Basic Plant Lists

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Native Plants

These are native plants that do well in our area and are conducive for use in the natural looking landscape, we recommend these particular plants for their attractive appearance, non weedy nature and that they are usually available from our growers in a variety of sizes. We have also listed other native plants that you may purchase through us by special order at the appropriate time of year, just call us here at Islandscape to check on current availability.

EVERGREEN PLANTS
Common Name
(Scientific Name)		 Characteristics

Kinnikinnik
(Arctostaphylos uva ursi)

Small, dark green leaves, mat forming groundcover, sun to part shade, often mistaken for "lowfast" cotoneaster, good on slopes, 2"x2', moderate deer resistance, minimal water.
Deer Fern
(Blechnum spicant)
Medium green, glossy fronds, 10"x10", needs part shade and moisture, deer resistant.
Foxglove
( Digitalis purpurea)
 Rosette of fuzzy, medium green leaves, tall flower spike, to 4' in late spring ranging from white, pink, and purple with spots, seeds readily, actually naturalized over native, needs good drainage and at least part sun, totally deer resistant.
Coast silk tassel
(Garrya elliptica)		 Semi woody shrub with grey-green, roundish, leathery leaves, good screening plant or specimen about 6'x6', lovely grey catkins hang off limbs in early fall, deer resistant and drought tolerant.
Salal
(Gaultheria shallon)
Common woodland, semi woody plant with dark green round leaves, new growth is more reddish, 3'x3' or prune for a tidier look, part shade, deer resistant once established.
Lewisia
( Lewisia cotyledon)		 A small succulent, about 3"x3" with a rosette shape named from the Lewis and Clark expedition, intense hot pink to shades of orange flowers late spring, great in pots or rockeries, and partially shaded.
Oregon grape
(Mahonia aquifolium)		 Semi woody plant with holly like appearance, bright yellow flowers late in season followed by edible purple berries, 4'x4', prune to maintain good form, sun to part shade, deer resistant and drought tolerant.
Long leaf mahonia
( Mahonia nervosa)		 More compact than it's above cousin, 2'x2' and more blueish green foliage turning almost purple as the weather cools, tidy habit with yellow flowers, sun to part sun, deer resistant and drought tolerant.
Wax myrtle
( Myrtus californica)		 Semi woody shrub with medium green, elongated foliage, slow growth to about 5'x5', prune to maintain tidy habit, needs part to full sun, in well draining soil, moderate deer resistance, good screening plant or specimen.
Western sword fern
( Polystichum munitum)		 Our most common fern in the San Juans, 3'x3' with dark green fronds and reddish undersides and vertical growth habit, maintain by cutting back to crown every other season in late March, moderate water needs, part sun to shade , deer resistant once established, will spread by spores and transplants easily.
Big leaf rhodie
( Rhododendron macrophyllum)		 Looks like any other large growing rhododendron, Spring blooms in pale purple to other lite shades, needs good drainage in part sun site, protect from deer until it reaches at least 4' of growth.

Stonecrop
( Sedum spathulifolium)		 A low growing succulent with small, grey, lobed foliage and yellow flowers throughout the season, seen commonly on our bedrock outcroppings in part sun, needs excellent drainage, will spread vegetatively.

EVERGREEN TREES
Common Name
(Scientific Name)		 Characteristics
Douglas fir
( Pseudotsuga menziesii)
 80'to100' at maturity, fast growing (up to 2' ft. per year) conifer, the most common in the San Juans, needs full sun and good drainage, protect from deer when young, seeds readily.
Western hemlock
( Tsuga heterophylla)		 80'to100' at matiurity, small, pale green needlles and drooping growth habit though very graceful, moderate growth rate, becoming less common in native local forests, tend to like more consistent water though not standing water, lovely specimen tree, protect from deer while young.
Western red cedar
(Thuja plicata)		 60'to80' at maturity, scaled foliage as opposed to needles like most conifers, tiny cones and very smooth, flakey bark on trunk which has a buttress look about it. Tending to like sandier soils, they drink incredible amounts of water and grow fairly slowly, though with patience cedars make for good screening choice, again, as with all young conifers, they need protection from the deer, repellants work well.
Note: Other native conifers that we usually do not stock but are available through us by special order are, White fir (Abies concolor), Grand fir (Abies grandis), Nobel fir (Abies procera), Shore pine (Pinus contorta), Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis), Port Orford cedar (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana), Alaska cedar (Chamaecyparis nootkatensis), and Incense cedar (Calocedrus decurrens.) Best chances for availability are during digging season which is from November through February, you may order at any time by calling us, but trees would not be available for pick up or delivery until our season begins again at the beginning of March, unless other arrangements have been made. 360-468-3416

DECIDUOUS PLANTS
Common Name
(Scientific Name)		 Characteristics
Serviceberry
( Amelanchier alnifolia)		 Multi stemmed, woody shrub with small, pale green, round leaves reaching about 15'x8' at maturity. White flowers cover the bush in spring and bright yellow foliage for fall. Berries prized by resident Cedar wax wings, not fussy about site but need deer protection when young.
Western maidenhair fern
(Adiantum pedatum)

A delicate looking fern with pale green leaflets and black stems, most successful at the water's edge in part sun, can reach up to 12", an exotic looking native that's easy to grow.
Great camas
(Camas leichtlinii)

Spring flowering bulb to about 12" with clear, blue flowers on long spike with foliage below, spreads readily and is easy to grow in well drained soil, full to part sun site.
Shooting stars
(Dodecatheon jeffreyi)

Spring flowering bulb to about 8" looking much like it's common name in deep pink with yellow accents on unusually shaped flowers, full sun, doesn't do well with competition from other plants.
Chocolate lily
( Frittilaria sp. )

By far the most popular spring bulb we grow and sell, unusual, drooping, bell shaped flowers that are dark maroon with greenish "checkers" on them to about 12", easy to grow almost anywhere, multiplies quickly, full to part sun with good drainage, somewhat deer resistant.
Indian plum
( Oemleria cerasiformis)

One of our earliest deciduous shrubs to bloom, multi stemmed, woody shrub to about 12' to 15' and half as wide, good in mixed borders, valuable bird forage, not fussy about site, but needs some sun.
Ninebark
(Physocarpus capitatus)		 A multi stemmed, woody shrub to about 12' to 15', good in mixed hedges, many named cultivars in production (Diablo has dark purple foliage.) Interesting shaped foliage and flower clusters in creamy, white, good bird habitat, and better choice than oceanspray (Holidiscus.)
Red flowering current
(Ribes sanguineum)		 Multi stemmed, woody shrub for sunny, well drained sites. Electric pink, pendant flower clusters hang very early in season, the first to bloom for our returning hummingbirds, seeds readily, protect from deer when young. Prune for more attractive habit sometime after bloom season.

DECIDUOUS TREES
Common Name
(Scientific Name)		 Characteristics
Vine Maple
(Acer Circinatum) 		12'x8' multi stemmed, small tree that will grow in full sun to part shade and is quite drought tolerant once established, full sun will bring better fall color, not fussy about soil but does need deer protection if you wish to keep lower foliage and branches.
Western Crab Apple
(Malus fusca)

15' to 20' single or multi stemmed tree, full to part sun, good fall color, and bird foraging, occurs wild and commonly in island hedgerows, easy to grow, protect from deer when young.
Quaking aspen
(Populus tremuloides)

20' to 25' single trunked, slender tree with small leaves that "quake" in the wind because of it's flattened petioles, often forms groves from its suckering growth habit, looks best in mass, protect bark.
Note: Other native deciduous trees that we do not stock but are usually available at the appropriate time by special order are, Douglas maple(Acer glabrum), Big leaf maple(Acer macrophyllum), Red alder(Alnus rubra), Paper birch(Betula papyrifera), Garry oak(Quercus garryana), and Bitter cherry(Prunus emarginata). Call us at 360-468-3416 for prices and availability in advance of your planting project.

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Islandscape Nursery and Garden Center
192 Lopez Rd. or PO Box 447
Lopez Island, WA 98261
(360) 468-3416

 
 
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