How to Garden With Native Plants: A Pacific Northwest Guide

Native plants offer a practical advantage for Pacific Northwest gardeners—because they're already adapted to our climate, many require less water and upkeep once established than ornamental alternatives, while supporting local pollinators and wildlife and reflecting the region's ecological identity.

With over 3,600 native plant species in Oregon and more than 2,300 in Washington, there's an incredible palette to choose from—whether you're planting a border, a shade garden, or a wildlife-friendly naturalized space. Here's how to get started.

Benefits of Landscaping with Native Plants

• Year-round beauty and seasonal interest
• Less water and maintenance once established
• Essential habitat for local pollinators, birds, and other wildlife
• A distinct Pacific Northwest identity that reflects the region's natural and cultural heritage

7 Tips for Using Native Plants in Your Garden

Designing with native plants is both an art and an act of stewardship—keep these tips in mind to create a Pacific Northwest garden that's beautiful, ecologically sound, and built to thrive.

1. Match the right plant to the right place—know your site and the requirements of the plants you’re considering. Pay attention to the mature size of the plants (height, width, growth rate).

2. Choose plants with year-round interest, including bulbs, conifers, and winter-blooming shrubs.

3. Think in layers—tree canopy, understory plants, and groundcovers.

4. With smaller flowering plants, use several of the same variety in a clump so pollinators will notice them more readily.

5. Select long-flowering, low-maintenance options from our 7 Best PNW Native Plants list for the easiest, most attractive native options to incorporate.

6. Choose nursery-grown plants from responsible suppliers (7 Dees!)—digging directly from the wild contributes to the decline and extinction of natives in their natural habitat.

7. Don't forget to add water with a bird bath or fountain—a reliable water source gives birds and pollinators a reason to stay.

How to Maintain Pacific Northwest Native Plants

Native plants are low maintenance when planted appropriately, not "no maintenance". Like any garden plant, they need regular watering until established. For best results, plant between September and March, giving roots time to develop before the dry Summer months. Mulching helps conserve soil moisture and keeps weeds at bay. Most natives don't require fertilizer, though working compost into the soil before planting will set them up for success.

Prune lightly, and avoid cutting everything back at once—spent flowers, seed heads, and other plant parts provide valuable food, nesting material, and habitat for birds and beneficial insects. Deciduous grasses and perennials can be cut back in late Winter before new growth emerges, but leaving them standing through the Winter benefits birds and insects alike. And remember: native butterflies and moths spend their early lives as caterpillars that depend on plant leaves to survive, so a little tolerance for insect feeding goes a long way toward creating a thriving habitat.

Backyard Habitat Certification Program

Portland Audubon and Columbia Land Trust teamed up to design a unique program that supports local urban gardeners in their efforts to create natural backyard habitats! The intent of the Backyard Habitat Certification Program is to provide technical assistance, financial incentives, encouragement, and recognition to people who want to create natural, low-maintenance gardens that support people, wildlife, and the planet.

The program has also provided us with materials and incentives, including the Portland Plant List, plant tags, and several other helpful items. Keep in mind that the program does not recognize cultivars of native plants as equivalent to the straight species (Ribes sanguineum is considered native, but the cultivar R. sanguineum ‘King Edward VII’ is not). Native plants versus cultivars of natives is a continued topic of discussion among various horticultural academics. For more information on how to get certified, click the button below:

A Comprehensive List of Pacific Northwest Native Plants

Here's the full rundown of Pacific Northwest natives, organized by plant type—from towering trees to groundcovers—so you can find the right native for any spot in your garden. See our curated list of the 7 Best Native Plants for PNW Gardens!

Format: Common Name (Scientific name) — Size; Light; Water; Feature. (PPL = Portland Plant List)

PNW Native Trees

• Cascara (Rhamnus purshiana) — Small; Sun to shade; Dry to moist; Deep-ribbed leaves and purple-black fruit birds love. PPL
• Shore Pine (Pinus contorta) — 20–50 ft tall by 30 ft wide; Full sun; Adaptable; Tough conifer, great for erosion control.
• Vine Maple (Acer circinatum) — Large shrub/small tree; Sun to shade; Moderate water; Round leaves turn orange, yellow, or scarlet in fall. PPL
• Western Hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla) — Large and tall; Part shade; Dry to moist; Feathery evergreen sprays on graceful, drooping branches. PPL
• Western Red Cedar (Thuja plicata) — Very large; Part shade to full sun; Moderate, tolerates moist; Pyramidal shape with dark green evergreen sprays. PPL

PNW Native Shrubs

• Coast Silk Tassel (Garrya elliptica) — Large, can train as tree; Part to full sun; Drought-tolerant once established; Long winter catkins and purple fruit on female plants.
• Douglas Spiraea (Spiraea douglasii) — 4–8 ft; Full sun to part shade; Tolerates moist soil; Pinkish-purple flower plumes, magnet for pollinators.
• Evergreen Huckleberry (Vaccinium ovatum) — Medium evergreen; Sun to shade; Moderate; Bright red new growth and small edible fruit. PPL
• Oregon Grape (Berberis spp., formerly Mahonia) — Hardy evergreen; Sun to shade; Low to moderate; Holly-like leaves; yellow flowers, blue-black edible fruit. PPL
• Red Elderberry (Sambucus racemosa) — Small, deciduous; Part shade to sun; Moist soil; Pyramid-shaped white flowers followed by red berries. PPL
• Red Flowering Currant (Ribes sanguineum) — Medium to large; Sun; Drought-tolerant once established; Pink flower clusters in spring; tolerates clay soil. PPL
• Salal (Gaultheria shallon) — Hardy evergreen groundcover-shrub; Shade to part sun; Moderate; Glossy round leaves, bell flowers, and edible berries. PPL
• Snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus) — Small; Shade to sun (flowers more in sun); Low water tolerant; Pink spring bells become white winter berries for birds. PPL
• Wild Mock Orange (Philadelphus lewisii) — Medium, deciduous; Part to full sun; Moist to dry; Large, fragrant white flowers in early summer. PPL

PNW Native Perennials

• Camas Lily (Camassia quamash) — 12–24 in; Full sun to part shade; Moist to wet; Violet-blue spikes, historic indigenous food source. PPL
• Fringecup (Tellima grandiflora) — 15 in, semi-evergreen; Part sun to full shade; Moist, rich soil; Tiny white-to-pink flower spikes, spring through summer. PPL
• Goat's Beard (Aruncus dioicus) — Herbaceous perennial; Shade; Regular water; Large, feathery white blooms all summer.
• Nootka Rose (Rosa nutkana) — 3–9 ft thicket; Adaptable to wide conditions; Moderate; Fragrant pink flowers followed by showy red hips.
• Pacific Bleeding Heart (Dicentra formosa) — 18 in; Mostly shade; Moist soil; Fern-like foliage, naturalizes readily. PPL
• Pacific Coast Iris (Iris tenax) — 10–18 in, evergreen; Full sun to part shade; Well-drained, drought-tolerant once established; Delicate purple-lavender-white veined flowers. PPL
• Pacific Coast Trillium (Trillium ovatum) — 12–18 in; Part to full shade; Rich, moist, well-drained; White flower ages to rose-purple, naturalizes if undisturbed. PPL
• Western Columbine (Aquilegia formosa) — Up to 32 in; Full sun to part shade; Moist, fertile, well-drained; Nodding orange-red flowers hummingbirds love. PPL

PNW Native Ferns

• Deer Fern (Blechnum spicant) — 18 in, evergreen; Shade; Moist soil; Dark, leathery fronds with distinct fertile/sterile fronds. PPL
• Lady Fern (Athyrium filix-femina) — 3–6 in, herbaceous; Shade to part sun (prefers shade); Moist, well-drained; Erect, lance-shaped fronds. PPL
• Licorice Fern (Polypodium glycyrrhiza) — 12 in, evergreen/semi-evergreen; Shade; Moist, well-drained; Glossy fronds. PPL
• Sword Fern (Polystichum munitum) — 2–4 ft, evergreen; Part sun to full shade; Moist to dry, drought-tolerant once established; Long arching, sword-shaped fronds and year-round structure. PPL
• Western Maidenhair Fern (Adiantum aleuticum) — 12–24 in, herbaceous; Shade; Moist, well-drained; Delicate fan-shaped leaflets on black stems. PPL

PNW Native Groundcovers

• Beach (Coastal) Strawberry (Fragaria chiloensis) — 4 in, evergreen; Full sun; Regular water; Glossy foliage, silvery underneath, and edible red fruit.
• Bunchberry (Cornus canadensis) — 6 in, semi-evergreen to evergreen; Shade; Moderate; White flowers become bird-favorite orange-red berries. PPL
• Creeping Oregon Grape (Berberis repens, formerly Mahonia repens) — Up to 12 in, evergreen; Full sun to part shade; Minimal water once established; Blue-green leaves turn bronze-purple in winter with blue berries. PPL
• Inside-Out Flower (Vancouveria hexandra) — 12 in; Shade to part sun; Fertile, well-drained, moist; Duck-foot foliage and shooting-star-like white flowers. PPL
• Low Oregon Grape (Berberis nervosa, formerly Mahonia nervosa) — 2–3 ft, evergreen; Part sun to full shade; Well-drained to dry, drought-tolerant once established; Glossy pinnate leaves turn red/bronze in winter. PPL