Restoration Superstar Plants
We love our trusty Restoration Superstars!
Based on our field experience, a few plant species stand out as star performers. No plant will guarantee success, but the species on this list are often your best bet.
This article is part of our Species Selection Guide where we share select collections of plants based on their ecosystem services, site condition needs, or material type.
What are Restoration Superstars?
Restoration Superstars are the plants that seem determined to thrive despite the odds: rough handling, poor soil, more or less water and shade than expected. You get the best results by putting the right plant in the right place, but these plants cut you more slack than most.
All on this list are tolerant of full sun.
Most also grow rapidly and, in adequate conditions, will put on many inches or even feet every growing season.
All of the superstars will take moisture fluctuations or overall wetter or drier conditions than indicated. The most tolerant species are noted in the comments as “versatile”.
All plant information comes from our Species Descriptions, where we invite you to read about more plants native to our Pacific Northwest.
Restoration Superstars Plant List
Plants are organized by the soil moisture needs, starting with the wettest. We’ve listed each species in its ideal spot along the moisture spectrum.
Salix sitchensis
Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
Soil moisture: Saturated to moist
Salinity tolerance: None
Fire tolerance: High
Transplanting success: High (both container-grown & live stakes)
Growth rate: Rapid
Form: Deciduous shrub to 25 feet; fibrous, moderately deep and widespread roots
Comments: Material available as container-grown or live stakes
Salix hookeriana
Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
Soil moisture: Saturated to moist
Salinity tolerance: None
Fire tolerance: High
Transplanting success: High (both container-grown & live stakes)
Growth rate: Rapid
Form: Deciduous tree or shrub to 20 feet; fibrous, moderately deep root system
Comments: Material available as container-grown or live stakes
Salix lasiandra
Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
Soil moisture: Saturated to moist
Salinity tolerance: Low
Fire tolerance: Medium
Transplanting success: High (both container-grown & live stakes)
Growth rate: Rapid
Form: Multi-stemmed deciduous tree to 60 feet; fibrous, moderately deep and widespread root system
Comments: Material available as container-grown or live stakes
Carex obnupta
Exposure: Full sun to shade
Soil moisture: Moist to wet
Salinity tolerance: Medium
Fire tolerance: High
Transplanting success: High
Growth rate: Rapid
Form: Emergent, dense tufts to 60 inches on long, fleshy rhizomes
Cornus sericea
Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
Soil moisture: Saturated to moist
Salinity tolerance: None
Fire tolerance: Low
Transplanting success: High for container-grown, low or medium for live stakes
Growth rate: Rapid
Form: Deciduous large shrub or small tree, 5-20 feet depending on site conditions; fibrous, shallow root system, spreads by layering and suckers
Comments: Very versatile along the moisture spectrum. Material hardy as container-grown only, live stakes are available but less reliable
Rosa pisocarpa
Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
Soil moisture: Saturated to moist
Salinity tolerance: None
Fire tolerance: Unknown
Transplanting success: High
Growth rate: Rapid
Form: Deciduous shrub to 8 feet; branched root system, spreads vigorously by suckers
Lonicera involucrata
Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
Soil moisture: Saturated to moist
Salinity tolerance: None
Fire tolerance: Medium
Transplanting success: High
Growth rate: Rapid
Form: Deciduous shrub to 10 feet; branching, fibrous, shallow roots
Physocarpus capitatus
Exposure: Full sun to shade
Soil moisture: Wet to moist
Salinity tolerance: None
Fire tolerance: None
Transplanting success: High
Growth rate: Rapid
Form: Deciduous shrub to 12 feet; fibrous, shallow root system, spreads by suckers
Comments: Very versatile along the moisture spectrum
Populus trichocarpa
Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
Soil moisture: Saturated to moist
Salinity tolerance: None
Fire tolerance: None
Transplanting success: High (both container-grown & live stakes)
Growth rate: Rapid
Form: Deciduous tree to 160 feet; roots are fibrous and branching, shallow or deep, and extensive
Alnus rubra
Exposure: Full sun to light shade
Soil moisture: Wet to moist
Salinity tolerance: None
Fire tolerance: High
Transplanting success: Medium
Growth rate: Rapid
Form: Deciduous tree to 90 feet; branching, fibrous, moderately deep root system with taproot
Pinus contorta v. contorta
Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
Soil moisture: Wet to dry
Salinity tolerance: None
Fire tolerance: None
Transplanting success: High
Growth rate: Rapid
Form: Coniferous evergreen tree to 60 feet; tap root
Comments: Very versatile along the moisture spectrum
Rosa nutkana
Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
Soil moisture: Wet to moist, dry okay if shaded
Salinity tolerance: Low
Fire tolerance: High
Transplanting success: High
Growth rate: Rapid
Form: Deciduous shrub to 10 feet; branched, fibrous, shallow roots, spreads vigorously by suckers
Comments: Very versatile along the moisture spectrum
Frangula purshiana
Exposure: Full sun to shade
Soil moisture: Wet to dry
Salinity tolerance: None
Fire tolerance: Medium
Transplanting success: High
Growth rate: Rapid
Form: Deciduous tree to 30 feet; fibrous, moderately deep root system with taproot
Comments: Very versatile along the moisture spectrum. Great for riparian areas!
Acer circinatum
Exposure: Partial shade to deep shade, full sun if ample soil moisture
Soil moisture: Moist to dry
Salinity tolerance: None
Fire tolerance: Medium
Transplanting success: High
Growth rate: Moderate
Form: Deciduous small tree or large shrub to 20 ft; moderately deep root system
Comments: Slower growing, a survivor
Acer macrophyllum
Exposure: Full sun to shade
Soil moisture: Wet to dry
Salinity tolerance: None
Fire tolerance: High
Transplanting success: High
Growth rate: Rapid
Form: Deciduous large tree to 110 feet; deep, wide spreading roots
Comments: Very versatile along the moisture spectrum
Symphoricarpos albus
Exposure: Full sun to shade
Soil moisture: Very moist to dry
Salinity tolerance: Medium
Fire tolerance: High
Transplanting success: High
Growth rate: Rapid
Form: Deciduous shrub to 2-6 feet; fibrous, shallow root system, spreads vigorously by suckers
Comments: Very versatile along the moisture spectrum
Rubus parviflorus
Exposure: Full sun to shade
Soil moisture: Moist
Salinity tolerance: None
Fire tolerance: High
Transplanting success: High
Growth rate: Rapid
Form: Deciduous shrub 3-8 feet; spreads vigorously by suckers
Comments: Versatile along the moisture spectrum
Fragaria vesca
Exposure: Full sun to shade
Soil moisture: Moist
Salinity tolerance: Unknown
Fire tolerance: Unknown
Transplanting success: High
Growth rate: Rapid
Form: Herbaceous perennial to 12 inches, spreads by runners
Comments: Versatile along the moisture spectrum
Corylus cornuta v. californica
Exposure: Sun to deep shade
Soil moisture: Moist and well-drained to dry
Salinity tolerance: None
Fire tolerance: High
Transplanting success: Medium-high
Growth rate: Moderate
Form: Deciduous shrub 4-12 feet; branching, roots, suckers occasionally
Comments: Slower growing, a survivor
Pseudotsuga menziesii v. menziesii
Exposure: Full sun to light shade
Soil moisture: Moist to dry
Salinity tolerance: Low
Fire tolerance: Low
Transplanting success: High
Growth rate: Moderate to rapid
Form: Evergreen tree to 200 or 300 feet; tap or modified taproot, shallow or deep, widespread root system
Comments: Very versatile along the moisture spectrum
Fragaria chiloensis
Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
Soil moisture: Moist to dry
Salinity tolerance: Low
Fire tolerance: High
Transplanting success: High
Growth rate: Rapid
Form: Leathery, somewhat evergreen perennial to 10 inches, spreads by runners
Comments: Very versatile along the moisture spectrum
Holodiscus discolor
Exposure: Full sun to shade
Soil moisture: Moist to dry
Salinity tolerance: None
Fire tolerance: Medium
Transplanting success: High
Growth rate: Rapid
Form: Deciduous large shrub to 12 feet; branching, fibrous, moderately deep root system, sometimes spreads by root suckers
Comments: Very versatile along the moisture spectrum
Mahonia aquifolium
Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
Soil moisture: Moist to dry
Salinity tolerance: None
Fire tolerance: Unknown
Transplanting success: Medium to high
Growth rate: Moderate
Form: Evergreen shrub to 8 feet; moderately deep taproot, spreads by underground stems
Comments: Versatile along the moisture spectrum