Growing native plants can be rewarding in many ways. They add beauty with colorful flowers, foliage, texture, and scents. If planted in a suitable habitat, native plants are well adapted to our soils and climate. This reduces the need for supplemental water (once established) and maintenance, and makes it easy to maintain plant health.
When grown in the right conditions, native plants typically experience less environmental, insect, and disease damage than nonnative plants. Native plants also create the best environments for local pollinators and wildlife. They tend to be minimally invasive when planted in the right environment.
The lists of trees, shrubs, grasses, and perennials in this publication focus on native plants that are readily available from local nurseries and adapt easily to an urban landscape environment (Figures 1 and 2). These are not complete lists of Central Oregon native plants.
When selecting native plants, choose plants whose natural habitat is similar to conditions in your landscape. For example, select plants native to riparian areas for a wet area of the landscape, or choose dryland plants for your rock garden. The information in the lists regarding preferred growing conditions and size refers to landscape conditions, not to plants growing in the wild.
| Common name | Botanical name | Preferred growing conditions | Mature height |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deciduous trees | |||
| Alder, Mountain | Alnus tenuifolia | sun/moist | 10 ft |
| Alder, White | Alnus rhombifolia | sun to part shade/moist | 50 - 60 ft |
| Aspen, Quaking | Populus tremuloides | sun/ moist or dry | 30 - 40 ft |
| Cherry, Bitter | Prunus emarginata | sun to part shade/ moist to dry | 20 - 50 ft |
| Cottonwood, Black | Populus trichocarpa | sun/moist | 100+ ft |
| Hawthorn, Black | Crataegus douglasii | sun/ moist | 10 - 30 ft |
| Conifers | |||
| Douglas-Fir | Pseudotsuga menziesii | sun/moist | 40 - 80 ft |
| Fir, Grand | Abies grandis | sun to part shade/ moist | 100+ ft |
| Fir, Noble | Abies procera | sun to part shade/moist | 50 - 100 ft |
| Fir, Pacific Silver | Abies amabilis | sun to shade/ moist | 50 - 80 ft |
| Fir, Subalpine | Abies lasiocarpa | sun/dry | 30 - 50 ft |
| Hemlock, Mountain | Tsuga mertensiana | sun to part shade/ moist | 30+ ft |
| Juniper, Western or Sierra | Juniperus occidentalis | sun/dry | 15 - 30+ ft |
| Larch, Western | Larix occidentalis | sun/ moist to moderate | 100+ ft |
| Pine, Lodgepole | Pinus contorta latifolia, narrow upright form | sun to part shade/dry | 50 - 70 ft |
| Pine, Murrayana | Pinus contorta murrayana, bonsai or sparse form | sun/dry | 40 - 60 ft |
| Pine, Ponderosa | Pinus ponderosa | sun/dry | 50 - 60 ft |
| Spruce, Engelmann | Picea englemannii | sun to part shade/moist | 80 - 100 ft |
| Deciduous shrubs | |||
| Ash, Sitka Mountain | Sorbus sitchensis | sun to light shade/moist to dry | 10 - 20 ft |
| Birch, Water | Betula occidentalis | sun/moist to dry | 15 - 30 ft |
| Bitterbrush | Purshia tridentata | sun/dry | 3 - 4 ft |
| Chokecherry | Prunus virginiana | sun to part shade/moist to dry | 15 - 30 ft |
| Currant, Golden | Ribes aureum | sun to shade/dry | 6 - 8 ft |
| Currant, Wax | Ribes cereum | sun/dry | 4 - 6 ft |
| Desert Sweet | Chamaebatiaria millefolium | sun/dry | 3 - 6 ft |
| Dogwood, Redoiser | Cornus sericea ssp. occidentalis | sun to part shade/ moist | 7 - 9 ft |
| Elderberry, Blue | Sambucus mexicana | sun/moist | 15 - 30 ft |
| Elderberry, Red | Sambucus racemosa | sun to part shade/moist | 6 - 20 ft |
| Maple, Rocky Mountain | Acer glabrum | sun to part shade/ moist or dry | 10 - 20 ft |
| Maple, Vine | Acer circinatum | shade to part sun/moist | 10 - 20 ft |
| Mockorange | Philadelphus lewisii | sun to part shade/ moist to dry | 5 - 10 ft |
| Oceanspray | Holodiscus discolor | part shade/ moderate | 10 - 15 ft |
| Rabbitbrush, Gray | Ericameria nauseosus | sun/dry | 2 - 6 ft |
| Rabbitbrush, Low Green | Ericameria viscidiflorus lanceolatus | sun/dry | 1 - 4 ft |
| Rose, Wood's | Rosa woodsii | part shade to sun/moderate | 3 - 6 ft |
| Serviceberry | Amelanchier alnifolia | sun to part shade/moderate | 8 - 12 ft |
| Snowberry | Symphoricarpos albus | sun to part shade/ moderate | 4 - 6 ft |
| Spirea, Douglas | Spiraea douglasii | sun/ moist | 3 - 7 ft |
| Willow species | Salix spp. | sun/moist | varied |
| Evergreen shrubs - Groundcovers (1-12'') denoted by (G) | |||
| Buckbrush | Ceanothus velutinus | part shade to sun/ dry | 2 - 10 ft |
| Boxwood, Oregon | Paxistima myrsinites | sun to part shade/moist | 1 - 3 ft |
| Kinnickinnick (G) | Arctostaphylos uva-ursi | sun/dry | 4 - 8 in |
| Mahonia Creeping | Mahonia (Berberis)) repens | part shade to sun/moderate | 12 - 18 in |
| Manzanita, Greenleaf | Arctostaphylos patula | sun to part shade/dry | 4 - 6 ft |
| Manzanita, Pinemat | Arctostaphylos nevadensis | sun to part shade/dry | 12 - 20 in |
| Mountain Mahogany, Curl-Leaf | Cercocarpus ledifolium | sun/dry | 10 - 15 ft |
| Oregon Grape | Mahonia (Berberis) aquifolium | part shade to sun/moderate | 3 - 10 ft |
| Purple Sage | Salvia dorrii | sun/dry | 16 - 18 in |
| Sagebrush, Big | Artemisia tridentata | sun/dry | 3 - 6 ft |
| Grasses | |||
| Bluebunch Wheatgrass | Pseudoroegneria spicata | sun/dry | 2 - 3 ft |
| Great Basin Wild Rye | Leymus cinereus | sun/moist to moderate | 3 - 4 ft |
| Idaho Fescue | Festuca idahoensis | sun/dry | 12 in |
| Indian Rice Grass | Achnatherum hymenoides | sun/dry | 2 - 3 ft |
| Prairie Junegrass | Koeleria macrantha | sun to part shade/dry | 1 - 2 ft |
| Sandberg's Bluegrass | Poa sandbergii | sun/dry | 4 - 12 in |
| Tufted Hair Grass | Deschampsia caespitosa | sun/moist | 1 - 3 ft |
| Perennials | |||
| Alumroot | Heuchera cylindrica | sun to part shade/moderate | 12 - 18 in |
| Arrowleaf Balsamroot | Balsamorhiza sagittata | sun/dry | 8 - 30 in |
| Aster, Long-leaved | Aster chilensis | sun/ dry to moderate | 1 - 2 ft |
| Bleeding Heart | Dicentra formosa | shade/ moist | 1 - 1.5 ft |
| Blue-eyed Grass | Sisyrinchium idahoense | shade to part sun/moist | 20 - 24 in |
| Buckwheat, Creamy | Eriogonum heracleoides | sun/dry | 6 - 14 in |
| Buckwheat Sulphur | Eriogonum umbellatum | sun to light shade/dry | 6 - 12 in |
| Columbine, Western | Aquilegia formosa | part shade to sun/moist | 2 ft |
| Flax, Blue | Linum lewisii | sun/dry to moderate | 2 ft |
| Fleabane, Showy | Erigeron speciosus | sun to shade/dry | 10 - 12 in |
| Geranium, Sticky | Geranium viscosissimum | sun/dry | 10 - 24 in |
| Gilia, Scarlet | Ipomopsis aggregata | sun/dry | 24 - 30 in |
| Globemallow, Scarlet | Sphaeralcea coccinea | sun/dry | 6 - 12 in |
| Hollyhock, Mountain | Iliamna rivularis | sun/dry or moist | 2 - 3 ft |
| Indian Blanket Flower | Gaillardia aristata | sun/dry to moderate | 24 - 30 in |
| Lily, Sand | Leucocrinum montanum | sun/dry | 3 - 4 ft |
| Lupine, Sicklekeel | Lupinus albicaulis | sun to part shade/ dry | 1 - 2 ft |
| Lupine, Silvery | Lupinus argenteus | sun to part shade/dry | 2 - 3 ft |
| Monkey Flower, Dwarf Purple | Mimulus nanus | sun/dry | 2 - 3 in |
| Monkey Flower, Purple | Mimulus lewisii | sun to part shade/moderate | 1 - 3 ft |
| Monkey Flower, Yellow | Mimulus guttatus | sun to part shade/ moderate | 20 - 24 in |
| Oregon Sunshine | Eriophyllum lanatum | sun/dry | 8 - 12 in |
| Penstemon, Davidson’s | Penstemon davidsonii | sun to part shade/dry | 4 - 8 ft |
| Penstemon, Lowly | Penstemon humilis | sun/dry | 8 - 12 in |
| Penstemon, Cutleaf | Penstemon richardsonii | sun/dry | 1-2 ft |
| Penstemon, Showy | Penstemon speciosus | sun to part shade/dry | 1 - 2 ft |
| Penstemon, Shrubby | Penstemon frutiosus | sun to part shade/dry | 12 - 16 in |
| Phlox, Spreading | Phlox diffusa | full sun/dry | 2 - 4 in |
| Rosy Pussytoes | Antennaria microphylla | sun/dry | 4 - 8 in |
| Strawberry, Chilean | Fragaria chiloensis | sun to part shade/dry | 10 - 12 in |
| Strawberry, Wood's | Fragaria vesca bracteata | shade/moist | 10 - 12 in |
Resources for finding native plants for your landscape
Detweiler, A.J. 2006. Central Oregon’s Plant Resource Guide
Oregon Association of Nurseries Directory and Buyers Guide
For more information
Detweiler, A.J. 2017. Water-wise Gardening in Central Oregon, EM 9136
Dirr, M.A. 1988. Manual of Woody Landscape Plants: Their Identification, Ornamental Characteristics, Culture, Propagation and Uses, 5th ed., rev. Stipes Publishing, Champaign IL.
Hopkins, W.E. and R.C. Rawlings. 1988. Major Indicator Shrubs and Herbs on National Forests of Eastern Oregon. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Region, Portland, OR.
Jensen, E.C. and C.R. Ross. 2005. Trees to Know in Oregon. Oregon State University Extension Service publication EC 1450, Corvallis, OR.
Kovalchik, B.L., W. Hopkins, and S. Brunsfeld. 1988. Major Indicator Shrubs and Herbs in Riparian Zones on National Forests of Central Oregon. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Region, Portland, OR.
Kruckeberg, A.R. 1992. Gardening with Native Plants of the Pacific Northwest, 2nd ed. University of Washington Press, Seattle, WA.
