Native plants for urban landscapes
Native plants for the urban landscape
Native plants are excellent choices for landscaping urban areas. These species are adapted to our local pests and climate, and will require less maintenance in the long run than most ornamentals. Planting natives in an urban situation also provides wildlife habitat where it is often scarce or degraded. This lists emphasizes smaller trees to remain in proportion with the urban surroundings and lessen interference with power lines and buildings. Remember to mulch plantings to suppress weeds and irrigate the first two summers following planting. Check optimum site conditions for each species in our catalog before planting to best determine where each will thrive.
Trees |
Species |
Comments |
Vine maple |
Acer circinatum |
Brilliant fall color, mature height: 20’, multi-stemmed |
Serviceberry |
Amelanchier alnifolia |
Versatile, spring blooms, mature height: 20’, can be slow to establish |
Choke cherry |
Prunus virginiana |
Versatile, wildlife value, mature height: 20’ |
Cascara |
Rhamnus purshiana |
Versatile, fast grower, mature height: 30’ |
Shrubs |
|
|
Red-osier dogwood |
Cornus sericea |
Brilliant red stems, fall color, winter interest, requires a moist site |
Beaked hazelnut |
Corylus cornuta |
Versatile, prefers well-drained soils, nuts loved by wildlife |
Tall Oregon grape |
Mahonia aquifolium |
Evergreen, versatile, sharp foliage can deter foot traffic |
Low Oregon grape |
Mahonia nervosa |
Evergreen, needs shade, stays low (2’ tall), slower growing |
Pacific wax-myrtle |
Myrica californica |
Evergreen, fast-growing, excellent hedge species |
Mock orange |
Philadelphus lewisii |
Drought tolerant, white blooms have wonderful fragrance |
Red-flowering currant |
Ribes sanguineum |
Drought tolerant, beautiful red blooms, do not over water |
Bald-hip rose |
Rosa gymnocarpa |
Versatile, needs shade |
Blue elderberry |
Sambucus cerulea |
Versatile, fast-growing, blue berries |
Red elderberry |
Sambucus racemosa |
Versatile, fast-growing, red berries |
Snowberry |
Symphoricarpos albus |
Versatile, winter interest (white berries), good hedge species, stays low (2’-6’ tall), will spread |
Herbaceous |
|
|
Goat’s beard |
Aruncus diocius |
Tall (to 6’), white blooms, fast-growing |
Wild ginger |
Asarum caudatum |
Gorgeous foliage, evergreen, mat-forming, slower growing |
Lady fern |
Athyrium filix-femina |
Tall (to 6’), deciduous, requires a moist site |
Slough sedge |
Carex obnupta |
Evergreen, usually 2’-3’ tall, drooping seed heads |
Coastal strawberry |
Fragaria chiloensis |
Somewhat evergreen, spreads rapidly, versatile, can outcompete weeds |
Woodland strawberry |
Fragaria vesca |
Spreads rapidly, requires a moist site, can outcompete weeds |
False lily-of-the-valley |
Maianthemum dilatatum |
Somewhat evergreen, spreads rapidly |
Sword fern |
Polystichum munitum |
Versatile, evergreen, tall (to 5’) |
Fringecup |
Tellima grandiflora |
Versatile, lovely foliage, can outcompete weeds |