Northwest California natives tested in the Arcata-Eureka area

Compiled by Pete Haggard.  Page numbers refer to the Jepson Manual.

Herbaceous perennials

Ground covers

Trees

Shrubs

HERBACEOUS PERENNIALS

Name		Habit	Culture	Description	Comments
Achillea millefolium	yarrow p.189	10-200 cm, leaves finely divided.	Full sun, not fussy, many habitats.	Fern-like foliage, large cluster of white flowers.	Will do well from coastal bluffs to inland valleys. Once est. needs no water.
Aquilegia formosa	red columbine p.913	20-80 cm, leaves basal & 3 lobed.	Prefers some shade and summer water.	Clumping plant with sprays of red flowers with yellow petal.	Excellent plant for shady sites.
Aster chilensis	California aster p. 206	2-10 dm, spreading by rhizomes.	Full sun, most any garden site.	Spreading clumps , blue flowers provide fall color.	Can get leggy in fall, & is aggressive if pampered. Excellent for butterflies.
Dicentra formosa	bleeding heart p. 812	20-45 cm, leaves basal.	Prefers shade and moist site.	Fern-like foliage & heart shaped flowers.	If given shade & summer water will grow almost anywhere.
Fragaria chiloensis	beach strawberry p. 952	5-20 cm, leaves basal	Full sun part shade, will look better with some summer water.	Clumping plant with shinny green leaves, that spreads by above ground runners	Also makes a good ground cover.
Eriogonum latifolium	coast buckwheat p. 874	10-70 cm, small bush.	Full sun, well drained soil. No summer water.	White tomentose leaves, with pink long lasting flowers.	Excellent for coastal areas and very attractive to insects.
Helenium bolanderi	sneezeweed p. 277	2-14 dm,	Full sun, summer water.	Clumping plant with upright stems.	Individual flowers very beautiful.
Heuchera micrantha	alumroot p.105	3-30 cm, clumping, leaves basal.	Prefers some shade, needs good drainage	Plant a clump of green leaves with sprays of tiny white flowers.	A very beautiful plant in & out of bloom.
Iris douglasiana	Douglas iris p. 1154	45- 60 cm strap like leaves..	Will tolerate wet condition & shade.	Grows in clumps that get bigger every year.	Excellent flowering plant for wet shady areas.
Lonicera hispidula	hairy honeysuckle p. 474	Sprawling vine.	Sun or part shade. Not fussy.	Vine with small flowers & bright red berries in fall.	Can be weedy.
Lupinus spp.	lupine p. 622	Small to large bush depending on species.	Most like full sun, moist sites.	1- 20 dm generally upright. leaves palmately compound.	Often have very showy flowers. Leaves & flowers very attractive to wildlife.
Mimulus aurantiacus	bush monkey flower p. 1041	Sub-shrub 10-15 cm.	Full sun, well drained site.	10-150 cm, upright somewhat woody stems and sticky leaves.	Attractive to wildlife.
Mimulus guttatus	monkey flower p. 1042	Short lived per., spreading rhizomes, upright stem can look leggy.	Sun or light shade, summer water.	Stems & leaves succulent, roots where nodes contact soil, long blooming season.	Excellent in wet areas. Will bloom all summer if watered and kept trimmed.
Sedum spathulifolium	sedum p. 534	5-22 cm.	Best if not in direct sun, good drainage.	Short plants, succulent leaves in rosettes.	Ssp. purdyi very ornamental.
Sidalcea malvaeflora	checker mallow p. 758	1.5-6 dm, sprawling slender stems.	Full sun, not fussy, tolerates summer water.	Shiny green leaves, with spikes of pink flowers.	Will flower over a long season if watered. Wildlife value.
Sisyrinchium bellum	blue-eyed grass p. 1156	<64 cm, tufted with strap leaves.	Full sun , appreciates moist soils.	Looks like a miniature iris.	Once started it will normally self sow.
Solidago canadensis	Canada goldenrod p. 343	25-150 cm, densely clumping.	Full sun, tolerant of many conditions.	L. summer/fall flowering, on upright stems that can become leggy.	Can be weedy but excellent for fall color and wildlife.
Tellima grandflora	fringe cups p. 1011	5-40 cm, clumping with hairy leaves & stems.	Light shade, moist soil.	Produces flowers on stems above basal leaves	Unique looking flowers.
Viola spp.	violet	<35 cm,	Full sun to shade, most benefit from a moist site.	Typical violet appearance.	There a violet species suitable for most sites. Many make a good ground cover.

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GROUND COVERS

Name		Habit	Culture	Description	Comments
Asarum caudatum	wild ginger p. 170	Spreading forming loose mat.	Shade in a moist site	Large heart shaped leaves with a spicy odor when crushed.	Very adaptable in shady gardens.
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi	bearberry p. 558	<.5 m, ground-hugging evergreen.	Full sun & well drained soil.	Prostrate stems with small shiny green leaves, bright red berries.	Excellent ornamental & wildlife value.
Linnaea borealis	twin flower p.472	Ground-hugging, trailing stems & leaves.	Shade in a moist site.	Small shiny evergreen leaves with pairs of small pink flowers.	A gem when in bloom but the shiny leaves give it a fresh look all year.
Oxalis oregana	oxalis p. 809	Creeping rhizomes with leaves clustered at tips.	Shade & moist site in summer.	Plants will spread and cover wide areas with clover like leaves.	Most happy in high shade from conifers on a moist site.
Satureja douglasii	yerba buena p. 729	Stems decumbent, leaves ovate on short stems.	Light to moderate shade & well drained site.	Ground-hugging plant with leaves that are aromatic when crushed.	Use on sites that are too dry for Oxalis oregana or Asarum caudatum.

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TREES

Name		Habit	Culture	Description	Comments
Abies grandis	grand fir p. 116	Large. narrow, straight, tree.	Well drained site.	Straight formal looking, young bark is whitish.	Tree for large open sites.
Acer circinatum	vine maple p. 126	Sprawling tree often with many trunks.	Prefers light shade otherwise tolerant of site.	Similar to Japanese maple & can be used as substitute.	Fall color can be good even on the coast.
Alnus rubra	red alder p. 364	< 25m, straight trunk, rounded crown.	Prefers moisture but is tolerant of different sites.	Medium sized deciduous tree.	This tree has both good & bad qualities, but is excellent for wildlife.
Fraxinus latifolia	Oregon ash p. 776	< 25 m, straight trunk.	Prefers full sun, tolerates both wet & dry sites.	Medium sized deciduous tree with pinnate leaves.	Excellent tree for inland areas.
Lithocarpus densiflorus	tan oak p. 658	<30 m, single straight trunk with dense with leaves.	Moist sites, will tolerate shade.	Slow growing tree casting dense shade.	Tree for larger sites, excellent wildlife value.
Picea sitchensis	Sitka spruce p. 117	< 66 m, straight trunk.	Needs coastal influence & wet site.	Tall straight evergreen with shaggy bark & new foliage bluish green.	The best evergreen for a wet site. Often looks unthrifty. Older trees attract mushrooms.
Pinus contorta	beach pine p. 118	2-34 m, small evergreen with spreading crown.	Very adaptable.	Small open crowned evergreen with dark green leaves.	Excellent evergreen for a small yard. Can be easily shaped.
Populus balsamifera	black cottonwood p. 990	< 30 m, very straight truck, large deciduous leaves.	Moist to wet sites full sun.	Fast growing tree with a straight leader.	Excellent tall fast growing tree for wet areas. Yellow fall color & balsam odor in Spring.
Pseudotsuga menziesii	Douglas-fir p. 121	<67 m, tall single trunked evergreen.	Very adaptable.	When allowed plenty of room a majestic tree.	An excellent choice for a big yard.
Salix sp.	willow p. 990	1-10 m, many trunked to tree-like, deciduous.	Most do well on wet sites but once established do not require summer water.	There is a willow for every site.	Willows provide food and shelter for many species of wildlife. Every yard should have a willow!
Sequoia sempervirens	redwood p. 122	<115m, evergreen foliage, red fibrous bark.	Prefers moist site with full sun or part shade.	Tall majestic evergreen.	Needs large garden and to look its best should not be pruned.
Umbellularia californica	California bay p. 734	Shrub to 45 m, generally with a wide crown. Slow growing.	Sun or shade, wet or well drained site, will tolerate summer water.	Very ornamental with its dark evergreen leaves and rounded crown.	Has many uses in the garden: hedge, barrier, herb, takes well to shaping.

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SHRUBS

Name		Habit	Culture	Description	Comments
Berberis aquifolium	Oregon grape p. 363	0.1-2 m, evergreen spreading from rhizomes.	Sun to part shade, well drained to moist site.	Yellow flowers, blue fruit, shiny evergreen leaves.	Plant handsome in all seasons.
Arctostaphylos columbianum	hairy manzanita p. 551	2-10 m, single trunk multi-branched evergreen.	Full sun excellent drainage.	With age, an open shrub with red bark and round evergreen leaves.	Flowers late winter & an important food for bumble bees & hummingbirds.
Ceanothus thyrsiflorus	blueblossom p. 938	< 6 m, evergreen shrub	Well drained soil, full sun.	Shiny green leaves all year & in spring covered with blue flowers.	Very high wildlife value.
Corylus cornuta	California hazel p. 366	< 4 m, deciduous shrub.	Well drained soil, full sun to part shade on coast.	Often delicate branches with hairy leaves, producing edible nuts in fall..	Looks good in under story.
Garrya elliptica	silk tassel p. 666	< 8 m, evergreen shrub or small tree.	Well drained soil, full sun to part shade on coast.	Medium sized shiny evergreen leaves.	Very tolerant of coastal conditions including wind.
Lonicera involucrata	twinberry p. 474	6-30 dm, deciduous shrub.	Moist site, sun or part shade.	Shrub with yellow twin flowers in spring followed by twin black fruit.	Flowers & fruit attractive to birds.
Myrica californica	wax myrtle p. 766	2-10 m, evergreen shrub or small tree.	Sun or part shade, well drained site.	Narrow shiny leaves on up-right branches.	Makes excellent privacy hedge & good wildlife value.
Physocarpus capitatus	ninebark p.964	10 -25 dm, deciduous shrub.	Moist site, part or full sun.	Masses of cream colored flowers in spring followed by colorful seed heads.	Rivals many non-native ornamentals for spring color.
Rhamnus purshiana	cascara p. 942	<12 m, deciduous shrub or small tree.	Moist site, prefers light shade.	Large shiny leaves on a open structured shrub.	Suited to the under story of taller trees.
Rhododendron occidentale	western azalea p. 566	< 5 m, deciduous shrub.	Moist site, light shade.	Tresses of spring flowers in pinks & yellow along with a heady perfume.	One of our finest native flowering shrubs.
Ribes spp.	gooseberry & currant p. 676	< 2 m, leaves generally deciduous, many have spines on stem.	Depending on the species almost any site.	Small shrubs that normally provide both a good flower & fruit show.	Excellent plant for wildlife.
Vaccinium ovatum	evergreen huckleberry p. 567	< 3 m, small shiny evergreen leaves on small shrub.	Moist sites with light to moderate shade.	Small pink flowers stand out against the dark evergreen leaves & in the fall black berries in abundance.	Excellent ornamental and wildlife value.

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California Native Plant Society - North Coast Chapter P.O. Box 1067 Arcata, CA 95518-1067 October 2000