Rosa nutkana var. nutkana

The Nootka rose is an attractive shrub growing up to 9′ high. The straight, erect stems are usually green, but occasionally may be reddish. The prickles are larger and thicker than those of the other native rose species.

The leaves are alternate on the stems and pinnately compound with 5-7 leaflets, dark green above, paler and slightly hairy below. The leaflets are elliptic or ovate in shape with serrate margins, and range from 1-7 cm long and 0.7-4.5 cm wide.

The sweet-scented, pink flowers are usually solitary, occasionally growing in groups of 2 or 3. They are large and showy, ranging from 5-8 cm across. Individual petals are 2.5-4 cm long, and 5 petals are the norm for the flowers. The rose hips are spherical, orange-red and large, ranging from 1-2 cm wide.

Uses

Wild rose is spindly and tends to form loose thickets, which in large spaces makes it useful as a hedgerow or as a wildlife-friendly ornamental. The leaves and fruits are important food sources for herbivores and upland game birds, and rose thickets provide excellent nesting and escape habitat for songbirds. The plant also has many traditional uses in Native American culture. Rose hips can be made into jam, tea, and used as flavoring, and the leaves have a variety of medicinal uses. Dried flower petals are used for scents and potpourri.

Habitat

Nootka rose may be found in open upland woods or in open shrub wetlands. In areas where both Rosa nutkana and Rosa woodsii occur, the former may be found at higher elevations and often in woods.

Rubus parviflorus

Thimbleberry (Rubus parviflorusis) is a dense, spreading deciduous shrub that grows 4-6 feet tall and wide. It is a friendly plant with large, soft, fuzzy leaves and no thorns or prickles. The white flowers have five petals and a pale yellow center. The delicious fruits are like large, soft, velvety raspberries.

Thimbleberries are used by many kinds of wildlife year round. They are important sources of nectar, nest material, and winter shelter for native bees. Yellow-banded sphinx moths eat the leaves when young, and the berries are eaten by dozens of species.

These thicket-forming plants typically grow along roadsides, railroad tracks, and in forest clearings, commonly appearing soon after clear cuts and forest fire areas. In urban areas, thimbleberries can form a natural hedge at the back of the garden or provide cover on sunny, dry hillsides.

Rubus spectabilis

Salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis) is an upright shrub growing to 10 feet tall, with a unique vase-like shape and prickly stems. The purple-magenta flowers bloom April through June. The orange-red, raspberry-like fruit matures in late summer to early autumn.

Salmonberry is a great wildlife plant for a large yard or garden; the open flowers attract bumblebees and hummingbirds while the fruit is a treat for thrushes, tanagers, finches, and wrens. Native bees also use it extensively for nesting material and winter shelter.

Salmonberries grow in moist forest openings and stream margins, so it does best in full sun to part shade and moist to wet soils. They often form large thickets, and thrive in the open spaces under stands of red alder.

Spiraea douglasii

Also known as hardhack or steeplebush, Douglas spirea (Spiraea douglasii) is best known for its large, pink, pointy clusters of small flowers that bloom from May – July. The flower clusters turn dark in late summer and linger on the plant for months, adding visual interest.

A fast grower that can reach 10-12 feet tall in just a few years, Douglas spirea favors open sunny areas and can tolerate seasonal flooding. It can spread aggressively in moist environments, but is better behaved in drier areas.

Many butterflies visit this plant for nectar and lay their eggs on it, including pale swallowtail, Lorquin’s admiral, spring azure, and mourning cloak.

Symphoricarpos albus

Few plants are as aptly named as snowberry. Small bell-like pink flowers give way to scattered clusters of white berries in late summer, which stay on the delicate, arching branches through the fall and much of winter. The small, pale green oval leaves turn a soft yellow in the fall.

Snowberries are at their best in the landscape when combined with other plants. They bring an airy lightness to the understory that contrasts well with the thick evergreen leaves of salal and low Oregon grape, the red stems of red osier dogwoods, and the feathery green foliage of Western hemlock and Western redcedar.

The berries are eaten late in winter by thrushes, towhees, robins, waxwings, and grosbeaks. Anna’s and rufous hummingbirds are attracted to the flowers, as are many species of native bees. Snowberry also provides food for the young of vashti sphinx moths and is generally good cover for wildlife.

Snowberry is tolerant of a wide variety of growing conditions, spreads easily, and makes an excellent addition to any garden.

Vaccinium ovatum

Evergreen Huckleberry is a small to medium sized evergreen shrub native to the Pacific Northwest regions of the United States and British Columbia. In the Willamette Valley, it prefers full to partial shade, but will tolerate full sun in coastal areas. It grows slowly and prefers acidic soils.

The shiny, alternately arranged leaves are 2-3.0cm long and 1-1.5cm wide with finely serrated edges. In mid-summer, the plant produces round, edible black berries about 0.5 – 1.0cm in diameter. The berries are a valuable traditional food for many Native American cultures in the Pacific Northwest.

Lonicera involucrata

Black twinberry (Lonicera involucrata) is also known as “twinberry honeysuckle”. Named for its pairs of flowers and fruits, this attractive shrub grows up to 10 feet tall. Tube-shaped yellow to orange flowers bloom April – July, followed by dark purple berries surrounded by showy red bracts. Young branches have yellow bark which age to yellow-brown.

The flowers provide nectar for hummingbirds and bumblebees, and the berries are eaten by numerous birds. Twinberry is also a food plant for the young of Gillette’s Checkerspot butterfly. This wetland plant grows best in sun or partial shade and moist soil.

Gaultheria shallon

Salal is a low-growing, leathery-leaved evergreen shrub that tolerates a wide variety of conditions. Its dark blue “berries” (actually swollen sepals) are edible raw and can be made into jams, preserves, and pies. Salal berries are mildly sweet, and are often used in combination with the more tart Oregon grape.

In the Willamette Valley, salal prefers full to partial shade. In coastal areas it can form deep, nearly impenetrable thickets, and easily tolerates full sun. It grows as far north as Baranof Island, Alaska.

Salal leaves are also harvested and sold to florists worldwide for use in floral arrangements.