Home > Landscaping > Native Plants for Western Washington Gardens and Restoration Projects
Native Plants for Disturbed Habitats
 | Acer circinatum Vine Maple Tall, erect, multi-trunked shrub or small tree with sprawling branches. Height: 13-26 feet (4-8 meters) Leaves deciduous. |
 | Acer macrophyllum Big-leaf Maple A tree with a large, often multi-stemmed trunk and a loose, broad crown of large leaves. Height: 65-100 feet (20-30 meters) tall with trunk 3-5 feet (1-1.5 meters)diameter. Leaves deciduous. |
 | Achillea millefolium Yarrow Aromatic herb with delicate fern-like leaves and flat-topped clusters of white flowers. Height: 4 inches to 3 feet (10-100 cm). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Alnus rubra Red Alder A fast-growing deciduous tree well suited to disturbed sites. Height: Up to 80 feet (25 meters). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Amelanchier alnifolia Serviceberry, Saskatoon Medium-sized shrub producing fragrant white flowers in late spring. Height: Up to 15 feet (4.5 meters). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Anaphalis margaritacea Pearly Everlasting Clump forming, perennial herb with small withering basal leaves and papery white flower clusters. Height: Up to 40 inches (100 cm). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Aquilegia formosa Red Columbine Delicate perennial with large nodding, star-shaped, spurred flowers that are a favorite of hummingbirds. Height: Can grow up to 3 feet (1 meter) tall. Leaves deciduous. |
 | Arbutus menziesii Madrone An attractive broadleaf evergreen with a twisting reddish trunk and irregular branches with an overall rounded outline. Height: Up to 100 feet (30 meters). Leaves evergreen. |
 | Aruncus dioicus Goat's Beard Tall perennial herb topped with large feathery clusters of white flowers, grows from rhizomes and has multiple stems. Height: Can grow up to 6.5 feet (2 meters) tall. Leaves deciduous. |
 | Castilleja miniata Red Paintbrush An attractive wildflower with red brush-like flower clusters. Height: 8-32 inches (20-80 cm). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Ceanothus velutinus Snowbrush A tall shrub with glossy leaves and clusters of white flowers. Height: Up to 10 feet (3 meters). Leaves evergreen. |
 | Chamerion angustifolium Fireweed Tall perennial from rhizome like roots with unbranched stem and terminal spikes of large red to pink flowers. Height: Up to 10 feet (3 meters), but usually shorter than 6 feet (2 meters). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Claytonia sibirica Siberian Spring Beauty Low-growing delicate herb. Height: Up to 16 inches (40 cm). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Cornus stolonifera Red-osier Dogwood Spreading, thicket-forming shrub with bright red stems. Height: Up to 20 feet (6 meters). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Crataegus douglasii black hawthorn large shrub or small tree with clusters of white flowers and dark purplish-black berries. Leaves deciduous. |
 | Epilobium watsonii Watson's Willowherb Erect herbaceous perennial with opposite leaves. Height: Up to 5 feet (150 cm). Leaves evergreen. |
 | Equisetum arvense Field Horsetail Succulent, hollow, jointed stems with whorls of branches. Height: 6-24 inches (15-60 cm). Leaves evergreen. |
 | Equisetum telmatiea Giant Horsetail More robust and larger than common horsetail. Sheaths around its sterile stems have 14-18 teeth. Height: 3-7.5 (10) feet tall; 1-2.3 (3) meters tall. Leaves deciduous. |
 | Erigeron philadelphicus Philadelphia Fleabane Short-lived perennial with erect stem-base and taproot or fibrous roots. Height: Up to 2.25 feet (70 cm). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Eriophyllum lanatum Woolly Sunflower Wooly leafy perennial with yellow daisy-like flowers. Height: Up to 2 feet (60 cm). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Fragaria virginiana Wild strawberry Low growing wild strawberry with runners, white flowers, and small red strawberries. Height: Up to 10 inches (25 cm). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Galium aparine Cleavers, Bedstraw Leaves deciduous. |
 | Geum macrophyllum Large-leaved Avens Hairy perennial with short rhizomes and big leaves topped by small yellow flowers. Height: Up to 3 feet (1 meters). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Gilia capitata Globe Gilia Upright taprooted annual with large ball-like heads of blue flowers. Height: Up to 3 feet (1 meter). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Holodiscus discolor Oceanspray Multi-stemmed upright shrub with ridged young stems and arching older stems with peeling bark. White flowers. Height: Up to 13 feet (4 meters). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Iris tenax Oregon Iris Clumped, perennial iris with large purple flowers. Height: Up to 16 inches (40 cm). Leaves evergreen. |
 | Lysichiton americanum Skunk Cabbage A wetland plant with very large waxy erect leaves and yellow flower spikes enclosed in a large yellow sheath. Height: 1-5 feet (30-150 cm). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Mahonia aquifolium Tall Oregon Grape Erect, stiff-branched shrub with holly-like leaves and clusters of yellow flowers. Height: 2.5 - 6.5 feet (0.8 meters - 2 meters). Leaves evergreen. |
 | Nothochelone nemorosa Woodland Penstemon Leaves deciduous. |
 | Oemleria cerasiformis Indian Plum, Osoberry Deciduous shrub producing clusters of white flowers in very early spring. One of the earliest plants to bloom. Height: 16.5 feet (5 meters). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Petasites palmatus Palmate Coltsfoot Many-stemmed perennial with umbrella-like leaves from creeping rhizomes. Height: Up to 30 inches (80 cm). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Philadelphus lewisii Mock Orange Erect, loosely branched shrub with large fragrant white flowers. Height: Up to 10 feet (3 meters). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Phlox diffusa Spreading Phlox Mat forming perennial with showy white to pink flowers. Height: Up to 4 inches (10 cm). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Pinus contorta Shore Pine Short pine tree, often with crooked trunk and bushy habit. Height: Up to 100 feet (30 meters). Leaves evergreen. |
 | Populus balsamifera Black Cottonwood Leaves deciduous. |
 | Populus tremuloides Quaking Aspen Deciduous thicket-forming tree with smooth white bark and leaves that "quake" in the wind. Leaves deciduous. |
 | Prunella vulgaris ssp. lanceolata Self Heal Fibrous-rooted perennial from short rhizome or stem-base with small purple flowers. Height: Up to 20 inches (50 cm). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Prunus emarginata var. mollis Bitter Cherry Shrub or small tree with white flowers and small red cherries. Height: Up to 50 feet (15 meters). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Pseudotsuga menziesii Douglas fir Large coniferous tree with thick, fluted bark. Height: Up to 300 feet (90 meters). Leaves evergreen. |
 | Pteridium aquilinum Bracken Fern Rhizomous perennial fern with large, much-divided solitary fronds, Height: Usually 3-6 feet (1-2 meters) tall, sometimes taller. Leaves deciduous. |
 | Rhamnus purshiana Cascara Erect, tall shrub or small tree with alternate leaves and inconspicuous flower clusters. Height: Up to 33 feet (10 meters). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Rhododendron macrophyllum Pacific Rhododendron Showy shrub that can grow very large, with clusters of large pink flowers. Height: Up to 26 feet (8 meters) if grown in shade; shorter and bushier in sunlight. Leaves evergreen. |
 | Ribes sanguineum Red Flowering Currant Erect, multi-stemmed shrub with showy clusters of deep pink flowers in early spring. Height: 3-10 feet (1-3 meters). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Rorippa curvisiliqua Curvepod Yellowcress Leaves deciduous. |
 | Rosa nutkana Nootka Rose Spindly shrub with a pair of prickles at the base of each leaf and large pink rose flowers. Height: Up to 10 feet (3 meters). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Rubus parviflorus Thimbleberry Unarmed spreading shrub with large white flowers. Usually forms dense thickets. Height: Up to 10 feet (3 meters). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Rubus spectabilis Salmonberry Erect and branching shrub with early spring pink flowers and reddish-orange raspberry-like fruits. Height: Up to 13 feet (4 meters). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Rubus ursinus Trailing Blackberry Trailing prickly vine producing small blackberries in late summer. Height: 20 inches (50 cm). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Sambucus racemosa Red Elderberry Shrub to small tree with clusters of small white flowers and red berries. Height: 20 feet (6 meters). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Sisyrinchium idahoense Blue-eyed Grass A small clump-forming iris-like plant with small blue flowers. Height: 28 inches (40 cm). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Solidago canadensis Canada Goldenrod Forms patches from long creeping rhizomes. Stems leafy and hairy near the top, with a dense cluster of small yellow flowers. Height: Up to 5 feet (1.5 meters). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Stachys cooleyae Cooley's Hedge Nettle Perennial from rhizomes. Height: Up to 5 feet (1.5 meters). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Urtica dioica Stinging Nettle Tall perennial herb with deciduous leaves covered in stinging hairs. Leaves deciduous. |
 | Viola adunca Early-blue Violet A blue flowered violet that grows from slender rhizomes and is stemless in the early season, later grow upright stem. Height: Up to 4 inches (10 cm). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Viola sempervirens Evergreen Violet A creeping violet with evergreen leaves and yellow flowers. Leaves evergreen. |
The landscaping and restoration information provided on this page is taken from the Starflower Foundation Image Herbarium. All photographs © Starflower Foundation unless otherwise noted.