Native Plants
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When you garden along streams, remember that the groundwater table is shallow enough to interact with
the roots of your plants; this is particularly true nearest the stream itself. Parts of your garden may also
be periodically flooded. Native plants that grow naturally in or very near water (“at the water’s edge”)
are adapted to conditions very close to or actually in the stream. Other plants are suitable for drier
areas above the actual water table.
Tips:
• Native plants that do well near the stream often like to have “wet feet” at least during the rainy
winter months. To help the young plants become established, remember to water them during
the summer dry months for the first few years.
• If the area does not flood, 2-4 inches of mulch will help keep plant roots moist; any flooding will
wash away mulch layers.
• Large trees provide shade to help keep the water cool, protecting fish and other wildlife. Shrubs
provide additional wildlife habitat, shade and garden interest. The herb layer provides protective
ground cover and seasonal interest.
• Ferns and fern-like plants look particularly “at home” in streamside gardens.
Trees for the Water’s Edge
____ White alder (Alnus rhombifolia) 40-50 ft, full sun, nitrogen fixer, tolerates poor, wet soil, was
once the dominant alder in the Willamette Valley, butterfly host.
____ Red alder (Alnus rubra) 40 feet or more, full sun, nitrogen fixer, tolerates poor, wet soil , more
common in mountains but thrives in the Willamette Valley, butterfly host.
____ Western red cedar (Thuja plicata) tall (100 ft or more over time) graceful evergreen that prefers
moist soil conditions, shade or part shade, butterfly host.
____ Western crabapple (Malus fusca), small deciduous tree to 40 ft, fragrant white/pink flowers in
spring, yellow to reddish-purple fruit that may hang on over winter. Full sun/part-shade, slow
growing, may form thickets, butterfly host.
____ Oregon ash (Fraxinus latifolia) 50 ft or more, full sun/part-sun, tolerates seasonally wet areas or
“wet feet”, compound and deciduous leaves, can be “messy” in a garden setting.
Trees for Drier Areas
____ Oregon white oak (Quercus garryana), deciduous tree to 100 ft. or more, lobed dark green
leaves, acorn fruit, full sun, well-drained soil, little or no summer water, butterfly host.
____ Big-leaf maple (Acer macrophyllum), deciduous tree to 50 ft or more, sun/part shade, large
leaves, yellow fall color, butterfly host.
____ Vine maple (Acer circinnatum), small deciduous tree with graceful arching form (if grown in
shade) to 15-30 ft., leaves bright yellow-green with yellow or red fall color, butterfly host.
____ Bitter cherry (Prunus emarginata), deciduous tree to 50 ft, reddish bark, fragrant clusters of
white spring flowers, bright red fall fruits, yellow fall color, full sun/shade, butterfly host.
____ Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa, Willamette Valley form), tall evergreen conifer to 100 ft or
more. Buff-colored bark, long needles in bundles of 3, large cones. Willamette Valley form
historically grew near streams, full sun to part sun, butterfly host.
____ Cascara (Rhamnus purshiana) small deciduous tree to 30 ft, silver bark, black berrylike fruit,
butterfly host.
Shrubs for the Water’s Edge
____ Pacific willow (Salix lasiandra), one of many species found in the Willamette Valley, large
shrub to 20 ft tall and wide, deciduous, host to many kinds of butterflies.
____ Red twig dogwood (Cornus sericea), deciduous multistemed shrub to 16 ft tall and wide, reddish
bark adds winter interest, flat-topped clusters of white flowers, followed by white or bluish
berries, sun/part-sun, butterfly host.
____ Ninebark (Physocarpus capitatus), multistemmed deciduous shrub to 8 ft or more, leaves
resemble maple, clusters of white flowers in late spring, older stems have shredding bark,
sun/part shade, butterfly host.
____ Douglas spirea (Spiraea douglasii), multistemmed deciduous shrub to 11 ft, gray green leaves
with pyramid-shaped clusters of pink flowers, turning brown after seed production. Sun/partshade,
spreads underground to form colonies, butterfly host.
Shrubs for Drier Areas
____ Tall Oregon grape (Berberis aquifolium), broadleaf evergreen shrub to 10 ft, spiny, glossy and
compound leaves with bronze-copper new foliage, clusters of yellow urn-shaped flowers and
blue fruit, sun preferred, butterfly host.
____ Cascade Oregon grape (Berberis nervosa), small, spreading, broadleaf evergreen shrub to 2 ft,
compound leaves and bright yellow flowers, followed by blue fruit. Can be slow to establish,
spreads slowly, part to full shade, butterfly host.
____ Red flowering currant (Ribes sanguineum), deciduous shrub to 10 ft, upright stems growing from
the base, gray-green leaves, pendant red flowers in clusters attractive to hummingbirds, black
fruit is a bird favorite, sun/part shade, butterfly host.
____ Nootka Rose (Rosa nutkana), deciduous thorny shrub to 10 ft., some forms more spreading than
tall. Large solitary pink flowers up to 3 inches across, attractive hips, vigorous colonizer for
sun/part shade, butterfly host.
____ Snowberry (Symphoricarpus alba). Small spreading deciduous shrub to 3-4 ft with blueishgreen
foliage. Small flowers, white berries persist through winter to provide winter food for
birds, sun to shade but more berries in the sun, butterfly host.
____ Red Elderberry (Sambucus racemosa) large, deciduous multistemmed shrub to 20 ft. tall and
wide, bushier than blue elderberry, compound leaves, inflorescences of small flowers in a
pyramid shape, bright red berries, butterfly host.
____ Osoberry/Indian plum (Oemleria cerasiformis), mutistemmed shrub to 20 ft, pendulous cluster of
white flowers in late winter followed by purple fruits in summer, can sucker from the base to
form colonies, Sun/part shade.
____ Blue elderberry (Sambucus mexicana, also known as S. cerulea), large multistemmed shrub or
small tree to 15 ft or more. Flat-topped clusters of white flowers followed by clusters of blue
fruit. Fast-growing, can form colonies, sun to part-shade, butterfly host.
____ Mock Orange (Philadephus lewisii), multistemmed deciduous shrub to 10 ft, masses of fragrant
bright white flowers in late spring, sun/ part shade.
Flowering herbaceous Plants for the Water’s Edge
____ Cattail (Typha latifolia). Widespread species growing in stagnant or slow moving water, full
sun, flowering stalks resemble a cat’s tail, forms dense colonies.
____ Camas (Camassia leichtlinii) Spectacular bulb with spikes of blue flowers to 2 ft or more in
May, requires winter wet and summer dry.
____ Deschampsia (Deschampsia caespitosa). A native ornamental grass that grows in winter-wet but
summer damp or drier locations. Most cultivars are of European origin so look for local species
at native plant nurseries or sales.
____ Yellow monkey flower (Mimulus guttatus). Bright yellow flowers in early summer/late spring
on plants with pale green foliage to 3 ft., spreads vigorously, sun/part-sun.
____ Skunk cabbage (Lysichiton americanus). Grows submerged in shallow water or very moist soil,
yellow spadix on the inflorescence and large leaves provide striking garden accent, sun/partshade.
____ Wapato (Sagittaria latifolia). Grows in shallow water with muddy bottom, produces attractive,
large arrow shaped leaf, white flowers. Will not survive around nutria because they eat the
plants.
Flowering herbaceous plants for drier areas
____ Goat’s beard (Aruncus dioicus), herbaceous perennial to 6 ft., fernlike foliage and plumes of
white flowers in early summer, resembles astilbe, requires some summer water, both male and
female plants available.
____ Goldenrod (Solidago sp.), many native species available, herbaceous perennial 1-3 ft., depending
on the species, bright orange-yellow flower in plumes in summer, reseeds freely and spreads
underground, full sun, butterfly host
____ Douglas aster (Aster subspicatus), spreading herbaceous perennial to 3 ft, blue/purple flowers
mid to late summer, full sun, butterfly host
____ Blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium bellum), herbaceous perennial to 16 inches, small blue flower
with yellow eyes, grass-like leaves, sun/part shade.
____ Columbine (Aquilegia formosa), sturdy columbine to 3 ft with yellow and red flowers in
May/June, full sun/part shade, butterfly host.
____ Wild bleeding heart (Dicentra formosa), Delicate fern-like foliage to 12 inches or more, with
pink heart-shaped flowers, shade/part shade, will go dormant in the summer if not watered,
butterfly host.
____ Oregon iris (Iris tenax) Native iris with purple flowers to 14 inches, blooming in May, spreads
slowly to form clumps, full sun/part shade, self-seeds.
____ Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) herbaceous perennial to 3 ft., fern-like foliage, white, flat-topped
flowers nurture butterflies, full sun, spreads slowly to form patches.
____ Stream violet (Viola glabella). Yellow flowers on plants to 5 inches, can spread slowly to form
groundcover if allowed, good as garden accent, shade/part-shade, butterfly host.
Ferns
____ Lady fern (Athyrium filix-femina), deciduous fern to 5 ft, prefers moist areas in part shade, finely
divided light green foliage.
____ Sword fern (Polystichum munitum), statuesque evergreen fern to 5 ft, new foliage in March. Sun
to shade.
____ Deer fern (Blechnum spicant), Dark green foliage, to 1.5 ft., separate stalks bear spores in
summer, shade/part shade.
Groundcovers
____ Bearberry or kinnikinnick (Arctostaphtylos uva-ursi), prostrate woody groundcover with trailing
branches to 6 inches, leathery evergreen leaves, sun/part shade, well-drained soil, butterfly host.
____ Wood sorrel (Oxalis oregana), rapidly spreading groundvoer to 8 inches, cloverlike leaves, white
or pink flowers, prefers moist shade.
____ Inside-out flower (Vancouveria hexandra), deciduous grouncover to 2 ft, delicate foliage with
bright yellow fall color, spreads underground, shade/part-shade, resembles epimedium.
____ Wild strawberry (Fragaria virginiana), spreading deciduous groundcover to 5 inches, bluish
green foliage, white flowers, red “tasty” fruit, sun/part-shade, butterfly host
____ Dunes strawberry (Fragaria chiloensis), spreading evergreen groundcover to 9 inches, thick
cloverlike leaves, white flowers, red fruit, sun to part-shade, butterfly host
Information prepared and provided by Linda McMahan, OSU Extension Service Yamhill County.
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