NATIVE PLANTS FOR THE BOISE AREA

Compiled by Chris Murphy, Idaho Conservation Data Center

Many species also occur on the companion spreadsheet, ‘Boise_Area_Species_and_Community_List.xls’; this is not a complete list, especially for riparian areas (see spreadsheet); the most important indicator species of different forest types are highlighted in yellow and would be great in the garden; most are commercially available; species are native from South-Central to Southwest (including Boise Foothills) to West-Central Idaho. Refer to Key at the bottom of this page: Code to Suggested Planting Guilds.

Trees/Tall Shrubs

Abies grandis (Grand fir) @
Acer glabrum (Rocky Mountain Maple) – nice foliage # @
Amelanchier alnifolia (Serviceberry-tall) – berries # @
Celtis reticulata (Netleaf Hackberry) *
Juniperus occidentalis (Western Juniper) &
Juniperus scopulorum (Rocky Mountain Juniper) &
Larix occidentalis (Western Larch) – grow with Abies grandis, deciduous, many cones @
Pinus contorta (Lodgepole Pine) - grow with Abies grandis @
Pinus ponderosa (Ponderosa Pine) #
Populus tremuloides (Aspen) @
Prunus virginiana (Chokecherry) – berries * @ %
Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglas fir) # @
Rhamnus purshiana (Cascara) – excellent bird food plus short tree @ %

Low/Medium Shrubs

Amelanchier utahensis (Utah Serviceberry) * &
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (Kinnikinnik) – would look good under existing Pinus contorta # @
Artemisia arbuscula (Low Sagebrush) * &
Artemisia tridentata ssp. tridentata (Basin Big Sagebrush) * &
Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis (Wyoming Big Sagebrush) * &
Atriplex canescens (4-Wing Saltbrush) – birds love it and very hardy *
Berberis repens (Creeping Oregon Grape) – good low shrub cover with berries # &
Chrysothamnus nauseosus (Gray Rabbitbrush) * &
Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus (Green Rabbitbrush) * &
Cornus sericea (Red-osier Dogwood) @ %
Eriogonum heracleoides (Wyeth’s Buckwheat) * &
Holodiscus discolor (Oceanspray) – good bird cover/nesting plus nice winter look # @
Linnaea borealis (Twinflower) – groundcover @
Lonicera utahensis (Utah Honeysuckle) @ #
Menziesia ferruginea (False Huckleberry) @
Paxistima myrsinites (Boxwood, Oregon Boxleaf) # @
Penstemon fruticosus (Shrubby Penstemon) &
Penstemon venustus (Blue Mountain Penstemon) * #
Peraphyllum ramosissimum (“Squaw” Apple) *
Philadelphus lewisii (Mock-orange) # @
Physocarpus malvaceus (Ninebark) #
Prunus emarginata (Bitter Cherry) # @
Purshia tridentata (Bitterbrush) * & #
Rhus glabra (Smooth Sumac) *
Ribes aureum (Golden Currant) * # %
Ribes cereum (Wax Currant) * # &
Rosa gymnocarpa (Baldhip Rose) good low shrub border @
Rosa woodsii (Wood’s Rose) – good low shrub border plus rosehips %
Rubus parviflora (Thimbleberry) – good berries @ %
Sambucus cerulea (Blue Elderberry) # @
Shepherdia canadensis (Buffaloberry) @
Sorbus scopulina (Cascade Mountain Ash) @
Spiraea betulifolia (Birchleaf Spiraea) – good low shrub border, and under conifers # @
Symphoricarpos albus (Snowberry) – good low shrub border, and under conifers # %
Symphoricarpos oreophilus (Mountain Snowberry) & # %
Vaccinium globulare or V. membranaceum (Blue Huckleberry) - would be great, especially in fall, under existing Larix occidentalis @
Vaccinium scoparium (Grouse Whortleberry) - would be great under Pinus contorta

Forbs

Achillea millefolium (Yarrow) * %
Arnica cordifolia (Heartleaf Arnica) # @ %
Arnica sororia (Twin Arnica) * &
Balsamorhiza sagittata (Arrowleaf Balsamroot) * &
Clintonia uniflora (Queen’s Cup Lily) moist sites @
Dalea ornata (Western Prairieclover) sandy sites * &
Disporum trachycarpum (Fairy Bells) moist sites @
Erigeron pumilus (Shaggy Fleabane) sandy sites * &
Eriogonum strictum (Strict Buckwheat) * &
Fragaria virginiana or F. vesca (Wild Strawberry) moist sites @
Geranium viscosissimum (Sticky Geranium) * %
Geum triflorum (Old Man's Whiskers, Red Avens) * &
Lomatium dissectum (Fern-leaved Lomatium) * &
Lomatium grayii (Gray’s Desertparsley) * &
Lomatium triternatum (Three-leaved Biscuitroot) * &
Lupinus argenteus (Lupine) * &
Oenothera caespitosa (Desert Eveningprimrose) sandy sites * &
Osmorhiza chilensis (Sweet Cicely) # @ %
Penstemon glandulosus (Stickystem Penstemon) * #
Penstemon wilcoxii (Wilcox’s Penstemon) # @
Phacelia hastata (Silverleaf Phacelia) * &
Phlox longifolia (Longleaf Phlox) * &
Potentilla glandulosa (Sticky cinquefoil) &
Thalictrum occidentale (Western Meadowrue) @ %
Sedum lanceolatum (Stonecrop) * & #
Scutellaria angustifolia (Narrowleaf Skullcap) * &
Smilacina stellata (Starry False Solomon’s Seal) @ %

Grasses

Code to Suggested Planting Guilds:

* = sagebrush-steppe (see spreadsheet: ‘ Boise_Area_Species_and_Community_List.xls’, includes Purshia tridentata and Chrysothamnus steppe communities)

# = warmer, drier forest (Pinus ponderosa/Agropyron spicatum, Pinus ponderosa/Festuca idahoensis, Pinus ponderosa/Symphoricarpos oreophilus or S. albus, Pseudotsuga menziesii/Symphoricarpos oreophilus, Pseudotsuga menziesii/Carex geyeri, Pseudotsuga menziesii/Berberis repens, Pseudotsuga menziesii/Calamagrostis rubescens)

@ = cooler, moister forest (Pseudotsuga menziesii/Spiraea betulifolia, Pseudotsuga menziesii/Symphoricarpos albus, Pseudotsuga menziesii/Vaccinium globulare, Pseudotsuga menziesii/Physocarpus malvaceus, Abies grandis/Spiraea betulifolia, Abies grandis/Vaccinium globulare, Abies grandis/Acer glabrum, Pinus contorta/Vaccinium scoparium)

& = juniper-steppe (similar to sagebrush-steppe communities, just insert juniper savannah into sagebrush-steppe in the spreadsheet and apply similarly)

% = riparian (see spreadsheet for variations)