Native Plants
Looking for native plants? The Skagit Conservation District hosts an Annual Plant Sale every year! Be sure to join our mailing list to be alerted when the shop opens up the first week of the new year.
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In case you missed our sale or we sold out of the plants you were hoping for, browse this map to find local retail and wholesale companies selling native plants. And keep scrolling to learn more about plants and access our planting guides!
Finding the "Right" Plant
Native Plants for Pollinators and Rain Gardens
Livestock caution
Plants all need the same things, but they don't all have the same needs. Some plants need more sun, some need more shade.
Some plants need a lot of water, some need very little, and everything in between…
Plant the right tree in the right place
Plant taller trees away from utility lines
Putting the right plant in the right place, not only increases the likelihood of a happier healthy plant, but also reduces the likelihood of big problems later.
Step 1. Evaluate what you have to work with.
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Is it flat or Steep?
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Is it Wet or Dry?
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Sunny or Shady?
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Are there things in the way?
Pavement?
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Pipes?
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Powerlines?
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easements?
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Is there a house blocking the sunlight?
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Does the roof restrict the amount of water getting to the plants underneath.
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The physical aspects that are there, will direct how you can or should proceed.
Planting for pollinators
The Xerces Society has collaborated with the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center to create plant lists that are attractive to native bees, bumble bees, honey bees, and other beneficial insects, as well as plant lists with value as nesting materials for native bees. These lists can be narrowed down with additional criteria such as state, soil moisture, bloom time, and sunlight requirements.
Washington Native Plant Society Plant Lists and Links
Care should be taken to not plant invasive species as they tend to crowd out the native species. Some common groundcovers, shrubs, and vines are invasive and are prohibited from being planted. Refer to the state list of invasive plants.
Plants frequently available at our annual plant sale
NOTE: Fire-resistant does not mean fireproof! Even fire-resistant plants will burn if not well maintained. Be sure to keep all of your landscape plants healthy with appropriate watering, proper pruning, etc.
Evergreen Tree Species
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Grand fir, (Abies grandis) Maximum Height. - 200' Partial Shade/Sun, Mostly Shady. Moist to dry well-drained soils; Christmas tree, lumber, wildlife food & shelter.
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Noble fir, (Abies procera) Maximum Height. - 200' Sun to part shade. Prefers cool, moist, well-drained soil; Christmas trees, wildlife food & shelter, floral greens.
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Sitka spruce, (Picea sitchensis) Max. Ht. - 200' Sun to part shade. Moist forests & forested bogs; erosion control, wildlife food & shelter, lumber.
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Shore pine, (Pinus contorta) Max. Ht. - 100' Sun to part shade. Tolerates wet soils; Christmas trees, wildlife food & shelter. Fire resistant.
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Western White pine, (Pinus monticola) Max. Ht. - 250' Prefers full sun on dry sites. Disease resistant seedlings.
Wildlife food & shelter.
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Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) Max. Ht. - 300' Sun. Prefers acidic, well-drained soils; Christmas tree, lumber, wildlife food & shelter.
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Western red cedar, (Thuja plicata) Up to 300’ tall. Full sun to part shade. Prefers moist to swampy soils; wildlife food & shelter, windbreak.
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Deciduous Tree Species
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Vine maple, (Acer circinatum) Max. Ht. - 25' Sun to part shade. Grows in dry to wet areas; wildlife shelter, host for the Western Tiger Swallowtail. Bloom Time: March thru June. Fire resistant.
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Big Leaf Maple, (Acer macrophyllum) Max. Ht. - 80' Sun to part shade. Grows in dry to moist soil; wildlife food & shelter, early bloom for pollinators. Bloom Time: March thru June. Fire resistant.
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Black hawthorn, (Crataegus douglasii) Max. height 25 ft. Sun or shade. Grows in dry to moist sites; wildlife habitat & food source. Bloom Time: May thru June. Fire resistant.
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Oregon Ash, (Fraxinus latifolia) Max. height 80 ft. Sun - part shade Particularly suited to heavy soils and poorly drained areas, which are often too wet for any other tree. The winged seeds of Oregon Ash are eaten by a birds and small mammals. The foliage is food for butterfly larvae and may be consumed by passing browsers. Bloom time: April – May. Fire resistant.
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Paper birch, (Betula papyrifera) Max. Ht. - 80' Sun to part shade. Prefers moist, well-drained soils; wildlife food & shelter, fuel, lumber, windbreak. Bloom time: April – June. Fire resistant.
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Quaking Aspen, (Populus tremuloides) Max. Ht. - 80' Sun to part shade. Grows in dry to moist soils; wildlife food & shelter, fuel, lumber, windbreak. Bloom time: April – June Fire resistant.
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Cascara, (Rhamnus purshiana) Max. Ht. - 35' Prefers shady & moist areas in forest openings; wildlife food, good for bees. Bloom time: April – June.
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White Oak, (Quercus garryanna) Max. height 50 ft. Full sun to part shade. Prefers dry, well-drained soils; wildlife habitat & food. Bloom Time: April thru June. Fire resistant.
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Shrubs
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Serviceberry, (Amelanchier alnifolia) Max. height 15 ft. Full sun to part shade. Grows in well-drained dry to moist soils; wildlife food, edible berry. Bloom time: April – July. Fire resistant.
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Red osier dogwood, (Cornus stolonifera) Max. Ht. - 20' Grows in moist to wet sites; red twigs; wildlife food & shelter, erosion control. Bloom Time: May thru June. Fire resistant.
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Oceanspray, (Holodiscus discolor) Max. height 15 ft. Part shade. Grows in dry & moist well-drained, gravelly soils in forests & coastal bluffs; wildlife shelter, nectar. Blooms June to August. Fire resistant.
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Indian Plum, (Oemleria cerasiformis) Max. height 15 ft. Part shade. Grows in dry to moist, soils; wildlife food; attracts pollinators. Bloom Time: March thru April.
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Oregon grape, tall, (Mahonia aquifolium) Max. height 10 ft. Full sun to shade. Dry to moist sites; wildlife food, erosion control, edible fruit. Attractive to bees, butterflies and/or birds. Bloom time: March – June. Fire resistant.
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Oregon Grape, Short, (Mahonia nervosa) Height -3' Drought tolerant once established; wildlife food, durable & adaptable, edible fruit. Bloom Time: March – June. Fire resistant.
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Mock Orange, (Philadephus lewisii) Max. Ht. - 20' Grows in dry to moist soils, wildlife food, attracts pollinators. Bloom Time: May thru July. Fire resistant.
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Ninebark, (Physocarpus capitatus) Max. Ht. - 13' Sun to part shade. Grows in damp soils; benefits small bees, host plant for Spring Azure butterflies. It’s fibrous roots and capacity to root from un-rooted cuttings make it suitable for soil bioengineering techniques including live stakes, fascines and brush mats. It is particularly valuable for streambank and lakeshore stabilization applications.
Bloom time: April-July.
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Red flowering currant, (Ribes sanguineum) Max. Ht. - 10' Sun to part shade. Grows in dry to moist soil at low & mid-elevation; wildlife food. Bloom Time: March thru June. Fire resistant.
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Pacific Rhododendron, (Rhododendron macrophyllum) Max. Ht. - 10' Sun to shade. Prefers moist to drier well-drained soil; erosion control. Bloom time: April-May. Fire resistant.
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Nootka rose, (Rosa nutkana) Max. Ht. - 10' Dry to moist sites; Sun to part shade. Wildlife food & shelter, host plant for numerous butterflies. Bloom time: May-July. Fire resistant.
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Thimbleberry, (Rubus parviflorus) Max. Ht. - 10' Part shade​. Grows in well-drained soils at low to mid elevations; wildlife food, edible. Bloom Time: May thru July.
Hooker willow, (Salix hookeriana) Max. Ht. - 20' Grows in moist to wet sites; Sun to part shade. Erosion control, benefits birds & butterflies. Bloom Time: Feb.- March Fire resistant.
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Pacific willow, (Salix lucida) Max. Ht. - 60' Dry to moist sites; Sun to part shade. Wildlife food & shelter, pollen. Bloom Time: Feb.- March. Fire resistant.
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Blue elderberry, (Sambucus nigra ssp. cerulea) Max. Ht. - 30' Sun. Dry to moist sites; wildlife food and shelter, pollen, edible. Bloom Time: May thru July.
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Spirea, Douglas, (Spiraea douglasii) Max. Ht. - 6' Sun to part shade. Grows in margins of ponds, meadows, & open space at low elevation; erosion control, wildlife shelter.
Bloom Time: May thru June. Fire resistant.
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Snowberry, (Symphoricarpos albus) Max. Height 6 ft. Sun to part shade. Prefers dry well-drained soils; wildlife food, erosion control. Bloom Time: June thru July. Fire resistant.
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Plants in small pots or Plugs
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Kinnikinnick, (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) Sun to part shade. Evergreen ground cover that prefers well-drained, exposed sites; wildlife food, pollen. Bloom Time: April thru July. Fire resistant.
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Salal, (Gaultheria shallon) Max. Height 6 ft. Sun or shade. Evergreen. Grows in dry to moist sites; wildlife food, edible, floral greens, erosion control. Bloom Time: May thru July. Fire resistant.
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Evergreen Huckleberry, (Vaccinium ovatum) Max. Height 8 ft. Evergreen. Sun or shade with well-drained soil; ornamental leaves and edible fruit. Flowers attract hummingbirds, butterflies and other pollinators. Bloom time: March - August.