Download Trees and shrubs - Clackamas River Basin Council

Thank you for your interest in receiving free native
trees and shrubs! Increasing the amount of trees
and shrubs in a stream’s riparian zone provides a
number of benefits. Not only can these attractive
plants increase your home’s property value and
lower your stress levels, they perform many valuable
functions.
a guide to selecting
native riparian plants
Trees and shrubs provide food and habitat for
wildlife, and keep streams cold for salmon. Roots
stabilize banks, preventing runoff and soil
erosion. Additionally, plants provide pollution
“buffers,” preventing drift from pesticide application
and roadside pollution from reaching the waterways.
Larger trees work well at providing shade, while
smaller “understory” shrubs often provide habitat
and erosion control.
For more information, please contact:
As you select the trees that appeal to you most, try
to keep in mind their size at maturity. We
typically install trees approximately five feet apart in
order to account for any mortality that may occur.
Thanks for considering improving the habitat on
your property — the watershed and all its
inhabitants will truly appreciate your hard work. If
you have any other questions about watershed issues,
please contact the Basin Council — we’re more than
happy to share our expertise!
Clackamas River Basin Council
PO Box 1869
Clackamas, OR 97015
(503) 558-0550
[email protected]
www.clackamasriver.org
produced by the
Clackamas River Basin
Council
with support from the
Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board
and Water Environment Services
native trees available for your property
Grand Fir
(Abies grandis)
Oregon Ash
(Fraxinus latifolia)
Oregon White Oak
(Quercus garryana)
The citrus-scented grand fir is
a popular choice for Christmas
tree farmers. The largest fir, it
may reach 250 feet in height,
and prefers moist soil in sun or
partial shade.
The roots
provide excellent stabilization,
as they are deep and widespreading.
In its preferred habitat of wet soil and full
sun, the ash can reach anywhere from 4080 feet. The ash provides superb erosion
control, and will thrive even in wetlands
or seasonally flooded areas. The ash takes
on vibrant fall color, and is considered an
ornamental tree in many parts of Europe.
This deciduous beauty
can reach up to 90 feet
tall, and spread nearly as
wide. The white oak
prefers full sun and dry,
upland habitat. Tree
roots may rot if they become wet over the summer,
so this tree is not a good match for irrigated lawns.
The acorns provide a food source for wildlife.
Big Leaf Maple
(Acer macrophyllum)
Big leaf maples slowly grow to a
height and spread of 50 to 75
feet at maturity. They thrive
best in partial sun to shade and
moist soil. This tree also boasts
fragrant flowers before leaves
bud in spring, and brilliant
yellow foliage in fall, making it a
stunning landscape addition.
Red Alder
(Alnus rubra)
This deciduous tree quickly
reaches 40 to 50 feet in
height, and provides
excellent erosion control.
The alder prefers full sun,
and will tolerate marginal
soils due to a symbiotic
relationship with a nitrogenfixing soil bacteria.
Ponderosa Pine & White Pine
(Pinus ponderosa and strobus)
The Ponderosa pine (top right), can reach
between 60 to 100 feet tall at maturity. It
prefers full sun and moist, well-drained
soils, but it will tolerate drought and soil
alkalinity.
The white pine (lower
left) is shorter, reaching a maximum 30-60
feet tall. Like the Ponderosa, it prefers
moist, well-drained soils, but will tolerate a
range of sun to partial shade. A word of
caution: the fallen needles are very acidic,
which may suppress growth of other trees
nearby. The white pine is also resistant to
air pollution and salt.
Douglas Fir
(Psuedotsuga menziesii)
The most important timber species in the
US, this fir can rapidly reach 80-200 feet
tall. Douglas firs prefer full to partial
sun, and soil ranging from neutral to
mildly acidic. These trees will tolerate
seasonal flooding.
Western Red Cedar
(Thuja plicata)
The red cedar usually grows
between 50 and 70 feet tall,
and will thrive in partial to full
shade. Cedars prefer moist,
well-drained soils, and can be
grown in hedges. Their needles
are also quite fragrant, making
them an odiferous addition to
the landscape.
Western Hemlock
(Tsuga heterophylla)
Typically growing between 60
and 100 feet, the western
hemlock can tolerate full sun to
partial shade. It prefers wet
soil, and can reach mature size
quickly. These characteristics
make it an important part of
planting plans focused on
minimizing erosion.
native shrubs available for your property
Vine Maple
(Acer circinatum)
Douglas Hawthorn
(Crataegus douglassii)
Oregon Grape
(Mahonia aquifolum)
The vine maple is an
excellent choice for an
understory plant. It will
thrive in partial to full
shade, and prefers wet
soils. The more sun the shrub receives, the bushier it
becomes. The vine maple is prized for its variable fall
colors, and typically reaches 5-35 feet tall.
The Douglas hawthorn is a shrubby,
deciduous tree slowly growing 30 to
40 feet tall. The trees will tolerate
partial to full sun, and soils that are dry or only seasonally
wet. The hawthorn hosts fragrant spring flowers and edible
fall fruit, making it ideal for wildlife.
This prized and popular
native plant is a delight for
all seasons, with showy
yellow spring flowers, purple berries in fall, and
bronze or reddish leaves in winter. The Oregon
grape prefers partial to full shade and moist soil, and
may grow up to 10 feet tall. This plant is also
Oregon’s state flower.
Serviceberry
(Amelanchier alnifolia)
The serviceberry provides
year-round interest to a yard or
garden. Fragrant white spring
flowers are followed by edible
blue berries in late summer,
making it attractive for bees
and other wildlife. The serviceberry may eventually
reach up to 40 feet in height, and prefers moist soil
and sun or partial shade.
Beaked Hazelnut
(Corylus cornuta)
This deciduous shrub has a
tendency to spread nearly as
wide as it is tall (approximately
5 to 12 feet). It prefers sun or
partial shade, and moist, welldrained soil.
The beaked
hazelnut is not the same species as the commercially
valuable filbert, but does attract wildlife all the same.
Salal
(Gaultheria shallon)
Salal is a dense, spreading shrub that
can develop into thickets. It will
tolerate poor soils, but prefers full sun and moderate
moisture. This plant has white or pinkish spring flowers, and
edible fall fruits that attract birds and wildlife.
Oceanspray
(Holodiscus discolor)
This deciduous shrub may reach up to
15 feet in height when grown in partial
sha de, its pr eferr ed ha bita t.
Oceanspray is tolerant of variable soil moisture levels, and
blooms with beautiful cream-colored flowers each spring.
Twinberry
(Lonicera involucrata)
Twinberries can reach a final height of
anywhere between 18 inches to 13
feet, and prefer to do so on sites with
moist soils and sun or partial shade. As
the name suggests, the shrubs grow
pairs of berries in autumn, attracting birds and wildlife.
Indian Plum
(Oemleria cerasiformis)
This deciduous tree is one
of the first to sprout leaves
each spring. The Indian
plum boasts trailing white
flowers and small purple
“plums” each fall, to the delight of wildlife
enthusiasts. The Indian plum may grow up to 20 feet
tall, and does so best in partial shaded moist soils.
Mock Orange
(Philadelphus lewisii)
The mock orange is
perhaps best-known for its
fragrant flowers, which
attract bees and other pollinators. It will thrive in full
sun to partial shade, and does well as an understory
plant. To keep the tree compact, it can be pruned
after flowering; otherwise, expect the tree to grow to
approximately 5 to 10 feet in height.
All photos courtesy CRBC or Oregon State University (http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ldplants/)
native shrubs available for your property
Pacific Ninebark
(Physocarpus capitatus)
This deciduous shrub
may reach up to 20
feet in height when
growing in its
preferred habitat: moist soils in full sun to partial
shade. Ninebark flowers with small pink clusters in
late spring, and becomes inflamed with orange in the
fall. This shrub will grow well along streambanks,
providing color throughout the year.
Sword Fern
(Polystichum
munitum)
One of the Pacific
Northwest’s
hardier natives,
the sword fern will thrive in practically any
environment, though it prefers plenty of shade and
moisture. When creating a planting plan, keep in
mind that individual fronds may reach up to four feet
long. A varietal that prefers full sun is also available.
Bitter Cherry
(Prunus emarginata)
Bitter cherry may form dense
thickets of small trees up to 50
feet tall. It will do best in areas
of moist, well-drained soil with
sun or partial shade. Fragrant
spring flowers give way to small
fruits, which attract plenty of
pollinators, birds, and small mammals.
Cascara
(Rhamnus purshiana)
Elderberry
(Sambucus spp.)
Perhaps one of our more poetically-named
shrubs, cascara can climb up to 50 feet tall
in sun or shade, so long as it’s planted in
well-drained soils. In addition to
providing fall color, the tree also grows
sickly-sweet berry treats for wildlife.
CRBC has both red and
blue elderberries
available, depending on
what color fruit you
prefer! Both species
prefer edge habitat, moist soil, and full sun. Shrubs
may grow up to 30 feet tall (the blue tend to be a bit
larger), and provide fruit edible for humans and
wildlife, though people prefer to cook it first.
Red Currant
(Ribes sanguineum)
Though the berries produced by
this shrub are termed “insipid” at
best, it does lend year-round
interest to a landscape. The currant flowers in spring, and
grows up to 10 feet tall in full sun and moist soil.
Nootka Rose
(Rosa nutkana)
This compact, deciduous shrub may
grow up to 6 feet in height. Hardier
than other rose species, the Nootka
will tolerate sun, shade, and moisture. Flowers and hips
attract pollinators and wildlife.
Salmonberry
(Rubus spectabilis)
The salmonberry may form dense
thickets in sun or shade, and is often
found alongside streams or wet logged areas. Growing from
3 to 10 feet tall, it provides edible berries for birds and
wildlife. Berries are safe for human consumption, though
many find their taste unpleasant.
CRBC also has live willow stakes, species depends upon availability.
Douglas Spiraea
(Tsuga heterophylla)
Douglas spiraea can reach up to
seven feet tall in sunny, wet
areas. It responds well to
pruning, and can be sheared to meet your personal
preferences. Spiraea is well-loved by bees and other
pollinators, and retains its flowers throughout most of
the summer. The plant grows through sending out
“suckers” and may form dense hedges after several
growing seasons.
Snowberry
(Symphoricarpus albus)
Snowberry is available in
creeping or free-standing
varieties, the latter of which
may grow up to seven feet
tall. The shrub sprouts small
pink flowers in spring, which become snowy white
berries the plant retains well into winter.
Snowberries prefer full sun or partial shade, and
moist soil.