Thank you for your interest in receiving free

native trees and shrubs! Increasing the

amount of trees and shrubs in a stream’s riparian
zone provides a number of benefits. Not only a guide to selecting
can these attractive plants increase your home’s
property value and lower your stress levels, native riparian plants
they perform many valuable functions.

Trees and shrubs provide food and habitat

for wildlife, and keep streams cold for
salmon. Roots stabilize banks, preventing
runoff and soil erosion. Additionally,
plants provide pollution “buffers,” preventing
drift from pesticide application and roadside
pollution from reaching the waterways. Larger
trees work well at providing shade, while
smaller “understory” shrubs often provide
habitat and erosion control. For more information, please contact:
As you select the trees that appeal to you most,
Clackamas River Basin Council
try to keep in mind their size at
PO Box 1869
maturity. We typically install trees
Clackamas, OR 97015
approximately five feet apart in order to
(503) 558-0550
account for any mortality that may occur.
info@clackamasriver.org
www.clackamasriver.org
Thanks for considering improving the habitat on
your property —
the watershed and
all its inhabitants
will truly
appreciate your
hard work. If you produced by the
have any other
questions about Clackamas River Basin
watershed issues, Council
please contact the
with support from the Oregon Watershed
Basin Council — we’re more than happy to
Enhancement Board
share our expertise!
 native trees available for your property
Grand Fir Oregon Ash Oregon White Oak
(Abies grandis) (Fraxinus latifolia) (Quercus garryana)

The citrus-scented grand fir is In its preferred habitat of wet soil and full This deciduous beauty
a popular choice for Christmas sun, the ash can reach anywhere from 40- can reach up to 90 feet
tree farmers. The largest fir, it 80 feet. The ash provides superb erosion tall, and spread nearly as
may reach 250 feet in height, control, and will thrive even in wetlands wide. The white oak
and prefers moist soil in sun or or seasonally flooded areas. The ash takes prefers full sun and dry,
partial shade. The roots on vibrant fall color, and is considered an upland habitat. Tree
provide excellent stabilization, ornamental tree in many parts of Europe. roots may rot if they become wet over the summer,
as they are deep and wide- so this tree is not a good match for irrigated lawns.
spreading. Ponderosa Pine & White Pine The acorns provide a food source for wildlife.
(Pinus ponderosa and strobus)
Big Leaf Maple Western Red Cedar
(Acer macrophyllum) The Ponderosa pine (top right), can reach (Thuja plicata)
between 60 to 100 feet tall at maturity. It The red cedar usually grows
Big leaf maples slowly grow to a prefers full sun and moist, well-drained between 50 and 70 feet tall,
height and spread of 50 to 75 soils, but it will tolerate drought and soil and will thrive in partial to full
feet at maturity. They thrive alkalinity.
shade. Cedars prefer moist,
best in partial sun to shade and The white pine (lower
left) is shorter, reaching a maximum 30-60 well-drained soils, and can be
moist soil. This tree also boasts grown in hedges. Their needles
fragrant flowers before leaves feet tall. Like the Ponderosa, it prefers
moist, well-drained soils, but will tolerate a are also quite fragrant, making
bud in spring, and brilliant
yellow foliage in fall, making it a range of sun to partial shade. A word of them an odiferous addition to
stunning landscape addition. caution: the fallen needles are very acidic, the landscape.
which may suppress growth of other trees
Red Alder nearby. The white pine is also resistant to
Western Hemlock
air pollution and salt.
(Alnus rubra) (Tsuga heterophylla)
Douglas Fir
This deciduous tree quickly Typically growing between 60
(Psuedotsuga menziesii)
reaches 40 to 50 feet in and 100 feet, the western
height, and provides hemlock can tolerate full sun to
excellent erosion control. The most important timber species in the partial shade. It prefers wet
The alder prefers full sun, US, this fir can rapidly reach 80-200 feet soil, and can reach mature size
and will tolerate marginal tall. Douglas firs prefer full to partial quickly. These characteristics
soils due to a symbiotic sun, and soil ranging from neutral to make it an important part of
relationship with a nitrogen- mildly acidic. These trees will tolerate planting plans focused on
fixing soil bacteria. seasonal flooding. minimizing erosion.
 native shrubs available for your property
Vine Maple Douglas Hawthorn Oregon Grape
(Acer circinatum) (Crataegus douglassii) (Mahonia aquifolum)

The vine maple is an The Douglas hawthorn is a shrubby, This prized and popular
excellent choice for an deciduous tree slowly growing 30 to native plant is a delight for
understory plant. It will 40 feet tall. The trees will tolerate all seasons, with showy
thrive in partial to full partial to full sun, and soils that are dry or only seasonally yellow spring flowers, purple berries in fall, and
shade, and prefers wet wet. The hawthorn hosts fragrant spring flowers and edible bronze or reddish leaves in winter. The Oregon
soils. The more sun the shrub receives, the bushier it fall fruit, making it ideal for wildlife. grape prefers partial to full shade and moist soil, and
becomes. The vine maple is prized for its variable fall may grow up to 10 feet tall. This plant is also
colors, and typically reaches 5-35 feet tall. Oregon’s state flower.
Salal
(Gaultheria shallon)
Serviceberry Indian Plum
(Amelanchier alnifolia) Salal is a dense, spreading shrub that (Oemleria cerasiformis)
can develop into thickets. It will
The serviceberry provides tolerate poor soils, but prefers full sun and moderate This deciduous tree is one
year-round interest to a yard or moisture. This plant has white or pinkish spring flowers, and of the first to sprout leaves
garden. Fragrant white spring edible fall fruits that attract birds and wildlife. each spring. The Indian
flowers are followed by edible plum boasts trailing white
blue berries in late summer, Oceanspray flowers and small purple
making it attractive for bees (Holodiscus discolor) “plums” each fall, to the delight of wildlife
and other wildlife. The serviceberry may eventually enthusiasts. The Indian plum may grow up to 20 feet
reach up to 40 feet in height, and prefers moist soil This deciduous shrub may reach up to tall, and does so best in partial shaded moist soils.
and sun or partial shade. 15 feet in height when grown in partial
sha de, its pr eferr ed ha bita t.
Oceanspray is tolerant of variable soil moisture levels, and Mock Orange
Beaked Hazelnut blooms with beautiful cream-colored flowers each spring. (Philadelphus lewisii)
(Corylus cornuta)
Twinberry
(Lonicera involucrata) The mock orange is
This deciduous shrub has a perhaps best-known for its
tendency to spread nearly as fragrant flowers, which
wide as it is tall (approximately Twinberries can reach a final height of attract bees and other pollinators. It will thrive in full
5 to 12 feet). It prefers sun or anywhere between 18 inches to 13 sun to partial shade, and does well as an understory
partial shade, and moist, well- feet, and prefer to do so on sites with plant. To keep the tree compact, it can be pruned
drained soil. The beaked moist soils and sun or partial shade. As after flowering; otherwise, expect the tree to grow to
hazelnut is not the same species as the commercially the name suggests, the shrubs grow approximately 5 to 10 feet in height.
valuable filbert, but does attract wildlife all the same. pairs of berries in autumn, attracting birds and wildlife.

All photos courtesy CRBC or Oregon State University (http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ldplants/)

 native shrubs available for your property
Pacific Ninebark Cascara Elderberry
(Physocarpus capitatus) (Rhamnus purshiana) (Sambucus spp.)

This deciduous shrub
may reach up to 20
feet in height when
growing in its
preferred habitat: moist soils in full sun to partial
shade. Ninebark flowers with small pink clusters in
late spring, and becomes inflamed with orange in the
fall. This shrub will grow well along streambanks,
providing color throughout the year.
Sword Fern
(Polystichum
munitum)
One of the Pacific
Northwest’s
hardier natives,
the sword fern will thrive in practically any
environment, though it prefers plenty of shade and
moisture. When creating a planting plan, keep in
mind that individual fronds may reach up to four feet
long. A varietal that prefers full sun is also available.
Bitter Cherry
(Prunus emarginata)
Bitter cherry may form dense
thickets of small trees up to 50
feet tall. It will do best in areas
of moist, well-drained soil with
sun or partial shade. Fragrant
spring flowers give way to small
fruits, which attract plenty of
pollinators, birds, and small mammals.
Perhaps one of our more poetically-named CRBC has both red and
shrubs, cascara can climb up to 50 feet tall blue elderberries
in sun or shade, so long as it’s planted in available, depending on
well-drained soils. In addition to what color fruit you
providing fall color, the tree also grows prefer! Both species
sickly-sweet berry treats for wildlife. prefer edge habitat, moist soil, and full sun. Shrubs
may grow up to 30 feet tall (the blue tend to be a bit
larger), and provide fruit edible for humans and
Red Currant
wildlife, though people prefer to cook it first.
(Ribes sanguineum)
Douglas Spiraea
Though the berries produced by
(Tsuga heterophylla)
this shrub are termed “insipid” at
best, it does lend year-round
interest to a landscape. The currant flowers in spring, and Douglas spiraea can reach up to
grows up to 10 feet tall in full sun and moist soil. seven feet tall in sunny, wet
areas. It responds well to
pruning, and can be sheared to meet your personal
Nootka Rose
preferences. Spiraea is well-loved by bees and other
(Rosa nutkana) pollinators, and retains its flowers throughout most of
the summer. The plant grows through sending out
This compact, deciduous shrub may “suckers” and may form dense hedges after several
grow up to 6 feet in height. Hardier growing seasons.
than other rose species, the Nootka
will tolerate sun, shade, and moisture. Flowers and hips
Snowberry
attract pollinators and wildlife.
(Symphoricarpus albus)
Salmonberry
Snowberry is available in
(Rubus spectabilis)
creeping or free-standing
varieties, the latter of which
The salmonberry may form dense may grow up to seven feet
thickets in sun or shade, and is often tall. The shrub sprouts small
found alongside streams or wet logged areas. Growing from pink flowers in spring, which become snowy white
3 to 10 feet tall, it provides edible berries for birds and berries the plant retains well into winter.
wildlife. Berries are safe for human consumption, though Snowberries prefer full sun or partial shade, and
many find their taste unpleasant. moist soil.

CRBC also has live willow stakes, species depends upon availability.