From Edgeland Nursery in Eagle Creek, Oregon, these plants will come wrapped in burlap and should be potted or planted immediately. Pre-order for pickup on the next second Saturday of the month.
 
Coyote thistle is an unusual Willamette Valley native perennial that typically grows 1½–4 feet tall. It is best suited to full sun and seasonally wet soil: sites that are saturated or even shallowly flooded in winter and spring, then dry substantially in summer. Narrow leaves and stiff, branching stems give it a rush-like appearance, while small white flowers are packed into distinctive round heads surrounded by narrow, spiny bracts.

Physical Characteristics
• Stems: Upright, widely branching stems arising from a short crown, typically 18–60 inches tall.
• Leaves: Basal leaves may be reduced largely to long hollow petioles; stem leaves are narrow and elliptic, with nearly smooth to small spiny-toothed margins.
• Flowers: Tiny white flowers packed into rounded heads about ½ inch across, surrounded by narrow bracts that extend beyond the flowers; blooms June through August.
• Fruit: Small oval fruits covered with narrow tapering scales.
 
Habitat and Distribution
• Native Range: A regional endemic of southwestern Washington and western Oregon, including the Columbia River Gorge and Willamette Valley.
• Environment: Low ground, wet prairies, vernal wetlands, and other places that are inundated in spring and dry during summer.
• Ecology: Flowers attract bees, flies, butterflies, and wasps; a strong choice for gardens designed around seasonal wet-to-dry conditions.