Perennials for a Southern Exposure

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donnala

Location: Outside the Maritime Pacific Northwest

Posted: Apr-15-2009 at 10:49pm

I live in northern California on the coast and consider our region the Pacific Northwest. I am looking for perennials for the front of my house that can withstand frost and southern exposure sun.

I would like something colorful. Any suggestions?

Donna of Fortuna IP IP: 69.109.227.67 Edit Post Delete Post Hide Post Move Post Fern

Location: Washington, Western Cascade Foothills

Posted: Apr-16-2009 at 11:39am

What zone are you in? I personally live much farther north, and I don't have a southern exposure, so I may not be much help. Is drought tolerance important? Low maintenance, or do you have more time? The best thing to do is to go to a good local nursery and ask lots of questions, this is the thing they do best, they like to do it, and they know the area. If you expect to need a lot of time for advice, don't go on a busy spring weekend, they can only spread themselves so thin, or at least go early in the morning or in the evening.

There are some very nice natives you can grow. I wish I could grow some of them myself!

Las Pilitas Nursery specializes in Californian native plants, sells mail order, and has a good plant locater guide to help you. They list plants by native community, too. They have one listed called Northern Coastal Sage, maybe that is you, or you can find the area you are.

Fern IP IP: 207.200.116.68 Edit Post Delete Post Hide Post Move Post JeanneK

Location: Oregon, Greater Portland Metro

Posted: Apr-16-2009 at 4:06pm

Hi Donnala, welcome to Rainyside!

How about some of our sun loving PNW natives like mock orange (Philadelphus lewisii) or blue blossom (Ceanothus thrysiflorus) or ocean spray (holodiscus discolor)? You don't say whether you are looking for shrubs or low growing perennials. Check out Wallace Hansen Native Plant Nursery website for some great options on native plants. Bosky Dell Natives has a list for coastal natives. Admittedly it is for Oregon, but you will find most of the plants listed will work for Coastal Northern California.

Jeanne IP IP: 204.124.92.254 Edit Post Delete Post Hide Post Move Post patti

Location: Washington, Kitsap Peninsula

Posted: Apr-17-2009 at 10:48am

Another good resource for you might be Siskiyou Rare Plants

Also, Annie's Annuals carries a lot of items that may actually be perennial where you are (Zone 9?), with lots of dry, heat tolerant suggestions.

For low (or tall) growing structural shrubs, the barberries are nice. Also, most plants with gray leaves seem to be good choices for this kind of setting (think lavenders, artemesias, convulvus, senecio, etc.). Flowering perennials such as holly hocks, Veronica, globe thistle, Eryngiums, Gaillardia, Coreopsis, are some well known work horses.

What kind of look are you going for?

Patti - Kitsap Peninsula, WA IP IP: 24.16.167.83 Edit Post Delete Post Hide Post Move Post Garden Spider

Location: Washington, Puget Sound Corridor

Posted: Apr-27-2009 at 5:24pm

For shrubs: California Wax Myrtle, Red Flowering Current, Ceanothus.

For trees: Shore Pine, Oregon Myrtle

Barb