Field Locoweed: A Critically Rare Washington Native Worth Protecting
Meet one of Washington’s most elusive native plants: field locoweed (Oxytropis campestris var. wanapum). This isn’t your typical garden center find – in fact, you’re unlikely to encounter this perennial wildflower anywhere except in its tiny native range along the Columbia River region.
A Plant on the Brink
Before we dive into the details, here’s something crucial you need to know: this variety of field locoweed is critically rare. With a conservation status of S5T1, it’s considered critically imperiled. This means that if you’re lucky enough to spot one in the wild, you’re looking at a true botanical treasure that needs our protection.
Where to Find Field Locoweed
This special variety is found exclusively in Washington state, specifically in areas associated with the historic Wanapum peoples’ territory along the Columbia River. Its distribution is so limited that every individual plant counts toward the survival of this variety.
What Makes This Plant Special
Field locoweed is a perennial forb – that’s botanist-speak for a soft-stemmed plant that comes back year after year without developing woody tissue like shrubs or trees. As a member of the legume family, it likely plays an important ecological role in its native habitat, though specific details about this rare variety remain largely undocumented.
Should You Grow Field Locoweed?
Here’s where things get complicated. While supporting native plants is always admirable, this particular variety requires extreme caution:
- Rarity concerns: With so few plants remaining in the wild, any cultivation should only use responsibly sourced material
- Limited availability: You won’t find this at your local nursery – and that’s probably for the best
- Unknown requirements: Very little is documented about its specific growing needs
- Conservation priority: Protecting existing wild populations is more important than home cultivation
A Better Approach: Supporting Conservation
Instead of trying to grow this rare beauty, consider these alternatives:
- Plant other native Washington wildflowers that are more common and readily available
- Support local conservation efforts focused on rare plant protection
- Learn to identify field locoweed so you can report sightings to conservation organizations
- Choose other native legumes like lupines or vetches that provide similar ecological benefits
The Bigger Picture
Field locoweed serves as a reminder of how much we still don’t know about our native flora. This variety represents the unique evolutionary story of the Pacific Northwest, adapted to very specific conditions that we’re still trying to understand. Its rarity underscores the importance of protecting the wild spaces where such botanical gems can survive and hopefully thrive once again.
While you might not be able to add this particular plant to your garden, you can still be part of its story by choosing other native plants, supporting conservation efforts, and spreading awareness about the importance of protecting our rarest botanical treasures.
