Natives - Pacific Northwest

Family: Pineaceae
Zone:5 - 9
Natural Range: PNW
Soil:  Average
Light: Sun
Height: 30' - 50'
Bloom Time:  NA
Attributes: Evergreen.  Pyramidal crown when young, broadening with age.
Notes: Native to the Cascade Range and Coast Range mountains of northwest California and western Oregon and Washington.

Pot Size:  Large Band Pot

Family:  Sapindaceae
Zone: 5 - 9
Natural Range: PNW
Soil:  Average, humus rich
Light: part shade, sun
Height: 4'
Attributes: Deciduous.  Pendulous mounding habit with no upright branches.
Notes:  New Gary Handy introduction.

Pot size:  1 Gallon Pot

Family:  Sapindaceae
Zone: 5 - 9
Natural Range: PNW
Soil:  Average, humus rich
Light: part shade, sun
Height: 12'
Attributes: Deciduous.  Creamy yellow and bright red stems in winter.  Deep green leaves that turn yellow in fall.
Notes:  Great winter bark color.

Great Plant Picks

Pot size:  1 Gallon Pot

Family: Sapindaceae
Zone:  4 - 9
Natural Range: Pacific Northwest
Soil:  Average to dry, humus rich
Light:  Sun, part sun
Height:  15’ - 30'
Bloom Time:  April to May
Attracts:  NA
Pest Resistance:  NA
Attributes:  Deciduous, small tree or shrub.  Pink new growth.  Red stems.
Notes:  This form was collected from the San Juan Islands.

Pot Size: Medium Band Pot

Family: Sapindaceae
Zone:  4 - 9
Natural Range: Utah
Soil:  Average to dry, humus rich
Light:  Sun, part sun
Height:  10'
Bloom Time:  April to May
Attracts:  NA
Pest Resistance:  NA
Attributes:  Deciduous, small tree or shrub.  Pink new growth.  Red stems.
Notes:  This distinctly three lobbed form was collected in the Wasatch Mountains.

Pot Size: Medium Band Pot

Family: Sapindaceae
Zone:  4 - 9
Natural Range: Western US
Soil:  Average to dry, humus rich
Light:  Sun, part sun
Height:  15’ - 30'
Bloom Time:  April to May
Attracts:  NA
Pest Resistance:  NA
Attributes:  Deciduous, small tree with broad, spreading canopy, often grows into a multi-stemmed tree.  Dark green lobed leaves with brilliant fall foliage in tones of red, orange, and yellow
Notes:  Very popular and adaptable to difficult conditions.  From our collections in the mountains above Salt Lake City.

Pot Size: 4" Band Pot

Family: Sapindaceae
Zone: 5 - 9
Natural Range:PNW
Soil:  Humus rich, well drained
Light: Sun, part sun
Height: 25'
Bloom Time:  May to June
Attributes: Deciduous.  Columnar growth with gold fall foliage.
Notes: A great selection for small gardens.

Pot Size:  1 Gallon Pot 3' -4'

Family:  Pteridaceae
Zone: 7 - 9
Natural Range: California
Soil: Average, humus rich
Light: Part shade-shade
Height: 12" - 24"
Attributes:  Evergreen.  Bright green, fronds.  Short creeping rhizome.  Clumping. 
Notes: Rare newly described species endemic to parts of Northern California.

Pot Size:  4" Band Pot

Family: Sapindaceae
Zone:7 - 10
Natural Range:California
Soil:  Humus rich, well drained
Light: Sun, part sun
Height: 15' -  20'
Bloom Time:  May to June
Attributes: Deciduous, spreading canopy.  Palmate leaves. Silvery-gray bark, pink to white fragrant flowers in upright clusters to 12" long.
Notes:  Slow growing, attractive shrub or tree.
Pot Size:  Large Band Pot

Family:  Ericaceae
Zone: 7 - 10
Natural Range: PNW
Soil:  Average to dry, well drained
Light: Part shade-sun
Height: 15'- 30'
Attributes:  Evergreen, Bright red - orange bark, peels to reveal a green new layer.  White flowers in hanging cluster, orange - red fruit.
Notes:  Once established they resent root disturbance and do not take to transplantation.  Use as a specimen tree to show off its ornamental bark.

Pot Size:  Deep 2" Pot ; +-18" tall

Family:  Aristolochiaceae
Zone: 7 - 10
Natural Range:  Western North America
Soil:  Average to moist humus rich
Light:  Shade, part shade
Height:  6"
Bloom Time:  April to June
Pest Resistance:  Deer, Rabbit
Attributes:  Evergreen, heart shaped leaves, 2" wide greenish white flowers.
Notes:  Great foliage!  Smells like ginger when crushed.

Pot Size:  1 Gallon Pot

Family:  Betulaceae
Zone:  2 - 9
Natural Range:  North America; Western Washington Source
Soil:  Average, moist, humus rich
Light:  Sun, part sun
Height:  20' - 40'
Bloom Time:  March to April
Attracts:  NA
Pest Resistance:  NA
Attributes:  Deciduous.  White bark, exfoliating in papery strips with orange-brown inner bark.  Yellow fall foliage.
Notes: Best in northern and western climates.

Pot size: Medium Band Pot

Family:  Saxifragaceae
Zone: 7 - 9
Natural Range: Pacific Northwest
Soil: Average to moist, humus rich
Light: Part sun
Height: 12" to 36"
Bloom Time: May to July
Attributes: Deciduous.  Leaves with petioles up to 12" tall.  Toothed leaves to 8" across.  Many white flowers on tall, dense spikes.  Short spreading rhizomes.  Subtle earthy sweet fragrance.
Notes: Grows in shady forests and wet mountain meadows often with Lilium pardalinum, Aconitum occidentale, Thelyepteris nevadensis, and even swamp Allium.

Pot Size:  4" Band Pot

Family:  Cupressaceae
Zone:  7 - 9
Natural Range:  Western North America
Soil:  Average, drought tolerant, well drained
Light:  Sun, part sun
Height:  30' - 50'
Bloom Time:  NA
Attracts:  NA
Pest Resistance:  NA
Attributes: Evergreen.  Flat needles.  Orange-brown bark. 
Notes:  Noted to be tolerant of summer heat and humidity. 
 
Pot size:  Medium Band Pot

Family: Calycanthaceae
Zone:6 - 9
Natural Range:   Central and Northern California
Soil:  Average, humus rich
Light: Sun, part sun
Height: 5' - 10'
Bloom Time:  April to September
Attributes: Deciduous, Red fragrant flowers spring and summer.  Yellow fall color.
Notes:  Likes plenty of light but protect from the hottest part of the day.

Pot Size:  4" Band Pot

Zone: 5 - 9
Natural Range: PNW; Northern California
Soil:  Average to dry, humus rich, well drained
Light:  Part shade, sun
Attributes: Deciduous.  8' - 15' tall.  Large shrub or small tree with multi - stemmed trunks.  Blue - green heart shaped leaves that turn yellow and red in the fall.  Small pea like flowers are purple - pink in spring followed by brown - red pea pods.
Notes: A great drought tolerant species for the native garden.

Pot Size:  Medium Band Pot 

Family: Fagaceae
Zone:6 - 9
Natural Range: Washington, Oregon, California
Soil:  Average drought tolerant
Light: Sun, part sun
Height: 15' - 30'
Bloom Time:  February to July
Attributes: Slow growing evergreen tree with rich green leaves and yellow scales on the underside of its leaves.  White flowers late winter to late spring.  Seeds are in-cased in a spiny burr like cover.
Notes:  Male and female flowers on same tree.  Slow growing tree that in the wild is reported to grow over 100 feet tall.

Pot Size:  Small band pot 8"-12" tall

Family:  Ranunculaceae
Zone: 5 - 9
Natural Range:  Washington, Idaho
Soil:  Average to moist, humus rich
Light: Part shade
Height: 8"
Attributes:  Evergreen, glossy green foliage often turning purplish in the winter.  Unusual greenish yellow flowers in spring.  Slowly spreading rhizome.
Notes:  Some patience is needed however for these to fully settle in and show off there nature. Since they are slow to propagate they are only sporadically available.  We have found that a good hummus rich soil with lots of loose compost helps get these indispensable evergreen ground-covers off and growing.  Related to Beesia and Cimicifuga.

Pot Size:  4" Band Pot

Pot Size:  Medium Band Pot

Pot Size: 4" Band Pot

Family:  Primulaceae
Zone: 6 - 9
Natural Range: Pacific Northwest
Soil: moist, well drained
Light: part shade-sun
Height: 6 - 16 inches
Attributes: Blooms: Spring-summer, pink-purple/ deciduous, oval leaves

Family:  Primulaceae
Zone: 3 - 8
Natural Range: Pacific Northwest
Soil: Moist humus rich
Light: Part shade-sun
Height: 8" - 12
Bloom Time:  May to July
Attributes: Deciduous, clumping.  Dark stems, magenta flowers with white ring around the base of the flower.
Notes: Stunning flowers that looks especially showy when planted in mass.

Pot Size:  Small Band Pot

Family:  Liliaceae
Zone: 3 - 9
Natural Range: PNW
Soil: Average, humus rich
Light: Part sun
Height: 12"
Bloom Time:  March to May
Attributes: Deciduous. Bright lemon yellow flowers often with up to three blooms per stalk.  Solid green leaf.  Does not offset but will re-seed near the base to form a clump.
Notes:  Can tolerate shade but performs better with a bit more sun.

Pot Size:  4" Band Pot (2 large bulbs)

Family:  Liliaceae
Zone: 4 - 9
Natural Range: PNW; BC, Washington, Oregon, California
Family:  Liliaceae
Soil: moist, humus rich, summer dry, well drained
Light: part shade
Height: 6"- 12" tall
Attributes: Deciduous. Blooms spring.  Each stem holds up to 2 pink flowers with yellow and orange - red marking in the center.  Purple - brown mottled foliage.  Bulb goes dormant in the summer.
Notes:  In the wild E. revolutum grows in open woodlands.  Will not need supplemental water and should be allowed to go mostly dry in summer.  Plant in a rock garden,in a sunny perennial garden or woodland border. 

Pot Size:  Small Band Pot

Family:  Liliacea
Zone: 7 - 9
Natural Range: PNW; Washington, Oregon, California
Soil: moist, summer dry, well drained
Light: part shade, Sun
Height: 12" - 24" tall
Attributes: Deciduous. Blooms spring to early summer.  Dark brown - red and yellow, bell shaped blooms.  Whorled foliage that resembles Lilium.
Notes:  Not to be confused with the chocolate lily ( F. camschatcensis) or the European Checker Lily (F. meleagris).  Fritillaria affinis is sometimes listed as F. lanceolata. In the wild Fritillaria affinis grows in meadows and open woodlands.  Will not need supplemental water and should be allowed to go mostly dry in sumer. Plant in a rock garden,in a sunny perennial garden or woodland border.

Pot Size:  4" Band Pot

Pot Size:  1 Gallon Pot

Family:  Ericaceae
Zone:  6 - 9
Natural Range:  PNW
Soil:  Average, humus rich
Light:  Sun, part sun
Height:  4' - 10'
Bloom Time:  April to May
Attracts:  Bees
Pest Resistance:  Deer, Rabbit
Attributes:  Evergreen leaves.  White urn-shaped to pinkish flowers.  Black fruit.
Notes:  Spreading shrub forming dense thickets.
 
Pot size:  4" Pot

Pot Size:  4" Band Pot

Family:  Pteridaceae
Zone: 2 - 9
Natural Range: PNW
Soil: Average to moist, humus rich
Light: Part shade-shade
Height: 4" - 10"
Attributes:  Deciduous, Triangular fronds, spreading rhizome.
Notes: Apple green new growth.  Spreading ground-cover fern.

Pot Size:  4" Band Pot

Family: Iridaceae
Zone:7 - 9
Natural Range: PNW
Soil:  Average, humus rich
Light: Sun, part shade
Height: 12" - 18"
Bloom Time:  April to June
Pest Resistance:  Deer, Rabbit
Attributes: Evergreen, fans of foliage.  Blue-purple flowers.
Notes: Easy and drought tolerant species.

Pot Size:  1 Gallon Pot Very Full!

Family: Liliaceae
Zone: 7 - 9
Natural Range: PNW; Washington, Oregon, California
Soil: moist, summer dry, well drained
Light: part shade, Sun
Height: 12" - 36" tall
Attributes: Deciduous. Blooms early summer.  Yellow blooms spotted dark purple.  Bulb goes summer dormant.
Notes:  A great plant for a hummingbird and butterfly garden.  Will not need supplemental water and should be allowed to go mostly dry in summer.  Plant in a rock garden or wildflower meadow, or along a shady border.

Pot Size:  4" Band Pot

Family:  Araceae
Zone:  3 - 9
Natural Range:  Alaska south into Northern California
Soil:  Moist, wet
Light:  sun, part sun, shade
Height:  2' - 6'
Bloom Time:  February to May
Attracts:  NA
Pest Resistance:  Deer
Attributes:  Deciduous.  Bright yellow flowers late winter into spring.  Huge fleshy green leaves that add a tropical look to the garden.
Notes: Works well with Primula, Rodgersia, Petasites.  In the garden we have them planted in heavy soil that is seasonally saturated.  Cooler climates can get away with growing them in full sun but they look the best with some shade in summer.
 
Pot size:  Deep 2" Pot

Family:  Berberidaceae
Zone: 6 - 9
Natural Range: Pacific Northwest
Soil: Average
Light: Sun, Part Sun, Shade
Height: 3'
Bloom Time: Spring
Attributes: Evergreen.  Suckering shrub forming a loose groundcover.  Dark green leaves with yellow flowers and blue fruit.
Notes:  This selection has orange-red flower buds and tends to grow a bit taller.

Pot Size:  4" Band Pot

Great Plant Picks

Family:  Berberidaceae
Zone: 7 - 10
Natural Range: Channel Islands
Soil: Average
Light: Part sun
Height: 6' - 10'
Bloom Time: March to April
Attributes: Evergreen.  Upright, rounded shrub with smooth, glossy pinnate leaves.  Yellow flowers with blue fruit.
Notes:  A unique spineless species native to southern Oregon to Southern California but this particular cultivar is only found on the Channel Islands of California.

Pot Size:  4" Band Pot

Family:  Berberidaceae
Zone:7 - 9
Natural Range: Oregon, California
Soil:  Average-dry, humus rich, Well drained
Light: part shade, sun
Height: 6" - 12"
Attributes: Evergreen suckering shrub.  Brilliant purple, red, blue green foliage when planted in at least half a days worth of sun.  Yellow flowers early summer, blue fruit in fall.
Notes:  I can't say enough about this small Mahonia species.  The color is better than any other of the native Mahonia species and each leaf is ringed with a light colored line.  Rarely taller than 6" and forms a loose low clump of foliage.  It often grows in association with Arctostaphylos species.

Pot Size:  Medium Band Pot

Family:  Berberidaceae
Zone: 5 - 10
Natural Range: Western and Central North America
Soil: Average, dry
Light: Part sun, sun
Height: 1' - 2'
Bloom Time:  April to May
Attributes: Evergreen, spreading, stoloniferous shrub.  Upright shrub with pinnate, glossy green leaves.  Yellow flowers with blue fruit.
Notes:  A sturdy low growing species.

Pot Size:  4" Band Pot

Family:  Asparagaceae
Zone:  5 - 9
Natural Range:  PNW
Soil:  Average, moist humus rich
Light:  Part sun, shade
Height:  8"
Bloom Time:  April to June
Attracts:  Bees
Pest Resistance:  NA
Attributes:  Deciduous, spreading ground-cover.  Single heart shaped leaf with small white held above the foliage.  Red berries in fall.
Notes:  Best suited for larger areas where allowed to become the dominate ground-cover. 
 
Pot size:  4" Pot

Zone: 4 - 9
Natural Range: PNW
Soil:  Moist, humus rich, well drained
Light: Shade-sun
Height: 6'
Attributes:  Deciduous, alternate light green leaves.  Pinkish - orange urn - shaped flowers in late spring. 
Notes:  In the wild Menziesia grows in woodlands as an understory plant, and along forest clearings.  The appearance is similar to Enkianthus.

Pot Size:  Medium Band Pot

Family: Iridaceae
Zone:5 - 9
Natural Range: Pacific Northwest
Soil:  Average, humus rich, well drained.  Summer Dry
Light: Part shade, sun
Height: 6"-10"
Bloom Time:  February to April
Pest Resistance:  Deer, Rabbit
Attributes: Deciduous.  Grass like winter foliage, summer dormant.  Purple - lavender flowers in early spring.
Notes:  Grows in open forest from coast to mid elevations.  In the wild Olsynium douglasii grows in moss with grass, Goodyera, Polypodium and Erythronium.  A great plant for the rock garden.

Pot Size:  4" Band Pot

Family:  Oxalidaceae
Zone: 6 - 10
Natural Range: Pacific Northwest
Soil:  Average, moist humus rich
Light: Shade, part sun
Height:  6"
Bloom Time: May to June
Attracts: Bees
Pest Resistance:  NA
Attributes: Evergreen.  Dark green leaves with silver mottling.  Deep pink flowers.
Notes: This form was introduced form northern California.  Growing beneath old growth Redwoods in deep rich duff.  Darker pink flowers and rich mottling.

Pot Size:  4" Pot

Family:  Saxifragaceae
Zone: 6 - 9
Natural Range: Pacific Northwest
Soil:  Average to moist, humus rich
Light: Shade, part shade
Height: 18" - 24"
Attracts:  NA
Attributes:  Deciduous.  Rosette of palmately lobed leaves on spreading rhizomes.  Tall leafless stems with up to 35 white flowers with deep pinkish frills and buds.
Notes:Elegant and graceful flower stems. Mostly found east of the Cascades, growing in moist, dense forest. Thanks to our friend Alex Wright who introduced us to this gem.

Pot Size:  4" Band Pot