Oceanspray (Holodiscus discolor)

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