Native plants can add variety to landscape

As concerns increase over our limited water supply, there is more emphasis on using native plants in our landscapes. To some, this means a yard full of “boring” plants like Douglas fir and Oregon grape. But thanks to plant hybridizers, we’re starting to see native plants in amazing new varieties. So don’t think they are just useful for their adaptability; they can be just as ornamental as any exotic plant out there.

A number of native plants have cultivars with colored foliage. You can find yellow leaf varieties of elderberry, alder, currant and mock orange. Engelmann spruce “Glauca” and mountain hemlock “Blue Star” have bluer needles.

Do you have a smaller landscape? Douglas fir “Fletcheri” grows only 6 feet tall. There are at least 10 shrub-sized forms of Western red cedar. Even the ponderosa pine gets in on the act with a cultivar named “Dixie” that grows 2 feet tall, but be aware that it’s only borderline hardy here.

If you’re looking for a real eye-catcher, try the contorted Douglas fir “Emerald Twister” or the lace leaf elderberry “Golden Locks.” The Western red cedar “Irish Gold” is an award winner and considered the most yellow of the more than 40 types being grown.

Not all of these are readily available, but persistence will pay off. Ask about these varieties at your local nursery and if they don’t have them they may be able to order them for you. Cultivars of native plants differ from the species, so before you buy anything, make sure it’s going to be happy in your landscape. If you’re unsure, ask a nursery professional or call the Master Gardener Plant Clinic. Always read the tag on the plant to see if it needs any special care. Remember that in our area, native plants will perform better with less care than non-natives, and with all these new types coming out, you are bound to find a few that will improve your landscape.