Native Perennials for Sun

Beach Strawberry (Fragaria chiloensis) Evergreen. Likes full sun. Dry to moderate moisture.  Great groundcover. Spreads fast. Tolerates some foot traffic. Edible fruit. https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=FRCH

Big Leaf Lupine (Lupinus polyphyllus) Great for pollinators. Beautiful leaves and flowers. Can grow large in the right conditions.

https://sparrowhawknativeplants.com/products/large-leaved-lupine

Broad-Leaf Shooting Star (Dodecatheon hendersonii) Delicate spring beauty for part shade. Native bumblebees pollinate it. https://realgardensgrownatives.com/?p=2782

Cascade Penstemon, aka Coast Penstemon (Penstemon serrulatus) Sun to Part Shade. One of the few penstemons found in the Puget Sound lowlands, cascade penstemons are beautiful wildflowers at home in the landscaped border. This perennial wildflower has trumpet-shaped, purple flowers that draw hummingbirds. Cascade penstemon tolerates more moisture and shade than most other penstemons. https://biology.burke.washington.edu/herbarium/imagecollection/taxon.php?Taxon=Penstemon%20serrulatus

Dagger-Leaf Rush (Juncus ensifolius) Grows in large upright clumps.  Full sun to partial shade, moist to wet soil (do not plant in standing water). https://www.wnps.org/native-plant-directory/400:juncus-ensifolius

Dark Throat Shooting Star (Dodecatheon pulchellum). Full sun to part shade and moist soil when it is actively growing. https://www.gardenia.net/plant/dodecatheon-pulchellum  

Douglas Aster (Symphyotrichum subspicatum); A keystone plant for pollinators: butterflies and native bees. Sun or part shade, long bloom time. Vigorous. http://biology.burke.washington.edu/herbarium/imagecollection/taxon.php?Taxon=Symphyotrichum%20subspicatum

Farewell to Spring (Clarkia amoena) : A beautiful flower, with satiny, cup-shaped flowers whose petals have the texture of crepe paper. Amoena means “charming”, very appropriate for this annual that may self-seed in your garden if you are lucky. https://www.pnwflowers.com/flower/clarkia-amoena

Fireweed – (Chamaenerion angustifolium) (Medicinal, young leaves good in salad, perennial, bright lavender to pink flowers, helpful for diarrhea, inflammation) https://biology.burke.washington.edu/herbarium/imagecollection/taxon.php?Taxon=Chamaenerion%20angustifolium

Goldenrod (Solidago lepida formerly canadensis) Antifungal, anti-inflammatory, expectorant, helps with stomach aches, attracts beneficial insects): Superb for pollinators. Deer resistant. Sun to part shade. https://www.pnwflowers.com/flower/solidago-canadensis

Graceful Cinquefoil aka Slender Cinquefoil (Potentilla gracilis) Likes moist, well-drained soil that’s rich in organic matter, in full to part sun.  Great for beneficial insects and pollinators. https://biology.burke.washington.edu/herbarium/imagecollection/taxon.php?Taxon=Potentilla%20gracilis

Great Camas (Camassia leichtlinii).  Great camas grows in wet meadows, woods, prairies, moist hillsides, and streamside areas.   Edible bulb. It was a very important food for Native Americans because it becomes sweet with long roasting.  Prefers heavy soil. https://plants.usda.gov/DocumentLibrary/plantguide/pdf/cs_cales2%20.pdf

Gumweed (Grindelia stricta) (not  Grindelia integrifolia)  Full sun to part shade, moist soil. Bright yellow flowers. Native peoples used the gum from the flowers as an adhesive. Keystone plant for native bees and caterpillars/moths. https://biology.burke.washington.edu/herbarium/imagecollection/taxon.php?Taxon=Grindelia%20stricta

Henderson’s Checkermallow: Sidalcea hendersonii:  Beautiful abundance of pink flowers in summer. 2-3 ft tall, sun or part shade. https://www.anniesannuals.com/plants/view/?id=2548

Kinnikinnick  (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) Evergreen. Sun or part shade. Does best in sunny, poor, sandy, infertile, acid soils. Drought tolerant once established. Evergreen groundcover with red berries. Good for steep banks.
http://biology.burke.washington.edu/herbarium/imagecollection/taxon.php?Taxon=Arctostaphylos%20uva-ursi

Miniature Western Iris. Aka Yellow -Eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium californicum)  Sweet yellow flowers on 6 inch tall plants. Sun or part shade. https://www.wnps.org/native-plant-directory/424:sisyrinchium-californicum

Nodding Onion (Allium cernuum) Blooms up to 18 inches. Found in dry open woodlands. Full sun or part shade.  Edible, especially if roasted. http://www.nwplants.com/business/catalog/all_cer.html

Oregon Iris (Iris tenax); Full sun to light shade, drought resistant once established. Divide only in Sept or Oct. https://biology.burke.washington.edu/herbarium/imagecollection/taxon.php?Taxon=Iris%20tenax

Oregon Stonecrop (Sedum oreganum); low growing, yellow flowers, sun or part shade. Quick and easy groundcover, even on moss-covered rocks. Broken off pieces of plant take root. http://biology.burke.washington.edu/herbarium/imagecollection/taxon.php?Taxon=Sedum%20oreganum  and   https://www.pnwflowers.com/flower/sedum-oreganum

Pearly Everlasting   (Anaphalis margaritacea) Full sun to part shade: great for butterflies and bees, and dried flowers. http://pnwplants.wsu.edu/PlantDisplay.aspx?PlantID=239

Sea Thrift (Armeria maritima). Mound-forming and will bloom all summer if grown in sun and dead-headed. Great for an edging plant.  https://www.pnwflowers.com/flower/armeria-maritima

Sedum divergens  (Spreading Stonecrop, Pacific Stonecrop)   Mat-forming, yellow flowers, They grow well in rock gardens, raised beds, pots, old troughs and any location that has full sun and good drainage. https://www.wnps.org/blog/plant-profile-spreading-stonecrop-Bora-divergens and https://burkeherbarium.org/imagecollection/taxon.php?Taxon=Sedum%20divergens

Sedum spathulifolium, regular and  ‘Carnea’ They grow well in rock gardens, raised beds, pots, old troughs and any location that has full sun or part shade and good drainage. https://www.wnps.org/native-plant-directory/423:sedum-spathulifolium

Showy Fleabane   (Erigeron speciosus)  This beautiful plant is the largest and showiest of fleabanes, and is excellently adapted to rocky or gravel soils. It tolerates some partial shade, it’s very drought resistant, and manages to stay a compact 1 to 2 feet in height most of the time. This is a perfect plant for dry south facing slopes, or parched flower beds on the sunny side of a house.    https://northwestmeadowscapes.com/products/showy-fleabane-seeds-erigeron-speciosus?variant=15897203015770

Showy Milkweed (Asclepias speciosa).  The only native host plant for monarch butterflies West of the Cascade Mountains! Sun. Deer resistant.  https://northwestmeadowscapes.com/products/showy-milkweed-seeds-asclepias-speciosa

Small Cranberry (Vaccinium oxycoccos)    Full sun to part shade, low growing groundcover that likes water and acid soil, especially bogs. Deep pink flowers like shooting stars. Edible cranberries.    https://woodbrooknativeplantnursery.com/plant/vaccinium-oxycoccos/

Tufted Hairgrass (Deschampsia cespitosa) Caterpillar host plant for more than 40 species of butterflies! Tolerates part shade, likes moist soil.
 https://northwestmeadowscapes.com/products/tufted-hairgrass?variant=15907587063898

Wooly Sunflower (Eriophyllum lanatum)   Deer resistant, drought tolerant. Long-lasting yellow blooms attract bees, butterflies, and beneficial syrphid flies. The foliage is also a host plant for caterpillars of the painted lady butterfly. https://northwestmeadowscapes.com/products/oregon-sunshine-eriophyllum-lanatum

Yarrow: Achillea millefolium; Beloved of butterflies and other pollinators . One of the keystone plants for pollinators.  http://biology.burke.washington.edu/herbarium/imagecollection/taxon.php?Taxon=Achillea%20millefolium  

Yellow Monkey Flower (Erythranthe guttata, aka Mimulus guttatus) Beautiful yellow flowers all summer. Annual, sometimes perennial.
Will self-seed.  Needs lots of moisture to bloom well. Sun or part shade.  https://biology.burke.washington.edu/herbarium/imagecollection/taxon.php?Taxon=Erythranthe%20guttata