December 2021 * No. 7

# of plants Name / Description

1 Frangula purshiana - Cascara buckthorn

Grows as a tall shrub to small tree, 15-30’. Gray bark; oval, large ribbed leaves that are dark green when they emerge, turning yellow to Orange-red in fall; small, greenish-yellow flowers followed by purplish-black fruit much loved by birds. Culture: Takes sun or shade, preferring a mix of both. Prefers moist to wet, well-draining soil; but is also tolerant of summer-dry conditions.

1 Populus balsamifera - Black cottonwood

This large deciduous broadleaved tree is common throughout the Columbia River watershed. It thrives along streams from Alaska to California, and reaches heights of 100-200 ft., with a diameter up to 6 ft. Its leaves are deep green on top, silver on the bottom, 3 to 7" long, 3 to 4" wide, tapering to a sharp tip. Fragrant buds in spring are followed by male and female flowers, April to June (on separate trees) and lots of cottony seeds. Male flowers are arranged in catkins up to 1" long, female flowers in catkins 3 to 8". Sun, regular water.

1 Rubes spectabilis - Salmonberry

A deciduous, thicket-forming shrub (3-10 ft.) with sparsely thorned woody stems and pinnately compound leaves. Its magenta flowers appear before the foliage in early spring and provide one of the first nectar sources for hummingbirds. Flowers are followed by edible salmon to reddish-purple fruit in late June. These are eaten by finches, wrens, bushtits, thrushes, robins, and towhees. Salmonberry provides good erosion control and can be aggressive. Plant it near streambanks, at the edges of marshes or lakes, in ravines, where it will receive part sun and moderate-regular water

1 Symphoricarpos albus - Common Snowberry

A finely branched, deciduous shrub (to 6 ft.), common in westside woods from Alaska to California. Snowberry has small,white to pink bell-shaped flowers (May to August) and showy white berries. The berries persist well into winter and provide food for birds. Part sun (sun), low-regular water, well-drained soil.

2 Abies grandis - Grand fir

Evergreen conifer (125-250 ft.) with shiny, green needles (lower surface has white bloom) in 2 flattened rows (two- ranked) and upright, cylindrical cones (3-4"). Fast growth rate when young. Lovely fragrance. Grand fir is commonly found below 1500 feet. Sun/part sun/shade tolerant, moderate-regular water, well-drained soil.

2 Oemelaris cerasiformis - Indian plum

Deciduous, understory shrub (15-20 ft.) with light-green foliage and clusters of white flowers in early spring. The first shrub to bloom heralds the coming of spring! Male & female flowers dwell on separate plants (dioecious), so both are necessary to produce fruit on the female. Birds love the fruit. Part shade, regular water (can tolerate drier sites), well-drained soil.

5 Acer circinatum - Vine maple

Our lovely small maple, found everywhere in the Pacific Northwest, from woods to residential gardens. A deciduous, broadleaved tree or shrub (generally under 20 ft. but with potential height of 40 ft.) with opposite, lobed (5-9) leaves. Flowers put on a lovely show, clustered in the leaf axils before leafing out, with purple sepals and short white petals with eight stamens, March to June. These are followed by widely spaced "wings", red to orange in color, carrying the seed. Vine Maple grows straight and tree-like in open situations, multi-trunked and curvaceous in the shade, with elegant form. It often forms thickets in the lower slopes of hemlock and cedar forests, as drooping branches root and grow. Normally an understory tree in our woods, it will grow in full sun but requires a moist root-run. Stunning fall color! Vine maple provides cover and food (seeds) for birds, including grosbeaks, woodpeckers, nuthatches, and finches. Good nectar source for bees. Part sun/shade, regular water.

6 Acer macrophyllum - Big-leaf maple

Our grand native maple reaches heights of 75-100 feet, with a spread of up to 50 feet. It is a beautiful deciduous broadleaved tree for large gardens and parks. Leaves are large (6-12"), with 3-5 lobes. Fall color is yellow; large, pendant, creamy yellow flower clusters emerge in mid-spring before the leaves. Bigleaf maple seeds prolifically; seedlings sprout in many of our gardens, and as a result many Oregonians consider the tree common and invasive, though it is truly a majestic tree of great beauty and usefulness for wildlife. Bigleaf maple seed feeds songbirds; trees provide cover, nesting and perching sites; nectar is used by honeybees. Sun/part sun, regular water, well-drained soil.

6 Spiraea douglasii - Rose spirea

Suckering, deciduous shrub (6-12 ft.). In summer, western spirea has showy plumes of pink flowers. Sun, regular water, boggy soil ok.

7 Pseudotsuga menziesii - Douglas fir

A fast-growing conifer (100-250 ft) with a dense crown and soft, spirally arranged needles. The cones are very distinctive; they are 3-4" long and have bracts that resemble pitchforks or rat tails sticking out from beneath the scales. We have an abundance of Douglas-fir in the Willamette Valley; it is also plentiful eastward from the Cascade crest to the Rocky Mountains, where it coexists with all the other major coniferous species. Douglas Fir may be grown as a specimen tree or as a screen in rows or drifts. It is a beautiful ornamental for large gardens, and a small woodlot in larger suburban gardens will provide wildlife habitat and privacy. It is an important source of cover for birds; cavity-nesters use older trees. Seeds are eaten by squirrels and birds, including siskins and crossbills. The trunk and branches provide a rich source of insects for chickadees, nuthatches, and woodpeckers. The pine white butterfly uses the tree's foliage for its larvae. as do many moths. Sun/part sun (when young), low water.

9 Thuja plicata - Western-red cedar

Evergreen tree (150-200 ft.) with flattened sprays of scale-like foliage (look for white butterflies on the underside of the foliage). Fragrant. Open cones resemble tiny rose buds. Part sun, moderate-regular water.

10 Tsuga heterophylla - Western hemlock

Western hemlock is an evergreen coniferous species of tree that grows to mature heights of 190 to 240 feet

50 Chamacyparis lawsoniana - Port Orford cedar

Conifer (but not a true cedar), evergreen tree, 40-60 ft (12-18 m) tall, (180 ft in wild), narrow, pyramidal, buttressed trunk. Short ascending branches, drooping at the tips. Hardy to zone 5 - grows on many geologic and soil types

64 Pinus monticola - Western white pine

Evergreen conifer (120-180 ft) with 5 needles per fascicle. Its cones (5-12") resemble bananas. Its initial fast growth rate slows as western white pine reaches maturity. Sun, moderate-regular water, well-drained soil.