing season. Once they establish themselves with bulbs belowground, they tolerate drought and winter freeze.
Bunchberry
This species needs cool shade, consistent moisture, and good airflow throughout its lifetime.
Bunchberry is a low-spreading ground cover with relation to dogwood trees! It sprouts dogwood-like flowers on roaming stems. They root as they grow on top of the dirt.
This species sprouts sensitive roots that don’t take to transplanting well. Do so in fall or spring while temperatures are mild, or sow seeds in the place where you intend them to grow. Bunchberry needs cool shade, consistent moisture, and good airflow throughout its lifetime.
Columbia Lewisia
Grow this perennial in dry borders, alpine gardens, or similar situations.
A succulent for rock gardens, Columbia lewisia thrives throughout dry Washington gardens. It needs lots of sunlight while it grows in rocky, porous dirt. Rock gardens are perfect—they provide cool shade in cracks for lewisia roots, and their sunny rocksides reflect sunlight towards the leaves.
Columbia lewisia sprouts purple-pink flowers with white tipped petals. It forms clusters of blooms for a spectacular ornamental effect. Grow this perennial in dry borders, alpine gardens, or similar situations. It won’t do well in shade, wet soil, or clay.
Graceful Cinquefoil
This perennial goes dormant in the winter, making it easy to care for.
A yellow bloomer with hemp-like leaves, graceful cinquefoil is a true stunner in borders, pollinator gardens, and wildscapes. This adorable Washington native wildflower reaches two feet tall and spreads to a similar width. After drawing in energy from spring sunlight, graceful cinquefoil blooms small yellow flowers.
This perennial goes dormant in the winter, making it easy to care for. When it blooms, it attracts moths, butterflies, and bugs. Grow graceful cinquefoil to bolster biodiversity in your garden.
Inside-Out Flower
Grow inside-out flower in damp, cool shade.
Inside-out flower differs from other flowers by pushing their stamens and pistils out. They dangle down, while their petals seem like they’re blooming face up. Although small, these blossoms look superb en masse as they decorate landscapes with pockets of white color.
Grow inside-out flower in damp, cool shade. It appreciates humus-rich soil with lots of organic matter. Specimens need little water during winter dormancy and regular water during the growing season.
Rose Checkermallow
Plants grow lots of foliage early in the season, bloom in summer, then die back for fall and winter dormancy.
One of the cutest Washington wildflowers, rose checkermallow is native to prairies, grasslands, and forest edges. It sprouts magenta-pink flowers on three-foot-tall stems. Plants grow lots of foliage early in the season, bloom in summer, then die back for fall and winter dormancy.
Start rose checkermallow from seeds in fall or spring. They’ll sprout into seedlings as days get longer and warmer after winter.
