Home > Landscaping > Native Plants for Western Washington Gardens and Restoration Projects
Native Plants for Rocky or Gravelly Habitats
 | Abies grandis Grand Fir Abies grandis is a tall, straight tree with short, dense branches. Height: 130-260 feet (40-80 meters). Leaves evergreen. |
 | Acer circinatum Vine Maple Tall, erect, multi-trunked shrub or small tree with sprawling branches. Height: 13-26 feet (4-8 meters) Leaves deciduous. |
 | Acer macrophyllum Big-leaf Maple A tree with a large, often multi-stemmed trunk and a loose, broad crown of large leaves. Height: 65-100 feet (20-30 meters) tall with trunk 3-5 feet (1-1.5 meters)diameter. Leaves deciduous. |
 | Achillea millefolium Yarrow Aromatic herb with delicate fern-like leaves and flat-topped clusters of white flowers. Height: 4 inches to 3 feet (10-100 cm). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Adiantum aleuticum Maidenhair Fern, Aleutian maidenhair, western maidenhair, serpentine maidenhair Small to medium-sized delicate, deciduous fern with a fan-shaped arrangement of five to seven fingerlike branchlets each bearing many toothed leaflets. Height: 6-43 inches (15-110 cm). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Allium acuminatum Taper-Tip Onion This native wild onion has grass-like basal leaves overtopped by umbels of purple flowers, and egg-shaped bulbs containing a fibrous network on the surface. Height: Up to 12 inches (30 cm). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Allium cernuum Nodding Onion Clusters of long grass-like leaves overtopped by nodding umbels of pink flowers. Height: Up to 20 inches (50 cm). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Alnus rubra Red Alder A fast-growing deciduous tree well suited to disturbed sites. Height: Up to 80 feet (25 meters). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Amelanchier alnifolia Serviceberry, Saskatoon Medium-sized shrub producing fragrant white flowers in late spring. Height: Up to 15 feet (4.5 meters). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Anaphalis margaritacea Pearly Everlasting Clump forming, perennial herb with small withering basal leaves and papery white flower clusters. Height: Up to 40 inches (100 cm). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Aquilegia formosa Red Columbine Delicate perennial with large nodding, star-shaped, spurred flowers that are a favorite of hummingbirds. Height: Can grow up to 3 feet (1 meter) tall. Leaves deciduous. |
 | Arbutus menziesii Madrone An attractive broadleaf evergreen with a twisting reddish trunk and irregular branches with an overall rounded outline. Height: Up to 100 feet (30 meters). Leaves evergreen. |
 | Arctostaphylos uva-ursi Kinnikinnick, Bearberry A mat-forming evergreen shrub producing lovely pink flowers that later turn into red berries. Height: Can grow up to 8 inches (20 cm) tall. Leaves evergreen. |
 | Armeria maritima Sea-thrift. Round balls of pink flowers held on slender leafless stems above a cluster of grass-like leaves. Height: Up to 18 inches (45 cm). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Brodiaea congesta Harvest Lily Long slender stems to 3 feet (1 meter) in length topped by a dense cluster of deep purple flowers. Height: Up to 3 feet (1 meter) tall. Leaves deciduous. |
 | Camassia leitchlinii Great Camas Stately perennial from a deep bulb, producing spikes of large blue flowers in early spring. Height: Up to 28 inches (70 cm). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Camassia quamash Common Camas Bulbous perennial producing a spike of large blue flowers. Height: Up to 28 inches (70 cm). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Campanula rotundifolia Harebell Delicate stems topped by large, nodding bell-shaped blue flowers. Height: 4-32 inches (10-80 cm). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Castilleja miniata Red Paintbrush An attractive wildflower with red brush-like flower clusters. Height: 8-32 inches (20-80 cm). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Ceanothus velutinus Snowbrush A tall shrub with glossy leaves and clusters of white flowers. Height: Up to 10 feet (3 meters). Leaves evergreen. |
 | Cerastium arvense Field Chickweed Leaves deciduous. |
 | Chamerion angustifolium Fireweed Tall perennial from rhizome like roots with unbranched stem and terminal spikes of large red to pink flowers. Height: Up to 10 feet (3 meters), but usually shorter than 6 feet (2 meters). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Clarkia amoena Farewell to Spring A taprooted annual with large showy, usually pink flowers; often grown horticulturally. Height: 4 inches to 3 feet (10-100 cm). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Cornus nuttallii Western Flowering Dogwood Multi-branched, irregular trees with attractive large white "flowers". Height: Up to 65 feet (20 meters) tall. Leaves deciduous. |
 | Corylus cornuta Beaked Hazelnut Slender, multi-trunked deciduous shrub. Height: 3 feet - 13 feet (1 meter - 4 meters). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Crataegus douglasii black hawthorn large shrub or small tree with clusters of white flowers and dark purplish-black berries. Leaves deciduous. |
 | Deschampsia cespitosa Tufted Hairgrass Densely tufted perennial grass. Height: Up to 4 feet (120 cm) tall. Leaves deciduous. |
 | Dicentra formosa Bleeding Heart Hairless, soft stems and light green lacy leaves overtopped by small nodding clusters of pink heart-shaped flowers. Height: Up to 1.5 feet (50 cm). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Dodecatheon hendersonii Henderson's Shooting Star Leafless stems topped with nodding star-shaped pink flowers. This is our only shooting star with oval leaves. Height: Up to 1.5 feet (50 cm). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Elymus glaucus Blue Wild-rye Tufted perennial grass usually forming small clumps, 0.5 to 1.5 m tall. Height: 20-40 inches (0.5-1 meter). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Equisetum arvense Field Horsetail Succulent, hollow, jointed stems with whorls of branches. Height: 6-24 inches (15-60 cm). Leaves evergreen. |
 | Eriophyllum lanatum Woolly Sunflower Wooly leafy perennial with yellow daisy-like flowers. Height: Up to 2 feet (60 cm). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Erythronium oregonum White Fawn Lily Showy white lily from segmented corm. Height: Flower stem up to 1 feet (30 cm) tall. Leaves deciduous. |
 | Fragaria chiloensis Coastal Strawberry Spreads low across ground with runners. White flowers and small red strawberries. Height: Up to 10 inches (25 cm). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Fritillaria lanceolata Chocolate Lily, Rice Root Rare herb to 80 cm tall from bulb with numerous rice-like bulblets; flowers are mottled maroon and yellow. Height: Up to 32 inches (80 cm). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Gaultheria shallon Salal Creeping to erect shrub with hairy branching stems and dark leathery leaves. Height: Up to 16 feet (5 meters) in exceptional cases but typically 3-7 feet (1-2 m) tall. Leaves evergreen. |
 | Gilia capitata Globe Gilia Upright taprooted annual with large ball-like heads of blue flowers. Height: Up to 3 feet (1 meter). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Grindelia integrifolia Entire-leaved Gumweed Seaside perennial with sticky heads of yellow flowers. Height: Can grow up to 32 inches (80 cm) in height. Leaves deciduous. |
 | Gymnocarpium dryopteris Oak Fern Delicate, deciduous fronds. Usually solitary, but often forms a mat of herbaceous cover in forests. Height: To 16 inches (40 cm). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Heuchera micrantha Small-flowered Alumroot Grows from rhizomes with one to many flower stems that are reddish and covered with fine hairs and topped with delicate panicles of tiny white flowers. Height: Up to 2 feet (60 cm). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Holodiscus discolor Oceanspray Multi-stemmed upright shrub with ridged young stems and arching older stems with peeling bark. White flowers. Height: Up to 13 feet (4 meters). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Lithophragma parviflorum Small-flowered Woodland Star Delicate herb from slender rhizomes with numerous small bulblets; white star-shaped flowers. Height: 2-16 inches (10-40 cm). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Lomatium utriculatum Spring Gold Perennial herb with finely lacey foliage and flat-topped umbels of bright yellow flowers. Leaves deciduous. |
 | Lonicera hispidula Hairy Honeysuckle Clamboring vine with clusters of light purple tubular flowers. Height: Up to 33 feet (10 meters) in trees. Leaves deciduous. |
 | Mahonia aquifolium Tall Oregon Grape Erect, stiff-branched shrub with holly-like leaves and clusters of yellow flowers. Height: 2.5 - 6.5 feet (0.8 meters - 2 meters). Leaves evergreen. |
 | Maianthemum stellatum Starflowered False Solomon's Seal Leaves deciduous. |
 | Myrica californica Pacific Wax Myrtle Tall shrub with small evergreen leaves. Height: Up to 15 feet (5 meters) tall. Leaves evergreen. |
 | Olsynium douglasii Satin Flower, Grass Widow Showy tufted perennial resembling a miniature iris topped with large pink to purple flowers. Height: Up to 12 inches (30 cm). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Penstemon davidsonii Davidson's Penstemon Low mat-forming perennial with small evergreen leaves and large blue-purple tubular flowers. Height: 2-4 inches (5-10 cm) tall. Leaves evergreen. |
 | Penstemon fruticosus Lowbush Penstemon Spreading shrub with numerous tubular purple flowers. Height: Up to 40 cm (1.5 ft) tall. Leaves evergreen,deciduous. |
 | Penstemon serrulatus Coast Penstemon Perennial, sprawling sub-shrub from a woody stem base, with large purple tubular flowers at stem tips. Height: 8-28 inches (20-70 cm). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Philadelphus lewisii Mock Orange Erect, loosely branched shrub with large fragrant white flowers. Height: Up to 10 feet (3 meters). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Phlox diffusa Spreading Phlox Mat forming perennial with showy white to pink flowers. Height: Up to 4 inches (10 cm). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Picea sitchensis Sitka spruce Large tree with horizontal branches and drooping branchlets Height: Up to 200 feet (60 meters) tall. Leaves evergreen. |
 | Pinus contorta Shore Pine Short pine tree, often with crooked trunk and bushy habit. Height: Up to 100 feet (30 meters). Leaves evergreen. |
 | Plectritis congesta Sea Blush Delicate annual herb with large dense clusters of small pink flowers. Height: Up to 2 feet (60 cm). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Polemonium pulcherrimum Showy Jacob's-ladder Taprooted perennial with mostly basal leaves and blue bell-shaped flowers. Height: Up to 14 inches (35 cm). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Populus tremuloides Quaking Aspen Deciduous thicket-forming tree with smooth white bark and leaves that "quake" in the wind. Leaves deciduous. |
 | Pseudotsuga menziesii Douglas fir Large coniferous tree with thick, fluted bark. Height: Up to 300 feet (90 meters). Leaves evergreen. |
 | Quercus garryana Garry Oak Beautiful, deciduous, heavy limbed oak tree. Height: Up to 82 feet (25 meters). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Ranunculus occidentalis Western Buttercup Slender perennial herb with fibrous roots and yellow flowers. Height: Up to 2 feet (60 cm). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Ribes sanguineum Red Flowering Currant Erect, multi-stemmed shrub with showy clusters of deep pink flowers in early spring. Height: 3-10 feet (1-3 meters). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Rosa gymnocarpa Baldhip Rose Spindly shrub with brittle weak straight spines and small pink rose flowers. Height: Up to 5 feet (1.5 meters). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Rosa nutkana Nootka Rose Spindly shrub with a pair of prickles at the base of each leaf and large pink rose flowers. Height: Up to 10 feet (3 meters). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Rubus parviflorus Thimbleberry Unarmed spreading shrub with large white flowers. Usually forms dense thickets. Height: Up to 10 feet (3 meters). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Sedum lanceolatum Lance-leaved Stonecrop Leaves deciduous. |
 | Sedum oreganum Oregon Stonecrop Leaves deciduous. |
 | Sedum spathulifolium Broad-leaved Stonecrop Leaves evergreen. |
 | Solidago canadensis Canada Goldenrod Forms patches from long creeping rhizomes. Stems leafy and hairy near the top, with a dense cluster of small yellow flowers. Height: Up to 5 feet (1.5 meters). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Spiraea densiflora Subalpine Spirea Low mound-forming shrub with rounded clusters of intense pink tiny flowers. Height: Up to 3 feet (1 meter) tall. Leaves deciduous. |
 | Symphoricarpos albus Snowberry Erect shrub with attractive white berries that persist through the winter. Height: Up to 6.5 feet (2 meters). Leaves deciduous. |
 | Tsuga mertensiana Mountain Hemlock Slow growing evergreen conifer. Height: Up to 40 meters (130 ft) tall, but often shorter. Leaves evergreen. |
 | Vaccinium ovatum Evergreen huckleberry Bushy shrub with small shiny green evergreen leaves and small clusters of pink bell-shaped flowers. Height: Up to 4 meters (13 ft) tall. Leaves evergreen. |
The landscaping and restoration information provided on this page is taken from the Starflower Foundation Image Herbarium. All photographs © Starflower Foundation unless otherwise noted.