Plant Selection Guide The following table will help you select the best plants for your erosion control or slope stabilization project. Due to the amount of information involved, the table is split into two sections. Half of the information on each plant is in the first table, half in the second. To read the second half of a plant's characteristics, simply click on its name. When you are finished, click the name again to return to your place in the first half of the table.

Rooting Name Form & Habit Characteristics Planting Condition Comments

Deciduous tree; Bareroot seedlings up to Fast grower in poor mineral soils; typical 40-50 Red Alder Fibrous, Moderately seeds prolifically on 3' tall; larger plants in year lifespan; large limbs become brittle; (Alnus rubra) deep bare soil containers provides food for birds Fast grower in saturated or shallowly flooded Deciduous multi- Rooted plants to 10' tall Pacific Willow Fibrous, Moderately areas; 25 year lifespan - large limbs become stemmed tree; in containers; cuttings (Salix lasiandra) deep and widespread brittle, tend to break off; stumps produce long, does not spread 18" - 24"; whips 4' fast growing whips; easily rooted Rooted plants to 10' tall Deciduous tree or Scouler Willow Fibrous, Moderately in containers; cuttings Of the willows listed here, this species tolerates shrub; does not (Salix scouleriana) deep and widespread 18" - 24"; whips 4'; the driest conditions spread whips not recommended Rooted plants to 10' tall Deciduous tree or Sitka Willow Fibrous, Moderately in containers; cuttings Fast grower in moist to saturated soils; widely shrub; does not (Salix sitchensis) deep and widespread 18" - 24"; whips 4'; used for streambank stabilization spread whips not recommended Generally not considered a primary species for slope face stabilization; high root strength but Douglas Fir Tap - Modified 12" - 18" bareroot typical shallow rooting characteristics in thin Coniferous tree; (Pseudotsuga Tap, Shallow to deep seedlings; larger plants coastal soils; can be planted in stands in slope does not spread menziesii) and widespread in containers crest greenbelts; good eagle and osprey perch and nest trees; potential for wind throw in thin or disturbed soils Northern Black Fibrous, Shallow to Rooted plants to 10' tall Fast grower in moist to saturated soils; also Cottonwood Deciduous; does deep, and in containers; cuttings widely used for streambank stabilization; (Populus not spread widespread, 18" - 24"; whips 4' tall potential wind throw trichocarpa) extensive Red-Osier Dogwood Rooted plants to 6' tall in Deciduous shrub; (Cornus stolonifera Fibrous, shallow containers; bareroot & Attractive shrub that produces bright red stems does not spread or Cornus sericea) cuttings 18" - 24" tall Black Twinberry Deciduous shrub; Fibrous, shallow Rooted plants to 6' tall in Produces yellow twin flowers and black twin (Lonicera containers; bareroot 18" does not spread berries; some success reported from cuttings involucrata) - 24" tall Ninebark Rooted plants to 6' tall in Deciduous shrub; Produces masses of tiny white flowers which (Physocarpus Fibrous, shallow containers; bareroot 18" does not spread change to reddish seed clumps capitatus) - 24" tall Cascara Deciduous Rooted plants to 6' tall in Tap - Moderately Shiny black berries are favored by Cedar (Rhamnus tree/shrub; does containers; bareroot 18" deep Waxwings purshiana) not spread - 24" tall Deciduous shrub; spreads by Rooted plants to 4' tall in Salmonberry Spreads quickly once established; berries provide underground Fibrous, Shallow containers; bareroot 6"- (Rubus spectabilis) food for a variety of songbirds runners to form 8" tall; cuttings 18"-24" thickets Rooted plants to 6' tall in A horticultural variety, "Clatsop," has been containers; bareroot & Hooker Willow Deciduous shrub; Fibrous, Moderately developed by the Soil Conservation Service for its cuttings 18"-24" tall; (Salix hookeriana) does not spread deep vigor, disease resistance & attractive foliage; salt whips 4'; whips not spray tolerant recommended Red Elderberry Rooted plants to 6' tall in Deciduous shrub; Produces red, non-edible berries; some success (Sambucus Fibrous, Shallow containers; bareroot 18"- does not spread reported from woody cuttings racemosa) 24" tall Shrub; spreads by seed & Rooted plants to 6' tall in Douglas' Spiraea underground Fibrous, Shallow containers; bareroot & Spreads quickly & aggressively in most sites (Spiraea douglasii) runners to form cuttings 18"-24" tall seed Deciduous shrub; Snowberry spreads by Rooted plants to 24" tall; Tolerates high winds and often grows on (Symphoricarpos underground Fibrous, Shallow bareroot 6"-18" tall vegetated slopes overlooking salt water albus) runners to form thickets Evergreen shrub; Salal spreads by Rooted plants 4" to 12" Widely available; difficult to establish; slow (Gaultheria underground Fibrous, Shallow tall growing; tolerates salt spray shallon) runners to form thickets Ocean Spray Deciduous shrub; Rooted plants to 2' tall in Produces attractive sprays of creamy-white (Holodiscus does not always Fibrous, Moderate containers; bareroot 6"- flowers; will root spread discolor) spread aggressively 12" tall Rooted plants to 4' tall in Deciduous shrub; Vine Maple containers; balled & Large specimens widely available; spreads by does not always Fibrous, Moderate (Acer circinatum) burlapped plants to 10' root and seed spread aggressively tall Low-growing shrub; Kinnickinick spreads to form a Rooted plants in Widely available evergreen ground cover; (Arctostaphylos Fibrous, Shallow dense, evergreen containers tolerates salt spray Uva-ursi) carpet Deciduous shrub; spreads by Thimbleberry Rooted plants in May be difficult to find in some native plant underground Fibrous, Shallow (Rubus parviflorus) containers nurseries runners to form thickets Deciduous shrub; Indian Plum Fibrous w/horizontal, Rooted plants to 4' in Male and female flowers are on separate plants; spreads by (Oemleria underground containers; bareroot 6'-8' only female flowers produce the attractive underground stems cerasiformis) runners, Shallow tall "plums" to form open stands Evergreen Huckleberry Evergreen shrub; Rooted plants to 2' tall in Attractive but slow growing; difficult to establish; Fibrous, Shallow (Vaccinium does not spread containers tolerates salt spray ovatum) Deciduous shrub; spreads by Rooted plants to 2' tall in Thickets of spring stems create a formidable Nootka Rose Fibrous, Shallow (not underground containers; bareroot to barrier; produces attractive, pink flowers (Rosa nutkana) extensive) runners to form 18" tall; cuttings 12"-18" followed by large, red hips; tolerates salt spray thickets Red Currant Rooted plants to 4' tall in Deciduous shrub; Fibrous, Shallow (not One of our finest ornamental natives; produces (Ribes containers; bareroot to does not spread extensive) clusters of white to red flowers sanquineum) 18" tall Wax Myrtle Evergreen shrub; Fibrous, Moderate Rooted plants to 10' Tolerates salt spray; high wildlife usage (Myrica californica) does not spread Woody plant seeds also available (success typically low); very slow to establish; avoid Annual and Native Plant Seed exotic commercial mixes; seed mixes typically perennial grass and Fibrous, Shallow Seed Mixes used in conjunction with other vegetation forb mixes available plantings; typically short-term erosion control technique Other Attributes Mature Light Recommended Name Size Water Requirements Requirements Soil Requirements Spacing

Height: Red Alder Moist conditions, No 80'+ Full Sun Any soil 10'+ (Alnus rubra) data Spread: 40' Height: Pacific Willow Wet conditions, Usage Any soil - tolerates shallow flooding 6'+ for rooted plants, 40'+ Full Sun (Salix lasiandra) high? during the growing season 2' for whips or cuttings Spread: 25' Scouler Willow Height: 30' Dry-moist conditions, 6'+ for rooted plants, Full Sun Any soil (Salix scouleriana) Spread: 15' Usage high? 2' for whips or cuttings Sitka Willow Height: 30' Moist conditions, Usage 6'+ for rooted plants, Full Sun Any soil (Salix sitchensis) Spread: 25' high? 2' for whips or cuttings Height: Douglas Fir Dry-moist conditions, 200'+ Full Sun Any soil 10'+ (Pseudotsuga menziesii) Usage moderate Spread: 50' Northern Black Height: Moist conditions, Usage Any soil - tolerates shallow flooding 6'+ for rooted plants; Cottonwood 100'+ Full Sun high during the growing season 2' for whips or cuttings (Populus trichocarpa) Spread: 40' Red-Osier Dogwood Height: 20' Full Sun Any soil - tolerates shallow flooding 3'+ for rooted plants, (Cornus stolonifera or Moist-Wet, No data Spread:20' Sun/Shade during the growing season 2' for cuttings Cornus sericea) Black Twinberry Height: 10' Moist, No data Full Sun Any soil 4'+ (Lonicera involucrata) Spread: 8' Ninebark Height: 15' Full Sun Moist, No data Any soil 4'+ (Physocarpus capitatus) Spread:10' Sun/Shade Cascara Height: 25' Moist, No data Full Sun Any soil 4'+ (Rhamnus purshiana) Spread: 15' Salmonberry Height: 8' Sun/Shade Moist, No data Any soil 4'+ (Rubus spectabilis) Spread: 6' Full Shade Hooker Willow Height: 20' 3'+ for rooted plants; Moist-Wet, No data Full Sun Any soil (Salix hookeriana) Spread: 15' 2' for cuttings Full Sun Red Elderberry Height: 15' Moist, No data Sun/Shade Any soil 4'+ (Sambucus racemosa) Spread: 10' Full Shade Douglas' Spiraea Height: 8' Moist-Wet conditions, Any soil - tolerates shallow flooding 3' for rooted plants; 2' Full Sun (Spiraea douglasii) Spread: 6" No data during the growing season for cuttings Full Sun Snowberry Height: 4' Dry-moist conditions, Any soil - tolerates shallow flooding Sun/Shade 2'+ (Symphoricarpos albus) Spread: 3' No data during the growing season Full Shade Salal Height: 3' Dry-moist conditions, Sun/Shade Any soil - tolerates shallow flooding 2'+ (Gaultheria shallon) Spread: 3' No data Full Shade during the growing season Height: Ocean Spray Dry-moist conditions, Full Sun Any soil - tolerates shallow flooding 10'+ 4'+ (Holodiscus discolor) No data Sun/Shade during the growing season Spread: 6' Height: Vine Maple Moist conditions, No Sun/Shade Any soil - tolerates shallow flooding 15'+ 8'+ (Acer circinatum) data Full Shade during the growing season Spread: 10' Kinnickinick Height: 8" (Arctostaphylos Uva- Dry conditions, No data Full Sun Any slightly acid soil 2' Spread: 6" ursi) Thimbleberry Height: 4' Moist conditions, No Full Sun Any soil 3' (Rubus parviflorus) Spread: 4' data Sun/Shade Full Sun Indian Plum Height: 10' Moist conditions, No Sun/Shade Any soil 4'+ (Oemleria cerasiformis) Spread: 6' data Full Shade Evergreen Height: 6' Dry-moist conditions, Sun/Shade Huckleberry Slightly acid 3'+ Spread: 3' No data Full Shade (Vaccinium ovatum) Nootka Rose Height: 6' Moist conditions, No Full Sun Any soil, prefers rich soils 3' (Rosa nutkana) Spread: 3' data Red Currant Height: 8' Dry-moist conditions, Full Sun Any soil 6'+ (Ribes sanquineum) Spread: 6' No data Sun/Shade Wax Myrtle Height: 15' Dry-moist conditions, Full Sun Slightly acid, with organic matter 10'+ (Myrica californica) Spread: 8' No data Sun/Shade Height: 1'-2' Native Plant Seed Dry-wet conditions, Species/mix Apply as Spread: Species/mix dependent Mixes Medium-high dependent recommended varied

Table 3 based on information from: Myers Biodynamics staff experience; Binns, 1980; Stevens & Vanbianchi, 1993; Kruckeberg, 1982. Footnotes Water Requirements Light Requirements Rooting Characteristics Planting Condition Comments Growth rate; ornamental & Dry - Once established, Sizes given are those Full Sun - Requires Fibrous - Lacks a central root; wildlife value; wind/salt tolerates dry soil that are generally found sun throughout the root mass composed of fibrous spray tolerance; conditions during the in nurseries; other sizes day lateral roots maintenance; average life growing season may also be available span Moist - Requires moist soil Sun/Shade- Tap- With a stout, central main throughout the growing Requires shade for root season about 1/2 the day Shallow, Moderate, Full Shade- Requires Wet- Tolerates saturated Deep refers to relative rooting shade throughout the soil year-round depth (influenced by soil and day groundwater conditions Usage- Relative water uptake by plant [e.g., high or no data]