The Polite List

This is a work in progress, please email [email protected] if you have suggestions!

The purpose of this list is to give Portland area native gardeners a go-to list for situations where yard size, time and energy for maintenance, or concerns about appearance to neighbors or HOAs may be concerns. Generally speaking, plants have been selected for this list when they do not spread aggressively, are less likely to crowd-out other plants, are tidy, and are not going to be seen as "weedy" by prying eyes.

Note that nearly every plant can grow larger than expected or spread around under the right conditions, so there is no such thing as a maintenance-free garden. Plants on this list that are known to reliably spread vegetatively or by seed under typical garden conditions, even if slow, are tagged. Additionally, even most of the smaller, slower growing native shrubs still get larger than many would expect if they are not pruned for size. Those shrubs are tagged as well.

Tap or click any plant name with an arrow to expand it and see notes. Tags show at-a-glance characteristics — tap any tag for a fuller description.

Trees and shrubs

Acer circinatum vine maple

Can grow to 20 feet high and wide under ideal conditions. Tolerates some pruning.

Arcostaphylos columbiana Hairy manzanita

Can grow to 30 feet high, 10 feet wide under ideal conditions, but slow growing. Does not resprout from old wood and does not tolerate heavy pruning.

Arctostaphylos uva-ursi kinnikinnick

Forms mats up to 15 feet in diameter, requires trimming to keep it out of walkways and driveways.

Ceanothus cuneatus buckbrush

Does not resprout from old wood and does not tolerate heavy pruning. Mature plants are highly flammable.

Ceanothus integerrimus deerbrush

Can grow to 14 feet high, 12 feet wide under ideal conditions. Does not tolerate heavy pruning.

Ceanothus sanguineus redstem ceanothus

Can grow to 12 feet high, 10 feet wide under ideal conditions. Does not tolerate heavy pruning.

Ceanothus velutinus snowbrush

Can grow to 20 feet high, 12 feet wide under ideal conditions. Does not tolerate heavy pruning.

Cornus nuttallii pacific dogwood

Can reach 50 feet high, 25 feet wide under ideal conditions. Can be difficult to establish. Susceptible to dogwood anthracnose infection. Watering during drought and minimal pruning for airflow are suggested.

Holodiscus discolor oceanspray

Can grow to 20 feet high, 12 feet wide under ideal conditions. Tolerates heavy pruning.

Philadelphus lewisii mock orange

Can grow to 14 feet high, 10 feet wide under ideal conditions. Tolerates heavy pruning.

Rhododendron macrophyllum pacific rhododendron

Can reach 26 feet high, 10 feet wide under ideal conditions. Tolerates heavy pruning.

Ribes sanguineum red flowering currant

Can grow to 14 feet high, 10 feet wide under ideal conditions. Tolerates heavy pruning.

Rosa gymnocarpa baldhip rose

Can spread by rhizomes and root suckers under ideal conditions, especially part-shade. Thorns are typically prickly rather than sharp hooks. Tolerates heavy pruning.

Vaccinium ovatum evergreen huckleberry

Tolerates heavy pruning. Typically slow growing in the Portland area, but sometimes shaped into a hedge.

Vaccinium parvifolium red huckleberry

Difficult to establish. Light pruning only, if at all.

Ferns

Adiantum pedatum maidenhair fern

Spreads by rhizomes, but growth is typically limited outside of ideal conditions such as rocky seeps.

Blechnum spicant deer fern

Dryopteris expansa spreading wood fern

Spreads by rhizomes, but slowly.

Polypodium glycyrrhiza licorice fern

Polystichum munitum western sword fern

Mature clumps can reach 6 feet across.

Forbs

Note: most native annuals have the potential to spread vigorously by seed under the right conditions.

Achlys triphylla vanilla leaf

Spreads by rhizomes, but typically hard to establish and rarely intrusive.

Alisma triviale northern water plantain

Allium amplectens narrowleaf onion

Anemone deltoidea western white anemone

Aquilegia formosa western columbine

Seeds itself readily in disturbed areas, especially in moist partly-shaded soil. Rarely intrusive.

Balsamorhiza deltoidea deltoid balsamroot

Balsamorhiza hookeri Hooker's balsamroot

Calochortus tolmiei Tolmie's cat's ear

Campanula rotundifolia blue harebell

Campanula scouleri Scouler's harebell

Castilleja hispida var. hispida harsh paintbrush

Cornus unalaschkensis (or C. canadensis) Western bunchberry

Spreads by rhizomes, but typically hard to establish and rarely intrusive.

Crocidium multicaule spring gold

Delphinium menziesii Menzies' larkspur

All parts of the plant are highly toxic to humans, pets, and livestock.

Delphinium nuttallii Oregon larkspur

All parts of the plant are highly toxic to humans, pets, and livestock.

Delphinium trollifolium poison larkspur

All parts of the plant are highly toxic to humans, pets, and livestock.

Dichelostemma congestum ookow

Dodecatheon hendersonii Henderson's shooting star

Dodecatheon pulchellum dark-throated shooting star

Eriogonum compositum arrowleaf buckwheat

Eriogonum nudum naked buckwheat

Erythronium grandiflorum yellow avalanche lily

Erythronium oregonum Oregon fawn-lily

Fritillaria affinis checker lily

Heterotheca villosa hairy golden aster

Heuchera cylindrica roundleaf alumroot

Heuchera micrantha small-flowered alumroot

Iris tenax Oregon iris

Lilium columbianum Columbia lily

Linnaea borealis twinflower

Spreads by runners, but difficult to establish and not intrusive.

Lithophragma parviflorum small-flowered woodland star

Lomatium dissectum fernleaf biscuitroot

Lomatium nudicaule barestem biscuitroot

Lupinus albifrons silver lupine

Lysimachia latifolia western starflower

Micranthes integrifolia wholeleaf saxifrage

Micranthes oregana Oregon saxifrage

Penstemon ovatus oval-leaf beardtongue

Penstemon richardsonii cutleaf beardtongue

Penstemon serrulatus cascade beardtongue

Potentilla gracilis slender cinquefoil

Prosartes hookeri Hooker's fairy bells

Prosartes smithii largeflower fairy bells

Sedum lanceolatum spearleaf stonecrop

Spreads to form mats in well-drained soil, but rarely intrusive.

Sedum oreganum Oregon stonecrop

Spreads to form mats in well-drained soil, but rarely intrusive.

Sedum spathulifolium broadleaf stonecrop

Spreads to form mats in well-drained soil, but rarely intrusive.

Sedum stenopetalum wormleaf stonecrop

Spreads to form mats in well-drained soil, but rarely intrusive.

Thalictrum occidentale western meadowrue

Thalictrum polycarpum tall meadowrue

Tiarella trifoliata foamflower

Tolmiea menziesii piggyback plant

Can spread vegetatively where the “piggybacks” contact moist soil, especially in moist shade.

Trillium ovatum western trillium

Triteleia grandiflora var. howellii Howell's triteleia

Triteleia hyacinthina white wild hyacinth

Vancouveria hexandra inside-out flower

Spreads by rhizomes, but typically not intrusive and spread is limited outside of rich soils in part shade.

Veronica regina-nivalis (Synthyris reniformis) snow queen

Viola sempervirens evergreen violet

Spreads by rhizomes and seed, but typically difficult to establish and slow growing.

Wyethia angustifolia narrowleaf mule's ears

Spreads slowly by rhizomes. Can be difficult to establish.

Graminoids

Note: most native graminoids (which includes grasses, sedges, and rushes) have the potential to spread vigorously by seed under the right conditions even if not listed here. Neighbors may complain about grass like plants that allowed to grow tall or go to seed even if native, although those in this list are less likely to be mistaken for weedy grasses.

Carex hendersonii Henderson's sedge

Carex leptopoda small-footed sedge

Carex pachystachya thick-headed sedge

Carex tumulicola foothill sedge

Juncus effusus var. pacificus Pacific rush

Spreads by rhizomes and seed in wet to seasonally wet areas. Well-behaved in typical garden conditions.

Juncus ensifolius Dagger-leaved rush