Getting Started with
Native Plants in
Photos: Mock orange (Philadelphus lewisii), red currant (Ribes sanguinium), Pacific ninebark (Physocarpus capitatus) and tall Oregon grape (Mahonia aquifolium).
Why Go
Native?
There are a number of
reasons to consider using native plants ranging from aesthetic to
ecological. Many people are attracted to
native plants because they are adapted to the climate and, if properly
selected, are very low maintenance. Lawn and garden watering make up 40% of
water use. Native plants require less
watering and are therefore an excellent choice. Native plants are also better adapted
to the environment and pests of the region allowing you to reduce the amount of
pesticides and fertilizers you use. Rainwater
can wash pesticides and excess fertilizers from lawns and gardens into streams,
lakes, and the
Native plants also let you
do something good for the environment.
Native plants attract native bird and butterfly species. The Puget
lowlands have been inhabited for thousands of years, and during that time there
has been significant human impact.
During the past hundred years, the impact has been increasing, primarily
through the conversion of forest and meadow to urban and suburban
landscapes. Although plants grow back,
sometimes it’s not the same plants. So animals that depend on native plants may
be pushed away. Using native plants can
help support all the species that inhabit the Puget trough
While the human dominated
ecosystem of the
Many native plants uncommon
in urban and suburban areas are poor dispersers. Once they were removed from the ecosystem
(through logging, farming, or other human activity), it is difficult for them
to reestablish themselves in yards and parks.
Species that are dispersed by wind or by birds (N.B. birds that frequent
human-influenced landscapes) can reestablish themselves. However, plants that are dispersed by animals
or plants that reproduce vegetatively cannot easily become reestablished.
Adding
vegetation, especially trees, around your house has the added benefit of
lowering your energy needs in both the summer and winter. During the summer trees provide shade and
also cool the area around them as they evaporate water into the air. Trees act as wind breaks, helping to reduce
the ability of the wind to drive hot or cold air into the home.
Fall color
in vine maple (Acer circinatum)
Why not plant non-native species?
While most non-native plants
used in gardens do not cause problems in our native ecosystems, some ordinary
garden plants have escaped into natural systems and are able to reproduce
without aid from humans. This has the
potential to be extremely damaging to the ecosystems of the PNW, as these
plants can out-compete native plant species, and ultimately affect the birds,
insects, fish and mammals that rely on these habitats for food and
shelter. Such effects are evident in the
spread of Scot’s broom, Japanese knotweed, purple loosestrife, Himalayan
blackberry and butterfly bush. These
species, and others, have been intentionally introduced by people and have
slowly moved out of yards into local prairies, wetlands and forests.
Photos: Scot’s broom (Cytisus scoparius), Japanese
knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum), purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) and, butterfly bush (Buddleia davidii).
A useful pamphlet which
suggests alternatives to these problem plants, but are similar in light and
water requirements, has been published by the Washington Invasive Species
Coalition. It is available at http://www.invasivespeciescoalition.org.
Crafting a plan
Before you pick up a
shovel and start attacking your yard, it is a good idea to take some time to
explore your options and come up with a plan. This will not only help in
picking out the right plants for the job, but will also help you sort out all
your options and choose a method that will accomplish your goals within your
budget.
One of the most
important parts of your plan should be to identify how much work you want to do.
There is a huge range of options, from selecting a few attractive native plants
to creating backyard wildlife habitat with almost 100% native vegetation.
With all the options out there, taking the time to define the scope of your
project will really help to sort through all the alternatives and find
something that will work for you. Keep in mind that you don’t have to do
everything at once, and that taking on sections at a time will let you chip
away at the biggest of projects.
Once you decide what
you’d like to do, you need to think about when you want all of this to
happen. This is important because different times of year favor different
forms of plants (seeds, bare-root, containers, etc.). Deciding upon a rough timeline will also
determine where you can get plants. For example, if you decide that you
can wait till the following spring, you can take the time to shop for deals at
several plant sales put on by organizations like the Washington Native Plant
Society. Alternatively, if you want to move ahead right away you may be
limited to what is available in nurseries or by mail order. Plant
availability also varies seasonally so choosing a timeline that stretches over
the year will allow you to get the plants you want.
Photos: Inside-out flower (Vancouveria hexandra), Common camas (Camassia quamash), and Pacific bleeding heart (Dicentra
Choosing
Plants
After developing a vision of
what you would like to do, you’ll need plants.
- Determine which plants are appropriate for your
yard. You must consider:
- Amount and timing of sunlight
- How well the soil holds water – is it
well-drained or poorly-drained?
- If there are native
plants growing well nearby, you may want to consider these species
- Consider planting
species that grow well together in natural settings (or plant
associations) in your yard’s conditions
Not all native plants are
created equal:
- Some species are very adaptable, while others
may be more picky about their growing conditions
- Some species require more maintenance than
others:
- Pruning: Some species send new plants up from
underground stems (suckers). In
some cases this may be desirable, but in smaller spaces these plants may
require consistent pruning.
- Flowering/fruiting: Some plants retain flower
heads and/or fruit. For the
cleanest appearance, these may need to be pruned. If maintenance is a concern, you may
wish to select plants that drop their old flowers or which have
attractive fruits.
- Growth form: Some native plants naturally grow
in a spreading, wild form, while others are more compact. Be aware of the ultimate shape and
size of the species so that you can pick the right plant for the spot –
fighting nature takes energy!
Below are a few examples of
what works well and where:
- Sunny bed with drier soil
- indian plum (Oemleria cerasiformis)
- snowberry (Symphoricarpos
albus)
- Pacific dogwood (Cornus nuttallii)
- red-flowering currant (Ribes sanguineum)
- vine maple (Acer circinatum)
- blue elderberry (Sambucus cerulea)
- Sunny bed with wetter soil
- Pacific crabapple (Malus fusca)
- red elderberry (Sambucus racemosa)
- salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis)
- red-osier dogwood (Cornus sericea)
- clustered wild rose (
- Shady spot under conifers
- salal (Gaultheria
shallon)
- Oregon grape (Berberis nervosa)
- evergreen huckleberry (Vaccinium ovatum)
- Dry open area
- mock orange (Philadelphus lewisii)
- fescue (Festuca
idahoensis ssp. roemeri)
- camas (Camassia
quamash)
Beaked
hazelnut (Corylus cornuta)
Tips for
Planting:
Types of Planting Stock:
There are many forms in
which you can buy native plants, spanning the full spectrum of maturity, size
and cost. While installing native plants
from seed may be cost effective, it is not a viable option for those looking to
enjoy sizable woody trees or shrubs, and may be more appropriate to small
herbaceous plants. Conversely, smaller
plants tend to establish faster than large plants, grow into well-adapted
plants, and are still economical. However,
there are several types of planting stock that vary in expense, and are
available in many stages of development:
- Containerized
stock are plants grown from
cuttings or seeds in plastic or fiber containers. They usually have well-established root
systems, and thus, go through less shock when transplanted, assuming they
receive proper care. It is
important that you look at the root system before purchasing containerized
stock to check for circling roots that may strangle the plant as they
grow. ‘Root bound’ plants will not
be as healthy as those with roots that have grown just to the sides of the
container.
- Balled
and burlapped (B&B) are plants
that are grown in a nursery and dug up to be sold. The root ball is wrapped with the soil
in a piece of burlap and tied at the trunk with twine for transport. B&B plants are often available
throughout the growing season and are generally larger than containerized
plants. B&B is the primary type
of stock for larger trees, but plants are difficult to transport due to
their extreme weight.
- Bare
root plants are dug up and
stored without any soil around their roots. They are usually less expensive than
B&B or containerized plants, but are only available during their
dormant season. They may also have
more root mass, and are generally easier to move and plant than
containerized plants because the weight of soil has been removed. Luckily, many
- Live
stakes are long, straight
cuttings that are pushed into the soil shortly after being cut from the
‘mother plant.’ These stakes have
the ability to root and grow. In
the
Containerized
plant (Alaine Sommargren); balled and burlapped trees (© Pablo Jourdan); bare
root shrub (Kansas
Appropriate Planting Time:
- Containerized
stock: Fall (preferable) or
spring. Planting in the fall allows
the newly planted stock to receive plenty of water and reduces the stress
of water loss in warm temperatures.
When planting in fall, double check that the drainage of the area
to be planted is adequate: plants can drown too! Spring planting is the second best
planting time – however, this requires that you are vigilant about giving
the plants plenty of water for establishment. The only true restriction for planting
is to avoid freezing temperatures.
- Balled
and burlapped: Fall
(preferable) or early spring.
B&B plants are also susceptible to damage from drought and
heat, and because they are generally larger and will lose more moisture
from their leaves, they must receive a great deal of water during the
period of establishment.
- Bare
root: Early spring. Try to
plant bare root plants as soon as possible after purchase. If this is not possible, be sure to keep
the roots from drying out, protect the plants from frost and keep them in
a cool place.
- Live
stakes: Fall to early winter (November-February).
Planting Methods:
- Plant early in the morning or in the early
evening to avoid added heat stress to the plant
- Keep roots moist at all times during planting
- Dig a planting hole twice as wide as the area
covered by the roots, and only as deep as the roots. Roughen the edges of the planting hole
to increase root penetration into the surrounding soil. Saturate the soil of the planting hole.
- When planting
containerized plants, carefully remove the soil and plant from the pot,
so as to avoid damaging any roots.
Loosen the roots gently with your hand, straightening any roots
that may be curving around the outside of the root ball. If the plant is ‘root bound’ or the
majority of roots are circling within the container, use a knife to make
cuts vertically from the top of the root ball to the bottom. Make 4-5 cuts for each root ball, and
loosen the soil with your hands.
Place the plant in the hole, spreading the roots outward.
- When planting
balled and burlapped plants, gently remove the burlap from the root
ball, supporting the weight of the soil ball. Set the root ball in the hole, and
spread all loose roots away from the trunk.
- When planting
bare root plants, create a cone-shaped mound in the center of the
planting hole, using soil removed for the creation of the hole. Set the plant atop the cone, spreading
the roots evenly down the sides.
- Fill the hole with the field soil originally
removed from the hole. While adding
very high quality soil may initially aid in the establishment of the
plant, creating an environment that is optimal within the hole will not
encourage roots to explore the surrounding native soil. If you wish to add supplementary
material, do so sparingly, mixing compost or slow-release fertilizer with
the native soil.
- As you fill the hole, be sure to continuously
tamp (lightly) the soil to prevent air pockets around the roots.
- Bury the plant only to the original soil level
of the plant in its container.
Adding soil above this level may cause the stem or trunk to develop
decay.
- Make sure the plant is well-watered, in its
entire rooting area, after planting.
- Add mulch to the top of the soil, to help the
soil remain moist and limit the emergence of weeds. Keep mulch from directly contacting the
stem of the plant, as this may also encourage rot.
- Stake the new plant ONLY if absolutely
necessary. If you must stake the
plant to prevent it from falling over, be sure that the trunk or stem is
still able to move several inches is all directions as this will encourage
a stronger structure.
Diagram courtesy of
Water needs:
Please note that regardless
of which type of plant material you choose, your new plants will require water
during the dry periods of their first year, and possibly their second year
also. Although the
Cross-section
of a typical rain barrel (AtWork!)
Rain barrels may be bought
pre-assembled, made from common materials or assembled from a kit. Multiple barrels may also be connected
together to increase holding capacity.
For information on where to buy a rain barrel or how to build your own,
see the King County Rain Barrel Information Page at http://dnr.metrokc.gov/wlr/PI/rainbarrels.htm
Resources:
Books:
A few books will help you
get started with native plant gardening and provide useful information about
our native plants and ecosystems. Much
of the information on this web page has been compiled from these references.
Leigh, Michael. 1999. Grow
Your Own Native Landscape. WSU
Cooperative Extension,
This handbook is extremely helpful for the home gardener looking to use
native plants – it addresses how to
choose native plant species, sources of plants in the area, thorough
descriptions of individual species, and problem plants in the
Pojar, J. and A. MacKinnon.
1994. Plants of the
Pojar should probably be your first purchase as it is the primary field
guide to western
Kruckeberg, A. R. 2000. Gardening with Native Plants of the
Kruckeberg should be your second purchase as it includes much practical
information about growing plants, and advice about which plants are difficult
to grow or recommended for various garden conditions. Kruckeberg is Professor Emeritus of Botany at
the
Link, Russell.
1999. Landscaping for Wildlife in the
This book is extremely
useful for those looking to attract wildlife into their yards. It provides information on specific plants
used by animal and insect species, creating special features in the garden, and
general information about habitat types in the
Hitchcock, C. L. and A. Cronquist. 1973. Flora of the
Hitchcock and Cronquist is
the flora for our area. While the most
common plants can be determined from Pojar, the full diversity of plants does
require a more advanced guide such as this one.
It is also necessary to be able to use such a guide. Luckily, tricky distinctions among our native
plants are few.
Franklin, J. F. and T. Dyrness. 1988. Natural Vegetation of
Franklin and Dyrness
describe the plant associations for our area.
Given a particular climate zone and overstory trees, Franklin and
Dyrness indicate what other species would be expected to be found under
different types of natural conditions.
These major ecosystem constituents are excellent starting places for
selecting native plants. If the guide
indicates a particular plant association, it is common, and by an obscure use
of logic, probably easy to grow. The
book is quite comprehensive, but most people will find the description of the Tsuga heterophylla zone (pp. 70-93) most
useful.
Seattle Tilth, a local non-profit organization, offers a very complete publication of
native plants grouped by the microclimates in which they thrive. To obtain publications, please contact their
Natural Lawn and Garden Hotline at (206) 633-0224.
Saving Water Partnership. 2003. Choosing
the Right Plants for a Beautiful, Trouble-Free Garden and Plant List. The
Natural Lawn and Garden series from the
Websites:
o Many organizations would be happy to help you get
started using native plants:
§
§
Native Plant Society
of
§
o
o
This
website! The Native Plant Production
class at the
o The Department of Agriculture (USDA) has a
comprehensive database of plants found in
o The
Library:
The Elisabeth C. Miller Library,
located at the Center for Urban
Horticulture and run by the University of Washington Botanical Gardens,
offers a comprehensive collection of books, magazines and online resources for
gardeners in the
Consulting:
The Washington Native Plant
Society offers a fairly-priced consultation service for those interested in
installing native plants in their landscape or landscaping for wildlife. They can be reached by e-mail at GrowingWild@WNPS.org
or by phone 206-527-3210.
Photos:
fringe cup (Tellima grandiflora) and
salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis)
Plant and
Seed Sources:
- Nurseries:
- Many full-service nurseries in the
Seattle/Bellevue area also have native plant sections
- Olympic Nursery (Woodinville)
- Sky Nursery (Shoreline)
- Molbak’s (Woodinville)
- Swansons Nursery (
- Specialty nurseries offer a wide range of
plants for specific applications and many of these nurseries are
dedicated solely to regional native plants. The Specialty Nursery
Association of Western Washington has a great directory of specialty
nurseries and maps of their locations.
We have experience with the following excellent nurseries
- Plant sales:
Some
cautions:
While native plants do offer
an ecologically safer way to garden, there are still a number of things to be
wary about when choosing plants. Some
plants, both native and non-native, can be toxic to pets or people. The introduced but extremely common foxglove
(Digitalis purpurea) and the native death
camas (Zigadenus venosus) are both very
attractive flowers but extremely poisonous to pets and people if eaten. Taking care to avoid potentially poisonous
plants is especially important if you have children or pets.
Another consideration is
that plants grow, so be sure to do some research to ensure that what you pick
will work for the spot you have in mind.
While this may seem obvious, it is often easy to underestimate exactly
how big things will get. This is
especially true for trees and their root systems. Some trees, such as cottonwood, may cause
problems with septic systems and drains as their roots search for water.
Species
Recommendations:
Many native trees can
enhance your yard by providing beauty, shade, and erosion stabilization. Of the larger trees, Douglas-firs and shore
pines grow the fastest, while Western red cedar and Western hemlock are
slower. Some smaller trees that will
grow relatively fast and are beautiful to look at are the Pacific crabapple and
the vine maple. Pacific crabapples put
out appealing white to pink flowers, while the fiery colors of the vine maple
radiate through the autumn. The table
below will help you decide which trees are best for your yard according to sun
and water needs:
TREES
|
Common Name |
Scientific Name |
Sunny |
Shady |
Moist |
Drought Tolerant |
Comments |
|
Douglas fir |
Pseudotsuga menziesii |
X |
|
|
X |
Provides nest sites and
cover |
|
Pacific crabapple |
Malus fusca |
X |
X |
|
|
|
|
Shore pine |
Pinus contorta |
X |
|
|
|
63 species are known to
use this tree |
|
Vine maple |
Acer circinatum |
|
X |
|
X |
Attracts birds. Usually grows with several stems |
|
Western hemlock |
Tsuga heterophylla |
|
X |
|
X |
Provides nest sites and
cover |
|
Western red cedar |
Thuja plicata |
|
|
|
X |
Provides nest sites and
cover |
The
SHRUBS
|
Common Name |
Scientific Name |
Sunny |
Shady |
Moist |
Drought Tolerant |
Comments |
|
Flowering currants |
Ribes sanguineum Ribes aureum |
|
X |
|
X |
Attracts hummingbirds |
|
Nootka rose |
|
X |
|
|
|
|
|
Ocean spray |
Holodiscus discolor |
X |
X |
|
X |
Birds like seeds |
|
Oregon grape |
Mahonia nervosa |
X |
X |
|
X |
Attracts birds, long flowering |
|
|
Rhododendron macrophyllum |
X |
X |
|
|
|
|
Red osier dogwood |
Cornus stolonifera |
X |
X |
X |
|
Fruits eaten by birds |
|
Salmonberry |
Rubus spectabilis |
X |
X |
X |
|
Attracts bees and
hummingbirds |
|
Serviceberry |
Amelanchier alnifolia |
X |
|
|
|
Attracts birds and butterflies |
|
Snowberry |
Symphoricarpus mollis |
|
X |
|
X |
Fruit eaten by birds |
|
Western azalea |
Rhododendron occidentale |
X |
X |
|
X |
Attracts sphinx moth |
|
Western hazelnut |
Corylus cornuta |
|
|
|
|
A favorite of woodpeckers
and Stellar’s jays |
One of the predominant
ground cover plants (besides grass) in North American yards is English
ivy. Unfortunately it is invasive,
crowding out native plants and even overtopping and strangling small trees. There are plenty of native ground cover
plants in the
GROUND COVERS
|
Common Name |
Scientific Name |
Sunny |
Shady |
Moist |
Drought
Tolerant |
Comments |
|
Fringecup |
Tellima grandiflora |
|
X |
X |
|
|
|
Kinnickinnick |
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi |
|
|
|
X |
Drought tolerant |
|
Pacific bleeding heart |
Dicentra |
|
X |
|
|
Spreads quickly |
|
Salal |
Gaultheria shallon |
|
X |
|
X |
Berries eaten by towhees |
|
Twinflower |
Linnea borealis |
|
X |
|
|
|
|
Wild ginger |
Asarum caudatum |
|
X |
|
|
|
|
Woods strawberry |
Fragaria vesca |
|
|
|
X |
|
To add to the exciting
beauty of your native garden, the
PERENNIALS
|
Common Name |
Scientific Name |
Sunny |
Shady |
Moist |
Drought
Tolerant |
Comments |
|
Bleeding heart |
Dicentra |
|
X |
|
X |
|
|
Shooting star |
Dodecatheon spp. |
|
|
|
X |
|
|
|
Eriophyllum lanatum |
X |
|
|
X |
|
|
Western trillium |
Trillium ovatum |
|
X |
X |
|
|
Compiled by: Phillip Chi, James A. Lutz, Alaine Sommargren,
and Joy K. Wood, 2006.