Two outstanding natural places on the oregon coast

Two Outstanding Natural Places on the Oregon CoastLinda R McMahan, Ph.D.Botanist and HorticulturistOregon State University Extension Service

Munson CreekFalls State Park

Clay Meyers State Natural Area at Whalen Island

Munson Creek Falls State Park, near Tillamook, OregonPlants are my passion so I took advantage of a short vacation to visit these areas. If you share the love of plants and get to the Oregon Coast, consider visiting these two special places

Salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis)

Photo near the falls viewing platformOnly one other visitor was at the park during the visit—a secluded and beautiful experience. The site is an important one for spawning salmon.

Falls from the viewing platformI went to see the falls but was delighted by the wildflowers and luscious plant growth. The falls are the tallest in the Coast Range at 319 feet!

An Oregon native corydalis (Corydalis scouleri)This water loving plant grows right along the short path to the falls, blooming in June. In a garden, any corydalis will need extra moisture to thrive.

Corydalis scouleriThe road to the falls is a little challenging and not for RV’s but cars are OK. The corydalis lines much of the creek.

Lush vegetation aboundsThe trail is gentle, good for those who prefer a short hike

Moss and lichens seem to drip off the trees, fed by the moistureBig leaf maple, Acer macrophyllum, in this temperate rainforest setting

Yellow monkey-flower, Mimulus guttatusYellow monkey-flower thrives in the moisture provided by high rainfall and mist from the fast-moving creek

Lady fern, Athyrium felix-feminaWater-loving and deciduous-- early spring shows off unfurling fronds—can get 6-8 feet high in favorable conditions

Piggy-back plant, Tolmiea menziesiiAnother moisture-loving Pacific Northwest native, also valued as a houseplant in hanging baskets!

Corydalis foliage and sword fern, Polystichum munitumUnfurling foliage on ferns is a sign of spring in the Pacific Northwest

Clay Meyers Natural Area at Whalen IslandA coalition of county, state and private funds created this new natural area, just off Hwy 101 near Hebo, Oregon. Included is this near-pristine salt-water wetland. Lillian Parker Craft

Wetland

Secluded sand forest with native rhododendronWestern rhododendron, Rhododendron macrophyllum, is one of only 3 native rhododendrons in Oregon. This large species grows in coastal areas and the Cascade Mountains

Rhododendron flowers in full bloom in early June 2011Larger rhododendron flowers are shown with smaller bell-shaped flowers of evergreen huckleberry, Vaccinium ovatum. Such a beautiful sight!

Evergreen huckleberryNew foliage for this fine native evergreen shrub is reddish. It is one of our best for ornamental use and often available in nurseries specializing in native plants.

Part of the trail follows the sinuous forms of sand lakesThe Pacific Ocean is visible as a thin blue line in the upper left of the photograph

The natural area plant communities grow on nearly pure sand. The area supports ground lichens, shore pine, Pinus contorta, and other species

The green patch on the ground is a kind of lichen. It is easily disturbed by footprints—it looks like visitors are being careful and staying on the trail.

Tiny young female cones of shore pine are open for pollinationThe cones will take more than a year to produce and release seeds. This photo is in June, and the seeds will be mature in September of the following year.

Trees have their own rich lichen communitiesLook carefully and you can see three different kinds of lichens, two are whitish and one is orange

Parasitic on roots of pine, these tiny plants called “pinesap” emerge above ground to flower and reproduce each year

Pinesap and similar plants can be important food sources for wild animals and insects, part of the complex forest ecosystem

Pacific myrtle, Myrica californica,Myrtle, known for the beautiful bowls and other carvings made from the wood, is also found in the dunes community and makes a fine evergreen ornamental shrub or small tree

Kinnickinnick, Arctostaphylos uva-ursiKinnickinnick forms a groundcover in drier parts of the sand forest

False lily-of-the-valley, Maianthemum dilitatumWetter sites support this moisture-loving groundcover

A wild rose signals the end of the trailRosa species

Thank you!I hope you have enjoyed this short presentation. All photographs are © by the author. You may use photographs and other material for educational purposes. For permission to use for commercial purposes, please contact the author at linda.mcmahan@oregonstate.edu