Hardy Plants

Hardy plants are those classified as plants with the ability to survive a frost. Hardy varieties are available in annuals and perennials, the latter of which need less maintenance and fertilization. Hardy plants thrive in warm summer weather and must be carefully maintained if placed in smaller flowerbeds, as they will easily outgrow their living space.

Resources:

The Backyard Habitat Certification Program is a unique program that supports urban gardeners in efforts to create natural backyard habitats. This program is a collective effort with Audubon Society of Portland and Columbia Land Trust organizations.

For access to educational programs, a wide array of local private gardens, a diverse domestic and international garden tour program and more refer to The Hardy Plant Society of Oregon website.

The Willamette Valley Hardy Plant Group is a non-profit volunteer organization whose primary purpose is to educate the community about perennials, shrubs and other plants for use in the garden, share each others gardens and foster the love of gardening.

The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map is a good tool to help gardeners and growers determine which plants are most likely to thrive in their location by entering a specific ZIP code.

The Portland Plant List is a user-friendly guide to plant species found in Portland and the metropolitan region. The Portland Plant List is comprised of two lists and supporting information: the Native Plants List and the Nuisance Plants List. Both plant lists are integral to the City of Portland’s natural resource protection programs and invasive species management strategy.

The Native Plants for Willamette Valley Yards booklet, compiled by Metro, includes 140 plants primarily native to the Portland metropolitan area. The guide offers detailed information on sun and moisture requirements, wildlife benefits and native range within northwestern Oregon and southwestern Washington.

Supporting Documents:

Wilsonville’s streets, parks and public spaces include a colorful palette of hardy native and ornamental plants. The following maps provide examples of hardy plants to observe throughout the seasons. The plants are listed by species, and cultivar, if necessary, and colored coded to aid in identifying.

A special thanks to Juncus Landscape Achitecture Green Infrastructure and Habitat Landscape Design for their contributions.