Pollinators such as bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds all depend on various native plants for food and shelter. Planting native plants throughout your garden will not only attract pollinators but will also cut down on maintenance as these plants are well adapted to our climate so they can handle the changes in seasons, animals, and soil conditions. While native plants are great for the environment and for pollinators, they also look great in the garden and can be mixed in with non-natives to attract pollinators. These are some of our favorite native plants that we use time and time again in our planting plans.
Vine Maple (Acer circinatum)- Vine Maples are a northwest garden staple that grows into a multi-stemmed tree. If placed in partial-full sun, the green leaves will turn vibrant shades of red in fall. It’s drought tolerant once established and does well in woodland and urban settings. There are various cultivars you can find that offer different leaf shapes, color, or size like ‘Pacific Fire’ or ‘Monroe’. Vine Maples attract butterflies, beneficial insects, and other wildlife.
Flowering Currant (Ribes sanguineum)- One of the first spring-time bloomers in our area, this shrub has drooping clusters of pink flowers followed by small, lobed green leaves. Flowers attract hummingbirds, butterflies, and beneficial insects. The black berries are great for birds but can be made into jelly. It does well in full sun but can adapt easily to being an understory shrub and is drought tolerant. ‘King Edward VII’ is a red-pink flowered currant that’s thornless and ‘Pulborough Scarlet’ has deep red flowers. There is also a white flowered variety called ‘Ubric White Icicle’.
Evergreen Huckleberry (Vaccinium ovatum)- One of the more underused native shrubs, it has small, copper-bronze leaves that mature to deep green. In spring, bell shaped white flowers appear under the foliage and are followed by edible blue-black berries that are ready to jam making in later summer. It can handle both full sun spots or understory shaded areas and can handle a fair amount of drought if you don’t mind less flowers and fruit. Evergreen Huckleberry attracts butterflies, hummingbirds, and other wildlife.
Slough Sedge (Carex obnupta)- If you have a rain garden or a wet area, this sedge can’t be beat. Grass-like evergreen leaves quickly grow into tufts/mounds and has spikes of flowers in Summer. It loves moist or wet locations and can even handle standing water or brackish water (prefers fresh water) and does best in full sun to part shade. Perfect for rain gardens, streambanks, and slopes to help with erosion control. While it’s great for wet areas it also attracts beneficial insects and other wildlife.
Pacific Bleeding Heart (Dicentra formosa)- This easy to grow perennial adds a pop of color in spring to shady planting beds. You can find several varieties that come with pink, red, or white heart shaped flowers and shades of foliage from deep green to bright yellow-green. Bleeding heart is perfect in the woodland garden and likes well-draining soils. If summers are hot and dry it may go dormant but will come back up next year. It will attract bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and beneficial insects.
Kinnikinnick (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi)- You’ll often see this in parking islands because it is one tough groundcover but people often overlook this workhorse. Small evergreen leaves accent the small pink-white flowers in Summer and are followed by bright red berries that hang on into winter. It can handle full sun and is drought tolerant once established. Because it’s quick to establish it helps control weeds and erosion all while attracting butterflies, beneficial insects, and birds.
Beach Strawberry (Fragaria chiloensis)- Bright, leathery evergreen leaves create a texturally pleasing groundcover, and if the birds don’t get to them first, produce yummy, small red strawberries. Leaves will turn reddish in winter. Because it’s native area is along the coast it does well in sandy soils and can handle full sun to partial shade. It spreads easily to crowd out any weeds and attracts butterflies, beneficial insects, birds, and other wildlife.
Oregon Grape (Mahonia species)- These prickly shrubs provide great textural interest in the garden. In early spring, bright yellow, fragrant flowers emerge and attract bees and hummingbirds. Blue-black berries follow the flowers along with reddish holly shaped, prickly leaves which mature to green and then turn to bright red in winter. Mahonia aquifolium, Mahonia repens, and Mahonia nervosa all do well in our area and some are less prickly than others. They do well in full sun to full shade making this a versatile shrub for the garden.
Salal (Gaultheria shallon)- This evergreen shrub is often overlooked but is an easy addition to any Pacific Northwest garden. The rounded, shiny, leathery leaves are the perfect foil for the pink, bell shaped flowers that appear in early-mid summer. Flowers are followed by dark blue berries in fall. Salal leaves are often used in flower arrangements giving it dual purpose for some gardeners. The flowers are good nectar sources for hummingbirds along with butterflies and beneficial insects. Birds love the fall fruit as well. It works well as an understory plant as it likes part sun to full shade and moist to dry soils. Because it can form thickets, it’s a good option for erosion control.
Snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus)- This shrub really stands out in winter. Bright white waxy berries cling onto bare, wiry branches and are soon followed by green foliage in spring and then small, bell shaped pink flowers. The next round of berries can be seen in late summer to fall when the leaves start turning shades of yellow. While not known for its flowers to humans, birds, hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees all love them. Birds and bears both eat the berries throughout winer. While it can tolerate a range of conditions, it prefers well draining soils in part sun. Snowberry is great to plant on hillsides to help with erosion control.
If you notice that your garden doesn’t have much for pollinators or other wildlife, adding native plants are a good way to provide food and shelter to get those species to visit, and eventually live in, your garden. Do you have a favorite native plant in your garden? Let us know in the comments, we’d love to hear from you!
~Colleen
