Wildflowers Found Only in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area

The richness of the Columbia Gorge as a habitat for plant life can be seen in the diversity of its species of wildflowers.  Over 800 species of native wildflowers and flowering shrubs have been found in the Columbia River Gorge Natural Scenic Area, and 15 of them are endemic, meaning they are not found anywhere else in the world and are natural to our area.  The White Salmon Wildflower Festival advocates for preserving and appreciating wildflowers during May.

Seven of these endemic wildflowers are typically cliff dwellers; five grow on gentle slopes and flats in pine-oak woodlands; two are found in shrub-grasslands; and one is known to grow only at the eastern tip of Miller Island.

Cliff-Dwelling Endemic Wildflowers

1: Columbia Gorge Daisy (Erigeron oreganus); found under overhanging basalt cliffs

2: Oregon sullivantia (Sullivantia oregana); found on wet cliffs near waterfalls at low elevations

3: Smooth-leaf Douglasia (Douglasia laevigata var. laevigata); found on basalt cliffs and rock outcrops at low to middle elevations

4: Long-bear Hawkweed (Hieracium longiberbe); found on dry cliffs and rocky banks, generally at low elevations

5: Howell’s Daisy (Erigeron howellii); found on rocky slopes facing north or east at all elevations in the west Gorge

6: Columbia Kittentails (Synthyris stellata); found generally on north-facing shaded banks, cliffs, and ridges

7: Barrett’s Penstemon (Penstemon barrettiae); found on rocky areas, talus slopes, and cliffs between White Salmon and Lyle.

Pine-oak Woodlands Endemic Wildflowers

1: Suksdorf’s Desert Parsley (Lomatium suksdorfii); found in grasslands or open woods at middle to high elevations between the Little White Salmon River and east to Columbia Hills Historical State Park.

2: Columbia Desert Parsley (Lomatium columbianum); found in the open slopes between the Little White Salmon River and east to Columbia Hills Historical State Park.

3: Poet’s Shooting Star (Dodecatheon poeticum); found in open or lightly wooded moist slopes and streamsides between Dog Mountain and Horsethief Butte

4: Broad-leaf Lupine (Lupinus latifolium var thompsonianus); found in open woods and grasslands.

5: Hood River Milk-vetch (Astragalus hoodianus); found in open or lightly wooded areas at low to middle elevations between the White Salmon River and Horsthief Butte

Shrub-Grasslands Endemic Wildflowers

1: The Dalles Mountain Buttercup (Ranunculus reconditus); found in open grasslands on top of the Columbia Hills in Washington and similar areas near the heads of Mill Creek and Mosier Creek in Oregon

2: Smooth Desert Parsley (Lomatium laevigatum); found in open rocky areas and basalt cliffs at low elevations along the Columbia River east from Dallesport.

Miller Island Endemic Wildflower

1: Northern Wormwood (Artemisia campestris var. wormskioldii); once grew on rocky banks of the Columbia River throughout the east Gorge.  Most suitable habitat was submerged behind Bonneville Dam and the Dalles Dam.  The only known location lies a few feet above the water at the east end of Miller Island.