Whatcom Conservation District

WCD Annual Native Plant Sale Update

Thank you for supporting the Whatcom Conservation District Native Plant Sale and for your commitment to using native plants.

For the first time in 27 years of holding this event we are now cancelling all pre-orders along with the previously cancelled Saturday open sale.

With the continually evolving coronavirus situation and guidance to stay home unless absolutely necessary, we have come to the conclusion that continuing with the pre-order pick up is not in line with the State and County Health Department recommendations.

This was a very tough decision to come to, as we at the Conservation District are all very dedicated to providing native plants to the community. We do not take this decision lightly, and are very adamant about continuing next year even stronger than ever.

Your purchase will be refunded directly through our online store in the coming days. No plants, seeds, or bamboo stakes are available this year.

We regret that the current situation has evolved to this point. However the health and safety of our staff, volunteers, and customers must be the first priority.
Thank you in advance for your patience with the process as we continue to adapt to this evolving situation and as new information is shared.

The WCD office is officially closed. Please leave us a voicemail or send an email if you have questions otherwise, see you next year!

40+ Tree and Shrub Species Available

Table of Contents

Sign up for

WCD Newsletter Here

Volunteer Information Here

Purpose of the Annual Plant Sale
Venue
Directions
Online Store
Two Ways to Purchase
Rain Gardens
Simple Price List
Plant Descriptions
Terms
Other Resources

SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR PARTNER AND HOST WHATCOM COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Brian Keeley; Jason Lindsay and the WCC Grounds Crew; Rob Beishline and Roe Studio instructors and students.

and Thank you Fourth Corner Nurseries for donating native plants for kids.

LAST YEARS EXPO VENDORS AND EXHIBITORS

Vendors:
Freeborn Metal Art, Morgan Creek Nursery, Namaste Gardens, Shady Pond Tree Farm, and Tuxedo Gardens.

Exhibitors:
Common Threads Farm, Mt. Baker Beekeepers, Whatcom County Noxious Weed Board, Washington Native Plant Society-Koma Kulshan Chapter, Rent Mason Bees, Jake Beaty, Sunbreak Nursery, and the Whatcom Land Trust.

Interested in having your group as an exhibitor? Give us a call at 360-526-2381

NATIVE PLANTS ARE INSPIRING

Here is what you have been telling us about your native plants. The results are inspiring:

925 wildlife & pollinator habitats installed
372 hedgerows or windbreaks installed
222 buffers installed on small farms to improve water quality
1,093 general landscaping with native plants
265 forest stand improvement/enhancement
284 erosion control projects installed
152 riparian buffers installed
243 wetlands restored
25 rain gardens installed (new to survey in 2016)

PURPOSE OF THE ANNUAL NATIVE PLANT SALE:

The purpose of the WCD’s annual plant sale is to promote the stewardship and conservation of our natural resources. The plants sold at this sale are “conservation grade”, which means they are graded on their ability to survive, not on their ornamental value. Seedling plants are not large (generally between 10” and 36” tall), so your order will fit in the trunk or back seat of your car. We will have bags and packing materials available at the sale, or feel free to bring your own.

Planting native trees and shrubs can provide many positive benefits to your property and the natural environment such as improved water quality, enhanced fish and wildlife habitat, reduction of wind and soil erosion, cleaner air, reduction of energy costs, and beautification of your property! This sale is a great opportunity to purchase low cost native plants and to get them in the ground before the growing season begins. Experienced conservationists will be available to answer your native plant questions.

The event is a self-supporting program of the Whatcom Conservation District with support by loyal volunteers and local businesses.

Plant Sale Venue!

The sale will be held on the Campus of Whatcom Community College (WCC).

Driving Directions

Map (PDF) --- Google Maps

Whatcom Community College Campus, 237 W. Kellogg Rd. From I-5 take exit 256, head north on Guide Meridian, turn left (west) onto Kellogg Rd and go straight through the roundabout. Then turn right just before the tennis courts and soccer fields at Kelly Hall main parking lot. Plant sale is at the Roe Pottery Studio on campus. Lots of parking is available adjacent to the sale in Kelly Hall main parking lot. An alternate entrance to the parking lot is found by following W. Kellogg as it bends around to the north and becomes Stuart Rd.

Phone: 360-526 2381 Email: plantsale@whatcomcd.org

TWO WAYS TO PURCHASE PLANTS

Pre-orders: Require a $100 minimum purchase. Orders must be completed no later than Monday March 16, 2020. Pre-orders are bundled for you and can be picked-up on Friday March 27th, 9am-3pm.

If you’d like to pre-order but can’t meet the $100 minimum, try ordering with neighbors, friends, and family, and then split up the order.

Order at our online store here.

Open Sale: If you can not meet the minimum order and only need a few plants, come to the open sale. Plants will be sold individually, on a first-come, first-served basis on Saturday March 28th, 2020 from 9am-2pm. We do not raise prices for individual plants, so you will get the same price as if you were buying a bundle.

NOTE:
Please keep in mind that we cannot guarantee availability of plants on the list below. We order our plants twelve to six months before the sale and uncontrollable situations, such as crop failure, could prevent us from having all species listed in stock. Information can also be requested from the WCD office at 360-526-2381 or e-mail plantsale@whatcomcd.org.

Plant Descriptions - 2020

Click the common name of the plants to get more information and images.

Out of Stock for Pre-Sale:
Soil Moisture Tolerance Range: = Wet, = Moist, = Dry, = Well drained
Light Tolerance Range: = Full sun, = Partial sun/shade, = Shade
Benefits Pollinators:

Note: Plants are native to Whatcom county unless otherwise noted.

Simple Price List PDF

Evergreen Trees

Alaska Yellow Cedar (Callitropsis nootkatensis) 70-100ft
- Usually found above 2,000 feet elevation. Its blue-green foliage, pendulous branches and nonsymmetrical shape make it a popular choice for landscaping. Avoided by deer. More Info.
Douglas Fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) >200ft
- Deeply fissured, reddish brown bark at maturity. Fast growing. Does best in dry, sunny sites. More Info.
Grand Fir (Abies grandis) >200ft
- Needles lay flat and are dark green above and silvery beneath. Noted for its fragrant scent. More Info.
Shore Pine (Pinus contorta var. contorta) 25–40ft
- Usually found locally near saltwater. The deep green needles are twisted – 2 per bundle – and cones are small. Easy and fast growing. Tend to lean over in high wind areas. More Info.
Sitka Spruce (Picea sitchensis) >100ft
- Stiff, sharp, blue-green needles. Fast growing tree with light, strong wood used for pianos, ladders, airplanes, etc. More Info.
Western Hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla) 90->200ft
- One of the most common trees in the Pacific Northwest, a graceful evergreen with a narrow, pyramidal crown; semi-pendulous branches; red-brown, scaly bark; and fine-textured, dark-green needles. More Info.
Western Red Cedar (Thuja plicata) >100ft
- Widely distributed native. Yellow-green to red-green scale-like leaves and reddish brown bark. Wood is rot resistant. This versatile tree has many uses. More Info.

Broadleaf Trees

Cascara (Frangula purshiana) 30-40ft
- Small tree or tall shrub, used in stream and wetland restoration projects. Small pale greenish-yellow flowers in spring, ripen to a dark red berry, produces colorful fall foliage. Birds are attracted to fruit. One tree which beaver avoid. More Info.
Garry/Oregon White Oak (Quercus garryana) 35-70ft
- Stout, spreading branches form a wide, round crown. Bark is white and scaly. Leathery leaves are oblong, with round lobes, and are green on top, dull beneath. More Info.
Oregon Ash (Fraxinus latifolia) 75ft
- Deciduous. Grows rapidly. Its light-green, compound leaves turn yellow in fall. Good in wet areas, landscaping, and habitat restoration. More Info.
Pacific Crabapple (Malus fusca) 20-30ft
- Small tree, usually multi-stemmed. Fruits are oblong and can be used to make jelly if you get them before the birds do. More Info.
Paper Birch (Betula papyrifera) 50-75ft
- Orange-brown or white papery bark. Attractive landscaping tree. Young seedlings are a favored food of deer. More Info.
Quaking Aspen (Populus tremuloides) 75ft
- Whatcom County native. Deciduous. Mature trees have white bark. Noted for its heart-shaped leaves that flutter in the breeze. Forms groves. More Info.

Shrubs

Beaked Hazelnut (Corylus cornuta) 6-12ft
- Multi-stemmed shrub or small tree. Suckering and often forms clumps. The nut provides food for birds and squirrels. More Info.
Black Twinberry (Lonicera involucrata) 9-12ft
- Rapid growth, tall and wide. Yellow, tubular flowers ripen to black fruit, which birds love. Great for riparian restoration or erosion control. More Info.
Golden Currant (Ribes aureum) 4-7ft
- Common east of the Cascades. A multi stemmed, drought tolerant shrub. Bright yellow flowers give way to edible berries. It is favored by wildlife and often used in ornamental landscapes. Foliage turns yellow in the fall. More Info.
Indian-Plum (Oemleria cerasiformis) 15ft
- One of first plants flowering in spring. Bark is purplish-brown. Pendulous white flowers bloom in late winter. Leaves have strong cucumber smell when crushed. Fruit enjoyed by birds. More Info.
Mock Orange (Philadelphus lewisii) 8–10ft
- Sweet smelling white flower in late spring. Hardy and drought tolerant. Easy to grow. More Info.
Nootka Rose (Rosa nutkana) 10ft
- Found in mid to low elevations of WA, showy 3-inch pink flowers. Useful for erosion control, wildlife and barrier plantings. More Info.
Oceanspray (Holodiscus discolor) 6-13ft
- A many stemmed shrub that produces plumed clusters of creamy white flowers in early summer. Generally easy to grow. Provides food and cover for wildlife. More Info.
Pacific Ninebark (Physocarpus capitatus) 15ft
- A large shrub often found growing along streams, lakes, and bogs. Long, arching branches; clusters of small, white flowers; peeling layers of cinnamon bark. Its dense, matting root system helps to stabilize streambanks. More Info.
Peafruit (Cluster) Rose (Rosa pisocarpa) 6–8ft
- Western native rose with clusters of pink flowers and small red hips. Good for erosion control, wildlife, and barrier plantings. More Info.
Red-Flowering Currant (Ribes sanguineum) 10–15ft
- Late winter-early spring bloomer. Considered one of Western Washington’s most beautiful flowering shrubs with pale-pink to deep-red flowers. More Info.
Red Osier Dogwood (Cornus sericea) 10–14ft
- White flower cluster producing white or blue fruit. Bright red bark in the winter. Fast growing. Very adaptable to a variety of sites and easy to grow. More Info.
Shrubby Cinquefoil (Dasiphora fruticosa) 1–5ft
- A low, rounded shrub with dainty, grayish green, leaves and long-blooming, showy, yellow flowers. May or may not be evergreen. Special value to pollinators. More Info.
Snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus) 6ft
- Thicket forming shrub with small, pink bell-shaped flowers. Persistent white fruit provides winter food for wildlife. Provides good soil stabilization. Tolerates salt spray. More Info.
Snowbrush Ceanothus (Ceanothus velutinus) 3-12ft
- Aromatic, evergreen shrub with fragrant white flowers. Drought tolerant, thrives in nutrient poor soils. Grows in shade but with a leggy form. Important host plant for butterflies. More Info.
Sweet Gale (Myrica gale) <5ft
- Perennial shrub found in wetlands and bogs, nitrogen-fixer. Male and female flowers are on separate plants. Aromatic. Spreads by suckers. More Info.
Vine Maple (Acer circinatum) 15–25ft
- Green bark. Fall foliage varies from yellow to scarlet-red. Grow as a multi-stemmed shrub or as a small tree. More Info.

Specialty Plants/Perennials/Groundcovers

Beargrass (Xerophyllum tenax) 3ft
- Perennial herb in lily family. Grass-like leaves retain color through winter. Bears a dense plume of tiny, cream colored flowers on terminal spike. More Info.
Daggerleaf Rush (Juncus ensifolius) 1-2ft
- Native sedge with flat, iris-like leaves. Common in wet meadows, tolerates compacted soils. Spreads via underground rhizomes. More Info.

Evergreen Huckleberry (Vaccinium ovatum) 6-13ft
- A many branched, evergreen shrub with leathery oval leaves, shiny above, paler beneath. Pink, bell-shaped flowers are followed by dark, edible berries. New growth in the spring is coppery red. More Info.

Kinnikinnick (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) 1ft
- Ground-hugging evergreen with white flowers and red berries. Grows well on rocky, exposed sites. More Info.
Labrador Tea (Ledum groenlandicum) 2-5ft
- Low, evergreen shrub typical of acidic, boggy areas. Clusters of white flowers on coppery, reddish branches. Aromatic, glossy leaves, with rusty hairs beneath. Caution plant parts are toxic. More Info.
Madrone (Madrona) (Arbutus menziesii) 75ft
- Broadleaf evergreen. Coppery brown, peeling bark. Flowers and fruit are enjoyed by many different birds. Needs appropriate conditions to grow. More Info.
Maidenhair Fern (Adiantum aleuticum) 0.5-1.5ft
- Beautiful and delicate fern with contrasting black stems. Forms clumps of layered fronds that flutter in the breeze. More Info.
Oak Fern (Gymnocarpium dryopteris) <1ft
- Small fern spreads quickly and easily from rhizome. A tough, yet delicate groundcover. Dark to lime-green, triangular fronds. More Info.
Pacific Rhododendron (Rhododendron macrophyllum) 5-25ft
- Washington State flower. Evergreen shrub with large bell shaped flowers that range from pink to deep rose-purple. Blooms in late spring. More Info.
Salal (Gaultheria shallon) 2-6ft
- Broadleaf evergreen groundcover. Flowers are white to pink and the edible, berry-like fruit is nearly black when ripe. More Info.
Sawbeak Sedge (Carex stipata) 2-4ft
- Clump forming sedge with sharply triangular stems and spiky green flowers. Thrives in wet soil to standing water. Floating seeds are valuable food for waterfowl. More Info.
Scarlet Monkey Flower (Erythranthe cardinalis) 1-3ft
- Clumping perennial with bright, red, tubular flowers common in and along streams. Blooms April through October. Attractive to hummingbirds. More Info.
Sea Thrift (Pink) (Armeria maritima) 1ft
- Low maintenance, drought and salt tolerant, perennial. Forms a six- to 12-inch cushion-like, mound of dark-green grass-like leaves. Bright pink, purple, white or red flowers are borne on tall stems. More Info.
Western Sword Fern (Polystichum munitum) 2-5ft
- A large, tufted evergreen fern. Easy to grow, reported to be deer resistant. More Info.

Miscellaneous

Wildflower Seed 2-4ft
- Includes perennials, annuals & biennials in white, yellow, blue, orange, red, purple, & pink.
48” Bamboo Stakes
- Bamboo stakes are needed for securing “Blue tubes” and are available for purchase. We will be offering used blue tubes for FREE at the plant sale (depending on availability). Tubes protect seedlings from rodents, mowers & herbicide drift. Also useful for protecting tomatoes & other veggie starts
18" Norplex Tree Protectors (Blue Tubes)
- Depending upon availability, "blue tubes" are FREE at the Plant Sale site.
- Tubes protect seedlings from rodents, mowers & herbicide drift. Also useful for protecting tomatoes & other vegetable starts.

Rain Gardens

Find out more about Rain Gardens Here

WSU Extension Trees of Washington - Download your free copy with this link

Bloom Time Chart

Fire/Drought Resistant Plants Table

Terms:

P = (Plug): Seedling grown in a plastic tube for 1 year. A plant grown as a plug will develop a more fibrous root system than one grown in the field.
BR = Bare root: seedling with soil removed from roots.
1-0: 1 year old BR plant grown 1 year in a seedling bed.
2–0: 2 year old BR plant grown in a seed bed.
2-1: 3 year old BR plant grown 2 years in a seed bed and 1 year in a transplant bed.
P–1: 2 year old BR plant grown 1 year as a plug and 1 year in a transplant bed.
P–2: 3 year old BR plant grown 1 year as plug and 2 years in a transplant bed.
Whip: 36” un-rooted cutting

Other Districts Plant Sale Pages

Other helpful Native Plant Sites:

This page was last modified on 03/20/20 - 11:27