Salem Plant List

Including the Invasive Non-Native Plant List as referred to in SRC Chapter 68.

Introduction

The Salem Plant List is based on the Portland Plant List which was developed and modified in consultation with local ecologists, biologists and naturalists. Using the Portland Plant List as a basis for the Salem Plant List is appropriate because the two cities are both located in the Willamette Valley ecoregion and have similar climates, landforms, geology, and soils. The exception would be some plants in the Columbia Gorge that may not be native to the Salem area.

The Three Lists: Native, Nuisance, Invasive

The Salem Plant List is divided into three sections: native plants, nuisance plants, and invasive non-native plants. These sections are summarized below, followed by a review of the procedures for modifying the plant lists.

The Native Plants section is a listing of native plants historically found in the City of Salem. The list divides the plants into three groups: trees and arborescent (tree-like) shrubs, shrubs and ground covers. For each group, the list includes the scientific (Latin) name of a species, its common name, its wetland indicator status, and its associated habitat type. The habitat types are: wetland, riparian, forest, forested slopes, thicket, grass and rocky.

The Nuisance Plants section lists plants that: (1) have a tendency to dominate plant communities, or (2) are considered harmful to humans. Nuisance plants may be native, naturalized, or exotic. Plants in this list are identified by their scientific and common name, and their indicator status.

The Invasive Non-Native Plants section is a listing of plants which: (1) the City of Salem considers undesirable for use in all landscaping situations within the City limits, and (2) are plants which are prohibited from use by state law because they are noxious weeds. These plant species pose a serious threat to the health and vitality of native plant and animal communities. Manual removal of these plants is exempt from land use review. The Noxious Weeds List includes exotic, non-native species that are injurious to public health, agriculture, recreation, wildlife, and public or private property. There plants are prohibited from entry into the state; and transport, purchase, sale, or offering for sale in the state (OAR-603-92-1200(4)) is also prohibited.

Modification of Lists

Plants may be added to or removed from the Native Plant List or Invasive Non-Native Plant List as follows. When a request to amend either list is received, the City will consult with three or more knowledgeable persons with botany, biology, or landscape architecture backgrounds to determine whether the requested change is warranted. This decision will be forwarded to the applicant and will be final. The primary source for native plant determination is the five volume set, "Flora of the Pacific Northwest," by Hitchcock and Cronquist.

Native Plant List

This section provides a list of native plants historically found in the City of Salem. The list includes several plants known to occur within the Urban Growth Boundary or not more than ten miles from Salem and expected to occur within the City based on the presence of suitable habitat, the judgment of local botanical experts, or the range descriptions found in Hitchcockâ??s Flora. The list divides plants into three groups: trees and arborescent shrubs, shrubs, and ground covers.

The Indicator Status refers to the frequency with which a plant occurs in a wetland; the categories are derived from the List of Plant Species That Occur In Wetlands: Northwest Region (USFWS, Biological Report 88(26.9), 1988). The status of certain plants was revised using the 1993 Supplement to the List (for Region 9). The indicator categories are as follows:

Obligate Wetland (OBL): Occur almost always (estimated probability>99%) under natural conditions in wetlands.

Facultative Wetland (FACW): Usually occur in wetlands (estimated probability 67%-99%), but occasionally found in non-wetlands.

Facultative (FAC): Equally likely to occur in wetlands or non-wetlands (estimated probability 34%-66%).

Facultative Upland (FACU): Usually occur in non-wetlands (estimated probability 67%-99%), but occasionally found in wetlands (estimated probability 1%-33%).

Obligate Upland (UPL): Occur in wetlands in another region, but occur almost always (estimated probability >99%) under natural conditions in non-wetlands in the Northwest region.

A positive (+) sign used with an indicator category means that the plant occurs more frequently at the higher end of the range (more frequently found in wetlands). For example, FACW+ indicates that the plant is typically found in Northwest wetlands with an estimated probability of 83%-99%. A negative (-) sign indicates a frequency toward the lower end of the range (less frequently found in wetlands). An NI (no indicator) was recorded for those species for which insufficient information was available to determine an indicator status. If no category or symbol is indicated for a plant then either the plant does not occur in wetlands, or the species was not reviewed by the 1988 or 1993 interagency panels that developed the list.

The Habitat Types are wetland, riparian, forest, forested slopes, thicket, grass, and rocky. "Wetland" includes all forms of wetlands found in Salem. "Riparian" includes the riparian areas along the Willamette River, and other streams in Salem. "Forest" refers to upland forested areas with little or no slope. "Forested slopes" refers to steeply sloping upland forests such as portions of the Salem or Eola Hills. "Thicket" refers to edges of forests and meadows and includes hedgerows and clumps of vegetation that may be found in meadows. "Grass" refers to open areas or meadows. It may also include clearings in forested areas. "Rocky" refers to rocky upland areas.

The information on habitat types is intended to provide general guidance for appropriate planting locations; certain plants, however, have highly specialized habitats which may make them appropriate for use only in specific areas of the City. For this reason, it may be helpful to consult with City staff, local botanists, landscape architects, or published sources when preparing a planting plan.

Sources of Native Plants

Native plants can be acquired through many local and specialty plant nurseries in the Salem area. A useful native plant directory, Hortus Northwest, is available at the City, on-line at www.hortuswest.com, or by writing Hortus Northwest, P.O. Box 955, Canby, OR 97013. Occasionally, particularly for large orders or less common plants, growers will need time to propagate and raise plants before they are ready for installation. For this reason, growers may need advance notice of plant orders and project timelines should allow adequate time to fill such orders.