NATIVE PLANT LIST
Idaho, Eastern Oregon, and Eastern Washington
This
is a "starter" list of native plants
for Idaho, eastern Oregon and eastern Washington.
It is intended for residential or commercial landscapers
who want to create attractive and varied native
landscapes.
Big-tooth Maple
Water Birch
Netleaf Hackberry
Western Juniper
Western Larch
Blue Spruce
Pinyon Pine
Western White Pine
Ponderosa Pine
Quaking Aspen
Black Cottonwood
Douglas Fir
Rocky Mountain Ash
Acer grandidentatum
Betula occidentalis
Celtis reticulata
Juniperus occidentalis
Larix occidentalis
Picea pungens
Pinus edulis
Pinus monticola
Pinus ponderosa
Populus tremuloides
Populus trichocarpa
Pseudotsuga menziesii
Sorbus scopulina
Fall foliage
varies from orange to yellow.
An excellent choice for Rocky Mtn. states.
Reddish orange berries in the fall.
Blue-green cones appear in the spring.
This deciduous conifer turns golden in fall.
Large evergreen with a silver-blue color.
Requires full sun and good drainage.
Grows best in sun with moist, well-drained soil.
Yellow brown, sweet-scented bark on old trees.
Leaves turn gold in fall, shimmer in wind.
Oval leaves are glossy dark green.
Best in full sun with well-drained soil.
Bet in moist, well-drained acidic soil.
Showy fall
foliage is red, orange, and yellow.
White flowers April-May become purple fruit.
Mat-forming shrub has pink flowers Mar-Apr.
Semi-evergreen shrub with silver foliage.
Foliage is metallic silver.
Smells strongly of sagebrush.
Yellow inconspicuous flowers in the fall
Yellow inconspicuous flowers mid-spring
Evergreen; dark green leaves, gray bark
White flowers Apr-May, Plumes persist into fall
White flowers in summer
Dark yellow flowers late summer into fall
Leaves green, shiny, and sticky
White flowers May-Jun, berries attract birds
Showy clusters of white flowers mid spring
Yellow flower-like cones and berry-like fruits.
White to rose flowers late spring-early summer
Tolerates highly alkaline soil, needs drainage
Holly-like leaves; drought and shade tolerant
Incredibly fragrant flowers begin late spring
White flowers (spring); red fall color
Yellow flowers early summer- mid fall
Fragrant white flowers become red cherries
White flowers in spring become red-purple fruit
Yellow highly fragrant flowers Apr-May.
Compound, blue-green leaves turn red in fall.
Leaves turn a bright red to orange color in fall.
Bright yellow flowers in early spring.
Pale to dark pink flower spikes in early spring.
Pale to dark pink flowers bloom in late May.
Small white flowers in late spring; attracts birds
Dense form of silver foliage, good bird habitat
Leaves are blue-green, often with rusty dots
Pink to white flwoers bloom in May or June
White flowers
fading to cream from spring-fall
Light gray to green foliage is broad and flat
White flowers bloom prolifically Jun-Sep
Pink and white flowers Jun-Jul; drought tolerant
Blue and white unique blooms Jun-Aug
Unique red and yellow flowers spring-summer
Purple, light blue to cream flowers
Plants don't flower until they are five years old
Blue petals and yellow stamen blooms May-Jun
Continuously blooms (purple) summer-fall
Numerous white to lavender flowers in spring
Creamy white flowers; drought tolerant
White flowers in the summer and fall
Yellow flowers with hints of reddish orange
Yellow flowers in the spring; drought tolerant
Flower rays a mix of red, yellow or orange
Pink to lavender flowers with red veins May-Sep
Reddish to purplish flowers
Red blooms in summer reach 5'; slow-growing
Red flowers (Jun) attract hummingbirds
Blue flowers all spring and summer; drought tol
Blue to white flowers; nitrogen fixing
Yellow flowers Jun-Sep; slightly fragrant
Flowers of yellow, pink, or red bloom Jun-Jul
Comes in various shades of blue to lavender
Distinctly bright red corolla, flowers Jun-Sep
Dark blue to violet flowers May-Aug
Small creamy white flowers May-Jun
Flower stalks lined with bright red flowers
Blue/lavender to light purplish flowers May-Jun
Large pink fragrant flowers attract hummingbird
Red flowers attract hummingbirds
Bluish-purple flowers in whirls around stem
Bright purple to violet flowers May-Jun
Blue to violet blooms Jun-Jul
Stunning flowers lavender-purple May-Jun
Flowers usually creamy white-green Jul-Aug
Pinkish purple flowers May-Sep; fixes nitrogen
Yellow flowers cover plant late summer-fall
Orange to brick red flowers Mar-Jun
Salmon colored flowers in the summer
Apricot-pink to reddish-orange flowers
Spikes of lacy yellow flowers spring-summer
Creamy white bell shaped flowers in July
Indian Ricegrass
Little Bluestem
Blue Grama
Buffalograss
Bottlebrush Squirreltail
Idaho Fescue
Sheep Fescue
Great Basin Wildrye
Bluebunch Wheatgrass
Sand Dropseed
Beautiful inflorescence
when it goes to seed
Blue-green warm season grass; reddish in fall
Mat forming warm season grass
Long blue-gray to green blades; reddish in fall
Unique tufted seed head in mid-spring
Gray-blue blades in early summer
Does not do well in continuously wet sites
Bluish tan blades with wheatlike seed heads
Bluish cast, decorative inflorescence
Stays green in heat of summer; resists fire if mowed anually
1. While
the plants listed above are native to and appropriate
for their indicated regions, please recognize that,
in some instances, human development alters the
characteristics of a site such that it may be advisable
to use plants from a neighboring region. For example,
plantings in urban and suburban areas may receive
reflected heat from streets, sidewalks and/or walls
or be in media that receives less moisture than
normal (e.g., next to a paved area – the pavement
blocks rain from entering soil). Accordingly, using
plants from a neighboring region that support higher
temperatures and/or drier conditions may be more
appropriate.
2. While a plant is native to a region, that does
not mean that it will grow everywhere in that region.
The characteristics of any site will typically vary
from place to place and some plants may do better
than others at various places within a site. In
other words, a little experimentation might be required.
3. The above list is a starter list. Though adequate
for most residential and commercial landscapes,
there are many more native plants and should you
want to consider them, please inquire at a listed
nursery, community
service organization, reference
book or other resources.
CREDITS:
1. Landscaping with Native Plants of the Intermountain Region
US Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management
in cooperation with Boise State University and the Pahove
Chapter of the Idaho Native Plant Society www.id.blm.gov/publications/TR1730-3/cover_p7.pdf.
