POSTED: Saturday, Aug. 30, 2008

Try these native plants in Whatcom County gardens

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Mark Turner, president of the Komo Kulshan chapter of the Washington Native Plant Society, recommends these picks for Whatcom County gardeners:

GROUNDCOVERS

Kinnikinnick, bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi). "A woody evergreen spreader that stays low to the ground; has fairly inconspicuous flowers in the spring and red berries in the fall."

Redwood sorrel (Oxalis oregana). "A woodland plant that spreads nicely to cover a wide area. In other words, be careful that you don't put it where you don't want it to spread.

Long-tailed wild ginger (Asarum caudatum). "Grow this one for the evergreen leathery foliage because the deep purple flowers are hidden right on the ground, under the leaves. It grows in dappled shade with reasonable moisture."

Beach strawberry (Fragaria chiloensis). "Leathery evergreen leaves and white up-facing flowers in the spring. Spreads by stolons and is good for sunny to partly sunny locations."

May lily, wild lily of the valley (Maianthemum dilatatum). "Heart-shaped leaves held parallel to the ground with a spike of white flowers in the spring. Can also be an aggressive spreader. It prefers some shade."

PERENNIALS

Common camas (Camassia quamash) and great camas (Camassia leichtlinii). "Both of these bulbs produce beautiful clusters of blue flowers in the spring. They prefer moist meadows in full sun."

Tough-leaf iris, Oregon iris (Iris tenax) or Douglas iris (Iris douglasiana). "Both of these prefer mostly sunny locations and a fair amount of moisture, but not soggy."

Oregon fawnlily (Erythronium oreganum), pink fawnlily (Erythronium revolutum). "These require humus-rich moist soils in part shade and bloom in the spring. The foliage dies back in the summer."

Shrubby penstemon (Penstemon fruticosus). "An east-side plant that grows mostly at mid elevations in the mountains. Grow in full sun in well-drained soil."

Deer fern (Blechnum spicant). "Prefers moist soil and part shade."

Western trillium (Trillium ovatum). "A very common woodland wildflower that blooms in May. Prefers humus-y soil in dappled shade."

Mountain avens (Dryas octopetala). "A little mat-forming member of the rose family that grows on scree at high elevations in the mountains but is quite happy to grow in well-drained soil in (Whatcom County)." Creamy eriogonum (Eriogonum heracleoides). "A native of dry sites on the east side, it bloomed for me in its second year in the garden." Nodding onion (Allium cernuum). "A widespread species, found in a wide variety of habitats across much of the U.S."

Siskiyou lewisia (Lewisia cotyledon). "Native to southern Oregon and once considered difficult to grow in cultivation."

SHRUBS

Shining or tall Oregon-grape (Mahonia aquifolium), dull or dwarf Oregon-grape (Mahonia nervosa). "Both of these are quite adaptable to both sun and shade, although they both prefer at least some shade during the day. The fruit is edible, but tart so best used in jelly."

Red-flowering currant (Ribes sanguineum). "Spectacular spring show with bright reddish-pink flowers that attract hummingbirds followed by blue-purple fruit that is edible but best left for the birds."

Salal (Gaultheria shallon). "Slow-growing, so sometimes planted as a groundcover, but eventually forming dense thickets about chest high. Covered in drooping clusters of pale pink flowers in the spring and leathery deep blue fruit in late summer. The fruit is edible and tasty, but the skins are a little tough."

Pacific rhododendron (Rhododendron macrophyllum). "Our state flower and a very attractive garden plant that doesn't show up at the nursery nearly as often as the myriad other Rhody choices."

Evergreen huckleberry (Vaccinium ovatum). "Leathery evergreen leaves, delicate pendant white flowers in the spring, and tasty small fruit in the summer. Not found in the wild in Whatcom County, but grows well here when planted."

TREES

Vine maple (Acer circinatum). "A fine understory tree with nice structure, adaptable to pruning and shaping, prefers shade but will tolerate some sun, and nice fall color. Stays relatively small."

Pacific dogwood (Cornus nuttallii). "A medium-sized tree with showy white bracts—most people think they’re the flowers—in the spring that prefers part shade."

Bitter cherry (Prunus emarginata). "Adaptable tree with pendant clusters of white flowers in the spring and small fruit attractive to birds in the summer."

Western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla) and mountain hemlock (Tsuga mertensiana). "Both are very shade tolerant. Western hemlock may get too large for the garden, so slower-growing mountain hemlock may be a better choice."

Quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides). "Beautiful bark, small heart-shaped leaves that turn golden in autumn. Spreads from its roots, eventually forming large clones."