Easy Native Plants for Wildlife Gardens, by Sally Manifold, MS

Easy Native Plants for

Wildlife Gardens

Sally Manifold

The plants listed in these tables are among the easiest to grow in suburban gardens.  If matched to their preferred soil moisture levels and sun/shade exposure, they will thrive.  Many can take more sun if soil moisture is higher; and conversely, plants from Medium and Wet soil lists may grow in drier soil with more shade.  Mulching with chipped branches or leaves will subdue weeds and preserve moisture.  All new plants will need summer irrigation for their first year.

Type codes: t,m,s = tall, medium, small ; T = tree, S = shrub; GC = ground cover; P = perennial; A = annual;

            e = evergreen, d = deciduous

Other codes (after Common name) # = Pacific Northwest native, but not in Puget lowlands;  + = will spread,

            ++ = will spread energetically

                              Sun                      DRY SOIL                           Shade

Common name	Botanical name	Type	Common name	Botanical name	Type
Calif. wax-myrtle #	Myrica californica	tSe	Calif. hazelnut	Corylus cornuta	tSd
Blue elderberry	Sambucus nigra ssp. caerulea	tSd	Pacific rhododendron	Rhododendron macrophyllum	tSe
Shore pine	Pinus contorta var. contorta	mTe	Baldhip rose +	Rosa gymnocarpa	mSd
Chokecherry +	Prunus virginiana	tSd	Tall Oregon grape	Mahonia aquifolium	mSe
Serviceberry	Amelanchier alnifolia	mSd	Ev. huckleberry	Vaccinium ovatum	mSe
Oceanspray	Holodiscus discolor	tSd	Salal ++	Gultheria shallon	sSe
Hairy manzanita	Arctostaphylos columbiana	mSe	Oregon boxwood	Paxistima myrsinites	sSe
Mock-orange	Philadelphus lewisii	mSd	Trailing blackberry ++	Rubus ursinus	GCe
Kinnikinnick +	Arctostaphylos uva-ursi	GCe	Pacific starflower +	Trientalis borealis	Pd
Wooly sunflower	Eriophyllum lanatum	Pd	Dull Oregon grape +	Mahonia nervosa	GCe
Stonecrop +	Sedum oreganum, S. spathulifolium	GCe	Woodland strawberry +	Fragaria vesca	GCe

                              Sun                MEDIUM SOIL                           Shade

Common name	Botanical name	Type	Common name	Botanical name	Type
West. white pine	Pinus monticola	tTe	Sitka spruce	Picea sichensis	tTe
Paper birch	Betula papyrifera	mTd	Cascara	Rhamnus purshiana	mTd
Shore pine	Pinus contorta var. contorta	mTe	Vine maple	Acer circinatum	sTd
Douglas maple #	Acer glabrum	mTd	Pacific yew	Taxus brevifolia	sTe
Scouler’s willow	Salix scouleriana	mTd	Osoberry	Oemleria cerasiformis	tSd
Calif. hazelnut	Corylus cornuta	tSd	Baldhip rose +	Rosa gymnocarpa	mSd
Red-flowering currant	Ribes sanguineum	mSd	Thimbleberry ++	Rubus parviflorus	sSd
Ever. huckleberry	Vaccinium ovatum	mSe	Snowberry ++	Symphoricarpos albus	sSd
Coast strawberry+	Fragaria chiloensis	GCe	Sword fern	Polystichum munitum	Pe
Oregon iris	Iris tenax	Pe	Twinflower +	Linnaea borealis	GCe
Calif. poppy +	Eschscholtzia californica	A	Bleeding heart +	Dicentra formosa	Pd
Yarrow +	Achillea millefolium	Pd	West. columbine	Aquilegia formosa	Pd

         
                     Sun                           WET SOIL                           Shade

Common name	Botanical name	Type	Common name	Botanical name	Type
Red alder	Alnus rubra	tTd	Western redcedar	Thuja plicata	tTe
Aspen ++	Populus tremuloides	mTd	Vine maple	Acer circinatum	sTd
Sitka willow	Salix sitchensis	tSd	Redtwig dogwood	Cornus sericea	tSd
Pacific crabapple	Malus fusca	sTd	Osoberry	Oemleria cerasiformis	mSd
Pacific ninebark	Physocarpus capitatus	tSd	Red elderberry	Sambucus racemosa	tSd
Black hawthorn	Crataegus douglasii	tSd	Twinberry	Lonicera involucrata	mSd
Nootka rose ++	Rosa nutkana	mSd	Salmonberry +	Rubus spectabilis	mSd
Douglas spirea ++	Spiraea douglasii	sSd	Deer fern	Blechnum spicant	Pe
Yellow monkeyflower ++	Mimulus guttatus	Pd	Slough sedge +	Carex obnupta	Pe
Henderson’s checkermallow	Sidalcea hendersonii	Pd	Fringecup +	Tellima grandiflora	Pe
Douglas’ aster +	Aster subspicatus	Pd	Lady fern	Athyrium filix-femina	Pd