Kah Tai Prairie

Kah Tai Prairie is a 1.4-acre remnant of the once vast prairies that carpeted the Kah Tai Valley between the Straits of Juan de Fuca and Port Townsend Bay in Jefferson County, Washington. Though development has dramatically transformed this area, a portion of the original prairie remains within the Port Townsend Golf Course. The Olympic Chapter of the Washington Native Plant Society has been working to preserve and restore this unique botanical site since 1986.

With years of work from dedicated volunteers, the prairie is a stunning sight in the spring and summer, with a variety of wildflowers and prairie plants on display. Regular work parties focus on stabilizing prairie plant communities and controlling weeds, with the goal of promoting herbaceous prairie species. The prairie is home to over 90 different species, 27 of which are prairie indicator species.

The botanical show begins each spring with the purplish blooms of Douglas' grass-widows (Olsynium douglasii) dotting the green grass, and then erupts into glorious blue camas (Camassia quamash). The stunning palette of blue camas is punctuated by white, yellow, and pink from buttercup (Ranunculus occidentalis), common lomatium (Lomatium utriculatum), old man's whiskers (Geum triflorum), and death camas (Toxicoscordion venenosum). In summer sunlight, dwarf goldenrod (Solidago simplex) and showy fleabane (Erigeron speciosus) shine bright, completing the Kah Tai color spectacle.

Research projects at the Kah Tai Prairie Preserve include the planting of the federally endangered golden paintbrush (Castilleja levisecta) and studying the genetic distribution of camas, a traditional food source for Indigenous people. The prairie also serves as an educational resource, with many college and school groups visiting to learn about this irreplaceable part of the region’s natural heritage.

To learn more about the Kah Tai Prairie, visit the Washington Native Plant Society’s Kah Tai Prairie webpage.

Kah Tai Prairie Plant Species List

We offer this list to plant enthusiasts as a tool to enhance the enjoyment and study of native plants. It includes 53 plant species found on or near the Kah Tai Prairie Preserve, located on the Spring Valley Golf course in Port Townsend, Washington. The list was originally compiled by Washington Native Plant Society (WNPS) Olympic Chapter in 1987. Over the years, various WNPS members have added to the list. The accuracy of the list has not been verified by the Washington Native Plant Society.