Report #2: Research/descriptions

Report #2: Descriptions

The following are the descriptions of the 16 different coniferous species native to the Pacific Northwest that were intended to be part of this report. After initial research was done, there were a few minor changes to the original plan. In these descriptions, soil type is not specified and instead “associated wildlife” is (refer to report 1). I felt it was more pertinent to identification and the species’ environment. Also, due to its geographic location, instead of adding a description for the Rocky Mountain Juniper, the Alaska Yellow Cedar was used instead, as it is more prominent in the Pacific Northwest. To reiterate, this is meant to be a reference, or guide to one’s identification adventures. This will be my personal guide to use while doing my final field report, as I try to identify (at least) half of them.

1. Douglas Fir

Basic taxonomy:

            Scientific Name: Pseudotsuga menziesii

            Family: Pine, Pinaceae

Phenology:

Bloom Period: March-June, earlier in southern coastal areas, later at high elevations, interior and northern stands. Cones mature in mid to late September, seeds are dispersed soon after. (Native Plants PNW)

Size/ age:

Grows 200 to 240 feet (60-75m) tall.(Native Plants PNW)

Geographic location/ extent:

Large distribution from Western Canada down the Pacific coast to central California, and from the Canadian Rockies south to isolated communities in Mexico. (Native Plants PNW)

Elevation:

Sea level to subalpine mountain sites – up to 9,500 feet (MacKinnon and Pojar, 2016) (Native Plant Database)

Forest type/ associated environment:

Douglas Fir grows in moist to very dry, usually upland, less often in wetland environments; a primary component of moist forests in the Western Hemlock ecological zone. In ecological terms they are considered both early-successional (they are one of the first trees to colonize an area after a disturbance) and late-successional (they often occur in old-growth forests (Native Plants PNW).

Associated wildlife:

Douglas Squirrels and other rodents eat the small, winged seeds found inside Douglas Fir cones.  Pine Siskins and Crossbills and other birds also eat the seeds.  Browsers, such as White-tailed Deer will eat the foliage and twigs in the winter. The needles and male cones are an important winter food for Blue Grouse (Native Plants PNW).

Physical identifiers:

“Bottle brush” needles, grow radially around stem; groovy bark, pointed buds, and cones with 3-pronged bracts. Structure-wise it is cone shaped; as the tree gets older and taller, lower branches thin toward the bottom of the trunk unlike some other species of conifers where branches remain in tact toward the bottom of the trunk. They will always grow with a central leader. (Native Plants PNW) (MacKinnon and Pojar, 2016)

2. Western Hemlock

Basic taxonomy:

            Scientific Name: Tsuga heterophylla

            Family: Pine, Pinaceae

Phenology:

Bloom Period:  Mid-spring –Mid-April is typical, but may range from March-June (earlier in southern coastal areas, later at high elevations, interior and northern stands). Cones begin to mature in August; seeds are fully ripe by mid to late September but cones do not open until October (Native Plants PNW).

Size/ age:

Western Hemlock typically grows 150-195 feet (45-60m).  The tallest Western Hemlock is over 240 feet (73m) tall.  The oldest are over 1200 years old (Native Plants PNW).

Geographic location/ extent:

Western Hemlock occurs from the southern coast of Alaska to the northern coast of California and the Cascade Range of central Oregon.  It also occurs in the Rocky Mountains of Canada, Montana and Idaho (Native Plants PNW).

Elevation:

Coastal to mountainous, sea level to 7,000 feet

(Native Plants PNW)

Forest type/ associated environment:

Fairly dry to wet sites and is very shade tolerant. Sitka Spruce zones along the coast in the west and the Subalpine Zone in the Cascade Mountains in the east bound them; it is often associated with Douglas fir envrionments, as seedlings of Western Hemlock often begin life on the decaying wood of “nurse logs.” or stumps in the shade of Douglas Firs.

(Native Plants PNW)

Associated wildlife:

Hemlocks are favorite nesting trees for many birds.  Pine Siskins, Crossbills, Chickadees and Deer Mice eat the seeds. Porcupines and Douglas Squirrels and other mammals also eat the bark. Deer and elk eat the foliage and twigs.

(Native Plants PNW)

Physical identifiers:

Western Hemlock is usually recognized by its drooping top and different-sized needles in flat sprays (as opposed to “bottle brush”). Needles are shorter compared to a Douglas fir. Its small, woody cones are usually less than an inch (2.5cm) long. The fine textured, fern-like foliage of Western Hemlock gives it a graceful, delicate appearance. (Native Plants PNW)

(MacKinnon and Pojar, 2016)

3. Mountain Hemlock

Basic taxonomy:

            Scientific Name: Tsuga mertensiana

            Family: Pine, Pinaceae

Phenology:

Bloom Period:  Mid-May to Mid July. Cones ripen and open from late September to November.

(Native Plants PNW)

Size/ age:

Subalpine dwarfs may only reach 10 feet (3m).It grows more quickly in lowland areas, typically up to 100 feet (30m). The tallest trees are over 175 feet (50m). The oldest are known to be over 500 years old but some may be over 1000 years old.

(Native Plants PNW)

Geographic location/ extent:

Mountain Hemlock is native along the coast of southeastern Alaska and British Columbia, the mountains of Washington and Oregon to the High Sierras of California.  It is also found in the Rockies of northern Idaho and Montana. (Native Plants PNW)

Elevation:

Sea level to 10,000 feet

(MacKinnon and Pojar, 2016)

Forest type/ associated environment:

In the northern part of its range (British Columbia and Alaska), Mountain Hemlock is associated with bogs, and wet areas (although otherwise usually upland), and is adapted to deep snow and long winters. It can grow at near freezing temperatures and is can withstand many months covered in snow. The trunks are so flexible that trees bend under the weight of the snow

It is less shade tolerant than Western Hemlock.

(Native Plants PNW) (Native Plant Database)

Associated wildlife:

Squirrels make caches of the cones in the snow. Blue Grouse eat the buds and leaves.

Physical identifiers:

The leader droops only slightly; the needles are of equal length and are arranged radially around its twigs; and the cones are larger (1-5 inches or 2.5-12.5cm). The branches also tend to sweep upward at the tips. (Native Plants PNW) (Native Plant Database)

4. Sitka Spruce

Basic taxonomy:

            Scientific Name: Picea sitchensis

            Family: Pine, Pinaceae

Phenology:

Bloom Period:  Late April-Early June. Cones mature in late August/ early September; seed dispersal begins in October.

(Native Plants PNW)

Size/ age:

Sitka Spruce typically reach 180 to 225 feet (55-70m).  The tallest are over 250 feet (75m) tall.  The largest is at a resort; Most of the giants are found in Olympic National Park, Vancouver Island, and the northern Oregon Coast. The oldest are over 1300 years old (Native Plants PNW).

Geographic location/ extent:

Sitka Spruce is mostly found along the moist coasts of southeastern Alaska, south to northern California.  It lends its name to the Picea Sitchensis Ecological Zone, a long narrow zone that stretches along these coasts. Frequent summer fogs and proximity to the ocean distinguish their environment. (Native Plants PNW)

Elevation:

Sea level to 3.000 feet

(MacKinnon and Pojar, 2016)

Forest type/ associated environment:

itka Spruces often start their lives on nurse logs and can grow quickly when young. They grow best in moist, foggy rainforests where they can attain great size; also equally likely they grow in wetland vs. upland. (Native Plants PNW) (Common Trees of the Pacific Northwest) (Native Plant Database)

Associated wildlife:

The foliage and twigs of spruce are browsed by grouse, rabbits and deer.  The seeds are a valuable food for various birds, squirrels and chipmunks.  The trees provide excellent nesting, roosting and winter cover.(Native Plants PNW)

Physical identifiers:

Most spruces are easy to identify due to their prickly, very sharp, needle-like leaves.  It is true for Sitka Spruce as well.  It hurts to grab a hold of a branch!  The needles are light green or sometimes a silvery bluish-green.  The cones are 1-3 inches (2.5- 7.5cm) long and are thin with wavy, irregularly toothed scales. (Native Plants PNW) (MacKinnon and Pojar, 2016)

5. Engelmann Spruce

Basic taxonomy:

            Scientific Name: Picea engelmannii

            Family: Pine, Pinaceae

Phenology:

Bloom period – April – May. (Native Plants PNW)

Size/ age:

Grows 75-100 ft. tall (Native Plants PNW)

Geographic location/ extent:

Engelmann Spruce is native to British Columbia and Alberta, south to Oregon, Arizona and New Mexico.  In Washington and Oregon, it is mostly limited to the subalpine forests on the eastern side of the Cascades, with just a few, but some of the biggest in the Olympic Mountains. (Native Plants PNW) (Native Plant Database)

Elevation:

1,000 to 3,000 feet (MacKinnon and Pojar, 2016)

Forest type/ associated environment:

Engelmann Spruce is shade tolerant and will grow in a forest understory until a disturbance allows it to replace the canopy species.  It also is able to withstand cold temperatures and is often found growing in cold air drainages coming down from the mountains.

(Native Plants PNW) (Common Trees of the Pacific Northwest)

Associated wildlife:

Mostly associated with small mammals and birds, which use Engelmann Spruce for hiding and cover from pedators. (Native Plants PNW)

Physical identifiers:

Engelmann Spruce can be distinguished from Sitka Spruce by its 4-sided needles that can be felt when rolled between your fingers; narrow, spire-like, Its branches descend to sweep the ground and conceal the trunk. The coniferous needles are also dark blue-green.

(Native Plants PNW) (MacKinnon and Pojar, 2016)

6. Grand Fir

Basic taxonomy:

            Scientific Name: Abies grandis

            Family: Pine, Pinaceae

Phenology:

Bloom Period:  Late March to Mid-May, in June at higher elevations and inland. Cones mature in August to September; seeds are dispersed a month later.

(Native Plants PNW) (Common Trees of the Pacific Northwest)

Size/ age:

Typically only grows to 135’ to 180’ (40-55m) and is relatively short-lived, living less than 300 years.  Grand Fir grows quickly when growing in the open, more slowly in the shade.

(Native Plants PNW)

Geographic location/ extent:

It is native from southern British Columbia along the coast to northern California.  In Washington and northern Oregon, it spreads east to the Cascade Mountains.  It is also found in the Rocky Mountains of Idaho and Montana. (Native Plants PNW) (Common Trees of the Pacific Northwest)

Elevation:

Sea level to 6,000 feet

(Native Plants PNW) (MacKinnon and Pojar, 2016)

Forest type/ associated environment:

It is shade tolerant but less so than Western Hemlock and Western Red Cedar.  It grows from moist river valleys to dry rain shadow forests; usually found in upland landscape, rarely found in wetland. (Native Plants PNW)

Associated wildlife:

(similar to that of Douglas firs) They are useful to many animals for cover and nesting sites.  Grouse eat the needles.  Deer and elk eat the foliage and twigs in the winter. Birds, chipmunks and squirrels eat the seeds.

(Native Plants PNW)

Physical identifiers:

Their long needles borne horizontally on opposite sides of the twigs; the entire branch will appear flattened so that it has distinct upper and lower sides. Deep grooves on older bark (similar to douglas fir). When young, Grand Fir grows in a near perfect pyramidal, Christmas tree shape. (Native Plants PNW) (MacKinnon and Pojar, 2016)

7. Noble Fir

Basic taxonomy:

            Scientific Name: Abies procera

            Family: Pine, Pinaceae

Phenology:

Bloom Period:  May to Early July. Cones mature in mid-August; seed dispersal begins the end of September to the beginning of October.

(Native Plants PNW)

Size/ age:

Noble Fir typically reaches 135 to 210 feet (40-65m) and lives about 300-400 years.

(Native Plants PNW)

Geographic location/ extent:

Noble Fir is found in southwest Washington, Oregon and northern California, mostly in the Cascade Mountains with some isolated populations in the coastal mountains of Oregon and the Willapa Hills of southwest Washington. (Native Plants PNW)

Elevation:

2,000 – 5,500 feet (generally above 3,500 feet.)

(MacKinnon and Pojar, 2016)

Forest type/ associated environment:

Noble Fir is often a pioneer tree on middle to upper elevation sites, establishing itself quickly after a disturbance. It is shade intolerant and can eventually give way to Pacific Silver Fir, Abies amabilis, or Western Hemlock. Its bluish-green needles give a forest of Noble Fir a much different appearance than one of Douglas fir (Native Plants PNW).

Associated wildlife:

Like other firs, Noble fir are useful to many animals for cover and nesting sites.  Grouse eat the needles.  Deer and elk eat the foliage and twigs in the winter.  Birds, chipmunks and squirrels eat the seeds (Native Plants PNW).

Physical identifiers:

Noble Fir is easily recognized by upward curving needles that grow on opposite sides of a branch. Ornaments hang nicely from its open, symmetrically spaced branches. Female cones are a yellow color and grow on the very top of the tree (like all firs) (Native Plants PNW) (MacKinnon and Pojar, 2016).

8. Pacific Silver Fir

Basic taxonomy:

            Scientific Name: Abies amabilis

            Family: Pine, Pinaceae

Phenology:

Bloom Period:  Mid-May to mid-June. Cones mature in August; seed dispersal begins in mid-September.

(Native Plants PNW)

Size/ age:

The tallest are just over 200 feet (60m), but most only grow to about 150’ (45m).

Pacific Silver Fir lives about 400 years.

(Native Plants PNW)

Geographic location/ extent:

Pacific Silver Fir is found from the coast of British Columbia and in the mountains of Washington and Oregon. (Native Plants PNW)

Elevation:

1,000- 7,000 feet

(MacKinnon and Pojar, 2016)

Forest type/ associated environment:

Pacific Silver Fir is our most shade tolerant tree and is the climax species of the Pacific Silver Fir Ecological Zone, which lies between the Western Hemlock Zone and the Mountain Hemlock Zone. It grows in cool, moist rainforests and is sensitive to drought (Native Plants PNW) (FEIS).

Associated wildlife:

Like other firs, Pacific Silver Fir are useful to many animals for cover and nesting sites.  Grouse eat the needles.  Deer and elk eat the foliage and twigs in the winter.  Birds, chipmunks and squirrels eat the seeds (Native Plants PNW).

Physical identifiers:

Like Grand Fir, Pacific Silver Fir has needles that spread horizontally from the sides, but they have shorter needles on the top that point forward and lie flat against the twig. Throughout life the bark can be mottled, or marked with grey spots and smears of grey/silver colors, but grooved and brown when mature.

(Native Plants PNW) (MacKinnon and Pojar, 2016)

9. Subalpine Fir

Basic taxonomy:

            Scientific Name: Abies lasiocarpa

            Family: Pine, Pinaceae

Phenology:

Bloom Period:  Late Spring to early summer. Cones mature mid-September. Seed dispersal begins in October (Native Plants PNW).

Size/ age:

Subalpine Fir can reach 150 feet (45m) but usually only reaches 60 to 100 feet (18-30m).  In its natural subalpine habitat, it is often dwarfed and may only grow 1 foot (30cm) in 15 years

(Native Plants PNW) (Common Trees of the Pacific Northwest)

Geographic location/ extent:

It is widespread in British Columbia and the Rocky mountains reaching down to Arizona and New Mexico in isolated communities. In our region it is strictly found in the subalpine zone of the Cascade and Olympic Mountains. (Native Plants PNW)

Elevation:

Sea level to 12,000 feet

(MacKinnon and Pojar, 2016)

Forest type/ associated environment:

Subalpine Fir is adapted to live most of the year under snow and in cold valleys.  It can withstand cold air flowing down from large ice fields. (Native Plants PNW) (Common Trees of the Pacific Northwest)

Associated Widlife:

Firs are useful to many animals for cover and nesting sites.  Grouse eat the needles.  Deer and elk eat the foliage and twigs in the winter.  Birds, chipmunks and squirrels eat the seeds. (Native Plants PNW) (Common Trees of the Pacific Northwest)

Physical identifiers:

The foliage of Subalpine Fir turns up along its branches, similar to Noble Fir, but the needles are shorter and tend to be bluish-green.  The form of the tree is “spire-like,” very pointy and narrow, an adaptation that reduces the amount of snow that is able to build up on its branches.

(Native Plants PNW) (MacKinnon and Pojar, 2016)

10. Western White Pine

Basic taxonomy:

            Scientific Name: Pinus monticola

            Family: Pine, Pinaceae

Phenology:

Bloom Period:  Late June to Mid-July. Cones mature in August to September; seed dispersal begins in September. (Native Plants PNW)

Size/ age:

White Pines can live over 400 years and can grow up to 200 feet.  (Native Plants PNW)

Geographic location/ extent:

Western White Pine is native to southern British Columbia, western Washington, northern Idaho, western Montana, the Cascade Mountains of Oregon and the Sierras of California. (Native Plants PNW) (FEIS)

Elevation:

3,000- 5,000 feet(MacKinnon and Pojar, 2016)

Forest type/ associated environment:

Western White Pines grow in moist valleys to fairly dry, open sites (Native Plants PNW) (Native Plant Database)

Associated wildlife:

In the Pacific region, pines are the most valuable food source to wildlife. They have nutritious, oily seeds that are favored by many birds, especially Clark Nutcracker, crossbills, grosbeaks, jays, nuthatches, chickadees, and woodpeckers.  Many small mammals, such as chipmunks and squirrels also eat the seeds.  Foliage is eaten by grouse and deer.  Porcupines and small rodents eat the bark and wood.  Pine needles are a favorite material for making nests. Large pines provide excellent sites for roosting and nesting; small pines provide good cover for many animals. (Native Plants PNW)

Physical identifiers:

They have long, soft, slender needles in bundles of five. 

The cones of white pines although still woody, are much softer than the cones of hard pines.  The scales on cones of white pines have no prickles and are often dotted with spots of white resin. It also grows in a pyramidal manner. The bark is smooth and grey throughout its lifetime and when mature it becomes furrowed and “groovy”. (Native Plants PNW) (MacKinnon and Pojar, 2016)

11. Shore Pine/ Lodgepole Pine

Basic taxonomy:

            Scientific Name: Pinus contorta

            Family: Pine, Pinaceae

Phenology:

Bloom Period:  Mid-May to mid-July. Cones mature in August to October the following year; seeds from nonserotinous cones are mostly released before the following growing season. Serotinous cones, cones sealed with resin that open after a fire, may remain viable for many years if they remain on the tree. Serotinous cones, however, are rare in coastal populations.(Native Plants PNW)

Size/ age:

Shore Pine grows fairly fast, typically to 20 or 35 feet (6-10m), but the tallest are over 100 feet (33m).  The oldest are about 250 years old.(Native Plants PNW)

Geographic location/ extent:

The Shore Pine or Beach Pine is found along the coast from southern Alaska to Northern California. Lodgepole Pine is found throughout the Rocky Mountains and other western mountain ranges.(Native Plants PNW) (MacKinnon and Pojar, 2016)

Elevation:

Shore pine variation: at sea level or slightly above, but can be found in areas up to 12,000 feet (Lodgepole variation.) (Native Plants PNW) (MacKinnon and Pojar, 2016)

Forest type/ associated environment:

It is highly adaptable and can grow from dunes and bogs to rocky hilltops and is tolerant of low nutrient conditions and salt-spray. They are salt and wind tolerant, and higher elevations. (Native Plants PNW) (Common Trees of the Pacific Northwest)

Associated wildlife:

In the Pacific region, pines are the most valuable food source to wildlife. They have nutritious, oily seeds that are favored by many birds, especially Clark Nutcracker, crossbills, grosbeaks, jays, nuthatches, chickadees, and woodpeckers.  Many small mammals, such as chipmunks and squirrels also eat the seeds. Foliage is eaten by grouse and deer. Porcupines and small rodents eat the bark and wood.  Pine needles are a favorite material for making nests. Large pines provide excellent sites for roosting and nesting; small pines provide good cover for many animals.(Native Plants PNW)

Physical identifiers:

It is called Pinus contorta, because the branches and needles are often contorted. The 1-2 inch (2.5-5cm) long, paired needles are stiff and often twisted.  The cones are small and hard (about 1-2 inches or 2.5-5cm long) with a sharp prickle at the tip of each scale. They are twisted at the base so that the cones end up pointing toward the trunk. Like many pines, the cones are sometimes serotinous, which means they are sealed shut by resin, usually requiring a fire to release the seeds (although very old ones will eventually open on their own). Male cones growing often resemble an elongated “candle” or is candle shaped. (Native Plants PNW) (MacKinnon and Pojar, 2016)

12. Ponderosa Pine

Basic taxonomy:

            Scientific Name: Pinus ponderosa

            Family: Pine, Pinaceae

Phenology:

Bloom Period: May to Mid-June. Cones mature in August the following year; seed dispersal begins in September.(Native Plants PNW)

Size/ age:

The biggest Ponderosas surviving today are in the Sierra Nevadas and Siskiyous.  The tallest are over 220 feet (65m) tall.  Typically, they grow rapidly to 90-150 feet (30-45m) and live for about 600 years.(Native Plants PNW)

Geographic location/ extent:

Ponderosa Pine is common throughout the west, from British Columbia to California and Montana to Mexico.  In the Pacific Northwest, we are most familiar with seeing these awesome trees on the eastern slope of the Cascade Mountains.  They are also found on drier sites on the west side of the Cascades in Oregon.  There is also a small population at Fort Lewis near Tacoma.(Native Plants PNW)

Elevation:

500 to 7,500 feet

(MacKinnon and Pojar, 2016)

Forest type/ associated environment:

Mature Ponderosa Pines are very fire resistant due to their thick bark and high crowns. Smaller trees and underbrush are more susceptible. That is one reason why mature trees are often found in dry, open grassy sites where fires are common. Almost always live in upland sites and are dominant on warm, dry sites where there are shorter growing seasons and low summer precipitation. (Native Plants PNW) (FEIS)

Associated Wildlife:

Ponderosa Pine seeds are an extremely valuable food source for birds and squirrels.  It is also a host plant for some butterflies. In the Pacific region, pines are the most valuable food source to wildlife. They have nutritious, oily seeds that are favored by many birds, especially Clark Nutcracker, crossbills, grosbeaks, jays, nuthatches, chickadees, and woodpeckers.  Many small mammals, such as chipmunks and squirrels also eat the seeds; the foliage is eaten by grouse and deer. Porcupines and small rodents eat the bark and wood.  Pine needles are a favorite material for making nests. Large pines provide excellent sites for roosting and nesting; small pines provide good cover for many animals.(Native Plants PNW)

Physical identifiers:

These trees are easily recognized by their cinnamon-colored bark that breaks apart in large jigsaw puzzle-like pieces.  The needles form tufts at the end of branches and are usually in bundles of three, but sometimes there may only be two in a bundle.  The cones are 3 to 6 inches long with each scale tipped with a stiff prickle. (Native Plants PNW) (MacKinnon and Pojar, 2016)

13. Western Red Cedar

Basic taxonomy:

            Scientific Name: Thuja plicata

            Family: Cypress

Phenology:

Bloom Period:  Mid-spring; Mid-April is typical, but may range from March-June (earlier in southern coastal areas; later at high elevations, interior and northern stands). Cones mature in August; seeds are dispersed September through November (Native Plants PNW) (MacKinnon and Pojar, 2016).

Size/ age:

Western Red Cedars typically grow to 120-150 feet (35-45m); the tallest today are about 200 feet (60m) tall. The widest are about 19 feet (6m) in diameter. These giants are found mostly in the old-growth coastal rainforests of the Olympic Peninsula and Vancouver Island.  Some may be 1400 years old or older (Native Plants PNW).

Geographic location/ extent:

Cedar grows from southeast Alaska to northern California and east to northwestern Montanan in the Rocky Mountains (Native Plants PNW).

Elevation:

Pacific coast: from sea level to 4,000 feet; Rocky Mountains: 2,000 to 7,000 feet. (MacKinnon and Pojar, 2016)

Forest type/ associated environment:

Likely to live and grow in wetland and non-wetland systems, typically do not grow in dry and upland areas. (Native Plants PNW)

Associated wildlife:

Western Red Cedar provides cover for several wildlife species.  The seeds may be eaten by Pine Siskins.  Deer and elk eat the foliage and twigs.  Small mammals use cavities in Western Red Cedars for dens; birds use cavities for nests. (Native Plants PNW) (Common Trees of the Pacific Northwest)

Physical identifiers:

Recognized by its reddish or gray fibrous bark.  The scale-like leaves are pressed tightly to stems, having the appearance of flattened braids in lacy sprays.  The foliage has a sweet chamomile or tansy odor when crushed.  Cinnamon-brown cones are small and elongated and stay attached to branches for a long period of time.  Large branches emerge from the main trunk and droop downward, turning up at the ends. (Native Plants PNW) (MacKinnon and Pojar, 2016) (Common Trees of the Pacific Northwest)

14. Alaska Yellow Cedar

Basic taxonomy:

            Scientific Name: Callitropsis nootkatensis

            Family: Cypress, Cupressaceae

Phenology:

Bloom Period: from April in the southern end of its range to June in the north. Cones usually mature the following year, both first and second year cones may occur on the same branch.(Native Plants PNW)

Size/ age:

These graceful, relatively slow growing trees may be the oldest living trees in the northwest.  Some are known to have been over 1,800 years old.  Though the tallest known Alaska Cedar, on Vancouver Island, is 200 feet (60m) tall, they typically only grow 60-120 feet (18-36m) (Native Plants PNW).

Geographic location/ extent:

Alaska Cedar is found along the coast from southeast Alaska through British Columbia.  In Washington and Oregon, it is found mostly in the Olympic Mountains and on the western slopes of the Cascade Mountains (Native Plants PNW).

Elevation:

Olympic Peninsula: sea level; Washington and Oregon Cascades: up to 7,500 feet (MacKinnon and Pojar, 2016).

Forest type/ associated environment:

Alaska Cedar grows in wet to moist sites, from the coastal rainforests to rocky ridge tops near the timberline in the mountains.  In Northern British Columbia & Alaska it descends more often to sea level and is often associated with wet boggy forests (Native Plants PNW).

Associated Wildlife:

Alaska Cedars are used for cover by birds, small mammals and larger browsers such as deer. It has low food value for birds and small mammals. Alaska Cedar is of minor importance to wildlife as browse except when densities of deer are high. The Alaskan brown bear may strip the bark of the tree in the spring to feed on the sweet sap.(Native Plants PNW)

Physical identifiers:

The yellowish or bluish-green leaves are scale-like with sharp pointed spreading tips. If you stroke the branchlets the wrong way, they are very prickly.  The cones begin as round, bumpy, whitish-green berries.  They ripen to brown, woody cones with 4 to 6 mushroom-shaped scales with a point in the top center of each scale.  The grayish-brown, shaggy bark can be peeled off in long, vertical strips.  When you expose the yellowish, inner bark, it smells like raw potatoes.  The wood is a bright yellow. (Native Plants PNW) (MacKinnon and Pojar, 2016)

15. Common Juniper

Basic taxonomy:

            Scientific Name: Juniperus communis

            Family: Cypress, Cupressaceae

Phenology:

Bloom period is in April/ May. (Native Plant Database)

Size/ age:

The species varies widely from a groundcover to a tree 60 feet (20m) tall.  In the West and Pacific Northwest region it is a prostrate, trailing shrub usually less than 3 feet (1m) tall, forming mats to 9 feet (3m) in diameter. (Native Plants PNW) (Native Plant Database)

Geographic location/ extent:

It is native to Europe, Asia and North America. (Native Plants PNW)

Elevation:

Ranges from sea level to 10,000 feet(MacKinnon and Pojar, 2016)

Forest type/ associated environment:

It grows from near sea level in lowland bogs, in dry, open woods and on rocky slopes to subalpine ridges and alpine tundra’s. (Native Plants PNW) (Native Plant Database)

Associated wildlife:

Deer and mountain goats browse Common Juniper to at least a limited extent. Levels of use are typically greatest during the winter or early spring. Caribou and Moose have been observed feeding on Common Juniper. Hares may also browse Common Juniper. “Berries” of most junipers are eaten by many species of birds and mammals, including American Robins, Black-capped Chickadees, and Cedar Waxwings. Wild turkeys also feed on the berries of Common Juniper. It also provides cover and nesting sites for birds and small mammals. (Native Plants PNW)

Physical identifiers:

The blue-gray leaves are needle-like in whorls of three and very prickly.  Female plants produce bluish-black “berries.” In the west they are generally shrubs, but in cerntral USA and in eastern continents can be large trees. (Native Plants PNW) (MacKinnon and Pojar, 2016)

16. Pacific Yew

Basic taxonomy:

            Scientific Name: Taxus brevifolia

            Family: Yew, Taxaceae

Phenology:

Bloom Period:  May to June, male and female on separate plants.  Arils ripen in August to October; seeds are dispersed by birds and rodents, but will also just drop to the ground (Native Plants PNW).

Size/ age:

Pacific Yew reaches 6 to 45 feet (2-15m).  The largest are about 60 feet, and can grow up to 125 feet tall.

Geographic location/ extent:

The Pacific Yew is found from British Columbia to Northern California from the coast to the Cascades, on the western slope of the Sierra Nevadas and the western slope of the Rockies in B.C., Idaho and Montana.  Rarely ever numerous, it is usually found as an understory tree in moist old growth forests growing beneath other larger trees such as Western Hemlock and Douglas Fir. (Native Plants PNW)

Elevation:

2,000 – 8,000 feet (MacKinnon and Pojar, 2016)

Forest type/ associated environment:

Pacific Yew are found in old growth forests, as they generally inhabit a shady understory with trees like Douglas Fir, Grand Fir, Western Hemlocks, and sometimes Ponderosa Pines. (Native Plants PNW) (Native Plant Database)

Associated wildlife:

Birds eat the yew’s fleshy arils and disperse the seeds.  The foliage is a winter browse for moose.(Native Plants PNW)

Physical identifiers:

The needled foliage is similar in appearance to Douglas Fir, True Firs, and Hemlocks.  The needles are arranged in 2 rows in flat sprays, similar to Grand Fir, but the needles are shorter, about an inch (2-3cm) long, coming to a point at the end.  The twigs are green.  Instead of a woody cone, female yew trees produce a bright red, berry-like, gelatinous cup called an aril.  One bony seed is visible through the hole in the end of each aril.  If you are lucky enough to find a mature yew, the bark is very shaggy looking with red to purplish shredded scales. Also has a “scraggly” appearance and are often draped with moss.(Native Plants PNW) (MacKinnon and Pojar, 2016)

Sources:

“Conifers.” Native Plants PNW, nativeplantspnw.com/conifers/.

“FEIS.” Home Page, Fire Effects Information System, www.feis-crs.org/feis/.

MacKinnon, A., and Jim Pojar. “Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast: Washington, Oregon,       British Columbia & Alaska”. Partners Publishing, 2016.

“Native Plant Database.” Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center – The University of Texas at Austin, http://www.wildflower.org/plants/search.php?search_field=white%2Bpine&family=Acanthaceae&newsearch=true&demo=.

True Fir Species: Common Trees of the Pacific Northwest, oregonstate.edu/trees/conifer_genera/spp/true_fir_spp.html.