Hansen's Northwest Native Plant Database

Wildlife Habitats with Pacific Northwest Native Plants

Native plants exist for nearly every garden need including great variety in plant form, flowers, foliage and fruit. Natives will provide an ideal refuge and source of food for birds and animals. Many natives can survive under extreme drought conditions. Many natives are evergreen, providing a delightful mix with deciduous plants for a year-long, attractive garden.

Chickadee at right, photo by Sharon Stiteler

• Plants to attract birds and other wildlife

• Tips on construction

• Tall evergreen trees for larger habitats

• Smaller evergreen trees for smaller habitats and understory for larger habitats

• Deciduous trees for larger habitats

• Deciduous trees for small and large habitats

• Deciduous shrubs for large and small habitats

• Evergreen shrubs for large and small habitats

• Perennials for large and small habitats

Plants to attract birds and other wildlife

There is a wide range of trees, shrubs, perennials and ground covers that provide food (and shelter) for birds, squirrels, etc.

Tall Oregon Grape (Mahonia aquifolium)

Trees include:

Bitter Cherry (Prunus emarginata)

Cascara (Rhamnus purshiana)

Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana)

Giant Chinquapin (Chrysolepis chrysophylla var. chrysophylla)

Hawthorn (Crataegus douglasii)

Klamath Plum (Prunus subcordata)

Oaks

Oregon Myrtle (Umbellularia californica)

Western Hazelnut (Corylus cornuta var. californica)

Western Crabapple (Malus fusca)

Among the many native shrubs, the following are excellent:

Blackcap (Rubus leucodermis)

Cranberry Bush (Viburnum opulus var. americanum)

Elderberries, Red (Sambucus mexicana) and Blue (Sambucus racemosa var. arborescens)

Golden Currant (Ribes aureum var. aureum)

Huckleberries (Vaccinium)

Indian Plum (Oemleria cerasiformis)

Mountain Ash (Sorbus scopulina)

Oregon Grapes (Mahonia)

Pacific Blackberry (Rubus ursinus)

Roses (Rosa)

Salal (Gaultheria shallon)

Salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis)

Serviceberry (Amelanchier alnifolia)

Smooth Sumac (Rhus glabra)

Snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus var. laevigatus)

Thimbleberry (Rubus parviflorus)

Three-Leaf Sumac (Rhus trilobata)

Twinberry (Lonicera involucrata)

Snowberry and Wild Roses, fruits of autumn

Nearly all flowering shrubs and perennials attract butterflies. For instance:

Red Columbine (Aquilegia formosa) attracts hummingbirds.

The large, coarse flowers of Cow Parsnip (Heracleum lanatum) attracts numerous insects.

If you thought butterflies were only attracted to flowers, here's a new idea! This butterfly is obviously enjoying a rest on the branch of a conifer. The fresh clean aroma of the needles must be a delightful cushion on which to spread those beautiful wings for a nice sunny break.

Consider including a tree like this near your butterfly garden. A new idea!

Suggested northwest native plants for developing wildlife habitats along the lowland corridor from the Canadian border, south throughout the Puget Sound country and Seattle to Portland and the Willamette Valley to Roseburg, Oregon.

The above areas share a common heritage of native plants which form excellent habitats for mammals, birds, butterflies, insects, etc. I recommend below the best native plants for both large and small habitats in this corridor and list some of the “wildlife” that like each species. For more general information about each species, refer to the plant lists here.

Tips on construction

	Large habitats should have a frame of large evergreen and deciduous trees. This may take decades to reach a significant size. For more modest projects, use shrubs, both deciduous and evergreen, with some perennials.
	Wildlife need food, water and shelter. You must solve the water need.
	The plants below are my choices for food and shelter in the western Washington and western Oregon corridor.
	Try to always include species that form dense thickets like Douglas Hawthorn (Crataegus douglasii) are good choices and native roses (Rosa) – protect the little “wildlife.”
	Study how tall each shrub you select may grow so you fill in with food and shelter at different levels from the ground up.
	Always include Snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus var. laevigatus) for winter wildlife food (but they are inedible to humans--thank you, Wanda!).
	Try to include at least one evergreen for winter color – don’t forget that Red Osier Dogwood (Cornus sericea ssp. stolonifera) will have very attractive bare winter red stems.

Douglas Hawthorn (Crataegus doiuglasii)

Photo credit: Nadiatalent

Tall evergreen trees for larger habitats

Abies ssp – (True Firs) - (White Fir, Noble Fir, Grand Fir) Provide shelter for birds and mammals. Many birds eat the seeds including chickadees, nuthatches, grosbeaks, crossbills, finches, sapsuckers and woodpeckers.

Calocedrus decurrens  (Incense Cedar) Provides shelter for birds and mammals. Birds eating seeds include sparrows, thrushes, flickers, siskins and nuthatches

Pinus ssp - (Pines) - (Ponderosa, Shore, Lodgepole) Provide shelter. Seeds eaten by pigeons, quail, doves, finches, squirrels, chipmunks, chickadees.

Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglas Fir) Birds eat the seeds. Important nesting and shelter habitat for birds and squirrels.

Tsuga heterophylla (Western Hemlock) Seeds eaten by squirrels, chipmunks and birds in the winter. Deer and elk browse twigs.

Silk Tassel (Garrya elliptica)

Lovely evergreen shrub, dark green leaves

and purple catkin-like blooms in winter

It's time to get those wildlife feeders cleaned up and ready for our furred and feathered friends. The bird houses and nesting boxes can wait for now but the feeders and watering sources need to be checked. Here's what the Audubon Society recommends:

Much like a busy restaurant needs constant cleaning to maintain sanitary conditions, so dose a busy bird feeder or bird bath.

Left unchecked, unclean receptacles can develop fungi and bacteria, potentially causing disease and even death of your resident songbirds. The communal feeding and bathing by your birds allows for the easy spread of disease. Contaminated food or droppings can cause a host of diseases and infections that can result in harmful growths and other effects on the birds.

Extra attention should be paid during cold winter months, since wet foods can quickly develop molds. When adding new seed to your feeders, make a habit of removing leftover seed first, and cleaning periodically. Depending on weather conditions, bird feeders should generally be cleaned every two weeks. Baths should be emptied and refilled every few days. For a thorough cleaning of feeders and bird baths, use 9 parts water to one part bleach, or use vinegar (bleach can whiten wood feeders).

Evergreen Huckleberry (Vaccinium ovatum)