Washington Native Plant Society: Starflower Image Herbarium

Home > Landscaping > Native Plants for Western Washington Gardens and Restoration Projects

Holodiscus discolor

Oceanspray

At a Glance: Multi-stemmed upright shrub with ridged young stems and arching older stems with peeling bark. White flowers.

Height: Up to 13 feet (4 meters).
Growth Form: Shrub.
Stems: Several main stems; young stems are rigged, older stems are brownish with peeling bark.
Leaves: Alternating arrangement; leaves are dull green and hairy, broadly egg-shaped, lobed or coarsely toothed; leaves can have reddish hue in autumn; size: 3-6 cm (1-2.5 in) long.
Flowers: Flowers are in dense terminal pyramidal cluster, 10-17 cm long; 5 white petals, 20 stamens, mostly 5 pistils, ovary is two-ovuled; flower clusters turn brown and remain on plants over winter; primary color: white to cream; size: 5 mm across.
Flowering Period: May, June.
Fruits: Hairy achenes; size: 2 mm long; color: light brown.


Photo © Starflower Foundation

Sun/Shade Tolerance	Hydrology	Elevation Range
Prefers open, sunny habitats. full sun > 80% mostly sunny 60%-80% partial sun and shade 40%- 60% mostly shady 60%-80% full shade > 80%	Common in dry and moist habitats. wet moist dry Wetland Indicator Status: NI (no indicator data)	low elevation mid elevation sub-alpine high elevation

Soil Preferences
Prefers well-drained rocky soils.
sandy soils gravelly soils clay soils muddy soils peaty soils	well drained soils shallow soils deep soils acidic soils basic soils	humic soils nutrient rich soils nutrient poor soils mineral soils organic soils

Habitat Preferences
Aquatic and Wetland: Ponds or lakes Shallow pools Sloughs Swales or wet ditches Seasonally inundated areas Marshes or swamps Aquatic bed wetlands Emergent wetlands Scrub-shrub wetlands Forested wetlands Bogs, fens Seeps, springs Shorelines and Riparian: Lake shores Bog margins Streams or rivers Stream or river banks Riparian corridors River bars Floodplains Bottomlands Alluvial areas	Saltwater Areas: In or near saltwater Mud flats Tidal areas Estuaries Saltmarshes Brackish water Seashores Coastal dunes or beaches Rocky or Gravelly Areas: Coastal bluffs Cliffs Rocky slopes Outcrops Crevices Glacial outwash Gullies Slide areas Sub-alpine and Alpine: Heaths Snow beds Tundra Avalanche tracks	Forests and Thickets: Forests and woods Open forests Coniferous forests Old growth forests Deciduous forests Mixed forests Nurse logs Forest edges, openings, or clearings Thickets Meadows and Fields: Pastures or fields Meadows or grassy areas Mossy areas Disturbed Areas: Roadsides Trailsides Logged sites Burned areas Disturbed sites

Wildlife Value

Berries

Seeds

Nectar for hummingbirds

Nectar for butterflies

Host for insect larvae

Thickets and shelter

Thorny or protective cover

Birds: During winter months, insect-eating birds such as chickadees and bushtits forage for insects in the shrub. The seeds persist through the winter. Dense branches provide songbirds with shelter and cover.
Insects: Swallowtail, brown elfin, Lorquins admiral, and spring azure butterflies browse on the foliage. The nectar may be harvested by mature swallowtail butterflies. Many species of insects live in the dense structure of oceanspray.
Mammals: Deer and elk browse the foliage.

Ethnobotanical Uses and Other Facts

Material Uses: The wood of oceanspray is hard and durable. It was used to make digging sticks, spears, harpoon shafts, bows, and arrows by nearly all coastal groups including the Salish, Halqemeylem, Squamish, Sechelt, and Kwakwakawakw. The Saanich and Cowichan used the wood to make salmon-barbequing sticks, inner bark scrapers, halibut hooks, cattail mat needles, and more recently knitting needles. Oceanspray pegs were used in construction before the use of nails. The Nlakapamux made armor plating from the hard oceanspray wood. The Squaxin used the wood to make canoe paddles.
Medicinal Uses: The Saanich and Stlatlimx boiled the fruiting clusters of the oceanspray to make an infusion that was drank to cure diarrhea, measles, chickenpox. This infusion was also used as a blood tonic. The Lummi applied the leaves to sore lips and feet.
Landscape Uses: Nice background plant.

Suggested References

Alden, P., D. Paulson. 1998. National Audubon Society, Field Guide to the Pacific Northwest. Chanticleer Press. Page 121.
Gunther, E. 1973. 2nd ed. Ethnobotany of Western Washington. University of Washington Press. Page 33.
Hitchcock, C.L., A. Cronquist. 1973. Vascular Plants of the Pacific Northwest. University of Washington Press. Page 213.
Jacobson A.L. 2001. Wild Plants of Greater Seattle. Published by author. Page 104.
Link, R. 1999. Landscaping for Wildlife in the Pacific Northwest. University of Washington Press. Page 257.
Lyons, C., W. Merilees. Trees and Shrubs to Know in Washington and British Columbia. Lone Pine Publishing. Page 142.
Pojar, J., A. Mackinnon. 1994. Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast. Lone Pine Publishing. Page 71.
Turner, N.AJ. 1975. Food Plants of British Columbia Indians: part 1, Coastal Peoples. British Columbia Provincial Museum. Page 181.

The landscaping and restoration information provided on this page is taken from Starflower Foundation Image Herbarium. All photographs © Starflower Foundation unless otherwise noted.