Native Shrubs to the Willamette Valley
Native
shrubs are important features of our natural ecosystem. They have
evolved to form important symbiotic relationships with many animals,
especially butterflies as they serve as larval host plants to specific
ones. Native shrubs are adapted to the climate and soil conditions of
the Willamette Valley and require less maintenance than non-native
species, especially in garden and landscaped areas. Oregon’s shrubs
provide important food sources for the native wildlife in the
ecosystems. When shrubs are out-competed by invasive species, like
scotchbroom and Himalayan blackberry, valuable wildlife habitat is
lost. Homeowners and landowners can help maintain the integrity and
ecological value of Oregon’s native ecosystems by encouraging the
growth of native shrubs by removing invasive species and planting a
diversity of native ones.
Common Name: Kinnikinnick
Scientific Name: Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
Description:
Kinnikinnick is a small evergreen shrub that is 3-6 inches tall and can
spread to five feet wide. It is a drought tolerant shrub that likes sun
to part shade. It grows very well in rocky or sandy soils. It is slow
to establish, but grows quickly once it is established.
Habitat Value:
Kinnikinnick is an excellent source of nectar for bees and butterflies.
It is a host plant for brown elfin butterfly. Birds, raccoons,
chipmunks, squirrels, coyotes, foxes, and bears eat its berries. Deer
also browse its twigs.
;)
Common Name: Douglas Spirea
Scientific Name: Spiraea douglasii
Description:
Douglas Spirea is a deciduous shrub that grows 3-6 feet tall. It is
easily distinguished by it bright pink fuzzy appearance. Spirea grows
quickly, is drought tolerant, and likes moist or marshy, humus-rich
soils.
Habitat Value: Spirea is a
nectar source for butterflies and other insects. It is a suspected host
plant for the following butterflies: pale swallowtail, spring azure,
Lorquin’s admiral, and other butterflies. It’s seed capsules are eaten
by some wildlife and beavers for dam construction use its stems. Spirea
also provides cover habitat for birds and small mammals.
Common Name: Nootka Rose
Scientific Name: Rosa nutkana
Description:
Nootka Rose is a deciduous shrub that grows 5-10 feet tall. It grows in
full sun to part shade and tolerates seasonally wet and seasonally dry
soils. Nootka rose has a medium growth rate.
Habitat Value:
Nootka rose provides nectar for bees and butterflies. It is a
documented and suspected host for Western checkerspot, mourning cloak
and gray hairstreak butterflies. The leaf-cutter bee uses its leaves
for building material. Rosehips are eaten by birds, chipmunks, rabbits,
hares, deer, elk, coyotes, porcupines, and bears. Birds are known to
use the seeds as a source of grit. Thickets of Nootka rose provide
excellent cover for birds and small mammals.
Common Name: Pacific Ninebark
Scientific Name: Physocarpus capitatus
Description:
Pacific Ninebark is a deciduous shrub in the rose family. Typically
they are 6-12 feet tall/wide and can grow to 15 feet tall. They are
fast growers and enjoy full sun to part shade in moist to seasonally
wet soils.
Habitat Value: Pacific
Ninebark produces a small, creamy-white cluster of flowers that bloom
April or May to June. The flowers provide nectar for many insects,
including bees and butterflies. It is the host plant for the azure
butterfly. Ninebark produces a reddish seed capsule that may be eaten
by birds and small mammals. Deer browse on buds, twigs and leaves.
Ninebark provides excellent cover and nesting sites for birds and small
mammals.
Common Name: Red Osier Dogwood
Scientific Name: Cornus sericea
Description:
Red osier dogwood is a deciduous shrub that usually grows 4 to 10 feet
tall and up to 18 feet tall. It grows well in moist soils and does well
in both sun and shade. It is known for its excellent soil binding
qualities and often forms in dense thickets. Red osier dogwood stands
out visually by the bright red stems.
Habitat Value:
Red osier’s creamy-white flowers serve as an excellent source of nectar
for butterflies, including the orange sulfur butterfly, and many other
flying insects. It is a known host plant for the spring azure butterfly
and possible for some others. Red osier dogwood is an important food
source for many animals. Its buds provide food for birds, small mammals
and black bear. Its fruit is comprised of protein, fat, and
carbohydrates. Some other animals that rely on it are rabbits,
porcupines, deer, elk, beavers, and muskrat.
Common Name: Salmonberry
Scientific Name: Rubus spectabilis
Description:
Salmonberry is a deciduous shrub that is in the rose family. It is a
very fast growing shrub that grows 4 to 10 feet tall. Salmonberry
requires full sun and full shade and dry to moist soils. It has
reddish-pink flowers, followed by yellow to red raspberry-like fruits.
The root systems of salmonberry spread vigorously from underground
stems, which makes it an excellent choice for steep slopes.
Habitat Value:
Salmonberry is a nectar source for bees, butterflies and hummingbirds.
Birds, chipmunks, squirrels, raccoons, coyotes, and bears eat its
fruit. Its leaves are browsed by deer and rabbits. Salmonberry provides
excellent cover for birds and small mammals.
Common Name: Mock Orange
Scientific Name: Philadelphus lewisii
Description:
Mock orange is a deciduous shrub that grows very quickly 6 to 12 feet
tall and is equally wide. It grows well in full sun to part shade and
dry to moist soils. Mock orange is adaptable to various sites and soil
conditions. It is known for its fragrant white blooms with golden
stamens. Mock orange has good soil binding characteristics, which make
it useful for erosion control.
Habitat Value:
Mock orange’s white blooms is a nectar source for butterflies,
bumblebees, and honey bees. Its seeds are eaten by birds and leaves
browsed by deer and elk.
Common Name: Ocean Spray
Scientific Name: Holodiscus discolor
Description:
Ocean spray is a fast-growing deciduous shrub or small tree that grows
8 to 12 feet tall. It grows in full sun to part shade and dry to moist,
well-drained soils. It is an extremely drought tolerant, but intolerant
for saturated soils. Its flowers are white to cream-colored in
cascading flower clusters, up to a foot long. They bloom from June to
August. Ocean spray is useful for disturbed sites and restoration
projects.
Habitat Value: Ocean
spray’s white flower clusters serve as a nectar source for butterflies
and other insects. It is the host plant for pale tiger swallowtail,
Lorquin’s admiral, echo blue (a rare butterfly), brown efin and spring
azure butterflies. Birds eat the seeds, while deer and elk browse its
branches. Birds and small mammals find shelter in its thick branches.
Chickadees find insects for winter forage within its branches.
Common Name: Tall Oregon Grape
Scientific Name: Berberis aquifolium
Description:
Tall Oregon grape is an evergreen shrub that grows 5 to 6 feet tall. It
grows in full sun to part shade and in dry to moist, well-drained
soils. It is extremely drought tolerant, but intolerant of saturated
soils. It is known for its bright yellow March flowers and holly-like
leaves that are so shiny that they appear wet.
Habitat Value:
Oregon grape is a nectar source for butterflies, hummingbirds, and
mason bees. Its fruit is eaten by birds, foxes, raccoons, and coyotes.
Deer and elk will occasionally browse the leaves and flowers.
Common Name: Western Serviceberry
Scientific Name: Amelanchier alnifolia
Description:
Western serviceberry is a deciduous shrub or small tree that grows 8 to
15, but can grow to 30 feet, especially east of the Cascades.
Serviceberry grows in full sun to part shade in dry to moist,
well-drained soils. They are very drought tolerant and tolerates
seasonally wet soils. Serviceberry is identified by its white spring
flowers, followed by small reddish fruits that turn to black by late
summer.
Habitat Value: Western
serviceberry is a nectar source for bees and butterflies, including
spring azure butterfly. It is the host plant for swallowtail and other
butterflies. Its fruit is eaten by birds, chipmunks, marmots, skunks,
foxes, ground squirrels, raccoons, and bears. It is important winter
browse food for deer and elk and provides good wildlife cover.
Common Name: Cascade Oregon Grape
Scientific Name: Mahonia nervosa
Description:
two feet in tall and wide part to full shade also can tolerate deep
shade. Dry to moist soils. Well-drained soils and lives best in shade
and moist environment. Yellow flowers that turn into blue waxy fruit.
Spread by underground stems like ground cover.
Habitat Value:
good food for butterflies and other pollinating bugs. Rabbits, deer,
elk, birds, foxes, raccoons and coyotes occasionally eat leaves and
berries.
Common Name: Indian Plum
Scientific Name: Oemleria cerasiformis
Description:
width is less the height. Likes soils rich in nitrogen. Greenish white
flowers hang below the branches. Males bloom sooner then females.
Fruits ripen fast in season. Flowers turn yellow and drop in late
summer and early fall. Grows well with red elderberry.
Habitat Value:
nectar source for bees and other insects. Possible source of nectar for
humming birds. Small birds, foxes, bears and coyotes eat the important
fruit
Common Name: Red-flowering currant
Scientific Name: Ribes sanguineum
Description:
full sun to part shade. If the plant is in a lot of shade it can
develop oddly. Dry to moist soils and often found in dry open woods.
Habitat Value:
nectar source for bees, butterflies and humming birds. It is also a
host plant for certain butterflies. The berries provide long turn food
for birds and a few other animals. Twigs and foliage are browsed by
deer and other animals.
Common Name: Red Huckleberry
Scientific Name: Vaccinium parvfolium
Description:
part to full shade, dry to moist. Humus-rich acidic soils tolerates dry
and shady conditions. Grows slowly. Small pinkish whitish bell shaped
flowers appear on branches. It’s a very nice plant for landscaping and
yards. Also gardens.
Habitat Value: nectar source for humming birds and bumble bees. Also eaten by many animals.
Common Name: Salal
Scientific Name: Gaultheria shallon
Description:
grows from 2 to six feet slowly. Will tolerate full shade or sun.
Performs best in wetlands forests and raised areas. Small whitish
pinkish flowers urn-shaped. Dark purple or black berries. Goods soil
binding characteristics. Can become hard to deal with after planted.
Habitat Value:
nectar source for bees butterflies and other insects. Fruit is eaten by
small birds and mammals. twigs eaten by deer. Provides cover for small
animals.
Common Name: Thimbleberry
Scientific Name: Rubus parviflorus
Description:
3 to 8 feet tall sun to part shade. Tolerates deep shade. Well-drained
soils. Grows fast. Often thorn less with white leaves. It has
underground stems.
Habitat Value:
flowers attract bees’ butterflies and others. Deer and elk browse
foliage. Red barriers that are eaten by birds and other animals. Foxes,
birds and so on. Also provides good shelter for wildlife.
