Oregon sunshine (Eriophyllum lanatum) is a bright and hardy perennial that will add a yellow wave of daisy-like flowers to your landscape or pollinator garden. Oregon sunshine can grow up to two feet tall and two feet wide, making it a great choice for borders and along walkways. Both leaves and stems can be covered with wooly grey hair, but may not occur on all plants. The hairs conserve water by reflecting heat and reducing air movement across the leaf’s surface. Leaves are usually 1-3 inches long, linear on the upper stem, slender and lobed on the lower stem. Flowers are yellow composite, looking like true sunflowers that can get up to 2 inches wide. Oregon sunshine is a long bloomer from May to August.

Considered one of the top flowers for pollinators, Oregon sunshine is attractive to many insects and several species of butterflies, including the endangered Fender’s Blue and the Painted Lady. Acts as both a pollinator nectar source and host plant for caterpillars.

Oregon sunshine commonly grows below 10,000 feet in full sun to part shade. It prefers well drained soil and thrives on rocky slopes and bluffs. Propagates easily from seeds collected in the fall, which can be sown directly into soil.

Eriophyllum lanatum is native to Western North America and is most commonly found growing from British Columbia down to California and out past Utah and Wyoming.  The Lewis and Clark Expedition reported seeing this plant in Idaho and collected 2 specimens in June of 1806. It grows in many different habitats including oak woodland, mixed evergreen, conifer forest, sagebrush scrub and grasslands.