Holodiscus discolor
Ocean Spray
Description:
Shrub with stiff slender stems. Stems somewhat hairy, reddish when young, aging to gray.
Leaves alternate, 1–5 in. long, oval or somewhat triangular, deeply veined; petiole round with no flat edges.
Flowers white to cream on leafless sprays 4–10 in. long, about as wide. Flowers less than 1/8 in. in size, each a tiny saucer-shaped cup of 5 petals with hairs on outer surface, inside hairless. Fragrant. Flowers fade to tan in late summer and remain on the bush through most of winter.
Grows in rocky open places to moist woods, from sea level to mid-elevations.
Rarity: Common
Flowering Time: Late Spring, Early Summer
Life Cycle: Perennial
Height: 4--9 feet
Habitat: Coastal, Meadow, West-Side Forest, East-Side Forest
Found In: Olympic Np, Mt. Rainier Np, N Cascades Np, Wallowas, Steens, Siskiyous, West Gorge
Native: Yes
Source: Wildflowers of the Pacific Northwest
Additional Resource: Oregon Flora Project