The Wild Garden: Hansen's Northwest Native Plant Database

Synthyris reniformis (Spring Queen, Kitten Tails)

Kingdom	:	Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom	:	Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision	:	Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division	:	Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class	:	Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Subclass	:	Asteridae
Order	:	Scrophulariales
Family	:	Scrophulariaceae – Figwort family
Genus	:	Synthyris Benth. – kittentails
Species	:	Synthyris reniformis (Douglas ex Benth.) Benth. – snowqueen

Note: Throughout the years I've written short articles for our website's home pages (home pages are the front page of a website) about these plants. They are now included at the bottom of this page, and are illustrated by botanical drawings and paintings, some of which are from books published from 1500 - 1900.

Certainly one of the harbingers of spring in the Pacific northwest, revealing its blue bell shaped flowers just as the snow is retreating.

It is a quaint little plant with round scalloped leaves in a basal rosette with the flowers held above the foliage.

It prefers a moist forest environment in partial shade or morning sun.

Spring Queen can be found along the coast from Washington to California, USDA zones 8-9.

This is a must have plant for the woodland garden.

Photo below center by David Hoffman.

From Homepage March 26, 2008

Between the lambs and the spring flowers, it's a wonder I ever get anywhere!

Seems like every other pasture has a thriving population of momma sheep and baby lambs. Some are all white (well, sort of), some are white with black faces, some are all black, and then some are spotted. Well, I never! So, of course it was time to pull over and take their picture.

It wasn't very far after that when I went off on my favorite gravel road and there were scads of Spring Queens just blooming their little hearts out. Not to be outdone, the Fawn Lilies (also known in some quarters as Lamb's Ears) were in abundance.

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