Vaccinium parvifolium

Vaccinium parvifolium
“Red huckleberry” “Huck”
ERICACEAE

Deciduous  shrub

Zone: 6 – 8
Native habitat: Western North America

Conditions
Soil: high organic content, acidic
Moisture: well drained, moist is best, tolerates drier conditions
Light: full sun (not best) to full shade – better not in afternoon sun
Exposure: general
Plant size (h x w): 3′ – 12′ x to6′
Other: usually larger in shade

Aesthetic
Shape/stem: deciduous, multi-stemmed, round, bright green shoots with an angular cross-section
Leaf: small, ovate, to an inch, entire margin
Flower:yellow-white to pinkish-white with pink, decumbent bell-shaped 4-millimetre; flowers and fruits at a young age 
Bloom: spring
Other: slow growing; red, succulent berries in late summer are edible

Treatment (how to…)
Plant: general, water while establishing, looks nice and grows well in decaying wood
Maintain: low maintenance, no pruning needed, thinning cuts if needed
Propagate: cutting (summer)

Uses
Landscape: mixed boarder, native garden, , edible garden, wildlife garden, shade garden, woodland, permaculture, four season interest (winter shape)
Companion planting: nice with larger evergreen foliage plants like rhododendrons and ferns;  some other ideas: Sambucus nigra, Stipa spp, Lambs ear, Heuchera spp., Astilbe spp,
Medicinal: unknown, berries edible
Other: berries make a great jam; nice in a winter arrangement or wreath; brings in robins and waxwings

Vulnerabilities
Pests and disease: none significant
Deer resistant: no

Interest
Local info,: Eastern North America native, P. capitatus is native to Western North America
Pot size (to purchase):  1 gallon
Nature: North American native deciduous shrub
Identification (key features): .id by red tips on stems, branching slightly irregular and red berries;
differs from evergreen huckleberry obvious in that it is deciduous and has very different leaves, soft, entire margin (not serrate) and a lighter green as well as red berries not black blue
Interesting facts: 
Cultivars:
Comments:  beautiful in grown in good conditions (morning sun then shade is best); often found growing in other dead wood, logs or stumps (when see it in the wild); first to germinate after a bad fire

 

Vaccinium ovatum

Vaccinium ovatum
“Evergreen huckleberry”
ERICACEAE

Evergreen shrub

Zone: 6 – 9
Native habitat: Pacific Northwest  with range into California

Conditions
Soil: high organic content
Moisture: well drained is essential, drought tolerant once established
Light: full sun (not best) to full shade – better not in afternoon sun
Exposure: general
Plant size (h x w): 4′ – 8′ x 6”
Other: usually larger in shade

Aesthetic
Shape/stem:
Leaf: small leaves, new growth pinky-copper mature to shiny dark green, leather, serrate, dull and lighter underneath
Flower:Small, urn-shaped white flowers hang under the foliage
Bloom: spring
Other: slow growing; black, succulent berries in late summer / early fall are edible
Treatment (how to…)
Plant: general, water while establishing
Maintain: low maintenance, thinning cuts of oldest stems, can also sheer, prefers little to no maintenance
Propagate: cutting (summer)

Uses
Landscape: mixed boarder, winter interest, native garden, informal hedge, edible garden, wildlife garden, shade garden, four season interest, adds weight to a largely deciduous bed, woodland, natural low screen
Companion planting: nice with larger foliage plants like rhododendrons and ferns;  some other ideas: Sambucus nigra, Stipa spp, Lambs ear, Heuchera spp., Astilbe spp,
Medicinal: unknown, berries edible
Other: berries make a great jam

Vulnerabilities
Pests and disease: none significant
Deer resistant: no

Interest
Local info,: Eastern North America native, P. capitatus is native to Western North America
Pot size (to purchase):  1 gallon
Nature: North American native evergreen shrub
Identification (key features): .
shiny, waxy, alternately arranged, egg-shaped leaves, 1″, finely serrated edges; urn shaped flowers; round, edible black berries about 0.5″

Interesting facts: 
Cultivars:
Comments:  beautiful in grown in good conditions (morning sun then shade is best); under-used native

 

Itea virginica ‘Henry’s Garnet’

Idea virginica ‘Henry’s Garnet’
“Virginia sweetspire”
ITEACEAE

Deciduous shrub

Zone: 5 – 9
Native habitat: straight species is native to N.America

Conditions
Soil: average, can tolerate clay,
Moisture: well drained, takes drier conditions once established and tolerates wet sites 
Light: full sun to part shade
Exposure: general
Plant size (h x w): 3′ – 4′ x 4′ – 6′
Other:

Aesthetic
Shape/stem: erect, rounded, broad-spreading, arching branches
Leaf: new foliage a pretty green, Oval, dark green leaves (1-4″ long) turn varying shades of red, orange and gold in autumn, fall colour is long lasting, can hold leaves over a warm winter till new spring foliage pushes them off
Flower: very fragrant, tiny white flowers borne in cylindrical, drooping racemes (3-6″ long)
Bloom: late spring to summer
Other: suckers a bit

Treatment (how to…)
Plant: general, adequate water will go a long way while its establishing, easy to grow
Maintain: low to no maintenance, does not need pruning, remove any suckers right to the base
Propagate: cutting, seed

Uses
Landscape: mixed boarder, native, rain garden, fall interest, shrub boarder,  informal short hedge row, woodland, reclamations sites (straight species usually used for this)
Companion planting: pairs well with most colours and forms
Medicinal: none known

Vulnerabilities
Pests and disease: none significant
Deer resistant: not known
Other animals:

Interest
Local info,: not native to Victoria specifically
Pot size (to purchase): 2 gallon
Nature: tough small deciduous shrub with long lasting fall colour
Identification (key features): refer to photo and description above

Interesting Facts: 
Cultivars: rarely see the straight species  in cultivation, 3′-15′
I. v. ‘Little Henry’ – 2′
‘Merlot’ – 3′ – rich red fall colour
Comments:

 

Mahonia nervosa

Mahonia nervosa
“Dull oregon grape”
BERBERIDACEAE

Evergreen Shrub

Zone: 6-9
Native habitat: Pacific Northwest into California

Conditions

Soil: any, prefers slightly acidic, rich soil high in organic matter
Moisture: well-drained, even moisture, drought tolerant
Light: full sun to full shade
Exposure: general
Plant size (h x w): 2′-4′ x 2′-4′
Other: tough, can take dry shade, will need more moisture if grown in the sun
(if grown in the sun without adaquet water colour can be wine red)

Aesthetic
Shape/stem: oval,  multi-stemmed, orange bark in center (like the rest of the Berberis family), bark green when young, brown to grey with age; spreading by suckers to from loose ground cover
Leaf: Compound leaves, lustrous emerald green, glossy but duller than tall Oregon grape, 9-19 leaflets; each leaflet is strongly toothed,
Flower: panicles of canary flowers, dense above foliage 
Bloom: spring
Other: Fruit, waxy blue steel berries, 1/4″, (mid to late summer); spreads by stolons to form loose ground cover

Treatment (how to…)
Plant:  sow seeds in fall 1/4″ deep,
Maintain: no maintenance, can prune down to a node as needed, water after
Propagate: seed: collect August to September (30-50% germination), stratification (cold- 90 days), cutting: soft wood or root (root hormone, 2:1 sand to vermiculite)

Uses
Landscape: native garden, chorus plant, form to a garden in the winter, ground cover, woodland margin, wildlife garden, erosion control
Companion planting:  would look great as a groundcover for Red stemmed dogwoods, Corylopsis pauciflora, Betula albosinensis var. septentrionalis and all witchhazels.
Medicinal: roots, berries, leaves
antimicrobial, hepatic, bitter, cooling > act on infection and liver
Internal (tea, tincture): heal liver stagnation, cool heat in digestion, mouth infection, eye infection, UTI, sore throat, acne, etc.
External (oil, sav): Inflammation in skin, eczema, psoriasis
Other:
Stem and root: yellow dye
Berries: edible, sour, tart, used to make jelly, sweeten with other berries in a pie, ferment into wine, purple dye
Berries attract wild birds; attracts the amara hummingbird

Vulnerabilities
Pests and disease: rust, scale, white fly (more stressed it is more susceptible will be)
Deer resistant: yes
Other animals: rabbit resistant, birds eat berries, flowers attract pollinators

Interest
Local info,: native, very common in Victoria, often found in the understory of Douglas-fir forests
Pot size (to purchase):  1-2 gallon
Nature: tough native; Suckering spreading  shrub forms a loose groundcover
Identification (key features): broken bark exposes orange inner bark
number and height of stems, length and ; very similar to M. aquifolium , which is taller more glossy leaves and less leaflets per leaf; Also similar is creeping Oregon grape (M. repens).Interesting facts:  Mahonia is named after the botanist who identified it from samples retrieved by the Lewis and Clark expedition, Bernard McMahon;
Comments: not a true grape, slow growing in shade, helps restore soil, brings in local wildlife

Aronia melanocarpa ‘Autumn Magic’

Aronia melanocarpa  ‘Autumn Magic’
“Black Chokecherry”
ROSACEAE

Deciduous shrub

Zone: 3 – 8
Native habitat: North American Native

Conditions
Soil: any
Moisture: well drained, moist, can tolerate drier conditions
Light: full sun (best) part-shade (lankier and has less flowers/fruit)
Exposure: east
Plant size (h x w): 3′ – 5′ x 4′ – 5′
Other: will take wet or dry conditions

Aesthetic
Shape/stem: arching form, multi-stemmed
Leaf: pretty flat leaves with fall colour, spring leaves glossy green,  glossy, elliptic to obovate, dark green, 2-3” , finely toothed
Flower: white flowers, 5-6 per cluster, 5-petaled
Bloom: spring
Other: beautiful glossy black berries in fall; suckers a bit (but less so than straight species)

Treatment (how to…)
Plant: general, water while establishing
Maintain: low maintenance; remove a few old stems every few years; cut out suckers; never prune hard!
Propagate: cutting

Uses
Landscape: four season interest, hedge row, back of boarder, rain garden, could be nice in a mixed informal hedge row
Companion planting: can look lovely with other natives, good with evergreen foliage in the backdrop, nice tucked behind evergreen perennials with summer interest
Medicinal:  unknown
Other, berries are edible but astringent

Vulnerabilities
Pests and disease: none significant
Deer resistant: deer may eat
Other animals:

Interest
Local info,: native to North America
Pot size (to purchase):  1 gallon – 2 gallon
Nature: four season interest
Identification (key features): spring leaves emerge light green, flowers white clusters of 5-6, 5 petalled; summer leaves dark green, ovate, serrate margin; late summer to fall, leaves turn red, berries in clusters black blue; winter arching form of multi-stemmed branches

Interesting Facts: : cultivar introduced by UBC
Cultivars:
Comments:

 

Achillea millefolium

Achillea millefolium
“Common yarrow”
ASTERACEAE

Herbaceous Perennial 

Zone: 2 – 9
Native habitat : Europe to W. Asia

Conditions
Soil: average
Moisture: well-drained, average to moist,
Light: full sun
Exposure: general
Plant size (h x w): 4″ – 4′ x 2′ – 3′
Other: tolerate a wide range of conditions (from dry to rocky to gravelly); can be used as an indicator (will be smaller in worse conditions)

Aesthetic
Shape/stem: basal leaves mounding, erect flowering stem
Leaf: most leaves basal, 2-3 pinnate, compound, soft, flexible, fern-like, deeply dissected, lancolate shape, alternate along flowering stem
Flower: flat corymb of dasiy-like flowers (rays white, disks white or yellow), on upright stalk
Bloom: Summer
Other: rhizomatous; will spread itself around a bit

Treatment (how to…)
Plant: general
Maintain:  low maintenance, deadhead for a second bloom, cut down flower stalks to base before winter/ when looking poor; divide every 3-4 years
Propagate:  division (spring), cutting,

Uses
Landscape: edging, cut flower, perennial boarder, wild flower bed, summer colour interest, cottage, filler, mixed boarder
Companion planting: nice with blue, purple and yellow blooming perennials 
Medicinal:  yes, commonly used in western herbal medicine
Other: brings in pollinators and other beneficial insects; attracts butterflies

Vulnerabilities
Pests and disease: root rot, powdery mildew (if too wet)
Deer resistant: no
Other animals:

Interest
Local info,: not native, but there are a number of Achillea native to N. America as well as introduced genotypes; native one to Victoria looks very similar (hard to tell apart)
Pot size (to purchase):  4″ – 1 gallon
Nature: easy-going, herbaceous perennial with feathery green leaves and raised white corymb of flowers
Identification (key features): distinct yarrow smell (similar too a mix of wormwood and sage); raised white flat corymb in summer; leaves soft, feather like

Cultivars:  there are a number of good cultivars with coloured flowers 
Interesting facts:
Comments: 

Holodiscus discolor

Holodiscus discolor
“Ocean Spray”
ROSACEAE

Deciduous shrub

Zone: 6 – 9
Native habitat: Native – BC, Canada

Conditions
Soil: humus best, tolerates rocky, poor soil (will be smaller)
Moisture: well drained, moist, summer drought tolerant,
Light: full sun to part shade (best)
Exposure: seaside
Plant size (h x w): 3′ – 20′ x 3′ – 15′ (Victoria 8′ – 9′ x  8′ – 9′)
Other: tolerates sun and generally a wide range of conditions

Aesthetic
Shape/stem: upright, arching, spreading
exfoliating bark (on mature branches) which peels in strips to reveal several layers of reddish to light brown inner bark
Leaf: simple, alternate, heavily veined, green, turning yellow then brown, obovate, pinnately lobed
Flower: pendant, tiny, cream; many panicles, persist brown and bedraggled into winter
Bloom: June
Other: height will vary according to watering

Treatment (how to…)
Plant: general, ideally give water while establishing
Maintain: low maintenance, prune after bloom, dead head, take out oldest branches to the base
Propagate: cutting, sucker, seed

Uses
Landscape: native garden, back of a bed, bird garden
*Not often planted in a garden because it looks poor in the winter (big, brown)
Companion planting: other native plants
Medicinal: unknown
Other: birds eat seed; used to make arrow shafts

Vulnerabilities
Pests and disease: none significant
Deer resistant: unknown
Other animals:

Interest
Local info,: native, very common
Pot size (to purchase):  1 gallon
Nature: large, hardy native shrub
Identification (key features): .multi-stemmed, 9 feet, large, peeling bark, white aromatic flowers all over, found in disturbed sites

Interesting facts: 
Cultivars:
Comments: 

 

Physocarpus opulifolius

Physocarpus opulifolius
“Ninebark”
ROSACEAE

Deciduous shrub

Zone: 2 – 8
Native habitat: Eastern North America

Conditions
Soil: humus, acidic, rich
Moisture: well drained, moist,
Light: full sun to part shade
Exposure: general
Plant size (h x w): 8′ – 10′ x 8′ – 10′
Other:

Aesthetic
Shape/stem: upright, arching, spreading
exfoliating bark (on mature branches) which peels in strips to reveal several layers of reddish to light brown inner bark
Leaf: dull green in summer, yellow in fall, ovate, 3-5 lobed, 4″,
Flower: small, pink or white, dense, flat, rounded corymbs, 1-2″
Bloom: late spring
Other:

Treatment (how to…)
Plant: general
Maintain: low maintenance, prune as needed immediately after flowering; plant may be cut as close to the ground in winter to rejuvenate
Propagate: softwood cutting (summer), pot up a sucker (spring/fall)

Uses
Landscape: mixed boarder, winter interest, native garden, mixed bed, mixed shrub boarder, hedge, screen,
Companion planting: some ideas: Sambucus nigra, Stipa spp, Lambs ear, Heuchera spp., Astilbe spp.
Medicinal: unknown
Other:

Vulnerabilities
Pests and disease: none significant
Deer resistant: unknown

Interest
Local info,: Eastern North America native, P. capitatus is native to Western North America
Pot size (to purchase):  1 gallon
Nature: hardy, tough North American native shrub
Identification (key features): .exfoliating bark; leaves 3 lobed,
Interesting facts: AGM
Cultivars: P. o. ‘Darts Gold’ – compact- mounded – 5′ x 5′ – yellow foliage AGM winner
Comments:  closely related to Spiraea

 

Blechnum spicant

Blechnum spicant
“Deer fern”
BLECHNACEAE

Evergreen Perennial Fern

Zone: 5 – 8
Native habitat (range): Native – Northwest America

Conditions
Soil: best in high organic content but will take wide range from clay to sand
Moisture: even moisture is best, tolerant of summer droughts
Light: part shade to full shade
Exposure: general
Plant size (h x w): 2′ x 2′
Other:

Aesthetic
Shape/stem: clumping mound, arching
Leaf: fern-like, basal, leathery, pinnate, green, linear; separate sterile and fertile leaves, fertile fronds are upright, sterile fronds flop over
Flower: no flower
Bloom:
Other: rhizomatic

Treatment (how to…)
Plant: give adequate water for first few years
Maintain: low maintenance, cut out old fronds, (never coppice); fronds are delicate so take care
Propagate: divide by finding natural rosettes within and split in-between them; spore

 
Uses
Landscape: native, woodland, shade garden, container, mass planting, slope, mixed boarder, front of bed, edging
Companion planting: other natives, colour contrast white, burgundy (see above); under rhododendrons, paper maple; with hostas or helleboros
Medicinal: not known
Other:

Vulnerabilities
Pests and disease: none significant
Deer resistant: yes
Other animals: rabbit resistant

Interest
Local info,: native, can find at China Beach
Pot size (to purchase): 
Nature: tidy tufted evergreen fern 2′, spreading, narrow, dark green, pinnate sterile fronds, erect fertile fronds
Identification (key features): Fronds: deeply-lobed, dark-chocolate coloured rachis; vegetative fronds, vase-shaped; reproductive fronds are upright.

    
Interesting facts:
Cultivation:
Comments: looks tidy all year

 

Aquilegia spp. & cvs.

Aquilegia spp. & cultivars
“Columbine”
RANUNCULACEAE

Herbaceous Perennial 

Zone: 4 – 8
Native habitat : Europe

Conditions
Soil: any
Moisture: well-drained, moist
Light: full sun to part shade
Exposure: general
Plant size (h x w): 5″ x 36″
Other:

Aesthetic
Shape/stem: slender, upright
Leaf: basal, compound, lobed, ternate, green, in fall turn yellow
Flower: panicle, 5 petals, campanulate, showy, purple, peach, blue, red, pink white, some have double flowers but rare, each flower holds a broad lip (lamina) & hooked spur directed along the petiole
Bloom: April, May
Other: wide range of cultivars, all different colours, sizes; deep taproot

Treatment (how to…)
Plant: flowers second year from seed, if want to transplant do so when young and quiet small or taproot will get too big and you will be unable to move; if moved must baby it along once re-planted
Maintain:  low to no maintenance; if looks ratty shave it flat (post bloom), cut hard once it shows signs of decline
Propagate:  seed, will naturalize itself around but likely wont seed true, division

 Uses
Landscape: rock garden, alpine, perennial bed, spring interest, woodland margin, mixed boarder, front boarder, under shrub, to fill any holes in garden
Companion planting: can look  nice most anywhere and with most anything, mass planting of different cultivars and colours; nice planted with other perennials that it can come up and over for late spring interest
Medicinal: none known
Other: attracts beneficial (butterflies and other insects & hummingbirds)

Vulnerabilities
Pests and disease: susceptible to earwigs;
may see aphids, catepillars, leaf miner, mildew, rust, fungal spot
Deer resistant: fairly
Other animals: fairly rabbit resistant

Interest
Local info,: there is a native Aquilegia to Victoria, A. canadensis, it has a peach flower, and more of an open and lateral framework- this one is hard to get established
Pot size (to purchase): purchase in bloom to ensure colour
Nature: beautiful, bright flower with great foliage
Identification (key features): Flowers radially symmetical, petals 5, each with a broad lip (lamina) & hooked spur directed along the petiole; distinct foliage, trifoliate or lobed
(see below)
    
Interesting facts: Name origin, two birds, eagle (in Latin, aquila) & dove (columbus) of which the petals are supposed to resemble the outspread wings of these birds, and the spurs their arched necks and heads.
Cultivars/Species: 
A. formosa “Western Columbine” 18″-36″
A. canadensis “Eastern Red Columbine”
many different varieties
Comments: one of my most favourite flowers