A Pacific Northwest native, Vine Maple heralds the arrival of autumn as its colors light up the forest. Best grown in clump form, it lends a pleasing accent to larger trees in a border planting and requires almost no care.

Witness to the birth and extinction of countless species over a period of 150 million years, Ginkgo survives to charm us with its unique fan-shaped leaves and butter-yellow fall color. Consider that even after Hiroshima was devastated by nuclear blast, fire and radiation in 1945, at ground zero it was the lone re-generating tree the following spring. Merits wider use: many new grafted male cultivars are becoming very popular. These are un-sexed seedlings, used almost exclusively for grafting.

Among the tallest of our native American hardwoods, it shares much in common with Magnolia acuminata. Intriguing cup-shaped flowers of orange, yellow, and green in early summer. Grows fast if planted in deep, moist soil, but it will languish if planted in a dry or compacted area.

Upright evergreen shrub with spiny leaves. Native in the Northwest, it benefits from occasional pruning to keep foliage clean and diminish its tendency to become overgrown. Native Americans used the stems and roots to make a yellow dye.

Exceptional ornamental with handsome glossy summer foliage. A medium tree that grows to 45 ft., it prefers full sun and an acidic, well-drained soil. Honeybees relish the nectar of the delicate, heather-like blooms, borne on the branch ends like white bouquets in mid-summer. Sourwood honey is a particular delight, so special that it's sold only regionally in the Southeast, and fetches a premium at roadside stands. Oxydendrum in the autumn is a sight for tired eyes, as the foliage shows off rich blends of orange, red and yellow.

Most often used as a rootstock for selected cultivars. This native American shrub can grow to 20 ft. with equal spread. Prefers moist soils, but full sun in the landscape encourages more compact growth. Trim branches just before the plant blooms to force indoor flowers.

Heat tolerance helps this native tree outperform F. sylvatica in the Southeast, and yet it is also cold hardy. Best for large, open area where it is free to grow, reaching heights of 70-90 ft.

The Oakleaf Hydrangeas share many desirable characteristics: white flowers with bold, trouble-free foliage that turns burgundy red in the fall. Double-flowered 'Snowflake' may have the largest inflorescences, which are usually upright. Prefers light shade.

Of refined, delicate appearance year-long, this woodland shrub from Japan makes a great substitute for witchhazel in smaller gardens. It slowly mounds up, becoming more broad than tall, and is easily maintained. Primrose yellow flowers cover the branches in early spring. Prefers moist, partially shaded borders and open woods, but tolerates a sunny spot fine: it just grows more slowly in full sun.

Fall color is variable, but striking on some trees. Widely adapted. Shallow roots may cause problems in turf areas or around sidewalks.

The leaves are tough, dark, grass-like, and nearly evergreen on this showy iris. It blooms in a spectacular color range from almost white to purple and all hues of blue in between. It is clump forming, blooming April-May, it is only 14 in. tall. This is an excellent, easy, very drought tolerant garden plant that is used far too infrequently. Nectar species for Dusky Wing and, occasionally, Fenders Blue Butterfly.

A select American native, 'Mt. Airy' merits wider use as compared to its close relatives, the witchhazels, which are much larger in mature stature. Exhibits excellent hardiness, attractive summer foliage and spectacular autumn color. The white bottlebrush flowers are borne in showy abundance during April/May.

Fast growing, more so than Princeton Sentry, it is pyramidal with ascending branches becoming half as wide as tall at maturity. It was discovered in New Brunswick New Jersey.

One of our favorites, an attractive male selection with distinctly narrow, elongated leaves remiscent of the tail from a fancy gold-fish. Definitely a "top three" selection.

Named to honor Nicholas Garry of the Hudson Bay Company, this is the climax species of the pre-1850s Willamette Valley oak savannah. We see occasional see remnants of these original trees, some of which measure more than 5 ft. through and exceed 300 yrs. old. These are truly heritage trees, having sheltered and fed the Calapooya Indians, who gathered acorns by the ton and processed them to make thick soup and flatbread.

Evergreen shrub with rich forest-green foliage to accent its bright yellow early winter flowers. Upright growth and drought/shade tolerance make this a great focal plant when winter's arrival means fewer possibilities to brighten the garden. Offers bloom succession after 'Charity'.

Among the most popular of the fruitless male selections. Not as strongly upright as the variety 'Fastigiata', Liners require staking early. With age it attains a handsome form and consistent brilliant gold color in autumn. This clone and 'Saratoga' come from the Saratoga Horticultural Foundation.

A prolific bloomer, its stout stems ensure that the flowers don't droop. Although the coarse leaves give it an almost tropical appearance, the autumn leaf colors are a rich mix of red, burnt orange, and green. When the notably persistent foliage drops, the tan/brown exfoliating bark is a pleasing unexpected bonus.

Essentially the tree form of witchhazel. It naturally becomes a low-branched tree, typically two-thirds as broad as it is tall. Bark exfoliates on older branches; leaves turn brilliant red, yellow and orange in autumn. With a bit of selective pruning when it's young, but minimal care thereafter, it becomes a medium-sized tree of appealing form. Maroon spring flowers are small, easily missed but attractive, rewarding the curious.

Half of normal size, spreading to 4 ft., this clone is well-suited for textural contrast in a perennial border.

Due to its multi-season appeal, this multi-stemmed tree, introduced from China only in 1980, is finally starting to gain followers. Covered with large clusters of white flowers in mid summer, in late summer and fall it displays great masses of pink-red seeds. Finally, the winter season highlights its shaggy bark - the color of soft beach sand. It does require shaping to highlight its normally "stemmy" form - a central leader formed early helps to make it a highly marketable tree, but it cannot be reshaped if neglected when small.

This male clone grows to 60 ft. tall but only half as wide. With its strong central leader, its form is more pyramidal than truly columnar.

American wild rose, native to both sides of the Cascades, Alaska to California. Single pink flowers with a pleasing rose aroma. Wet site tolerant.

Hardier than its cousins and not as tall. It grows to only 1-2 ft., has satin foliage, and is more shade tolerant. An elegant low shrub for a spot where it can be left to spread without irrigation.

A hybrid of M. japonica and M. lomariifolia. Beautiful across all seasons for its architecturally bold and symmetrical form. Bright yellow late winter flowers. Here in the wet-winter Pacific Northwest, our 'Charity' stock block is totally free of leaf spot that infects M. bealei so severely.

Short 1-2 ft. hardy Pacific Northwest native of medium texture. Attractive blue fruits accented by prickly, deep green, narrow leaves.

This is the smallest form that we offer, but it's not a dwarf. It has smaller flowers and redder fall color than the others. Some tip damage below -30°F.

Our native yarrow is one of our most common prairie plants and can be found in both wet and dry prairies. It is quick to establish on restoration sites so is great to use for enhancement or on disturbed areas. This member of the carrot family attracts many different pollinators and beneficial insects making it an important habitat plant. It can have white to pink flowers, 1-2 ft.

Delicate blue "snapdragon" shaped flowers, 0.5-2 ft tall. A winner in the restoration world, persisting on sites as the perennials fill in. Found in dry rocky sites and upland prairies.

Gorgeous! Salmon pink flower heads, very showy! 2-3 ft tall. The blue pollen colors the legs of tiny native bumblebees that forage on the flowers.

The flowers seem to float above the greenery in the Willamette Valley, where it grows among taller grass. Our iridescent solitary bees are very common sight on the large purple-violet flowers that are presented over a long period; June through early July. 16" tall, 20" wide. Key nectar species for Fenders Blue Butterfly.

This native annual is most often found in dry, rocky outcrops and does best without competition from perennials. It has numerous baby-blue, globe-like flowers in heads. 3-5 ft tall.

Beautiful, soft, fine leaved bunch grass, spike of soft tan flowers, low growing, 3 ft in flower.

Big, white, flat-topped inflorescence, dark green dissected leaves, 3-4 ft tall. The flowers of this native member of the carrot family attract a variety of pollinators and beneficial insects.

Great texture plant, highly dissected leaves (light and feathery), nice showy PURPLE head of flowers, very tall (4-5 ft flowering stems). Does well in both full sun and light shade.

Scurf-pea is native to many parts of the west. It is a low, bushy perennial with pretty clusters of cream colored pea-flowers. It has deep, woody roots (rhizomatous) and grows on dry edges of woods and in upland prairies where it flowers in late-spring and summer. The flowers are attractive to many of our native bumblebees. The dark-green, leathery foliage persists into late summer along with the papery bracts of the seed heads making it an attractive bedding plant for wildlife gardeners. IT'S A HUMMING BIRD PLANT!

Half the size of most other cultivars, this one shares their tough constitution and season-long appeal. Upright flowers emerge cream-colored and become a surprising wine-red color with age.

This early blooming species has delicate blue flowers nestled in tufts of dark green leaves. In a wildlife garden, the long-bloom period makes it a great bedding plant. Hookedspur violet is a used a both a nectar and larval host for a variety of butterflies. It does best on upland restoration sites where competition from invasive plants and grassy thatch are kept to a minimum. 4-8 inches tall.

Our native Willamette Valley shooting star adorns our wetland prairies in the spring with a splash of hot pink. Combined with common camas, the landscape in April resembles an impressionist painting. There are multiple flowers on top of 15 inch stems. The brown seed pods also add early summer interest when used in landscape plantings.

Wonderfully tall bunch grass with delicate inflorescence. Undersides of leaves are blue-green, 3-5 ft in flower. Shade tolerant.

Rosy plectritis is an outstanding annual for restorations. Its bright pink flowers are attractive to numerous pollinators including spring butterflies. It grows best on thin soils of upland sites or in wet prairies with low competition from perennials. Key nectar species for Taylor's Checkerspot Butterfly.

This early-blooming species has deep yellow flowers and soft, fuzzy leaves. In a wildlife garden, the long-bloom period makes it a great bedding plant. It grows in moist to dry open woodlands and prairie where it attracts a variety of early pollinators. It does best on upland restoration sites where competition from invasive plants and grassy thatch are kept to a minimum. 8-10 inches tall.

For both wildlife gardens and restorations, Western goldenroad provides late-summer sprays of yellow flowers with soft foliage that are important resources for butterflies and bees. It is rhizomatous often forming colonies so makes a good bedding plant (rhizomatous), 2-3 ft tall. Provides nectar for Black Hairstreak butterflies along willow riparian areas.

Unusual, noteworthy tree that grows in a very tight, columnar form, a sort of deciduous version of Italian cypress. Like the species, it is widely adaptable. Good fall color.

This perennial lupine has deep-lavender flowers and widely lobed leaves that are tinged with purple. It grows a variety of habitats in the west. In the Willamette Valley it can be found in dry prairies and foothills. It will tolerate some woodland edge shade.

Rusty popcorn flower is most often found in dry grasslands and open woodlands. In western Oregon, it can be found growing in rock outcrops with Oregon white oak and madrone and other annuals such as blue-eyed Mary and rosy plectritis creating quite a beautiful natural rock garden.

2-4 ft. shrub native across a broad swath in the upper latitudes of North America. Small pink flowers emerge in summer followed by white berries in the fall. Hummingbirds are attracted to the flowers. Its strong root system makes this shrub useful to control erosion on steep slopes of an embankment. Tolerates wet soils as well, so it is frequently used in riparian restoration. Used as an ornamental, easy to grow and gratifying with its persistent winter fruits. Occasionally head it back for best ornamental performance.

Chamisso sedge is natives to western North America and is found in many types of habitats. It can tolerate drier conditions than most of our native sedges. It grows in wet prairies but also on forest edges.