Artemisia douglasiana
Douglas mugwort is my favorite of the species of Artemisia that we grow. It is native to sunny streambanks and partly shady riparian areas of several western states from Oregon to Mexico... more->
Fern Hill Nursery and Botanical Sanctuary
Edible, medicinal, and native plants for the Pacific Northwest
We spent 13 years building an abundant fruit forest, annual veggie beds, perennial medicinal herbs, and a healthy mixed hardwood-coniferous forest and now we've sold our property to the next stewards so that we can begin a new homesteading project in Vermont closer to our best friends and their kids.
Don't worry - we plan to keep this website up and running so that our customers can reference what we've written about our plants!
We'll let you know once we re-start a farm in Vermont!
Native to the Pacific NW
Umbellularia californica
Native to northern California and Oregon, this hardwood shrub in the laurel family grows in sunny or shady hillside forests. I've seen it in moist coastal forests as well as in sun drenched... more->
Juncus effusus
Soft rush is a great native wetland plant to have around a pond or swale. Its round, straight stems form a graceful fountain shape, while its rhizomes decrease soil erosion. The roots and stems... more->
Chlorogalum pomeridianum
Soaproot is native to sunny meadows and oak woodlands of northern California and southwestern Oregon. Like other plants in the agave family, it grows strap-shaped leaves in a basal rosette, then... more->
Sidalcea hendersonii
Henderson's checkermallow is commonly found along the Washington coast, but a few populations grow further south here along the Oregon coast. In the hollyhock family, this perennial grows up to... more->
Solidago canadensis
A very vigorous perennial native to much of North America, Canada goldenrod can quickly colonize sunny, moist meadows and gardens. It's bright and canary yellow inflorescences grow upwards from... more->
Lomatium dissectum
Native to well-drained hillsides in the Willamette Valley and the greater Pacific Northwest, this handsome perennial is the subject of an explosion of research for use as an antibacterial and... more->
Lilium pardalinum
Leopard lily is a stunning wildflower native to parts of Oregon and California. It is an herbaceous perennial growing up to 6 feet tall with multiple stalks of multiple bright red and orange... more->
Myrica californica
Pacific waxmyrtle is an evergeen shrub/small tree native to the west coast of North America. It can grow 5-30 feet tall and has sticky leaves and a waxy wrinkled purple berry. It is a great... more->
Berberis aquifolium
Tall Oregon grape is a woody perennial shrub in the barberry family that is tough enough to survive in many conditions and yet provides edible and medicinal yields. It grows 2-7 feet tall in well... more->
Sagittaria latifolia and cuneata
Wapato is a perennial plant that is native throughout North America. Historically, it was a staple food crop for people wherever it grew and continues to be a popular native food plant. Tubers... more->
Anaphalis margaritacea
An Oregon native wildflower with gray green foliage and pretty dried pearly white flowers, pearly everlasting is an easy plant for a native garden. At the height of summer, plants grow up to 3... more->
Calycanthus occidentalis
A wonderfully fragrant native shrub, western spicebush is an open, deciduous shrub that tolerates part shade and is deer resistant. Burgunday flowers bloom late spring to early summer and smell... more->
Satureja douglasii
A native perennial in the mint family, yerba buena likes dappled shade and handles a wide variety of soil from deep rich organic matter to nutrient poor clay. Once established, it can handle... more->
Ligusticum apiifolium
Native oak woodlands and meadows throughout the Pacific Northwest, licorice root, also known as celery-leaved lovage, is an herbaceous perennial in the carrot family. The leaves are edible and can... more->
Aquilegia formosa
A beautiful wildflower, our native columbine blooms yellow and red. In garden soil and part shade, columbine may grow up to 3 feet tall and wide. Delicate flowers bloom in late spring. Great... more->
Potentilla fruticosa
This hardy deciduous shrub is easy to grow in our climate. Deer tolerant and drought tolerant, it blooms for a very long time through spring into fall. We have two varieties- one that blooms... more->
Ceanothus gloriosus
A broadleaf evergreen native to coastal California, this shrub is an excellent ground cover for sunny slopes, especially rock walls and rock gardens. It grows up to 2 feet tall and will grow 5-6... more->
Sedum oreganum
Oregon stonecrop has glossy green leaves that look like little elephant toes. I think it has the best-tasting leaves of any native Sedum. more->
Linnaea borealis
Twinflower is a sweet native wildflower less than a foot tall with elegant bell-shaped white and pink flower clusters. It tolerates full shade and grows as a ground cover in woodlands. more->
Aralia californica
Although some know it as California ginseng, elk clover, or spikenard, I think Oregon ginseng is quite fitting for a plant that inhabits shady, moist seasonal creeks in deep coniferous forests as... more->
Ribes laxiflorum
This currant is native to the Northwest, growing along streams in partial shade. The delicate pink flowers bloom in spring and the delicious purple fruit ripens in early summer. It does not have... more->
Ceanothus thrysiflorus
Blue blossom, also known as California lilac, is a fabulous showy broadleaf evergreen shrub. Lilac colored flowers bloom in mid to late spring and have a wonderful fragrance. Native to coastal... more->
Sedum spathulifolium 'Cape Blanco'
This grey-leaved and beautifully patterned stonecrop grows the fastest of any Sedum species in our gardens. The leaves are a bit more chalky and less palatable than the others, though.... more->
Lomatium californicum
Native to dry, brushy and forested hill slopes in northern California and southern Oregon, this is the largest species of biscuitroot that we grow. I've seen it up to 4 feet tall and several feet... more->
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
A broad leaf evergreen ground cover, kinnikinnick is very hardy. It thrives in partial shade and will spread along the ground or grow along a slope, providing some erosion control. Drought... more->
Ribes menziesii
This prickly and upright gooseberry shrub is native to California and Oregon. It produces profusions of intricate red and white flowers that look like they are turned inside out. If you are... more->
Cynoglossum grande
With beautiful blue flowers clustered atop two foot tall stalks, hound's tongue is named for the shape and texture of the leaves that form a rosette at the base of the plant. It's native to the... more->
Sidalcea campestris
Native to sunny meadows and dappled shade of open woodlands in the Willamette Valley, meadow checkermallow created a gorgeous display of light pink blossoms up to 6 feet tall. In the shade it may... more->
Lomatium nudicaule
I really like the parsley-like taste of this edible perennial in the carrot family. Another common name is pestle-parsley. It's also native to wet meadows and well-drained hillsides in the... more->
Arnica chamissonis
This arnica is native to western North America and is as potent as Arnica montana. It is a low growing, slowly spreading herbaceous perennial that prefers full sun to part shade and... more->
Ribes sanguineum var sanguineum
This is one of the earliest blooming and showiest shrubs in the Pacific Northwest! Red flowering currant is a very popular plant for a variety of reasons. The large clusters of pink-red flowers... more->
Eriophyllum lanatum
A beauty for a native wildflower garden, Oregon sunshine lives up to its name, bearing profuse quantities of deep yellow blooms. Gray green foliage is ornamental. This plant blooms no taller than... more->
Sidalcea virgata
We love this late spring blooming native wildflower that we often find on the edges of meadows. In the hollyhock family, this perennial grows only about a foot to two feet tall at most. It sends... more->
Lonicera involucrata var. involucrata
Black twinberry, native to Oregon, is an excellent hummingbird plant. This deciduous shrub can grow up to 6 feet tall and 10 feet wide. It can grow in sun or part shade. Flowers are bright... more->
Artemisia ludoviciana
Native to Oregon and much of North America, western mugwort is a rhizomatous perennial with beautiful gray-green foliage composed of long, strap-like leaves. Its yellow-white flowers bloom in... more->
Rosa nutkana var. nutkana
This native rose shrub has the largest pink flowers of the Oregon species. They perfume the woods when they bloom in May! more->
Fragaria vesca
Native throughout most of the northern hemisphere, alpine strawberry is that amazingly sweet wild strawberry you remember from childhood. Small fruits pack superb flavor. Plants are vigorous in... more->
Sisyrinchium idahoense var. idahoense
A small but beautiful perennial native wildflower that prefers moist soil and sun, blue eyed grass grows less than a foot tall and makes clusters of small purple flowers in early summer. A great... more->
Lupinus polyphyllus
This perennial produces massive flowering stalks several feet tall that smell sweet and attract bees. Native to wetlands in the Willamette Valley and the Pacific Northwest, it performs really... more->
Asarum caudatum
A beautiful native forest ground cover, wild ginger likes to grow in moist soil in shady areas. You will find it wild near creeks and on wet hillsides in the shade. Glossy heart-shaped leaves... more->
Rosa pisocarpa
Clustered wild rose is native to the Willamette Valley and other parts of the Pacific Northwest. It is a spreading woody shrub, growing up to 6 feet tall. It is a great and easy to grow wildlife... more->
Tolmiea menziesii
Pig-a-back plant is a trailing perennial ground cover native west of the Cascades that prefers moist forests and shady stream sides where soil is moist throughout the year. It blooms in late... more->
Lupinus rivularis
This perennial produces gorgeous purple flowering stalks in full sun or part shade. A Willamette Valley native, it tolerates drought and poor soil with root nodules that fix nitrogen. Deer... more->
Asclepias speciosa
A gorgeous wildflower native to western North America, showy milkweed is a host plant for monarch butterflies. Pink and white fragrant flower clusters bloom on two or three foot stalks in mid-... more->
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