Wetland Plants

Welcome to a closer look at the native plants that call our local wetlands home—including those found at Michael's Wetland (Hayden Slough) in Independence. This restored wetland helps slow and filter runoff before it flows into Ash Creek, and the following plants play a key role in this wetland's ecological benefits!

Pacific Willow (Salix lasiandra)

With its long, narrow leaves and graceful form, this fast-growing native tree thrives in moist soils and plays a vital role in stabilizing streambanks and restoring riparian areas. Pacific willow provides excellent cover and nesting habitat for birds, and its early spring catkins are an important pollen source for native bees and other pollinators. This deciduous species is especially valuable in erosion control and wetland plantings, and it supports a wide range of wildlife throughout the year. Indigenous peoples used Pacific willow bark for its medicinal properties, including pain relief and reducing fevers. Learn more about Pacific willow by clicking here.

Red-osier Dogwood (Cornus sericea)

Known for its striking red stems—especially vivid in winter—this adaptable deciduous shrub brings year-round interest to the landscape. Red-osier dogwood thrives in moist soils and is a favorite in riparian restoration projects for its ability to stabilize streambanks and support healthy wetlands. Its clusters of white spring flowers attract native pollinators, while the white berries that follow provide food for birds and other wildlife. The flexible stems were traditionally used by Indigenous peoples for weaving baskets, and the bark and roots were used in medicinal teas. Learn more about red-osier dogwood by clicking here.

Oregon Ash (Fraxinus latifolia)

This tall, moisture-loving deciduous tree is a keystone species in Oregon’s lowland floodplain forests, providing critical habitat for birds, amphibians, and other wildlife. With its compound leaves and deeply furrowed bark, Oregon ash thrives in wet soils and helps shade streams, improving conditions for native fish. Indigenous peoples traditionally used its strong, flexible wood for making tools, canoe paddles, and snowshoes. Today, Oregon ash faces a serious threat from the invasive Emerald Ash Borer, a destructive beetle now spreading in the Pacific Northwest. Learn more about Oregon ash by clicking here.

White Alder (Alnus rhombifolia)

Fast-growing and nitrogen-fixing, White alder is a valuable pioneer species in riparian zones and disturbed areas. Its smooth gray bark, rounded leaves, and dangling catkins provide year-round texture, while its deep roots help stabilize streambanks. White alder improves soil fertility and supports a range of wildlife, including butterflies and songbirds. Tribes in the region have traditionally used the bark of white alder for medicinal teas, especially to treat skin and digestive ailments. Learn more about white alder by clicking here.

Pacific Ninebark (Physocarpus capitatis)

This lovely multi-stemmed shrub likes to grow in wet areas, and in the wild, can be found along stream banks and at the edge of moist woodlands. It is most easily recognized by the brown shredding bark on its branches, which peel off to reveal multiple colorful layers. In the spring, the spherical clusters of tiny white flowers are blooming and vivid against the dark green, maple-like lobed leaves. Reddish fruit clusters also make this shrub attractive in the fall. This shrub provides food and shelter for many species of birds, insects and small mammals. Native American uses include making knitting needles and small bows for children. Ninebark is also well suited for streambank restoration because its fibrous roots hold onto the soil and it is easily grown by cuttings. Click here to read more.

Western Redcedar (Thuja plicata)

Revered by Indigenous peoples across the Pacific Northwest, this majestic evergreen is known as the “Tree of Life.” Western redcedar thrives in cool, moist forests and features drooping branches with scale-like leaves and reddish-brown bark that peels in vertical strips. It provides critical year-round cover for wildlife, and its wood is naturally resistant to decay. Tribal communities traditionally used every part of this tree—for canoes, longhouses, baskets, rope, clothing, and ceremonial objects. Learn more about western redcedar by clicking here.

Nootka Rose (Rosa nutkana)

With its fragrant pink blossoms and dense, thorny growth, this hardy native rose is a favorite for pollinators and birds alike. Nootka rose spreads by rhizomes, making it ideal for erosion control and natural hedgerows. Its flowers attract bees and butterflies, while the bright red rose hips that follow are a food source for birds and small mammals. Indigenous peoples have long used the rose hips as a source of vitamin C, brewed the leaves and bark in medicinal teas, and incorporated the plant into spiritual practices. Learn more about Nootka rose by clicking here.

Douglas spirea (Spiraea douglassi)

Also called rose spirea, hardhack or steeplebush, Douglas spirea is a beautiful native shrub that grows fast and lives a long time. Spirea tolerates a wide variety of site conditions – from full sun to part-shade, and from consistently water-logged to only seasonally wet soils. Its cotton-candy-like clusters of pink-purple flowers bloom from June through September, attracting hummingbirds, butterflies, and other pollinators. In the autumn, brown seed pods remain on the stalks after the leaves have fallen, which provide a nutritious food source for native wildlife. Spirea can form dense thickets, which provide shelter for small mammals and nesting sites for birds. Native Americans used Douglas spirea to hang salmon for drying and cooking, and for making tools to collect dentalia shells. Click here to learn more about Douglas spirea.

American Sloughgrass (Beckmannia syzigachne)

This native cool-season grass thrives in marshes, wet meadows, and along slow-moving streams. Its soft, arching seed heads offer important forage for waterfowl and small mammals, while the dense, fibrous root system helps stabilize soils and reduce erosion in seasonally flooded areas. American sloughgrass is a valuable component of wetland restoration projects, particularly in low-elevation riparian and floodplain habitats where it contributes to sediment retention and improves water quality. Its ability to establish quickly in saturated soils makes it especially useful in restoring hydrologic function and enhancing wildlife habitat. Learn more about American sloughgrass by clicking here.

Water Foxtail (Alopecurus geniculatus)

Recognizable by its fuzzy, foxtail-like flower heads, this native grass grows in shallow wetlands, floodplains, and wet prairie habitats. Water foxtail is often one of the first species to colonize disturbed or seasonally flooded soils, where it helps anchor sediment and protect against erosion. Its dense growth provides valuable cover for waterfowl, amphibians, and aquatic invertebrates. In restoration work, water foxtail plays a key role in reestablishing native plant cover and supporting diverse wetland plant communities, especially in areas with fluctuating water levels. Learn more about water foxtail by clicking here.

Tufted Hairgrass (Deschampsia cespitosa)

This native perennial grass is a common sight in upland meadows and grasslands, known for its attractive, tufted clusters of fine, green blades. Tufted hairgrass provides important cover and forage for a variety of birds, insects, and small mammals. Its deep root system helps stabilize soil, making it valuable in erosion control, especially in areas where the land is disturbed or prone to runoff. In restoration projects, tufted hairgrass is used to re-establish native grasslands and wetlands, helping to support a diverse mix of plants and wildlife. Click here to earn more about tufted hairgrass.

Ovoid Spikerush (Eleocharis ovata)

This short, grass-like plant grows in clumps along wetland edges, pond margins, and slow-moving streams. Ovoid spikerush may look unassuming, but it’s a powerful soil stabilizer and water filter, with dense roots that help hold wet soils together and trap sediment. Its tiny, oval-shaped flower heads appear in late spring to summer and provide food and cover for waterfowl and aquatic insects. In restoration work, ovoid spike rush is valued for its ability to thrive in saturated soils and support healthy wetland edges, where it contributes to erosion control and habitat complexity. Learn more about ovoid spikerush by clicking here.

Fragrant Popcorn Flower (Plagiobothrys figuratus)

Don’t let the delicate look of this wildflower fool you—fragrant popcorn flower is a tough native species that thrives in seasonal wet meadows and low-lying prairie wetlands of the Willamette Valley. Blooming in spring, it creates drifts of tiny white flowers that are lightly scented and attract a variety of native pollinators. These flowers grow best in areas that are wet during the winter and early spring, then dry out by summer. Though small, fragrant popcorn flower plays an important role in supporting biodiversity in increasingly rare wet prairie habitats. It’s often included in restoration seed mixes to help bring back native plant cover and pollinator resources in these sensitive areas. Learn more about fragrant popcorn flower by clicking here.

Elegant downingia (Downingia elegans)

This tiny but striking wildflower brings a pop of color to seasonal wetlands and vernal pools with its bright blue and white blooms, often tinged with yellow at the center. Elegant downingia blooms in early spring, just as wetlands begin to dry out, providing a late-season nectar source for native bees and other pollinators. Because it thrives in areas that flood and dry out cyclically, it plays an important role in supporting biodiversity in rare wet prairie habitats. Elegant downingia is often included in restoration seed mixes to help bring back native wildflower diversity in vernal pool and seasonal wetland systems. Click here to learn more about elegant downingia.