Plant Infomation Phone: 503-623-9680 www.polkswcd.org
CONIFEROUS TREES Common Name - Scientific Name
Mature Height
Douglas fir - Pseudotsuga menziesii
200'+
grand fir - Abies grandis
300'+
incense cedar - Calocedrus decurrens
100'+
Port Orford cedar - C. Lawsoniana
150'+
Prefers Full Sun
Part Sun & Shade
Prefers Shade
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-
-
-
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lodgepole pine - Pinus contorta murrayana
60'+
noble fir - Abies procera
200'+
ponderosa pine - Pinus ponderosa
200'
sitka spruce - Picea sitchensis
200'+
western hemlock - Tsuga heterophylla
180'
western red cedar - Thuja plicata
180'
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Soil Conditions
Special Uses
grows on all but wettest soil
Oregon’s State tree, can live over 200 years. Thick bark enables it to survive moderate fire. Is commonly I, B, T used as a Christmas tree. Native Americans used parts as a food source, chewing gum, medicine, antiseptic, tea, vitamin C, baskets, dye, insecticide, cork, resin, mouthwash, and as firewood.
Notes / Description
variety
A tall, stately, coniferous tree with grayish brown bark. Needles are flat with rounded tips, cones are B, T, W cylindrical, erect and ~4” long. Grand fir is distinguished from other firs by its sprays of lustrous needles in 2 distinct rows such that both the upper and lower sides of the branch are clearly visible.
prefers dry sites
Attractively shaped conifer with dense foliage often used in home landscapes. Wood has pleasant odor. B, T, W, Important commercial softwood species. Used by Native Americans of California in the process of L leaching acorn meal, for relieving stomach upset, and sometimes for making bows.
well drained moist
The Port Orford "Cedar" tree is a coniferous evergreen tree native to Northern California and Southern B, T, W, Oregon. It is not a true cedar tree, rather it is a cypress and is also called the Port Orford Cypress or S, L Lawson Cypress.
variety, prefers moist
P. contorta var. murrayana is native to the Sierra Nevadas, and is also called Sierra lodgepole pine or B, T, W, tamarack pine. Very versatile, withstanding hot/cold and wet/dry extremes. Used for framing, paneling, S, L posts, poles, railroad ties, and pulpwood. Traditionally used by Native Americans for building lodges and some medicinal purposes.
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rich, deep
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adaptable, wet or dry sites moist, welldrained
wet, dry, variety
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moist to poorlydrained sites
A tall, beautifully symmetric coniferous with large cylindrical cones up to 6” long distinguished by shaggy B, T, W, edged sharp pointed bracts that nearly conceal the scales and their erect position on the branch. Largest L of the true firs in overall size, its lumber was used to build the R.A.F. Mosquito planes in WWII. T, W, L B, W, L B, T, W, L I, B, T, W, S, L
Popular for its straight growth habit that exposes scaled, colored bark with a vanilla fragrance. Native Americans ate the pine seeds and sweet phloem in the inner bark. A large coniferous tree with thin and scaly bark which flakes off in small circular flakes. The crown is broad and conical in young trees and cylindrical in older ones. Sitka spruce is known for its stiff, sharp needles pointing out on all sides of the branch. Adaptable, Attractively shaped conifer with a narrow long crown. Numerous very small cones and delicate short needles. The bark is reddish brown with scaling ridges. Seeds - important food source for birds and small mammals. Fragrant. Resistant to rot it is used for shingles, siding, utility poles, fence posts, outdoor construction, and boatbuilding. NW Coast Native Americans used it for totem poles, their lodges, canoes, containers, and fibrous inner bark for rope, roof thatching, and blankets.
Attract: I - Insects, butterflies, & bees B - Birds H - Hummingbirds Use for: T - Timber W - Wildlife (forage, cover, feed) S - Bank stabilization L - Landscaping
The Polk Soil Water Conservation District complies with the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability.
DECIDUOUS TREES Common Name - Scientific Name
Mature Height
Prefers Full Sun
Part Sun & Shade
Prefers Shade
alder, red - Alnus rubra
75'
alder, white - Alnus rhombifolia
75'
Beaked hazelnut - Corylus cornuta
10'
big leaf maple - Acer macrophyllum
100'
black cottonwood - Populas trichocarpa
180'
cascara - Rhamnus purshiana
30'
chokecherry - Prunus virginiana
16'
moist soils, wet areas
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moist soils, wet areas Moist, but well drained well-drained moist soils, streambanks, floodplains
100'
Oregon ash - Fraxinus latifolia
80'
Pacific dogwood - Cornus nuttallii
50'
quaking aspen - Populus tremuloides
85'
-
-
-
well-drained
-
moist to wet
-
moist to dry, needs drainage
-
moist, riparian
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willow, Pacific - Salix lucida
40'
willow, Scouler’s - Salix scouleriana
30'
Notes / Description
Good to plant along streams for shade and erosion control. Name is from the bright red color that develops when the bark is scraped. Used by Native Americans to dye fishing nets to make them less All visible underwater. The bark was used to treat poison oak, insect bites, and skin irritations. It has been used to make bowls, masks, rattles, and smoking salmon or other fish. Some tribes used to treat lymphatic disorders and tuberculosis. Common riparian tree with smooth whitish to gray bark, straight trunk and open, rounded crown, showy in All winter. Has been used for dyes and as a tea to induce perspiration. I, B, W, Shrubby tree with many stems and excellent tasting nuts. Traditionally eaten by northwest natives, nuts are harvested in late summer or early autumn, stored until ripe and then eaten raw or roasted. L I, B, T, Supports mosses, ferns and lichens and provides seeds for wildlife. Yellow fall color. Has been used for W, L making containers, paddles, and syrup. Fast growing with dark gray bark. Important browse for deer and elk. Nesting habitat for large birds. B, W, S Valued by many Native Americans for its antiseptic, expectorant, and pain killing properties. The inner bark was used as a sweet food either raw or dried.
Silver gray bark and produces black berries attractive to birds. Bark used for medicinal purposes. The dried, aged bark of this tree has been used continually for at least 1,000 years by both native and I, B, W immigrant Americans as a laxative. Commercially called "Cascara Sagrada", old timers call it "chitticum bark". Over-harvesting of bark from wild trees in the middle 1900's eliminated mature trees near many settled areas. wide variety, semiA small tree with wide distribution. Dried fruit often mixed with meat and eaten by Indigenous Groups. drought tolerant I, B The pits have been used in blowguns, the bark for baskets, fires made from its wood produced little smoke, and the juice was used to color pictographs. Fruits commonly used for jelly and jam making.
oak, Oregon white - Quercus garryana
Special Uses
moist, welldrained -
Soil Conditions
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-
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Oregon’s only native oak. Forms wide spreading branches and grows slowly to 100 ft. Oregon's oak I, B, H, habitats are seriously threatened by encroachment of young dense patches of oak and by overcrowding T, W conifers. The Oak Savannah is a very important habitat that was maintained by Native Americans with fire to keep it open, providing key food source and habitat for both humans and wildlife. Traditionally it was thought that rattlesnakes would not crawl over an Oregon Ash branch so it was used B, W, S for protection from snakes. Has been used for axes, spears, and vessels. Makes excellent firewood as splits easily and has high heat value. Medium irregular shaped tree. Large white or pinkish blossoms in spring. Orange-red fruit are especially I, B, H, attractive to birds. Very showy from spring to fall. The hard wood was used to make weapons and tools L by Indigenous peoples. Has flat leaf stalks which allow the leaves to flutter in even the slightest breeze. Excellent tree for wildlife. W, L Bark buds, new sprouts, twigs from fallen trees, foliage, and fallen leaves are provide feed for wildlife.
moist soils, streambanks, floodplains
One of the largest native willows. Excellent for streambank stabilization and erosion control. Also known I, W, S, as Shining Willow. Has traditionally been used for basketry. Medicinally it produces salicin, a compound similar to aspirin, which relieves pain and swelling. The inner bark is haemostatic and has been applied to L stop bleeding cuts. Excellent creekside vegetation.
moist soils, streambanks, floodplains
A tall spindly shrub covered in dense white velvet. Braches range from dark brown to yellowish-brown. I, W, S, Extremely similar to Pacific willow in use and location. Leaf shape is much rounder, young leaves are L velvety, older leaves are hairy below. Excellent creekside vegetation.
Attract: I - Insects, butterflies, & bees B - Birds H - Hummingbirds Use for: T - Timber W - Wildlife (forage, cover, feed) S - Bank stabilization L - Landscaping
The Polk Soil Water Conservation District complies with the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability.
SHRUBS Common Name - Scientific Name
Mature Height
Prefers Full Sun
Part Sun & Shade
black twinberry - Lonicera involucrate
2 - 10'
blueblossem ceanothus - Ceanothus thyrsiflorus
6'
1-2'
Bog Blueberry - Vaccinum Uliginosum
buckbrush - Cenaothus cuneatus
currant, golden - Ribes aureum
8'
6 - 9'
Prefers Shade
-
Soil Conditions
moist soils along wetlands well drained, dry to moist moist to wet
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-
-
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well-drained moist, welldrained
9'
-
best on welldrained
Douglas spirea - Spirea douglasii
3 - 6'
prefers moist
12'
elderberry, red - Sambucus racemosa
18'
evergreen huckleberry - Vaccinium ovatum
14'
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elderberry, blue - Sambucus caerulea
prefers welldrained prefers welldrained near tidewater, forests areas
Black Huckleberry - Vaccinum Membranaceum
1-4'
near tidewater, forests areas
currant, red flowering - Ribes sanguineum
Indian Plum - Oemleria cerasiformis
16'
Kinnikinnick - Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
<1'
mock orange - Philadelphus lewisii
12'
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Notes / Description
Special Uses
I, B, L I, B, L I, B, W, L I, B, W, L I, B, W, L I, B, H, L I, B, W, S, L I, B, W I, B, W I, B, W
I, B, W
Bark used medically for a variety of conditions from digestive tract issues to contraceptives. The Haida rubbed the berries in their scalp to keep their hair from going grey. Also known as Bearberry honeysuckle.by some to be the queen of wild evergreen lilacs, Blueblossom makes an excellent addition Considered to the native plant landscape garden. Blueblossom does well in sun or shade and requires minimum care or water. Soil must be well-drained. Perennial low mat forming to erect deciduous shrub. Dark green leathery leaves. Shade Intolerant. Pink flowers in May-June. Berries are blue round, covered in a fine waxy powder, edible and sweet. An important food source for birds and mammals. Species is variable in appearance because it easily hybridizes with similar species. Mature seed capsules burst and cast seed up to 35 feet. Germination of seeds is enhanced by fire. Native to Southwestern Oregon and parts of the Willamette Valley. Preferred orage species of deer. Perennial shrub. Fragrant yellow flowers bloom in late spring. Fruits are eaten by chipmunks, songbirds, ground squirrels, and the leaves are browsed by many species of wildlife. The fruits are used for jams, jellies, and making pemmican. It was also used to color clay pots. Likes grasslands, coniferous forests, riparian areas, and floodplains. Beautiful ornamental shrub with flowers that may be white, pink, to deep red. Attracts butterflies and hummingbirds. Some Native Americans ate the small black tart fruit. Introduced to the horticultural world in 1826. Fast growing, erect leggy shrub producing pinkish flowers in July. Attractive ornamental that is a good butterfly-bush alternative, and that wildlife like. Fast growing handsome shrub. White flower clusters. Used for some medicinal purposes by Native American tribes. Parts of the plant can be toxic. Deer love to browse the leaves. White flowers and bright red berry like clusters highly sought by birds. Used for medicinal needs by Native American tribes Parts of the plant can be toxic. Good browse for deer. Perennial semi erect shrub. Thin lance to elliptical shaped leaves. Flowers creamy to yellowish pink in color. Berries are purplish to reddish black. Black Huckleberry is known to be one of the tastiest of the vaccinium family. Berries frequently used in pies and jams. Also known as Winter huckleberry. The berries are high in vitamin C and fresh from the plant in the past they would often be mixed with oil or were dried into cakes by native peoples. Tastes best after first frost. Valuable for winter forage to wildlife. One of first plants to bloom, January - February. White flowers yield small purple edible plums.Highly sought by birds. The fruit, which looks plum-like was eaten raw or cooked in small quantities (can be toxic if too much is eaten), but has a poor flavor. The bark is mildly laxative and a poultice has been made to treat soreness. Also known as Bearberry. Preferes rocky or sandy slopes. A low, matted evergreen shrub with redbrown, woody stems; leathery, green leaves and small, pink, bell shaped flowers appearing in March to July. Bright red berries resembling apples ripen very late, even into winter.
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dry to moist
B, W
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dry, sandy or rocky slopes
I, B, W, L
adapted to all but wet
Clusters of aromatic white flowers at branch ends that attract birds, bees, and butterflies. Seeds are a good food source for birds. Deer and elk like to browse the foliage. Plant at low elevation. Good for I, W, L border plantings, hedgerows, and as a stand alone if thinned occasionally. Fragrance reminded Meriwether Lewis of oranges.
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Attract: I - Insects, butterflies, & bees B - Birds H - Hummingbirds Use for: T - Timber W - Wildlife (forage, cover, feed) S - Bank stabilization L - Landscaping Shrub descriptions continued on next page.
The Polk Soil Water Conservation District complies with the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability.
SHRUBS continued... Common Name - Scientific Name
oceanspray - Holodiscus discolor
Mature Height
Prefers Full Sun
15'
Oregon grape, tall - Mahonia aquifolium
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6'
Part Sun & Shade
Prefers Shade
Soil Conditions
dry to moist
dry to moist moist to seasonally wet
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-
6'
salal - Gaultheria shallon
2 - 6'
salmonberry - Rubus spectabilis
12'
Serviceberry - Amelanchier alnifolia
15'
Snowberry - Symphoricarpos albus
5'
snowbrush - Ceanothus velutinus
10'
Pacific crabapple - Malus fusca
6 - 40'
Pacific ninebark - Physocarpus capitatus
14'
red osier dogwood - Cornus sericea
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thimbleberry - Rubus parviflorus
8' 25'
moist
Notes / Description
Multi-stemmed shrub with creamy white flowers. A perennial shrub of the rose family withmultiple arching stems up to 20' long and deciduous leaves. Flowers are long angular clusters that often dangle because W, S, L of their weight. One of the first species to come back after a fire. Used for riparian restoration and wildlife habitat. Used by Native Americans to treat small and chicken pox. The wood was used to make baby cradles, knitting needles, arrows, spears, harpoons, and halibut hooks. Great landscaping shrub, Oregon state flower. The berries are edible, making a good food source for I, B, W, wildlife and good jellies. Used by several Native American tribes to treat loss of appetite, stomach, and digestive issues. Externally, it has been used as a gargle for sore throats and as a wash for blurry or L bloodshot eyes. Fragrant white to pink flowers in spring, red or yellow fruits in fall. Nice fall colors. Great wildlife plant for gardens or restorations. Slow growing. Edible fruit and good made into jellies. They can be left on the I, B, W, tree until there have been some frost, this will soften the fruit and make it less acid. Rich in pectin so can be added to pectin-low fruits when making jams. Medicinally used by several Native American tribes to L treat a variety of conditions has a reputation with some tribes as a heal-all. It is little, if at all, used in modern herbalism. B, W, Brown shedding bark, small white flowers in rounded clusters; erect to spreading and arching angled S, L branches. Traditionally has been used to make wooden spoons. Fast growing, tall, deciduous shrub with red stems, clusters of white flowers that produce white berries. White berries have attractive contrast to the leaves which by then have changed to a deep red color. Was B, W, L used by Native Americans for baskets, dye, ribbons, bows, arrows, and tanning. One of the most valuable native shrubs for habitat reclamation, wildlife cover, and soil conservation.
moist soils along wetlands
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dry, well- drained
well-drained
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dry to moist open Also known as Saskatoon. Large shrub to small tree, large white showy flowers blooming in spring, edible I, B, W, sweet berries dull red turning to purple almost black, important wildlife forage plant, esp moose, deer and forest S, L elk in winter, bird forage in spring.
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dry to moist open Medium shrub, pink to whit bell shaped flowers appear in clusters in early summer, clusters of white I, B, W, forest berries present through winter, berries toxic to humans but can be important food source to birds S, L during a hard winter. dry to moist B, W, Sprawling plant with spicy scented green bark that forms thickets. It is a pioneer species, and a nitrogenS, L fixer. dry to moist Fast-growing shrub, berries taste like raspberry-strawberry cross. No thorns, large white flowers. Fruits I, B, W, make great jams. Used by Native Americans for food and medicinally as a tonic, for stomach aches, S, L treating wounds, and other needs. moist B, W, Small tree or shrub, attractive showy brilliant fall colors. Suitable for shade ornamental, forest underS, L story, and restoration. Has been used for making snowshoes and dishes.
10'
rose, nootka - Rosa nutkana
vine maple - Acer circinatum
Special Uses
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dry to moist, seasonally wet
Has large reddish-pink flowers April through July and showy red hips in winter. Used by Native Americans I, B, W, as a wash to strengthen babies and a poultice applied to bee stings. Form dense thickets along coastal S, L marshes, disturbed areas, and forest edges. I, B, W, Low growing evergreen groundcover, dark green lustrous leaves, white or pink flowers and edible blue berries. Grows larger in shade, compact in sun. L Vigorous spreading shrub, often forms dense thickets. Bright pink flowers and attractive goldenI, B, W, brown bark, some thorns, yellow to reddish edible fruits (much like raspberries). Native Americans used it S, L for a food source and as a dressing for burns, disinfectant, for stomach aches, and as a pain reliever.
Attract: I - Insects, butterflies, & bees B - Birds H - Hummingbirds Use for: T - Timber W - Wildlife (forage, cover, feed) S - Bank stabilization L - Landscaping The Polk Soil Water Conservation District complies with the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability.
ASSORTED PLANTS Common Name - Scientific Name
Mature Height
Prefers Full Sun
Part Sun & Shade
Western Azalea - Rhododendron Occidentale
3-15'
1-2'
Cascade Aster - Aster ledophyllus
beargrass - Xerophyllum tenax
3 - 6'
blue-eyed grass, Idaho - S. idahoense
6 - 20"
camas, common - Camassia quamash
Prefers Shade
Soil Conditions
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moist to wet
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well-drained dry to moist
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well-drained, cool, dry
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moist
8 - 30"
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moist in spring, dryer in summer
checkermallow, meadow - Sidalcea campestris
2 - 6'
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Monkey flower, Pink - Mimulus lewisii
1 - 2'
Monkey flower, Yellow - Mimulus glabratus
1 - 2'
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Bleeding heart - Penstemon serrulatus
1 - 2'
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coast penstemon - Penstemon serrulatus
1 - 3'
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Notes / Description
B, W, Small to medium many branched shrub. Glossy oblong green deciduous leaves turn yellow to bright red S, L before dropping in autumn. Blooms from May - June, white-pink flowers appear in clusters of 5-20. I, L
I, W, L
I, L I, W, L
Cascade aster is a pretty perennial wildflower found in open forests and meadows below the timberline. Aster ray flowers number between 5 and 20 with a yellow central disk in shades of purple. Also known as Indian Basket Grass, beargrass is actually a member of the lily family. It flowers in the Pacific Northwest after fire. Natives would use the leaves to weave water tight baskets for cooking. The leaves were also used for trim on the edges of mats. Modernly used for basket making and in the floral industry. An attractive smaller Iris relative with thin grass-like leaves and symmetrical showy blue-purple flowers with yellow anther clusters. Blooms March through June. Easy to grow. Perennial herb from a bulb. Pale to deep blue flowers. Likes grassy slopes and meadows. Native Americans used as a staple food. The bulbs are highly nutritious. A decoction of the roots was used to help women after birthing. Tall herbaceous perennial with a loose cluster of white to pink flowers at the top of the stem. Leaves on flowering stems are deeply lobed and the stem has branched hairs. Is a nectar source for Fender's blue butterfly. Blooms throughout mid-late summer. Its showy, penstemon-like flowers are rose-pink, marked with maroon blotches and dark lines in the throat. Showy, deep pink to red bilaterally symmetrical flowers bloom in profusion near the top of this leafy, several-stemmed plant. This is among the most handsome of mountain wildflowers, its deep pink to red flowers probably attracting hummingbirds during their summer stay in the mountains. Very similar to the pink monkey flower. Annual from fibrous roots or perennial from creeping stolons and rhizome. Size can and leaf size can vary, can be dwarf sized and small leaved to erect and up to 3 ft tall.
moist, welldrained
I, W, L
moist to wet
I, H, L
moist to wet
I, H, L
moist to wet
Bleeding heart has attractive mounded foliage with arching stems of delicate, heart-shaped flowers in I, H, L spring. It thrives in moist woodland gardens along with ferns and other shade-lovers. Flower colors include yellow, pink, red, and white. It blooms in spring & may rebloom throughout the summer.
moist to wet
Member of the snapdragon family, the genus name means "five-threads" and it is also known as Beards I, H, L tongue for the characteristic long stamens that hang out over the lower lip of the flower like a tongue. Blue-purple saw tooth leaves, triangular shaped flowers. ikes middle elevations and open forests.
I, B, W, herbaceous, rhizomatous perennial wetland plant with long, slender green stalks topped with brown, L fluffy, sausage-shaped flowering heads. Perennial herb with familiar aster flower shape that blooms with blue to purple hues. Douglas aster - Aster subspicatus 1 - 3" I, W, L species that grows in tight clumps. moist, rich Spreading perennial. Delicate flowers vary from white to pink. According to fairy tales it was eaten by fringecup - Tellima grandiflora 2.5' I, L woodland elves to improve their night vision. A decoction of the pounded plant has been used to restore the appetite and to treat a range of sicknesses. moist to wet A graceful woodland perennial of the rose family with compound leaves and billowy plumes of tiny white goats beard - Aruncus dioicus 4 - 6' I, W, L flowers. The male plants are preferred for their showier flowers. Also known as Brides feathers. Can be used for a shrub accent plant in landscaping. moist Perennial herb growing from an egg-shaped 2 cm long bulb. Flowers are deep blue, but can sometimes Great Camas - Camassia leichtlinii 2-3' I, L be white. An extremely valuable plant species to native cultures of the Pacific NW. moist Small shrubby perennial that stays close to the ground. Clumps of large basal leaves that are heartHeartleaf Buckwheat - Eriogonum compositum <2' I, L shaped, petioles are longer than the leaves. Stems for flowers can reach up to 2 feet in height. Great attractant for butterflies and small animals. White to light yellow clusters of flowers blooming in May-June. Attract: I - Insects, butterflies, & bees B - Birds H - Hummingbirds Use for: T - Timber W - Wildlife (forage, cover, feed) S - Bank stabilization L - Landscaping
Cattail - Typha Latifolia
1 - 3"
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Special Uses
very moist to flooded moist
The Polk Soil Water Conservation District complies with the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability.
ASSORTED PLANTS continued... Common Name - Scientific Name
lily, harvest - Brodiaea coronaria
Mature Height
1'
Prefers Full Sun
Part Sun & Shade
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Prefers Shade
Soil Conditions
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rocky, dry soils
I, W, L
moist to dry
I, W, L
lily, tiger - Lilium columbianum
2 - 4'
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lily, White Fawn - Lilium columbianum
1-3"
moist
I, W, L
lupine, streambank - Lupinus rivularis
2'
moist
I, H, S, L
20"
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Oregon geranium - Geranium oreganum
3'
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nodding pink onion - Allium cernuum
sandy soils, rocky areas moist
Oregon iris - Iris tenax
16"
Oregon Sunshine - Eriophyllum lanatum
<2'
Pearly Everlasting - Anaphalis margaritacea
2'
Piggyback-plant - Tolmiea menziesii
2'
Oregon stonecrop - Sedum oreganum
3 - 6"
Scarlet Gilia - Ipomopsis aggregata
1 - 4"
Sea Pink - Armeria maritima Stream Violet - Viola glabella red columbine - Aquilegia formosa shooting star - Dodecatheon hendersonii
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1' 1'
1 - 4"
16"
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tolerates a range of conditions dry, high drought tolerance
I, B, L I, L I, L
I, L
dry I, L
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Moist
-
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dry
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dry to moist
-
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well-drained, rocky
moist
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moist
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moist to dry
Notes / Description
Special Uses
I, L I, L I, B, H, L I, B, L
Hardy perennial with violet purple flowers which grow in clusters. Full sun, requires little water once established, drought resistant. Will add nice color to dry areas that are hard to establish flowers in. Found in valley grasslands, foothill woodlands, and mixed onifer forests. Used and processed much like camas. Also known as Indian potato. A showy perennial in the lily family; flowers are bright orange with dark red spots near the center of the flower. Blooms between May and August. Adapted to damp, open woods, grassy meadows, and dry slopes. Native Americans used its bitter or peppery-tastingbulbs as a staple food source. Perennial. Oblong leaves arise from a corm and surround the 8-16 in. flowering stem which usually bears a single, bell-shaped flower. Two to three flowers per scape is not uncommon. Flowers are pure white to pink-tinged and purplish near the outer base with yellow bands near the inside base. Perennial in the Pea family. Has blue-violet flowers growing loosely on heads up to 20 inches tall. Likes sandy or gravel areas of streambanks and marshes. Nodding pink flower clusters. Also known as wild onion. Was used for some medicinal purposes by Native Americans and early settlers. Likes rocky low elevation areas. A showy perennial with reddish-purple flowers. Strongly associated with prairie and oak woodland remnants throughout the Willamette Valley in Oregon. Perennial herb with purple-blue flowers that resembles commercial iris varieties. Grows in clumps, will spread, can be regularly separated and transplanted. Foliage makes a nice border. "The most common and certainly most beautiful grass iris in the NW" A.R.K. It is a shrubby perennial with a woody base. This common and variable species often colors banks along roads with a blaze of yellow in drier portions of the West. The plants white hairs, by reflecting heat and reducing air movement across the leafs surface, conserve water. The pure white flower is commonly used in dried flower arrangements, food plant for Painted lady butterflies. Individual, erect, cottony stems grow 1-3 ft. tall and are often clumped together creating a bushy appearance. Narrow leaves are gray-green to woolly-hite. Perennial. This unusual plant reproduces vegetatively by developing plantlets at the juncture of petiole and leaf blade. It is often sold as a house plant. Minor skin irritation on contact. Fast growing cool climate perennial succulent with small fleshy edible leaves (best fried). The Kwakiutl of B.C. called it Crow's strawberries. Also known as Hens and Chickens. Dense yellow flowers late spring and summer. Grows readily from seed; its brilliant red trumpets are handsome in the native garden. Its beauty compensates for the faint skunky smell of its glandular foliage, responsible for the less complimentary name Skunk Flower. It resembles a small onion, the flower stems terminate in a small, round head of pink to lavender flowers.
Native perennial groundcover, the stream violet has small yellow flowers with purple lines that bloom I, B, L through spring and heart shaped green leaves. It is deciduous, so the leaves die back each year. I, B, L I, L
Erect perennial herb with soft foliage and ornate drooping red to yellow flowers. Likes forest or flower bed areas. Many small magenta to lavender flowers on long stalks. Egg shaped broad leaves at base.Naturally grows in dry grassy meadows and open woods.
Attract: I - Insects, butterflies, & bees B - Birds H - Hummingbirds Use for: T - Timber W - Wildlife (forage, cover, feed) S - Bank stabilization L - Landscaping
The Polk Soil Water Conservation District complies with the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability.
ASSORTED PLANTS continued... Common Name - Scientific Name
strawberry, woodland - Fragaria vesca
Mature Height
4 - 12"
Sword Fern - Polstichum Munitum
4'
violet, blue - Viola species
5"
western buttercup - Ranunculus occidentalis
2'
Western Blue-eyed Grass - Sisyrinchium bellum
Wild Hyacinth - Brodiaea hyacinthina
Prefers Full Sun
Part Sun & Shade
-
dry to moist
-
moist
-
dry to moist
-
moist
-
moist in spring, dryer in summer
I, L
-
moist to wet
I, L
-
moist
I, L
-
dry to moist
I, L
-
2' 2'
western meadowrue - Thalictrum occidentale
1 - 3'
yarrow - Achillea millefolium
.5 - 3'
-
-
Prefers Shade
Soil Conditions
I, B, W, Native strawberry, sweet delicious fruit. Spreads easily, low growing, deeply toothed leaves with prominent veins, berries ready in mid-summer. The berries and leaves are small. Likes partly shaded L forested areas. Dark green fronds spirally out from base. Root system consists of a stout woody rhizome, thrives in W, L shade. Perennial with short to long, slender rhizomes, usually stemless in the early part of the growing season, I, L later develops aerial stems. Perennial, delicate yellow flowers. Common in meadows, spreads and mixes well with other wildflowers. I, L
Notes / Description
Special Uses
relative of the iris, blue-eyed grass is a desirable landscaping plant. It produces clusters of beautiful bluepurple symmetrical flowers in from March to May. Blue-eyed grasses are not true grass species, but resemble grass with its thin grass-like leaves. Tall perennial with grass-like leaves and a wiry stem toped with a cluster of up to 20 small white delicate flowers. Very drought resistant prefers areas that are wet in winter and dry in summer; will not need summer watering. A delicate perennial forb whose male plant bears many small flowers and the female plant has little more than red seed bearing pistils for flowers. Likes open woodlands or semi-shaded areas. Some Native Americans used for headaches, eye trouble, sore legs, to loosen phlegm, and to improve blood circulation. Aromatic perennial herb, usually rhizomatous; fern like leaves, white to pink or reddish flowers.
Attract: I - Insects, butterflies, & bees B - Birds H - Hummingbirds Use for: T - Timber W - Wildlife (forage, cover, feed) S - Bank stabilization L - Landscaping This document is meant for a quick guide only, it is not intended for in depth use.
The Polk Soil Water Conservation District complies with the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability.