NATIVE PLANTS OF OREGON

Going Native with Plants

Oregonians live in a state with exceptional natural beauty and diversity. Some of that natural beauty and diversity comes from Mother Nature in the form of native plants. The list of native plants is long indeed but some have become favorites because they are plentiful, non-invasive, berry-bearing, beautiful or can be purchased and incorporated into your own landscape. Native plants hold a special place in the hearts of many a landscaper or gardener, no matter how large or small your yard may be.

The Pacific Northwest is very diverse. It has mountain ranges, coastal climates, desert extremes and rain forests. Native plants are an important part of this natural ecosystem. They thrive in their own environment. They provide a critical link for insects, birds, and other species that live together. Because native plants are well suited to the climate and soils they don't have to be constantly watered or adjust the pH of the soil and they are often more resistant to local pests and diseases. They are educational in such a subliminal way that one doesn't even suspect how you have become an expert in how birds interact, or how a butterfly drinks nectar, or how the deer determine which berries are ripe today. Imagine learning all this and more in your own backyard just by growing native plants that automatically attract the wildlife that is common to your area.

My enthusiasm in growing natives abounds! I marvel at the beauty of the trillium, the fragileness of the maiden hair fern, or the stateliness of the lupine and foxgloves as they cover a roadside slope. My favorites go on and on. My approach to this article therefore will be what grows best or is worthwhile growing in the Willamette Valley in Oregon. I will dwell mostly on the native plants that I have in my own yard, and those that I want but don't have yet, or those I wish I could have if I had more space or the right conditions.