Wildflower Bloom Reports for Central and Eastern Oregon

Columbia & Great Basins of Central Oregon

The area encompassed in this wildflower bloom report lies from the ponderosa and lodgepole pine forests of the eastern foothills of the Cascade Mountains, extending across the sagebrush deserts to the eastern and southern boundaries of Oregon. The northern two-thirds of Oregon are part of the Columbia River drainage (also known as the Columbia Basin). The Deschutes, John Day, and Snake Rivers are the main rivers that drain northward into the Columbia River. The southern third of the state, encompassing much of Lake, Harney and Malheur counties is considered a part of the Great Basin, consisting of fault block mountains and lakes without permanent outlets. Many of the lakes are alkaline, and others are intermittent, often existing as briny deserts.