Oceanspray

Holodiscus discolor

• Hul’qumi’num Name: qathelp
• Description: Deciduous multi-stemmed shrub up to 4m tall. Leaves are coarsely toothed and bright green; flowers are creamy white in dense, lilac-like clusters in mid-summer.
• Habitat: Dry, open woods and coniferous forests. Clearings and bluffs.
• Pairs with: Douglas-fir, arbutus, Oregon grape, salal, and Saskatoon berry.
• Fun Fact: Oceanspray is also called ‘ironwood’,as the wood is very strong and hasbeen used for spears and digging sticks. It is a common shrub in our upland forests, and creates a spectacle when it blooms en masse in the summer.