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A visit to Chickadee Gardens

I was excited to finally get to see Chickadee Gardens last week. I have followed Tamara's blog  for years. She and her husband garden on 2 acres in Saint Helens, Oregon.  When you look at the map, it appears that St. Helens is directly across the Columbia River and slightly to the north of us. However, there is no convenient bridge to get over to the Oregon side. You must go north to Ridgefield, Washington (about 30 minutes north of our house) and go across there  or travel through Portland and then go north through Scappoose. Either way, it is about a 45 minute drive. I decided to try the Ridgefield route and I was glad I did. Not only did I not have to contend with Portland traffic (it was Rose Parade weekend), I got to see country on the Oregon side that was new to me.  Tamara used to work at the beautiful Joy Creek Nursery (my favorite, but alas they are now closed) and she now works part-time at Cistus Nursery.  She focuses on native plants and sustainabili...
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The Plant That Took 6 Years To Bloom



That would be Embothrium coccineum, also known as "Chilean Flame Tree" or "Chilean Fire Bush". A very persnickety plant, it was planted in February 2017 and is now about 4 feet tall and has finally bloomed. The Gossler's, in their excellent book "The Gossler Guide to the Best Hardy Shrubs" says that it will grow anywhere from 4 feet shrub to a 50 feet tree. In Rueben Hatch's garden (he sadly passed away last year), a specimen there is about 15 feet tall. It is the largest one I've ever seen.

This plant will only grow in western Washington, Oregon and northern California. I love the Gossler's description:  "People wanting to grow E. coccineum in the eastern part of the country will find that it dies as soon as it gets in the box and knows where it is going."

Unfortunately, I planted it behind the enormous shrub rose 'Buff Beauty' which totally obscures it and it also resides close to the Parrotia (Ironwood) which is beginning to shade it but I do not intend to move it as it would mean certain death. 



Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy
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  1. AnonymousMay 17, 2023 at 7:34 AM

    Hilarious comment by Gossler.
    As it happened, I photographed Embothrium coccineum yesterday at the Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden. It is difficult for me to judge that it's hight, maybe 10'-15', just outside the greenhouse. Those blooms are hard to resist.
    Chavli

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  2. Kris PetersonMay 17, 2023 at 11:01 AM

    Kudos to you for hanging in there! There are a couple of these plants in my local botanic garden but they were probably planted 50-60 years ago when the garden was first developed.

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  3. AnonymousMay 18, 2023 at 7:09 PM

    Fascinating. How does such a plant exist in nature, if it is so difficult to grow, and blooms so reluctantly? Reminds me of Franklinia, which only exists in cultivation now.
    You’ve piqued my interest in the Gosslers. I ordered the book.

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  4. Lisa at GreenbowMay 19, 2023 at 11:21 AM

    We had a lilac tree that took forever to bloom. I finally told it it better bloom or I was taking it out. I think it got the message and decided to bloom that spring. Ha...

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