Oregon, which is one of the most excellent states in America, was merely a drive through state with this trip. We spent our first night just south of the Southern Border of Oregon, and then spent our second night on the North Shore of the Columbia River, which is the Northern Border of Oregon. I really should have planned to spend more time in Oregon, particularly between Portland and Astoria. Well, I also should have stayed longer within the regions of Ilwaco. Anyway, our return trip was just as efficient, within only two days. We stopped at many of the rest stops on Highway 5 though.
1. What is this? I saw it at various places north of California. I do not remember where I first encountered it. It may have been just across the border, in the Siskiyou Mountains.
2. Oregon grape is nothing special at home. It gets shabby and only blooms sporadically. I wondered why that grumpy wannabe nandina is the Oregon State Flower. This is why.
3. Western red cedar grew on top of a tree stump and dispersed its roots mostly between the decaying wood and bark, so now stands on its roots above decayed bits of the stump.
4. Grove of the States; what a splendid idea! However, a few State Trees do not live here, so required substitution. Furthermore, many were replaced with random or wrong trees.
5. Douglas fir, which is the Oregon State Tree, grows wild locally, so the specimen within the Grove of the States is exemplary. It is not visible in this picture of its plaque though.
6. Rocks are still a ‘thing’. This one was at the base of a tree that I believe to be a mature Oregon white oak. Goodness; we stopped so much that I do not remember where this is.
This is the link for Six on Saturday, for anyone else who would like to participate: https://thepropagatorblog.wordpress.com/2017/09/18/six-on-saturday-a-participant-guide/
Tony Tomeo 
Loved all the trees in Oregon when we visited years ago.
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There are a lot of them!
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I have never been to that part of the country. There seems to be lots of different plants there.
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Yes, but the flora is no more diverse than it is here, and is not nearly as divers as that of the various regions of California. I drove through fewer climate zones in Oregon than I drive through in the twenty miles or so between here and San Jose.
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Why I thought Oregon Grape Holly was native to China I will never know! That is gorgeous. I think the first tree is a type of Halesia, not sure which. They are common in the woods in North Georgia and there are a few other kinds.
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Various other species of Mahonia, as well as Nandina, which is related to Mahonia, are Asian. Halesia is not native to the Pacific Northwest. I should have investigated this species more closely. Its family was not obvious to me.
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I believe #1 is an osoberry or Indian plum. I am also a huge fan of Oregon grape, with its sulphur yellow flowers.
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That is it! Wow! I should have been able to remember that, since it is native here also. I sort of suspected that it was in that family, but did not investigate.
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I only recognized it because I recently bought some at a native plant sale.
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I failed to recognize it because, although native here, it is very rare, and looks nothing like it does in Oregon.
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I wanted some for my garden till I read that it spreads and is also sometimes summer deciduous.
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Oh, gee, if it is summer deciduous there, it would most certainly be summer deciduous here. It would not likely spread as much. Otherwise, it would not be so rare.
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Thank you!
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