Native Plants and Noxious Weeds

Native plants are species that occur naturally in a particular region and are adapted to the climate and elevation of a particular area. Native plants are appealing to humans and wildlife and are friendly to the environment. A general guideline to selecting native plants is to use stock that originates within 35 miles and at the same elevation as your planting site.

Some specific benefits provided by native plants are:
• Resistance to pests and diseases
• Easy care, requiring less water
• Provides food, and shelter for wildlife
• Provide stream bank stabilization
• Reduces the amount of pollution runoff to waterways

Noxious Weeds
Noxious weeds are plants that are imported for economic and ornamental purposes or have spread in other ways, such as seeds carried in car tires, boat propellers, by flood waters. They spread aggressively and take over, crowding out native species. Many noxious weeds species are adept at spreading from the areas where they are planted to nearby natural areas.

Some noxious weeds can damage whole ecosystems by altering soil, hydrology, reducing habitat for other plants and wildlife, increasing fire danger. Sometimes this damage cannot be undone except by sustained effort over decades.

SOLV asks that you do not plant any of the following noxious weeds. Please check with your watershed council or Soil and Water Conservation District for help in removing noxious weeds and finding suitable substitute plants.

• English holly
• English ivy
• Scots broom
• Knapweed
• Yellow star thistle
• Reed canarygrass
• Purple loosestrife
• Himalayan blackberry
• White top
• Japanese knotweed
• Dalmation toadflax
• Yellow flag
• Giant Hogweed
• Kudzu


For more information about noxious weeds:
• Oregon Department of Forestry, www.odf.state.or.us/fa/UF/6308.html
• Oregon Department of Agriculture, www.oda.state.or.us. Go to Plant Division, Programs, Weed Control section
• Call 1-866-INVADER (468-2337) or visit www.oregonweeds.org.

To report noxious weed invasion:
• Call 1-866-INVADER (468-2337) or visit www.oregonweeds.org.

For more information about native plants:
• Native Plant Society of Oregon, www.npsoregon.org
• Oregon Flora Project, www.oregonflora.org

For Gardening and Native Plants seminars and workshops:
• The Oregon Garden, www.oregongarden.org or call 503-636o-4112 x 22 for a brochure and registration materials.
• County Extension Agents

For information about sources of native plants:
• Oregon Department of Forestry, www.nurseryguide.com
• Oregon Department of Agriculture, http://oda.state.or.us. Choose data bases, search nursery licenses
• Oregon Association of Nurserymen Buyers Guide, www.nurseryguide.com
• Leach Botanical Garden, 503-761-9503 (Portland only)
• Watershed councils and Soil and Water Conservation Districts – “local” information.

For a listing of local and regional nurseries that supply native shrubs and trees
• East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District, 503-231-2270 ext.2 (Portland)
• Your county Soil and Water Conservation District