Native Plants
Oxbow’s Native Plant Nursery (NPN) is dedicated to growing Washington native plant species and encouraging the widespread use of natives in local landscapes, supporting the conservation of our region’s native plants, wildlife, and ecosystem. The NPN grows approximately 160 ecologically important species for habitat restoration, urban landscaping, and retail nurseries. The NPN provides educational tours, workshops, and resources to help you understand, plant, and maintain native plants, and you can always find a wide variety of natives available at our Farm Stand and our annual Native Plant Sales.
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About the NPN
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Purchase Plants: Details on availability
The Burke Museum Project: Oxbow supplied 70,000+ native plants for the museum’s iconic, sweeping meadow on the campus of the University of Washington in Seattle
Resources: Planting and foraging guides, pollinator plant info, videos, and more
100% Pacific Northwest Native Plants
Grown for Biodiversity
Approximately 95% of our plants are grown from seed, much of which is collected locally in the Snoqualmie Valley. As each seed contains a unique genetic makeup, our plants are genetically different and also representative of the biodiversity and adaptations of our local landscape, offering resilience in changing future conditions.
Grown Responsibly
Native plants heal our landscape, but we also strive to use growing practices that ensure the health of the land where the plants are grown. We are continually working towards refining our practices to be more ecologically sound, including: testing organic fertilizers that perform well in container nurseries; reliance on beneficial insects and biocontrols for pest-management; and reduction of plastic waste and re-use of nursery containers.
Grown for Resilience
While all customers want aesthetically pleasing plants, we know that healthy, vigorous root systems are vital to a plant’s growing success – we consider ourselves primarily growers of root systems! We propagate our plants using long, open-bottomed containers that allow for air-pruning and encourage secondary root growth. Our practices of root pruning, avoiding overwatering, and using beneficial microorganisms help us produce healthy roots that are ready to support the plant once it is installed.
Grown for Research
We conduct applied research focused on the topics of native seed germination and organic nursery practices. With a significant lack of available information in both of these realms, we actively work to refine our practices and share our findings with other growers, students, and the public to make growing natives easier and more sustainable for all. Oxbow’s nursery provides educational tours, workshops, and materials that help our community understand the value of natives. We inspire others to plant, interact with, and propagate natives at home, advocate for their use in public spaces, and protect the habitats that native plants depend upon.
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