Flowers, shrubs and trees

Featured Resources

Fire-resistant Plants for Home Landscapes

Home landscaping is an important part of a community's resistance to wildfire. Learn what plants can help you create an attractive environment and reduce the risk of fire.

Amy Jo Detweiler, Stephen Fitzgerald, Ariel Cowan, Neil Bell, Thomas Stokely | Oct 2023 | Extension Catalog publication Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Roses: Planting and Care in Central Oregon

Are you longing to enjoy the fragrance and color of roses in your yard? With thoughtful attention to planting and care, many types of roses can be grown successfully in Central Oregon.

Amy Jo Detweiler | Apr 2023 | Extension Catalog publication Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Five tips for properly planting a conifer tree

When it comes to planting conifers, timing is everything.

Kym Pokorny | Feb 17, 2023 | News story

Become a Master Gardener!

The Master Gardener™ program educates Oregonians about the art and science of growing and caring for plants. This program also facilitates the training of a highly educated group of volunteers, who extend sustainable gardening information to their communities through education and outreach programs.

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Latest Resources

High Desert Garden Tour

Come and explore several gardens at this self-guided event. The High Desert Garden Tour is July 20, 2024 in Powell Butte area featuring several sites. Click here for more information.

Mar 2024 | Educational document

Dahlias in Oregon: Planting for a Parade of Late-season Blooms

Learn how to adapt dahlia cultivation to the variety of unique growing conditions found in Oregon.

Carla Stables, Julie Moore, Evie Smith | Feb 2024 | Extension Catalog publication Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Caring for roses and dahlias in Oregon

Learn about planting, pruning and landscaping with these beautiful flowers.

Feb 2024 | Collection

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Buzzing and Beautiful: Designing Pollinator Gardens with OSU Extension

By Signe Danler, Andony Melathopoulos, Neil Bell, Amy Jo Detweiler, Nicole Sanchez and Heather Stoven

A recording of a webinar touring through two new OSU guides to help you garden for pollinators and then ask questions of all the authors. We covered everything from what shrubs to plant, how to use mason bees and more!

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Photo Credit: Alyson Yates (Cropped from original)

Flower Resources

Fight ‘big four’ rose problems with prevention strategies

There are steps you can take to control black spot, rust, downy mildew and powdery mildew.

Kym Pokorny | Mar 2, 2020 | News story

When planning next year’s garden, turn to popular native plants

If sited correctly, native plants can perform well and attract pollinators.

Kym Pokorny | Jan 3, 2020 | News story

167 - Linda Hardison - Oregon Flora… reloaded

Linda Hardison is the director of the Oregon Flora and a research assistant professor in the Botany & Plant Pathology Dept. at Oregon State University. She grew up in Texas, and received undergraduate degrees in botany and ...

Andony Melathopoulos | Jan 2021 | Podcast episode

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Trees and Shrubs by: Showy Flowers, Fruit and Foliage

This collection lists trees and shrubs in Oregon, organized by showy flowers, fruit and fall colors. This is a great resource for designing a garden or landscape.

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Photo Credit: Onebit - Adobe Stock (Cropped from original)

Tree and Shrub Resources

Shrubs to Know in Pacific Northwest Forests

This full-color, simple-to-use field guide makes shrub identification easy and fun. It features complete descriptions of the most common shrubs that grow in and around Pacific Northwest forests —from southern British...

Ed Jensen | May 2022 | Extension Catalog publication Peer reviewed (Orange level)

141 - Neil Bell - The best pollinator shrubs and trees

Neil Bell oversees the Master Gardener program in Marion County and Polk County and works with my volunteers to assist homeowners with their garden problems. His research interests involve evaluating evergreen shrubs for un-irrigated...

Andony Melathopoulos | Jun 2020 | Podcast episode

Pruning with the Pros - Is this tree worth saving?

What a “volunteer” tree is in a landscape, its merits, and how it can be salvaged for a more attractive profile. With Oregon State University Extension’s Nicole Sanchez and certified arborists John Bellon and Tom Ford.

Feb 2022 | Video

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Latest News

Colorful indoor plants make delightful gifts for the holidays

The choices go beyond traditional poinsettias and amaryllis. Colorful African violets, gloxinia, cyclamen, orchids, ornamental peppers and Christmas cactus are blooming and readily available.

Kym Pokorny | Nov 17, 2023 | News story

The debate over native plants and their cultivars gathers steam

Research about native plans and their cultivars that has been done – primarily on the East Coast – hasn’t been conclusive.

Kym Pokorny | Nov 3, 2023 | News story

OSU Extension research group searches for plants to weather climate change

The plants in the field trials were chosen by an advisory group of nursery growers and landscape designers and were evaluated on growth, visual appeal, timing of flowering, density of flowers, physiology and heat tolerance.

Kym Pokorny | Nov 1, 2023 | News story

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Upcoming Events

Apr 20

Trees for Small Spaces

10:00 am - 11:30 am Independence, OR

May 4

Plant & Garden Expo 2024

9:00 am - 4:00 pm Roseburg, OR

May 4

Gardenfest Plant Sale

9:00 am - 1:00 pm Portland, OR

May 4

Friends of Buford Park (FBP) Native Plant Nursery Tour

12:00 pm - 1:00 pm Eugene, OR

Meet Our Experts

Signe Danler

Home Horticulture Online Program Instructor

Contact for questions about Home Horticulture online. Submit other questions to Ask Extension, link below.

Amy Jo Detweiler

Horticulture

Brooke Edmunds

Community Horticulture, Master Gardeners

Contact me about the Master Gardener Program or gardening questions from Marion or Polk counties

Dan Leavell

Have a question? Ask Extension!

Ask Extension is a way for you to get answers from the Oregon State University Extension Service. We have experts in family and health, community development, food and agriculture, coastal issues, forestry, programs for young people, and gardening.

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Which herbicides should I use on poison oak?

Q: I am dealing with poison oak growing in a stand of trees: Douglas firs, big-leaf maple saplings, and others. I have tried manual control and was unsuccessful. What would be the safest topical herbicide to apply to the leaves and stems while minimizing damage to the surrounding trees?

A: View answer | View all featured questions

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